HATTIE BIG SKY

HATTIE BIG SKY

By Kirby Larson

2006

283 Pages

From Inside Cover:

Vida, Montana 1918

For most of her life, sixteen year old Hattie Brooks has been shuttled from one distant relative to another. Tired of being Hattie Here and There, she summons the courage to leave Iowa and move all by herself to Vida, Montana, to prove up on her late uncle's homestead claim. "At least now my letters will be more interesting," she writes to her good friend, Charlie who is fighting the Kaiser in France.

Under the big sky, Hattie braves hard weather, hard times, a cantankerous cow, and her own hopeless hand at the cook stove. Her quest to make a home is championed by new neighbors Perilee Mueller, her German husband, and their children. For the first time in her life life, Hattie feels part of a family, finding the strength to stand up against Traft Martin's schemes to buy her out and against increasing pressure to be a "loyal" American at a time when anything-or anyone-German is suspect. Despite daily trials, Hattie continues to work her uncle's claim until an unforeseen tragedy causes her to search her soul for the real meaning of home.

My thoughts:

Hattie Big Sky is a little book with a HUGE heart. Hattie is a character that will stay with you long after you've finished the story.

It's starts with her receiving a letter from an uncle she doesn't remember-

Being of sound mind, I do hereby leave to Hattie Inez Brooks my claim and the house and it's contents, as well as one steadfast horse named Plug and a contemptible cow known as Violet.

Chester Hubert Wright

Uncle to Hattie Inez Brooks

P.S.

H-Bring warm clothes and a cat.

What first grabbed my attention was the location of the story-Montana is just over the hill from where I live in Idaho and I know how cold those Montana winters get-well below 0. Also the knowledge that this story is based on the author's great-grandmother who actually did prove up her claim in Montana as a young woman. I just knew I had to read her story.

Hattie leaves Iowa and the closest thing she has ever had to family to claim a piece of property that an unknown uncle has left her. With very little money, the orphan is mostly hanging on to hopes and dreams as she heads into the unknown-Vida, Montana.

What she finds when she arrives is a shack, not a house and 320 acres of unfarmed land.

To fulfill the requirements of proving up her claim she will need to cultivate 40 acres and build a fence around her property-and she only has ten months to do it. If she fails to meet these requirements to land goes back to the bank and she gets nothing.

Hattie is such an easy character to love and cheer for as she faces the many hardships of a first time homesteader.

I was so wrapped up in her story I was disappointed to reach the last page. I was left wanting to know more about the life and times of this amazing young woman.

This book is available at the Salmon Public Library. I would recommend it for readers 12 and up. I will be purchasing my own copy to give to my own daughter and I look forward to her getting to know Hattie Brooks.

LOOKING BACK OVER 2010

IT'S ALMOST TIME TO SAY GOOD-BYE

My goal for 2010 was to read and review at least 100 books. Sadly, I only reached 67. That's 33 books short of my goal. Still I'm proud of what I did get accomplished even though life, job, children, husband and housework did throw multiple wrenches into plan.

I look back over 2010 and realize that in those 67 books I discovered amazing characters, incredible authors and made many friends among fellow bloggers. Not a bad year at all!

TOP 10 Books Read in 2010

1. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

2. The Chosen by Carol Lynch Williams

3. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

4. Crank by Ellen Hopkins

5. Every Little Thing in the World by Nina De Gramont

6. Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

7. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

8. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

9. Annexed by Sharon Dogar

10. After by Amy Efaw

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Happy Holidays to everyone out in blog world!

If only I could curl up with all of you and enjoy this Christmas Eve- reading a book and eating those Christmas treats! But alas, there are presents to be wrapped, last minute stocking stuffers to track down and cookies to bake for family party tonite. I'm sorry good friends but we must wait to cuddle. But know that I- Mug of Moxie wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year to come.

WINNER!

Winner of the Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop.......

# 46 Ricki

who will be recieving 3 ARCS

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Girl Parts by John Cusick

Another Pan by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

Compliments of Candlewick Press

Thanks to everyone who entered and is now following

Mug of Moxie.

I plan to do another contest in February so stay tuned.

Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop

The Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop

will be a quick 2 day hop. Midwinter's Eve is the longest night of the year so why not spend it entering some great giveaways. The hop will run from 12:01 AM on December 21st to 11:59 PM on December 22nd. There are 120+ Blogs each signed up to host a book giveaway on their site. For more information and to see the list of blogs that are participating visit

the Official Midwinter's Eve Page.

So now for the exciting prize Mug Of Moxie is giving away! I have 3 awesome ARCs that I would love to pass on to you-fellow readers!
1. Girl Parts by John Cusick

2.The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

3. Another Pan by Dina and Daniel Nayeri

All three books are in beautiful shape. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

To enter my giveaway- Become a follower of Mug Of Moxie and leave your name and email address in comment section so I have way to get a hold up you when you win.Thanks for stopping by!

Don't forget to hop on over to these other blogs and check out what they have up for grabs. Just follow the links below!

1.I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (US/Int)
2.Acting Balanced (US/Can)
3.Reader Recommended (US/Int)
4.Forever Young (Adult) (US/Int)
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THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO

THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO
Patrick Ness
2008
479 Pages

From Back Cover:
Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee-whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not-stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden-a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives. But do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?
My Thoughts:
This story starts with a bang when we are dropped into Todd Hewitt's world. It's a dark, bleak place where Todd is just weeks away from his thirteenth birthday when he will officially become a man according to Prentisstown Law. He has grown up his entire life infected with a germ called Noise that not only killed all females but allows all males to hear one another's thoughts. There are no secrets in Prentisstown-or so Todd thinks. Until one day while exploring he stumbles upon a spot of silence in a swamp and a huge discovery that has him running for his life. With an army hot in pursuit we are taken on an adventure both thrilling and exhausting.
The ending brings the reader to a dead stop that had me yelling-"What the French Toast!" I will without a doubt be getting my hands on the second book of the Chaos Walking Trilogy-The Ask and the Answer. I really need to know what happens next!
A big Thank You to Candlewick Press for sending me this awesome ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I will be passing this ARC on to the winner of a contest!

GIRL PARTS

Girl Parts

by John M. Cusick

2010

218 Pages

From Back Cover:

David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David's parents present him with a hot Companion bot designed to encourage healthy bonds and treat "dissociative disorder," he can't get enough of luscious, redheaded Rose-and he can't get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Parted from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up to her, knowing that she isn't real. With Charlie's help, the ideal"companion" is about to become her own best friend.

My Thoughts:

This book was so much more than I thought it would be. It goes back to the old saying-never judge a book by it's cover! I really thought it was going to be a light and fluffy good time read. It was definitely way deeper than that!

The story starts with a suicide witnessed by several people over the Internet, including David, who watches a girl die on his computer screen and does nothing to intervene or help. When David's parents find out they become concerned that he may have Dissociative Disorder and immediately order him a robot companion named Rose. She is the newest thing in technology built to provide unconditional love, a real relationship and constant companionship.

The story then becomes Roses as she grows closer to David and starts to develop human tendencies. She lives to please David and their relationship starts to bloom. Until David discovers that his relationship with Rose can only go so far. Then he abruptly ends things and kicks her to the curb. Enter the quiet, loner Charlie who comes to Rose's rescue in more ways than one.

Charlie might also have Dissociative Disorder but for reasons very different than David. The story then becomes Charlie and Roses.

This story has so many elements and is really about three very different people who lives end up intertwining. The end is bittersweet but felt right. I think John Cusick hit the mark.

Certain parts of the story reminded me of Feed by M.T. Anderson. Dissociative Disorder felt a little to real in our technology hungry world.

A big thank you to Candlewick Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll be passing this book on to the winner of a contest.

KNOCKED OUT BY MY NUNGA-NUNGAS

knocked out by my nunga-nungas

(confessions of Georgia Nicolson)

By Louise Rennison

2001

183 Pages

From Back Cover:

"I was in a state of confusiosity."

Georgia Nicolson has finally landed Robbie the Sex God and life is fab. But all of a sudden Georgia's ex, Dave the Laugh, is starting to look quite dreamy. Strangely, so does just about every other guy Georgia meets, even the new French teacher. Is Georgia becoming a shameless vixen?

My Thoughts:

If I truly want a pick me up I drop into Georgia's world. Her every day observations and hilarious antics make me laugh out loud. There is no doubt that this is a girl I would hang with!

Poor Georgia! Being a teenager is tough enough with all the worry of lurking lurkers, ear snogging, nunga nunga protectors!

Her parents are still stark raving mad lunatics bent on making her life miserable.

They are dragging off to Scotland(Och Aye Land) on a family excursion. Who wants to visit a pencil factory?!

Also she is super confused by her feelings for Dave the Laugh her "Red Herring" and ex boyfriend. Although her Boyfriend Robbie, aka Sex God makes her weak in the knees, Dave the Laugh makes her...laugh?!

Angus is now in danger of having his trouser snake addendums removed because of his growing affection for next door neighbor cat, Naomi.

Nauseating P. Green is now following Georgia into the loo and naming hamsters in her honor after saving her from the clutches of the Bummer Twins.

What in the world is a girl to do? Perhaps she should just go forth and use her red bottom wisely.

I can not wait to read the further confessions of Georgia in her next book Dancing in my Nuddy Pants. Lucky for me I just snagged it from my local library.

Seriously, if you have not read this Georgia Nicholson series you are truly missing out!

ANNEXED

ANNEXED
By Sharon Dogar
2010
340 Pages
From Inside Cover:
I look out the window into the street....I'm meant to be at Mr. Frank's workplace in a few hours. We're arriving separately, all of us. We'll walk into the building just like it was any other visit-only this time we'll never walk out again.What was it like hiding in the annex with Anne Frank? To be with Anne every day while she wrote so passionately in her diary? To be in a secret world at war-alive on the inside, everything dying on the outside? Peter Van Pels and his family have lost their country, their home, and their freedom, and now they are fighting desperately to remain alive. Look through Peter's eyes. He has a story to tell, too. Are you listening?
My Thoughts:
I think that I read Diary of a Young Girl in Middle School-my memories of it are hazy. After reading Annexed by Sharon Dogar I plan to pick it up in the new year and reread it.
I've been a little surprised by the mixed reviews on this book. Some people have felt that a story from the perspective of Peter van Pels tarnishes the image of Anne Frank and her diary.
I thought that the author was very clear in the preface that Peter's story is a work of fiction, based on facts of history. Historical Fiction.
Peter van Pels is a 16 year old boy who goes into hiding with his parents in an annex above a building owned by Frank Otto. The year is 1942.
This story is written from Peter's point of view as the author imagines what it must of been like for a teenage boy to suddenly lose his freedom and be confined to a small space with seven other people for almost two years.
We get to know Anne through Peter's eyes. First she is a know it all that irritates him and invades his space. But slowly his emotions grew into affection as he matures. We start to see another Anne who is reaching out, longing to make a connection. She is both insightful and observant.
Peter is a person of few words but deep emotions-A person I grew to know and love.
We all know how the story ends.After two years in hiding they are all betrayed and sent to concentration camps-Auschwitz and Mauthausen.
I found myself sobbing as I read Peter's last words."Are you listening?" So afraid that no one will know his story. His life ends before it had a chance to begin.
The story of the Holocaust should never be forgotten. It is a horrible piece of of history that needs to be told, again and again. We need to listen and never forget.
A huge thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for giving me the opportunity to read and review Annexed.
I will be donating this book to my local Public Library. I encourage young adults and their parents to read it and talk about it.

Annexed: A Novel by Sharon Dogar

I WANNA JINGLE YOUR BELLS!

That's why I'm participating in the...
The Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop !!!!
This hop will be hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer
The Midwinter's Eve Hop will be a quick 2 day hop. Midwinter's Eve is the longest night of the year so why not spend it entering some great giveaways.The hop will run from 12:01 AM on December 21st to 11:59 PM on December 22nd.
Use the link above to find out more information.
Most importantly don't forget to get your fine self back here on December 21 to enter Mug Of Moxie's Giveaway! Hang on to your bells, it's going to be a good one!!!

I READ THE FIRST ONE......

IT BLEW MY MIND.....

NOW I REALLY NEED TO GET MY HANDS ON THE NEXT ONE!

The trouble with getting sucked into a series...

1. Lack of funds to buy the next one

2. Local library only carries the first one

3. A slow interlibrary loan system

Here's a list of books that I have read lately that literally blew my mind and made an impression. Their sequels are on my wishing/waiting list.

1. Glass by Ellen Hopkins

2. The Dead of the Night by John Marsden

3. Rumors by Anna Godbersen

4. How I Found the Perfect Dress by Maryrose Wood

5. This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer(actually #3)

6. Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy by Ally Carter

7. Pretty Little Lair-Perfect by Sara Shepard

8. The Off Season by Catherine Murdock

Are you feeling my pain yet?
Do you have a sequel you have been sucked into recently?

GOSSIP OF THE STARLINGS

GOSSIP OF THE STARLINGS

By Nina De Gramont

2008

276 pages

From Back Cover:

When Catherine Morrow is admitted to Esther Percy School for Girls, it's on the condition that she reform her ways. But that's before the beautiful and charismatic Skye Butterfield chooses Catherine for her best friend. Skye is in love with the thrill of taking risks, breaking rules, and crossing boundaries, no matter the stakes. But the stakes keep getting higher in this chilling portrait of adolescent temptations.

My thoughts:

Nina De Gramont is an amazing writer. Gossip of the Starlings is pure poetry. This story is so beautifully written that I found myself rereading pages so I could take it all in.

Skye and Catherine are two wealthy teens attending a prep school in New England. Catherine longs to walk to straight and narrow but her friendship with Skye keeps pulling her into dangerous situations. Not that Catherine isn't a willing participate of drunken nights and cocaine binges-in fact Catherine is the one who introduces Skye to their drug of choice.

But while Catherine decides to put her time and energy into her horse and shows we see Skye spiral out of control. Skye's behavior becomes more destructive-drug abuse, stealing and an affair with a teacher push Catherine further away. Friendship and loyalty are tested again and again. Although the reader is given clues at the beginning as to how the story will end I still found myself shocked.

As I said before I loved the writing of this story, my only regret is that I didn't care more deeply for the characters. I was surprised by the ending but not really moved. Catherine and Skye are forgettable.

This is the second book that I have read by Nina De Gramont and will without a doubt pick up her next one.

I recommend this story for readers 14 and older. It contains language, drug use and sex.

GRATITUDE GIVEAWAY!

A GIANT thank you to all who are participating in the Gratitude Giveaway! Hosted by the amazing Kathy at I'm Reader, Not A Writer. Join the hop. There are more than 170 bloggers participating! Here are a few that I visited today and their super giveaways!

The Book Bug- Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Forever Young- Need by Carrie Jones

Kid Lit Frenzy- Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

Simply Stacie- $20 Gift Card from Amazon.com

Missy's Book Nook- Radiance, Evermore and Shadowland by Alyson Noel

All the Days Of- iDrakula by Bekka Black

What are you waiting for....go!!!

I WANT TO BE BESTIES WITH GEORGIA!

On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God

(further Confessions of Georgia Nicolson)

2001

243 Pages

From Inside Cover:

5:35 p.m.

Oh yippee.

This is my gorgeous life:

1. I haven't been kissed for a month; my snogging skills will soon be gone.

2. I have a HUGE nose that means I have to live for ever in the Ugly Home.

3. My Red Herring plan has failed

4. I am the Bummer Twin's armchair.

My Thoughts:

I'm pretty sure I want to be British and Georgia's bestie after reading this fabbity fab sequel to Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging.

Fourteen year old Georgia's life is beyond tragic. First off, she has to deal with her very old and ludicrous parents who are bent ruining her life just because theirs is practically over. Then there's her little sister Libby who stores her pooey nappies in the bottom of her bed. Her best friend Jas is as smart as a potato. And don't forget her boyfriend Robbie aka The Sex God who makes her brain go jelloid whenever he's around.

Georgia's tragic tale is written in diary form and her hilarious observations are laugh out loud funny. A typical 14 year old teenage girl who believes the world revolves around her and everyone else is crazy. Georgia is self-obsessed, rude, selfish and VERY funny.

There is British slang galore but luckily the author has included a glossary in the back that helps us dense Americans wade through words like rucky, gob, and snogging.

I LOVE Georgia and can't wait to read her next adventure-Knocked Out by my Nunga-Nungas.

I would recommend this book for ages 14 and up.

SHADOWED SUMMER

SHADOWED SUMMER

by Saundra Mitchell

2009

180 pages

From Inside Cover:

Summer in Ondine, Louisiana, is always predictable: hot and boring.

Not this one.

This summer, Iris is fourteen. This summer she doesn't have to make up spooky stories for excitement. Because a real one falls right into her lap.

Years ago, before she was born, a teenager named Elijah disappeared. All that remains of him are whispers. Until this summer. A ghost begins to haunt Iris, and she's convinced it's the ghost of Elijah.

What really happened to him?

And why, of all people, has he chosen Iris?

My thoughts:

When I finish a book that really gets me-you know the kind-it won't leave your mind. I usually Google the author and try to find out more about them. I discovered a couple of things about Saundra Mitchell that made me laugh out loud such as-she has been a phone psychic! And a fabulous quote where she states "If Romeo and Juliet were 30, they wouldn't be tragic-they'd be pathetic." It made me snort-laugh.

Just a couple of things I had to share.

On with the review....

Shadowed Summer is a quick little page turner that is filled with mystery and suspense.

I picked this book up over the Halloween weekend hoping it would give me chills and thrills-OH....IT DID!

Saundra Mitchell does a beautiful job of capturing the southern comfort of Louisiana with language and descriptions that made me feel the hot, sticky air of a summer down south.

A ghost hunt that involves a Ouija board, old newspapers and the long forgotten death of a teenage boy named Elijah who is hell bent on delivering a message to Iris. This is not the long, boring summer she thought it would be! Shadowed Summer is a perfectly spooky tale filled with twists and turns. A story that won't leave your thoughts after the last page.

I recommend this book for readers 12 and up.

THE DEAD & THE GONE

THE DEAD & THE GONE

By Susan Beth Pfeffer

2008

308 Pages

From Inside Cover:

When life as Alex Morales had known it changed forever, he was working behind the counter at Joey's Pizza. He was worried about getting elected as senior class president and making the grades to land him in a good college. He would have never expected that an asteroid would hit the moon, knocking it closer in orbit to the earth and catastrophically altering the earth's climate.He never expected to be fighting just to stay alive.

My Thoughts:

A couple of months ago I read and reviewed the first book of this trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer called Life As We Knew It. It was a great book. I was a little worried to start the second installment-sophomore slump and all that. But I'm happy to say that The Dead & The Gone was not a disappointment. Whew!

While Life As We Knew It revolves around Miranda and takes place in a small town-Miranda has her family.

The Dead & The Gone takes the same event and centers it's story around Alex, a seventeen year old Puerto Rican who lives in the heart of New York city.

Alex's parents disappear in the aftermath of tidal waves-his mother never makes it home from her job at a hospital while his father was out of the country when disaster strikes. He now becomes the soul provider and caretaker of his two younger sisters.

The entire situation seem hopeless as we watch Alex and his sisters try to survive as the city around them falls apart. Food shortages, disease and mass chaos surround them.

I can't wait to read the next book in this amazing trilogy-This World We Live In.

Although I'm pretty sure I might need a massage and a stiff drink before I pick it up.

A MATCH MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL

A MATCH MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL

BY KRISTIN WALKER
2009

278 pages

FROM BACK COVER:

When a mandatory course forces Fiona to "try the knot": with super-jock Todd Harding, she's convinced life couldn't get any worse. Until her crush is paired with her arch enemy(otherwise known as Todd's obscenely hot, slightly sadistic girlfriend). But that's nothing compared to her best friend's fate-a year with the very goofy, very BIG Johnny Mercer.

A series of hilarious pranks leaves Fiona wondering: Is there something her "best friend" hasn't told her? Could there be more to Johnny Mercer than an awesome music collection? And most intriguing, could Todd Harding have a heart beneath his pretty-boy exterior?

MY THOUGHTS:

A Match Made in High School was a fun, fast read. The plot was different and fresh-Fiona's school has decided to have the students take a mandatory marriage class before graduation. Their participation determines whether or not they will graduate from high school. A little far fetched but made for a great story. The main character Fiona was extremely witty and seemed a little beyond her years but her humor made the book laugh out loud at times. I loved the cover of the book which show various faces of kids-I assumed were the characters-I honestly chose the book by it's cover.
I would recommend this book for reader 13 and up. There is some language.

BECAUSE CURIOUS MINDS WANT TO KNOW

A QUESTION
I've been doing a little housekeeping this weekend and decided to weed through some of the blogs I've been following this year. After much hair pulling and anxiety I stopped following about twenty-the main reason was the lack of posting for the past four or five months. That brings my number to 179-obviously I'm afraid I might miss out on something!
A question for all you bloggers out there.....
How do you decide to become a follower of a blog?
And what are the reasons you stop following a blog?

THE WINNER IS......

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

The winner of OMG ANOTHER CONTEST is:

Tahleen

I will be contacting her for her mailing adddress.

A big thank you to all who entered! Have a happy and safe Halloween!

COOL MOCKINGJAY TRAILER

LAST DAY TO ENTER GIVEAWAY!!

IT'S YOUR LAST DAY TO ENTER....

OMG ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!
To celebrate one of my favorite holidays-Halloween!

I'm hosting a giveaway for THREE fabulous books:
1. The Seer of Shadows by Avi
2. Gentlemen by Michael Northrop
3. Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri
All three of these books are a little creepy and a wee bit scary-Reading them will definitely help you get into a Halloween mood...just don't read them alone, at night.
To enter OMG! ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!
just leave your name and email address in comment section so I can contact you if you win.
This contest is for US residents only and you must be 13 years old.
Contest ends TODAY-October 24.

BECAUSE CURIOUS MINDS WANT TO KNOW.....

A QUESTION

I've been doing a little housekeeping this weekend and decided to weed through some of the blogs I've been following this year. After much hair pulling and anxiety I stopped following about twenty-the main reason was the lack of posting for the past four or five months. That brings my number to 179-obviously I'm afraid I might miss out on something!

A question for all you bloggers out there.....

How do you decide to become a follower of a blog?

And what are the reasons you stop following a blog?

ON MY WISH LIST

Here's a few books that just shot to the top of my wish list after reading great reviews this weekend. I'm crossing my fingers that Santa is internet savvy!

HOPPING THE WEEKEND AWAY!

ANOTHER AWESOME BOOK HOP!
A big thanks to Jennifer at Crazy for Books.
She hosts this super fun meme every Friday called the Book Blogger Hop. Through it I've been able to find some super cool Book Blogs to follow.
Here are a few of my favorites:
**Jess Hearts Books
**A Myriad of Books
**proseandkahn
**Do not disturb my books
**Books are a girls best friend
**Buried in Books
**A Tapestry of Words

THE JESSICA AND ELIZABETH DRAMA CONTINUES!

GUESS WHO'S BACK!

JESSICA AND ELIZABETH WAKEFIELD!

I could not get enough of these sisters and their drama when I was in high school-

in fact they made be feel just a little bit better about my own drama during the high school years! Well, I'm happy to say that the girls are back and it seems that the drama still there! Sweet Valley High lives on!

Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later will explore the lives of twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield who are now estranged. What happened to Elizabeth (the mild one) and Jessica (the wild one) after they left the California coast?

Taken from People.com:While Jessica still lives in their hometown, Elizabeth has moved to N.Y.C. – and is looking for revenge toward her sister. What did Jessica do to cause the rift? Do they still wear matching lavaliere necklaces? Whatever happened to Todd Wilkins? And is Winston Egbert still a dork? Find out when the book hits stands March 29.

I can't wait!

OMG! ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

In an effort to make more room on my bookshelf...for more books(shhhhh-don't tell my husband) and to celebrate one of my favorite holidays-Halloween! I'm hosting a giveaway for THREE fabulous books

1. The Seer of Shadows by Avi

2. Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

3. Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

All three of these books are a little creepy and a wee bit scary-Reading them will definitely help you get into a Halloween mood...just don't read them alone, at night.

To enter OMG! ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!

just leave your name and email address in comment section so I can contact you if you win.

This contest is for US residents only and you must be 13 years old.

Contest ends October 24.

BOOK BLOGGING GOOD TIMES!!!

IT'S FRIDAY!!

TIME TO HOP!!

This weekly BOOK PARTY is hosted by the fabulous Jennifer at Crazy For Books and is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky at Jennifer's Blog-Crazy For Books.

This week's question comes from Becky who blogs at Becky's Barmy Book Blog:
"Where is your favorite place to read?

Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?"

My answer:

Comfy and Cozy in my bed-wrapped in my favorite blanket-pajamas on-lavendar candle lit. Of course none of this happens until the kids are in bed and husband is distracted with TV in living room. But a girl can wish, can't she?

OMG! ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!
In an effort to make more room on my bookshelf...for more books(shhhhh-don't tell my husband) and to celebrate one of my favorite holidays-Halloween! I'm hosting a giveaway for THREE fabulous books
1. The Seer of Shadows by Avi
2. Gentlemen by Michael Northrop
3. Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri
All three of these books are a little creepy and a wee bit scary-Reading them will definitely help you get into a Halloween mood...just don't read them alone, at night.
To enter OMG! ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!
just leave your name and email address in comment section so I can contact you if you win. This contest is for US residents only and you must be 13 years old.
Contest ends October 22.

A Mooooooving Tale

GOING BOVINE

By Libba Bray

400 ages

2009

From Inside Cover:

Can Cameron find what he's looking for? All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school and life in general with a minimum of effort. It's not a lot to ask. But that's before he's given some bad news: he's sick and he's going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure if he's willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

My Thoughts:

What happens when you might be dying before you have ever had the chance to live?

Poor Cameron is just sliding by pretty much not giving a crap about anything. Family irritates him. Friends get on his nerves. School work is a waste of time. Hobbies...please! Then one day he's told that he has a life threatening disease-one which there is no cure for. Suddenly time is running out for Cam before he has even had the chance to live.

Readers, be prepared to take a journey-a road trip with many twist and turns. Cam is determined to live life to the fullest-no matter what. And we are riding shot gun.

Sadly, I did not enjoy the journey. After reading so many positive reviews about this book I had huge expectations. It just couldn't deliver. I did enjoy the humor and Cam's sidekick(whatever happened to him?) But this book left me feeling empty. Like I was the only one in the room that didn't get the joke-hours later I'm still scratching my head....

I recommend this book for readers 15 and up for sexual content, death and language. This book is available at the Salmon Public Library-in the adult section.

Mudo, Soulers and Love Triangles.....Oh My!!!!

THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES

By Carrie Ryan

404 Pages

2010

From Inside Cover:

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She's content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry's mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother's past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

My Thoughts:

Dark and terrifying-the perfect read for the month of October!

The Dead-Tossed Waves is the much anticipated sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. The story picks up with Gabrielle the daughter of Mary from the first book. They live in a seaside village of Vista and the unconsecrated-now called Mudo are still a very real threat. Gabry is content with her life inside the protected walls of her village. Her mother is keeper of the lighthouse and deals with any Mudo that happen to wash up on the beach.

One night Gabry's boyfriend Catcher and best friend, Cira talk her into exploring an area outside the fence. In one reckless moment Gabry's life changes forever. Everything she has ever known is gone-her mother, the boy she loves and her best friend. She isn't sure who she can trust or where she can go.

The Dead-Tossed Waves is a fast paced, action packed thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I anxiously await the next installment- The Dark and Hollow Places available March 2011. If you are looking for a scary read for this month, check this one out. You won't be disappointed.

100+ Reading Challenge

So it's the beginning of October and time to take stock. I decided to challenge myself in 2010 and join the 100+ Book Challenge hosted by Home Girl's Book Blog. I read all the time(it's my kind of therapy)so I really didn't thing that reading 100 books in one year would be too tough...Yeah right! Unfortunately life doesn't slow down because I want(need) to read! So far I have read 53 books since January and posted reviews on each and everyone. My pat on the back is turning into a panic attack about right now. I only have less than three months to go! I'm running out of time people! I'm not gonna lie....I'm half tempted to pick up some Junie B. Jones and Goose Bumps. If it's a book that size I may reach my goal....notice the "may" in that statement.

CHILDREN ABUSING CHILDREN

LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL

By Jo Knowles

2007

215 pages

From Back Cover:

Leah Greene is dead and Laine McCarthy wished for it. She hated Leah that much. Hated her for all the times in the closet, when Leah made her do those things. They were just practicing for when they were older and had boyfriends, Leah said. But Laine knew that other girls don't do those things. Why did Leah choose her? Was she special? Or just easy to control? In the aftermath of Leah's death, Laine is left to unravel what happened all those years ago and to find meaning-and perhaps forgiveness-in the devastating lessons she learned.

My Thoughts:

Leah is the popular one. She is smart, beautiful and out going. Everyone loves her. Everyone wants to be her friend. Laine is the quiet one. The girl that blends easily and isn't noticed. Their friendship develops in the fifth grade. That's also when Leah starts to abuse Laine.

Leah and Laine's friendship is about power, guilt, secrets and shame. Leah is the abuser and Laine is the victim. But as the story unfolds we learn that it's much more complicated than that. This is a book that is painful to read....but has such an important message. A message that I think the author did a good job of telling.

I recommend this book to readers 15 and up. Be warned that there is major sexual content-the book is about sexual abuse. I would highly encourage both teens and parents to read it and then talk about it.

This book was borrowed through my local library's Inter Library Loan System.

A CREEPY LITTLE TALE

THE KILLER'S COUSIN

By Nancy Werlin

240 Pages

2009

From Inside Cover:

After seventeen-year-old David is forced to stand trial for his girlfriend’s death, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle and their young daughter, Lily, to avoid the media frenzy. But all is not well at his relatives’ house. His aunt and uncle are not speaking to each other, and Lily seems dead set on making David’s life a torment. And then there’s the issue of their older daughter, Kathy, who died under mysterious circumstances a number of years back. As things with his family grow more and more tense, David starts to wonder: Is he the only one who’s hiding something?

My Thoughts:

Plan to read this book when you have a night to do nothing else because you will not want to put it down. This captivating mystery keeps the reader guessing until the very end. David is a complex character whose life has gotten very messy due to a crime he committed. Certain details are withheld until the very end that makes this story a page turner. Author, Nancy Werlin knows how to keep readers on a tight leash as she leads them through a maze of emotions-fear, guilt, and anger. I look forward to reading other books by her.

I recommend this book for readers 14 and up. It contains violence and language.

I borrowed this book through the Inter-Library System available at the Salmon Public Library.

FURTHER ADVENTURES OF JACKY FABER

UNDER THE JOLLY ROGER
By L.A. Meyer
2005
518 pages

From Inside Cover:
After leaving the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls in Boston-under dire circumstances, of course Jacky boards a whaling ship bound for London, where she hopes to be reunited at last with her beloved Jaimy. But when she sees Jaimy holding hands with a beautiful young woman, Jacky's bent for jumping to conclusions sends her off on an unexpected wild misadventure at sea. Taken aboard a ship against her will, Jacky thwarts the advances of its crazy captain, rallies the sailors to her side, and ultimately gains command of a ship in His Majesty's Royal Navy. But Jackie's adventures don't end there...Before she knows it, she's being called a pirate-and there's a price on her head!
My thoughts:
Picking up a Jacky Faber book is like getting in touch with a long lost friend. Grab a cup a coffee, settle in to a comfy spot and get ready to listen.
Under the Jolly Roger-Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber is the 3rd book in the series. The year is 1804 and our spirited heroine Jacky is 15. She's left the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls(in ashes) and high tailed it out of Boston. The story picks up where Jacky has arrived in London after a few months aboard a whaling ship. London is where she finally hopes to find her long lost love Jaimy who she hasn't seen or heard from in months. Of course things don't go as planned and when Jacky finally meets up with Jaimy at the racetrack he is with another girl. Jacky flees the scene broken hearted only to be kidnapped by a gang press who mistaken her for a boy. She is taken aboard the HMS Wolverine where it is discovered that she is indeed a female. Unfortunately for Jacky the captain of the ship decides that she should stay on the ship and service him.
Thankfully Jacky finds her way out of the nasty situation, rises to the rank of privateer and takes charge of the British warship. And this is only the beginning of Jacky's story!
This book has it all...adventure, piracy, and romance. AND a character you are sure to fall in love with. Jacky has brains and heart.
I can't wait to catch up with her in book #4 In the Belly of the Bloodhound where her misadventures are sure to continue.
I recommend this book for readers 12 and up. There is violence and a PG sexual situation(involving the captain).
This book is available for check out at the Salmon Public Library. As is the first two books in the series.

I'M HOOKED!

The Princess Diaries

by Meg Cabot

2000

238 pages

Summery from Goodreads:

Mia Thermopolis is your average urban ninth grader. Even though she lives in Greenwich Village with a single mom who is a semifamous painter, Mia still puts on her Doc Martens one at a time, and the most exciting things she ever dreams about are smacking lips with sexy senior Josh Richter, "six feet of unadulterated hotness," and passing Algebra I. Then Mia's dad comes to town, and drops a major bomb. Turns out he's not just a European politician as he's always lead her to believe, but actually the prince of a small country! And Mia, his only heir, is now considered the crown princess of Genovia! She doesn't even know how to begin to cope: "I am so NOT a princess.... You never saw anyone who looked less like a princess than I do. I mean, I have really bad hair... and... a really big mouth and no breasts and feet that look like skis." And if this news wasn't bad enough, Mia's mom has started dating her algebra teacher, the paparazzi is showing up at school, and she's in a huge fight with her best friend, Lilly. How much more can this reluctant Cinderella handle?

My Thoughts:

Mia is an ordinary, average looking girl just trying to navigate to tricky world of high school.

She's crushing on a cute guy who doesn't know she's alive.

Her mom is dating one of her teachers.

AND she's in a huge fight with her best friend.

Then the bombshell-Her dad is the prince of Genovia and he can't have anymore kids. Mia is actually a princess and her life is about to change in a very big way.

I loved that this book was in diary form. It immediately puts you, the reader in Mia's head. We have a front row seat on this wacky, crazy ride. Mia is a great character, who I think teenage girls could easily relate to. She's insecure, stressed out about her math grades and just hoping the hot guy with a locker next to hers will notice that she's alive. There's humor and heart in the story. And I got a giant kick out of grandmere who drinks sidecars and tries to teach a reluctant Mia how to be a princess.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read the next installment of The Princess Diaries: Princess in the Spotlight. I'm hooked!

This book is available for check out at the Salmon Public Library. I recommend it for readers 12 and up.

BOOK BLOGGER HOP!

IT'S FRIDAY.....

IT'S TIME TO HOP!!

I hope you have all properly stretched-because it's all fun and games until someone pulls a groin muscle!

Now...get ready to hop!

The Book Blogger Hop is a super fun weekly event hosted by the super cool Jennifer of http://crazy-for-books.com/

Join the fun by following the link to her blog. This week's question is-

When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?

I write them after I read them but usually take notes or jot down a great line I want to remember. And I try to write the review before I pick up another book just so I don't forget details I want to share. I can't wait to read what other bloggers do-I'm always looking for new or fresh ideas.

And why you're here don't forget to enter my-OMG!! ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!! I'm giving away 3 SCARY BOOKS to celebrate Halloween! Check it out!

OMG! ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!

In an effort to make more room on my bookshelf...for more books(shhhhh-don't tell my husband) and to celebrate one of my favorite holidays-Halloween! I'm hosting a giveaway for THREE fabulous books

1. The Seer of Shadows by Avi

2. Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

3. Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

All three of these books are a little creepy and a wee bit scary-Reading them will definitely help you get into a Halloween mood...just don't read them alone, at night.

To enter OMG! ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!

just leave your name and email address in comment section so I can contact you if you win. This contest is for US residents only and you must be 13 years old.

Contest ends October 22.

WINNER OF MOCKINGJAY!

A huge congratulations to Flippin Fabulous!!

You have won a brand new copy of Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins!

Stay tuned for another super cool giveaway!!

Thanks to everyone who entered my contest. Also welcome new followers!

CRASH INTO ME

CRASH INTO ME

by Albert Borris

257 Pages

2009

From Inside Cover:

Owen, Frank, Audrey and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: They all want to die.

When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, they make a deadly pact: They will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will do themselves in.

As they drive across-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living-or if there's no turning back.

My thoughts:

Is life worth living in spite of the pain? That is the question that I believe is asked and answered during this journey. Owen, Jin-Ae, Frank and Audry have formed an unusual bond. They met in an online "suicide" chat room and they all desperately want to end their lives.

This story is narrated by Owen-the quiet, observant one of the group. Besides Owen, the group includes Frank who has a drinking problem, Jin-Ae a closet lesbian and Audrey, a compulsive liar. Their pasts are revealed through IMs scattered throughout the story as well as Owen's flashbacks. The decision is made to take a cross country trip from New Jersey to San Francisco-to visit the graves of famous people who have killed themselves. The trip will end in Death Valley where the group have made a pact to do the deed and end their lives. We, the readers know that Owen has no desire to live. The reason is slowly revealed as the story unfolds.

Of course this story centers around the hard subjects of suicide and depression but what impressed me was that first time author Albert Borris was able to weave humor, friendship and love into his tale. He makes the each character stand out and become unforgettable. By the end of the journey I was hoping these friends would choose life. With friendship and love- pain is a little more bearable.

Crash Into Me is a great story that will stay with me long after I return the book.

I recommend this book for readers fifteen and up. The topics covered are death, suicide, sex, drugs and alcohol. I borrowed this book through the inter library loan system at my public library.

SOMETIMES THERE ARE NO EASY ANSWERS.......

EVERY LITTLE THING IN THE WORLD

By Nina de Gramont

2010

282 Pages

From Inside Cover:

Sixteen year old Sidney Biggs is a "good kid"-smart, pretty, self-aware. No one doubts that she'll go far in life. But lately her mother worries that Sydney is wandering down the wrong path and getting all caught up in petty teenage rebellion and shenanigans. When Sydney and her best friend, Natalia, "borrow" a car to go to a party and then get escorted home by the police, their parents pack them up and ship them off to a hard-love wilderness camp to stop this behavior before it gets out of hand, before things go too far. The problem is, they already have.

Sydney the "good kid" is pregnant.

In the wilds of Canada-where the girls are to spend the next four weeks canoeing, camping and foraging for food-time is ticking, because Sydney isn't sure what she wants to do about this baby. And she certainly isn't expecting the other heady issues that will confront her as she forges friendships with her adventure mates, including a guy who makes it no secret he is a major thug, and a teen television heartthrob with a secret of his own, not to mention her own best friend-who is adamant about what Sydney should do.

My Thoughts:

First let me start off my saying that this book cover really doesn't match the story. On the cover we have a beautiful sun tanned girl with a smile on her face and what appears to be-not a care in the world.....a little misleading.

This story deals with some very tough topics like teen pregnancy and abortion.

Next I will tell you that I loved this story! I really LOVED it!

Sydney is a good girl who makes a bad choice- now she's dealing with the consequence-an unplanned pregnancy. She in the middle of the frikkin wilderness. There are no doctors, helpful nurses or Planned Parenthood.

Stuck in the middle of the Canadian wilds Sydney tries to come to terms with her pregnancy and then the decision to keep the baby or have an abortion. Meanwhile her best friend Natalia has just received the news that her big sister is really her mother. As Natalia grasps the meaning of these and tries to understand what made her mother/sister give her up she offers Sydney some very strong opinions of what she thinks Sydney should do about her pregnancy.

During the entire trip we gain insight and perspective into Sydney's thought process and then are there for her ultimate decision. I don't want this review to contain spoilers so I'll stop here. I will say that I found this story to be emotional and enlightening. I felt that Nina de Gramont did a very good job writing about a very real issues.

I bought this book used on Amazon.com and will be donating it to either my local high school library or my public library. It's a book that should be on shelves and available for teens to read.