Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we feature all the book goodness that we received, borrowed or purchased during the previous week. All links are to Goodreads.

This week, on the 4th, hubby and I celebrated 20 years of marriage. This weekend we are planning a quick vacation to celebrate.  Also, look at what the dear man did for me this week:

That's right!  A Kindle Fire :)  My other Kindle is a K2 (second generation) and it was starting to show its age.  Do you have a Kindle Fire?  Do you love it? Got some tips for me?

  

Also, we got another Billy bookshelf from Ikea, because I was running out of space and my books from BEA were still in bags all over the basement floor. Hubby put it together for me and even helped me move some of the books.

Purchased (Physical Books)

Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent - I love the Soul Screamer series and I can't wait to see what happens next with Kaylee and Tod.

So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev - This is the conclusion of the Theater Illuminata series, if you haven't read it, please give it a try. 

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel - This is a new series called the Appretinceship of Victor Frankestein, sounds interesting, right?

Kindle

Kindle Fire How-To Guide by Michael Gallagher - Because I need to learn all about my new gadget :)

That's it for me gorgeous people!  What is stacking your shelves this week?

Feature & Follow Friday

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

This week's features are Jennifer @ Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance and @ The Paperback Princess this week's question is:

Jumping Genres: Ever pick up a book from a genre you usually don't like and LOVE it? Tell us about it and why you picked it up in the first place.

I usually don't read Sci Fi, but some books, like the Across the Universe series by Beth Revis is pretty good.

I'm not too crazy about horror either, but I have to confess to loving two YA horror series: The Mostrumologist by Rick Yancey and the Benny Imura (Rot & Ruin) by Jonathan Mayberry.

What genres have you tried and loved? 

Review: Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday (Deadly Cool #2)

Title: Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday

Published: April 24^th, 2012 by HarperTeen

Source: Purchased

Format: Paperback

Challenge(s):None

Grade rate: A-

  

Twittercide: the killing of one human being by another while the victim is in the act of tweeting.

Call me crazy, but I figured writing for the "Herbert Hoover High Homepage" would be a pretty sweet gig. Pad the resume for college applications, get a first look at the gossip column, spend some time ogling the paper's brooding bad-boy editor, Chase Erikson. But on my first big story, things went . . . a little south. 

What should have been a normal interview with Sydney Sanders turned into me discovering the homecoming queen-hopeful dead in her pool.  Electrocuted while Tweeting. Now, in addition to developing a reputation as HHH's resident body finder, I'm stuck trying to prove that Sydney's death wasn't suicide.

I'm starting to long for the days when my biggest worry was whether the cafeteria was serving pizza sticks or Tuesday Tacos. ..

My Review

I just love Hartley.  I think this amazing protagonist is what makes the story.  Hartley is witty, quirky, funny, a great friend and a not so good investigator (she’s getting better though).  Hart comes across like a real teenager (believe, I have one) in a world in which technology has taken over, Twitter, Facebook, IM, ipods, texting,  the internet and even Match.com are all big players in the book. 

Chase is again Hart’s love interest, well sort off; we know they each care for each other, but they’re taking things slow, which I like.  I do hope that they get to have that date on book three *sigh*.  Sam is, as always, a good and loyal friend, even when it goes against everything she believes in; as I said, ‘a really good friend’.  We see a few of the characters from book one as well.  More importantly, Hartley’s mom is now dating a certain detective *wink, wink*

The plot is a bit predictable, but nevertheless I enjoyed the ride.  The writing is amazing, so funny that I laughed out loud more than once.  I mean, who would have thought of committing ‘Twittercide’?  Ms. Halliday, that’s who!

I cannot wait for book three, whenever it’s published, I’m so there.  If you like Nancy Drew when you were younger, if you like mystery and a light, funny story, look no further than the Deadly Cool series.

About the cover:  The cover is really beautiful, although the model looks less like Hartley.  I like the font and again the headphone cable that forms the word “suicide”.

Have you read this series?  Do you like light mysteries? What do you think of the cover?

Happy 4th of July! (And Happy Anniversary!)

Today we celebrate the independence of the United States of America, its a day of reflection, a day to be grateful for the liberties and the freedom we enjoy and a reminder of what we fight for.  As my hubby is in the military, I've see first hand the sacrifices of the officers, enlisted, civilian personnel, and their families.  

On a personal note, today The Love of My Life and I celebrate our wedding anniversary.  A day like today, twenty years ago, we got married. Yes, you read right, 20 years!  In the rollercoaster that is marriage, I couldn't have picked a better partner for the ride.  ¡Te amo mi cielo!

Happy Fourth Gorgeous People!

Waiting on Wednesday: Guitar Notes by Mary Amato

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

Title: Guitar Notes by Mary Amato

Published by: Egmont

Release date: July 24th, 2012

From the Egmont website: 

On odd days, Tripp Broody uses a school practice room to let loose on a borrowed guitar. Eyes closed, strumming that beat-up instrument, Tripp escapes to a world where only the music matters.

On even days, Lyla Marks uses the same practice room. To Tripp, she’s trying to become even more perfect—she’s already a straight-A student and an award-winning cellist. But when Lyla begins leaving notes for him in between the strings of the guitar, his life intersects with hers in a way he never expected.

What starts as a series of snippy notes quickly blossoms into the sharing of interests and secrets and dreams, and the forging of a very unlikely friendship.

Challenging each other to write songs, they begin to connect, even though circumstances threaten to tear them apart.

From beloved author Mary Amato comes a YA novel of wit and wisdom, both heartfelt and heart­breaking, about the power of music and the unexpected chords that draw us together.

Why I want to read it: This book sounds amazing!  It reminds me a little of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, which I adored.  Can't wait for this one :)

What are you waiting for this week?

Top Ten Books for People Who Like Sarah Dessen

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

This is another hard Top Ten for me.  So instead I’m choosing to portrait the best contemporary romances (no paranormal things involved) I’ve read as it is difficult for me to compare Sarah Dessen’s books to anything else :)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Breathe by Abbi Glines

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Leaving Paradise series by Simone Elkeles

What is in your Top Ten this week?

Bookmark This Week #10

I don't know about you but I probably own a good number of bookmarks.  I think this might be the case of all bookish people, but the problem is that I can never find one when I need it.  I end up using whatever I can find - receipts, post-in notes, ribbon, take out menus - because I really don't like to bend the pages of my books (and I often borrow them from the library.)

I thought it would be fun to share with you what exactly I am using as a bookmark every Monday.  Today I'm reading Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. I'm using a 'The Butterfly Clues'  bookmark that I got at BEA. This is a gorgeous bookmark with a hanging silver butterfly.

Please leave a comment to share your bookmark with me! Oh, and let me know if you like to see this feature every week or even see it as a meme /hop. If you are reading an eBook, please comment about your eReader's cover or on what interesting things are in your cover or case (I keep all sort of stuff inside my kindle's cover too!)

What are you using as a bookmark today?

Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han (Summer #1)

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Published: May 5^th, 2009 by Simon & Shuster

Source: Library (I also own the book)

Format: Audio book

Challenge(s):

Grade rate: C+

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

My Review

I’m not quite sure what to make of this book.  I’ve heard so many good things about it, including a brilliant recommendation from one of my friends, but I was a little disappointed with it.

I think one of my biggest hang-ups was Belly herself.  Why would someone go by that name?  Isabel is a pretty name, but Belly, no so much.  Anyway, Belly is self-centered, insecure, and childish.  I know she turns sixteen at the end of the summer, but she is still the youngest of the lot and she acts like it.  I also didn’t particularly care for the way she behaved towards Cam. 

The Fisher boys, Jeremiah and Conrad, are very different, but they have their over protectiveness of Belly in common.   They are all childhood friends that are growing up and growing apart, especially when the ‘glue’ that binds them together is fading (sorry for being so cryptic, but I’m trying to avoid spoilers).

I like Jeremiah better because he was easygoing, he was not afraid to show his feelings, and he was always there for Belly.  On the other hand, Conrad was the typical brooding bad boy and it seems like he didn’t know how to handle his problems (granted, they were huge), other than throwing himself into drinking, smoking, and other stuff.

Belly’s mom is a rock.  She is so steady that everyone things she has no feelings, which I’m sure is not true.  Susannah is so sweet, she’s loving, loyal, and stubborn; I really liked her.  Steven, Belly’s brother is only in part of the story, and it looks like he is very annoying (like any brother ;)

One of the best things about the audio book was the narration.  Jessica Almasy has a great voice and an amazing talent to make the story come alive.  The plot is fairly simple, but made complicated by Belly’s angst and constant whining.  The Summer I Turned Pretty is a short, easy read and a well written story.  The book itself contains a lot of flashbacks to previous summers, to give us background information of the characters and their history.  The ending is a big cliffhanger, made to guarantee that the reader jumps right into It’s Not Summer Without You.  I’ll still pick up book #2 and see where it takes me (again, my friend raves about this series :)

About the cover: The cover is simple, pretty, with light colors that give the impression of being 'beachy'.  I also liked the font and the placement of the title.

Have you read the Summer series?  Did you like it? Should I read book #2?

Review: The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (Lorien Legacies Trilogy #2)

Title: The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

Published: August 23^rd, 2011 by Harper Collins

Source: Library

Format: Hardcover

Challenge(s):

Grade rate: A

I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England.

And Number Three in Kenya.

They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

My Review

Amazing!  I loved I Am Number Four and The Power of Six was even better!  This was an action packed sequel full of unexpected twists and turns.

The Power of Six is contains two simultaneous stories narrated from John (Number Four) and Marina’s (Number Seven) point of view.  We meet John and Six in the previous book and now we get to know them better.  John, Six, Sam, and Berny Kosar are all on the run from the Mogs and from the federal government, which is really hard to do, although it is pretty exciting.  I am really thrilled about Six and her awesome powers, she seems to be really well trained and she knows what she’s doing and helps John a lot.  At the end of the book John rescues Number Nine, which also seems to be very well developed  powers and it’s one of the oldest Lorians so far.

Marina is in Spain where she has been for many years waiting for her legacies to develop, but being denied training by her Cépan.  Marina is not an easy character to identified with and her life is much less exciting than Johns and Six’s, and her narration is full of her daily life chores and frustrations.  Marina is very scared of everything and her fear is of the paralyzing kind (this is not a good thing when Mogs are tracking you with the intent of killing you!).  Ella was a surprised addition to the story, and I liked her immediately.

All these kids have gone through so much and so much more is expected of them.  They have a pretty heavy load and a big sense of responsibility to humanity, to Lorien, and to each other.

The Power of Six is action packed, well developed, it has an amazing plot and is masterfully written.  I hope that a movie is made based on the book, because it will be incredible!  The ending is a cliffhanger if I ever saw one, and I cannot wait for The Rise of Nine, due to be published in August 21^st of this year (*yeah*)  All I have to say is S, I hope you’re okay S.*

About the cover: Not sure what all the symbols mean, but suspect they might be Lorien numbers.  I like the cover, the contrast of dark and light colors and the lettering.

Have you read the Lorien Legacies series?  Did you watch the I Am Number Four movie?