Browsing Bookshelves

Waiting on Wednesday: The Gilly Salt Sisters

2012-02-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

Any small town surely has secrets that may eventually seep out from the cracks, but when they're buried under salt mines, they're bound to be sprinkled with mystery. Claire and Jo Gilly, sisters just about as different as can be, grew up at Salt Creek Farm in tiny Prospect, MA. The Gilly lot is a hard one, with very little money, a year-long commitment to mining the salt, and suffering at the hands of the townspeople who believe they may be witches.

Proud Jo is devoted to the salt and to her best friend Whit Turner, while delicately beautiful Claire waits for a proposal from her high school boyfriend, Ethan. But when Ethan announces his plans for the priesthood, Claire sets the old salt barn aflame-- with Jo inside-- and everything changes for good.

As the now permanently scarred Jo hangs on for her life, Claire leaves her and Salt Creek Farm behind for her own relationship with Whit, Prospect's wealthiest bachelor. Seizing your sister's old flame isn't the strongest foundation for marriage, though, and when Claire discovers Whit has been dallying with teenaged-- and now pregnant-- Dee Pitman, Claire is forced to rescue her rival for Whit's love and return to the very place she ran from years before. Through all of these ups and downs, Father Ethan Stone, Claire's former love, returns to combat troubles in the town's centuries-old church, St. Agnes-by-the-Sea. The fireworks that fly among Gillys, Turners, and the town will force strange alliances and the outing of salty secrets that threaten to doom the Gillys forever.

My Thoughts:
I first heard about this book from my friend Chelsey at Chels and a Book when she decided to tweet about how excited she was to read it. Since we generally have the same taste in books I was curious and looked it up on Goodreads. Now I am as excited as she is! The Gilly Salt Sisters sounds like it will be a dramatic read that will keep me hanging on for more! I can't wait to find out what will happen to these sisters, and what these so called "salty secrets that threaten to doom the Gillys forever" is all about! Luckily I don't have much longer to wait, as The Gilly Salt Sisters will be hitting store shelves on March 14th!

What I'm Listening To....

2012-02-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

Like most people who inhabit this planet I LOVE music. Since I moved to London for school, however, the amount of music I listen to daily has rabidly declined. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that the radio stations in London aren't the greatest. Growing up in Niagara I never realized how spoiled we were by having access to stations from Toronto, Buffalo, and most of the surrounding area. Now I'm lucky to find one station that works in my car... the rest is just a bunch of static! Now the only way I'm able to find awesome new songs is through youtube or random links people post on Facebook. Despite this, I've come across a bunch of awesome artists and songs lately that I wanted to share with you all! You'll notice that my music tastes are pretty broad, but hopefully you'll find something below that you can enjoy as well!

1. "We Are Young" by FUN

One of my friends from school posted a link on Twitter to FUN's homepage and I fell head over heels in love with them! I've already purchased their latest cd through iTunes! "We Are Young" is by far my favourite song by them, but you should definitely check out "Some Nights" and "Carry On" by them too if you enjoy the song above! If you think it sounds familiar its because their song was recently used in one of the car commercials featured during the superbowl!

2. "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers

I first heard this song at the end of an episode for Hart of Dixie back in January. Kind of has a bit of a country/alternative sound to it. I loved it so much I did an intense Google search to find out what it was called so that I could download it. Unfortunately the song won't be available on iTunes until March, so for now I have to go to Youtube whenever I want to listen to it!

3. "All About Us" by He is We

The same friend that showed me FUN also recommended this song from He is We to me one night when we were having a TLC marathon at my house. We were watching Say Yes to the Dress and I guess it reminded her of this song for some reason! Anyways...long story short, I love it! I think it's really sweet and light, and it makes me want to go for a walk outside in the sunshine (that is if it were spring right now...).

4. "Shadows" by Lindsey Stirling

If you haven't seen Lindsey Sterling's youtube channel yet you are missing out BIG TIME! She shows that how kickass the violin can actually be and her dance moves are awesome! Whenever I listen to one of her songs I can't stop myself from tapping my foot! "Shadows" is just one of my many favourite songs by her! Also check out her rendition of Lord of the Rings and the music from Zelda!

What do you guys think about these four songs I've shared with you? Do you have any recent favourites that you think I would love? If yes, please share them below! I'd love to check them out!

Book Review: To Tame A Highland Warrior

2012-02-20T13:23:00.000-08:00

He was born to a clan of warriors of supernatural strength, but Gavrael McIllioch abandoned his name and his Highland castle, determined to escape the dark fate of his ancestors. Hiding his identity from the relentless rival clan that hunted him, he called himself Grimm to protect the people he cared for, vowing never to acknowledge his love for ravishing Jillian St. Clair. Yet even from afar he watched over her, and when her father sent an urgent summons, "Come for Jillian," he raced to her side—into a competition to win her hand in marriage.

Why had he run from her so many years before? And why return now to see her offered as a prize in her father's manipulative game? Furious, Jillian vowed never to wed. But Grimm was the man she loved, the one who urged her to marry another. He tried to pretend indifference as she tempted him, but he could not deny the fierce desires that compelled him to abduct her from the altar. She was the only woman who could tame the beast that raged within him—even as deadly enemies plotted to destroy them both...

In honour of Valentines Day (and the fact that I'm supposed to read a book from every genre for my Genres of Fiction class this semester) I decided to pick up a romance novel last week. Having heard a lot of positive things about Karen Marie Moning, I figured picking up a book from one of her Highlander series would probably be my best bet. While I enjoy novels with romance plots, I haven't read a Harlequin type romance since back in high school. I knew I should expect flowery language and scenes that got hot and heavy, but I couldn't help but feel like the entire novel was a little bit ridiculous!

Maybe it's because I did my undergrad in English Literature, but the entire time I was reading this novel I couldn't stop myself from cringing at the writing style and the absolute cheesiness of some of the lines that were thrown in. For example, "Her knees buckled. His voice brought her violently to life. Everything in the room receded and there was only Grimm, blue eyes blazing, his massive frame filling the doorway." Okay...that may not be the cheesiest of lines but it was the best example I could find online since I've already returned the book to the library... but you get my point. The absurdity of some of the dialogue and narration in the novel really made me want to start a meme called "Worst Romance Lines of All Time," or something like that. On the bright side, however, these cheesy lines were good for a couple of laughs and giggles.

Although I may have found the writing amusing, the plot itself certainly had potential. While it was pretty obvious that there was bound to be a happy ending (kind of a requirement with romance novels), there was a slight twist at the end that I hadn't been expecting. I also enjoyed the fact that this story was set in a historical period, but also incorporated the paranormal. Grimm's supernatural strength certainly resulted in some interesting situations. Overall, I think this is probably a book that hardcore fans of romance novels will LOVE, but unfortunately I'm not one of those people. While I can understand why many readers devour romance novels, I have yet to be won over by their charm. Maybe one day!

Rating: 2 Stars

Book Review: The Space Between

2012-02-16T07:36:00.000-08:00

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

When I picked up Brenna Yovanoff's latest book, The Space Between, I was in the mood for something to creep me out and keep me reading late into the night. I mean a story about the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith? Demonic powers? It certainly sounded promising! While there were a few parts in the story that did give me brief moments of horror, I was somewhat disappointed to discover that it wasn't as scary as I had anticipated it to be. Instead, The Space Between felt more like a paranormal romance then a creepy thriller.

I think one of the main things that prevented the book from being creepy was the fact that most of the demons, even Satan himself, seemed kind of nice. Rather, it was one of God's angels that ended up being the most demonic and horrifying! There was one scene between the angel of death and Daphne's brother that brought chills down my spine! I have to give Brenna Yovanoff credit, writing a story from the perspective of the supposed "bad" side was pretty creative. Having read so many stories about "good" characters fighting demonic powers, I had never really considered the fact that perhaps these demons weren't really as bad as the protagonists made them out to be. Maybe they had families and siblings at home that they were worried about too! Still, I can't help but wish that some of the demons in the story had been a little less "nice" then they were.

Despite my disappointment that the book wasn't quite as scary as I had hoped it would be, I still enjoyed my time spent reading it. It was certainly unique, and the twist in the end was definitely something that I did not see coming at all! Those who prefer standalone books will also be happy to know that this is not a series! Everything is wrapped up nice and neatly at the end so that readers aren't left waiting a year to find out what happens next. If you enjoy reading stories about angels and demons with a bit of romance intertwined throughout then The Space Between is definitely for you!

Rating: 3 Stars

Amazing Valentines for Book Lovers!

2012-02-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! Can you believe it!? It feels like Christmas was only a couple of weeks ago! One of the things I miss most about Valentine's Day as a kid was picking out the box of cards I wanted to give out to my friends each year. There were always so many amazing choices at Walmart that I would just stand in awe at the selection until my Mom told me to hurry up already. With all of this reminiscing going on in my head, I decided to procrastinate a bit from my schoolwork and search online for some unique and interesting Valentines! Whether you are pro or anti-Valentine's Day, I'm sure that there is at least one card on this list that book addicts such as myself will adore!

Novel Novice
I LOVE Novel Novice and their blog! The contributors always upload great reviews, news, and book related wallpapers, calendars, and ... Valentine's Day cards! Check out a couple of my favourites below. For more great YA Valentines take a look at their fabulous website!

Chris Bishop

I just happened to stumble across this blog by Chris Bishop, one of the illustrators and creative directors from PBS Kids! I LOVE the Game of Thrones inspired Valentines that he created, which you can download and print at home! My favourites are the ones of Tyrion and John Snow! (Click on the image to make it larger)

Chad Thomas

Although these Valentines aren't really book related, I couldn't help but share them! These Downton Abbey Valentine's Day cards designed by Chad Thomas are funny and spot on! Any fan of the show will definitely crack a smile when they see them!

What do you guys think of these Valentines? Do you have any particular favourites? Have you seen any more bookish Valentines online? If yes, please share the link with me :)

In My Mailbox: February 12th, 2012

2012-02-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Here is my IMM posting for this week! Hope you enjoy it! For those of you who don't already know... In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers share the books they have received during the past week!

Movie Review: The Vow...Definitely not the next Notebook

2012-02-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

When my roommate and I decided to go to the theatre last night to watch The Vow, we had no idea what a journey of epic proportions it would become! After going to two different movie theatres where it was completely sold out, we ended up buying tickets for the late show and killing a couple of hours eating appetizers at Milestones. In order to try and beat the rush, we then went back to the theatre an hour early, only to be left with seats in the front row. An hour early! We couldn't believe how crazy the theatre was! So before I begin my actual review of The Vow, here is a word of warning if you plan on going this weekend...buy your tickets ahead of time and get there ASAP if you want good seats! Moving on...

For those of you hoping that The Vow would be the next Notebook, you are bound to be severely disappointed. While the film was cute and enjoyable, the love story wasn't all that exceptional, and the ending left viewers longing for more. Sure there were tons of moments where Channing Tatum's character did something cute and romantic that left all the girls in the audience sighing and turning to their boyfriends to say "why don't you do something like that!" but overall the movie was missing some of the magic that ultimately made The Notebook so special to female audiences across the world.

Most of the time throughout the movie I found myself feeling sorry for Channing's character and wanting to hit Rachel McAdams across the head! While I can't even begin to understand how confusing it must be for someone to have lost their memories, her frustration and unwillingness to open up to her (hot) husband baffled me. As The Vow progressed though I had my fingers crossed that something exciting and epic would happen to bring them back together...but I was wrong. The ending was cute, and probably the most realistic, but as a romance movie I was hoping for something a little more dramatic that would have made me leave the theatre crying my eyes out.

While my review may seem entirely negative, that isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the movie! It was cute, romantic, and left me smiling, but I think I went in with expectations that were much too high. I wasn't the only one apparently, as I heard countless girls repeating the same thing as we walked out of the theatre, "It was good but not as good as I had wanted it to be." Overall my favourite part of the entire movie? Seeing a preview for Zac Efron's new movie The Lucky Ones. I was drooling after that trailer!

Rating: 4/5

(bet you weren't expecting that after I tore the poor movie apart)

Ps. A word to the wise... Don't sit in the front row when you go to see The Vow! It really made my ro0mmate and I notice all the little imperfections in poor Channing Tatum. From now on I can't think of him without picturing how horrible his teeth look up close!

Tag! Your It!

2012-02-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

So, Jenny from Alternate Readality (an awesome blog! Go check it out!) tagged me in a blog posting where the idea is to get to know more about...well...me! I haven't done one of these before so here goes nothing! Hope you guys remotely enjoy it!

Questions from Jenny:

1. What is something you dread?
Abduction by aliens. No...seriously...Ever since I saw the movie E.T. as a child I've been absolutely terrified of aliens. Not the somewhat cute Yoda-like aliens in Star Wars... but the creepy, wrinkly, weird shaped head and big eyes kind of aliens. My friends made me watch the movie Signs with them one Halloween and I almost had a heart attack. So thank you Steven Spielberg for scarring my childhood!

2. What is your favorite food?
Hmm... tough question! This changes pretty much every week for me. My current favourite staple as a starving Grad student though is Nutella covered bananas haha! Mmmm Nutella!

3. What kind of car was your first car?
My first car was a 1998 Volkswagon blue beetle. It was already 10 years old when I got it and although I loved how cute it was, the thing was a piece of garbage. Literally. In the course of the two years that I had the car it went to the garage a total of 10 times, and had to be towed twice because of stupid mechanical breakdowns which had nothing whatsoever to do with me or my driving (at least that I know of!) I'm now in a solid relationship with a Toyota Yaris who has yet to give me any trouble (*knock on wood*).

4. Picture taker or camera hog?
Definitely taker! My friends always know they can depend on me to bring my camera with me every time we go out on some adventure together! You should just see the amount of albums I have on Facebook!

5. Do you have any pets?
No :( I wish!!! I'm dying for a pet of my own! Heck, even a fish would make me happy! Unfortunately, however, my brother and dad are both allergic to animals. Once I get a house of my own though you can guarantee that I will be getting a cat within the first month! Until then I get all the pet loving I need from my boyfriend's house, which is home to two cats, a dog, and a lizard.

6. What would you do if you got to meet your movie star crush?
Hmm... to be honest? Probably nothing! I'm much too shy to go up to anyone famous to ask for a picture or an autograph. My dad has met a bunch of famous people through his old job including Don Cheadle, Guy Pierce, and Mark Walberg and even got to each lunch with some of them on the set of their movies. He's a much more outgoing and social guy them me haha!

7. What would you do if you met your literary crush?
Probably admit myself to a psych ward considering Jane Austen has been dead for a long, long time! If I went back in some kind of time machine though and got to meet her that way I'd hope to just spend the day drinking tea, walking around the gardens and gossiping with her!

8. Socks on or off when you sleep?
Hahaha! Interesting question! Until recently I always slept with my socks on, but in the house I'm currently renting my room is so warm that I have to take them off!

9. What book(s) have you been mad enough to throw across the room?
Hmmm... The ending of Mockingjay made me want to throw it across the room for a couple of months. I'm finally over my frustration now though after thinking about the author's motivations for doing what she did. I still wish she had made the relationship between Peeta and Katniss in the third book a little bit better though (see my review of Mockingjay for further details).

10. What book(s) have you hugged to your chest in love?
Oh so many! Most recently though The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, A Million Suns, and Born Wicked.

11. What was the name of a childhood stuffed animal?
I never really had a favourite stuffed animal as a child. I do have two stuffed animals that I got when I was older though (like 15) that still sit in my room back at home. One is a frog named Kermit (duh!) and the other is a bear named Tangerine because he is the brightest and most violent shade of orange ever!

Waiting on Wednesday: Illuminate

2012-02-08T10:28:00.000-08:00

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew.

I'm not going to lie...The first thing that drew me to this book was its gorgeous cover. I love the lettering and the fact that it looks like it's actually illuminated. The shadow of wings against the wall is also a bit of a hint at what I think we can perhaps expect from the rest of this series (some kind of angel plot worked in!). While the synopsis of the story has me curious about where exactly this story will go, I think it could be one of those books where it is either really good or just average. Some of the plot seems pretty obvious to me right now...I mean her love interest's name is Lucian! Maybe it's just me but the name Lucian reminds me a lot of Lucifer! And the fact that her friend's name is Dante? As in Dante's Inferno? But then again the author could throw me through a complete loop and I could be totally wrong (which makes me even more curious to read the actual book). What do you guys think? Does Illuminate sound good to you? Guess we'll have to wait and find out what happens when it hits store shelves March 6th!

My New Obsession With Downton Abbey

2012-02-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

As much as I love books, I have to admit that I'm a bit of a TV junkie. I love the anticipation that builds up each week as you wait for the next episode of your favourite show! It's almost like TV episodes are individual chapters of a book that keep you hanging on. Unlike a book, which I will tear through in a day if I'm given the chance, TV forces me to pace myself and enjoy the drama a bit longer. While I'll shamefully admit that I'm currently addicted to such shows as The Bachelor, Vampire Diaries, and New Girl...a new series snuck up on me a couple of weeks ago and has since taken over my daily hour of TV time that I set aside for myself. That's right folks...I started watching Downton Abbey!

For those of you still blissfully unaware of Downton Abbey and its pure awesomeness, here is a brief rundown of what it is about... The series focuses on the Earl and Countess of Grantham, their three daughters, and the numerous servants who keep their home running (aka Downton Abbey). The first season centers on the family's struggle to find an heir for Downton Abbey, as none of their daughters are able to inherit their wealth or money. When the heir is finally located, a distant cousin named Matthew who practices law, the family has high hopes that he will marry their eldest daughter Mary. Mary, however, is a bit of a free spirit, and does everything she can to resist the match hoped for by her parents. Throughout the show, the threat of World War 1 looms in the background, affecting both the family and their servants alike. It's almost like the show is a soap opera set in the late Victorian Era!

So what is it about Downton Abbey that has me so obsessed? For one thing, it is a brilliant piece of storytelling! Every episode has its own source of excitement, and the lives of the various characters and the trouble they get up to will keep viewers hanging on at the end of each show! Whenever I turn on an episode of Downton Abbey before I go to bed I have to force myself not to finish the entire series in one night! It is just that addicting! One girl in my class actually watched the first two seasons over the course of a weekend because of all the cliffhangers!

Another thing that makes Downton Abbey so fabulous is the actors themselves. Although I've never heard of half of the people in the show, their acting is so amazing that they really do make the characters come to life! Between the villainous footman Will and the loyal butler Mr. Carson, I really feel like they are actual people whose lives we just happen to be catching a glimpse of. And of course, there is also the fact that Maggie Smith (Prof. Mcgonagall from Harry Potter) plays the role of the Dowager Countess of Downton Abbey. She completely embraces the stuffy and stuck up nature of her character, a role which earned her an Emmy last year for best supporting Actress!

So would I suggest watching Downton Abbey? YES! If you are a fan of BBC, Austen, soap operas, or any other kind of romantic drama, you will soon become a Downton Abbey addict like myself. While I haven't finished Season 2 yet (halfway there but trying to make the anticipation last as long as possible), I'm already dreading the time that I'll have to wait until Season 3 starts in September. How will I get by without my daily dose of Downton? Think Downton Abbey sounds like something you might like to give a try? Check out the Season 1 preview commercial below!

Book Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

2012-02-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Before I started reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, a couple of my blogging friends (Chels and a Book and Ikhlas) warned me that it was weird...but in a good way! I think those words are the perfect way to describe my reaction to this book. Between Mara's hallucinations and her struggle to maintain sanity, I sometimes felt like I myself was going a bit crazy at points, but the story was so gripping that I just couldn't put it down! I loved the fact that as the reader even I wasn't sure whether or not Mara was actually mentally unstable, or if her hallucinations were real. Although the final explanation of what was happening to Mara at the end of the novel wasn't what I was expecting, it certainly put me on the edge of my seat to find out what will happen next in the series. Unfortunately that's about all that I can say about the weirdness of the story without giving any spoilers away!

While I loved Michelle Hodkin's writing style, which was full of suspense, the one thing about this novel that I found difficult to fully accept was Noah's character. Sure he has the whole bad boy hotness going for him, but his whole tough reputation thing was a bit overplayed. There was also the fact that he was randomly British, which just seemed to push his character over the edge even more. While in most novels I generally like British accents or the bad boy who turns good, this combination just seemed like too much British bad boy oozing too much goodness for one story.

Despite my unresolved conflict with Noah, I still LOVED this book. It was both thrilling and suspenseful! The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer literally had me reading all day! During those rare occasions where I wasn't reading Mara Dyer, my hands were itching to pick it back up and start reading again! I'm really looking forward to the sequel, although I have no idea what direction Michelle Hodkin could possibly be thinking of taking this story next. Whatever happens though, if it's anything as good as The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer I'm sure that I'll love it!

Rating: A- (4 stars)

Recommended to:

Fans of Suspense (or those who like reading about British bad boys!)

"I've Uploaded This Hug, I Hope She Gets It"

2012-01-31T12:48:00.000-08:00

My friend and I came across this amazing video a couple of weeks ago and I loved it so much that I thought I should share it with you guys here on my blog. It showcases a beat poet named Marshall Soulful Jones talking about how the world of technology has changed the way we interact with people. Not a fan of beat poetry? You still need to watch it! His words ring so true I was blown away!

After watching this video I sat and thought about how much time I spend online or using my cellphone rather than actually interacting with the world around me. If people are this bad right now I can only imagine how disconnected we are going to be from one another in the future! Maybe Marshall Soulful Jones is right...maybe in the future we'll upload hugs to each other rather than actually giving them out. What do you guys think of this video? Enough computer time for me today! I'm off to go interact with some people face to face!

Book Fetish: Volume 3

2012-01-29T12:59:00.000-08:00

Time for another round of amazing bookish gifts for people who love to read! As you'll probably notice, the majority of the items that I'm posting about have been coming from Etsy, and today is no exception! I'm starting to wonder if I should rename this meme Etsy Finds (or something like that)! Anyways, without further ado, here are the items that I'm drooling over this week!

Book Purse

How gorgeous is this book purse!?!? Although I feel somewhat sorry for the actual book it was made out of (assuming that they had to rip out all of the pages to make this). Nevertheless, I think this purse from NovelCreations is super cute! Other book purses include Alice in Wonderland, Dracula, and The Chronicles of Narnia. At $45.00, they are pretty much the same price that one would spend on a regular purse, but these have the added bonus of being unique!

Book Birdhouse

I LOVE birdhouses. My dad and I use to make one together every summer. So, when I stumbled across this book birdhouse I got pretty excited! Repagination takes old classic books and uses the cover as a roof, and pages from the text to decorate the sides. Although this isn't something I would necessarily spend $35.00 on (as I would be scared it would get ruined pretty quickly from bad weather), I think I might try to make one myself once the weather gets warmer!

Save The Date Bookmarks

While I'm not getting married anytime soon (that usually requires getting engaged first right?), when I do these Save The Date bookmarks will definitely be on my list of things to get! As the majority of the people in my family are readers it would be perfect! Plus, I think it would be kind of unique to give out a bookmark compared to a simple note in the mail! Thoughts?

ARC Review: The Fine Art of Truth or Dare

2012-01-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

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

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Ever since I first saw the cover of this book back in the fall I have been absolutely itching to get my hands on a copy. A book about a girl who loves art and falls in love with a handsome guy at school? Sold! You could imagine my excitement then when I won a free ARC copy from a contest the author, Melissa Jensen, was having on her twitter account! There was definitely a lot of excited squealing involved! When it came to actually reading this book, however, I was slightly disappointed.....

Now I should start off by clarifying the fact that just because I was disappointed doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy The Fine Art of Truth or Dare! It was a really cute story, but it just wasn't as good as my expectations had built it up to be. I think this was partly due to the fact that it was compared to Anna and the French Kiss on Goodreads. While the concept was somewhat similar to Anna, I found Jensen's writing style and execution to be more like Meg Cabot than Stephanie Perkins (in a good way!). Like Meg Cabot, Jensen's writing keeps things nice and light, with plenty of humorous pop culture references to keep readers amused.

Where I ultimately found myself disappointed was the way the romance plot unfolded. Although Ella and Alex were interesting characters, I didn't feel the sparks flying between them like I did for Anna and St. Clair, or Lola and Cricket in Perkins' novels. Even putting the Anna and the French Kiss comparison aside, the romance plot just didn't have the drama or excitement that I was looking forward to. It seemed like Alex just fell for Ella way too easily, and the courtship period didn't last as long as it should have.

Strangely enough I found myself more drawn towards the story of two of the minor characters in the book, Frankie (Ella's gay best friend) and his twin brother (a bad boy with what seems like a heart of gold). If anything I would LOVE to see Jensen write a spin off story about these two brothers. Their personalities and back story had me intrigued the whole time I was reading, and I kept wanting to find out why Frankie hated talking about his twin with his friends (an answer I never got in this novel).

Overall, The Fine Art of Truth or Dare was cute, and certainly enjoyable, but it was missing a certain something that could have made it great. While I may have personally been disappointed, I definitely think it is still a book worth checking out, especially when you are looking for something light and fun to read. My fingers are crossed that Jensen will write about Frankie next... a novel that I would certainly love to read!

Recommended to: Fans of Meg Cabot

Rating: B -

Waiting on Wednesday: Grave Mercy

2012-01-18T05:44:00.000-08:00

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

For some reason I've really been drawn to books about girls who are involved with gods of death lately (like Croak and Undeadly which were my WOW choices a couple of weeks ago). Am I being morbid? Or do you guys find yourselves being drawn to these kinds of stories too? Anyways, this one sounds like it could be really fascinating if it is well written! Apparently it is going to be a series so I'm interested to see what direction the author might be taking. An added bonus is that the cover is gorgeous! I love the colours they used in it! Grave Mercy is set to hit shelves on April 3rd, so keep your eyes peeled! I'll definitely being looking forward to reading some blogger reviews on this one!

ARC Review: The Disenchantments

2012-01-16T07:06:00.000-08:00

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

Morris Award—finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

(To be released: February 16th, 2012)

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour was a nice surprise that I wasn't expecting! When I received a copy for review from Razorbill I initially put it aside after reading the synopsis, thinking that it probably wasn't something that I was going to enjoy. Boy was I wrong! The Disenchantments was a heartfelt and emotional read that explored the difficulties of dealing with your family, leaving your friends behind, and ultimately growing up.

When Colby discovers that Bev, his childhood best friend who he is secretly in love with, has abandoned their plan to skip college and tour Europe for a year he is faced with a million questions. Why would Bev leave him behind? And most importantly, what should he do with his life now? As Colby, Bev, and their band travel around the Pacific doing shows, the group discovers that growing up is probably one of the hardest things they will ever have to do.

While I didn't experience anywhere near the amount of problems faced by the characters in this novel when I was their age, the difficulty of growing up was the one thing I could definitely relate to. Everything the characters were feeling about leaving their childhoods behind were emotions that I myself went through when I graduated from high school. Heck, I even get some of those emotions now as I find myself coming to the end of my university career! The emotions that Colby was feeling were so deep that I even found myself getting teary eyed from time to time, especially at the end of the book! I had become so attached to Colby's narration that I found it hard to let him go, which just goes to show what an amazing job Nina LaCour did with the writing of this story!

While I really connected to The Disenchantments on an emotional level, that isn't to say that this book was absolutely perfect. I'm sure some readers might become annoyed by Bev and her cat and mouse game that she plays with Colby, but I think the overall message of the story will overshadow this slight irritation. Overall, The Disenchantments really is the perfect road trip story! The cast of characters that Colby and his friends meet along the way will humour and delight you, especially Melvin and Jasper! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is currently graduating from high school, or for those who have ever felt some twinge of nostalgia for their teenage years.

4.5 Stars

(PS. Just thinking about this book while I write this review has made me teary eyed again. I told you it made me emotional!!!)

In My Mailbox: January 15th

2012-01-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

Here is my latest video edition of In My Mailbox! Hope you enjoy it! :)

Book Fetish: Volume 2

2012-01-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

It's time for another round of bookish things that I am currently drooling over! If you're as involved in the book world as I am then you may have already seen these items before (for which I apologize). Otherwise I hope you find them as fascinating and covet worthy as I have!

Out of Print Clothing - Book Shirts!
As soon as I stumbled across this website I was officially in love! Outofprintclothing.com sells t-shirts, tote bags, coasters, and journals all based on the covers of some of the world's most classic books! Some of the t-shirts, like this Wuthering Heights one ($28.00), are definitely going on my birthday wish list!

Dumbledore Light Switch Cover
I love quotes, especially quotes that come from some of my favourite books! You can probably imagine my excitement then when I found this classic quote from Dumbledore imprinted on a light switch cover from Etsy! "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light." The designer also allows buyers to select the colour of the cover using a Bertie Botts colour guide! For only $9.99 this could be the perfect gift for the Harry Potter fan on your list!

Chapter Quote Infinity Scarf
This scarf has been floating around twitter and tumblr a lot lately so I'm sure many of you have already seen it. Since I am MADLY in love with it though I just had to share it anyways! Available on Etsy, this silk scarf can come with one of the chapters from your favourite book printed on it! My personal favourite is the Chapter 60 scarf from Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. I'm on the waiting list for this scarf so hopefully I'll be showing it off to you all soon in one of my IMM vlog videos!

Book Review: Wishful Drinking

2012-01-11T12:08:00.000-08:00

Intimate, hilarious, and sobering, Wishful Drinking is Fisher, looking at her life as she best remembers it (what do you expect after electroshock therapy?). It's an incredible tale: the child of Hollywood royalty -- Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher -- homewrecked by Elizabeth Taylor, marrying (then divorcing, then dating) Paul Simon, having her likeness merchandized on everything from Princess Leia shampoo to PEZ dispensers, learning the father of her daughter forgot to tell her he was gay, and ultimately waking up one morning and finding a friend dead beside her in bed.

Here is a random fact about myself: I am a nerd. Not only am I a nerd, I am a Star Wars obsessed, fan expo attending super nerd, who let's out a squeal of excitement every time she comes across any kind of jedi or wookie related merchandise. I even have a statue of C3P0 in my bedroom and a collectible Admiral Ackbar mighty mug sitting on my shelf. With that confession out of the way, I'm sure you can see how it was only natural for me to feel the need to pick up Carrie Fisher's memoir Wishful Drinking and give it a read!

Now, you would probably think that reading about Carrie Fisher's struggle with alcoholism and depression would make for a rather bleak and cheerless book, but it was quite the opposite! Wishful Drinking was both fascinating and laugh out loud funny! Between the tale of her parents' divorce to her thoughts on what it was like to be a sex symbol for nerds everywhere, I found it difficult to put this book down! The outrageous stories that she shares with her readers will only have them begging for more!

In fact, my only complaint about this memoir is probably that it was far too short! At only 176 pages Wishful Drinking can easily be consumed by even the slowest of readers in about a night! I'm sure Carrie has more stories that she could have shared in her memoir, but for some reason chose not to. I was especially disappointed that only a couple of pages were actually dedicated to the filming of Star Wars. Although she references Princess Leia throughout her writing, I would have enjoyed hearing more about what it was like working with the other actors and being on set.

Putting my disappointment aside, Wishful Drinking is a captivating read that will especially interest anyone with a love of Star Wars. I think those who have no idea of Carrie Fisher's background or life growing up will particularly be surprised and amazed! As I already knew about the details behind her parents and their divorce I wasn't as shocked as I think other readers might be for that particular chapter. Nevertheless, I'm definitely looking forward to any other writing that Carrie Fisher might produce in the future to come!

Rating: 3 Stars

The Fault in Our Stars is Here!!

2012-01-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

That's right everyone! John Green's newest release, The Fault in Our Stars, is on bookshelves now! So what are you doing still sitting here in front of your computer? Get up and go to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy now!!! The story revolves around Hazel, a young girl who is diagnosed with cancer at the age of 12. Now 16, Hazel has miraculously lived longer than any of her doctors possibly imagined. When Hazel is matched with the drop dead gorgeous Augustus at a cancer kid support group the two hit it off and begin to redefine what it means to live and die.

Sadly my pre-ordered copy of The Fault in Our Stars has yet to arrive in my mailbox (I thought that was the whole point of pre-orders?). As I wallowed in my self pity this afternoon I stumbled across John's newest vlog video where he answers questions about The Fault in Our Stars for poor readers like myself who are still waiting for their books. As always John's video is hilarious and frantic, and was a great source of consolation! I've included it below so check it out if you are interested!

Book Review: Frostbite

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

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks… This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…

Rose Hathaway is back and ready to kick some serious ass! Frostbite, the second book in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead, completely swept me off my feet and captured my attention from page one! With the number of Strigoi attacks increasing, the students of St. Vlads are sent to a luxurious ski resort to spend the Christmas break with their families. While one would think that such a remote location would keep Rose and her friends out of trouble, the danger and drama only increases! Without giving any spoilers away I can honestly say that the last few chapters will definitely have readers on the edge of their seats and scrambling to get their hands on the next book!

Besides an amazing plot, one of the reasons I loved Frostbite was the fact that it allowed readers to see Rose grow and mature some more. It seems that with each book she leaves a bit of her impulsive attitude behind and becomes more reflective and wise. For example, while her interactions with her mother have never been good, by the end of the novel Rose seems to come to terms with their relationship and better understand the struggles that her mother has had to go through herself. I can't wait to see what Rose's character has become by the end of the series!

Another aspect I loved about Frostbite was that it introduced some intriguing new characters! Tasha, Christian's aunt, is especially badass, although she creates some interesting conflict between Rose and Dimitri. I really hope we'll get to see her some more though throughout the rest of the series! And then there is Adrian, one of the Moroi royalty who just happens to start a flirtation with Rose. I absolutely LOVED his character and all of sarcasm that he brings. I can definitely see a potential love triangle occurring at some point because of him, although I think it's obvious to everyone that Rose and Dimitri belong together.

The only criticism I have about Frostbite was the fact that the first few chapters focused a lot on explaining the events that had occurred in the previous book. Although I can understand its importance for someone who might need reminding, for someone like myself who is reading the books in close succession to one another I found the repetition somewhat boring. Luckily this passed quickly and I was soon launched into the excitement and new surprises of the second book.

Overall, Frostbite was a thrilling and gripping read that kept me on the edge of my seat! It was the perfect follow up book to Vampire Academy, and I'm already dying to start reading the next instalment! If you haven't already read the first book in this series you need to get started on it now! It's simply amazing (and that means a lot coming from someone who usually hates books about vampires)!

Rating: 4 Stars

Kindle Users Get Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side for Free!

2012-01-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

Do you have a Kindle? Looking for a great new book to read? Then today is your lucky day! Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey is currently free to download on the Amazon website for Kindle users! Just click here to get to the page and let the reading begin! Although I personally haven't had a chance to read this series yet I have read TONS of reviews from other bloggers who have all loved it! The story revolves around a high school girl named Jessica who discovers that she is a Romanian vampire princess by birth when a hot new exchange named Lucius shows up at her school. Jessica is then faced with the challenge of stopping a global vampire war, saving Lucius' soul from damnation, and getting rid of her biggest rival, all while learning how to become the perfect vampire princess.

Have you read Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side before? If yes, did you like it? For those of you who haven't yet read the book, do you plan on downloading it?

Waiting on Wednesday: Chosen Ones

2012-01-04T06:25:00.000-08:00

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Based on the synopsis of this book I think it could either be really enjoyable or utterly terrible. I'm hoping that it will fall more within the enjoyable category! I love dystopian novels, but their sudden popularity has given rise to a lot of story lines that aren't as developed as they could be. In any case, I love the cover of Chosen Ones, and it's little catch phrase "Love can't be engineered." I'll definitely be on the lookout for reviews online to see what lucky readers with ARC copies think of it! Chosen Ones is set to be published in April 2012.

Book Fetish: Volume 1

2012-01-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

As a book addict I find myself drawn towards any kind of item that is bookish in nature. Whether it is a unique set of book ends or a perfume based on the characters from one of my favourite novels, I just can't help but drool over them all! I recently came across a post on Bookriot.com called "Book Fetish: Bookish things for those with a fetish for books!" I fell so in love with it I decided to start my own regular book fetish postings in order to display some of the amazing book related things I happen to stumble upon online. So without further ado, here is my first ever volume of Book Festish! Enjoy :)

1. BookBook for iPhone

Hold. The. Phone. There is a book shaped phone holder that doubles as a wallet!? This bookish creation may be the one reason I break down and actually buy and iPhone! Available through Firebox for $49.99.

2. Typewriter Earrings

I'm in LOVE with all things Austen, so there is no way I could resist these earrings when I found them on Etsy.com! The designer also has typewriter earrings for Alice in Wonderland, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, Gone With the Wind, amongst many others! The best part? They are only $16.00! Totally affordable!

3. Book Tent

I am head over heels in love with this book tent from Fieldcandy.com! At $900.00 though it is WAY out of budget for me! I couldn't help but share it with you guys though because it is just soo cool! Maybe one day when I win the lottery I'll have be able to go camping in my very own book tent!

In My Mailbox: Christmas Edition!

2012-01-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

So this morning I did my first ever video blog posting! Since this is my first video, it's a little bit rough, but I hope you like it! It ended up being 8 minutes long due to the fact that I just had SO many books to talk about! So anyone who manages to stick around to watch the entire thing is an angel! Do you guys think I should do more video postings or just go back to writing? Your honest opinions would be greatly appreciated! :)

The Sudden Popularity of Graphic Novels

2011-12-30T07:26:00.000-08:00

During my recent internet browsing, and my past couple of visits to Chapters, I have noticed something that I find somewhat curious and interesting. Apparently turning works of fiction into graphic novels is becoming somewhat of a norm! Over the past year or so more and more adaptations of books as graphic novels have been hitting the shelves, such as Fahrenheit 451, Twilight, City of Bones, and Macbeth. Most recently it was announced that The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo would be coming out as a graphic novel sometime in 2012! While I'm by no means complaining about this recent phenomenon (I love graphic novels), I'm kind of curious about why publishers are suddenly turning these popular books into graphic novels?

Perhaps one of the main motivations is to target books that already have a fairly large fan base in order to make a larger profit. I could certainly see this being the case with novels like Twilight, City of Bones, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo based on how popular these books have become. Other, less known books, however, have also been adapted into graphic novels, like Wicked Lovely. Although I'm sure the Wicked Lovely series is popular within it's own circle of fans, it by no means has the amount of followers as other YA books like Twilight.

Maybe another reason why adaptations of books into graphic novels has become so popular is in order to make it easier for readers to understand works of fiction that may be more difficult to comprehend. This could certainly be the case for books like Fahrenheit 451, Macbeth, and Crime and Punishment, which I'm sure many students and adults alike have had trouble fully absorbing and understanding. By having these books adapted into graphic novels, the visual cues could make it much easier for readers to follow along. For this reason I think graphic novels are a great tool for encouraging reading, and helping students better comprehend some of the more difficult concepts within certain novels.

Whether or not this recent phenomenon is due to the large following of some books, or making difficult works of fiction more accessible, these adaptations into graphic novels have proved that they have worth through the many awards they have received, and their own level of popularity. For example, the graphic novel adaptation of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series was chosen by readers themselves to win the 2011 Goodreads Choice award for Best Graphic Novel. The fact that many people appear to be reading and enjoying these adaptations proves that there is definitely a growing demand for these particular graphic novels.

What do you guys think about this growing trend of turning works of fiction into graphic novels? Have you read any of these adaptations? Is there a particular book you would be interested in reading as a graphic novel?

Waiting On Wednesday: The Fault In Our Stars

2011-12-28T07:38:00.000-08:00

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Prepare to be shocked... I have never read a single book by John Green. I know! It really is quite horrifying! I'm prepared to fix this situation, however, by starting with his upcoming book The Fault In Our Stars. I already have it pre-ordered and everything! This book sounds absolutely touching, and I'm sure I'll burst into tears at some point while reading. I first heard about it when I stumbled across a vlog done by John on youtube. He is hilarious and I've included the video below for you to check out as well (I'm now shamelessy subscribed to his channel!). Thankfully the book is coming out January 12th, so I won't have very long to wait! After I finish this one, hopefully I will move on to his other award winning novels like Looking For Alaska!

The Year In Books

2011-12-27T09:31:00.000-08:00

Well in a couple of days 2011 will officially be over! Sitting at home reflecting on all of the reading I have done over the past 12 months, I would have to say this was a pretty amazing year for books! To help wrap up 2011 I decided to participate in Inkcrush's Faves of TwentyEleven Book Awards! As a result, here are some of my favourite books that I have read over the past year...

Favourite Book Read in 2011:
An extremely tough decision!! I think I'm going to go with The Hunger Games though (despite what an obvious choice it is). The Hunger Games caught me completely off guard and I loved every second of it! I can't believe I initially turned my nose up at it because I thought the cover looked weird. I definitely learned my lesson that being a cover snob can really prevent you from reading great books!

Delicious Rainy Day Comfort Read: Vampire Academy
I actually did curl up in my bed with Vampire Academy on a rainy day while away at school! It definitely helped me forget about the fact that I was trapped at home instead of out having fun with my friends! It's such an amazing book it would make a good read on any day whether it's raining or not!

Adrenaline-Fueled, Unputdownable Book: Divergent
Reading Divergent was like being on a sugar high... I could not but it down!! As soon as I finished it I was already pacing the floors waiting for the sequel to come out! Plus, all of the action involved with belonging to Dauntless really pumps up your adrenaline!

I So Want To Go There Award: Austenland
Ever since I read Pride and Prejudice I have dreamed of visiting the world of Jane Austen. Shannon Hale's book Austenland made that dream seem like it was actually within my grasp! Who wouldn't want to spend a week at an Austen inspired vacation resort where you can be swept off your feet by a Mr. Darcy-esque gentleman?!

Most Beautiful Prose Award: The Dovekeepers
Alice Hoffman's writing in The Dovekeepers was absolutely beautiful! The imagery and style simply took my breath away! I can't help feel a strong fondness for this book because of the magic that I felt while reading it! Definitely one of the best written books of 2011!

I Had No Idea I Would Love This Award: Anna and the French Kiss
When I read all of the 5 star reviews of this book I couldn't help but be skeptical. Based on the summary I had read, Anna and the French Kiss didn't sound like anything special. Boy was I wrong! I absolutely devoured this book! It was amazing from page one until the very end! Stephanie Perkins is now one of my favourite authors of all time!

Best Series: The Summer I Turned Pretty
If there was a best beach read award this book would get it! Instead, I'm awarding it with the best series award for 2011! Reading about Belly, Conrad, and Jeremy was one of my book highlights of the summer! I could not get enough of this series! It was cute, funny, and emotional rolled up all into one!

Would Make A Great Movie: White Cat
With all of the recent announcements about various books becoming movies, I'm shocked that the rights to White Cat haven't been snatched up yet! The story of Cassel and his shady family of curse workers would make an amazing movie! Plus, I really just want to see Cassel himself on the big screen....

Best Love Triangle: Clockwork Prince
The intricate relationship between Will, Jem, and Tessa becomes all the more complicated in the second book of the Infernal Devices series! I don't want to spoil the book for those who haven't read it yet, but let's just say the recent development in the love plot caused me some emotional turmoil! As a side note...Will Herondale also wins the best literary crush of 2011 in my opinion!

Best Plot Twist: Across the Universe
While I was able to figure out some of the main things that would happen in this book, I definitely did not see the plot twist at the end coming! It was so well executed that I think I actually gasped out loud!

Most Hilarious Scene: Clockwork Angel
Clockwork Angel wins not so much most hilarious scene as funniest quote: "You know," Gabriel said, "there was a time I thought we could be friends Will." "There was a time I thought I was a ferret," Will said, "but that turned out to be the opium haze. Did you know it had that effect? Because I didn't."

Favourite Cover: Wither
Out of all of the covers that I fell in love with over 2011 (and trust me... that as a lot!), my all time favourite has to be Wither! The colours and imagery just work so perfectly together!

So what were some of your favourite books from 2011? Do you agree/disagree with any of my choices?

Book Review: Legend

2011-12-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

I woke up yesterday morning to rain. That's right folks! It's less than a week away from Christmas and no snow in sight! Despite the depressing lack of snow, it was the perfect day to stay inside curled up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book. So what did I do? Cracked open Legend by Marie Lu of course! Legend was a fast paced and gripping story that I found almost impossible to put down! I literally started it in the morning and had it finished by midnight last night. Here are some of the things that made Legend so amazing....

The Mystery
While Legend isn't quite a mystery novel, I loved how the plot contained several puzzle pieces that June had to put together in order to hunt down Day and discover the truth about some of the Republic's hidden secrets. As a result, it sometimes felt a bit like a detective story, although the clues somewhat fall into June's lap out of convenience. Despite the mystery aspects of Legend, I found the plot somewhat predictable at times, but this didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

The Characters are Kickass
I loved the fact that both June and Day were able to kick some serious ass in this novel. It was sometimes hard to imagine that these characters are only 15 years old due to their perception and skills in combat, but I suppose that's what comes from being a child prodigy! One of the things I liked most about June was that her character showed how women can be just as powerful and intelligent as any man. My favourite aspect about Day, on the other hand, was his concern for his family and fellow man. He almost has this Aladdin/Robin Hood like quality about him as he leaps from rooftops and sneaks into buildings with agility and ease.

The Narration
I loved the narration style that Marie Lu chose for Legend! Told through alternating viewpoints, readers are able to get inside of the heads of both June and Day. I love novels that use alternating viewpoints because this narration style really allows you to get to know the actions, thought processes, and feelings of the main characters. As a result, alternating viewpoints really allow for more complex character development. I especially loved how the publishers of Legend decided to print Day's narration in a different font type and colour in order to help differentiate his story from June's!

While reading Legend, the only thing that really bugged me about the book was the age of the characters. Although I understand that the author made them 15 in order to better demonstrate how intelligent they are compared to the rest of the population, both Day and June seemed like they should have been a little bit older. I couldn't stop myself from imagining them as 18 in my mind. *Spoiler Alert* Their sudden love for one another also felt a bit rushed near the end, and the language used to describe June's attraction for Day seemed a little too mature for a 15 year old....but then again that could just be me...*End Spoiler Alert* Nevertheless, I definitely think that anyone who picks up this book will instantly enjoy it! I'm already counting down the days until I can get my hands on the sequel!

Rating: 4 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday: Croak

2011-12-21T07:46:00.000-08:00

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.

Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her Targets like a natural born Killer.

Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?

Grim Reapers? SWEET! Although this book seems somewhat dark (at least compared to the usual books that I read) it sounds like it will be fantastic! Croak isn't set to hit the shelves until March 2012, but I think it will be worth the wait! Hopefully some reviews for this book will start popping up in the blogsphere soon so that I can see if it's really as good as it seems! Have you seen any reviews up for Croak yet?

Arc Review: A Million Suns

2011-12-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Fans of Across the Universe are going to go absolutely crazy when they get their hands on a copy of A Million Suns in January! The novel starts off a couple of months after the crew of Godspeed has been taken off of Phydus, and chaos is beginning to take over the ship. With those who were once closest to Elder now questioning his ability to act as a leader, a revolution is threatening to tear apart Godspeed's population. To top it all off, amidst this confusion Amy is sent on a wild scavenger hunt in order to reveal a hidden secret about the ship. Needless to say, all of these events rolled up into one book make for a very exciting and thrilling read!

What I loved most about A Million Suns is that Beth Revis continues to supply her readers with a number of surprises and revelations that I never saw coming as a reader. Just when I thought I had the whole story figured out "BAM!" she throws something at me I didn't expect at all. These twists and turns really kept me on my toes and made the whole reading experience all the more exciting!

Another aspect that I enjoyed about A Million Suns was the continued narration through the alternating points of view of both Elder and Amy. This style of writing really allows the readers to get a better sense of the individual thought processes of the two main characters, especially during the several times they disagree in this novel. It also really helps to make the reader become more emotionally involved with Amy and Elder, and sympathize with their feelings during all of the chaos on board the ship.

Indeed, my level of emotional involvement with this book often resulted in me feeling anxious and tense while I was reading. At one point while I was reading my distress must have been visible on my face because my brother happened to be walking by and remarked, "What's wrong? You look really concerned about something." While on the one hand my feelings of anxiety can be attributed to Revis' amazing writing, I don't always like to feel this tense when reading a book. Although I knew in my head that I should just relax and enjoy the book, I couldn't help but be somewhat antsy. I guess what I'm trying to say is that while Revis' ability to get me so emotionally involved in the story can be a positive aspect for some readers, it could also be a negative for others.

Nevertheless, despite my anxiety while reading, I really did enjoy A Million Suns! It was fabulous! I would have read the entire novel in one sitting if I had been given the chance! The ending has me eagerly anticipating the final novel in the series to see what happens next. Those who loved the first novel will fall head over heels in love with this one! If you haven't yet read Across the Universe get started now!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

The "Hey Girl" Phenomenon

2011-12-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

If you use the Internet to procrastinate as much as I do (which is quite a lot), then you may have stumbled across a surprising new obsession with Ryan Gosling appearing across the blogsphere. This phenomenon includes fans taking random pictures of Ryan Gosling and adding text that starts with the phrase "Hey Girl." From what I can tell, this obsession first started on a tumblr page called Fuck Yeah! Ryan Gosling. Since then, the "Hey Girl" phrase has exploded to include sites dedicated to Feminist theory, Typography, Publishing, Libraries, and most recently... YA books! That's right fellow YA lovers, you can now get a daily dose of Mr. Gosling talking about some of your favourite lit!

While I've never really been a huge fan of Ryan Gosling or his movies (the only thing I find overly attractive about him is that he is a Canadian and from London, the city where I'm currently going to school!), I can't help but be amused by the wit and humour demonstrated in these various postings. The Library tumblr page has to be my personal favourite, but that's probably because I understand a lot of the inside jokes a lot better than the average user. The recent development of the YA Hey Girl page, however, has also caught my interest, and I've included a few of my favourite postings below.

So why the sudden popularity of these "Hey Girl" sites? Perhaps it's because some people would actually like to imagine that Ryan Gosling is looking deep into their eyes as he talks about gender issues or their favourite book. I also think part of the popularity can be found in the fact that many of these sites focus on a particular profession like publishing or libraries. For example, I'm sure the majority of the people following the "Hey Girl" meme on libraries just so happen to be librarians (or librarians in training!). Nevertheless, it seems like the rising popularity of "Hey Girl," and Ryan Gosling in general, is here to stay... at least for the time being!

So while I find the whole "Hey Girl" phenomenon somewhat strange and amusing, I can't help but wonder how others feel about this rising trend. Do you guys think these "Hey Girl" sites are funny? Are you even a fan of Ryan Gosling? I'm really curious to see what you have to say on the subject! Please leave your thoughts in the comments below :)

Book: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Book: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Book: Hourglass and Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Book: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

In My Mailbox!: December 18th

2011-12-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

With Christmas only a week away (YAY!) I've been busy these past few days getting together with various friends and family for holiday dinners and gift exchanges. For example, on Monday, a group of my close friends got together for dinner at Milestones and Secret Santa. My friend Jackie from The Hardcover Harlequinn had picked my name, and presented me with a copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (a book I've been dying to read!) and a kickass mug with a quote from my favourite show, Castle! On Wednesday I exchanged gifts early with my boyfriend as well. A couple of the gifts he gave me included The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, the movie adaptation of Something Borrowed, and I Am Better Than Your Kids by Maddox! Obviously my boyfriend knows that books are the best way to a girls heart haha!

The cherry on top of my week, however, was a free copy of Legend by Marie Lu sent to me by Razorbill through the "Request it first for free" promotion occurring on their website! I posted about the new Razorbill website before here, but if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet then do so now! Especially if you are a Canadian because you can get ARCs for free! So basically, my to-read pile continues to grow... but I definitely can't wait to get started on them all!

Book Review: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares

2011-12-17T15:30:00.000-08:00

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Timesbestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

The best possible word to describe this book is "cute" (which is an adjective dictionary loving Dash would probably find inadequate if he was a real person). Set during the time leading up to Christmas, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares was the perfect read to get me in the holiday spirit! It was simple and light hearted, with no huge drama other than the struggle of Dash and Lily to discover whether their feelings for one another can exist outside of the notebook that they mysteriously swap back and forth between each other.

Reading about Dash and Lily's flirtations through the notebook was a unique experience for me as a reader, and one that I really enjoyed! The intimate conversations between Dash and Lily in the notebook really allowed the characters to develop and gain some depth that would have otherwise been lost in the pacing of the plot. In fact, the first half of the book before Dash and Lily met was my absolute favourite part about the entire novel! My curiosity over how they would eventually run into each other really created a lot of anticipation and eagerness on my part. Once they did meet, however, I found that my enjoyment of the book started to slowly decline. While it was still cute, I felt like the climax of the book had passed and my excitement for what would happen next had somewhat faded.

Despite the fact that the thrill of the chase was gone, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares was nevertheless a fun and humorous read. Cohn and Levithan created a cast of quirky characters that any reader can't help but fall in love with, including Dash's clueless friend Boomer. There were several times (especially near the beginning) where I actually laughed out loud (to the confusion of my mother who thought I was going crazy). While the novel was light and really relied on convenience to make things work out in the end, I found it a nice break from the stress and pressure required in reading my textbooks for school. I would definitely recommend this book to someone who is looking for something simple and fun to enjoy over the Christmas break!

3 Stars

Follow Friday

2011-12-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

When you've read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

I've only recently become addicted to purchasing book before I've read them. Before that I got about 98% of my books from the library, and as a result the only thing I did when I finished it was return it before I got hit with late fines! Now when I finish a book that I've bought, however, I hold on to it! I love looking at my bookshelf and seeing all of the gorgeous spines lined up in alphabetical order (I'm turning into a librarian already!). In order to keep my books from collecting dust though, I do loan them out to friends to read if I think that it is something they would love too. I think the picture below sums up nicely the process that I go through before lending someone a book though...I guess I'm paranoid...or maybe I just love my books too much haha! I trust my friends to take good care of my books though, especially considering the majority of them are obsessed book lovers as well!

Book Review: The Spellman Files

2011-12-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

Meet Isabel "Izzy" Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors -- but the upshot is she's good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family's firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people's privacy comes naturally to Izzy. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. Part Nancy Drew, part Dirty Harry, Izzy walks an indistinguishable line between Spellman family member and Spellman employee. Duties include: completing assignments from the bosses, aka Mom and Dad (preferably without scrutiny); appeasing her chronically perfect lawyer brother (often under duress); setting an example for her fourteen-year-old sister, Rae (who's become addicted to "recreational surveillance"). But when Izzy's parents hire Rae to follow her (for the purpose of ascertaining the identity of Izzy's new boyfriend), Izzy snaps and decides that the only way she will ever be normal is if she gets out of the family business. But there's a hitch: she must take one last job before they'll let her go -- a fifteen-year-old, ice-cold missing person case. She accepts, only to experience a disappearance far closer to home, which becomes the most important case of her life.

To say this book was entertaining would be an understatement. Lisa Lutz's The Spellman Files was a fast paced read that kept me both on the edge of my seat with anticipation and constantly laughing out loud. Sure some of the events in the novel were a little outrageous at times, but that is what made it so enjoyable! The Spellman family is so crazy they make my own dysfunctional family seem like a bunch of angels!

One of the aspects I loved most about this book was the way that the plot progressed. The majority of the novel is Izzy thinking back to the events over the past few months as she sits in an interrogation room talking to a police investigator. Through these fragments the reader gets a fairly good picture of each of the members of the Spellman family, and how they fit in to the disappearance of Izzy's sister. At times the novel almost felt like a bunch of short stories until the pieces of the puzzle finally came together in the end.

If you are the type of reader who enjoys character development over plot then this is definitely the book for you! While the novel does have a plot (of course), the main focus of The Spellman Files seems to be more on the character development rather than the events that are occurring. Each of Izzy's memories dives deep into the inner workings of both herself and those that she is close to, allowing readers to really feel as if they know the characters themselves. Despite how crazy the Spellman family is, I couldn't help but grow attached to them as the story progressed.

While I generally liked this book, there were nevertheless a few aspects that irked me at times. *Mini Spoiler Alert* One of the things I didn't like was the fact that the main romantic interest developed throughout the story falls to pieces by the end. While the readers are warned way ahead of time by Izzy that Daniel is doomed to be ex-boyfriend #9, I couldn't help but wish that the two of them would stick together. I suppose this is a more realistic portrayal of relationships though then most chick lit books. *End of Spoiler* Another thing that bugged me at times was Izzy's self-destructive personality. As a reader I just wanted to slap her in the head a couple of times and tell her to not be so stupid. Without her bad choices, however, the novel wouldn't have been as exciting and probably wouldn't have progressed very far.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time spent reading The Spellman Files, and I look forward to seeing what this crazy family gets up to next! While this is an adult book, I think it is something that teens could read and enjoy as well. I would recommend it to fans of mystery or chick lit novels like the Stephanie Plum series.

Rating: 4 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday: Dragonswood

2011-12-14T06:10:00.000-08:00

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted

Dragons? Fairies? Witches? Sign me up! Dragonswood sounds like it has the perfect combination of magic and fantasy wrapped up in one (hopefully) amazing book! And to top it off the cover is absolutely gorgeous! I didn't hear about this book until it showed up on a couple of other Waiting on Wednesday posts last week, and I was super excited to find out that I don't have to wait very long for this book to come out! It's set to be released January 5th! Yay!

Book Review: Half World

2011-12-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

Melanie Tamaki is human—but her parents aren’t. They are from Half World, a Limbo between our world and the afterlife, and her father is still there. When her mother disappears, Melanie must follow her to Half World—and neither of them may return alive.

When I was in high school I couldn't seem to get enough of manga and Japanese anime. I inhaled it. When I caught a glimpse of the cover of Hiromi Goto's YA novel, Half World, I immediately thought back to these days of flipping through the pages of countless comic books. Despite the sense of anime and manga created by the cover, I was nevertheless surprised by the cinematic feel of the text itself. Reading Half World was like watching a film by Miyazaki. In fact, the plot was somewhat similar to Spirited Away, as both stories are about a little girl trying to save her parents from the evil of a strange world. Needless to say, Goto's use of imagery and fantasy elements really fits in with the style of Japanese animation. Perhaps Miyazaki will make Half World into an anime itself one day, which would be positively amazing!

Despite the fact that I adored the cinematic and anime feel of Half World, I wasn't completely blown away by the story. Perhaps hearing that it had made the list of YASLA's 2011 best fiction for teens really made my expectations higher than they should have been. That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the story. The plot was clever and fast paced, but the characters felt a little bit flat at times and didn't get as in-depth as they could have. Perhaps adding a little more back story to Melanie and her family, however, would have made Half World feel less cinematic.

When it came to choosing a rating for this book I really struggled. While the part of me that loved the anime style of the writing wanted to give Half World 4 stars, the reader part of myself wanted to rate it at 3 stars. As a result I decided to simply give the book a rating of 3.5 in order to keep it in the middle of these conflicting numbers. Ultimately, I think anyone who reads this book will enjoy it, but I believe that those who love anime and manga will appreciate the story more. A companion book to Half World, called Darkest Light, is being released in January, and I will definitely be checking it out in order to find out what happens Melanie and Baby G next.

Rating 3.5 Stars

YA Christmas Reads

2011-12-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

Ever since I finished my last class of the semester (which was technically last night...) I've been craving to read something with some kind of wintery focus. After all, what better way to get into the Christmas spirit then by curling up with a book set during the holiday season! As a result, I did some searching online to come up with a list of potential reads for myself over Christmas break, and thought that I would share my findings with you! Take these recommendations with a grain of salt, because since I haven't read them myself I have no idea if they will actually be any good! All I did was read the synopsis and a couple of quick reviews in order to decide that each book had the potential to be a fun holiday read! Without further ado, here are the YA Christmas/winter books that I came up with!

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
“I’ve left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”
Lily leaves a notebook full of challenges on the shelf of her favourite bookstore waiting for the perfect guy to come along and accept its dares. Set during the holiday season, this is definitely the first book I plan on reading this Christmas!

Let it Snow By John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
This is a fantastic collection of short stories by some of YA's most beloved authors. Each story is set in a small town where a snowstorm on Christmas Eve causes some interesting romance to blossom. Romance? Christmas Eve? Sounds like the perfect book to curl up with by a warm fire!

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Catherine Hapka
While the plot of this book didn't initially grab me, I've read some of the books from this series before back in high school and remember really enjoying them. After breaking up with her boyfriend, Lexi suddenly realizes the mistake that she's made when he starts dating someone else. Can she find a way to steal him back before Christmas? (Yah...like I said plot seems annoying but I might give it a chance)

The Best Girl by Emma Harrison
This one caught my eye because the main character is in college rather than high school (a rare occurrence for YA novels!). Farrah is supposed to be her brother's best man for his wedding during Christmas break at a ski resort in Colorado. Family drama ensues resulting in a variety of mishaps along the way!

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I just had to throw this one in here! I've actually read Little Women and loved it! While this book doesn't exclusively focus on the holiday season, the Christmas and winter scenes are some of my favourites! A real classic that everyone should read at least once!

Winter's Kiss by Jennifer Echols
I'm not entirely sure what this book is about due to the fact that I couldn't find a synopsis on Goodreads, but I love Jennifer Echols and her writing so I'm sure this book will make for an enjoyable read!

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
Now this is a Christmas classic! I read it years ago and remember it being the kind of book that really pulls at your heartstrings. It's a super short and easy read, and will definitely remind you of the importance of love during the holiday season!

Do you have any recommendations for books that will get me into the Christmas spirit? Have you read any of these books before? If yes, did you enjoy them? I apologize for those who celebrate holidays other than Christmas during this time of the year like Hanukkah. I tried to find a couple of wintry books that weren't specifically Christmas related, but it was more difficult than I thought!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Summer My Life Began

2011-12-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Margaret—better known as Em—has always known what life would contain: an internship at her father’s firm, a degree from Harvard and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is that it’s not what she wants. When she gets the opportunity to get away from it all and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em pursues her secret dream of being a chef, and she also learns that her family has kept some significant secrets from her, too. And then there’s Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can’t resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels she is living on her own terms for the first time

Is it weird that winter has just begun and I've chosen a summer themed book for my Waiting on Wednesday post this week? Oh well! Now that I've finished Jenny Han's Summer series this past summer, I'll need to find some new beach reads for next year! This one looks like it has potential! I don't like that they've given away the fact that she gets together with a surfer dude in the synopsis (I like my romantic plots to be somewhat of a surprise), but this book sounds like it has the potential to be a good summer read! The cover alone makes me want to go lay on a beach and soak up some sun!

Top Ten Childhood Favourites!

2011-12-06T06:07:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme by The Broke and The Bookish

This week's topic is: Top Ten Childhood Faves

This is probably one of the most difficult top ten list I have ever had to make. There are so many amazing books from when I was a child! In no particular order, here are ten random selections out of the hundreds of books I could have possibly chosen from! (This list is not including some of my more obvious choices, however, like Anne of Green Gables, considering how much I already talk about it on this blog!)

Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne

This is the first chapter book that I ever read by myself. I pretty much inhaled it and couldn't get enough of this series until about book #20!

Pony Pals: I Want A Pony by Jeanne Betancourt

I was obsessed with horses as a kid, and I use to beg my parents for horseback riding lessons. Instead, my mom got me hooked on the Pony Pals series....which in retrospect only fuelled by obsession for horses even more...

The Sky Is Falling By Kit Pearson

I read pretty much everything by Kit Pearson as a child, but the Guests of War trilogy was by far my favourite! A must read for every kid! And a bonus is that the book is set in Canada :)

From Anna by Jean Little

For some morbid reason I loved novels set during World War II as a child (and still do today), so I remember loving this book. Like Kit Pearson, Jean Little is also a Canadian author, which is of course an added bonus!

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

I am still in love with these books today! I kind of have a craving to re-read them right now actually! Ever since I saw the tv show as a kid I've been a hardcore Little House on the Prairie fan, which is what got me into reading the actual novels!

Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe

I guess this is technically the first vampire novel I ever read! Bunnicula is such a fun series...I mean a rabbit that sucks the life out of vegetable? How silly is that! I remember wishing I had a vampire rabbit after these books...

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

I'm pretty sure that this is the book that got me hooked on fantasy and adventure stories. I devoured everything and anything written by Tamora Pierce after this first book. Such an amazing series!

Redwall by Brian Jacques

I pretty much fell in love with any book dealing with animals and adventure, and Redwall was no exception! While I never did finish this series (I think I got around to #5), I remember absolutely loving this book!

The Hollow Tree by Janet Lunn

I know....another historical novel set in Canada by a Canadian author...do you see a growing trend here? The Hollow Tree really is an amazing book though! Filled with adventure and a bit of romance, I devoured this novel in the course of two days! I also fell in love with her other more popular novel The Root Cellar!

Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene

No little girl should grow up without having read a single one of the Nancy Drew books! They are classics! I read tons of them as a kid and couldn't get enough of them! The Secret of Shadow Ranch was one of my favourites....but only because of the fact that there was a horse on the cover (ya I was a crazy child!).

Twitter: A Reader's Best Friend

2011-12-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

It wasn't until very recently that I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon. Those of you who have been tweeting for years now will probably roll your eyes at this post and the obviousness of what I'm about to say, but I am sure there are many out there, like me, who are reluctant to enter the Twitterverse. Twitter is like a whole other language after all, and it took me a few days to get the hang of what #hashtags were for and what RT (retweet) meant. For the first few weeks I actually found Twitter pretty pointless considering only three of my friends were actually using it as well.

That changed, however, when I discovered that many of my favourite authors and publishers were all using Twitter to share news about their books, events, and random occurrences in their lives! For book addicts such as myself, there is nothing better then getting a play by play on what an author is currently working on, and what their thought process is like when they are writing. An added bonus is that many authors and publishers host giveaways on Twitter for ARC copies of their books!

So have I persuaded you to start a Twitter account yet? For those of you already on Twitter, or considering starting one, here is a list of some of the authors that I highly recommend following online!

1. Cassandra Clare (@cassieclare): She is probably the best twitter user I have ever seen! Not only does she provide constant updates on her life, she uses Twitter as a way to connect to her fans. She is constantly retweeting messages and links sent to her by her followers, which just goes to show how down to earth she is! In fact, my friend Chelsey tweeted a link to my review of Clockwork Prince to Cassandra Clare. Low and behold Cassandra Clare retweeted it for all of her followers to see! I was on cloud nine!

2. Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself): I've only ever read one of Gaiman's books, but his tweets are so entertaining I couldn't help but follow him! He is a wealth of information on what is going on in the book world, and is also really great when it comes to interacting with his followers!

3. Stephanie Perkins (@naturallysteph): Stephanie Perkins' tweets are more focused on her daily life, but I still really enjoy them simply for the fact that she serves as a reminder that authors are regular people too! She does share information about her books and giveaways though as well!

4. Holly Black (@hollyblack): Holly Black's tweets also tend to be more oriented towards her daily life, but they are interesting nonetheless! It is especially funny when she gets into Twitter conversations with fellow authors such as Cassandra Clare and Stephanie Perkins. One night the three of them had a full out discussion over whether or not hobbits are attractive haha!

5. Jessica Spotswood (@jessica_shea): Upcoming author of Born Wicked, Jessica Spotswood's tweets lately have been all about the writing of her next book. For example, the tweet pictured below is just one of the many she posted on Nov 29th regarding one of the final scenes she was working on. Having already read an ARC copy of Born Wicked this tweet sent me into a mad anxiety over the next book!

6. Beth Revis (@bethrevis): Beth Revis' tweets provide a nice range of information about both her upcoming books and her daily life. Like Holly Black, she can get into some interesting conversations with her fellow authors online. She always shares the most up to date news regarding anything book related in her life.

These are just six of the many authors that I could have chosen to share with you today! If you are using Twitter you should also definitely follow some of the publisher accounts like : @PenguinCanada, @RazorbillBooks and @SimonBooks! What do you guys think about Twitter? Do you use it? Are there any authors or publishers that you like to follow? You can always follow me as well @tobeshelved :)

In My Mailbox!!

2011-12-04T07:33:00.000-08:00

I haven't done an In My Mailbox posting for a while now.... but this weekend was so exciting bookwise that I just had to share! First of all, I was lucky enough to get sent two books from Razorbill! Razorbill's new community website (which is officially being launched in January) has a book giveaway feature for Canadian members called "Get it first for free!" I put my name in for a copy of A Million Suns and Dust City and was so excited to find out that my name had been picked for both books! I've been dying to read A Million Suns since I finished Across the Universe, and Dust City sounds pretty exciting!

Then on Saturday I decided to go check out a used bookstore downtown that I had heard a lot of my professors talking about in lecture called Attic Books. Nothing could have prepared me for how amazing this bookstore was! It was three huge floors filled with some of the best books I have ever seen! The quality of these used books was impeccable, and there were a lot of recent publications available for sale! The third floor was completely dedicated to antique books, and I spent about an hour drooling over a first edition copy of Anne of Green Gables! I totally would have bought it if it hadn't been for the pricey $150.00 price tag! Instead, I was happy to snag a copy of The House of the Scorpion and Blood Promise. I read The House of the Scorpion back in high school and LOVED it so I was excited to add it to my collection. While I have yet to read the second and third book in the Vampire Academy series... I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to grab a hardcover copy of Blood Promise for a mere $5.00! So ya...I'm officially in love with Attic Books and will probably be visiting there at least once a month to see what new books they've added to their shelves!

Book Review: Once Every Never

2011-12-01T06:53:00.000-08:00

Clarinet Reid is a pretty typical teenager. On the surface. She’s smart, but a bit of slacker; outgoing, but just a little insecure; not exactly a mischief-maker… but trouble tends to find her wherever she goes. Also? She unwittingly carries a centuries-old Druid Blood Curse running through her veins.

Now, with a single thoughtless act, what started off as the Summer Vacation in Dullsville suddenly spirals into a deadly race to find a stolen artifact, avert an explosive catastrophe, save a Celtic warrior princess, right a dreadful wrong that happened centuries before Clare was even born, and if there’s still time—literally—maybe even get a date.
This is the kind of adventure that happens to a girl once every… never.

Do you enjoy stories about time travel and magic with a dash of romance? Then Once Every Never is the perfect book for you! Lesley Livingston's latest novel is a fast-paced and enjoyable read, especially if you have an interest in history. I personally found the novel's focus on the Druids and Queen Boudicca so fascinating that I did a few Google searches on them after I had finished reading the book! In my opinion, any book that sparks an interest in history is definitely worth a read!

I'm sure that even those of you who despise history will find Once Every Never a captivating read just for the characters alone! While Clare actually fell a little bit flat for me (due to her constant belittling of herself), I fell in love with her companions Al, Milo, and Connal. I even had a bit of a soft spot for Morholt, one of the villains of the book, simply because of his sarcastic wit. While the love triangle in this book was a little bit odd (to say the least) I found it amusing, especially when Connal was constantly referred to as the "hot bog man."

Although the ending of Once Every Never left off on a rather wrapped up note, I can't help but wonder what will happen to Clary and her friends next. I think there is definitely a possibility that Livingston could write a sequel to this novel, but for those of you who prefer stand alone books to series, then the conclusion will certainly satisfy you. Overall, Once Every Never was a refreshing read, and definitely worth a try if you can find the time in your busy reading schedule!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday: The Waiting Sky

2011-11-30T06:25:00.000-08:00

Seventeen-year-old Jane can’t quite face her mother’s alcoholism even though it sucks to spend all her time and energy keeping them afloat—making sure her mom gets to work, that the bills are paid when there’s money to pay them, and that no one knows her mom is so messed up. But when Jane’s mom drives drunk almost killing both them and Jane’s best friend, Jane can no longer deny her mom is spiraling out of control. Jane has only one place to turn: her older brother Ethan, who left years ago to go to college. A summer away with him and his tornado chasing buddies may just provide the time and space she needs to figure out whether her life still includes her mother.

I'm usually not one for YA novels that focus on serious topics (I like them nice and light and fun!), but this one caught my attention the other day and now I'm really interested in reading it! It sounds as if it will be the kind of book that makes you think a little bit more about the world around you. Plus, I'm really curious to find out more about this brother of hers and his tornado chasing buddies. Ever since the movie Twister I've wanted to go chasing after tornados myself!

Clockwork Prince Book Trailer Released!!!

2011-11-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

I'm sure many of you are fans of Cassandra Clare's popular Infernal Devices series (I know I am!), so I thought you might be excited to know that the official Clockwork Prince trailer has been released! Ahhhhh!!!! It's only available here on the Entertainment Weekly website for now...but I'm sure that it will be uploaded to Youtube soon enough! As far as book trailers go I was pretty impressed with this one. It had a cinematic feel to it unlike the typical cheesy book trailers out there. Are you excited for the release of Clockwork Prince? What do you think of the trailer??

Movie Review: Summer Wars

2011-11-27T17:12:00.000-08:00

Kenji, the teenage hero of Summer Wars, is an alternate for the Japanese Math Olympics team, but math is the only thing he's good at. He works part-time doing maintenance for the global computer network Oz, so he jumps at the opportunity when his pretty classmate Natsuki offers him a job--until he discovers she wants him to pose as her fiancé at her grandmother's 90th birthday celebration. Kenji has his hands full coping with Natsuki's large, eccentric family, who constantly refer to their samurai ancestors as they squabble with each other. But when a malicious AI program known as The Love Machine attacks Oz, Kenji has to solve a series of complex mathematical puzzles to prevent the cyberterrorist from causing a disaster.

Back in the day (or more specifically, high school) I use to love watching anime movies like Spirited Away, Princess Monoke and Castle in the Sky. Feeling nostalgic last night, I did a random Google search for some anime trailers and stumbled across Summer Wars. If you read the summary I included above, you may be slightly rolling your eyes right now and thinking that the plot sounds pretty stupid. I know that's how I initially reacted. Intrigued by the title, however, and the fact that it had won a ton of awards in Japan, I decided to watch the first 10 minutes online to see what it was like. I was hooked immediately!

Putting the weird cyber world of OZ aside, Summer Wars tells a rather moving story about a family struggling to keep itself together and put the past behind them. Don't let the fact that this is an animated film fool you. Summer Wars makes the audience stop and think about the world around them. Part family drama, part love story, with a pinch of humour, Summer Wars was simply spellbinding. This isn't your average cutesy anime. It's something both anime lovers and those not so enthused by the Japanese cartoon style will fall in love with. There is no question why it won the 2010 Japanese Academy Award for best animated film!

So, to put it simply...check out Summer Wars! Even if you aren't usually a fan of anime it is worth a look! It's very rarely that I get this enthusiastic about an anime movie...so you can tell that it really had an impact on me. I've put the dvd on my Christmas wish list so that I can add it to my collection of favourite movies! Check out the trailer below and hopefully you will be motivated to watch the movie as well!

For Sex, See Librarian!

2011-11-25T07:17:00.000-08:00

So the week of hell has officially begun for me at school! I apologize in advance for any lack of posting on my part and commenting on other blogs for the next few days. Apparently final projects are more important than reading and blogging :P

Now you are probably wondering what on earth the title of this post is related to! "For Sex, See Librarain" is the title of a final project that two girls in one of my classes put together. They decided to study the evolution of librarian stereotypes, and how theses stereotypes are perpetuated in the media. Some of these stereotypes include librarians as spinsters or sexual icons. I thought it was genius! Check out their blog here with all of their findings! If you want to skip to the juicy stuff I suggest you read their posting entitled "Damn, You're Stacked Better Than The Library Of Congress: Sexy Librarians in Popular Culture." In this posting they talk about the sexualization of librarians in everything from Seinfeld to Supernatural to a commercial for Pearle Vision! I found it hilarious and interesting! Maybe that's just because I'm currently studying to be a librarian though....

Anyways... just thought I would share their project with you and warn you of my lack of blogging for the next few days!

Book Review: Born Wicked

2011-11-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Those of you anxiously anticipating the release of Jessica Spotswood's novel Born Wicked in February will not be disappointed! After drooling over the cover for months now, I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy, and eagerly began reading it as soon as it was in my hands. I was literally hooked from page one! If it hadn't been for my pesky assignments and the fact that I had to wake up for class at 7 am, I probably would have read the entire novel in one night! Without revealing any spoilers, here is what I loved most about Born Wicked:

The Characters Are Magical:
The Cahill sisters captured me under their spell. The further into the story I went, the more emotionally involved I found myself becoming for their well-being. Even the bratty Maura, a constant source of grievance for Cate, eventually won me over in the end. Cate's independent spirit and stubbornness, however, quickly made her my favourite character. Had she and Elizabeth Bennet ever crossed paths in the 1800s, I'm sure that they would have been fast friends!

The Plot Keeps You Guessing:
I'm usually pretty good at guessing how a novel is going to end. I suppose you could say that picking out the twists in a book is one of my few talents in life. While I made a bunch of assumptions going into Born Wicked, I was pleasantly surprised to find several of my hypotheses proved wrong! Although I still figured out how the book would ultimately end, there were several little twists and turns throughout the plot that kept me on my toes. There were a few moments towards the last chapter that I definitely didn't see coming at all! These surprises made me enjoy the book even more, and now I am dying to find out what happens in the rest of the series!

Boys Who Love Books Can Be Hot Too:
Finally! A book where the main male protagonist isn't a brooding vampire/jock/popular guy who everyone in the novel is tripping over themselves to date! It was really refreshing to discover that Finn was your not typical hero, but rather a scholar who would prefer spending his time reading over sharpening up on his combat skills. That's right everyone! Boys who like books can be sexy too!

Overall, I really loved Born Wicked, and would definitely recommend picking up a copy when it comes out! This isn't one of those reviews where I simply sing the praises of the book because I was lucky enough to get an ARC. I'll admit, there were a few parts that were irritating at times, like Cate's constant worrying over her sisters. I was able to overlook this irritation, however, because Cate's worry made the book more realistic and kept her true to her character. Born Wicked was a spellbinding read and I only wish that I had taken my time to read it more slowly so that I could savour each delectable moment!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday: Enshadowed

2011-11-23T14:49:00.000-08:00

While Varen remains a prisoner in the dream-world, Isobel is haunted by his memory. He appears to her in her dreams and soon, even in her waking life. But is she just imagining it? Isobel knows she must find a way back to Varen. She makes plans to go to Baltimore. There, she confronts the figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster—the same dark man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams, calling himself “Reynolds.”

Isobel succeeds in interrupting the Toaster’s ritual and, in doing so, discovers a way to return to the dream-world. Soon, she finds herself swept up in a realm which not only holds remnants of Poe’s presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen’s innermost self. It is a dark world comprised of fear, terror, and anger.

When Isobel once more encounters Varen, she finds him changed. With his mind poisoned by the dream world, he becomes a malevolent force, bent on destroying all—even himself. Now Isobel must face a new adversary, one who also happens to be her greatest love.

Enshadowed is the second novel in Kelly Creagh's "Nevermore" series...and I am dying to get my hands on it! After the ending of the first book I have been anxiously waiting to see what will happen to Varen and Isobel next, and have my lengthly list of questions about this dream-world finally answered! Unfortunately, Enshadowed won't be published until August 2012. On the bright side, that gives those of you who haven't read the first book in the series plenty of time to get started! I highly recommend that you do!

Book Review: Vampire Academy

2011-11-21T13:58:00.000-08:00

Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever...

What can I possibly say about Vampire Academy except that I fell absolutely head over heels in love with it!?! And this is coming from someone who generally hates everything to do with books involving vampires. I can't believe I almost let this series pass me by simply because I'm a cover snob. Yes, that's right....I'm one of those people who judges books by their covers (but then again aren't we all?). After being introduced to Razorbill, however, and hearing constant talk about how amazing Vampire Academy is, I finally decided to pick up a copy and give it a try for myself. Thank goodness I did! Here's what I loved so much about the book:

1. A Unique Vampire Story

One of the first things that I loved about Vampire Academy is that it presented what I thought to be a slightly different twist on the over exhausted vampire genre. I think the separation between the Moroi and Strigoi was refreshing and really kept me fascinated in the story. I had never before encountered a story where vampires could potentially age and die like normal human beings, and I think this made it easier for me to get over my usual dislike for vampire fiction.

2. Rose Kicks Some Serious Ass

I love how Rose wasn't your typical whiny female protagonist who spends half of the book filled with insecurities and feeling sorry for herself. Instead, Rose speaks her mind and isn't afraid to kick some serious ass when people get in her way! While her super close relationship with Lissa was slightly annoying at times, it was understandable considering the bond that they share.

3. The Love Plot

One of the things I loved most about Vampire Academy, however, was the fact that Rose's love interest was much older then her. Dimitri is described as being 24, a huge leap from the general 16-18 age range found in most YA novels. Finally, a main male character who is older even then me so that I don't feel too weird about pining for him! The age difference between Rose and Dimitri also adds some depth and an interesting conflict to the story!

So would I recommend reading Vampire Academy! Hell yes!! Even if you are like me, and typically hate vampire novels, I think this is one that the majority of YA readers will absolutely enjoy! I'd suggest buying the whole box set if you can, because it is just that addicting! I literally could not put the book down and I am already going through some series Vampire Academy withdrawal. I'll be hitting up my local bookstore soon in order to get my fix!

Rating: 5 Stars!!!

The Simpsons Parody Young Adult Novels

2011-11-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

I've never been a huge fan of the Simpsons, but you can bet that I will be watching this Sunday night, as the sitcom will be exploring the world of YA novels such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and Twilight! According to the LA Times, tomorrow's episode will take on the publishing industry as Homer gets together a team of Springfielders in order to write the ultimate young adult novel. Meant to play off of the classic movie "Ocean's 11," the episode will guest star Neil Gaiman as himself, who joins Homer and his team of writers.

Apparently the idea for this episode was inspired by an article in the New Yorker which discussed Alloy Entertainment, who publishes YA books such as Gossip Girl and Vampire Diaries. According to the New Yorker article, Alloy Entertainment develops book ideas through market research and then distributes them to writers who are ultimately published under fake names. In the Simpson's episode, this will be played out through Lisa's discovery that her favourite author doesn't actually exist.

I am pretty excited to see how the episode plans to poke fun at YA books. I think the fact that the Simpsons are basing an entire show on the YA publishing industry only goes to show how much it has grown within the past couple of years! Check out a couple of the stills from the episode below. What do you guys think about the fact that the Simpsons are parodying the YA publishing industry? Will you be watching tomorrow night?

Dissecting The Hunger Games Trailer

2011-11-18T05:39:00.000-08:00

So I can't take full credit for this blog post. I was actually inspired by a slideshow that was done on the Entertainment Weekly website, but their pictures didn't work! I was only able to view the first two slides before the whole page would go crazy and crash on me. Maybe it's just my computer though? Click here to view it for yourself. Anyways! As a result, I decided to do my own version of a Hunger Games trailer dissection... so here it is and I hope you enjoy! I know the pictures are a little fuzzy...that's because they are screen shots. You should also be able to click on them to make them bigger!

One of the first things I have to say is how creeped out I was by Effie's character! I know the make-up and fashion in the capitol is supposed to be unique...but in the trailer she kind of looks like the ghost of some scary clown or something! Am I the only one who thought this? I'm personally terrified of clowns. Oh well...she was never really my favourite character anyways!

I laughed out loud the first time I saw the guards! What is with the whole dressing in white and black thing? Maybe it's in the book...but I don't remember it. Seems like they are trying to personify the Stormtroopers from Star Wars a bit, especially with the helmets! The polo pants are a nice touch haha!

LOVE LOVE LOVE Lenny Kravitz as Cinna! While I've heard other people say that they are worried that he doesn't fit the part, this is totally how I pictured him in my mind while reading the books! I let out a squeal of happiness when I saw him pop up in the trailer!

The first three times I watched the trailer I was confused why there were no scenes showing Katniss and Peeta in their grand flaming entrance. Upon doing a closer inspection thanks to the good old fashioned pause button, however, I discovered that the director did include some sneaky footage of their costumes. In the top picture is a glimpse of Katniss entering the arena, and just below it you can see their horse-drawn carriage through the magnifying glass. This is one of the scenes that I'm most looking forward to seeing, so I hope they do a good job on the whole fire outfit part, especially considering Katniss becomes known as "the girl who was on fire!"

Not a big fan of the gamekeeper in this book, but can I just say how amazing his beard is? I was like "Damn! That is one badass beard!" Kind of makes him look more devilish, which suits his character considering he's the one in charge of making the tributes' lives miserable!

This scene could only be referring to one thing...Rue's death. Gah! I'm already tearing up!! I'm hoping that this scene in the movie is made as powerful as it was in the book for me. I wonder if Jennifer Lawrence has a good singing voice?

Finally, a touching moment between Katniss and Peeta. I'm assuming this is the scene where they are sitting on the roof together before the games. Looks pretty cozy up there! I'm looking forward to seeing how the love plot in this series gets acted out on the big screen....

Was there anything funny, interesting, devastating, or curious that you noticed about the trailer for the upcoming Hunger Games movie? What scenes/characters from the book are you looking forward to seeing in the movie?

H&M Launches The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Clothing Line!

2011-11-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

I love H&M. Ever since I first walked through its hallowed doors during a family trip to Portugal in high school I have been addicted to the range of clothing and styles that they offer. When the store finally came to my local mall a few years ago I cried tears of joy! Not only has the Swedish retailer gone international, however, they are now apparently in the movie business as well! According to recent news, H&M is pairing up with Trish Summerville, the costume designer for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, in order to launch a new clothing line based on the character of Lisbeth Salander. Although I have yet to read the book (I finally picked up a copy last week), based on what I've seen from the movie trailer Lisbeth is not your average girl next door. Rather, the clothing line will be reflecting the edgy goth-punk fashion of this slightly rebellious character.

Although my fashion sense doesn't tend to lean towards the goth-punk scene, I think some of these pieces look great. There is a jacket and knitted hood that I am particularly interested in that you can view here. I find it so fascinating that designers are now drawing inspiration from fictional characters when it comes to fashion design, and I hope that this is a trend that continues! I mean how cool would it be to have an outfit inspired by someone like Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter or Lola from Stephanie Perkins' novel Lola and the Boy Next Door? I know that I for one would be all over that! What do you guys think about this new clothing line? If goth-punk isn't your style, are there any other fictional characters that you would love to see a designer base their clothing line around? Check out the trailer for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo below!

Waiting on Wednesday: A Temptation of Angels

2011-11-16T06:10:00.000-08:00

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.

I think this book sounds amazing! I've been meaning to read an angel inspired novel for a while, but none of them have really caught my eye until now. I'm wondering how the whole protecting of the past, present and future will be worked out in the plotline. Plus, I love the potential love triangle (or square?) going on, especially considering that it involves angelic brothers! A Temptation of Angels won't be published until March 2012, but I am already anxiously looking forward to it!

Book Review: Across the Universe

2011-11-15T06:11:00.000-08:00

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Why did it take me so long to finally get to this book!?! I LOVED IT! Beth Revis' debut, Across The Universe is a breathtaking story that successfully combines aspects of romance, science fiction, mystery and suspense all rolled up into one amazing dystopian novel. I devoured this one over the course of a few days, and probably would have finished it even sooner if pesky homework hadn't gotten in the way! It was one of those books that stayed glued to my hands and I just couldn't put down!

So what did I love so much about Across the Universe? Let's start with the characters. Through the alternating viewpoints of Amy and Elder the reader really gets to understand their individual viewpoints and struggles. Rather than making Elder perfect, Revis allows him to be as flawed as the society in which he lives, and slowly allows the influence of Amy to chip away at his frame of mind. *Spoiler Alert* I also enjoyed the fact that Elder and Amy do not get together right away, and that by the end of the book their relationship is still teetering on the edge. Having them be together at the end would have been a real betrayal of Amy's character and made things a little too wrapped up considering the current chaos of the ship *End of Spoiler*

Speaking of the ending, that was the next thing that I loved most about Across the Universe. Without giving away any spoilers I will admit that while I foresaw who the murderer was on the ship, I definitely did not see Elder's secret coming! It took me completely by surprise! I always love a good twist at the end that leaves you with your mouth hanging partially open! Needless to say I am eagerly anticipating the next book in this series to see what happens to Elder and Amy as things start to get crazy on the ship. Thankfully the sequel, A Million Suns, is set to be published in January 2012!

So would I recommend this novel? YES! I thought it was great! While there were a few minor details that irked me at times, the overall story and Revis' writing style made it easy for me to toss these grievances aside. If you love dystopian novels, sci-fi, or simply like a good twist in the end then Across the Universe is definitely for you!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

The Official Hunger Games Trailer Is Released!

2011-11-14T11:07:00.000-08:00

Finally! Ever since the teaser for The Hunger Games movie was released a few months ago I have been desperately waiting for the official trailer to come out. While the teaser trailer was nice, it only made me more anxious to catch a bigger glimpse of how the director and producers have adapted the book. After viewing the trailer about three times already, my worries that they would ruin this great series have been relieved (for now), and I am more excited then ever for the release of the movie in March 2012!

There were so many things that I loved about this trailer! First of all, as readers we are finally able to see the world of Suzanne Collins come to life. I think that the contrast between District 12 and the Capitol was made much clearer through the visual representation provided by the film. I also cannot even begin to explain how thrilled I was to catch a glimpse of some of the other characters, like Cinna, Haymitch, and Rue in this new trailer! These are three of my favourite characters from the series, and I would pay a huge sum of money just to see a movie about them alone!

What I loved most about this trailer, however, was that I was finally able to see some of the main characters in action. When I first heard that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were playing Katniss and Peeta I was somewhat hesitant. Being unfamiliar with their previous movies, it was difficult for me to envision them as the characters based solely on the few photos that had been released online. After the trailer, however, I believe that the casting director certainly knew what they were doing! Jennifer Lawrence appears to have the right amount of seriousness and maturity to successfully pull off the complex character that is Katniss. Hopefully I will feel the same way after I see the actual movie!

Anyways, if you haven't already seen the official Hunger Games trailer then check it out below! If anything, the official trailer is just a slightly longer version of the teaser trailer....because now I want more! What do you guys think of the trailer? What is it about The Hunger Games movie that you are the most excited for?

Have you heard about Razorbill?

2011-11-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

I love Blogger. Since I first joined this past April it has allowed me to share my passion of books with an amazing community of readers who have been so kind and welcoming. Putting this fact aside, I have always felt like there has been something missing. While I love the ability that Blogger gives me to share my own thoughts and comment on the postings of others, it has been difficult to interact with bloggers outside of the site.

Enter Razorbill. This offshoot of Penguin publishing, which focuses particularly on YA fiction, has recently moved to Canada and is already hard at work in helping to foster new ways for bloggers to interact with one another! Their new website aims to give book lovers a way to connect with one another, share the latest book news, and join in a larger conversation about books together! The best way that I can describe it is a combination of Facebook meets Blogger. Each member gets their own page where friends can leave comments, view their latest blog postings, and read their status updates!

One of my favourite features, however, is the forum and group options that are offered. Although the beta site has only been up for a few days, the forum has already been filled with some amazing discussions ranging from why readers are drawn to book covers to favourite fictional characters. If you are curious and want to learn more, then the best advice I can give you is to go check out Razorbill for yourself! While the website won't officially be launched until this upcoming January, you are more than welcome to sign up now and get a sneak peek of what Razorbill will offer. Just click here and don't forget to add me as a friend :D

What do you guys think about the Razorbill website? Does it sound like something that you would be interested in joining? Check out my screenshot of the site below! If you click on the picture you should be able to view it much better!

In My Mailbox!

2011-11-13T06:24:00.000-08:00

Whenever I come home to visit for the weekend I always seem to end up at Chapters! I guess the bookstore is like my second home or something! Despite the fact that I told myself last night that I was going in simply to "browse" and not buy, I managed to snag a couple of really good deals that I just couldn't pass up! I was lucky enough to find a hardcover copy of Richelle Mead's novel, Vampire Academy, for only $5 because it was banged up a little, and Steig Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo for $6 dollars! That brought my total purchase to just a little bit over $11! That's pretty much two books for the price of one! Woohoo! Anyways, I've been dying to read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo before the new movie comes out, and one of my friends has been bugging me to read Vampire Academy for a really long time now, so now I can finally get started on both of them! I would say that this has been a fairly successful book week! What's in your mailbox?

Follow Friday: Remembrance Day

2011-11-11T04:46:00.000-08:00

In light of 11.11.11 and Remembrance Day, tell us about your favourite solider and how he or she is saving the world. Fictional or real life.

Every Remembrance Day I always stop and think of my great-grandfather. Born in Scotland, he moved to Canada with his family as a teen. When World War 1 broke out, he was still too young to fight, but he lied about his age and joined the war anyways. He managed to survive, but lost most of his closest friends in battle. When World War II rolled around, he was now deemed too old to fight. In his early 50s, his hair was already starting to turn white. Rather than sit this war out, however, he grabbed a bottle of dye, turned his hair black, and signed up to fight again! You would think the horror of one war would be enough for any man! As the hair dye eventually faded away, my great-grandfather became affectionately known amongst his troops as "Snowy."

Unfortunately, only days before the end of the war was officially announced my great-grandfather hit a land mine as he rode out on a supply trip. After serving in two World Wars, the great Scotsman was finally laid to rest in the Netherlands. I will never forget the sacrifice that my great-grandfather and so many other soldiers made for us all by putting themselves at risk for the rest of the country. Today on Remembrance Day I will wear my poppy proudly to show my respect for the men and women in service to our country both in the past, present, and future.

My great-grandfather's grave in Holland

My Obsession With Picture Books...

2011-11-10T06:14:00.000-08:00

Ever since I can remember I have had an obsession with picture books. I'm assuming it probably began back when I was myself was a kid...but my love for children's stories has only grown stronger as I have gotten older. There is just something about the imagination and creative freedom that comes from reading these short stories that leaves me with a warm happy feeling inside. You don't always get that sense of enchantment and glee from YA or Adult fiction. Not to mention that each picture book is like its own individual work of art. The illustrations are probably one of my favourite parts about reading children's stories! I've often come across a few pages in a picture book that I've just wanted to frame and hang up on my bedroom wall (as strange as that may sound).

When I use to work at the public library in my hometown I was quite the terrible employee when it came time to shelving the picture book section. Try as I might, I could never resist crouching down behind one of the stacks in order to flip through a picture book or two before I put them away. The temptation was just too great! Luckily a few of my fellow librarians shared my picture book obsession, and we would sometimes sneak in some browsing time together when there weren't any patrons around.

Since moving away to go to school I've really fallen behind on my picture book consumption, and I was struck by a craving today to look up some of my favourite titles online. Here are just a few of the many picture books that I have fallen in love with over the years....

Grumpy Bird By Jeremy Tankard
I fell in love with this book for so many reasons! First of all, the story is super cute! Bird wakes up feeling grumpy and is eventually cheered up by his friends Fox, Beaver, Sheep, Rabbit and Raccoon. The artwork in this book is AMAZING! I love Tankard's use of colour! I actually recreated a scene from this book for a bulletin board at one of the library's I use to work at! Someone has scanned the entire book (and circumvented copyright laws...oops!) and it is available online to view here! Definitely check it out!

Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct

by Mo Willems

If you have not read a picture book by Mo Willems you have been deprived of one of the greatest joys in life! Most famous for his Pigeon stories, like Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Willems knows how to write a story that both children and adults will laugh out loud over! The tale of poor Edwina is especially amusing. She's the dinosaur who plays with the children and helps little old ladies across the road. Everyone loves her ... except the class know-it-all Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. Reginald knows dinosaurs are extinct, and he is ready to prove it.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

I don't care how many times I read this story, it will always be my all time favourite picture book! The Paper Bag Princess shows that girls aren't always the ones who need to be saved by Prince Charming! Princess Elizabeth not only outsmarts the dragon, she manages to rescue Prince Ronald and discovers in the process that girls don't need to be dependent on men. Robert Munsch is truly a genius, and I never get tired of Michael Martechenko's great illustrations. The cherry on top is that Munsch is Canadian! Yay for fellow Canucks!

Chester by Melanie Watt

Like Mo Willems, Melanie Watt knows the value of good humour! In Chester, an epic battle of authorship commences between Melanie herself and her pet cat! While Melanie attempts to write a tale about a mouse, Chester comes flying in with a marker in hand, and begins to change the story in an attempt to share his own creative side. The illustrations and storyline of this picture book will amuse readers of all ages!

Do you enjoy picture books as much as I do? What are some of your favourites now or from when you were a kid?

Waiting on Wednesday: Undeadly

2011-11-09T05:28:00.000-08:00

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper—and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath.

Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.

Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with.

To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly—against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

I'm not going to lie...The first thing to catch my attention about this book was definitely the cover. It's gorgeous! And is it just me or does the girl on the cover kind of resemble J-Lo a bit? Anyways... The synopsis is equally appealing, and I really like the concept of the Reaper that the author has created. I'm interested to see how this story pans out, especially where this Rath character is concerned! He seems like he could be a potential bad boy with a heart of gold and love interest for the main female protagonist! Unfortunately I'll have to wait a bit longer for Undeadly, as it isn't set to be published until February 2012. Boo!

Book Review: All These Things I've Done

2011-11-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Engrossing and suspenseful, All These Things I've Done is an utterly unique, unputdownable read that blends both the familiar and the fantastic.

"A world where coffee and chocolate are illegal? This must be some kind of twisted horror novel!"

These were my initial thoughts when I first read about Gabrielle Zevin's most recent story, All These Things I've Done. As a lover of dystopian novels and a chocolate enthusiast, I just had to see how things would turn out! Around Chapter 3, however, I realized that while I was certainly enjoying this book, is was not what I expected at all. For one thing, the main character talks a lot about religion, mainly her own Catholic beliefs, throughout the course of the book. While I myself am a Catholic, I found it somewhat out of place in this dystopian world. Although I respect Zevin's choice to make her protagonist religious, it felt a little bit forced and awkward at times.

Despite this small religious undertone, I really did enjoy the novel as a whole. I always love stories that involve mob families and the art of a good con, and All These Things I've Done is no exception. While it didn't blow me away like Holly Black's novel White Cat, I think this series has the potential to get really good. You can certainly tell that this first book is setting up for some juicy intrigue in the future to come. I'm really interested to see what happens to Anya next, and whether or not she finally decides to embrace the life of crime that she was born into. I'll certainly be reading the next book when it comes out in order to fill my curiosity.

Rating: 3 Stars

P.S. Sorry this review is a little bit short for once! I finished this book about a week ago, and forgot to take down any notes about my thoughts while I was reading it...hence why my review is not as detailed as it normally is.

The Website That Will Change/Revolutionize Books as We Know Them!!!

2011-11-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

So, last week as I was doing research for an upcoming project dealing with interactive websites, I came across a news story about a new website that will be coming out sometime next year. Intrigued by the title, Small Demons, and their slogan "Welcome to the Storyverse," I went to visit their beta site to see what all the fuss is about. MY MIND WAS BLOWN AWAY! Small Demons is dedicated to providing the Who, What, Where, When, and How of every book ever written! Basically, it will be a user content generated website (similar to Wikipedia), which highlights every person, place, object, song, and movie written within a book.

For instance, say you wanted to know what songs were used in Steig Larsson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo...Small Demons not only lists all of the songs (A Night in Tunisia, Sweet Dreams, Heartbreak Hotel, and The Eurythmics Greatest Hits), it also provides you with historical information on the song, as well as the quote and page number where it is mentioned! You can even find out about the character's favourite restaurant, the car that they drove, the perfume that they used, ect. ect.! The possibilities are limitless!!

This screen shot was taken while I was looking at the entry for The English Patient on Small Demons.

You can also use this website to search for new reading suggestions by doing the complete opposite. For example, say you were interested in finding out what other books mention Batman in their text...all you have to do is search for the name Batman, and a list of books comes up (such as Under the Dome and Along Came a Spider). Make sense? All I can say is WOW! I really wish this website had been around while I was doing my English Literature undergrad! I remember writing an essay on the music in Ondaatje's The English Patient which would have been MUCH easier if I had been given access to the information on this site!

So as you can see I am pretty pumped about the upcoming release of this website. I can see great things coming out of it, and its always interesting to discover the finer details of a book that you might have overlooked initially! In case my description of this site was confusing, check out the video above from Small Demons which highlights their main purpose and goals for the website. It's pretty good! Overall, I really think this website will change the way that people think about and interact with the books that they read.

What do you guys potentially think about Small Demons? Do you think this is a website that you would enjoy using?

Follow Friday: Picture Time!

2011-11-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Q: Today’s Question is something new, an activity. We want to see what you look like! Take a pic with you and your current read! Too shy? Boo! Just post a fun pic you want to share.

So here is a picture of little old me with my current read, Devon Monk's Dead Iron! Yay! It's all about Steampunk, werewolves, and other supernatural beings! I just started it last night before I went to sleep and it's pretty good so far! Extra bonus is that the main guy on the cover is pretty yummy, hence the fact that I'm giving the book a kiss in one of the pictures. In the background is my room where I'm currently living while I'm away at school. I seriously love this bedroom better than my one at home, even despite the fact that it is smaller and colder. So yah, this is me! :)

Book Review: Fateful Should Have Sank With the Titanic

2011-11-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

In Fateful, eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, overbearing family she works for. Once the ship they’re sailing on reaches the United States, she’ll strike out on her own. Then she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets....

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves are real and they’re stalking him—and now Tess, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

Featuring the opulent backdrop of the Titanic, Fateful’s publication is poised to coincide with the 100-year anniversary of the ship’s doomed maiden voyage. It is sure to be a hit among Titanic buffs and fans of paranormal romance alike.

There was a lot of hype surrounding this book and its release. This is the first book I've read by Claudia Gray, and unfortunately I was extremely disappointed. While Fateful was certainly a unique story (werewolves on the Titanic? How weird is that!), it failed to deliver the WOW that I was expecting. I can't even put a finger exactly on what I disliked about this book. Perhaps it was the fact that I already knew what happened to the Titanic (spoiler alert: it hits and iceberg and sinks!) ... so the rest of the book was pretty predictable? And while I usually adore love plots, this one was slightly annoying, and too tragic for my taste. I never did like the Titanic movie because I was too busy feeling sad for the thousand other people dying rather than poor Rose and Jack!

Despite my profound disappointment for this novel, there were a few aspects that I did enjoy. For example, I loved the fact that the protagonists in this story were older for once! Tess was described as being 18, and Alec a couple years older then her. As much as I love YA, it was refreshing to have a main character who was not 16 for once!

Nevertheless, I would recommend Fateful only to readers if they have read and loved Claudia Gray's work before. I'm sure many of her fans will really enjoy it. If you are still desperate to read it, try borrowing a copy from the library rather than spending your hard earned cash on this one! If anything, Fateful belongs at the bottom of the ocean along with the Titanic! Too harsh?

2 Stars