Thursday, June 27, 2013

Book Review-EXPOSURE


EXPOSURE
By Kim Askew and Amy Helmes
2012
Merit Press
Summary taken from Goodreads:
Double, double, toil and trouble. Sometimes, the quest for high school royalty can be deadly! In this emotionally-charged twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a self-conscious shutterbug named Skye Kingston navigates a treacherous school year in Alaska fraught with unspoken secrets and tragic twists of fate. Along the way she encounters three strangely prophetic BFFs; one social-climbing, sociopathic cheerleader; and a heart-stopping hottie named Craig McKenzie: the man who would be Prom King. Can Skye save the boy she loves — and herself — before they get caught in the crosshairs?
My Thoughts:
A modern twist on a Shakespeare tale...I'm in!
Classic Bard-Secrets/Murder/Betrayal/Love
Is there a better setting for a fresh and twisted lit than high school?
The story is told from the POV of Skye, the shy, quiet observer, the girl in the background that sees and hears everything. She secretly pines for Craig, the most popular jock at school who dates the cheerleader, mean girl, Beth. The complicated love triangle is drawn and the story gathers speed from there. A tragic death covered up with secrets adds mystery and suspision to an already dramatic setting. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see where this story would go next.
I got a kick out of the hidden nuggets of Macbeth that writers, Askew and Helmes sprinkeled throughout the tale. Little nods to Shakepeare were fun- like coming across buried treasure. You don't have to know the play of Macbeth to enjoy the book but if you have some knowledge you'll get a kick out of the subtle clues/hints dropped throughout the tale.
I loved Exposure.
I can't wait for the next thing this writing duo turns out!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Warning:Ugly Cry Ahead



Well here we are.....
The GIANT Google Reader shut down is just days away!
In a desperate move to keep loyal followers and perhaps gain new ones I invite you to follow me with Bloglovin'
No one wants to see the ugly cry so please lets not lose touch.....

Giveaway Winner!



I have the winner of The Best Book Ever Hop!
ALISIER
Book choice was Fat Angie by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo
Congratulations!
A copy of Fat Angie will  be mailed out to her this week.
Thanks for hopping and for following!

Monday, June 10, 2013

48 Hour Book Challenge-Finished!

And I am finished!
Although I didn't read as much as I would have like I did make a small dent in my reading pile.

Books I read:
Bruised by Sarah Skilton
In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
1/2 The Girls of No Return by Erin Saldin

Total Pages :
1126

Total Hours of Reading:
9.5

Total of Hours Blogging and Networking:
1

Total Hours spent on 48 Hour Book Challenge:
10.5

Although I didn't read enough to qualify for prizes I did meet lots of new people and I got a jump start on my reading pile for summer. BUT here's the coolest thing that happened this weekend. I involved my 10 year old reluctant reader by making up her own reading challenge complete with snacks and prizes-she ended the weekend by reading 35 books from the library and winning a barbie and stuffed animal. The best part was that we were able to do this together and we both enjoyed it.

I'll be posting my reviews of the books I read over this next week.
I would also like to thank the organizer of this year's 48 Hour Reading Challenge. Ms Yingling Reads



Sunday, June 9, 2013

Sunday Update-48HBC

I'll be reading until 4pm today when book challenge ends for me. I chose these next book called The Girls of No Return because it's set in my backyard-The Frank Church Wilderness. I really hope it's not as intense as the one I read yesterday.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

48HBC-Update

48 Hour Book Challenge-Day 2
It took me all day to get through this heartrenching book-
Code Name Verity by Elizebeth Wein.
Just when I didn't think my heart could go any further my mind had to know what would happen next. I finally finished it tonite.
343 pages took me 3 1/2 to read because I just had to put it down and walk away at times. Wow!
I'm so glad it's done-I need a message!
I will be posting my reviews on all the books I have read this weekend through the next week. I'm going to need a few days to wrap my mind around this one.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Update-48 Hour Book Challenge

So here is where we stand 7 hours into the CHALLENGE:
I have never been the kid that colors in the lines or stays off the grass so of course I don't stick to the stack-I look at the pre-determined To Be Read Pile that I had carefully chosen, taken a picture of and posted-then I go to the book case and pick two books I had no intention of reading this weekend....
BUT I'm so glad I did! I was able to zip right through both of them in five hours-reading from 4pm-9pm. I'll be posting reviews tomorrow. I took a two hour break to have dinner with friends and update blog. I will be reading again in a few minutes. Two books down and a stack to go.....

Stay tuned for reviews tomorrow!

48 Hour Book Challenge-NOW!


READY!
SET!
GO!!
I'm finally ready to start the 48 hour book challenge! I have BIG stack of books-some from my library and some from my reading pile. I have snacks and ice cold coke. It's 4pm on Friday and here I go!
Wish me luck!

The 48 Hour Book Challenge Starts Today!

Are you ready to start?
More detailed instructions are below-
 
*Sign up on the Mr. Linky on Ms. Yingling Reads when you start.
2    *  Post you starting line blog entry.
3    *Read, blog and social network about reading (1 hour for every 5 hours of actual reading     counts toward reading time) for 48 HOURS!
4    *After 48 hours, fill in Mr. Linky at this blog’s Sunday post, fill out spreadsheet, and post your finishing line entry on your blog.

Whew!

IF YOU WANT PRIZES, keep good records. This is all self-reporting (on spread sheet), and I want people to get books that they like. Winners will get first pick, but you can only win in ONE category. You can win in the following categories:
Most Hours—Top FIVE get first choice of prizes
Most Pages Read—Top FIVE (not in first category) get second choice
THREE winners drawn at random from the more than 24 hours of reading category, and THREE from the more than 12 hours of reading category.

**The wonderful Carol Rasco of Reading is Fundamental has once again graciously offered our winners RIF's Celebrations collections to be donated to a school or non-profit of the recipients choice. One of these will go to the winner of Most Hours, one to winner of Most Pages Read, and one will go to a random winner who has logged at least 12 hours of reading.

 
  1. The weekend is June 7–9, 2013. Read and blog for any 48-hour period within the Friday-to-Monday-morning window. So, go from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday... or maybe 7:00 a.m. Saturday to 7:00 a.m. Monday works better for you. But once begun, the 48 hours do need to be in a row. That said, during that 48-hour period you may still have gaps of time in which you can’t read, and that’s fine.
  2. The books should be middle-grade, young adult, or adult books. If you are generally a picture book blogger, consider this a good time to get caught up on all those wonderful books you’ve been hearing about. Graphic novels can be included in the reading. One audiobook can also be included in your time and book total — helpful if you have somewhere to drive to or need to prepare dinner, etc.
  3. It’s your call as to how much you want to put into it. If you want to skip sleep and showers to do this — and some people do — go for it. If you want to be a bit more laid back, fine. But you have to put something into it or it’s not a challenge. Twelve hours is the benchmark for winning prizes.
  4. The length of the reviews or notes written in your blog are not an issue. You can write a sentence, a paragraph, or a full-length review. Up to you. The time spent reviewing counts in your total time.
  5. You can include some amount of time reading other participant’s blogs, commenting on participating blogs and Facebook pages, and Twittering about your progress (remember the #48hbc tag!). For every five hours, you can add one hour of networking. This time counts in your total time.
  6. On your blog, state when you are starting the challenge with a specific entry on that day and leave the link to that post at the Starting Line post at Ms. Yingling Reads on June 7th. And please link to the contest on your post.
  7. When you finish, Sign in to Mr. Linky with the URL of your Finish Line post; fill out the Google spreadsheet if you want to win prizes by Monday, June 10th.

**Prize Packages

*From the absolutely awesome Kelly Celia at
Walden Pond Press, we have five great prizes:
Set of Hero’s Guide – one paperback of Saving the Kingdom and one hardcover of Storming the Castle
One Sets of The Fourth Stall – paperback of The Fourth Stall and The Fourth Stall Part II, hardcover of The Fourth Stall Part III
One set of The Archer Legacy series – paperbacks of The Billionaire’s Curse, The Emerald Casket, and The Mask of Destiny
Copy of Platypus Police Squad by Jarrett Krosoczka
Copy of The Girl from Felony Bay

*From Barbara Fisch at
Blue Slip Media
ARC for SIRENS by Janet Fox
Finished copy of LIVES, KNIVES, AND GIRLS IN RED DRESSES by Ron Koertge
Finished copy of SASS AND SERENDIPITY by Jennifer Ziegler
ARC for BEYOND LUCKY by Sarah Aronson

*From Albert Whitman Publishing, we have Jennifer Angus' In Search of Goliath Hercules.

*From author
Jennifer Rush, we have a signed copy of Bot Wars.

*From author Sarah Jamila Stevenson, a copy of Underneath, which comes out 8 June!

*From Penguin and Klutz Books, two packages:
· Shelter by Harlan Coben (Penguin)
· Seconds Away by Harlan Coben (Penguin)
and
· The Klutz Book of Knots
· The Encyclopedia of Immaturity (Klutz)
· Klutz Coin Blaster Arcade

*From
Quirk Books
A set of Tales from Lovecraft Middle School
A Mini cookbook library, including Breakfast for Dinner, Pure Vanilla, Cooking With Flowers, and The Cookiepedia.

*From Random House:
PAPERBOY by Vince Vawter
RUMP by Liesl Shurtliff
ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO’S LIBRARY by Chris Grabensetin
LARA’S GIFT by Annemarie O’Brien
 
So get on over to Ms Yingling Reads and sign up! Lets make a dent in those TBR piles this weekend!

Monday, June 3, 2013

The Best Book Ever Hop


Welcome to The Best Book Ever Hop!
This hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Best Books Ever.
Mug of Moxie is giving away one of the best YA books I have ever read. I narrowed it down to ten books that pretty much made me fall in love with YA. Just tell me which one you've been dying to get your hands on!










Rules for the Giveaway:
1. Please enter contact information in comment section, along with your book choice.
2. This giveaway runs from June 4th to June10th. A winner will be selected on June 11th.
3. You must be 13 years or older to participate.
4. If you are selected as the winner, you will be notified by email. If you do not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected.
5. This giveaway is open to EVERYONE-and you must be a follower.
Thanks for hopping and GOOD LUCK!

Sunday, June 2, 2013

48 Hour Book Challenge

 
June 7-9

It's almost here!
THE 48-HOUR BOOK CHALLENGE!!!!

Next weekend, June 7-9, will be the Eighth Annual 48-Hour Book Challenge,
hosted this year at Ms.Yingling Reads
It's pretty simple:
  • Choose any 48-hour time period between 7am (EDT) Friday and 7am (EDT) Monday.
  • Sign in with Ms. Yingling with a starting line post.
  • Read and blog, read and blog, read and blog...
  • Report in at the end of your 48-hours with a finish-line post (and filling out the handy dandy reporting form).
  • You might win awesome prizes!
  • You will DEFINITELY have fun being part of a community of people reading and writing and cheering each other on!!!
Ms. Yingling will have more info, including the challenge guidelines up on her site this week, so be sure and follow her blog for the most up-to-date information.
 
Please join us next weekend if you're able and please help spread the word!

Sh*t Book Reviewers Say

Hilarious!!

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Giveaway Winner!


I'm a little late on this announcement but....
I have the winner of the Shower of Books Giveaway
BOOK ATTICT
Book choice was The Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters
Congratulations!