Why Hello There

So, how many sorries do I have to say for you to forgive me on my unexcused absence?
I am indeed incredibly sorry! Things have been pretty hectic due to school and other stuffs. So, I do apologize, but hey I'm back!
Anyways, I do have a few books I want to talk about.
Going to Far by Jennifer Echols:
I absolutely loved this book. It was amazing. Going to Far is the perfect book to read on a rainy day and you just want to curl up on your bed with something good to read.
HARRY POTTER SERIES!!!!:
Recently (meaning like a few weeks ago) I started on the Harry Potter series....I fell in love! Okay, so at first I refused to read the series because I thought it would ruin my view on the movies (because that's usually what happens when I read the book after I see the movie), but oh my gosh! No, my view on the movies have not changed at all (so far). I still love the movies, but I slightly love the books more. I'm currently on the third book and I get excited like a little kid on Christmas morning whenever I pick the book up.

Okays, for now I bid you good-bye and I promise I'll try to get better at posting more stuffs on here! Love ya and stay lovely my dears!!!
-K

Hello, Old Friend...

So, it's been a while. A really long while. That's what happens though when life gets hectic. Blame school. That's all I have to say about that. (if anyone got my Forrest Gump reference there, I will be a happy girl.) last time I posted, I was reading the Harry Potter books and in a competition with my friend to see who could watch all the movies in order and read all the books in time for opening weekend. In case you were wondering, I won :) she didn't have time to watch movie #6, so she skipped it and watched 7.1....therefore I won since she did t watch all the movies in order. Boom! Ok anyway, lately my reading slump (which I realize has been a constant topic from me in previous posts) has extended and ive lost hope in reading new books bc I assume they won't live up to my expectations. However, I'm trying to break that mindset. I've basically been doing a lot of rereading bc I havnt made it to the library in a while, so Ive been reading stuff here at home. I read an Agatha Christie which took forever to get through and was pretty disappointing in the end and sort of a waste of my time. I also reread Secrets of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway and then read (for the first time) the sequel, Confessions of a First Daughter. They were both very pleasing. Then, I reread Just Listen by Sarah Dessen bc I wanted to read a satisfying piece of chick lit. After reading it, two things went thru my head: 1) I want to start listening to more music, especially stuff I would nvr think to listen to and 2) i wish this book never had to end bc its so addicting and entertaining (and lets be honest,I wanted to see Owen and Annabel's relationship blossom more). I have to say that it's possibly my favorite Dessen book, but Along for the Ride gives it a run for it's money. Anyway, then I found a book on my shelf that I got several yrs ago for my birthday but had nevr gotten around to reading and decided it was time to give it a
shot. It was awesome. You probably want to know what this awesome book was, right? Leap Day by Wendy Mass. I'm glad I waited to read it bc the main character is 16 and I can relate more now than I ever could've a few years ago. The book follows a day in the life of Josie Taylor, an outgoing teen who was born on Leap Day and is, therefore, technically only 4 yrs old since her birthday only comes around evry four yrs. The book takes place on the day of her sweet sixteen and all the drama that could possibly unfold in just 24 hrs. I loved how the book was set up in time intervals throughout the day and the first part of the chapter is from Josie's perspective and the second half is everyone else's POV and we get to figure out people's inner thoughts and motivations.I read this book in two days bc A) it was relatively short and B) it was impossible to put down and I found myself reading at all possible chances. I highly recommend it to y'all bc it got me thinking about perspective and how we judge people and their actions too quickly without really knowing what they are like. In case you couldn't tell, that was one of the 55 (since it was beast and I wrote a rather medium-lengthed summary and evaluation of it). Well, I will keep reading and hopefully make it to 55, altho I doubt it is possible to make it to that goal by January 1st. I'm currently reading Black by Ted Dekker since ive read one of his other books, Kiss, and liked it so figured I would start his most famous series. 'Night all.
-M

Elixir

Well hiya there! I just wanted to do a real quick post on the book Elixir by Hilary Duff. Yes, Hilary Duff as in the actress/singer. I wasn't expecting too much out of her book, but picked it up anyway because it was on sale for a good price. However, I quickly realized I did good by getting the book. I'm not going into any details (in hope that you'll get curious and go get the book), but it was rather shocking how good it was. It was no Sarah Dessen book, but it was still good in it's own way. When you get the free time check it out and let me know what ya think!
That's all for now. Adios!
-K

Eh, What's Up Doc?

If you realized that the title of this post is Bugs Bunny's catch phrase then you are one smart cookie! I've been watching cartoons all morning. It brings the kid out in me :)

Anyway let's get this show on the roll because I'm super excited and have big news (kinda).
Well I just got back from Chicago yesterday. I got five new books (one is a 3 in 1 combo)! I'm super excited. So far I've read two of the books and I'll give you my review on them right now.
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen:

I loved this book. I was expecting a bit more romance (I mean come on it's Sarah Dessen), but I'm glad it wasn't like some other books and it's just one big make out session. It was sweet and honest.
As always it showed real relationships and it was an enlightening story of a girl trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs. What Happened to Goodbye is kinda predictable. I guessed how the book was going to end when I was only six or so chapters into the book. However it also very unpredictable at the same time. I highly recommned this book and comment your opinions on it.

Uncommon Criminal by Ally Carter:
As you guys know (or should know) I've been dying to get this book since it came out (even before then). When I started reading it you have no idea how pumped I was. Well she did it again. Ally Carter wrote another amazing book. I was hooked on the romance and drama of the heists. If you've read the first boo (Heist Society) then you should know the characters Kat (Katarina) and W.W Hale (what the W's represent is unknown is apart of Kat's & Hale's adorable banter). I can't say too much without giving away the ending to this, but I can tell you it's not what you expect and you're in for many surprises. Take the time to get this book (but if you haven't read the first one get that one also of course) and enjoy yourself for a long complicated road of the life that is of a theif's.
That's pretty much all for this post. Happy reading to ya!

HOWDY!!!

Hey I know it's been a while. I've been trying to wait until I got some new interesting books to tell you about. However, sadly that's not the case yet. So, I'll just fill the post with randomness that I hope you enjoy.

1) I have realized that I have slight obsession with not only books, but movies too! Of course I do not like scary movies AT ALL! Anyways, I was thinking about it and I realized when I'm older my apartment (yes apartment, get over it) will be overflowing with books and DVDs. I look forward to my future now haha :)
2) In M's random post she mentioned London. It had me practically drooling. I've wanted to visit London since I was either in 3rd or 4th grade. It would just be absolutely amazing if I got to go. My mom said that she'll consider it for spring break (that's kinda far away, but hey I don't care as long as I get to go to London). It's not just London I wanted to visit. It's all of Europe. I've always wanted to travel around Europe. Of course I had a few chances to be able to see a few places, but my mother always said no. Yesterday the movie Taken was on and she said that's why she always said no (if you haven't seen it go watch it & you'll understand). So, my mom says I can only go to Europe with her. It doesn't matter to me as long as I get to go :)
3) My Sweet Valley High challenge isn't going so well, but I refuse to give up! I'm going to get book four soon (hopefully).
4) I'm going to Chicago this weekend! I absolutely love it there. Plus, my mom is always generous with book giving when we go out of town so I'm hoping I can pick up a few good books (like the new Sarah Dessen book AND Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter-it came out two days ago!)
5) I NEED NEW BOOKS SOON OR I'LL DIE!!!!!.....maybe
6) I go to camp for the first time in a week & four days! woo hoo :D
I'm super pumped. I'm going with two friends of mine and hopefully we'll get the same cabin!
7) Okay I knew this dude in elementary school and I just saw/found him on facebook (totally by accident I promise) and he looks sssssssoooooooooo different. If it was like six years ago and someone showed me that's what he would look like I would not believe them....it's just very shocking....and a bit weird....also pretty awesome though.
8) I'm weirdly in love with the show Covert Affairs. Like I'm not even joking. I'm going to get the first season on DVD & I'm super pumped about it.
9) I went over my friend's house last weekend and we watched the movie The Other Boleyn Girl. It was disturbing...good, but I will never watch it again and will not recommend it to anyone. That's all I'm going to say.
10) Random fact: M is exactly two days older than me. Awesome right? I thought so.
11) Now I'm going to end this wonderful madness of randomness so, I can go watch the last Covert Affairs episode that I sadly missed. Adios, stay awesome peoples!
-K :p

6) Dream Factory

As you may have known, I've been in a sort of reading slump since like December, but this book really was an unexpected jem amongst all the metaphorically rocky books I've been reading recently. Dream Factory by Heather Hepler and Brad Barkley truly was enjoyable and made me wish to be at the "Happiest Place On Earth," Disney World. That is, after all, where the book takes place as the reader is introduced to the teens playing the Disney characters at the park temporarily while the regulars are on strike: Ella (Cinderella), Cassie (Chip), Luke (Dale), and Mark (Prince Charming). It is told in alternating POV's which i absolutely loved about this book because you get to see the views of both Luke and Ella as they work at the park. Naturally, everyone thinks Cinderella should be with Prince Charming, but this book shows that even though a match seems "perfect," thats not exactly what you need. Luke is going out with the seemingly perfect Cassie and Ella is with Disney know-it-all Mark, but these matches arent what anyone actually needs. Throughout the book, Cassie gets jealous because Luke is spending a lot of time with Ella and does everything she can to get them away from each other, but cant stop them from meeting on "their bench" at night to talk. Then, a scavenger hunt is announced to make the employees learn more about Disney World. Ella and Luke pair up because Cassie paired with Mark in order to win. I absolutely loved this book and definitely recommend it as great chick lit. It makes you believe in the magic of Walt Disney World.

-M

lots of unrelated stuff mushed together into one post

ok everybody i am very much aware of how long its been since i've posted anything and thats as much of an apology as i can give bc i've been busy and havnt gotten around to it recently. sorry. so this is going to be really random and hopefully cover a lot of ground:
1) i was sooooo excited to learn that the release date for the fifth Gallagher Girls book (see K's last post for the website) is March 20, 2012 which seems like forever, but at least shows that there will indeed be a fifth book.
2) GUESS WHAT BOOK I GOT TODAY FROM THE LIBRARY THAT I HAD ON HOLD?!!! sarah dessen's new book :) :) believe me when i finish it i will definitely post about it (my guess is that it will be one of the 55 so u will probably get a full review)
3) in honor of the premiere of the last harry potter movie, i'm reading all the books and watching all the movies. when i was younger, my parents never let me read them because they thought they were too violent, graphic, and dark for kids (which isnt true so far) however they let me watch all the movies....that makes perfect sense. not. watever, anyway, with permission now i'm reading all the books for the first time and am about 50 pages into the second book. we just finished the second movie a couple nights ago. i'm watching the movies with my family and reading the books as fast as possible so i can beat my friend who is re-reading them all as well (she's on the second one too). it's on!
4) i'm volunteering at the library this summer again and loving it. i totally recommend it to anyone. find out if your public library needs help or is looking for volunteers bc its a great way for me to discover new things about the building i've grown up loving and i learn more about books and librarians etc.
5) i really wish i was in London right now (as i said this was going to be pretty random) as it is my favorite place in the world
6) i'm pretty upset that Psych won't be coming back with new episodes until the fall (they were supposed to have new episodes this summer, but that didnt happen....) but at least its not completely being discontinued or something horrible like that
7) i really need to get season 5 dvds of Psych
8) the song Under the Bridge originally by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is pretty awful, but if you listen to the version that Straight No Chaser did of it, it's awesome!! check it out and compare...i'm just saying
ok thats enough random stuff...oh and watch for a review of the book Dream Factory because it's on the 55 Books in a Year List altho idk what number it is i'll have to check....
Enjoy your summer everybody!
-M

I'm BACK :)

Hey all you readers out there!
Well I'm pretty excited at the moment. Why you ask? Well I'm glad you did. First off school ends in a mere three days and all of my finals have been going great! In addition to that one of my favorite authors (Ally Carter) is coming out with a new book! It's the second book in the series and it's called Uncommon Criminals. It comes out June 21st and I'm super pumped about it. Now you might be sitting there thinking 'Hum...Ally Carter. Where have I heard that name before?' Well, let me help you out with that problem. Ally Carter is an OUTSTANDING, FREAKING FANTASTIC AUTHOR, who also wrote the Gallagher Girls series (which if you have not read yet, stop reading this and go get the series!!! P.S there's four of them). I seriously just love all of her books. If you want here's a link to her website :) Just look below!

Ally Carter's Website

There's a lot more I planned on talking about, but I have to hit the books. I told you it's finals week! Haha, well I'll get ya'll back up to date when the school year is over. It'll be much easier to keep up that way. Adios for now awesome people! :)

P.S- Sadly I have not gotten the new Sarah Dessen book that M told you guys about in an earlier post, but I can't wait 'til I do!!! I'll make sure to give ya'll the details (without spoiling anything).

Catch Up Time!

First I would just like to talk about one of my favorite author's book. Which is Sarah Dessen (and yes I am excited for her new book to come out) and her book Lock & Key. I have this book for like maybe a year or so. Well, recently for some reason I had a strong urge to read it again. Of course I did read it again...and again...and again (about twelve times to be exact). I don't know why I am currently so obsessed with this book, but I am and just thought I should share that.
Next order of business. I am on a mission! What's that mission you ask? To get the Sweet Valley High books, all of them (all 153). Maybe you haven't heard of these books so, let me give you some background. It began in the 1900s and it's about two twins (in high school of course). Each book is about something different, but still from the twins point of views. I read a lot of the books in 5th grade (it is good for high school level, I promise. I've always been a mature reader). You guys should check it out sometime.
Lastly for this entry (even though I have a ton of books I want to talk about) is about the book Great Expectations. I have talked about this in a early post. Well, I just wanted to say you should read it. Yes, the first lot chapters (and the rest of book) is pretty dry HOWEVER, it is extremely interesting. Especially, is you continue further reading. I wanted to correct my early post a bit. It is a could book, it's just the long descriptions that go on for ever that make me drift off to dreamland (I'm more of the short get to the point kinda gal).

Okay that's all I can cover for now, but I promise I'll make another post soon (I have a lot of other books I want to talk about/cover). So yeahs, adios!

Mission Failed

Wow i feel like such a loser because i couldnt even complete the 24 hour readathon. i got to hour 8 or 9 and couldn't stand it so i started drifting off to sleep and then stopped reading and watched a movie. i had so much faith that i could get all the way through the day but didn't even last halfway through. i was able to finish Someone Like You and Girl at Sea and i started That Summer. however, i wasnt getting into That Summer hence the drifting off to sleep. so, i later quit that book and am now reading Along for the Ride which is great and i know this because i've read it before. now i just have to hurry and finish it bc its past due at the library :) sorry it took me this long to log all this but i've been uber busy lately so yeah.
-M

This Saturday: 24 Hour Readathon

Hey guys, i know it's been a while since my last post, even tho K posted yesterday. So, lemme explain my reading status as of late. Before Spring Break, i was reading Scorpia, however, due to my slightly high standards i put it aside for when i get back and stopped reading it temporarily. Now, here on SB11, i've read The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks (my second time reading it-makes me cry every time!) and Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen (also a re-read for me, but very enjoyable). There was a book i found here called Knit Fast Die Young or something like that and i tried reading it, but i just didnt rlly get into it. Now, I am currently reading Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen and it is my first time reading it.
Btw: The Last Song is great and so is the movie (in its own way-it doesnt rlly follow the book well, but if u look at them separately, its a good movie). Keeping the Moon is a classic Dessen novel that i'm making a tradition to read every year on Spring Break.
So, back to the reason i'm writing this (as shown in the title of this post): the 24 Hour Readathon is this Saturday. This is my first year for it and i'm very excited, but i'm doing it a little different than most. I think you are supposed to log your progress as you read throughout the day, but i won't have internet access, so i will post all about it afterwords and tell you people about the fabulous (or not-so-fabulous) books i read. I'm kind of creating my own rules for this readathon, though. I was supposed to figure out wat time i should start at by figuring out different time zones and stuff, but i just think that it will be easier for me if i just start at midnight. also, some people allow themselves little breaks throughout the day to just take a break from reading, but not me. i'm waking up at 12am and reading until 12am with very brief pauses in between to eat and go to the restroom. My goal right now is to finish 6 books, but i doubt if i will be able to get that many done in 24 hours. Also, my goal is to be able to stay awake during all 24 hours of it. (i'm guessing i'll hav to enlist the help of my friend Mr. Starbucks-watever it takes right?!) So, i will definitely post after saturday and let you all know how it went. Until then, i wish you happy reading.
-M

btw: I really think K, you should think about doing the readathon as well....i think you would rlly like it. the website is http://24hourreadathon.com/ and i'm pretty sure you can still sign up. also, anyone else reading this should try to sign up and do it as well because i would love to hear feedback about it.

Spring Break reading

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I last posted, but that's because I had not gotten any new books to read. Well first off I'm reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens at the moment. It is actually a decent book, but it's written in a way that is a little dull. No disrespect to Charles, but everytime I pick it up I'm ready for a nap. However, when I stop reading I'm like "Hey that was, I wonder what will happen next." Yeah, I guess I'm sending mixed emotions about this book. Here's what I recommend: Try it out. If you don't like it than so, be it, but you never know. You may love it.

On a different note, the fourth book to the Mortal Instruments just came out yesterday. It is called City of Fallen Angels (COFA) and it is by Cassandra Clare. If you haven't read the series then I highly recommend it. I've fallen in love with Cassandra's work. I will give you fair warning the, one of the main characters (Clary) can get on your nerves, but she's not as bad as Bella from the Twilight series. Sorry to all you Twilight fans. I actually like the books to, but I could not stand Bella (especially in New Moon). Well that's all I have for you now. Adios! -K

P.S I have the link to Cassandra Clare's web page. Enjoy!
Cassandra Clare's web page :)

Let the Madness Begin...

Its tourney time!! for all those that follow basketball, this is the best time of the year-getting to watch the buzzer-beaters, upsets, and bracket-busters of the NCAA Tournament. I know i've filled out my bracket and busted out the yellow highlighter (and the red pen) for the occasion. want an idea for a good book to read that relates to March Madness? Last Shot by: John Feinstein. i read it several years ago, but its a basketball mystery for the true lovers of the game. also, if you know who Jimmer Fredette is and respect him, watch this video. wanna share your picks and predictions? go right ahead and comment.

enjoy the madness,

-M

Hey

Hey, what's up people out there? Well, if you couldn't tell by the way I'm writing this is not M, this is her friend K. I'm also a fellow book lover. No really, I'm one of those people who'll walk in a book store and realize I've already read the majority of the good ones.
M convinced me to do this blog with her (this is a very awesome blog btw if I do say so myself).
So, yeah I'll talk more about books in a moment :)

Addition to this blog...

I would like to welcome K, my new co-writer of this blog and fellow lover of books, music, and writing. She will be joining me in blogging and talkin about books, life, and whatever we feel like, as is the custom on this blog. welcome aboard the black pearl, mate :)

New Sarah Dessen Book :) :)

Who's super excited for the new Sarah Dessen book (besides me, of course)??? it's comin out may 10th and it's called What Happened to Goodbye. I got an email from a bookstore who's name i'm not revealing that said all the new books coming out in the YA section and it was on there so i'm rlly excited :) as you can tell from my SB 11 list, i'm planning to read the majority of her books while on vacation (even tho i've already read some of them.) Here is a link to the website if you want more info and a brief summary that has been released. well....yea that's about it for now.
-M

SB 11 Reading List :)

For the books i read on Spring Breaks i hav higher standards than normal. I only read books that are chick lit and they better be good. Also, i especially love reading books that take place on the beach (u know to match my surroundings). So, this leads me to be very selective of which books I take with me. SB is also a great time for me to reread books that i know i loved so that my experience at the beach isnt spoiled by a depressing book or one with a bad ending. So far, this is my list of books i'm taking this year (i'll probably add to it; the ones in red are the ones i plan to reread):

• A Kiss in Time-Alex Flinn
• Beastly-Alex Flinn
• Girl at Sea-Maureen Johnson
• Along for the Ride-Sarah Dessen
• Keeping the Moon-Sarah Dessen
• Someone Like You-Sarah Dessen
• That Summer-Sarah Dessen
• This Lullaby-Sarah Dessen
• 20 Boy Summer- Sarah Ockler
• The Last Song-Nicholas Sparks

Anyway, that's what i've got so far and yes, i know that i wont get through them all, but oh well. You never know. i could be on a reading streak on the drive there and get through three books and then be on another streak on the way back which would only leave four books for when i'm laying out or waiting on a table at a restaurant or something wonderful like that. Oh and btw last time i went to the beach (2 SB's ago) i read Keeping the Moon for the first time and it impacted me so much and i loved it so much that i HAVE to read it again this year. It's going to become my own personal tradition! :) sorry i get excited just thinking about reading these awesome books. Plus, i will probably get to add some of these new reads to my 55 Books in a Year list (which hasnt been added to in a while for two reasons: a) i havnt been picking very good books lately and b) i don't have a whole lot of time to read anymore :,( anyway so yeah) because ive got a feeling (woo hoo that tonites gonna be a good night....srry got it in my head now) that these new books are gonna be great and worthy of "THE LIST". i mean they better be since they made the cut to go on SB with me. oh and btw if the shorthand, abbreviations, misspellings, text language, and lowercase letters in this blog bother you, TOO BAD. jk....or not? no but seriously if it bothers u i'm sorry but i'm not changing the way i am. i tried for the first couple blogs to make it look nice and stuff but that's just ridiculous bc that's not me. this right here is my pretty boy swag. sorry idk why i thot of that. anyway but as i was sayin this right here is me, so get used to it or not, the choice is yours. btw if you're wondering why i'm rlly random today, it's because this is how i am-the other posts i was trying to be all formal and correct. as i said earlier: not me. sorry for ranting about this for the past paragraph and a half, but i just had to get that straight. so i've been thinking and i'm also just gonna blog about life too-not just books (altho i will continue blogging about books). k? wait why am i asking u for permission to do something on my own blog? i have issues, i know. people tell me that. until next time, happy reading and enjoy life.
-M
btw: if anyone actually reads this (which i kinda doubt) please post and let me know of your suggestions for SB books. (altho be warned i may or may not take those suggestions.)

5) The Espressologist

Ohmigosh i just LOVE this cover; it makes me want to go to Starbucks :)
Okay so on to the book (let's stop judging it by it's cover...although both are great). I finished this book a  weeks or two ago and I've just been so busy lately that I haven't had time to write about it. Let me just say, though, that the book was amazing. I still remember it and the story was heartwarming and made me smile and, not for the first time, made me wish I were a barista. Ok so the main character, Jane, has been working as a barista for a while and she's started to notice links between the type of person someone is and the drink they order. She records all of her observations in a notebook which she keeps on hand at all times. She's even gotten so good, that she sometimes silently guesses the type of drink someone will order before the words even come out of their mouth. Her guy friend just got through a tough breakup and is looking for someone new. A mutual friend is single and just the right type of girl for him. Jane consults her notebook then matches the two with great success. She later matches up her best friend Em and Cam, the guy who sits behind her in a college class she's taking. Soon, her boss Derek hears about her successful matches and gives her a job to do: every Friday night for 4 weeks she has to match people up based on their drink orders as an attempt to get more business. The events grow more popular and Jane soon finds herself matching people she never would've thought of helping. However, the question is, can Jane find her perfect match?
The Espressologist was a great read and lots of fun. A true chick lit novel :) happy reading peeps!

Jane Austen Book Club and Other Thoughts and Stuff

Ok, so I had every intention of following through with the Jane Austen Book Club blog that I had, but several things happened...

• no one joined or showed interest in participating
• i dont have enough time to read the books
• it's too much to take on right now

So, with sadness I must say that the Jane Austen Book Club blog is done, deleted, and history. Maybe someday it will work out, but just not today.

Which means that I've stopped reading Emma and have moved on down the stack to The Espressologist by: Kristina Springer (which is based off of Emma). It takes place in Illinois i think so that can check off my 50 States Challenge when/if  i finish it. I'm hoping that this modern-day version will be an easier read and a quicker read as I feel like I've been reading Emma forever and am only on page 12 or so. Just an FYI, if you ever see a book disappear from "the stack" or "currently reading" without reappearing on the "books i've read" list, that means that i've stopped reading it or that i've returned it to the library.

So lately I've been kind of discouraged when I think about this blog because I'm beginning to think that the words I type are for my eyes only and that no one else actually reads. is this true? honestly, yes probably. however, until now i've tried to remain optimistic about it. well that's obviously working well. it kind of reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Sydney White:

"The People’s Punisher is not about being read, it’s about being written.”

A Reading Slump

I'm not really sure why, but lately, I've been in a sort of reading slump. It took me forever to finish Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz when it really should've only taken about a day or two. Then, I picked back up where I was reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde and it just couldn't capture and keep my attention so, I quit reading it. After all, there are so many books in the world, why waste your time reading the bland ones? That's why I've moved on to Emma by Jane Austen partially because I'm reading it for the Jane Austen Book Club and partially because I haven't read Austen in a while and I need my fix of it. There's just something about her elegant wording and wonderful plotlines that always pull me in and hold me close. Hopefully, I will start reading at a faster pace soon so I can get some more books on my 55 Books in a Year List. I'm only at like four and I think I need to be finding some more great books to add to it. Also, I need to make more progress on my 50 States Challenge which I plan to do with The Espressologist (Illinois) and The Ghost Orchid (New York). Well, I've got a lot of stuff that needs to get done. Until I post again, happy reading.
-M

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."-Mark Twain

The Jane Austen Book Club

Most of us have all heard of the book and movie with the title The Jane Austen Book Club, but few of us have ever actually been a part of one. I'm proposing a blogger group called the Jane Austen Book Club where we can read the books in the same order they read in the movie and at the end of the month post our thoughts and have a "book club" by commenting on a blog. Here is a link to that blog and if you are interested and have little, lots, or no experience reading Austen come on and join me because it's open to all. :) the first book will be Emma by: Jane Austen. More details on the site. Just don't get lost in Austen :)

50 States Challenge

So, I've encountered a reading challenge that I've decided to take on. I have to read books that take place in each of the 50 states for at least the majority of the book. Re-reads count (at least in my rule book). Anyone interested in taking a road trip around the USA (through books) I highly encourage to try this out. Please post any comments or if you're interested please link your progress. Deadline: December 31, 2011. So far I've already knocked off 4: Washington, Maine, Minnesota, and South Carolina....only 46 left! (and i'm counting books that i've read since the start of this blog which was pretty close to the start of the year anyway. http://book-obsessed.blogspot.com/2010/11/50-states-reading-challenge-2011-sign.html
Happy Reading :)

4) The Cinderella Society

Ok ok I realize it's been an insane amount of time since I actually read this book, but I've been busy and haven't had time to write a review. Let me just say-it was amazing, but at parts it kind of dragged on and on, which is why it only got 4 instead of 5 stars. I felt like the concept was exceptional, but the execution was a tiny bit off. However, overall very good. It's about friendship, fitting in, and destroying evil. Jess Parker is used to moving constantly, but still hasnt made any friends after moving to Mt. Sterling, the town where her grandmother lives and works. Jess and her mom are currently living in Mrs. Parker's childhood home and there is a strong basis of family (especially with Jess's grandmother) which I really enjoyed. The only thing that has gotten her through all these moves is cheerleading. Jess has always been exceptional at cheering and has made it on the varsity squad at most schools, including Mt. Sterling High. However, when she swoops in and steals the spot of the meanest girl in school, Lexy, she's in for it. One day, she discovers a purple envelope in her bag that invites her to the Grind, the local coffeeshop and IT crowd hangout, that afternoon. The instructions are clear that she is to wear the little silver pin in the shape of a shoe that was also in the envelope. She soon gets initiated into the Cinderella Society who's goal is to help the Reggies (regular people) defend themselves against the Wickeds (Lexy's group of people). However, it's not all glitz, glam, and makeovers for the Cindys-they are in for an all out war...

Note:

Just so you know, I'm not reviewing Icing on the Lake even though it got 4 stars. It was a great book and I def. suggest it, but to be honest, I dont really have time to review it. This was my second time reading it and I've loved it both times. However, I've found that I like it so much better when it's cold outside (late fall/winter) because then you can really relate to the characters more. Just my opinion...

3) Stormbreaker

Ok so I know what you're thinking: Stormbreaker is kind of a younger book (like middle school not high school), but I've heard for a long time that it's a good book and have seen several reading it so I finally gave it a shot and was very pleased. It recieved a 5star rating bc it was truly the most interesting and captivating book I've read in a very long time. All 192 pages kept my interest (which is pretty hard to do) and I rushed home to finish the last 30 or 40 pages before doing anything else (such as what I needed to do: hw). I had a friend tell me the fate of one of the characters as I was reading it and it was so far-fetched that I told him there was no way that actually happens. Well, it did. Now I have to face him tomorrow and admit that he was right...which isn't always easy. Oh well, back to the book. It's about a 14-year-old boy, Alex Rider, who's uncle just died in a car incident. However, Alex soon discovers that his uncle wasn't a banker, but a top secret agent for M16. When his uncle dies and his boss discovers Alex's potential, he is "convinced" to finish what his uncle started. He is to figure out what's going on with a new kind of computer called a Stormbreaker that is to be released to all the schoolchildren in England at once in a few weeks. Can Alex keep himself away from all the dangers of the spy-life? I would HIGHLY reccommend this book. It's especially great for a short read (like if you have to do a last-minute book report or want to finish a book in a day or less). Anyway, so after I finished reading the book and then read the teaser for the second book, I am anxiously awaiting the notification to come that will tell me that the second book is in at the library. Until then, I will keep Alex and his story in my mind until I can have some more questions answered in the next book, Point Blank. Feel free to leave comments if you have read/heard of/want to read/have opinions about this book or whatever. Enjoy your lives. :)

2) The Secret Life of Bees

I had some free time over vacation and was able to finally finish this book today. It is my first review of the new year and I'm hoping that I will be able to continue posting at a consistent rate all year long...we'll see how that goes. Anyway, The Secret Life of Bees was quite amazing. It was the story of Lily Owens who is haunted by the death of her mother and the abuse of her father. She and her African-American friend, Rosaleen, break out of jail and find the home of the Boatwright sisters by tracing their unique Black Madonna Honey. Lily and Rosaleen are introduced to the Daughters of Mary and learn a lot about life, love, happiness, regret, and forgiveness. The characters were so lovable, it had a perfect ending and it conveys the message that you really should live your life to the fullest. A great read that I recommend for anyone in search of a good book. Happy New Year :)