Saturday, June 30, 2012

Book Haul 7/1/12


This week I got some pretty awesome books, some from the library and some ebooks for review!

From Library
Gilt by Katherine Longshore
Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

For Review
Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Ebook for review from Greenwillow Books

 Silhouette of a Sparrow by Molly Beth Griffin
Ebook for review from Milkweed Books

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Review: Hex Hall

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Publisher: Hyperion Books CH
Publication Date: March 2nd 2010
Pages: 336
Source: Library
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Goodreads

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.
By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.
Hex Hall is a cute, interesting book about a witch named Sophie who is sent to a school witch is pretty much Juvie for Paranormals. Throughout the story Sophie runs into a lot of trouble including the wrath of a teacher, a hot guy who might possibly seem more perfect than he really is and the near deaths of some classmates.

The characters in this book were all very well distinguished from one another with very fun (or not so fun) personalities and, of course, lots of magic. Though Sophie doesn't have the most extravagant of personalities she has a very fun voice as she comes into this magic school as a girl who has been raised by a human mother. My favorite character in the book was probably be Jenna, Sophie's pink obsessed, funny, cute, vampire, roommate.  The story centers around Sophie's crazy time at Hex Hall as she faces mean witch classmates and a ghost that can see her... even though that's not supposed to happen. Though amazingly packed with some awesome stuff the story seemed a little lacking to me. I feel like with all that the story delivered there could have been more content in the book to make it even better.

Hex Hall was such a fun read with great characters and lots of good content that could have been a little longer to make it even better. I liked it a lot!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday 6/27/12 Pushing the Limits

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
July 31st 2012
Goodreads



So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.  Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
I found this  book while brousing on goodreads and I thought it looked amazing. It sounds very mysterious and like it could be a good very romance. I can't wait!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Review: Supernaturally

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: July 26th 2011
Pages: 336
Source: Library
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Goodreads

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.
This review may spoil the first book in the series. My Review of the First Book.

This sequel continues telling the story after it left off with Evie finally having a the normal life that she wanted and her relization that maybe normal life is not all it's cracked up to be. After learning this she decides to work with the IPCA again as an employee by helping as she wants.

I love, love, love the narration in this book. Just like in the last book in the series the narrator, Evie, has the best narration and I just love her to pieces. Lend, a shape-sifter, and Evie's boyfriend makes not-so-frequent appearances in the book and I really would have liked to see more of him after seeing a lot of him in the first book. There were some relationship problems between Evie and Lend, all of them about trusting each other with information and keeping secrets. That kind of bugged me because all of the things that Evie was keeping from Lend were things that really didn't seem like a very big deal and I really wish that Evie would have spared all of the relationship drama and just told Lend things that were impotent to keeping their relationship going. A new character that pops up in this book is Jack, a human that can use the faerie paths. When he is first introduced in the story I thought he was so, so funny. Jack is both very spazzy, annoying, and causes a lot of trouble for Evie. Like the last book I loved the writing and the plot, both were very, very well done.

I really likes Supernaturally and all of the characters. Highly recommended series.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Book Haul 6/24/12

This week I received two books, one as a giveaway win, and one as a trade.

Won



I won a Whisper of Souls giveaway from Michelle Zink in a twitter giveaway! Thanks Michelle!

Traded
I traded with Tayte from Reading in Paradise for a ARC of Fever by Laurent DeStefano, Thanks Tayte!

That's all for me this week, what did you get in books this week?

Friday, June 22, 2012

Biannual Blogathon Bash Kick-Off

The Biannual Blogathon Bash is an event held from June 22nd until June 25th this summer and is created to help participants work on and improve their blog though motivation and challenges that the Blogathon provides.

This year I decided to give it a try, mainly because I have 5 books in the line up to be reviewed (with more on the way) and I need to get a LOT of posts ready. My goal this weekend is to get as many posts ready for the coming few months as I possibly can as well as finish a few challenges and some other things I need to get done on my blog. I 'm not concerned with how long I spend working, I am more concerned about how much I can get done this weekend.

If you are a blogger interested in participating, it's not too late to late to join in the fun! Check out the site in the link above!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Review: Paranormalcy

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: September 1st 2010
Pages: 335
Source: Library
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Goodreads

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.
Paranormalcy is the cute, fun, and exciting story of Evie, a girl who can see though paranormal glamors and catch the bad ones before they hurt anybody. When I first picked up this book I didn't quite know what to expect though I had heard some amazing things about this book, and believe me when I say they are very true.

Evie is a very strong main character who is very isolated from the real world most teenagers know. Evie is a hilarious girl with an amazing sense of style and all she wants is some freedom into the real world. I really love Evie's character because, even when things become difficult she seems to always stay strong and I would just love to meet someone like her. Lend, another character in the story is a paranormal that Evie has never encountered before with the strange ability to mimic the form of any human he wishes. After capturing Lend Evie slowly becomes friends with Lend as Evie comes to terms with her isolation. The story is very well written with very good detail and humor. I really enjoyed the story and the plot which was very well done.

Overall the story was very well done with good writing and character development. I very much look forward to reading the other books in the series to continue Evie's story. 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday 6/20/12 The Little Woods

The Little Woods by McCormick Templeman
July 10th 2012
Goodreads

Are the woods behind St. Bede's Academy really haunted, or does bad stuff just happen there? When Calista Wood, a new student, arrives midway through her junior year, St. Bede's feels like a normal school . . . until she discovers that a girl had disappeared a couple of months earlier. Some kids think she ran away, others think she was murdered, but it's only when Cally starts digging around that she finds the startling truth.

Watch as Cally enters a world of privilege, weekend-long parties, high school romances, and . . . well-kept secrets. This page-turner will appeal to teens looking for a fast-paced thriller. Written in a voice at once gripping and crystal clear, debut novelist, McCormick Templeman, will take readers on a twisting and turning journey as only a "new girl" can experience.
What fist made me interested in this book is the very vibrant cover. I really like the purples on the cover, as well as the interesting story synopsis.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday 6/19/12 My Summer TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted  by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish

This Week's Topic:
Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List
There are some great  books coming out this summer that I want to read, here is a list of some that I am very excited for!
Did any of these make your list? What do you think of my list? Link below!

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Book Haul 6/16/12

I haven't gotten much the past few weeks but this week I was very lucky to get to go to a library book sale where I bought a bunch of books as well as check some out!
Bought
The Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton
The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Eona by Allison Goodman
Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Checked out form Library
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Vanish by Sophie Jordan

What did you get this week? Comment or link below!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Review: The Lost Code

The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson

Publisher: HaperCollins Children's Books
Publication Date: May 22 2012
Pages: 435
Source: Library
Genre: Dystopian, Paranormal
Goodreads

WHAT IS OLDEST WILL BE NEW, WHAT IS LOST SHALL BE FOUND.

The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the Earth’s history.

No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker, who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced ancient race—a race that took their technology too far and almost destroyed the Earth in the process.

Now it is Owen’s turn to make right in his world what went wrong thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry…and that less-than-ordinary can evolve into extraordinary.
 The Lost Code is an amazingly well put together dystopian story with a very unique story and an extremely vivid plot that opens your eyes the the possibility of a new world more than any book I have read in a long time. In Owen's world, the ozone layer has been so extremely damaged that humans can no longer last under the sun's rays for very long with out terrible consequences. Owen is from an underground bunker near Yellowstone where people live to escape the high UV rays. After being excepted into Camp Eden, he is one of 2 outsiders in his cabin filled with kids who have live inside the dome their entire lives.  By his father's request, Owen enters to go on a trip to Camp Eden, a UV save camp inside a dome to spend a month of carefree time, but by the second day, while swimming he gets a cramp and ends up nearly drowning- and he's under water for 10 minutes. And Lives.

I really liked that this story was told with a Boy's Point of view, which is something that doesn't happen quite enough in YA today. Owen was a very interesting character right at the beginning of the book. Right off the bat Owen has trouble socializing with all of the kids in his cabin except the few that also get picked on and through out the book there is a constant battle of gaining and loosing respect in the camp. The most interesting part of the book was only a few chapters in when Owen survives 10 minutes in the water- with no air, and he discoveries of others at the camp like him and how he learns what he is. The only thing that was hard to understand completely was exactly why he was what he was, thought I do think that more will be revealed in the sequel. The writing was very interestingly put together, throughout the book Owen would contently refer to his mind as being controlled by Electricians who monitor everything that is going on inside him and I really thought that was cute and creative!

Altogether The Lost Code is a very interesting book with a very, very creative world that I really understood.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Review: Bluefish

Bluefish by Pat Schmatz

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: September 13th 2011
Pages: 240
Source: Library
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Goodreads

Travis is missing his old home in the country, and he’s missing his old hound, Rosco. Now there’s just the cramped place he shares with his alcoholic grandpa, a new school, and the dreaded routine of school. But that’s before Travis meets Mr. McQueen, who doesn’t take "pass" for an answer—a rare teacher whose savvy persistence has Travis slowly unlocking a book on the natural world. And it’s before Travis is noticed by Velveeta, a girl whose wry banter and colorful scarves belie some hard secrets of her own. With sympathy, humor, and disarming honesty, Pat Schmatz brings to life a cast of utterly believable characters—and captures the moments of trust and connection that make all the difference.
Bluefish is a cute, short story about a boy named Travis who has just moved into town, and on the first day of school meets a girl named Velveeta. Travis and Velveeta couldn't be more different. Velveeta is outgoing and loud while Travis is quiet and somewhat boring. Throughout the story different secrets are revealed to each other about their struggles and slowly the create a friendship that helps them though their struggles.

Bluefish depicts two very different characters with very opposing, and unique personalities. Travis is the very quiet, troubled boy who moves into town. Travis has always had trouble in school and now in middle school he is for the first time getting help with his difficulty reading. Velveeta, on the other hand is a very outgoing, loud, and very smart girl who also has family issues, just as Travis does. Both Travis and Velveeta are very artistically portrayed characters with beautiful personalities that are written very well and very clearly. The story revolves around the friendship of Travis and Velveeta and how the two friends deal with their troubles both academically and with their families.

The end of the book seems to be very open and left for the reader to continue. The story is wrapped up but the story didn't seem complete, it felt as if something was missing in the story. Overall the story was very different than many books I have read and was very well written, though loose threads are left at the end.


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday 6/13/12 Yesterday

Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin
September 25th 2012
Goodreads
THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas’s life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It’s 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father’s death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy?

When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can’t get him out of her head. She’s sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they’ve never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered.

Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from.
I saw this book for the first time on a Galley Requesting website and I thought it sounded really, really interesting and I think I might really like this story. 

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Review: The Fine Art of Truth or Dare

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

Publisher: Speak
Publication Date: February 16th 2012
Pages: 380
Source: Bought
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Goodreads

Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?
When I first read about this book on goodreads I was very, very excited about reading it, but now I really can't figure out why. Though this book has good intentions, I really did not enjoy this book. There were some very funny scenes, but I never connected with the characters and didn't feel and spark in the romance. There was a LOT of unneeded detail added to the story about things that are completely irreverent to the story and didn't add anything to the book.

The main character, Ella is a art school student who is obsessed with Edward Willing, a 19th century painter, and is in love with the most popular boy in school. Ella was a character that seemed to, like I said earlier, have good intentions, but I really didn't think she was developed enough to be a good character. Ella is a very down-on-herself character with low self-esteem who seems to think that she is the lowest of the low and no one could ever love her. I really don't like it when books that aren't issues books have really down on themselves for no reason characters. Ella seemed like she was against everyone, including her family, and it kind of annoyed me. Alex Bainbridge, the most popular boy in school and the boy that Ella has a crush on is much different than Ella. I really don't understand where the romance came into the story, they really had no reason to be together except for Ella's crush, and her crush was just that, a crush. The one character I really did like in the story was Ella's friend Frankie. Frankie had such a crazy awesome personality I just loved him. I wish he was real. I also really liked the restaurant atmosphere of the main character's family's business, it seemed like a very exciting atmosphere.

Overall I think this book was really cliche and though I really did like the setting and the intentions, it just wasn't ready in terms of character development and writing.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Review: Angel Fire

Angel Fire  by L.A. Weatherly 

Publisher: Candlewick
Pages: 636
Release Date: January 4th 2012 (USA)
Source: Library
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Goodreads

My Review of the First Book (Sorry it's really short, it's one of my earlier reviews)
In Book Two of L. A. Weatherly’s wildly romantic, action-packed trilogy, the angels are back with a vengeance . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind.

In the wake of the Second Wave, the angel menace has exploded, and Alex and Willow are on the lam. Willow’s prophetic dream points them to Mexico City, where they connect with a fledgling group of angel killers led by the exotically beautiful Kara, an Angel Killer from Alex’s past. But the team remains suspicious of Willow, even after the more-experienced Alex takes over as leader, training them hard for a rush attack on the Seraphic Council, or “The Twelve.” This elite group of all-powerful angels is also under the scrutiny of Willow’s angel-father, Raziel, who has his own sinister plan to defeat them.

What Willow hasn’t told Alex is that there was also a mysterious boy in her dream, one she felt overpoweringly attracted to. When brooding, gorgeous Seb shows up in the flesh, he turns out to be another—possibly the world’s only other—half angel. He’s been searching for Willow all his life, and when Alex enlists this rival to help keep Willow safe, he can’t predict what chemistry will pass between them . . . or how far Willow might go to keep Alex safe. Will their love endure or spell doomsday for the human race?


The first book in this series,  Angel burn was one of the most interesting and enjoyable of the books I read in 2011, and when this book released I was hesitant to read it because of the insanely high page count. After reading Angel Fire, I am glad that I continued with the series. Angel Fire continues the interesting story where Angel Burn left off and continues the complex story of Willow and Alex.

I really like the writing style of this story because instead of giving the point of view of just one character, it will go from the first person perspective of Willow, the main character, to the second person perspectives of Alex, Seb, and other major character in the story. This story is much more emotional than the first book in the series, and compared to the first book I really much prefer the action of the first book. The story was much slower than the first book with its more emotional feel. Because it was slower it gave readers a chance to learn more about the characters and form true opinions about them. I often had very conflicted feelings about one or more of the characters and the book was at times very tense.

I applaud Weatherly for her very unique plot and the imagination that was put into this story. The book did take a very overused plot twist in the story that I wish had not been used in a story as imaginative and creative as this one. Overall I really enjoyed this very unique, interesting book.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

What's Next? 6/7/12

Whats Next? is a meme hosted by Iceybooks where blogger showcase three to five books that they are debating over so their viewers can give their input in the comments. So tell me- What's Next?

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
 You’re probably wondering how I ended up here. I’m still wondering the same thing.

Olivia, Kelly, Christopher, Jason, and Eva have one thing in common: They’re addicts. Addicts who have hit rock bottom and been stuck together in rehab to face their problems, face sobriety, and face themselves. None of them wants to be there. None of them wants to confront the truths about their pasts. And they certainly don’t want to share their darkest secrets and most desperate fears with a room of strangers. But they’ll all have to deal with themselves—and one another—if they want to learn how to live. Because when you get that high, there’s nowhere to go but down, down, down.
A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.
Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.
Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.
Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

So, what's next? 

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday 6/6/12 Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous

Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous By Kathryn Williams
 August 21st 2012

 Can a spot on a teen reality show really lead to a scholarship at an elite cooking school AND a summer romance?

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Nicolaides was practically raised in the kitchen of her family’s Italian-Greek restaurant, Taverna Ristorante. When her best friend, Alex, tries to convince her to audition for a new reality show, Teen Test Kitchen, Sophie is reluctant. But the prize includes a full scholarship to one of America's finest culinary schools and a summer in Napa, California, not to mention fame.

Once on-set, Sophie immediately finds herself in the thick of the drama—including a secret burn book, cutthroat celebrity judges, and a very cute French chef. Sophie must figure out a way to survive all the heat and still stay true to herself. A terrific YA offering--fresh, fun, and sprinkled with romance.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Armchair BEA Giveaway

I am giving away 2 signed SLIDE by Jill Hathaway bookmarks to one USA resident who is participating in Armchair BEA.

You Must live in the USA and participate in Armchair BEA to enter.  Use the Rafflecopter below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday 6/5/12

 Top Ten Tuesday is Hosted by The ladies of Broke and Bookish
 This Week's Topic:
Top Ten Rewind, Choose any past topic. 
The past topic I chose is:  
Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read
 
  1.  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
  2. The Book Thief by Michael Zusak
  3. The Duff by Kodi Keplinger
  4. The Giver by Lois Lowery
  5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
  6. The Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson
  7. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
  8. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
  9. Across the Universe by Beth Revis 
  10. 1984 by George Orwell



I found ideas for this list from these links:

Monday, June 4, 2012

Kicking off Armchair BEA- Introductions First!

It's Interview Day for Armchair BEA! To kick start the Armchair BEA fun we are getting to know each other though a little interview we are all doing! To see other interviews click here. To learn more about Armchair BEA check here.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? 

My name is Erika, I am the blogger her at Rescue Reads (a YA blog) and I have been blogging for one year. The Reason I got into blogging its pretty complicated. A year ago I decided to enter a few book giveaways on websites and just try my luck. I really had no intention of blogging at that point, but eventually I won an ARC that was yet to come out as my fist book and I decided to try and review it, and it lead up to this.

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

I am currently reading The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson. My favorite book of 2012 so far is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?

I really like Waiting on Wednesdays and Cover memes, I really like finding new books and adding them to my TBR list.

Where do you see your blog in five years?

I really hope that I might be continuing it, as I have been so far. I really do enjoy the community here and I would love to stay in it!

Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

Oh... I wrote a discussion post on negative reviews that I think did very well that can be found here.

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

John Green, because I am a BIG Nerdfighter and he's awesome.

What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?

Literary location? Like BEA? Then yes, BEA. If you mean a books setting- Hogwarts!

What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

I love the people! Pretty much everyone is super nice and fun to chat with! If I could change one thing it would be all the drama! Seriously!

Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

Yes! Before blogging I was very picky about what books I would read, and now I read a lot of different things, including Historical Fiction and Fantasy which I didn't read before. 

Armchair Bea!

It's now the time of year when lots of excitement happens in the blogging community and lots and lots of bloggers, authors and publishers take off to New York for the lovely Book Expo America conference for lots of authors, books, and meeting other bookish people. And though I really want to be there, well, here I am. Not there. So I'm going to be trying out Armchair BEA this year in hopes to get a taste of BEA, and maybe sometime in the future I'll be able to head off to BEA with some of the other bloggers! 

Though I only have a vague idea what goes on during Armchair BEA, what I have been able to find out about sounds like a lot of fun!

Armchair BEA 2012 Agenda (The Armchair BEA website)

Monday, June 4th: Introductions First!


Tuesday, June 5th: Giveaways Everywhere!


Wednesday, June 6th: Networking ... In Real Life?!


Thursday, June 7th: Beyond the Blog


Friday, June 8th: The Future of Book Blogging
 
They seem to have a really great line up for this year and I really can't wait for all of the fun! 
 
Are you participating? Are you going to BEA? Comment below and let me know!

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Book Haul 6/3/12

This week I only got one book but I am really excited about it.

I Bought:

Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determined to succeed at life-which means getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job-Craig studies night and day to ace the entrance exam, and does. That's when things start to get crazy. At his new school, Craig realizes that he isn't brilliant compared to the other kids; he's just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away. The stress becomes unbearable and Craig stops eating and sleeping-until, one night, he nearly kills himself. Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, isolated from the crushing pressures of school and friends, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety. Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a remarkably moving tale about the sometimes unexpected road to happiness. For a novel about depression, it's definitely a funny story.

What did you get this week? Link below!