Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Hey guys! I should be doing math homework right now but who cares about that, right? I despise math. So anyway, today's book is Lipstick Apology-- which I received in my package from the wonderful Elizabeth Scott. I have so many books I need to review it's crazy. You guys should be seeing reviews for Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, and The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson in the next week. I'm trying to get on here a post them, I promise! I should have more time to do these things after tomorrow. Ahhh, college life. You gotta love it but hate it. Sorry for the rambling-- here's the description of Lipstick Apology:

When Emily Carson's parents die in a plane crash, she's left with nothing but her mother's last words scrawled in lipstick on a tray table: "Emily, please forgive me."

Now it's fall and Emily moves to New York City— where she attracts the attention of two very different boys: the cute, popular Owen, and her quirky chemistry partner, Anthony. With the help of some surprising new friends, Emily must choose between the boy who helps her forget and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately heal.

I thought this book was a great debut. When I first read the description, I made sure I put it at the top of the list of my 30 books to read. Yes, 30! I'm down to 20 though so I'm making good progress. Anyway, I loved the story line. It's so different from anything I've read. I think Jennifer's writing is beautiful. She also knows the city of New York well. I was reading this during my trip to NYC and I kept seeing things mentioned in the book and thinking, Ahh! That's in Lipstick Apology!! Again, I am a geek. I know this. I also love love love Trent's character in this book. I want my own Trent! And my own Anthony! Jennifer describes his hot body well ;)
Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. The story definitely had it's twists and turns but I was never bored with it. I really think this book should be seen on more shelves around the nation. I haven't seen it in a Barnes and Noble or anything, but it is such a good story. I hope me posting this review helps spread the word! So if this sounds interesting to you, go and find it at your library! Or request it! Or get it from Amazon! Or maybe, just maybe, you could win it. Hmm, I wonder how....
Okay guys, happy reading!

I got tagged!

Hey guys, no review today - it is my birthday! But, I did want to stop by and post something. I got tagged in a post earlier this week by Belle over at her Music and Lyrics blog that you can find here.
Apparently, if you get tagged, you answer a few cool questions, make up some of your own and then tag a couple more bloggers!
The questions of Bella that I'm answering are:

1. What do you say when you're really nervous?
-Hmm, I'm not really sure. I don't really think I do anything specific. At least, no one has pointed anything out to me.

2. Do you believe in love/have you ever been in love?
-I do believe in love. I once thought I was, but now that I'm older I know I wasn't.

3. Have you ever met a famous person?
-Do authors count? Haha, if they do, I've met Sarah Dessen, plus all the authors at the NYC Teen Author Festival. I also met the Jonas Brothers once. It was a long time ago though.

4. How would you describe your own personal Prince Charming:
-Oh dear. This could go on for a while. I always love boys in books so I think my dream boy would be a mix between these several characters:
Wes from The Truth About Forever, Tobey from When It Happens, Jim from Ghost Whisperer (That's a TV show, not a book. I get to meet the guy who plays him next month! I guess that could go under the previous question too.), and there's probably a lot more but I can't think of them right now. I would want him to be romantic, funny, caring, honest and adorable. That was a really long answer to a short question. I told you it'd be long.

5. If you had to be an animal for the rest of your life, what kind of animal would you be?
-That's a hard one! This sounds like such an unoriginal answer, but I think I would choose a bird. I want to fly!

6. Who's your favorite Disney Princess?
- I think I would have to say Ariel. I love all that mermaid stuff and plus she gets the best of both worlds. How awesome is that?

7. (Fill in the blank with a fact about yourself; it can be mulitple words) I've never been out of the country before

8. What's your best friend's first name/nickname?
- Her first name is Yuliya (she's Ukrainian) but I call her Moya Popa. That means "my butt" in Ukrainian. I don't know how I started calling her that but I do.

9. Favorite song in the whole wide world?
- Another hard one! I can't pick just one. I think I'm going to cheat and just list a few.
Tim Mcgraw - Taylor Swift
Never Think - Robert Pattinson
Since You've Been Around - Rosie Thomas
I'm Ready - Jack's Mannequin
Those are songs I just never get sick of and love. I can listen to them infinite amount of times and still enjoy it.

That's it for the questions! Hope you guys enjoyed them at least a little bit (but I'm sure you don't really care hehe)
So here are my questions for the new tag:

What is your absolute favorite book?

What is one of your favorite quotes? (It can be from anything or anyone).

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you go?

What's your favorite TV show?

What's your favorite sandwich?

Do you believe in Ghosts/Paranormal?

Who is your least favorite celebrity?

What is your dream vacation?


And that's it for my tag! (I know, they're terrible, but I digress).
I tag:
- Renee from The Book Girl - http://thebookgirlreviews.blogspot.com
- Robby from Once Upon a Book Blog - http://runningforfiction.blogspot.com

PS: I'll be posting a new review tomorrow! :)

Funday Friday! Featuring.... Lynn Weingarten!

Hey everybody! Today's author is Lynn Weingarten. She's the author of the book Wherever Nina Lies, which I recently reviewed. I LOVED the book so I thought it would be great to have her over here! Here's the interview:

1. Where did you get the idea for Wherever Nina Lies?

"Scholastic said they were looking to do a YA novel with drawings in it and so I tried to come up with a plot with which drawings would fit. I know that doesn’t sound very romantic, but that’s how it happened!"

2. Have you always been good at writing/ wanted to be a writer?

"I’ve always really liked to write but when I was a little kid it never occurred to me that writing could be a job. I thought when I grew up I’d either dig up dinosaur bones for a living or be a doctor for sick ants."

3. If you could work with any other author, who would it be?

"Hmmm. I actually have no idea. There are way too many!"

4. Are there any parts of your books that are based on events in your own life?

"Not based on necessarily, but definitely inspired by. When I was in high school a couple friends ran away from home. I have an older sister. I’ve been on road trips. I worked at a coffee shop during high school and we really did get to eat the broken cookies. Etc."

5. How long did it take to find an agent/publish your book after finishing the manuscript?

"The process happened a little out of order. I started talking to Scholastic about my writing a book for them, then I went to get an agent while the process was already in motion, then Scholastic bought the project (off an outline and some sample chapters) and then I wrote the book. Writing the first draft took about eight months."


6. What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity" when writing?

"Well first of all – don’t panic! Sometimes it helps to try and just grit your teeth and get through it. Other times the run-out feeling means it’s time to take a productive sort of break -- read a book by an author you love, or go see a really good movie, read a newspaper or a magazine, go take a walk, or sit in a coffee shop and eavesdrop, go to a museum, or call a friend and ask them to brainstorm with you. Also, if you’re writing on a computer, try writing by hand, and vice versa. Or do something else that totally unrelated to writing – draw a picture, play an instrument. You do not have to be good at either of these things. Take a walk or a shower, or a nap. Have some candy.
Also, sometimes just concentrating on the fact that you’re Looking For An Idea gets your subconscious on the case and then without you necessarily even being aware of it your brain is still working. You might be doing something completely unrelated and suddenly out of nowhere an idea will come to you, and it will seem like magic."


7. What's your favorite part of a book?

"I like to write endings.
I like to read middles."

(Now for a couple fun questions)
8. Favorite song?

"It changes all the time, but 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton is always up there. It’s just a little too high for me to sing at karaoke, but I always try anyway!"

9. If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island, which book, movie, food, and person(s) would you take?

"Person(s) : all my friends and family members

Food: oatmeal (I know that sounds weird, but I eat it every day and have for years and just never get sick of it. It is equally delicious made sweet or savory)

Movie: Defending Your Life

Book: How To Get Off A Desert Island (this is a book that comes with a real working self-inflating helicopter right inside!)"

10. Five of your favorite things?

"Friends’ pets
The mini Toblerone bars that they sell at my corner deli
My grey boots
Those cardigan sweaters that hang down really long in the front
Talking on the phone"


Thank you very much Lynn! I loved all of your answers. I hope you guys enjoyed them as well. I definitely thought that the whole picture part of Wherever Nina Lies was way cool :)
If you guys want to check out more about Lynn or even tell her how awesome you thought her first book was, you can find her at the links below!

Twitter.com/lynnweingarten
Facebook.com/lynnw

PS: I have so many books lined up to read so you should be seeing more reviews very soon! I have to write a paper and study for two tests this weekend though, so bare with me! Thanks for stopping by and happy reading :)

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Hey everyone! I just finished Something Like Fate! I really should have been studying for my sociology test but I couldn't help but read this book. Here's the description:

Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.

What if the person who is your destiny is the one person you can't have?


Once again Susane Colasanti has written a fabulous book. This book is filled with so many great elements. I love the concept of it too. Fate and everything about it conjures up so many questions. Is our fate already set in stone? Or can we change it to make it how we want? This book covers all of that through Lani's story. One thing I love about Susane's books is that they're always real. They always stay true to what our teenage lives are like. There are a lot of books out there that do this, but Susane has an extrordinary talent of doing so. With Something Like Fate, she has definitely done the same. This book is funny, real, riviting, and you won't want to put it down. At least I didn't. Although, I did stop reading for an hour to get some food. That's kind of essential. Anyway, Susane's new book, Something Like Fate, will be out in stores on May 4th! You don't want to miss reading this book. It is fabulous and all around good. This book makes me want to change my life. It makes me want to eat healthier, it makes me want to recycle, it makes me want to make something exciting out of my life. This book will definitely make an impact on you too. Plus, look at that amazing cover! It's from an actual photoshoot done for the book. How awesome! I'm in love with the font used for Something Like Fate. I hope you guys go out and get it when it's released - you won't be disappointed! Happy reading :)

NYC Teen Author Festival :)

Hey guys! This past weekend was the end of the NYC Teen Author Festival and I drove 7 hours to be there! Currently, I'm still in New Jersey because my car broke down. So, I'm not home yet, but I have my laptop and wanted to update you guys on some stuff.

My friend and I arrived in New Jersey on Saturday and then we headed over to New York. We went sight seeing and walked around all day. And in case you guys ever think about going to New York, I have advice for you. Don't wear sandals when walking around. You will get big blisters on the bottom of your feet. (I learned that the hard way).
After getting back to the hotel around 11:30, we planned out the next day and went to sleep. Then it was time for the Festival. The Festival was so great! We went in a little early at 1:30 to make sure we got there before the lines got too long. My friend sat down in the cafe area while I was in line and while I was waiting, I noticed a woman walk in that looked a lot like Elizabeth Scott. She sat down next to my friend. When I saw that, my mind went crazy and I was just thinking, Ahhh! That's Elizabeth! Sitting next to my friend!! This line is stupid - She's better so I have to go talk to her!
So then I leave the line and walk over and Elizabeth looks up to me and says so sweetly, "Oh, do you want me to move over so you can sit?" When she said that, I'm pretty sure I didn't even answer the question. I think I was just like, "AREYOUELIZABETHSCOTT??" She smiled back at me and said, "Yes I am." I was so excited at that point and my friend just kind of looked at me like How do you even know who this person is? Are you a creeper? You see, my friend is not into books like me. She doesn't really care for them, but she came a long because she's nice. And I'm not a creeper. Author websites have pictures, okay. Anyway, after she confirmed my question, I answered with, "Ohh! I'm Tricia - the girl who won second place in your contest with the song I wrote?" She lit up after I said that and gave me a hug. After our introduction, Elizabeth and I talked for a while and she was so so nice. She is just a wonderful lady. I promise you it's worth traveling to meet her. She is so sweet and so helpful and so grateful for any kind words about her books. She is a beautiful person.


After meeting Elizabeth, Susane Colasanti walked in and Elizabeth introduced me! I comment on Susane's blog all the time so Susane knew I was coming and when Elizabeth told her who I was she got excited and gave me a hug as well! It was a dream come true I swear. I mean, one of my favorite authors introduced me into another one of my favorite authors. How is that not awesome?? After we said hi and hugged, Susane had to go back to the rear of the store to get ready for her signing, so she said she would meet me later to take pictures and talk. (She also gave me an ARC of Something Like Fate so I will have a review for you guys either Wednesday or Thursday).
So after all of that excitement, I got back in line and waited for the signing to begin.
During the 3:30-4:15 shift, I didn't have any authors written down to meet so I talked to Elizabeth some more and then Susane came back to find me.
Susane was so amazing. We talked for a while and she told me how wonderful she thought it was that I traveled so far to meet her and the other authors. I got more hugs and more advice and had a great conversation. Then we took pictures and you know what was cool? Susane took like 8 pictures for both of our camaras because she understands how sometimes us Teens don't like the way we look in pictures. For her it wasn't one or nothing. It was hey, your my reader and I love you so lets take a bunch! She was great too. Meeting her made it all worth it as well.


After meeting Elizabeth and Susane, I met ANOTHER Elizabeth - Elizabeth Eulberg.

She was so so friendly and we had such a great conversation about dreams and book covers and greatness. She was so funny! Can't wait for her new book.

The signing was so wonderful. I met Elizabeth Scott, Susane Colasanti, Elizabeth Eulberg, Gayle Forman, Melissa Kantor, Jenny Han, and Sara Shepard. I didn't get to meet Alice Hoffman or Lynn Weingarten because I had to leave :/
All of those authors were so nice and friendly. Authors are just amazing people. I love them. Sorry this post was so long but I wanted you guys to know how it was and how nice these authors really are! Hope you enjoyed the story and I hope it makes you want to read that much more!



Have a great day everyone! Posts coming soon once I'm home again!

Funday Friday! Featuring.... Melissa Kantor!

Hey guys, I was just about to post a book review for Melissa Kantor's book, Girlfriend Material, and then I was like, Wait! It's Friday! So, instead of a review for her book, here is an interview with Melissa Kantor herself! Hope you guys enjoy!


1. Where do you get the ideas for your books?

"My books are often based on feelings I had when I was a teenager--so "Confessions of a Not It Girl" is about how it feels to have a friend who's WAY cooler than you are. And "If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?" comes from all the troubles I had with my stepmother when I was younger. I got seriously dumped in high school, and that's where the idea for "The Breakup Bible" came from. And I wanted to write about being one of those girls who guys don't like (or thinking you're one of those girls), which is how I got the plot for "Girlfriend Material." Basically almost none of the things that happen in my books happened to me, but I had most of the feelings that my characters have."

2. Have you always been good at writing/ wanted to be a writer?

"I always loved writing. When I was younger, I wanted to be a writer, but then I got excited about other things (politics, teaching), so I stopped writing fiction. When I came back to it, in my thirties, it was like being with an old friend you haven't seen in a long time."

3. If you could work with any other author, who would it be?

"Oh, wow, that is such a good question. I can't really imagine writing a book with another author (though the writers who do it say it's wonderful). I would love to work with Jane Austen. Can you imagine?"

4. Are there any parts of your books that are based on events in your own life?

"I have to say, the most popular guy in school NEVER wanted to go out with me (sigh). So while the emotional life of my books is very personal, the plots are all made up."

5. How long did it take to find an agent/publish your first book after finishing the manuscript?

"I had kind of a funny route to getting published. My long-time editor was a great friend from high school. I wrote "Confessions of a Not It Girl" after a dinner we had together, one where she said I should write a YA novel. So it all happened very fast."


6. What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity" when writing?

"I think people have all kinds of ways of fighting writer's block. One of the things I've found is that a problem on page 90 usually starts being a problem on page 9, only I don't notice it for a while. So I'm rarely able to fix a problem without going way back and finding its origins. Another thing I find really helpful is getting someone else to read what I've written. Often another set of eyes can see what I can't."

7. What's your favorite part of a book?

"The beginning and the end are always best for me. It's the middle that's a struggle!"


(Now for a couple fun questions)

8. Favorite song?

"Oh, I have the worst taste in music. I love really cheesy music from the seventies and eighties. Abba's an eternal favorite. And I love the Eurythmics "Right By Your Side." Definitely worth checking out."

9. If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island, which book, movie, food, and person(s) would you take?

"I'd take my husband DEFINITELY. And my kids. And the A and E production of "Pride and Prejudice." And I'm totally embarrassed that I've never read "Ulysses," so I'd bring that and hopefully get through it!"

10. Five of your favorite things?
"Sex and the City (the show, not the movie)
Ben and Jerry's chubby hubby
My Blackberry
Old Navy pj bottoms
Nice Pens"


Okay guys, there you have it! I thought Melissa's interview was great! Thank you again Melissa for letting me interview you. And guys, next weekend I'll be having another contest and you'll have a chance to win a signed copy of Melissa Kantor's newest book, Invisible I. In Melissa's words, "Ivisible I is a really cool story about a girl who disappears and leaves her friends clues about where she is."
There's also a really awesome online community for this book that lets teenagers have the chance to have their writing and ideas be put into the upcoming Invisible I books! It's really cool. Hope you guys enjoyed today's post!

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

First, Addie if you're reading this, you won the contest so send me your mailing address in an email and I'll send your books! Anyway, today's book is Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten. The description of this book is:

Nina was beautiful, wild, and adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But, one day, Nina disappeared. Two years later, everyone has givenup hope that Nina will return, but Ellie knows her sister is out there. If only Ellie had a clue where to look. Then she gets one, in the form of a mysterious drawing. Determined to find Nina, Ellie takes off on a crazy, sexy, cross-country road trip with the only person who believes she's got a chance--her hot, adventurous new crush. Along the way, Ellie finds a few things she wasn't planning on. Like love. Lies. And the most shocking thing of all: the truth.

I thought this book was great. When I read the back of it, I figured it could either be really good, or really bad. It turned out to be really good. This story is so captivating and interesting. I've never read anything like it. Debut author, Lynn Weingarten definitely started her author career off right with this one. This book will definitely surprise you! I mean, you will probably guess a couple things, but it will definitely turn out different than you think. This book has such a great adventure and I love all of the drawings that are included too! Every time Ellie describes a picture her sister drew that she has found, there's an illustration of it on the next page! I've never seen a book do that, but I like it. It works well for this book. It definitely helps the reader imagine what Ellie is talking about. I really did love this book and didn't put it down until I was finished. It's an average length book and I think that it's pretty appropriate for most ages. Probably like 13 and up. They had it at my local library so make sure you guys check it out at your own!

PS: Okay, so I've been checking out some other book blogs and I have a question for you guys. Some blogs like to review the books in detail, like talk about almost exactly what happened in the book. I personally think this gives away too much of the book, but what I want to know is if you guys like the way I review or if you would like me to do it the other way? Let me know what you guys think!

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg and contest winner

Hey everybody! Today's book is The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg. The description of this book is:

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .

I've been dying to get my hands on this book forever! Finally whoever checked it out returned it. I LOVED this book. It was so relatable and I totally wish Penny and her club were around when I was in high school. It sounds so great. I think most girls will definitely be able to relate to this book. Penny is such a cool girl and you cant help but feel bad for her. I think my favorite character is Tracy. She is so funny and spunky and kind of reminds me of me a little bit. Like with most good books, I couldn't wait to see how this book was going to end. This is a great debut from a new author. I can't wait to read more from her in the future. This book is a pretty average length one and a fast read. Plus, look at that awesome cover! I really like those girls' outfits... If you're looking for a cute and funny book, this one's for you! Hope you guys enjoy :)

And now, what you have all been waiting for: The contest winner!
The winner, selected at random, is.......... Addie! So Addie, send me an email with your mailing address and I'll get the package right out to you!
If you didn't win, don't worry. There will be another contest really soon with some more books and autographed prizes! I told you guys I'm going to the NYC Teen Author Festival on the 21st so I'll get some cool stuff singed for you! So make sure to enter future contests :)

Happy Reading!

Funday Friday! Featuring.... Kristina Springer!

Hey everybody! I figured since there are some cool prizes from Kristina Springer this week, she would be perfect for this week's Funday Friday! So enjoy!

1. Where did you get the idea for The Espressologist?

"Sitting in a coffee shop! I was sitting there with my husband having drinks and people watching and the idea hit me. I wrote the whole book from that same table in the coffee shop."

2. Have you always been good at writing/ wanted to be a writer?

"I've always liked to write and read lots and lots of books. But I had no idea I'd end up writing young adult books (which I LOVE doing!!). I always thought I was more of a nonfiction writer but I gave fiction writing a try about five years ago and loved it."

3. If you could work with any other author, who would it be?

"Kristin Walker (A MATCH MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL) because she's hysterical!!"

4. Are there any parts of your books that are based on events in your own life?

"Oh, for sure! I do tend to think back to different things when I'm writing but then twist it up or make it more interesting. There are several scenes though that totally happened. I was sitting in the coffee shop looking at a blank word document, trying to figure out how to start this book when the guy who made it onto page one walked in and I knew just how to begin. :-)"

5. How long did it take to find an agent/publish your book after finishing the manuscript?

"With The Espressologist it happened pretty quickly. I posted a timeline from conception to publication here if you want to see the details-- http://author2author.blogspot.com/2009/10/espressologist-concept-to-pub-timeline.html"

6. What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity" when writing?

"Talk it out with someone. Lots of times when me or my critique partners get stuck in our writing we'll talk out what we're doing, where we're at, where we're headed and give each other ideas. It's always helped me! "

7. What's your favorite part of a book?

"Hmmm...probably the ending."

(Now for a couple fun questions)
8. Favorite song?

"Anyone at All by Carole King"

9. If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island, which book, movie, food, and person(s) would you take?

"Book-- hmm, it would have to be a really big one since I'd need lots to read-- maybe one of those books that has all of Jane Austen's books compiled in it.

Movie-- You've Got Mail

Food-- Pizza

Person-- Husband"

10. Five of your favorite things?

"My family, writing, coffee, my iphone, and spin class. :-)"


Thank you very much Kristina for letting me interview you! And for the signed bookmarks :) I hope you all enjoyed Kristina's interview. I know I did. Now go and get your friends and enter the contest so you can read her fabulous book! I'll be posting the winner and a new book review tomorrow. Happy reading :)

I Know It's Over by C. K. Kelly Martin

I don't know where any of you guys live, but I live in Ohio. For the past few months it has been freezing, snowing, miserable, and extra freezing. This whole week, though, it has been 60 degrees. 60 degrees! Oh it's so beautiful out. That's why this post is late :)
Today's book is I Know It's Over by C. K. Kelly Martin. The description of this book is:

Pure. Unplanned. Perfect. Those were Nick's summer plans before Sasha stepped into the picture. With the collateral damage from his parents' divorce still settling and Dani (his girl of the moment) up for nearly anything, complications are the last thing he needs. All that changes, though, when Nick runs into Sasha at the beach in July. Suddenly he's neck-deep in a relationship and surprised to find he doesn't mind in the least. But Nick's world shifts again when Sasha breaks up with him. Then weeks later, while Nick's still reeling from the breakup, she turns up at his doorstep and tells him she's pregnant, and Nick finds himself struggling once more to understand the girl he can't stop caring for, the girl who insists that it's still over.

I thought this book was really good. I mean, it was pretty sad, but it was still really good. Until I read this book, I hadn't heard of C. K. Kelly Martin. But now I think I'm going to have to look into reading more of her books. Martin is very good at painting the whole picture with words and really makes you feel like you're there with the characters. This story was not what I expected it to be, and while I like happy endings, this one is still real. This story is one that could happen to anyone. It's sad but true. You learn to really love the characters as well. If you're looking for a powerful and true read, this one's for you. It's about 300 pages so it's a pretty average length book. I personally like books in the 250-350 page range best. If this one sounds interesting to you, go get it! Happy Reading :)

PS: Remember you have until tomorrow night at midnight to enter the contest, winning The Espressologist by Kristina Springer, Honey Baby Sweetheart by Deb Caletti, Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt AND and autographed bookmark from Kristina Springer.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Ahhh! Okay I know I said Saturday or Sunday, and for that I am sorry. I do have a post today though! Seeee! I told you it would be soon :)
For my lack of posts and for being late, I'm adding another book to the prize for this weeks contest! It's Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt. So that means you'll get 3 books AND a signed book mark from Kristina Springer! And Like I said.. if I get more followers.. there could be a surprise book :)
I'm also going to be posting a review like, everyday this week to make up for lost time. So count on seeing some more!

Okay, moving on to the review. Today's book is Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen. The description of this book is:

It's been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents' divorce - or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she's been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

So, this was the book that I was dying to have last year. As some of you may have noticed, I have a picture of Sarah Dessen and I at the bottom right side of this blog. I drove 8 hours, yes 8, to meet her in North Carolina. I went to her event on Along for the Ride's publishing day and bought the book. I got it signed along with an art project I did in High School that has one of her quotes written on it. I read this book right when I got it. Then, I came back home really excited. I brought the book to a restaurant with me to show my friend how cool I thought it was. I left it on the table when we left. It had only been 10 minutes but by the time I got back, it was just gone. No one knew what happened to it. WHO WOULD STEAL A BOOK?? I mean, come on. Really? It just had to be MY book that I drove EIGHT hours to get signed? I was so mad.
Anyway, that's the background story of that. The book was obviously VERY good. Sarah Dessen's books are always amazing. While it was still very good, I don't think this one is top 3 of my favorites. The story line was really intriguing and I loved the name Auden. Auden is really easy to relate to, as my parents are divorced like hers and my dad has a new wife. THANK GOD they don't have a baby though. Overall, Along for the Ride was amazing and uplifting and fun and everything a Sarah Dessen novel always is. The writing in this book is perfect and so, so real. Sarah said herself that this book was fun to write and that you can tell when you read it that she had fun doing it. I think she's right. Although this book has some sad things it in, like most people's lives, it still is a really fun book. It was a quick read for me and I couldn't wait to figure out what happened in the end. If you're looking for a book to make you laugh and make you ready for summer, this one's for you. Hope you guys enjoy! :)

Funday Friday.... Contest!

Okay guys, technically its 9:40pm eastern time on Thursday night, but I really want to post this now. Before I post the contest though, I do want to say I'm sorry for the lack of reviews. This has been a busy week here in College-town, so I haven't been able to read a whole lot. I WILL post one Saturday or Sunday though. I PROMISE. So, on that note, here's the contest!

For my first contest, I thought it would be cool to do a sort of spread the word type thing (I got this idea from Elizabeth Scott's last contest, hehe). So, what I want you guys to do to enter is to spread the word about this blog and contest. Simple right? To explain more, it would be really cool of you guys to post the link of my blog on things like twitter, facebook, your own blog, or anywhere you want! You don't even have to stick to online areas either. You could post the link on a paper and hang it up on a building or something and take a picture. I don't care. Anything you want goes. The only rule is to spread the word :) Just post the link to these things in a comment of this blog entry. You'll have until next Friday the 12th, at midnight, to do this. When time is up, I'll either pick a winner at random, or if one of you does something really cool, I'll probably pick that person over the others. Now, I bet you're wondering what the prize is, right?

The prize includes: A copy of The Espressologist, a signed bookmark from the author of The Esspressologist Kristina Springer, a copy of Honey Baby Sweetheart by Deb Caletti, and I might even add a surprise book at the end if I get some more followers ;)

You might be wondering how, if you win, you'd receive the books. Well, I will ship them to you free of cost through USPS. You would obviously have to send me your address in an e-mail. I totally understand if you don't feel comfortable doing this, but I promise you once I send out the package I will throw away your address and never see it again. The world of book bloggers is a pretty safe place in my opinion.
With all that said, I hope you guys like the prizes and are interested in entering! Let the games begin :)

News!!!

Hey everyone! I have some cool news for you guys. Well, only some of it really effects you guys, but still, it's cool! Elizabeth Scott just had an amazing contest over at her blog and the winner won 35 books, a phone call from her, AND their name in her new 2011 book. I entered and I didn't win first place, but I did win second! My prize is 21 books! So that means a lot more reviews for you guys! I'm so excited! I can't wait to get them and let you all know what books they are.
The second thing I want to tell you guys is that the NYC Books of Wonder Teen Author Festival is now scheduled! There is a massive 70+ YA author signing on March 21 from 2-6 and I'm driving all the way from Ohio to be there! There is a full list of authors and events you can see here on Susane Colasanti's blog. There is also a Facebook page about it, compiled by author David Levithan. I will be going up to Susane Colasanti, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, Elizabeth Scott, Melissa Kantor, and Sara Shepard. If there's anyone else there I recognize I'll go up to them as well! What this means is that I'll have them sign some stuff so I can send them out as a contest for you guys. Hope you're all excited! I know I am :)

I'll post another book review soon. Probably tomorrow. Then we'll have a contest for Funday Friday. Stay tuned!

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor

So, a few of you have been asking about a review for the book Imaginary Enemy. Well, I promise I will do a review of it once I get my hands on it. I'm not able to buy any books at the moment, and my library does not currently have it. I'll try and see if I can request the library to get it, but I'm not sure if they'll be able to because of all the funding cuts and such. Thanks for telling me about the book though! It sounds like a really cool book, and like I said, I promise I'll try to get my hands on it!
Anyway, as you can see, today's book is If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor. The description of this book is:

Lucy Norton’s life becomes strikingly similar to Cinderella’s after she is uprooted from her hometown of San Fran to Long Island, NJ to live with her stepmother and bratty twin stepsisters. Things take a turn for the better when the hottest guy in school suddenly takes an interest, but when things continue to get worse at home, Lucy wonders if she will ever live happily ever after.

Okay, I couldn't find the actual synopsis online because for some reason Amazon and Barnes and Noble both had the wrong ones. Weird, I know, but the one I posted above was pretty close. This book was SUPER good. I love Melissa Kantor's writing. I'll definitely post more reviews of her books in the future. Her books always make me laugh and have that type of internal sarcasm that I love. This book was really cute, and even though it's related to Cinderella, it's a totally real and relatble story. My dad just recently got re-married too and I now have 2 step sisters and 1 step brother, so I can tell that this book definitely captures some of the downsides to that type of thing. I think Melissa Kantor is one of my favorite authors now. I definitely recommend this books to anyone! It's almost 300 pages so its a pretty good sized book. It's a quick AND fun read. Hope you guys enjoy! :)

PS: Library soon, anymore suggestions you guys have other than Imaginary Enemy?