Peace Love Books

Waiting on Wednesday (30)

2012-02-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Insurgent

By Veronica Roth

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Summary: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

I recently read Divergent and absolutely loved it! I had no idea what I was missing out on and I'm so happy I finally got to it. I know I don't have to wait as long as a majority of the fans have had to wait, but waiting until May is going to be so hard!! I really want to know what's going to happen next with Tris and Four. I have a feeling it's going to be even more epic than Divergent. Hopefully it will live up to all of the expectations!

Book Review: Illuminated by Erica Orloff

2012-02-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

Illuminated

By Erica Orloff

Release Date: December 8, 2011

Summary: An epic romance full of mysteries that transcend time—fans of Romeo and Juliet and The Time Traveler’s Wife will rejoice!

Some loves are not made to last . . . Like Romeo and Juliet, Heloise and Abelard were doomed from the start, and their romance was destined to pass into history. Yet when sixteen-year-old Callie Martin discovers a diary hidden within an antique book, their story—and hers—takes on another life. For the diary leads Callie to the brilliant and handsome August, who is just as mysterious as the secret the diary hides. Their attraction is undeniable. As the two hunt down the truth behind the diary—and that of Heloise and Abelard’s ancient romance—their romance becomes all-consuming. But Callie knows it can’t last . . . love never does. Will their love that burns as bright as a shooting star flame out, or will these star-crossed lovers be able to defy history?

Review: I was SO excited to read this book because the cover is gorgeous and the premise sounded great, but I just could not connect with the story. I felt like everything was rushed and too perfect; it was not realistic or engaging in any way.

I really liked the idea of August and Calliope hunting for the history of a mysterious book that could be connected to star-crossed lovers Heloise and Abelard. It just seemed so forced! Calliope and August new each other for like five minutes and decided they loved each other. I know there are times when people may like each other from seeing each other, but falling in love and being all over each other? Not very realistic. Calliope's life seemed oh-so-perfect with her 4.0 GPA, money, beauty, and charm that it just got annoying. Sure she had daddy issues, but she did whatever she wanted and got away with it.

Everything that happened seemed too easy and the ending was just too perfect. Also, the book belonged to Astrolabe and quotes from him began every chapter, but we didn't figure out his love life and story until the last couple of pages. I thought the quotes had nothing to do with the story until then, so they just annoyed me at the beginning of each chapter. This was supposed to be a "great love story" like Romeo and Juliet, but this was no where near that romance.

Illuminated held so much potential, but it just fell flat. The author seemed to take the easy, cliched way out instead of really making something original and romantic. If you still feel like reading this, you should definitely wait to get it from the library; you probably won't want to read it more than once.

Shelf Candy Saturday (25)

2012-02-18T03:00:00.000-08:00

Shelf Candy is a meme hosted by Five Alarm Book Reviews and every Saturday, bloggers choose a book whose cover really catches their eye. I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but I always do, so I'm choosing books whose cover alone made me pick it up. So I hope you enjoy my shelf candy!

Now I haven't read A Need So Beautiful, but I have been in love with the cover ever since I've seen it. Then, when I saw the second one, I couldn't get over how gorgeous it was! I love how each cover really embodies the title. The first one is so pretty and light while the other one is darker and more cold. The first one is something that's good while the second one is something that's bad. It's awesome! I'm really interested to see what the next one is going to be (if there is a third one). It also makes me intrigued to read them to figure out what happened to make such a contrast between the two books/covers. Guess I should pick up A Need So Beautiful soon!

Follow My Book Blog Friday (28)

2012-02-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Question: What's the most unique character name you've come across?

Answer: Hmmmm, I think I'd have to go with Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door. I've definitely never read a book where the main guy had that name. I think that made him even more unique and memorable! Here's a picture of him I stumbled upon on someone's blog :)

Or you can just go with the picture of him on the cover of the book...

Either way, his name just seems to fit. Cricket is a strange choice for a name, but it totally embodies his character in the book. Even if the name is strange, as long as it captures the character, it can end up adding even more to their charm.

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

2012-02-16T12:56:00.000-08:00

Divergent

By Veronica Roth

Release Date: May 3, 2011

Summary: In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

Review: I CANNOT believe I waited this long to read Divergent. It was amazing!!!! The beginning started off a little bit slow, but once I got past the first one hundred pages, I could not put it down! Seriously, as soon as class ended I ran back to my room and read until I was done. That alone proves it's an amazing book!

I was a little iffy on the name Beatrice for the protagonist of the story, but I was so happy when she shortened it to Tris because I feel like that fit her character so much more. I actually really liked Tris and she never seemed whiney or annoying like the girl in Matched was to me. I connected with her and really wanted her to succeed when it seemed like nothing would go her way.

The real reason I loved this book, though, was definitely Four. It's been a long time since I've read a book where I had a mega book-crush on the main guy. And it's finally happened again! Four is honestly AMAZING! He's fast and cunning, but after a while Tris sees his soft side and he such a sweet guy! I loved him from the moment he came into the story, even though I didn't realize he would be with Tris until after a couple of chapters. Everything about him is just perfect.

Dystopian books seem to be big lately, and I'm shocked by the worlds these authors can come up with! The whole idea of there being five factions and you choose to stay or leave when you are sixteen is a really unique and definitely interesting idea. The whole conflict is full of action, secrets, and betrayals that it's impossible not to get addicted! As soon as I decided to stop after the chapter ends, something crazy would happen and I'd have to read the next chapter and the next and the next....Ahhhhhh it was just so good! Now I understand why everyone loves it! I can't wait for Insurgent to come out! And if you haven't already, read Divergent as soon as possible! You're seriously missing out on a great book!

Waiting on Wednesday (29)

2012-02-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Such A Rush

By Jennifer Echols

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Summary: A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business--until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers--and the consequences could be deadly.

Another Jennifer Echols novel! Yayayayayay!!! I can't tell you how excited I am for this new one :) The first sentence of the summary is all it took for me to want to read this (that and the fact it's by Jennifer Echols). A pilot caught between two brothers? Yes please! I don't think I've ever read a book where the girl is a pilot, so I'm really excited to see how this one turns out. And I have to admit I'm a pretty big fan of love triangles. The brothers seem like such complete opposites, so you just know they're both going to be lovable in their own ways. Ahhhh I can't wait to see who she ends up with! This sounds like something brand new for Jennifer Echols, so I'm super excited to get my hands on a copy when it comes out!

Book Review: Loves Me, Love Me Knot by Heidi Betts

2012-02-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

Loves Me, Loves Me Knot

By Heidi Betts

Release Date: August 4, 2009

Summary: Jenna Langan knows what she wants, and as she tells her best friends after their weekly knitting group, she doesn't need a man to give it to her...only a few of his best swimmers. And just because her marriage to undercover vice cop Gage Marshall ended badly doesn't mean he can't still give her the baby she's always wanted. In fact, she's willing to bet a couple of her favorite hand-knit boas that she can tie him up in knots he'll definitely enjoy...

An unexpected seduction is one thing, but stud service? No, thank you. Gage had his reasons for pulling the plug on his happily ever after with Jenna, and nothing that's happened since their divorce has changed his mind. That is, until Jenna got it into her head to tie him up and drag him down. Now he has no choice but to stick around until he knows for sure if his ex-wife is pregnant. But the more time he spends with Jenna, the more his resolve begins to unravel...

Review: I have recently become obsessed with knitting, so when I saw this on the shelf at the library, I knew I had to read it. And boy did I enjoy it! The beginning of the book kind of dragged on, but once the story got out of that rut and got moving, I just couldn't stop reading it! I ended up finishing this book in one day because every time I put it down, I had to pick it back up to see what would happen next.

Jenna and Gage hadn't spoken to each other in 18 months, after Gage told Jenna he didn't want children and they divorced. I normally don't like books about people who have been together then separated, then rekindle what they had, but this was definitely not the case. Jenna's Aunt Charlotte has a "magical" loom that will bring love to whoever knits with the yarn made from it, so she makes a special batch just for Jenna. While Charlotte is away for two weeks, Jenna stays in her house and after 18 months without speaking to Gage, one drunken night pushes Jenna to bring Gage back into her life. Jenna and Gage have clearly always been crazy about each other and still are despite their time apart, so as a reader I got really into rooting for them to finally kiss and make up.

I loved the fact that Gage was a big, bad cop who has a lot of baggage from his undercover experience. That, along with his tattoos and motorcycle, makes him so dangerous yet irresistible. Even though Jenna is the complete opposite, being a teacher and a tiny woman, they seem completely perfect for each other. I loved them together and had to keep reading to see how things would turn out in the end.

I haven't read the first book in the series, and I kind of wish I had. This book can be read just fine on it's own, but I would have loved to see how Ronnie and Dylan had gotten together because they are so adorable in the book. I loved how the story mainly focused on Jenna and Gage, but also gave the reader insight into the love lives of Jenna's two knitting buddies and best friends. I'm excited to read the other books of this series because this one was just so cute and lovable. Some things could have been different, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless.

Movie Review: The Vow

2012-02-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

Summary: A car accident puts Paige (McAdams) in a coma, and when she wakes up with severe memory loss, her husband Leo (Tatum) works to win her heart again.

Review: As you all probably already know, I'm OBSESSED with any romance story, especially anything written by Nicholas Sparks. Though this was not one of Sparks' creations, two of his previous actors (McAdams from The Notebook and Tatum from Dear John) came together to create a love story with his signature passion.

Leo and Paige had such a perfect love in the beginning of the movie. They met, they dated, they fell hopeless and madly in love. So when Paige loses her memory of the last five years, the years she met Leo, they have to work to get that once in a lifetime love back. The only problem is Paige still thinks she's engaged to her ex-fiance and living a wonderful, classy life as a law student. Leo loves Paige with all his heart, but how does he make the love of his life fall in love with him all over again?

This movie is filled with so much emotion and I just could not get enough of it! The movie had you rooting for Leo the entire time and there were enough twists in the plot to keep you on your toes. There were times I would sigh in delight and there were times I felt like throwing my popcorn at the screen because I was so mad at some of the characters, but those reactions just show how great this movie is. It's not the typical perfect love story; there are so many ups and downs in the relationship that it's impossible not to have some sort of reaction to it.

Some events in the movie annoyed me and I wasn't too big of a fan of how everything ended, but the entire journey of the story was impossible not to love. If your in the mood for a love story that's perfect yet so unperfect at the same time, check out this movie. And watching Channing Tatum for a full two hours (and I mean REALLY seeing Channing Tatum) doesn't hurt either. Do you think if I went and got hit by a car, I'd wake up to have Channing Tatum as my husband? Hmmm, I'd say it's worth a shot ;)

Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

2012-02-11T16:55:00.000-08:00

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

By Stephen Chbosky

Release Date: 1999

Summary: Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie is navigating through the strange worlds of love, drugs, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", and dealing with the loss of a good friend and his favorite aunt.

Review: I just don't know what to say right now. Or think. Or anything. This book was like nothing I've read before, but definitely in a good way. I loved the author's style, how the whole story was told through Charlie's letters to a person he's never even met before. Charlie's letters and personality remind of The Catcher In the Rye a lot, but I'd have to say I liked this one a whole lot better.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower deals with so many issues, starting off with a suicide and moving on to drugs, drinking, sex, and just figuring out who you are. I felt myself loving Charlie and wanting him to make it out of everything okay. He was so naive and adorable that he's that kid that's impossible not to like. I love the other characters too, like Sam, Patrick, and even Mary Elizabeth. Everyone was so quirky and accepted you for who you were with no questions. I really can't find one thing I did't like about this book.

After finishing this (I borrowed it from a friend), I had to talk to her like five different times that same night because I couldn't wrap my mind around what happened. There was just a feeling of, I don't know...I really just don't know. This book really makes you think but not really know what to think at the same time. It's really quick, so if you have the chance, you should definitely pick this up. I think it's something everyone should experience and I really can't wait for the movie. Everyone in the cast seems perfect for the character they're playing, so hopefully the movie lives up to the book!

Book Review: Anne of Hollywood by Carol Wolper

2012-02-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

Anne of Hollywood

By Carol Wolper

Release Date: January 24, 2012

Summary: Carol Wolper re-tells the story of Anne Boleyn set in contemporary Los Angeles.

“I wasn’t prepared for the enemies. Had I been as gorgeous as a supermodel, or as rich as an heiress, or an actress with an Oscar to my credit, people would still not be happy that I had Henry’s attention, but they’d understand. What they resented was the king coupling with a ‘nobody.’”

Skirts may be shorter now, and messages sent by iPhone, but passion, intrigue, and a lust for power don’t change. National bestselling author Carol Wolper spins a mesmerizing tale of a twenty-first-century Anne Boleyn.

Wily, intelligent, and seductive, with a dark beauty that stands out among the curvy California beach blondes, Anne attracts the attention of Henry Tudor, the handsome corporate mogul who reigns in Hollywood. Every starlet, socialite, and shark wants a piece of Henry, but he only wants Anne. The question is: can she keep him?

Welcome to a privileged world where hidden motives abound, everyone has something to sell, and safe havens don’t exist. With her older sister Mary, a pathetic example of a royal has-been, Anne schemes to win her beloved Henry in the only way that gives a promise of forever—marriage. Success will mean contending with backstabbing “friends,” Henry’s furious ex-wife, and the machinations of her own ambitious family, and staying married to a man who has more options than most and less guilt than is good for either of them will take all her skill. Anne will do anything to hold on to the man—and the lifestyle—she adores, however, even if sticking your neck out in Hollywood means risking far worse than a broken heart. With Henry’s closest confidante scheming against her, and another beautiful contender waiting in the wings, Anne is fighting for her life. Can she muster the charm and wit to pull off her very own Hollywood ending?

Review: Reading the summary, this book sounded SO good! That is probably why I was so unprepared for how boring it ended up being. The story of Anne Boleyn was so interesting and scandalous, but this book was nowhere near capturing that emotion.

The main problem I had with this book was the writing style. Almost the entire story was made up of thoughts and descriptions with very little dialogue/action going on whatsoever. This made the story seem to drag on and I found myself skimming pages at a time because I felt like they were pointless. Because of this, there didn't seem to be a real storyline going on, so time was so jumpy and I wasn't even aware so much time had passed until something had happened that wasn't supposed to happen until months down the road. This made me confused while reading and I just didn't feel like the book was worth the effort to understand what all was going on.

The characters were okay, but I wasn't a fan of anyone in the book. Anne got annoying, Henry was a jerk, and everyone else just hated each other, so it got annoying real fast. Anne kept on referring to Henry as "the King" even though this was supposed to be a Hollywood adaptation. I still don't really understand what Henry did and I wish it had more of a hollywood aspect to it.

What I did love was the cover! That color is so pretty and I love how it's the royalty-like chair with a martini to mix the old story with Hollywood. But that's really the only good thing about this book. As much as I wanted to like Anne of Hollywood, it just hit the mark for me.

Follow My Book Blog Friday (27)

2012-02-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

Question: What would you prefer: Reading your favorite book over and over again until you get sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

Answer: Hmmmm I'd have to say reading my favorite book over and over again. Why? Well the only way I can explain it is this:

I would rather look at this picture every single day of my life than see a bunch of mediocre actors in my favorite movies. I mean, what is life without Zac Efron!?!?!? And if I love something so much, I can never get tired of it! That's what I do with songs; I listen to them over and over again and never get tired of them! If a book is truly my favorite, I don't think I'd ever be able to not read it again. And when I read a mediocre book, I spend the time just waiting for the end. I don't think I'd be able to do that for the rest of my life. Books are my obsession, so why not aim for the best?

Waiting on Wednesday (28)

2012-02-07T18:59:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Above

By Leah Bobet

Release Date: April 1, 2012

Summary: Matthew has loved Ariel from the moment he found her in the tunnels, her bee's wings falling away. They live in Safe, an underground refuge for those fleeing the city Above—like Whisper, who speaks to ghosts, and Jack Flash, who can shoot lightning from his fingers.

But one terrifying night, an old enemy invades Safe with an army of shadows, and only Matthew, Ariel, and a few friends escape Above. As Matthew unravels the mystery of Safe's history and the shadows' attack, he realizes he must find a way to remake his home—not just for himself, but for Ariel, who needs him more than ever before.

I am absolutely in love with this cover! I actually had no idea what this book was about until I made this post, but it's been on my TBR list for months. After reading the summary, it sounds even better! I love new, innovative stories and this ones sounds exactly like that. The story kind of reminds me of X-Men, which is just plain awesome. What I'm most excited for, though, is the love story between Matthew and Ariel. I can't wait to see what happens between them! Hopefully I can get my hands on this one as soon as it comes out :)

Blog Tour: Anne of Hollywood by Carol Wolper

2012-02-07T12:17:00.000-08:00

Anne Of Hollywood

By Carol Wolper

Release Date: January 24, 2012

Book Review: Time Slice by Kerry Downing

2012-02-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

Time Slice

By Kerry Downing

Release Date: June 11, 2011

Summary: Newly retired workaholic Roy Washburn is not ready for a life of leisure. On a trip to the mall with his wife, he finds a small metal cylinder with odd markings. One nudge of the cylinder's triangle-shaped pointer and Roy finds himself embarking on an exciting new adventure in the Time Stream. There he meets The Traveler, a tall, gangly being who shows Roy how to use the cylinder to visit other civilizations that co-exist on "his" Earth, each occupying a different, thin Time Slice. The Traveler solicits Roy's help in recovering an object invented by his murdered father and beyond his own reach. Roy is his last hope. At first it seems that the Traveler's wish might be easily granted. But after Roy's wife Emily becomes ill and his daughter's long-held resentments rise to the surface, he can no longer "travel" at a moment's notice. He also discovers the very real physical and mental risks involved in roaming the Time Stream. Despite the dangers, Roy is determined to help the Traveler. But he can't do it alone. Fortunately he has a loving wife and a core group of loyal friends. But first he must convince them-and his daughter-that he isn't crazy ...

Review: I normally don't read straight sci-fi books, so it was nice being able to read one for a change! Time Slice is all about a guy named Roy who finds a device that allows people to travel through different slices of time. The idea of being able to travel through slices instead of time was really interesting and the author does a great job introducing his readers to this new idea.

The characters in the book were really interesting too. Rah, the alien from another slice, was a really cool character and I liked how he became good friends with Roy, despite his freakishly tall stature and living in a completely different slice. Roy was pretty likable and I enjoyed how he wasn't perfect; his wife loved him but his daughter resented him for never being there was she was little. The book was a bit slow at times, but the originality of the story made that aspect bearable.

There were sad parts and nail-biting parts, but in the end this book ended up being a little predictable. I think if there was more of an element of surprise or something unexpected happened, the story would have been more enjoyable. The part of the story I really enjoyed was how the story started at a certain point, went back to explain how Roy ended up where he was, then by 3/4 of the way through came back to where the book started. This gave the story an element of mystery in the beginning and kept the reader intrigued. So overall this book was a pretty enjoyable, original story. I would recommend it to those in the mood for a simple, new sci-fi book.

Blog Tour: Time Slice by Kerry Downing

2012-02-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

Today I am excited to announce that Peace Love Books is a stop on the Time Slice blog tour! Here's a little bit about the book!

Time Slice

By Kerry Downing

Release Date: June 11, 2011

Summary: Ordinary People. Extraordinary Adventures. Science Fiction with Heart.

Newly retired workaholic Roy Washburn is not ready for a life of leisure. On a trip to the mall with his wife, he finds a small metal cylinder with odd markings. One nudge of the cylinder's triangle-shaped pointer and Roy finds himself embarking on an exciting new adventure in the Time Stream.

There he meets The Traveler, a tall, gangly being who shows Roy how to use the cylinder to visit other civilizations that co-exist on "his" Earth, each occupying a different, thin Time Slice. The Traveler solicits Roy's help in recovering an object invented by his murdered father and beyond his own reach. Roy is his last hope.

At first it seems that the Traveler's wish might be easily granted. But after Roy's wife Emily becomes ill and his daughter's long-held resentments rise to the surface, he can no longer "travel" at a moment's notice. He also discovers the very real physical and mental risks involved in roaming the Time Stream.

Despite the dangers, Roy is determined to help the Traveler. But he can't do it alone. Fortunately he has a loving wife and a core group of loyal friends. But first he must convince them--and his daughter--that he isn't crazy ... ***Check back tomorrow for my review of this book***

About the author:

Kerry Downing set out to become a meteorologist, but was hooked by the world of computers instead, becoming a systems analyst and programmer. Astronomy and science fiction are his passions. He’s been gazing at the stars at all hours of the night since the age of 10, when he received his first telescope. As for science fiction, Arthur C. Clarke and his brand of “it really seems as if it could happen” has always been his favorite. In the 90s, Kerry found the third love of his life: his wife, Lucy. They live in St. Louis, Missouri, with their five children. Time Slice is Kerry’s second science-fiction novel. His self-published, debut work is The Collective.

Check here for more information on Kerry Downing and his novel:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

Kerry Downing's Website

Kerry Downing's Blog

Twitter

Time Slice Blog Tour Site

Historical Romance Blog Tour and Giveaway

2012-02-05T06:11:00.000-08:00

I am super excited to announce that Peace Love Books is a stop on the Secrets of an Accidental Duchess blog tour today! Here's a little bit about the author, Jennifer Haymore...

Why writing? Have you always loved it or was there a point in your life where you discovered that's what you wanted to do?

I’ve always loved it. I thought I’d spend my life just doing it for fun because I had it in my mind for the longest time that becoming published was a pipe dream.

Why did you decide to write historical romance?

I actually started off writing historical fiction--my first completed novel was a historical fiction novel. But my critique partner was a romance writer, and she told me that my book was really focused on the relationship between the hero and heroine and that she thought romance might be the way for me to go if I was serious about getting published. She was right. J

If you could be anyone from any of your books, who would you be and why?

I’d be Jessica Donovan, the youngest Donovan sister. She has so much spirit and goes after what she wants with everything she has (and she usually gets it). She makes an appearance in SECRETS OF AN ACCIDENTAL DUCHESS, but she finds her happily ever after in book 3, PLEASURES OF A TEMPTED LADY, which comes out in August, 2012.

Secrets of an Accidental Duchess

By Jennifer Haymore

Release Date: January 31, 2012

***Giveaway***

For being a part of this tour, I have two copies of Jennifer Haymore's book to giveaway! Just fill out the rafflecopter below! US only! Giveaway will end February 10th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In My Mailbox (24)

2012-02-05T05:50:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a meme that I picked up from The Story Siren's blog. It's where we share the new books that we've gotten for that week with our readers. These books could be from the library, the store, or from the writers/publishers for review. Whatever the reason, I will share my new books every Sunday!

From the Library

I had quite the successful trip to the library! I am so excited to start reading these books, especially THe Perks Of Being a Wallflower because I want to get through it before the movie comes out! Now if I just had time to pick them up in between all of the books I have to review, I'd be happy even happier!

From the Publisher

I love contemporary retellings of old stories, and this one is the retelling of Anne Boleyn set in LA. I love the color of the cover and it just sounds like a great read! The blog tour is on Tuesday, so make sure to come back then to check out my review!

That's it! What did you all get in your mailbox this week? Please share!

Movie Review: Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol

2012-02-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

Summary: In the 4th installment of the Mission Impossible series, Ethan Hunt and his team are racing against time to track down a dangerous terrorist named Hendricks, who has gained access to Russian nuclear launch codes and is planning a strike on the United States. An attempt by the team to stop him at the Kremlin ends in a disaster, with an explosion causing severe destruction to the Kremlin and the IMF being implicated in the bombing, forcing the President to invoke Ghost Protocol, under which the IMF is disavowed, and will be offered no help or backup in any form. Undaunted, Ethan and his team chase Hendricks to Dubai, and from there to Mumbai, but several spectacular action sequences later, they might still be too late to stop a disaster.

Review: I haven't seen the other three Mission Impossibles (at least if I haven I don't remember them), so I went into this without any big expectations. That being said, I feel like it ended up being just okay. It seemed like the entire movie all they said was "this is impossible" or "oh well, guess it's all over" and it got annoying really fast. Yes, I know this is Mission Impossible, but it's not like you have to remind us every 5 minutes. Other than that little thing, the rest of the movie had its ups and downs.

The action was pretty good; the fight seems were awesome and the gadgets were cool but I felt like there could have been more. The storyline was just okay and I got confused at some parts, especially because some characters weren't really explained so I had no idea who they were. Some scenes were pretty cool though, especially Tom Cruise scaling an insanely tall building or Tom Cruise chasing a bad guy through an insane sand storm in India. His team was okay, but I feel like the girl's story wasn't really believable because she just complained about her boyfriend or whatever he was who had died. I really liked the other two guys though, so I guess they made up for her.

So overall, the fourth installment of this movie was just average when it comes to the big hype that comes with it. It wasn't as amazing as I though it would be, but it still wasn't bad. I would give this movie a 3.5 stars, but more on the lower side. I just don't think it was good enough to deserve a whole 4 stars. I don't really know what this movie was missing, there just could have been more.

Shelf Candy Saturday (24)

2012-02-04T07:25:00.000-08:00

I remember seeing this cover and I knew right then that I had to read this book! Too bad it doesn't come out until June :( But it looks so good! I'm a sucker for any book where there's a couple that looks completely in love on the cover. When I looked at the summary, it said that the story is like Romeo and Juliet and I totally get that from the cover! They look "tempted" to kiss each other, but it's a temptation because they know it's wrong! And the lighting and colors behind them really make the cover work. I just love looking at this cover and am excited to see it in person when it finally comes out!

Follow My Book Blog Friday (26)

2012-02-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

Question: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kick ass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?

Answer: Oh, I think you all know what my answer is going to be. All of my favorite books have to have sweet, romantic guys who will stop at nothing to get the girl that they want! As long as that happens, I am bound to love the book! Like having a guy write forever on your shoe because he wants to be with you forever...

Or when there's a guy who will do everything in his power to make your life perfect...

*sigh* Okay, I think you get the point. And now I'm going to watch a Nicholas Sparks movie for the thousandth time while eating a tub of ice cream and pretending that that's me in the movie. Because guys like the ones in those movies (and books) are what have made me addicted to reading :)

Book Review: Secrets of an Accidental Duchess by Jennifer Haymore

2012-02-02T11:49:00.000-08:00

Secrets of an Accidental Duchess

By Jennifer Haymore

Release Date: January 31, 2012

Summary: With her pale hair and slim figure, Olivia Donovan looks as fragile as fine china, and has been treated as such by her sisters ever since a childhood bout with malaria. But beneath her delicate facade, Olivia guards a bold, independent spirit and the kind of passionate desires proper young ladies must never confess...

It was a reckless wager, and one Max couldn't resist: seduce the alluring Olivia or forfeit part of his fortune. Yet the wild, soon-to-be Duke never imagined he'd fall in love with this innocent beauty. Nor could he have guessed that a dangerously unpredictable rival would set out to destroy them both. Now, Max must beat a madman at his own twisted game-or forever lose the only woman to have ever won his heart.

Review: I was so excited when I found out I was a part of this blog tour, but that was nothing compared to how I felt when I was actually reading this book! Everything about it was wonderful and I couldn't put it down! I had to know what was going to happen next and missed out on some very needed hours of sleep just so I could finish it!

Olivia is probably one of the best heroines ever! She is so weak because of her Malaria, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants. And she's so innocent that she has no idea what to do when it comes to Max, the soon to be Duke of Wakefield. Even though Olivia is quite a character, Max can't help but fall for her as soon as he sees her. He has this primal instinct to protect Olivia, especially from the evil Fenwicke.

The immensely sweet love story isn't the only thing I loved about this book. There's so much action and adventure in the last 100 pages that made the end even better than the beginning. There are secrets, kidnappings, and near death experiences that will keep you on your toes. And during all of this Max and Olivia can never stop thinking of each other.

This was SUCH a good historical romance novel and I can't believe it went by so fast! I'm definitely picking up more books by Jennifer Haymore and I recommend all of you do the same as soon as you can!

Waiting on Wednesday (27)

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Scarlet

By A.C. Gaughen

Release Date: February 14, 2012

Summary: Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Ahhhhhhhh this book sounds so good!! I love Robin Hood, especially the BBC tv show adaptation, so when I figure out this book was about a girl posing as one of his bandits (and falling in love with him...) I couldn't wait to get it! The cove is super pretty and the summary of "action, secrets, and romance" sounds exactly like the book I want to read! Early reviews for this book have been awesome (it has an average of 4.11 stars on goodreads), so I know it's going to be a good read! Can't wait for this one to come out and read a new take on my beloved Robin Hood :)

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows

2012-01-31T19:14:00.000-08:00

Summary: Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.) and his longtime trusted associate, Doctor Watson (Jude Law), take on their arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), with the help of Holmes's older brother Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry) and a gypsy named Sim (Noomi Rapace).

Review: I really love Sherlock Holmes, so it's no surprise I liked this one even better than the first one. There was even more action, gadget, and insane tricks in this one. Though the movie was so long, there was rarely a dull moment among the fights and heart-stopping suspense.

Robert Downey Jr. is the PERFECT person to play Sherlock Holmes and he is cockier than ever, which makes him such a lovable character. His ideas sound so insane, but end up working out when they most need them to. He has ridiculous disguises, but they just gave the movie a humorous aspect to this action packed mystery/adventure film.

Watson's fiancé plays a bigger part in the movie, which I'm glad because I really liked her. We also get to meet Holmes' brother, who is surely a character in himself. So all of the characters were so interesting and the story was pretty awesome. There were so many twist, turns, and surprises that I couldn't help but really enjoy the movie. If you were a fan of the first one, definitely check the new Sherlock Holmes out. And if you thought the first one was just okay, then give this one a chance. You may find yourself actually liking it!

Author Interview: Miranda Kenneally

2012-01-31T05:29:00.000-08:00

I am SO excited to announce that today I have an interview with Miranda Kenneally, author of Catching Jordan! Her novel was published this past December, so she is here to share with us a little bit about herself!

Miranda Kenneallyis the author of CATCHINGJORDAN, a contemporary YA novel about football and femininity, coming inDecember 2011. Other books include STEALINGPARKER (fall 2012) and BAD, BAD THING(spring 2013). Miranda is the co-creator of Dear Teen Me. The DearTeen Me Anthology will be published by Zest Books (distributed by HoughtonMifflin Harcourt) in late 2012. She enjoys reading and writing young adultliterature, and loves Star Trek, music, sports, Mexican food, Twitter, coffee,and her husband. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook.Miranda is represented by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency.

In three words, how would you describe Catching Jordan?

Football, Friends, and Food.

If you could be anyone from Catching Jordan, who would you be and why?

I'd probably be Marie. She's so kind and down to Earth. Although, I wish I could be like Jordan and have a crazy metabolism allowing me to eat anything I want all the time.

Catching Jordan is focused around football and I know your next book, Stealing Parker is about a girl falling for the baseball coach. Why did you choose to use sports as the main focus in your young adult novels?

Well, I've always liked teams and relationships amongst players on teams. Also, I love sports in general. I've written some stuff that don't really focus on sports. My third book, which doesn't really have a title yet so I'm calling it Bad, Bad Thing, takes place at a summer camp. There isn't really a sports focus to it.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Work too much. Read YA romances. Go out for Mexican food!

What's your favorite color?

Blue! (or I could say "clear" like Ty does in Catching Jordan. He says his favorite color is clear, especially when it comes to women's bathing suits)

What's your favorite book and why?

My favorite book is Graceling by Kristin Cashore because Katsa is incredibly badass, yet damaged, and works hard to overcome what she considers to be her flaws. Also, Po is my favorite love interest ever. I think my husband is jealous of Po.

Tell us a bit about your next book Stealing Parker! When should we expect to see it in stores?

Stealing Parker comes out in October 2012. It's set at the same school as Catching Jordan, so you'll see some familiar faces. The book is about a 17-year-old girl named Parker, who after an incident, decides to quit the softball team. She becomes the manager for the baseball team, where she starts to fall for the new coach, who's 23.

I want to thank Miranda so much for being a guest on Peace Love Books today! If you haven't yet, check out her book Catching Jordan! Trust me it's awesome! You can check out my review right here! Here's some info about Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker (October 2012).

Catching Jordan

Release Date: December 1, 2011

Summary: About a 17-year-old girl named Parker who falls for the new 23-year-old coach of the baseball team.

Companion to Catching Jordan.

Book Review: Iwishicana by Larissa Hinton

2012-01-30T07:11:00.000-08:00

Iwishicana

By Larissa Hinton

Release Date: August 12, 2011

Summary: Where rules are meant to be broken

Anissa is constantly on the run from the police and can't seem to stay out of trouble.

Secrets are meant to be kept

Until Anissa hides Florence in her bedroom and her mother finds out. There's only one thing left to do: Send her to Juvenile Cop Camp to

erase all of her crimes on her record.

And everything is not what it seems

There's only one problem: Anissa is innocent.

Welcome to Iwishacana.

Review: Looking at this cover, I thought this book was going to be really good. Isn't the cover gorgeous? But I guess you really can't judge a book by it's cover. The story was lacking in so many ways and I just couldn't get into it.

In the beginning, the reader is dumped into the story with no explanation whatsoever. Even by the end, I still had no idea what Iwishacana really was and how they all had "wishes" and could go in between worlds. The idea for another dimension where people on earth could go is creative, but it was just way too confusing to follow. Anissa just randomly goes to a school for criminals when it seems like a normal school with normal kids. Some aspects of the story were introduced and then left unfinished, like they had never happened. The story seemed choppy, rushed, and not thought out.

Anissa was an okay main character, but a lot of times her actions and the things she said were unbelievable. She would mouth off to everyone and get what she wanted, which got really annoying. And Florence (which I think is a weird name for the main guy in the story) was a pig in the beginning, yet they were in love? Their relationship was confusing because Anissa would call him her "lover" but then hate the sight of him. Then she would say they were friends with benefits when they hadn't even kissed. So their relationship was just weird and confusing.

This book held so much potential, but the author did not make it work. By the end of the book, I was still confused by everything that had happened and what the heck happened in the world they live in. This story needs a lot of work to be an enjoyable book.

In My Mailbox (23)

2012-01-29T07:27:00.000-08:00

From the Publisher

I got this book for the blog tour that's stopping by Peace Love books on the 5th! Stop by then for a chance to win one of three copies of this book! Doesn't it look great? I can't wait to read it!

That's it! What did you all get in your mailbox? Please share!

Shelf Candy (23)

2012-01-28T07:29:00.000-08:00

Even though I really did not like the series, I LOVE the covers! The colors are so pretty and I love the bubble idea. In the first one, she's trapped in the bubble but in the second one she's breaking out, which I think has a lot to do with the actual content of the book and the main character being able to finally think for herself. They also have that futuristic appeal, which really goes with the story. These books are so pretty to look at, I just wish the stories inside were just as good!

Follow My Book Blog Friday (25)

2012-01-26T20:10:00.000-08:00

Question: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

Answer: Ughhh I can't stand any kind of non-fiction books. Other than that, as long as the book has romance, then I'm all set! Whenever I read a new romance book, I just want to curl up with it and never let it go!

Long story short, no romance=no chance with me.

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

2012-01-26T15:15:00.000-08:00

That's right! Another giveaway from yours truly! If you want to check out the other stops on this giveaway hop, you can find them right here! Now to my giveaway! One lucky winner will receive one of my favorite YA books! The covers can be found below :)

Just fill out the rafflecopter below for your chance to win! The books will be shipped from The Book Depository, so if they ship to you then you can enter! Giveaway ends on January 30th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Winter's Kiss: The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols

2012-01-25T16:17:00.000-08:00

The Ex Games

By Jennifer Echols

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Summary: Brace yourself for the battle of the exes...

Hayden and Nick used to be a hot item, but their brief affair ended with a highly publicized breakup. Now the two are "just friends," excluding the occasional flirtation.

When Hayden wins the girls' division of a local snowboarding competition, Nick is unimpressed, claiming that Hayden wouldn't have a chance against a guy. Hayden calls Nick's bluff and challenges him to a head-to-head boarding contest. Their mutual friends quickly take sides, the girls on Hayden's and the boys on Nick's, making for an all-out battle of the sexes. This friendly competition is bound to get heated—and they might end up igniting some old flames.

Review: There is no doubt that I love Jennifer Echols, so of course I had a blast reading her winter romantic comedy! The Ex Games was published in 2009, but was republished in a volume with The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Catherine Hopka this month. Even though it's been around for three years, it was still the perfect book to cozy up with while the snow fell outside.

Hayden and Nick have a rocky past; they dated four years ago but broke up soon after when Nick broke Hayden's heart. Since then, they have bickered like an old married couple, yet never got back together. Winter break changed everything when Nick and Hayden challenge each other to a snowboarding contest. Snow wasn't the only thing that's falling (in love that is) that winter!

Hayden is such a strong character who has had to deal with her feelings for Nick for four years. She puts her heart and soul into snowboarding, and I couldn't help but root for her during everything she went through. Even though she's strong on the outside, she always has a part of her that can't help falling for Nick over and over again. Who wouldn't? He is gorgeous, talented, and underneath his teasing is a heart of gold.

I loved the whole premise of Hayden and Nick competing against each other in a snowboarding contest; they literally have a game of the exes. It was cool how everyone's relationship was invested in the competition, everything riding on the chance to win Poser concert tickets from their significant other. Everything about this book was super cute and I was so sad when it was over. If you're looking for a heart-warming read on a cold winter's day, pick up The Ex Games!

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

2012-01-25T02:00:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

New Girl

By Paige Harbison

Release Date: January 31, 2012

Summary: They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

I saw this book a loooooong time ago and just recently remembered how it was coming out soon! I love the cover and how the girl is floating in the water (water seems to be a really popular cover concept recently). Once I read the summary, I was so intrigued! Taking the place of a girl who everyone had loved but had gone missing? How would you deal with that? Oh yeah, by meeting a guy :) I'm wondering if Becca is going to come back and take away the life the "New Girl" has started to build. It sounds so good and it comes out really soon! So hopefully I can get my hands on a copy!

Movie Review: New Year's Eve

2012-01-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

Summary: The lives of several couples and singles in New York intertwine over the course of New Year's Eve.

Review: I had no idea how I was going to like this movie because there are people in this cast I love (Zac Efron!!!) and people in this cast I hate (Sarah Jessica Parker). So having such a mix of characters, I don't think I'm that surprised that I though it was just okay.

Yes, I love Zac Efron, but his part of the story was with Michelle Pfeiffer, who is at least 30 years older than him, and she looks so gross and old with scraggly brown hair, so I didn't really like it when his story came up in the movie. He, of course, looked totally amazing. As for the other stories, there were none I found myself really intrigued to watch excpet for maybe Josh Duhamel until I figured out who he actually ends up with. Some of the couples were cheesy while others I just didn't really care about. Jessica Biel's whole story about having her baby be the first born in 2012 to get a prize from the hospital was really just stupid and I got annoyed when the movie cut to her part (which seemed to be a pattern with a lot of the couples).

So as you can tell, I just didn't really care about a majority of the storylines, which kind of makes it hard to enjoy the movie. It was pretty predictable and when they tried not to be predictable, I really didn't like how they actually made it. With such a packed cast of celebrities, I expected a much better story than what I was given.

Shelf Candy Saturday (22)

2012-01-21T09:16:00.000-08:00

I dont' remember exactly where I saw this cover, but I remember thinking it was so pretty! The colors are so simple, but they capture the title perfectly. I love how the white rose has red, blood-like paint splattered on the bottom half. A rose is so soft and pure while the red is harsh and deadly, making it seem like the cover really is about softly killing someone. I love the font used for the title too, especially with the thorns sticking out. It emphasizes the point that a rose is pretty but has it's sharp spots too. Everything about this cover invites me in and want to know exactly how you can kill someone softly. It's perfect and gorgeous!

Follow My Book Blog Friday (24)

2012-01-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

Question: What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get your hands on a certain book?

Answer: Well, it's not exactly crazy, but the only time I've ever done anything our of the ordinary to get a particular book was when City of Glass by Cassandra Clare came out. My sister and I slept over at my friends house the night before it came out. The next morning, her mom drove us to Barnes and Noble (this was about 3 or 4 years ago). We stayed in the car and waited and waited until they opened...

And when they opened we ran to the counter where our books were being held. Kinda like this...

We got our books, hopped back in the car, drove back to my friend's house, and dug into our new Mortal Instruments book. It was AWESOME. Not that crazy, but we still had a blast. I haven't done anything like that since then because I've started to pre-order my favorite author's new books online in order to get it a lot cheaper, so I have to wait for it to come to my door instead of running out and getting it. But the feeling of excitement is always the same! Ahhhh I love new books :)

Book Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

2012-01-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

Catching Jordan

By Miranda Kenneally

Release Date: December 1, 2011

Summary: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Review: This. Book. Was. Awesome. Can I just leave it at that? Seriously. It was awesome. I literally could not stop reading this book after page one! Sports romances are one of my favorite genres, so reading a book with such amazing guys (yes, there are actually more than one!) was such a treat. Reading this made me want to go out and find a football player for myself ;)

Everyone can relate to Jordan when it comes to her love life; nothing ever goes the way she wants it to. The only difference between Jordan and every other girl? She's the captain and starting quarterback for her high school's football team. She reminds me a lot of DJ from Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock (which was an AWESOME book too) because she's more of a tomboy and doesn't really know what she's doing when it comes to guys. I wouldn't either if I had to face the guys in this book! I completely felt for her when she was dealing with her feelings for different guys while trying to juggle her future with college football (well at least with the guys because I could not get enough of them!)

For me, I fell in love with Henry from the very first time we met him, but I guess Ty was a great guy too. The rest of the team (at least Jordan's friends) were really cool and great friends to Jordan. I loved every character in this book, even the small ones, that I really did not want to put this book down! I'm so sad it's over and I'm regretting breezing through it so fast. if you read it, take your time! Savor this book! Or else you're going to have to read it again soon because you're going to want the feeling of reading such a great book again. Trust me. You have to get this book now!

Waiting On Wednesday (25)

2012-01-18T10:05:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

In Honor
By Jessi Kirby
Release Date: May 8th 2012

Summary: Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

I was a HUGE fan of Moonglass by Jessi Kirby, so I'm really excited for her new book! It's sounds so sad, yet so good. Rusty sounds like the perfect leading man and Honor seems like someone you could really root for in the story. It sounds like the young adult version of a Nicholas Sparks novel, and that's exactly how I like them. I'm so excited to read it and it's going to be so hard to wait that long for this book. Hopefully the time will pass quickly!

Book Review: Cera's Place by Elizabeth McKenna

2012-01-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

Cera's Place

By Elizabeth McKenna

Release Date: September 25, 2011

Summary: Life hasn't been exactly kind to San Francisco saloon owner Cera Cassidy, but she has built a successful business and a family of friends. She carries the reputation of a tough woman with a big heart, along with the derringer in her skirt pocket. One summer night, she discovers that the neighborhood thug is kidnapping Chinese girls to sell to the local brothels. Outraged, Cera vows to bring him to justice, but he's not going to let anyone interfere with his livelihood.

Jake Tanner, a scarred ex-soldier haunted by his Civil War experiences, is on a mission to fulfill a friend's dying wish. The trail has brought him to Cera's door. Captivated by her Irish beauty, he is more than willing to join in her fight - if only she would let him.

Review: This isn't the typical historical romance I read, but it was definitely just as enjoyable! The reason this one was so different was because Cera, the main character, was the owner of a saloon and she was a hard-headed female instead of the normal damsel in distress girls that are normally in historical romances. It was also cool how this story took on a crime/mystery genre when Care was trying to catch the bad guys in town who were selling Chinese girls.

But enough about that-- let's get on to the romance! Jake and Cera both loved and lost in the past, so when they first confronted their feelings for each other, they couldn't be more scared. Watching them open up to each other was cute, but sometimes things moved a little too fast. Whether it was a moment that appeared out of no where or someone randomly showing up to cause trouble, the story had it's moments where things went a little too fast.

Since this book was so short (185 pages), the author could have developed and extended the story a little more, but it was still a sweet read. It was quick, but Cera's Place still leaves you with a nice, romantic story you can't help but get lost in.

In My Mailbox (22)

2012-01-15T05:58:00.000-08:00

From the library

I was so excited because earlier this week, I got a library card for the library just outside of campus! Now, I can get new(ish) releases and keep up with them while I'm at school! I got this one because I remember seeing it around A TON and loving the cover. I've seen some mixed reviews for this one, but I guess we'll see how I like it!

That's it for mine! What did you all get in your mailbox this week?

Shelf Candy (21)

2012-01-14T09:14:00.000-08:00

For this week's Shelf Candy, I decided to feature a series instead of just one cover. Every time I see these books, I just want to pick them up and start reading them. The designs are so cool, with the fonts and the shapes, and I love how that theme was carried out in the two books, but with different colors. I still don't know what the books are even about, but I don't care! The covers are awesome and I still want to read them! I'm really excited to see the cover of the next book too!

Book Review: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

2012-01-13T11:26:00.000-08:00

Bittersweet

By Sarah Ockler

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Summary: Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last….

Review: I remember reading Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler and loving it, so it's really no surprise that I loved this book even more! I was really excited to read a book about a girl who loves baking, but when I got into the book and realized it had to do with Hudson helping out the hockey team, I got even more excited. Sport romances are one of my favorite genres and this was definitely an awesome sport romance. To me, it was a combination of the movies Cutting Edge and Ice Princess and it rocked!

My favorite part of this book was the hockey team and how Hudson helped them be more graceful in order to win more games. I mean, having to help out an entire team of hot hockey players? Yes please! And not only is Hudson dealing with a team full of guys, she has to deal with school, figure skating, baking, and helping out her mom at their diner. Life is anything but easy for her, so it's really nice to be able to read a realistic story that's not about someone's perfect life.

Hudson's little brother Bug is adorable, but Josh is by far my favorite character because he's so sweet to not only Hudson but everyone in general. Some parts involving Josh and Hudson (and Will) made me mad, but that's because the characters were just acting stupid when it came to romance, not because it was unbelievable. I couldn't get enough of this book, especially the cover, so it was almost impossible to put it down! I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a bittersweet novel about romance and finally finding out who you really are.

Follow My Book Blog Friday (23)

2012-01-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

Question: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

Answer: Hmmmm there are A TON of artists I like because I seriously cannot live without music. CANNOT! Maybe this will show you how much can't live without it....

And now that the lovely Darren Criss has clarified that, let's get on to my favorite music. I LOVE Gavin DeGraw, Mayday Parade, Safety Suit, Jessie J, Jesse McCartney, Parachute, Adam Levine, and yes, Justin Bieber (but I won't post any of his videos to spare any of you Bieber haters out there). Here are the videos of my all time favorite songs!

Not Over You by Gavin DeGraw

Just so You Know by Jesse McCartney

Domino by Jessie J

Miserable At Best by Mayday Parade

Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute

These Times by Safety Suit

Okay, I'm done I promise! I have so many favorites that I felt bad leaving some out. My taste in music ranges from pop to alliterative, but it's mostly like my taste in books....as long as there's romance I'll love it :) So I really hope you enjoy all of the videos I posted and check all of these artists out! They're so amazing! And I hope you have a happy Friday :)

Waiting One Wednesday (24)

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

My Life Next Door
By Huntley Fitzpatrick
Release Date: June 14th 2012

Summary: "One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive?

Set among the haves and have-nots of a coastal New England town, My LIFE NEXT DOOR captures the angst, the heartache, and the raw-nerve emotions of first time love—and biting loss.

Ahhh I love this cover so much! It's so bright and happy, which seems to reflect what the first part of this book is about. What I'm a little worried about is how serious this book will be when it come's to the "bottom dropping out of Sam's world" because books that are about loss really depress me. It kind of reminds me of Twenty Boy Summer, which I enjoyed but did not feel happy while reading. But maybe it will end up being a cute read that's not really serious at all. Whatever it is, it still sounds awesome and I can't wait to read it!

Movie Review: Real Steel

2012-01-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

Summary: Set in the near future, where robot boxing is a top sport, a struggling promoter feels he's found a champion in a discarded robot. During his hopeful rise to the top, he discovers he has an 11-year-old son who wants to know his father.

Review: I was so so so excited to see this movie after my parents saw it and loved it. So I saw it with some friends at the dollar theater and it was even better than I had expected! I love futuristic/action movies, so this one was definitely my style.

Hugh Jackman was awesome in this; at first he was an arrogant jerk who only cared about money, but he really manned up once he met his son and finally faced his boxing past. His son was the most adorable 11-year-old I have ever seen, never taking no for an answer. The robots were SO COOL and how they fought each other. It was always a fight to the death and it was really interesting seeing how there were "gamers" behind their boxing moves. One robot had guys with joysticks while others were voice commanded. Though the robots were cool, not much else in the movie was "futuristic." Sure the phones and computers where future-looking, but the cars, buildings, and clothes all looked the same. But I guess that's understandable since the robots were really the big deal of the movie.

The fights in the movie were so intense that someone in the audience actually started clapping when Atom (Hugh Jackman's robot) actually one a fight. And to be honest, I felt like jumping up and clapping too. So much tension and anticipation was brought to the fights that I actually felt like I was watching a fight that really mattered. This movie was just seriously so awesome and I would recommend seeing it as soon as you can! There's even a little bit of added romance to please the romantics, but not too much to bother the action-lovers. It's perfect for everyone!

Book Review: Sanctuary Cove by Rochelle Alers

2012-01-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

Sanctuary Cove
By Rochelle Alers
Release Date: January 1, 2012

Summary: Sometimes love is the simplest choice of all.

Still reeling from her husband's untimely death, Deborah Robinson needs a fresh start. So she decides to pack up her family, box up her bookstore, and return to her grandmother's ancestral home on Cavanaugh Island. The charming town of Sanctuary Cove holds happy memories for Deborah. And, after she spies a gorgeous stranger in the local bakery, it promises the possibility for a bright, new future.

Dr. Asa Monroe is at a crossroads. Ever since the loss of his family, he has been on a quest for faith and meaning, traveling from one town to another. When he meets Deborah, the beautiful bookstore owner with the warm eyes and sunny smile, Asa believes he has finally found a reason to stay in one place.

As friendship blossoms into romance, Deborah and Asa discover they may have a second chance at love. But small towns have big secrets. Before they can begin their new life together, the couple must confront a challenge they never expected . . .

Review: The title "Sanctuary Cove" seems to capture the essence of this book perfectly. It started off very sad and a bit depressing, describing the death of Deborah's husband, which left her at the age of 38 with two teenage children. In order to escape her sadness, she moves back to Sanctuary Cove and tries to recuperate and find happiness again. Sanctuary Cove is the perfect place to do this, leading into a romantic relationship with the new man in town.

Deborah is a very sweet women who devotes herself to raising her children and opening a bookshop on Cavanaugh Island. This book is sad when it deals with the loss Deborah and Asa (the new man in town) went through in their lives, but it's that hurt and need for love that brought them together. I thought it was cute how the bookshop was what really pulled them towards each other when Asa applied for the job there. Learning to trust each other without feeling guilty for being happy again was a sweet journey to get lost in.

The ending of this book felt a little rushed to me, but the overall book was a decent story. I thought it was kind of weird how Deborah owns a bookshop and her husband was a high school teacher yet it was no problem to buy her daughter $300 heels while owning very expensive heels and handbags herself. That one detail bugged me, but it was very minor in the whole scheme of the sweet story. Reading this made me want to move to an island, live a whimsical life, and find my own sanctuary. For a feel good, cute book, consider picking up Sanctuary Cove!

***Make sure to enter the giveaway right here for a chance to win this book! January 9th is the last day to enter!

In My Mailbox (21)

2012-01-08T00:30:00.000-08:00

From Barnes and Noble

My mom picked this one up for me this week from Barnes and Noble and I am SO excited to read it! I fell in love with the cover since I first saw it (it's actually a shiny, sparkly blue) and added it to my TBR list. Once I get through some review books, I'll be able to devour this book asap! Can't wait because it already has an average rating of 4.45 stars on goodreads, so I know it's going to be good! Be sure to check back soon for a review :)

I don't know about you, but I'd say my mailbox was pretty amazing this week! And that's it! I hope you all had a very happy New Year and a great mailbox from the last week of 2011!

Book Review: More Than Words Can Say by Robert Barclay

2012-01-07T06:08:00.000-08:00

More Than Words Can Say
By Robert Barclay
Release Date: January 17, 2012

Summary: From the author of If Wishes Were Horses comes a novel of long-buried secrets and self-discovery, showing us that sometimes what goes unsaid is more powerful than words. . . .

Chelsea Enright never expected to inherit her grandmother's lakeside cottage deep in the Adirondacks—a serene getaway that had been mysteriously closed up decades ago. This is no simple bequest, however, because when Chelsea finds her grandmother's WWII diaries, she's stunned to discover that they hold secrets she never suspected . . . and they have the power to turn her own life upside down.

Even more surprising is the compelling presence of local doctor Brandon "Yale, and Chelsea soon finds her "short stay" has stretched into the entire summer. She cannot put this cottage and her family's past behind her easily—and the more she learns about the woman her grandmother truly was, the more Chelsea's own life begins to change . . . and nothing will ever be the same again.

Review: Ughh finally, I'm done reading this book! I was looking forward to starting this one after I won an ARC from librarything, but by the end I was just tired of the story. The author had a good idea, but the execution was very poor and had me skimming the last 30 pages because it was so drawn out.

The main reason I didn't like this book, though, was because of the unrealistic dialogue. Some of the things Chelsea or Brandon say are SO ridiculous and there is NO WAY anyone would ever say that when they're talking to someone. Unrealistic dialogue is my biggest pet-peeve in books, so this book was so hard to read without getting annoyed with how stupid they sounded.

The idea of Chelsea moving to her Grandmother's cottage and reading her journal from the World War II era sounded like something I would enjoy, but it was, like I said, just too drawn out. I skimmed a lot of pages in between the journal readings because everything else seemed to be there to build "suspense" to the next time they read an entry. The author kept on saying how Chelsea was in so much pain and didn't know if she could handle another entry, but I got none of that emotion whatsoever. The emotion Chelsea felt seemed forced and during the big climax at the end was more of a speed bump...no huge reveal or event that really shocked me. It was also annoying how in the last 50 pages, Chelsea was planning some "secret" thing the reader didn't know because when the big secret was revealed, I was like "well duh that was going to happen!" I could see how the author tried to make this book a sweet romance, it just really did not make it there.

Shelf Candy Saturday (20)

2012-01-07T06:07:00.000-08:00

This cover shows SO much about this book and I absolutely love it. The girl looks so helpless sitting on the edge of the rock looking out to the ocean, like she's trapped (which based on the summary she actually is). The colors are so pretty, especially how the title matches her dress. The stormy gray sky and dull waves give off the sense of grief and sadness, really capturing the tragedy this book is supposed to be about. Ever since I saw this cover I really really wanted to read it and I got it for Christmas, so now I get to! I am so excited to dig into this one because the cover just draws me in. Any cover with that much power over me definitely deserves my attention.

Even More 2012 Challenges!

2012-01-06T13:21:00.000-08:00

Since I did not participate in ANY challenges last year, I have decided to partake in even more than I had initially thought of. To add to my challenge list, I am going to join the 100+ challenge hosted by Book Chick City and the 2012 Book Blogger Recommendation challenge hosted by Reading With Tequila. Here's a little bit about each challenge!

This contest runs from January of 2012 to December of 2012 and the goal is simple: read over 100 books in one year. Since my Goodreads goal is to read 130 books, I'm hoping this challenge will be a piece of cake for me. If you want to join in on this challenge, you can sign up here!

For this challenge, Reading With Tequila provided a list of the top 25 recommended books of 2011 and the challenge is to set a goal of how many books from that list you will read. I'm going with level two where I will read 10 lists from that book because many of them are already on my TBR list. They could even count towards my TBR reading challenge for this year! Yay! If you interested in joining in on this challenge, you can sign up here! And here's a list of the 25 recommended books:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Divergent by Veroncia Roth*
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen*
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Graceling by Kristin Cashore*
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare*
The Stand by Stephen King
Delirium by Lauren Oliver*
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini*
The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon*
The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte*
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Poison Study by Maria V.Snyder
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa*
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater
Dark Lover by J.R. Ward*
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

*The starred books are those I plan to read in 2012

If you want to follow along on my journey towards completing these challenges, make sure you stop by my page labeled 2012 Challenges on my menu bar! And that's it! I hope your 2012 is as successful as I hope mine is!

Follow My Book Blog Friday (22)

2012-01-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

Question: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

Answer: 171 I know, I couldn't believe it either. At first I was like...

But then, really 171 is not that bad because you know what? I LOVE BOOKS! So having that many books that I haven't read is perfectly okay with me because I know I'll always have something to read at home. And honestly, I can't help from buying books even though I know I have 171 sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. I'll read them eventually...I promise! That's why I joined the TBR challenge this year, to try to make a dent in my TBR pile. Hopefully I can get through a bunch this year!

2012 Romance Blog Tour and Giveaway

2012-01-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

All I Want Is You
By Sherrill Bodine
Release Date: January 1, 2012

Summary: SHE'S STEALING HIS HEART . . .

Vintage boutique owner Venus Smith is stunned to realize her newest acquisition comes with a larcenous legend. Stolen years ago, the antique mermaid brooch belongs to the Clayworth family. The right thing to do would be to return it, but that means facing Connor Clayworth O'Flynn, the sexy department store heir Venus has had an unrequited crush on since childhood-and the man who helped ruin her father.

ONE KISS AT A TIME

Connor knows that Venus has never forgiven him for what happened between their families. But business isn't personal, even though Venus's father's betrayal still cuts him like a knife. So when Venus proposes a deal-she'll return his family's brooch if he helps clear her father's name-he reluctantly agrees. As action-packed days turn into flirtatious fall nights, it isn't long before old memories resurface . . . and new desires ignite. Can two young lovers leave the past behind? Or must they first admit that all they've ever really wanted . . . is each other? ***Check out my review here***

Sanctuary Cove

By Rochelle Alers

Release Date: January 1, 2012

***Giveaway***

For being a part of this blog tour, I have two sets of these books to give away to my awesome followers! Just fill out the rafflecopter below for your chance to win! Good luck! Giveaway ends January 9th! ***US ONLY***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: The Pleasure of Your Kiss by Teresa Medeiros

2012-01-05T06:07:00.000-08:00

The Pleasure of Your Kiss

By Teresa Medeiros

Release Date: December 27, 2011

Book Review: The Pleasure of Your Kiss by Teresa Medeiros

2012-01-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

The Pleasure of Your Kiss
By Teresa Medeiros
Release Date: December 27, 2011

Summary: Ashton Burke is a legendary adventurer who has spent the past ten years roaming the globe to forget the girl he left behind. His devil-may-care life is interrupted when he's hired to rescue his brother's kidnapped fiancée from a sultan's harem. Too late, he discovers she is none other than Clarinda Cardew, the very same girl who made off with his jaded heart a decade ago.

The last thing Clarinda wants is to be trapped in a palace of sensual delights with the man whose irresistible kisses still haunt her sleepless nights. Although he vows he is only doing his job, Clarinda quickly realizes that allowing Ashton to rescue her may put her yearning heart in even greater peril. In a journey that takes them from the delicious intrigues of a sultan's court to the glittering ballrooms of London, Ashton and Clarinda resume the steps of their dangerous dance only to discover the most seductive pleasure of all may be love itself.

Review: Ahhh yet another great historical romance novel :) I was really excited to be able to get this book for review because I don't read nearly enough historical romances. Reading this one made me realize how much I missed them! Since the first page of this book, I was hooked. I loved Clarinda's character and how she had actually had her heart broken by the infamous, adventurous Ashton Burke. And even though a majority of the time Clarinda was seen as the damsel in distress, she could really hold her own when it came to handling men.

The story was fast paced and engaging, dealing with Clarinda's fiancé (who happens to be Ashton's brother) hiring Ash to rescue her from a Sultan who had bought her from pirates. Clarinda and Ash's chemistry was undeniable, but Clarinda was already engaged to two men (his brother and the sultan) and Ash had already walked out of her life 10 years ago. What a tangled web, huh? I also liked the side-romances that occurred in the book, especially with Poppy, Clarinda's best friend who was captured with her.

What I liked best about this book was how the ending was very surprising and really wrapped everything up. This whole story was charming and addicting and I really can't wait for the next book that is a brand new historical romance and deals with one of the very handsome characters of this book!

Waiting on Wednesday (23)

2012-01-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

When You Open Your Eyes

By Celeste Conway

Release Date: March 20th

Summary: Tessa is in love with Lucien, the son of a European diplomat. He's French and sexy and artistic. With him, she realizes how naive and American she is, and just how alive she can feel.

But Tessa’s father forbids her to see Lucien. So they meet in secret, which makes their relationship feel all the more exciting.

The harder Tessa falls for Lucien, the more volatile he becomes. Suddenly it’s not just their relationship that’s breaking the rules—Lucien knows no boundaries. And Tessa must figure out how far she’ll go for Lucien…before there is no turning back.

So after reading this summary, I'm not really sure what to expect about this book. In the beginning, it seems like it's going to be a cute, foreign love story like Anna and the French Kiss, but near the end Lucien "knows no boundaries." This makes it seem like he's actually mean, or even abusive. Either way, it sounds like a great read! I'd like it more if it were a fun, light-hearted read, but if it ends up being deep and about serious issues, I know it'll be a good book!

Movie Review: The Three Musketeers

2012-01-02T05:13:00.000-08:00

Summary: The hot-headed young D'Artagnan along with three former legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

Review: I absolutely LOVED the 1993 version of this movie, so I was really excited to see the newly improved version in theaters. This version was definitely new (including flying ships) but I would have to say nothing can beat the Kiefer Sutherland/Chris O'Donnell movie.

Looking at this movie by itself, though, it was pretty good. D'Artagnan was as young and arrogant as ever, but he really made the movie with his passion and fearlessness really bringing the Musketeers together. What I liked in this movie was how the Countess de Winter had a bigger part in this movie and it was really explained how she betrayed Athos. I loved the time period it was portrayed in, with their clothes, dialect, and tools. There was rarely a dull moment in the story and the action was really fun to watch.

Though I'd recommend the 1993 version over this one (which if you haven't seen, get it NOW), this newer version was actually fun to watch. It was weird seeing Orlando Bloom as a villain, but he made it work. So as a movie, The Three Musketeers brought back the story we all know and love with a new and interesting twist.

In My Mailbox (20)

2012-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

From Publisher/Author

Earlier this month, I had entered a contest to win one copy of Winter's Kiss from Jennifer Echol's website. A couple of weeks ago I got an email from her saying she had extra and asked if I wanted a review copy! I said yes (of course) and it came in the mail this week! This book includes her copy of The Ex Games and The Twelves Dates of Christmas by Catherine Hapka. It's going to be the perfect winter read :)

From Santa

For a Follow Friday post in late November, bloggers were supposed to make a "wish list" of books they wanted Santa to bring them that year. I posted a bunch of books and then basically forgot all about that post because I never get that many new releases, so I wasn't expecting to get them. Come Christmas morning, I opened a box and sitting in it were these four AMAZING books! I got so excited because I had no idea my mom was going to get them for me. Needless to say, my mom is awesome (who I know is reading this because she always does. Hi Mom!!). I am super excited to dig into these books because I've been pining for them! They all look so amazing and they're all mine! I ended up having a very good Christmas :)

From Barnes and Noble

Along with my four awesome books I got from Santa, I also got a Barnes and Noble gift card! So a couple of days ago I visited the store and came out with these two lovely books :) I'm excited to read these too because they've been on my TBR list for a while and the covers are just so cool! The Predicteds hasn't gotten that great of reviews of Goodreads, but I guess we'll see how I like it!

From Library Sale

This book was on sale for a dollar at the library so I picked it up. It looks like something I would love to read and it's by the author who wrote The Devil Wears Prada, which was an awesome movie. Just another book to add to my ever-growing bookshelf! Maybe I'll read it for the TBR list challenge this year...

Movies from Santa and Half Price Books

Santa was VREY good to me this year! He got me the first four movies (Including the second season of Vampire Diaries, which is the best show ever!!!). The last four I got on sale at Half Price Books and when they were having their 20% sale. So I got tons of great movies to bring back to school with me!

I don't know about you, but I'd say my mailbox was pretty amazing this week! And that's it! I hope you all had a very happy New Year and a great mailbox from the last week of 2011!

Shelf Candy Saturday (19)

2011-12-31T06:08:00.000-08:00

I saw this cover for the first time in someone's Waiting On Wednesday post and I was just in awe. The dress that all of these girls are wearing is just so pretty and the cover goes so well with the whole mirror, identical people aspect. It's so weird how one girl out of 35 is "selected" to be treated like a princess while the others are forced to live a pre-planned life. It's like they're all the same except for the one chose in the selection, which is exactly what the cover portrays. The dress is gorgeous, but it's not really that special when 34 other girls are wearing the exact same thing. The cover is just so eery, mysterious, and gorgeous all in one. I can't wait until this one comes out in April because it looks so good!