Waiting on Wednesday

Finally I post on the right day! ;) This week I'm wishing for:

Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto by Eric Luper

"Seth Baumgartner just had the worst day of his life: His girlfriend dumped him (at Applebee’s), he spied his father on a date with a woman who is not his mother (also at Applebee’s!), and he lost his fourth job of the year. It’s like every relationship he cares about is imploding, and he can’t figure out what’s going on.

To find answers, Seth decides to start an anonymous podcast called The Love Manifesto, exploring “what love is, why love is, and why we’re stupid enough to keep going back for more.” Things start looking up when Seth gets a job at a golf club with his hilarious and smut-minded best friend, Dimitri, and Dimitri’s sister, Audrey. With their help, Seth tracks down his father’s mystery date, hits the most infamous bogey in the history of golf, and discovers that sometimes love means eating the worst chicken-salad sandwich you can ever imagine."

I love the sound of this. Guy POV, girlfriend issues, and an awesome title? I'm definitely checking it out.

The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Pages:384
Genre:Dystopian
Rating:100+++/10
Summary: "When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind."

My Review:
First of all, I must confess that I judged this book by its' cover. Now that I've read it, I understand why the cover is so simple. It very accurately represents the books contents. Also, it's much more appealing to the sight in person, trust me.
Now onto the book. Wow WOW wow Wow WOW wow... This novel is PHENOMENAL!
It shares many similarities with Hunger Games, which is just about the highest praise I can possibly give a book. Don't misunderstand me, it's completely original. By similarities I mean it's dystopian, the writing is freaking (or should I say shucking?) perfect, I really cared for the characters, and it's just complex and intricate enough to confuse me slightly (which is a good thing). The plot is so clever that it went over my head in parts.
This book is part everything. Part mystery, part dystopian, part thriller, with a sprinkling of romance. It really doesn't even need the romance to keep the plot exciting, which is quite a feat. It has elements of many of my favorite books (Uglies, Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies...).
Any good dystopian should chill you to the bone. That is the effect this book had on me. I was frightened. My heart was racing and I was nervous along with the characters. The world felt so real to me. I was so caught up in it, as if I were really there.
Some people have said that the beginning was boring. I don't agree. The first 100 pages are the foundation for the rest of the story. However, it really gets good once the action starts. Once you get to this point, you will not be able to physically put the book down.
I'm left with so many questions and a burning desire to read more. I NEED the second book now.
Overall, I'm in awe. James Dashner is a genius.

The Morganville Vampires

The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine
Pages:480
Genre:Mystery/romance
Rating:10/10
Summary:
"The first two novels in the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires series together for the first time in a new trade paperback edition.
Morganville is a small college town in the heart of Texas—not a place that exactly screams “hotbed of creatures of the night.” But college freshman Claire Danvers is about to discover why, in Morganville, you should never, ever stay out after dark…
Glass Houses
College freshman Claire Danvers moves off campus and into an old house in the small town of Morganville. Her new roommates have her back when the town’s deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood…
The Dead Girls’ Dance
Claire may have a great roommate and a new boyfriend, but when she’s invited to the Dead Girls’ Dance all hell breaks loose—literally. Because this time, the living and the dead are ready to tear up the night…"
My Review:
Rachel Caine has created a marvelous new world in this series. It differentiates itself from other vamp books by portraying vampires as the villain-as it should be. The love interest is a human, older boy, which is two extra points in my book. Who doesn't love reading about a match between the girl and the forbidden older boy? Shane brought the much needed humor to their desolate surroundings.
Their romance is sure to hook readers.
I can find only one fault with this series. The first two books are fabulous, but I read Fade Out, and it wasn't nearly as good. Once the chase is over, the romance loses it's appeal. The plot became decidedly less interesting. It lost its' steam. No matter how good the plot is, in every sitcom, once the two characters get together, ratings drop.
However, the first two books are excellent. The plot? Suspenseful, action-packed, exciting, and unexpected. The characters? Real, intriguing, and likable. Overall, I do recommend reading the first couple books. They entertained me thoroughly. It's never good when a series goes on past it's best though. (house of night)

So Not Happening and I'm So Sure

So Not Happening and I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones
Rating:8/10 (for both)
Summary:
"New York's social darling just woke up in a nightmare: Oklahoma. Problem is, it's right where God wants her.
Bella Kirkwood had it all: A-list friends at her prestigious private school, Broadway in her backyard, and Daddy's MasterCard in her wallet. Then her father, a plastic surgeon to the stars, decided to trade her mother in for a newer model.
When Bella's mom falls in love with a man she met on the Internet--a factory worker with two bratty sons--Bella has to pack up and move in with her new family in Truman, Oklahoma. On a farm no less!
Forced to trade her uber-trendy NYC lifestyle for down-home charm, Bella feels like a pair of Rock & Republic jeans in a sea of Wranglers.
At least some of the people in her new high school are pretty cool. Especially the hunky football player who invites her to lunch. And maybe even the annoying--but kinda hot--editor of the school newspaper.
But before long, Bella smells something rotten in the town of Truman, and it's not just the cow pasture. With her savvy reporter's instincts, she is determined to find the story behind all the secrets.
How can a girl go on when her charmed life is gone and God appears to be giving her the total smackdown?"
My Review:
The Charmed Life series is very cute. I like the characters, the setting, the writing, and almost every other aspect in this series.
My only problem is the plot. I was never excited to pick it up. It did not have much action at all. If you like more character driven novels though, then I strongly recommend these books. It is predictable, but still enjoyable to watch Bella grow into a more tolerant person.
I honestly didn't even realize this was Christian fiction 'til I'd finished it, which is why it's the best Christian fiction I've ever read. It's not Christian in the sense that it mentions God frequently and comes off as preachy. In fact, it doesn't even mention God really at all, so don't let that deter you. It's Christian in the sense that the writing is tasteful and not graphic.
I've heard it said that this series is hilarious, and I think that is an overstatement. I did chuckle several times, but the humor is not laugh-out-loud funny.
The covers are so cute! The third is coming out soon too.
Overall, I liked it, yet that like never crossed over into love. Those 2 points are misused solely because of the lack of action, but not everyone will feel the same way. It's all a matter of opinion.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Pages:256
Genre:Historical fiction
Rating:50/100
Summary:
"Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes for the first time at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean island she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is in the meadows, where she enjoys the company of the old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and on occasion, her young sailor friend Nat. But when Kit's friendship with the "witch" is discovered, Kit is faced with suspicion, fear, and anger. She herself is accused of witchcraft!"

My Review:
I could seriously read this book a hundred times and still not get tired of it.
It's such a beautiful story and I hesitate to even praise it, because you should just read it for yourself.
The setting is so rich and clearly researched. When Mercy and her sister get the fever, the doctors perform "bloodletting", which we now know did not help a bit. It likely made things worse.
I immediately loved Kit, the main character, and fell for Nat, her sailor friend. I sympathized with Kit all throughout the novel. I felt her pain and her joy vicariously- that's how real she was to me.
If you think the plot sounds boring, it's anything but! I thought I would only read a few pages, but suddenly I could not put it down. I was enraptured, just utterly enthralled by this book.
Overall, unforgettable.

No Comment...

...The cover speaks for itself.

Babbling, Beirut, and Barnholdts' new Book

That's some nice alliteration right there. ;-D
It's strange, but I seem to get more done when I have less time...
I put things off because I have forever to do it, but then forever starts to slowly shrink. 'Forever' turns into 'a long time'. Then it becomes 'a while'. Then it becomes 'a short time'. As of now, it has gone from 'forever' to 'never'. Sometimes I feel so hopeful about writing and getting a book published, and then there are other times where it just seems impossible.
In other news, I have finally accepted the fact that I am an indie snob. I like all kinds of music, but indie/alternative is what I listen to most. I hate liking music that everyone likes. If I like something that nobody likes, that's no good either. You want to share what you like with others.
Indie is perfect this way, because you root out all the people who just like it because everyone likes it, and you're left with true music lovers. Right now, I can't stop listening to Beirut. They're probably the only band I know that uses an accordion as one of the instruments. It sounds great though. I especially like:
-Nantes
-Postcards From Italy
-A Sunday Smile
I read Lauren Barnholdts' novel, Two-Way Street, a long long time ago, but I still remember it as being highly enjoyable. I've been waiting ages for her to come out with another YA novel, and my wish has finally been granted!!! One Night That Changes Everything sounds dramatic and amazing. I adore the bright cover too.
Oh yeah, and thanks for the get well wishes. I already feel better:)

Wtf

Wtf by Peter Lerangis
Pages:272
Genre:Social issues
Rating:6/10
Summary:
"Two parties, six alternating points of view, and three letters that says it all--WTF!"
My Review:
Don't worry, I have not picked up cursing, it's just the title of the book. The cover is another eye-catching aspect of this novel. It's even more gorgeous in person. I was really excited to read Wtf because it sounded very action-oriented and fast paced. It was. The problem is, it moved so fast, I never got the chance to get to know the characters.
I feel that it relied too much on the shock factor to keep people interested. Thus, the characters were neglected. It's got to be hard to develop likable, 3-dimensional personalities for SIX people. Still, I was never attached to any of them.
It has an intriguing plot line, so I'm not giving it 5/10. Unfortunately, I cannot give it higher than a 6, because the characters were so dull. This could have been a great book, but it does not live up to it's potential. Pick it up if you like a suspenseful plot and can overlook the unexceptional characters.

What Fairy Tale Character Are You?

I found this quiz over at The Little Bookworm, and I have to say, I am very displeased. The questions are trick questions. I would never snoop around in someone's house uninvited! Maybe I do have high standards, but that doesn't mean I'm a prima donna! I do agree that I love to get a good nights sleep, which is about the only true thing on that quiz...

"You are Goldilocks. You are a little bit of a prima donna. Things just never seem good enough for you! People try and try to please you but they are just wasting their precious time. Sometimes you can be a teensy bit invasive (as in going into other people's homes uninvited), but you just have a curiosity that can't be satisfied. You demand that things are absolutely perfect and snub your nose at those that don't give into your demands. You also have a calm and gentle side and love to get a good night sleep!"

You can take the quiz here.

Sick :-0

I can't remember the last time I was this sick. It flippen stinks. Literally. I can't get the taste of puke out of my mouth-though that's probably more than you wanted to know... The only things keeping my mind off how horrible I feel is...

-Albert Hammond Jr. (the drummer for The Strokes) and his awesome CD, Yours to Keep. The whole CD is just crazy good. A few of my favorite songs off the album are:

In Transit
101
Everyone Gets A Star
Bright Young Thing
Scared

-Buffy is coming today! I'm nearly finished with all seven seasons. I don't know what show I'm going to watch when I'm through with this.

-Last, but not least, this new cover for Robin Benway's book (author of Audrey, Wait!) is a bright spot in my bleak day. Very excited to read it.

Got to have it!

Again, I know...
"I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears Jessica whisper: I want to kill my Hearing dead, and kill me too if that’s what it takes, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own."

"Tessa goes from strawberry smoothie to suddenly single!

After her center-court split with Aiden, Tessa puts the SOS behind her. After all, cheaters never prosper! Now she’s busy working on her faux-relationship with Aiden and negotiating the unfamiliar waters of “technically single and pseudo-dating.”

Life can’t get any more dismal for a one-guy kind of girl until an imposter hijacks the SOS, and it’s up to Tessa to save her squad from slander. But with her best boy hot and cold, what’s a kitten to do?

Even worse, Tessa doesn’t realize how much she’s up against—because this copykitten is far more naughty than nice."

Contest!

Suzanne Crowley graciously offered a hardcover SIGNED copy of her book, The Stolen One, to be given away to one lucky winner.
I sincerely love this book and highly recommend it. You can see my review of it here: click
Even my stuffed animals like the book ;-D












So, all you have to do to enter is comment with your email.
Extra entries:
-You follow (1 point)
-You link this (2 points)
-You get a friend to follow (3 points)
Good luck! Contest is international and it will end December 29th at midnight.

Excuses, excuses...

I have not been able to get into any good books lately. This reading rut is an especially bad one... It's so bad that I can't even see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I have tons of reviews, but I don't want to post them because they're not positive. I made this site to discuss books and different opinions they bring up, not to discuss all the different reasons I did not like the book.
So that's my excuse for only posting about new books recently...
...and look! Pretty cover!Too bad I did not enjoy this authors first book. It did not live up to it's potential and the plot was unbearably predictable, but who knows? Sometimes, two's a charm.

...and another gorgeous cover...

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

In Jenny Han's follow-up to The Summer I Turned Pretty, Belly finds out what comes after falling in love.

I still need to read the first one, but I've heard great things about it.

Sweet!

"Acclaimed YA author C. K. Kelly Martin offers a sexy, soulful story of one confused boy, two girls, and all the complications that ensue in this romantic feel-good love story that celebrates friendship, first love, first lust, and second chances.

Sixteen-year-old Mason Rice is having the night of his life. He's just delivered an incredible performance in the school play, basked in celebratory afterglow vibes at the party of the year, and lost his virginity to one of his best friends—the gorgeous but previously unobtainable Kat Medina. His dreams are coming true, and the future looks golden.

Unfortunately, Kat sees things very differently. Crossing the friendship line was a big mistake, and all she wants is to forget it and move on, even if that means forgetting Mason altogether. What's a guy to do? Well, if you're Mason, you hang your hopes on the first attractive twenty-three-year-old you cross paths with. At first Mason wonders if he's imagining the chemistry . . . until Colette invites him over to her apartment. Suddenly Mason's living in a whole new world."

I didn't love her second novel, but her first was amazing. Here's to hoping this one will be too.

Ex-mas

Ex-mas by Kate Brian
Pages:224
Genre:RomCom
Rating:10/10
Summary:
"Two Exes. One holiday adventure.
Merry Ex-Mas?
Seventeen-year-old Lila Beckwith's parents just left for vacation, and Lila's all set to throw the holiday party of the season. But when her Christmas-obsessed little brother, Cooper, discovers that global warming is melting the North Pole, he and his best friend, Tyler, take off on a runaway mission to save Santa.
Lila has to get Cooper safely home before her parents get back on Christmas Eve. But the only person who can help her is Tyler's older brother, Beau -- a.k.a. Lila's musician, anti-everything ex-boyfriend.
It'll take more than a Christmas miracle for Lila and Beau to overcome their differences and find their fugitive brothers. But could a journey destined for disaster help these polar opposites fall in love...all over again?"

My Review:
Kate Brian has gone back to what she does best-romances.
Ex-mas flat out tells you on the front cover that it's a love/hate story, so there's pretty much no question as to what will happen. It's predictable, yes, but the obviousness of the plot did not make me like it less. I knew exactly what would happen and I got exactly that.
It was a lightning fast read. The plot moves swiftly yet smoothly. It's the perfect balance between depth and frivolousness.
Same thing goes for the characters. Kate Brian manages to really make you care about them. I actually identified with Beau a lot more than Lila. We both have a superiority complex. I have disdain for people who follow all the trends in fashion, as if they have no personal style. I have disdain for those who only listen to admittedly catchy, yet trashy, superficial pop/rap music. I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it seems to me like they are only concerned with being popular, so they conform with what's in. I mean, does anyone sincerely think Boom Boom Pow is art in it's truest form? It's noise, not music.
On the other hand, there are the 'uniques'. They try to be origional too much. The uniques have their own clique, and they all dress similarly, even though they try so hard to be different. It's like they want attention for being origional, and ironically enough, they all look the same.
I guess I'm just too picky.
Sometimes I feel like my superiority complex is verified. Everyone wants to belong, but sometimes you lose yourself in the precess of following the norm. Of course, some really are brainless sheep to begin with. Everyone is so obsessed with image and following the crowd, that I just want to distance myself from those type of people.
This book brings up the question, If people are polar opposites and they dissagree on what is most important, does that mean you can't be friends? I guess it all goes back to hating in others what you hate in yourself. It's all very confusing.
Just like family. She did a great job at portraying home life. It's complex and difficult, opinions clash, but people are just doing what they think is right. In the end, you still love them.

Want. Need. Must Have NOW!

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

"Lori should have known better than to date a pirate.

After finally getting together and going out on their first real date, only Lori and Adam could manage to fall asleep and wake up seven hours past Lori's curfew. Their parents forbid them to see each other. So Lori takes it upon herself to date boys scarier than Adam until her dad gives in.

But Adam won't play along. He's afraid Lori might fall for these scary boys. And when she goes out with the scariest boy of all Adam's own brother and her ex-crush even the threat of being sent away to military school can't keep Adam from swashbuckling his way back into Lori's heart.

Can this forbidden love stay afloat, or will it sink in the watery deep?"

{Insert extremely high pitched scream}
!!!
Everything this lady writes is gold, so it's an understatement when I say, I can't wait to read this! This is actually the sequel to The Boys Next Door (which was awesome and you should read it if you have not already).

Interview

Hey guys, if you're interested check out my first interview over at Climbing Rose. It was lots of fun.
-amy

Music Mania Part 2

I just got Julian Casablanca's solo album, Phrazes For The Young. I liked it, though I do prefer his guitar-based songs.
11th Demension is really upbeat and catchy.
Julian Casablancas could be in a rock band, or a folk band. I don't care. Whatever he writes simply works.
At first I didn't even like The Strokes, believe it or not. It's an acquired taste.
For instance, the song Little Girl. At first I found it odd, but after a couple listens, I began noticing how interesting it was. He has awesome vocals, and superb songwriting skills to boot.

I've been a Stars fan for years now, but I just recently started listening to their early work. They're probably one of the most underrated bands I know. Nightsongs is my favorite album. It has a very ethereal feel to it. It's so hard to list just a few of my favorites, but here's the shortened version:

Counting Stars On The Ceiling (the intro is the best part)

On Peak Hill

Night Starts Here (slightly repetitive, but still lovely)

Calendar Girl

My Favorite Book

I'd heard of Tegan and Sara before, but I never particularly liked them until I saw then playing on Conan. They have very distinct singing voices. So far, I'm listening on loop to:

Hell (fast-paced and love the lyrics!)

Back In Your Head (can't get it Out Of My Head)

Music Mania

As anyone who reads my blog should know, my musical obsessions change from week to week. This time though, I'm not just obsessed. Obsessed is not a strong enough word. I am engrossed in The Strokes! I am fixated on them, gripped by their songs, infatuated by the lead singer, and I can't get this band out of my head!
They are probably the best musicians in my generation. I don't say things like that lightly.
Every single album is just awesome.
Is This It is my favorite record of theirs' so far. Every single track is amazing.
In an interview, Julian Casablancas was talking about that feeling that you get when you hear your favorite song, and how it just hits you so strong no matter where you are. That's what his band aims for in their music, and they acheive that.
This is exactly how I felt even before I heard him put it into words. It's the purpose of music really. For something to touch you emotionally is true art, and that is why the Strokes are so great. They understand this....
He goes on to talk about how "that feeling gives you the joy and understanding that you don't have in reality, and it's not like a shortcut to reality, it's more like an expansion on the understanding of what's going on."
I just find him to be so smart, yet humble. I would love to meet him or at least go to one of their concerts.
I'm waiting desperately for his solo album, which will no doubt be phenomenal. I love his voice, his talent, his humor, his intelligence... Frankly, I just like his style. ;)
A (few) of my favorite songs by them:
12:51
You Only Live Once
The End Has No End
Hard to Explain
Is This It
The Modern Age