lisa is busy nerding

Own or loan

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads! Not only is she the coolest blogger around, but she's also the creative mastermind behind this meme in which we share some bookish thoughts and musings to celebrate the end of the work week. And she made that adorable graphic, which I think is just splendid.

This week, the lovely Ginger asks:

Buy or Borrow: Where do your books that you read come from? The bookstore? The library? Do you prefer to own a book, or have it on loan?

If you guys know anything about me at all, it’s that I’m a nerd. And for this nerd, organization makes me almost as happy as devouring books. So naturally, I could not resist geeking out just a tad for this week’s TGIF question.

Looking at the last 50 or so books, here’s the breakdown...

So as you can see, I’m pretty balanced with my variety. While I am a very lucky ducky getting books from publishers and authors for review, I am equally lucky having amazing bookish friends who lend or gift me books too. IT IS THE BEST. I, of course, do my best to return the favor.

I also do my part to utilize the library, as I think libraries are the bomb diggity.* I’ve even gotten better about keeping books too long and getting fines. Nothing shames me more than a library fine. Sad, but true. I am prone to keeping a book WAY too long.
And, of course, I buy books. I’m getting better about buying them for my Kindle so they don’t take up precious space in the house. However, there are some books that I want to have a paper version of so that I can lend it out to friends.
What about you? Do you buy or borrow books? Do you prefer one over the other? Do you show your library any love? I'd love to know AND I'd love if you linked it up over at GReads!
*Oh that’s right. I used the phrase bomb diggity. You’re welcome, 1995.

Review: Before I Go To Sleep

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

In a sentence or so: Imagine every morning you wake up twenty years older than you were the day before. You live in a house you don't know, with a man you don't know, with a past you can't remember. This is Christine's life.

Christine wakes up every day with no memory of the past twenty years of her life. Her husband, Ben, has to tell her every single day who she is and share enough with her that she understands her situation, without totally freaking her out. Ben has to maintain a delicate balance for Christine and bear unthinkable grief every day. So it makes sense that he doesn't tell her every detail from her life...right?

Christine begins to see a doctor who encourages her to keep a secret journal. She records flashes of her memory and they begin to build on each other. As she reads her journal every day, she starts to piece things together. Why doesn't Ben tell her about their past, other than they're married? Is he protecting her...or hiding something?

YOU GUYS. I read an adult book. I KNOW.

But you know what else? I LOVED IT.

The book is described as "Memento on meth", and it totally was. The memory loss mystery is very well done and the suspense is crazy taught. The twists and turns are completely unexpected. Christine is not blameless, which makes her a completely authentic narrator, if often unreliable.

If you're looking for a mystery with dark twists and turns and an intensity like whoa, give this one a whirl. You won't want to put it down!

Fave quote: "It is not fiction. It may reveal tings best left undiscovered. Secrets that ought no to see the light of day. But still my pen moves across the page." (89)

Fix er up: Rarely, this fell into a rut with the memory loss and repeating information, but not often enough to deter me from devouring it like a fiend.

Title: Before I Go To Sleep
Author: S. J. Watson
Pub Info: June 2011, Harper
Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

[FTC Notice: I checked this book out from the library. I was not compensated in any way for this review. YAY LIBRARIES!]

Nerdy Book Love

2012-01-25T04:30:00.000-06:00

Guess what, guys?

I'm over at Nerdy Book Club today talking about one of my ALL TIME FAVE Middle Grade reads: Horton Halfpott!

Be sure to swing by and check it out. It's a slight variation from my review on the blog here. Namely, I add a list of reasons why you need to read it.

Nerdy Book Club blog.
My review of Horton Halfpott on le blog.

Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

In a sentence or so: Two boys with the same name cross paths on a cold and fateful night in Chicago. Songs are sung, eyes are opened, and lives are changed.

Meet Will Grayson. He lives by two rules: 1. Don't Care Too Much and 2. Shut Up. He does a pretty decent job of this, except where his best friend Tiny is concerned. Tiny is - literally - the biggest and gayest boy he's ever known. He's also his long time best friend and - though he would never admit it - he wouldn't want it any other way. Will's rules are first challenged when Tiny decides to launch a school musical starring himself and Gil Wrayson as his best friend. And AGAIN when Jane, the frustratingly adorable girl who is part of the small but mighty GLBT group at school, catches his eye. Are she and Tiny worth breaking the rules that have gotten him so far in life?

Meet Will Grayson. He is angry every day and teetering on the edge of severe depression. He generally hates people and life, but makes a few exceptions. He tolerates the emo and gothariffic Maura, who continues to poke and prod into his life (which guys LOVE, by the way...) and his fellow Mathletes. The only person he feels any true affection and care for (besides his mom, albeit reluctantly) is Isaac. Will looks forward to the parts of his day where he can chat with Isaac with giddy anticipation. All the anxiety and the frustration fall away when he's chatting online with Isaac.

Having read John Green books before, and LOVING THEM, I knew what to expect from his chapters. Humor, self deprecating wit, a love interest who is smart and insightful and just a touch of nerd, and the best best friend you could think of. For the record, I was totally right. His chapters are all of those things.

Having never read a David Levithan book before, I didn't know what to expect. What I found was a perfect compliment to the JG chapters. His chapters were raw and gritty and unflinching in their bitterness towards the character's world. It made me uncomfortable to read them. That's when I knew I was in love with this book. I loved a character who hated the world.

For a book packed with coming of age goodness, completely YA yet completely profound relationship insight, and characters that are so sincerely intellectual and real you want to invite them over for dinner to chat late into the night, check this out. You will be emotionally invested within pages and the coming together of all of the characters is sweet, unexpected, and completely fulfilling.

Fave Quote: "your life is right here. and, yeah, it sucks. lives usually do. so if you want things to change, you don't need to get a life. you need to get off your ass." (65)

Fix er up: Honestly, the only thing that would have made this book better would be to hear the songs in Tiny's musical. Short of that, this is just perfect the way it is.

Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Author: John Green & David Levithan
Pub Info (Paperback): Speak, Imprint of Penguin, 2011
Genre: Contemporary, Friendship, Coming of Age, Humor

[FTC Notice: I purchased a copy of this book. I did not receive any compensation for this review.]

Add it to the list [34]

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

Add it to the list is a variation of In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

After the Snow by S.D. Crockett

For the DAC ARC Blog Tours

From Jacinda at The Reading Housewives.

The 50th Anniversary Edition of A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle

Invitation to be part of the 50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Blogs from Big Honcho Media. Thank you!

AND they gave me a tote. This kid LOVES totes, you guys.

More details on the massive tour here.

Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy

For the DAC ARC Blog Tours

From the author and The Class of 2K12. If you don't know about The Class of 2K12, you TOTALLY should.

Have you read any of these? Share your thoughts!

it's all in the details

2012-01-21T05:30:00.000-06:00

in which Dorkly is - yet again - the raddest place on the interwebs.

i imagine the Marauders Map is the most used app.

full article and possibility to purchase the shirt right here, at Dorkly.

Try this one on for size

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

TGIF is a meme hosted by my girl Ginger over at GReads! where she asks a bookish question and invites all of us to participate. They are consistently insightful, creative, and generally rad questions. So it's definitely worth checking out if you don't already participate!

The question the lovely Ginger poses this week is:

Recommend it: Which book from the last 10 years you've read would you recommend to a friend?

JUST ONE?! From the last TEN YEARS?

Whoa. My brain exploded.

I'll be choosing from my last ten books. Roll with me.

To the friend who thinks all of YA is for girls: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. There is some seriously solid relationship advice in this read. Add that to the humor, frustration, completely authentic characters and solid plot and this is a YA read that will surely convince the YA skeptic that teen lit is the shiz, no matter your age, gender, or sexual orientation. Great stories about genuine characters is where it’s at, yo. My review is coming next week, so keep your eyes peeled for my full thoughts on the goodness.

To the friend who thinks love triangles are lame: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Again, we have humor, relationship insight, deep characters, and a crazy cool story with alternating POVs and self discovery. You guys, I LOVE books where self discovery is the focus. So much. This book has a solid base of great plot and awesome characters. The icing on the cake is the slow burn romance between JUST TWO PEEPS. And this is some tasty icing, y’all. I’m talking homemade buttercream level of tasty icing. This book will have you cheering and swooning to the very end.

To the friend who is skeptical of Middle Grade fantasy: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Wipe the movie from your mind. Start fresh and trust me that this book is what MG readers dreams are MADE of. The MG main character who thinks and acts like a MG student. Greek mythology. Epic adventures and great best friends. Just the slightest, teensiest, whisper of a romance (but girls are still kinda weird and off-putting so you know...). Percy is the raddest of the rad because he is legit scared of what’s happening like 99% of the time but he’s never whiny, constantly trying to be brave to prove himself and protect his friends, and doing it all in the name of saving others. LOVE.

So now I ask you - what books would YOU recommend to ME? By this point, dear readers, you know my style. You know what I love and what I’m seriously lacking in. You know enough about me that I am sincerely interested in what books you think I’d fall in love with. Let me have it!

And also, be sure to check out all the other posts over at GReads!

Review: Legend

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

In a sentence or so: June and Day are both incredibly bright youth on opposite sides of the law, yet have more in common that either can possibly imagine. Their drastically different paths eventually converge and impact their entire society.

June is the top of her class - and she knows it. She scored a perfect score on her trial and is obviously hbic. Her peers treat her with crazy respect and adoration, but no one really gets to know her. That's cool though - she has her brother Metias and that's good enough.

Until he's murdered by the Republic's most wanted criminal, Day.

June sets off to find this Day kid and avenge her brother's death. Sure, Day may be wicked smart and crazy skilled too, but he's just a street rat. June has no doubt she can best him in her physical ability, mental ability, and her detective skills. She's right, too. What she doesn't predict is that this criminal has motivations that resonate closely with her own, and that maybe the Republic she's devoted herself to isn't really that fabulous.

This is most definitely Dystopian Done Right. And I'll tell you why.

Smart Characters. Literally. Both Day and June are crazy intelligent and made sweet deductions and use Bruce Wayne level detective skills to figure stuff out. They are independent and crafty and make their own decisions. The alternating chapters allow for the reader to really get to know their motivations and the depth of their character.

Corrupt Government. It's super subtle, which is pretty rad. I'm sure we'll find out more as the series goes on, but we find out enough to let us know the Republic is really the RepubSUCK and that of course they aren't really acting in the people's best interest.

Slow Build. Of course, June and Day are connected and there's some swoony times. But it builds slowly and despite it being predictable, it's still fun to be a part of and read about. There's also a slow building of where the book is headed too, which I dig a lot. No rush to spill every detail right away, but rather keeping some back to keep you wanting more.

Action! People die! There's blood and torture and stuff! It's not crazy gory, but it's got enough action and violence to be considered a thriller. And seriously, dystopian societies are nothing if not violent as hell.

If you're looking for a solid new dystopian series with well developed characters and great writing, give this one a shot. And don't be surprised if you read the whole book in a sitting.

Fave quote: "I have a sudden fear that somehow, some way, what he said in the dream will come true." (271, Day)

Fix er up: It was a tad predictable, but the action and the groundwork with other characters and the crazy Republic certainly added enough freshness to keep me interested.

Title: Legend (Legend #1)
Author: Marie Lu
Pub Info: November 2011, G.P. Putnam's Sons
Genre: Dystopian

[FTC Notice: I borrowed an ARC of this book from Jacinda at The Reading Housewives. I was not compensated in any way for this review. Thanks, Jacinda!]

Coming Soon: Rewind & Review

2012-01-16T06:00:00.001-06:00

Remember how I said I was going to spend 2012 tackling my TBR and reading some of my older books?

And remember when I've told you all like 4.3 trillion times that Ginger of GReads is amazing?

BOTH ARE TRUE. And have culminated into one very amazing feature.

Let's just admit it. As reviewers, we tend to get caught up in all the shiny new book releases, which results in a mile-high-pile of books that we keep accumulating over time. On the one hand, it's super exciting and awesome and we just want to READ ALL THE THINGS. But also, some really rad books fall through the cracks. So with this new feature, and the help of Ginger, we've come together to create REWIND & REVIEW.

At the beginning of each month we will set aside a few "older" books to be read & reviewed on our blogs. I encourage all of you to join in and do the same each month. There's just a few easy-peasy guidelines/objectives to follow:

The book(s) needs to be published in 2010 or earlier. I know, SO retro.
Set a goal for the month on how many books you'd like to read & use the feature title "Rewind & Review" in your reviews. You can list the titles if you want, or just set a goal. Mini-goals! Hooray!
If you use the graphic, please provide credit back to mine or Lisa's blog. It's the polite thing to do and we like that. (Obviously, it's one of Ginger's creations and it's AWESOME. You can admit it.)

Use this opportunity to have fun reading some long lost loves! You know the ones I'm talking about. The ones that give you little butterflies in your bookish heart when you think about them and then a pang of guilt for not getting to them sooner. Yeah, those.

We want this feature to be laid back & fun. No link-ups will be provided, and we won't punish you if you don't fulfill your reading goals for the month. Being organized about reading titles helps us & we hope it will do the same for you. After all, older books need love too!

This new feature will officially kick off on February 1st with a post of the older books we plan to read for the month. We hope you all will join in with us!

Inspiration provided by Retro Friday hosted by Angieville.

add it to the list [33]

2012-01-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Add it to the List is a variation of In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Basically, you share your bookish haul for the week.

It finally came! The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.

Signed of course, like all his preorders. He is such a stud for signing every single preorder. I can't even.

I'm so lucky to have a husband who indulges my owl obsession. Look at that quirky fellow!

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

Copy from my local library. YAY libraries! AND YAY for the library challenge.

I'm reading this one for book club at work! I know, it's an adult book. BUT it's supposed to be like Memento on meth. Count me in.

Robbie Forester and the Outlaws of Sherwood Street by Peter Abrahams

Received unsolicited ARC from Penguin Publishing.

It's a Robin Hood retelling in YA form. YES PLEASE.

Floors by Patrick Carman

Received ARC from April at Good Books and Good Wine. Thanks, April!

Magical Middle Grade mystery set in a hotel. Sounds delightful!

Happy reading, y'all!

in case you forgot...

2012-01-14T12:33:00.000-06:00

i just really love Zelda.

full article, including more Link + Mom jokes, over at Dorkly.

At the peak of Mt. TBR...

2012-01-13T06:30:00.000-06:00

image from Ginger at GReads

Welcome to the very first TGIF of 2012!

HOLLA.

The question the lovely Ginger poses this week is:

2012 Must Reads: Which books are at the top of your list to be read this year (new or old releases)?

Funny you should ask, G. Because I am committing 2012 to conquer Mt. TBR. That's right, I am going to spend a vast majority of the next year tackling books that I've been putting off for a long time.

And the books at the very tippy top of the mountain are...

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Graciously on loan from Yani at The Secret Life of an Avid Reader, this is a series I've heard a TON about and need to read. So yes, it's near the top.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

It's a NEW John Green book! OF COURSE it's on the top of my to-read list. Durrrrr.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I just love Lord of the Rings (in movie form) SO SO SO much. I need to get started with the epic fantasy series!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I KNOW. Don't take my YA badge away for not reading this yet. I plan to. I SWEARS IT (on the precious).

Review Books

So this is kinda cheating, but we're gonna roll with it. I have many books that I need to read and review and that is GOING TO HAPPEN this year. You guys will be so proud of me.

What about you? What's on the top of your 2012 Must Reads? Link it up over at GReads! and let us know!

Linger (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book Two)

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

(there will be spoilers for the first book in the series, Shiver)

in a sentence or so: The hits just keep coming for Grace and Sam. Just as soon as he's safely changed, things start going awry with Grace and a sudden illness. Add that on top of all of the new responsibilities of being the go-to guy for newly changed wolves, and there's a lot of stress on Sam and his rapidly evolving relationship with Grace.

Sam has given up his life as a wolf to be with Grace and to be the guide for the newly changed wolves. This means being there for the new wolves as the weather warms and they shift back to being human. It means figuring out how to spend his days and worrying over the wolves by night. It also means spending time with Grace and planning their future together, so it's not ALL bad.

Grace senses something is wrong. After she and Isabel find a dying wolf, with no external wounds, she can't help but dwell on the unseen dangers to the wolves. Which then leads her to wondering if what's happening to the wolves has anything to do with what's happening to her increasing temperature, nosebleeds, and headaches.

Can Sam keep the wolves and Grace safe from unseen harms? Is Sam up for the task of caring for a new slew of cocky, confused, and concerned wolves? And what the what is going on with Grace?!

It's been awhile since I read Linger. I was worried that reading book two would take some adjusting or looking up references to keep up, but it was all in vain. The characters came rushing back and enveloped me in comfort and familiarity. The pacing is slow, measured, and intentional - all of which I really appreciated. The pace of the book certainly matches the pace of Mercy Falls, which is an awesome touch and adds a calming ambiance while reading.

This did suffer a bit from the middle-book syndrome in that mostly it was status quo with a couple new characters introduced and some problems set up to be solved in book three. I'm not hating on it, but it does remind me why I lurve the stand alone reads so much.

For those who started this series and haven't read the rest of them, wait no more! Get in on this action. And for those who haven't started this series, it's a character heavy and emotional read with fun twists and turns and paranormal-lite elements. Not a huge emotional investment, but still really well done.

Obvs, I'll be wrapping up the series sometime soon.

Fave quote: Anything and everything to do with Sam making paper cranes. How freaking ADORABLE is that? Answer: VERY.

Fix er up: Middle book syndrome. Blurg.

Title: Linger (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book Two)

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Pub Info: July 2010, Scholastic

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

[FTC Notice: I borrowed this book from my sister-in-law. I was not compensated in any way for this review. Thanks, Michele!]

tbr tuesday [15]

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

the following lovely ladies have inspired this new meme for me - inspired by "a peek at my TBR" by Jen at Makeshift Bookmark, "Waiting on Wednesday" by Jill at Breaking the Spine and "Books to Pine For" by Kristi at The Story Siren.

here's a look at two books i have sitting in my To Be Read pile. i don't necessarily own these books, but they are books i intend to get around to reading soon!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
In his first book for young adults, bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by acclaimed artist Ellen Forney, that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live. [summary from Goodreads]

Why I want to read it: I read and LOVED Reservation Blues by Alexie and I can't wait to see how he translates his rich characters and emotional intensity and humor into the YA world. Also, my secret santa got it for me this year! YAY!

The Iron King (Iron Fey #1)

by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart. [summary from Goodreads]

Why I want to read it: I've heard wonderful things about it from all sorts of wonderful people AND the lovely Yani lent me her set forever ago. So this is kind of a top priority.

Have you read either of these? What say you!

John Green Week: Top 5 John Green Characters

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

Previously, on John Green Week - My fave quotes from Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns,

and An Abundance of Katherines.

It's no secret that I LOVE John Green's writing. A huge part of that love is due to the incredible (and oftentimes nerdish) characters.

And since I know you're DYING to find out, here are my top five favorite, most-awesome, nerdalicious, fantastic and imaginative characters!

5. Alaska Young (Looking for Alaska)

What I love about Alaska is that she's smart, she's quirky, she's off-center and genuine. She's obviously marching to the beat of her own 808 drum beat, and I LOVE that she is always searching for something more out of life. Also, she pulls Pudge (Miles) out of his shell and sincerely cares about him. LOVE.

4. Quentin (Paper Towns)

This was a character that I found myself caring about in spite of myself. At times he came off as snivelly or whiny or naive, yet I still found myself growing to like him and want the best for him. And he had this way of viewing himself in relation to his friends and the rest of the world that I could totally identify with. Maybe I adore him so because he reminds me of hidden pieces of myself. Also, his name starts with a Q and I think that's rad.

3. Radar/Ben (Paper Towns)

Yeah, it's a tie. Deal with it. I LOVED the humor and depth they provided for Paper Towns. They loved Quentin and went on a massively open-ended road trip for him. You can't ask for better friends than that! OH WAIT. YOU TOTALLY CAN. Because they are both gamers. Excuse me while pop in my retainer to prepare for their arrival.

2. Hassan (An Abundance of Katherines)

Obviously, John Green has a way of crafting the absolutely perfect best friend for the main character. This is most clear with Hassan. He is the antithesis of Colin. Laid back, lazy, seemingly unmotivated and driven purely by his desire to please the ladies and watch Judge Judy, he is the ying to Colin's yang. And there are few things I love more than an epic hetero-bromance. He is JUST BARELY in the #2 slot.

1. The Colonel (Looking for Alaska)

I think the Colonel may have very well been my first YA fictional crush. And can you BLAME ME? He certainly plays up the dumb jock stereotype, but this guy has depth like whoa. He's also hilarious, has a sweet southern drawl (at least he did in the audio-book so I'm rolling with it), gives Pudge his epic nickname, is That Guy that binds people together in every situation, sees and thinks more than you realize and is completely and totally faithful to the end.
Also, HIS NAME IS THE COLONEL.
HELLO.

I love him. And so should you.

Are there any characters from the John Green universe that I've neglected to mention that you feel should be in the top characters of all time? Let me know in the comments!

add it to the list [32]

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

Add it to the List is a variation of In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

first off, check that screen cap. it really doesn't get much better than that.

you're welcome, world.

ON TO THE BOOKS

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

May 2010, Simon & Schuster

won from April at Good Books and Good Wine

The Unwanteds (Unwanteds #1) by Lisa McMann

August 2011, Aladdin

won from April at Good Books and Good Wine

The Dragon's Eye: The Dragonology Chronicles, Volume 1 by Dugald A. Steer

November 2006, Candlewick Press

won from April at Good Books and Good Wine

The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson

September 2011, Putnam

won from April at Good Books and Good Wine

(not featured here. i'm listening to it in my automobile and LURVING it)

If I Stay by Gayle Forman (If I Stay #1)

2009, Dutton Juvenile

from my Secret Santa!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2007, Little, Brown

from my Secret Santa!

Incarceron (Incarceron #1) by Catherine Fisher

2007, Hodder Children's Books

purchased from B&N

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

April 2010, Dutton Juvenile

purchased from B&N

Vampire Academy (VA #1) by Richelle Mead

2007, Razorbill

purchased from B&N

The Face Thief by Eli Gottlieb

January 2012, HarperCollins

received as part of the Amazon Vine program

yep, i think i need these.

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

oh that's right. health and mana potions in earring form. because for the love of me, i can NEVER have enough health AND magic. EVER. i only have enough room for extra health or extra magic. WHY!

unless i'm playing Zelda, and then i just need to bust some pots or slice some grass. then my ass is golden.

here's the source for the earrings.
here's the source for the clay pots shirt.

have you heard?

2012-01-06T20:40:00.000-06:00

this super rad blogger featured me on her blog.

as part of April's new feature Five Reasons Friday, she shared five reasons why you should read my blog.

so it may seem silly for me to cross post it here...because you're already reading my blog.

BUT I CAN'T HELP MYSELF. i am totally and completely overwhelmed by the blogger lurve.

so if you haven't already seen it, go check it out for yourself. and if you don't follow April, you may want to change that. because she is FO SHO going to be featuring some other rad blogs you need to follow.

her recommendations are always solid. always.

Review: Love and Leftovers

2012-01-05T05:00:00.000-06:00

in a sentence or so: Marcie and her mother move away after they spot her father in public with a boyfriend. Marcie is alone, lonely, starting a new school, trying to keep her mother sane and keep her life together.

Marcie has the best group of friends a girl could ask for in Boise. the trouble is, she's not in Boise. she doesn't get to spend day in and day out with her quirky best friend Katie, her amazing boyfriend Linus, and the rest of the ragtag group affectionately called The Leftovers. instead she's trying to figure out how to eat, shower, and prepare herself for a brand new school while her mother slips in and out of ambien comas.

what starts out as a temporary move is looking more and more permanent. while Marcie isn't exactly making new best friends, she is starting to settle in to the new apartment and doing what she can to survive a new school. including debating whether or not to encourage the affections of a charming redheaded boy.

i adore novels in verse because it adds an emotional depth without being overwhelming. it's a creative and insightful way to utilize the first person narrator without it being repetitive and two dimensional. Marcie is thrust into anxiety, change, confusion and high emotions and is dealing with it almost completely by herself. she is desperate to find strength, understanding, and compassion - and we, as the reader, are desperate for her to find that as well.

if you haven't read a novel in verse before, i highly recommend this one. it's a great representation of the style and it has a story that's emotionally complex and ultimately fulfilling.

fave quote: "To make mortar out of tears." (385)

fix er up: i felt like the resolution was a bit too quaint. but i'd be lying if i said it didn't make me happy.

title: Love and Leftovers
author: Sarah Tregay
pub info: Dec 2011, Katherine Tegen Books (imprint of HarperCollins)
genre: Contemporary, Drama, Romance

[ftc notice: i received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for the blog tour hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene. i did not receive compensation for this review.]

not big, just old.

2012-01-04T06:30:00.000-06:00

I came across the following survey at Good Books and Good Wine. WHAT UP, APRIL!

Basically it's a chance for bloggers to share more about what they do and how they do it. Newbie bloggers can muse on the post Busting the Newbie Blues Event, while seasoned bloggers can fill out their own set of questions based on the Busting the Big Blogger Blues Event. Both of these incredible ideas are hosted by Ruby's Reads and Small Review.

BUT WAIT.

Before you read on, you should know something. I don't consider myself a big blogger. In fact, I consider myself a measly little blogger. However, I've been doing this blog thing awhile and I'm completely confident and comfortable with my blogging so I figure this still applies to me.

Okay. Let's roll.

image from Ruby's Reads

When did you start your blog?
I started blogging in 2007. I know, I'm going on five years here. This all started as part of a YA Literature class and it blossomed into true love. Should you be so inclined, you can read more about my epic journey on my Who Is Lisa the Nerd page.

Do you ever still feel like a newbie?
Yes. Pretty much every single day. I see something or hear something and I think to myself - WHY didn't I think of THAT?! Also, it's a bit hard for me to believe people are sincerely interested in my rantings.
However, I don't feel like a newbie in the way I review books. I've found a way to express my voice in a concise and thoughtful review format and I'm very happy about that.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?
Blogging can be a massive time suck. You have to continue to make time for real life and friends and family and actually reading books. I was trying so hard to schedule 7 posts in advance (minimum) and write super insightful posts all the time.

I couldn't do it.

I learned to pace myself and found balance in my life. Remember, blogging is a hobby. It's supposed to be fun.

What did you find most discouraging about being a new blogger? How did you deal with this?
It's like being the new girl at school. You can either be friendly, social, make friends and put yourself out there in an authentic and sincere and fun way - OR you can be bitter that no one talks to you and build a shell around yourself and wish you could just quit.

Choose wisely.

What do you find most encouraging?
I have a really supportive group of blogging friends that share their thoughts with me on books, encourage me in blogging, and make me laugh like a loon. I also have a super supportive family who reads my blog and gushes over it. I know, I'm pretty lucky that way.
Also, I find a happiness with and sense of accomplishment when I blog, which is a great personal encouragement for me.

If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?

Take your time. It will come together.

Be yourself. People like that.

Read what you want, when you want. Rushing the process doesn't benefit anyone.

Be nice and friendly. Turns out other bloggers can be pretty rad.

Chill the eff out. Take a break when you need it, no one cares.

What do you dislike about blogs you’ve seen? Do you try to avoid this?
Meme-heavy blogs are such a bore. I'm super sensitive about how many memes I participate in, and how often I choose to participate. I'd rather see unique content, so I try to provide unique content. HOWEVER memes are a great way to share more about who you are as a blogger/reader/person and meet other peeps.

Also, blogs with the black background and bright fonts and flashy graphics. Ugh. Just don't.

When do you find time to comment?

I subscribe to my favorite blogs via Google reader, so I can go through them during the day when I have some down time and mark the ones I want to comment on at home.
Also, for the memes I do participate in, I pick 10-15 blogs I haven't heard of and check them out. It's a great way to meet new peeps, find new reads, and be active in the YA community.

How do you bust out of the "reading feels like work" situation?

This one's easy. I take a break. Step back and live life for awhile. Then, when I come back, I'm all OH YEAH BLOGGING RULES again and everyone wins.

While I am by no means a pro at this, I have been doing it for awhile and am really happy with where I'm at. Take the advice or leave it, I'm happy to share!

Are there things I missed? What would you add or like to share with these prompts?

John Green Week, Yo!

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-06:00

IT STARTS TODAY!

Allow me to kick off the awesome by sharing with you the fave quotes of the three books by JG that I've read.

I've adored them all.

An Abundance of Katherines

fave quote: "The act of leaning in to kiss someone, or asking to kiss them, is fraught with the possibility of rejection, so the person least likely to get rejected should do the leaning or the asking. And that person, at least in high-school heterosexual relationships, is definitely the girl. Think about it: boys, basically, want to kiss girls. Guys want to make out. Always. Hassan aside, there's rarely a time when a boy is thinking, 'Eh, I think I'd rather not kiss a girl today.' Maybe if a guy is actually, literally on fire, he won't be thinking about hooking up. But that's about it. Whereas girls are very fickle about the business of kissing. Sometimes they want to make out; sometimes they don't. They're an impenetrable fortress of unknowability, really." (76)

Looking For Alaska

fave quotes: "how will i ever get out of this labyrinth?" - an ongoing quotation in the novel, used first by Alaska as the last words of a general. utilized by the characters in the book and the author to keep a central theme on the whole experience.

"i go to seek a great perhaps" - more famous last words, and the whole reason miles/pudge declares he is going to the boarding school.

Paper Towns

fave quote: "I couldn't help but think about school and everything else ending. I liked standing just outside the couches and watching them - it was a kind of sad I didn't mind, and so I just listened, letting all the happiness and the sadness of this ending swirl around in me, each sharpening the other. For the longest time, it felt kind of like my chest was cracking open, but not precisely in an unpleasant way." (172)

Under the Never Sky: Meet Aria

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

as part of the Under the Never Sky tour hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene, i was able to interview one of the main characters, Aria.

About the book:

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY [summary and image from Goodreads]

Now, meet Aria!

Of all the Realms, which is your favorite one to spend time inwith friends?

I love going to the Art and Music Realms. Musical theater, rockconcerts, dance clubs… If I could, I’d go from one to the next. Some of thebest Realms right now are the Egyptian ones. They’re so beautiful. Lately,everyone’s going crazy over them.

What do you know about the Outsiders?

I didn’t know much until I was thrown out of Reverie. We justheard stories in Reverie, about the Savages and how they’re barbaric, viciouspeople. If you picture all the most terrible things a person can be—violent,cruel, dirty—that’s pretty much what I thought. Now I know better--much better.

Describe your perfect day!

My perfect day is a day of fun with my friends, cruising toRealms and going to concerts. I love Venice, so I’d probably go to someVenetian Realms. And I also love sushi, so there’d have to be some of that.Basically, just laughing with my best friends and going to the best Realms. IfPerry can be there, then it would really be perfect. And it wouldn’t matterwhat we did, if we were together. Now you’re making me really miss him.

What are three of your strengths and three of your weaknesses?

I’m headstrong, trusting and insatiably curious. I think mystrengths are the same as my weaknesses. It just depends on the context. Whatare your weaknesses and strengths, Lisa?

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

Even though it’s beautiful, I’d change the Aether. There’s noway to live comfortably with the storms being as intense and destructive asthey are. I’d want to see the Aether disappear.

Thanks for having me, Lisa!

---

to answer Aria's question, i would change the unwillingness to compromise. we could get so much farther in life and as a society if we would be willing to give a little. just a thought.

be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour and read Under The Never Sky for yourself! it's been getting a lot of buzz and is making a lot of bookish folk very happy.

thanks again to The {Teen} Book Scene for hosting this tour and to Aria for being gracious enough to swing by! she's on her way to being a celebrity, you know.

oh hey 2012!

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

what's up, 2012? about time you got here! i've been waiting to get crackin' on this new set of reading challenges!

here are the challenges i've committed to for 2012 and the books that fit the bill. i'm open to suggestions, so be sure to leave me some solid leads in the comments too!

Sci Fi Reader Challenge hosted by Working for the Mandroid.

1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

3. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

4. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

5. Dune by Frank Herbert

6. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

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

8. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

9. Waterfall (River of Time #1) by Lisa Bergren

10. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

11. Neuromancer by William Gibson

12. Watchmen by Alan Moore

Support Your Local Library Challenge hosted by The Eclectic Bookshelf

Level 1: 12 books

Not sure yet. Will keep y'all posted!

Sophmore Reading Challenge hosted by Shanyn of Chick Loves Lit.

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

2. Mara Dyer #2 by Michelle Hodkin

3. Perception by Kim Harrington

4. Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

5. ?

6. ?

7. ?

8. ?

9. ?

10. ?

Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren.
1. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
2. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
3. When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen
4. The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
5. The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards
6. Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss
7. Croak by Gina Damico
8. This One Time with Julia by David Lampson
9. Fracture by Megan Miranda
10. ?
11. ?
12. ?

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge hosted by a ton of peeps.

31-40 books - Love at First Sight

yeah, i'm not making a list for this one.

2012 YA Mythology Challenge hosted by About to Read

1. Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

2. The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson #2) by Rick Riordan

3. Titans Curse (PJ #3) by Rick Riordan

4. The Battle of the Labyrinth (PJ #4) by Rick Riordan

5. ?

6. ?

7. ?

8. ?

9. ?

10. ?

what about you? what challenges are you eyeing and spying at this point in the game?

are there challenges i missed you think i should check out? let me know in the comments!

peace out, 2011!

2011-12-31T06:00:00.000-06:00

image made by the amazing Ginger at GReads!

well folks, 2011 has come to a close. it was a pretty awesome year, particularly when it came to the amazing books i was able to devour.

the lovely and ever-awesome Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner is hosting an End of Year Book Survey. and you know i am all about lists and surveys and recapping the greatness. so here we are!

you can write your own post and link it up over at her blog at the original post: right here.

without further ado, faithful readers....

1. Best book(s) read in 2011?
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. I know, this is a YA blog so it’s a tad horrid of me to say the est book I read in 2011 was an adult epic fantasy...but seriously you guys, this book is amazing. AND it heavily features YA characters. It takes forever to read, but it is so worth the investment. It’s one of those that I can put it down and pick it back up and get sucked RIGHT back in to the fantasy. So basically, the best kind. Also, Tyrion Lannister for the supreme ruler of the universe please. (i should also add that i am NOT FINISHED with the series so DON’T SPOIL THINGS)

2. Most disappointing book/book you wish you loved more than you did?
The Hunger Games series. Honestly, this is thought of as the END ALL BE ALL of YA literature and I was just not having it. You can read more about my disappointment here, here, and here.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?
It was most assuredly Horton Halfpott! I loved this book SO much because it reminded me that middle grade books rule, that silly fantasy still has substance, and that dorky boys are just the best. I recommend this book constantly and was lucky enough to score a signed copy from Tom Angleberger himself. He even recognized me. I was dorkishly shy but fangirling on the inside.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?
In addition to Horton Halfpott and A Game of Thrones, I shoved A Monster Calls down many throats (as it is an amazing emotional read that bleeds the lines between fantasy and reality and is written by PATRICK NESS and inspired by SIOBHAN DOWD), as well as Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (for being an older YA book that features snarky main characters and dark humor mixed in with the fantasy elements) and also Eve (for being unputdownable and having some Lord of the Flies shout outs)

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?
Percy Jackson and The Olympians series. WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG. I love middle grade. I love Greek myth. I am a moron for taking so long to read The Lightning Thief. I need to devour the rest of the series right stat now.

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?
I love authors who write sincerely and authentically from a YA perspective. The three that stood out to me this year as fresh faces (at least in my little reading world) were Michael Northrop, Elizabeth Scott, and A.S. King. I could read their words forever and a day and fell in love with their characters for a whole variety of reasons.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or a new genre for you?
Again, A Game of Thrones appears on my best of list for 2011. This was a new genre to me and one that I am SO glad I delved in to. Turns out well written high fantasy for adults is my thing. HOLLA.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?
Three way tie. No surprises there. Shatter Me (seriously, the slow twists in this one were JUST my style and was like a freaking crack fiend), Divergent (dystopian done right will always be thrilling and unputdownable) and I Am The Messenger (I would just sit in my car to listen to this and sob. Sobbing while driving and sobbing in my driveway. I loved this so much.

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Thank you forever to Heather of Candlewick for not reporting me or filing an order of protection against me for constant emails about this release. LOVE YOU CANDLEWICK PRESS!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?
Lost in the River of Grass. Did not love the book, but I did love that cover.

11. Most memorable character in 2011?
Tina Fey from Bossypants! Is this cheating because it’s non-fiction? I don’t care! I love Tina Fey and I am throwing common sense to the wind!

12. Most beautifully written book in 2011?
Shatter Me. Just like everyone else in the world who read the book this year.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?
Tie between I Am The Messenger and A Monster Calls. Both were emotionally rich and presented such hard questions about life and hope and grief and relationships and burrowed their way into my heart.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to read?
The Lightning Thief! I’M SO SORRY PERCY! I’m here now. Let’s roll.

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2011?
"I couldn't help but think about school and everything else ending. I liked standing just outside the couches and watching them - it was a kind of sad I didn't mind, and so I just listened, letting all the happiness and the sadness of this ending swirl around in me, each sharpening the other. For the longest time, it felt kind of like my chest was cracking open, but not precisely in an unpleasant way." (172, Paper Towns by John Green)

"Stories are the wildest things of all, the monster rumbled. Stories chase and bite and hunt." (pg 35, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness)

"I was wearing my best Gap turtleneck and my dates were two adult lesbians, so yeah, I was pretty cool." (pg 35, Bossypants by Tina Fey)

16. Book you read in 2011 that you'd most likely re-read in 2012?
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. A lot of shiz went down and I will need to reevaluate before book 2!

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it?
Anything to do with Warner in Shatter Me. He is so complicated and broken and dark and mysterious. LET ME FIX YOU, WARNER!

Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011

1. New favorite book blog discovered in 2011? No surprises here, but I’ll go with Ginger at GReads! This girl gets me, has great taste in music, writes amazing reviews, and spends so much of her precious time pimping books, bloggers, and other bookish things. She’s amazing and wonderful and just the best, as is her entire blog.

2. Favorite review you wrote in 2011?Divergent, mostly because it was written in list/thank you note form. I love lists. And also thank you notes.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?Dear Bloggers, Untwist Thy Panties. In which I mused somewhat coherently on the regulations set by publishers for book bloggers.

4. Most thought-provoking discussion you read on someone else's blog?Almost always this happens at The Perpetual Page Turner. I mean seriously, she pumped this baby out and helped me to reflect on a years worth of reading. AND ALSO she inspired me to make my very own blogging manifesto. How much more though provoking could you get?! THANKS, JAMIE!

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, etc.)?Armchair BEA, fo sho. I met many lovely new bloggers and really got a feel for the undercurrent of awesome that flows through this community.

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?Interviewing Patrick Ness and chatting with Markus Zusak. I know. 2012 can’t even compare and we all know it.

Markus Zusak

7. Most popular post on your blog this year?My ridiculous reread attempt. I failed miserably, but at least I tried...right?

8. Post you wish got a little bit more love?Pretty much any review for a book that was not a HUGE release or was an older release. I feel like I get bombarded with new release reviews all the time and try to go a bit retro here and there. I must be in the minority on this one.

9. Best bookish discovery (websites, bookstores, etc.)?Ereaders. I embraced the new technology with open arms. And while I haven’t given up on paper books entirely, I am loving the flexibility of my ereader. And being able to read at work. Stick it to the man!

10. Did you complete any reading goals/challenges set at the beginning of the year? I blew past my goal to read 50 books this year and aimed for 75. I feel just short of that, so 75 will be the goal for 2012.
Knocked out the 2011 YA Historical Fiction Challenge.
About finished the Ebook Challenge.
Halfsies for the Off The Shelf Challenge
Halfsies for the Gothic Reading Challenge
FAILED Bloody Jack Challenge. Not a fan.
FAILED Award Winning Challenge.

Looking Ahead...

1. One book you didn't get to in 2011, but will be your number one priority in 2012?The Iron Fey Series and Legend. Both of these are on loan to me from lovely bloggers and I don’t want to keep them hanging! Thanks for your patience, Yani and Jacinda!

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2012?The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Thanks to EVERYONE in the WORLD for sharing how awesome this book is. Also, Shatter Me #2. RIGHT NOW PLEASE and THANK YOU.

3. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2012?It’s gonna be all about the balance in 2012.
I love spending time with my husband and watching movies.
I love making crafty things.
Ilove reading and blogging.
There is enough time in my life for all of these if I can find time and prioritize.
Also, I am limiting myself to 10 arc requests this year. That TBR tree is getting CHOPPED down, not whittled.
Also also, continue to work with the 2012 DAC ARC Tours Blog with Tara, Ginger, and Kristi. It’s such a wonderful idea and i’m stoked to be on the project.

If you’re still with me, thank you! I had a blast this year with the blog and I’m so happy to see your comments and chatty chat books with you. Thank you for listening to my rants and my musings and for being awesome. MUCH LOVE.

Hey, Marcie! A Love & Leftovers Character Interview

2011-12-30T07:30:00.000-06:00

i've recently read - and loved - Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay. after reading this fabulous novel in verse, i was very excited to have the opportunity to ask the main character (and narrator) Marcie some questions.

1. If youwere to choose a soundtrack for your life, specifically during the time writtenin your blue journal, what would it include?

Thesoundtrack of my sophomore year would be a jumble Violent Femmes, Bowling forSoup, Son of Dork, and songs by the Leftover Lovers—the band my boyfriend,Linus, and best friend, Katie, are in.

2. Describeyour perfect weekend.

Jogging +Pancakes (or donuts) + Coffee + a good friend to share them with.

3. In whatways are you most like your mom? Your dad?

You had toask that, didn’t you? I seriously wish I wasn’t like either of them.

from www.saratregay.com

Both my momand I write obsessively—me in my notebook and my mom her novels. Both Mom and Ihave our ups and downs, although lately, Mom has been pretty depressed.

And my dad?Well, we both have had relationship issues—and we aren’t so great at dealingwith them. Although I have to say, he’s got good taste in men. That Danny is akeeper.

4. Arethere things you wish you would have done differently, after you and your mommoved?

When we“moved” to New Hampshire, I thought we were on summer vacation. Vacation meansthat you’ll be going back, right? Well, that’s what I thought. So I didn’t makean effort to make new friends, which turned out to be a really bad decision.Because we ended up staying in N.H. in the fall and I had zero girlfriends tohang out with.

5. Whatadvice would you like to give to others at the end of this experience?

I don’t want to givetoo much away, so I’ll just say this: If a freaky-tall Goth girl asks you ifyou want to be friends, say ‘yes.’ If a really cute boy with a Prince Harrysmile asks if he can kiss you, say ‘no.’

And I have MORE good news. Click on the link below to enter for a chance to win a swag pack from Love & Leftovers!

Contest Closed.

thanks to the Marcie for answering a a few of my questions, and thanks to The {Teen} Book Scene for making this possible!

be sure to check back on January 5th for my glowing review of Love & Leftovers!

Review: Where Things Come Back

2011-12-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

in a sentence or so: A teenage boy goes missing. A young missionary fails. A town obsesses over a bird. A common thread binds them all, though it may not be the one you expect.

Cullen and Gabriel Witter live in the small town of Lily, Arkansas. While they agree that this town doesn't hold much promise for anyone, the two brilliant minds experience life in very different ways. Where Cullen is bitter, jaded, and negative, Gabriel is patient, understanding, and hopeful. When the town works itself into a frenzy over a mysterious bird, the Witter brothers agree to scoff at the outlandishness of the claim. Then Gabriel goes missing.

Benton Sage has always known exactly what to do with his life. He is called to be a Christian missionary. The problem is, he sucks at it. At least, as far as he can tell. Defeated, he gives up and heads home...but not before learning about a little known book of the Bible that forever changes his worldview. When one's worldview changes, it tends to ripple out and seep into the lives one may not have intended.

After I finished reading, I felt like my heart had been hit - repeatedly - with a meat mallet. The first strike comes from Cullen. This kid is so jaded and angsty but has SO much potential. The second strike came from Gabriel (who felt like a Cullen 2.0) because his hope and faithfulness in humanity is called into question when he goes missing. The third - and hardest - strike came with Benton. There is nothing quite so awful as having your heart completely and totally set on something, feeling it's what you're meant to do forever and ever amen, and then you don't. Loss of purpose is one of the hardest losses to bear.

The hits just kept on coming. The grief, the wondering, the anxiety, and the reality that life will continue on in some way, shape, or form. Amid all the heaviness of grief and fear of what happened to Gabriel, the woodpecker that the town was obsessed over, perhaps at the expense of searching for Gabriel Witter, was a great balance of absurdity with social commentary.

The book wraps up enough without being too much. My stomach fell through to the floor several times, but none so hard as the final page. I was physically and emotionally exhausted. Books that deal with grief and coming-of-age and worldviews stick to my ribs and wear me the hell out.

That is precisely why they are my favorite.

fix er up: It took me a long time to like Cullen. And even to say that I like him by the end is probably stretching it a bit. Do I respect him? Oh good grief, yes. But as I stated earlier, his negativity was a lot to handle.

fave quote: Okay, I'm going to cheat here and take an entire passage. There is a moment when Cullen has this waking dream where his family are all gathered around a table. It borders on emotional breakdown, packs some serious metaphors, and in it's own bizarre and fantastic way shows the rare manifestation of hope that Cullen has for his brother's life.

Title: Where Things Come Back
Author: John Corey Whaley
Publishing Info: 2011 Atheneum Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Coming of Age, Family

[ftc notice: I borrowed a copy of this book from Ginger at GReads! I was not compensated in any way for this review. Thanks, G!]

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T05:30:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas you guys!

While I'm gaming with family and probably eating way too many cheesy potatoes, enjoy my favorite ever Christmas song.

gushy goodness

2011-12-24T11:24:00.000-06:00

thank you to the following ladies for being a part of my Book Love 2011:

To Tara: Thank you for being consistently organized, sweet, thoughtful and fun. It's been wonderful getting to know you and thank you for your recommendation to read Saving June!

To Yani: Thank you for sharing books with me and for being so down to earth and genuinely sweet. You will always be one of my faves and thank you for sharing your recommendation to read the Jessica Darling series!

To Ginger: Thank you for being fantastic and loving my weirdness and CAPS LOCK and for being my long distance email bff. You rock my face off every single day. Thanks for recommending The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han!

To Jacinda: Thank you for always being excited about whatever I'm doing on the blog and for encouraging me without even realizing it. I could not ask for a better twin. :) Thanks for recommending Touch by Jus Accardo!

To Anna: Thank you for your consistent enthusiasm and your unabashed adoration of nerdy things (myself included). You are adorable and I think you're wonderful. Thanks for recommending The Statistical Possibility of Love at First Sight!

Book Love from Anna

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

no one keeps it short, sweet, and awesome quite like Anna!

If I followed the conventions of "Lisa Is Busy Nerding," my blog would have to be called "Anna Is Busy Swooning." I'm a sucker for romance and proud of it.

So, clearly, if I'm naming my favorite book of the year, I'm going to have to name the book I read that threw me into an absolute, sinking-down-onto-the-chaise-with-hand-over-forehead/bring-me-the-smelling-salts romantic fit: "The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight" by Jennifer E. Smith.

Oh, I know, I'm a total tease because THIS BOOK ISN'T EVEN OUT YET. But, it was my favorite, so you better get pumped and start your preordering for Jan. 2.

So here's the deal: Hadley is flying to England, reluctantly, to attend her father's wedding. She misses her flight but happens to meet a charming young British man named Oliver at the airport gate while she waits for the next flight. Sure, I know what you're thinking: "Um, who talks to strangers at airports? This sounds like my worst nightmare!"

Well, then clearly you skipped over the part where I said "CHARMING YOUNG BRITISH MAN." Hellooooo. Okay, now you're with me, right?

As the book title suggests, their connection is immediate and they spend hours talking. I just...my heart goes pitter-patter thinking about everything that happened between them during one measly little trans-Atlantic flight. But then what happens once they land? Oh ho ho, you'll have to see for yourselves, but trust me on this:

- There are tears.

- There is kissing.

- It is beautiful.

It is perfect romantic story that needs to be made into a movie instantly. Buy it. Enjoy it. Let me know what you think!

xoxo,

Anna

thank you, Anna! MWAH!

Book Love from Jacinda

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

Book Love 2011 continues with the girl who could very well be my twin, Jacinda!

Technically, I’ve been telling everybody that I have two favorite books for 2011. These two books are the only ones I’ve re-read this year besides Twilight. These two books stand-out among the rest and those two books are:

Divergent by Veronica Roth & Touch by Jus Accardo

I decided to talk to you about Touch instead of Divergent, because the former is in need of more readers! Plus, I read it recently so everything is a bit more fresh in my mind. Divergent has almost 25,000 ratings on Goodreads and Touch has less than 300. See?! This is why I need to get Touch into the hands of more readers.

I felt high as a kite when I finished Touch. I wanted to dance around everywhere and scream and laugh! I felt like I could do anything! I’ve only ever had less than a handful of books do this to me and Touch was one of them. Everyone has to know what I’m talking about! My pulse was racing, I couldn’t sit still, and my hands were shaking! AHHHH! I wish I could re-read this book all over again for the first time!

For those of you who follow my blog and follow me on Twitter, are probably becoming annoyed with my constant talk about this book. I JUST CAN’T HELP IT! I’ve done everything in my power to promote this book and to get people to read it. So far, everyone I know, unless they aren’t telling me, have completely enjoyed it.

In case you don’t want to read all of the gushing I’ve written above or you need more reasons to read this book, here are the main reasons for you to read Touch by Jus Accardo:

• A rebellious main girl. Dez doesn’t seem to be afraid of much and she always fights the right fight. I <3 her!

• Comic-book like characters. This seems to be the simplest way of telling everyone what this book is about. Kale is unable to touch anyone without hurting them or killing them. Other characters have other powers as well, but I will let you read the book to find out about those ones. I’m evil like that. ;)

• HOT romance! I’m all about romance in books. I’m sure other readers are the same way.

• My review of this awesomeness should persuade you. If not, the My Book Boyfriend post of Kale should do it.

• Kale. Everyone should read this book just because of him. You see the dude on the cover? That is Kale. Many times I’ve seen people on the cover of books and while reading I thought, “That girl on the cover is nothing how I picture this girl in the book.” I didn’t have that problem with Kale.

• Jus Accardo did a fantastic job of writing her story so I couldn’t guess what was just around the bend. As soon as one surprise popped up and I was like, “WOW, OHMYGAWD, THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN!!!” I was repeating that same line all over again.

• No cliffhanger! The story wraps up nicely. At the same time, Jus has left us some questions I will look forward to finding out in book two.

I’m chomping at the bit for Toxic to come out! I’ve also heard, not sure how many people actually know this, that there is going to be a novella released a day before my birthday in February from Kale’s point of view! How exciting is that!

Now that I’ve raved about Touch all over again, I want to re-read it AGAIN! See, this is why you should read this! You will become addicted! Or maybe that’s a reason why you don’t want to…lol.

This video has nothing to do with this book. For some odd reason, I can’t seem to not think about this song when I think of Touch probably because of the similar titles…at least it will make you want to dance!

Jacinda @ The Reading Housewives
Find me on Twitter

I’m a 26 year-old Hoosier. Currently I’m a SAHM to a 4 year-old boy and a 3 year-old girl. I’ve been married to my hubby, Seth, for 6 years and I’ve known him since I was senior in high school. I have two dogs and a cat which I love dearly even though they can make my life more hectic than it needs to be. Besides my love of reading which is obvious, I love my Keurig, crafting, and football. I’m afraid of heights to the point where I will not stay in a hotel

room above the 7^th floor or drive in mountains unless it’s at night. I dislike milk and anything banana or coconut flavored, so I’m limited on my cocktail choices. I’m a big young adult reader, but I do read an occasional adult book. My favorite types of books would have to be contemporary and historical fiction, but it used to be paranormal before I became more of an avid reader.

thanks, Jacinda! <3

Book Love from Ginger

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

Book Love 2011 continues with one the bloggers nearest and dearest to my heart. GINGER!

-----

Dear Followers of Lisa the Nerd,

I wasasked by the amazing (and quite hilarious) Lisa to share with you, one lasttime, my favorite book that I’ve read in the last year. First of all, ONE BOOK?! Are you kiddingme??? That’s like trying to choose yourfavorite child (not that I would know because I remain child-less, fornow). Needless to say I found it to bedifficult because I’ve read SO MANY GREAT THINGS this year. From dystopian, to contemporary, and back toparanormal; I’ve found a new love to match each of these categories. BUT to keep with Lisa’s demands (I mean.. sokindly requests, hehe) I have chosen ONE book that I can’t end the year on andNOT scream my love and devotion for.

THE SUMMER I TURNEDPRETTY BY JENNY HAN

Yup. That’s THE book (well 3 book series in this case) thatcompletely won me over this year. I’m agirl who appreciates a well-written contemporary. When an author has the ability to take onecoming-of-age character, place her in the most breath-taking scenery, andconflict her world – I am SOLD. Take meoff the shelf, package me up, and deliver me because this book defines whatGinger loves best in YA lit.

There is this fictional place called Cousins Beach. And I know it’s fictional because I’vetotally tried to look it up on google maps. IT CAN NOT BE FOUND, dammit. Thisbeach.. ohh this beach.. it sets the tone for the whole story. I imagined my toes sinking in the warm goldensand, feeling the salty spray on my face from the waves rolling in. Let’s not forget to mention how unbelievablygorgeous a blanket of stars strewn across a night sky can be, resting atop anendless body of ocean. Yup. That’s my fantasty island. Right there.

Then there’s the boy. Oh wait. BoyS? Yes, that would beplural. On this side of the beach wehave Conrad: the dark, mysterious, broodingly handsome, OMG-I-WANT-TO-RIP-YOUR-SWIM-TRUNKS-OFF. Then overthere, making sand castles, we have Jeremiah: the quirky, cute, mischievous,little brother who in the right light could be one serious HOT ASS. As you can see, I was torn; just like Belly(oh did I forget to mention her name? Yes, it’s weird. Get over it.) But let’s be real here. I always, ALWAYS go for the broken beautifulboy. So Conrad, he’s my dude.

So we have the beach. We have the boys. Now entersconflict. Belly is following after herfirst true love, yet she’s also noticing a new love that’s always been by herside. In the background we have somefamily drama going on, too. Then there’sSUSANNAH. Pretty sure this woman brokemy heart in the best possible way. She’sthe mother of Conrad and Jeremiah. Thestory that is centered around the three of them, prepare yourself, grab a boxof Kleenexes because you’ll need them.

Like all good things, summer must come to an end. I cried like a baby when it was time forBelly to leave Cousins beach and go back home. I know that longing one has for summertime. There is something about that season thatsets your soul at ease. It’s as if youhave an excuse to get away with not doing things by simply saying, “itssummertime, I’m on vacation!” If I couldtransport myself to being 16 again, I would totally put myself at that beach,inside that house, with all those fabulous characters. The Summer I Turned Pretty completely, 100%turned my love for reading up a huge notch.

When I look back on 2011 and my reading piles, it’s thisseries that will jump out the most at me. Not only did I read it, I shared my passion for it with everyone in thebook blogging community (even by sending actual copies to people who HAD TOREAD IT!), but I also MET JENNY HAN HERSELF. Yes, that happened. I totallygeeked out and went all fangirl on her. And you know what she did?! She gave me a Team Conrad button. Oh yes she did. Dreams do come true. Now I just need to invent Cousins beach andfind me a Conrad there. THEN my lifewill be complete.

xoxo Love,

Ginger (the girl who blogs at GReads!)

Book Love from Yani

2011-12-20T05:00:00.000-06:00

Book Love 2011 continues with the wonderful and lovely Yani!
she also made that lovely graphic. pretty sweet, no?

When Lisa first emailed me about doing a guest post on my favorite read of 2011, I immediately thought of several books. I have read so many great debuts this year plus many old ones I never had a chance to read before, thanks to recommendations from my blogger friends, and I didn't know how to pick a favorite. Then I thought... well which one meant the most to me??

And that without a doubt was the conclusion of the Jessica Darling Series.

This is an ode to the series, because You. Yes, You. Must read it!

I first read of Jessica Darling (Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings) when I was in high school. I related to this girl who felt like an outsider even with her own friends. In the beginning what stood out to me the most was Megan's writing. It was witty and sarcastic and spoke to me in a way no other book had. Then as I got to know Jessica, I fell in love with the story, and with Marcus Flutie. There is no other flawed, yet charming and real character like Marcus Flutie. I could write pages and pages on why Marcus Flutie is the BEST LOVE INTEREST OF ALL TIME, but I won't. Because even though it is true, there are many conventional (and unconventional) swoon moments in the books, this story is more than just the romance.

Sloppy Firsts (and the rest of the books) is about growing up, being your own person, making mistakes, and understanding that nothing in life works the way you plan it, yet it still works. I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more, and I sighed. I am so glad Ginger pushed me to finish the series this year after I had lost my way in it.

Jessica Darling is more than a character, she is a symbol of everything I strive to be.Independent. Bold. Strong. Unique.

Watch my video review where I gush some more here.

And visit my blog TSLoaAR for other great books of 2011!

thanks for stopping by, Yani! MWAH!

Book Love from Tara

2011-12-19T06:30:00.000-06:00

as i've been reflecting on all the bookish goodness from 2011, i was thinking it would be fun to ask some of my most treasured bloggers what their favorite reads were.

so i did!

for the rest of the week, a different blogger will be featured each day and they will be sharing their book love from 2011 with me - and also with you!

i'm kicking off this week of book love with Tara, who just so happens to be
a lady in the street but a freak in the bookstore.

Saving June was by far my favorite contemporary novel of 2011. It has all of the ingredients that I have been searching for - romance and swoony times but with that bit of an edge. I seem to enjoy books more when they have a not-so-perfect plot. Not just girl loves boy, boy doesn't love her back, then something happens and wham, they're together. I love those books, but I like them even better when there is an element of not-so-perfectness thrown in. Enter in Saving June!

Since I already reviewed the book (http://www.fictionfolio.com/2011/10/review-saving-june-by-hannah-harrington.html), today I'm going to share with you my top five reasons why you should read the book. I can't rave about this book enough and I hope if you decide to read it you'll enjoy it too!

1) The characters: Every single character in this book contributes something to the overall story and enhances the reading experience.

2) The underlying emotions: The backbone of Saving June is June committing suicide and the emotions and actions of the people who were affected. It's real and gritty and sad, but not so much that it takes the story somewhere else.

3) The romance: Oh yes, this book has some major romance thrown into the mix. It's all about balance - the sad and emotional mixed with the excitement of new love.

4) The writing: Hannah Harrington, in a word, ROCKS. She has such a way with words that make your insides just twist and turn and leave you wanting more and more and MORE.

5) The music element: I'll admit, I love music but I wouldn't consider it one of my passions. However, the music incorporated into this book was amazing and truly made the book stand out more.

thanks to Tara for sharing more about her favorite book of the year!

be sure to swing by her blog and give her a shout out.

stay tuned for the rest of the week to see what other bloggers will be sharing their fave book of the year!

add it to the list [31]

2011-12-18T14:41:00.000-06:00

add it to the list is a variation of In My Maibox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

i won this cool stuff from Heidi at YA Bibliophile

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (chapter sampler)

MJ Magnet Set by Maureen Johnson

The Vespertine and Miss Peregrine's bookmarks

THANK YOU HEIDIIIIII!

i got this Christmas surprise package from Carrie at Stalking the Bookshelves!

she is the best.

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr. IT IS SIGNED. IT IS WONDERFUL!

Harry Potter badges! so cool!

what did you get in your mailboxes or add to your list of things to read this week? be sure to let me know!

Review: Can You Survive Sherlock Holmes

2011-12-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

in a sentence or so: a choose your path book where you get to be one of the most famous detectives of all time. choose carefully because surprises, and danger, lurk around every turn.

you're in a strange room in your uncle's house, spending yet another night trying to power through that stupid math homework.

seriously. math is the worst.

and then, quite unexpectedly, you find yourself in the place of the famed Detective Holmes. Watson briefs you on three cases that need the good inspector's eye. two of them are innocent enough...but one of them is a trap that just may cost you and Watson your lives. will you be able to make the right choices to solve the cases and save your lives?

man, i forgot how fun Choose Your Own Path books can be. this was a super fun book with legit mystery and detective skills. while obviously a middle-grade book, this is certainly one i could bust out with friends and have fun with.

and of course, i cheated like crazy. i died no less than 6 times.

for a fresh and fun way to experience Sherlock Holmes, i definitely recommend this book! it's a great one to enjoy with friends or kiddos.

fave quote: "Anything is better than math homework." (7)

fix er up: nothing. this was quick and fun and just right!

title: Can You Survive Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
author: adapted by Ryan Jacobson and Deb Mercier
genre: Middle Grade, Mystery
pub info: Nov 2011, Lake 7 Creative

[ftc notice: i received a copy of this book from the author as part of the tour hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene. i was not compensated for this review in any way.]

i've got my own car, i'm popular.

2011-12-16T05:30:00.000-06:00

image from Ginger at GReads!

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. this is my favorite meme. and not just because Ginger is an elite book blogger with incredible design talent. mostly, i adore this meme because she poses a great question for us to discuss and share more about who we are as a reader and as a person behind the blog. she’s insightful, that way.

so, without further gushing, let us get to this week’s question!

something awesome this way comes...

2011-12-15T23:00:00.000-06:00

starting on Monday.

stay tuned!

mwahahahaha

25 Days of J Giveaway!

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

it's finally my stop on the 25 Days of Jubilation hosted by Dog-Eared & Bookmarked, The Reading Housewives, and The Secret Life of an Avid Reader.

which are all fantastic blogs you should follow, btw.

i'm excited to be a part of this and to share a little of the holiday spirit with you!

as some of you may know, i make bookmarks. they are by NO MEANS professional, but they are my own little crafty expression and get the job done.

you are not required to use these in holiday books, but obviously it's substantially more awesome if you do.

here's the goodness!

contest closed.

be sure to continue to follow all the blog stops too!

Review: Graffiti Moon

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

in a sentence or so: Lucy is on a desperate search for the graffiti artist known as Shadow. she’s also the wingwoman for her best friend Jazz and has to spend the last night of year 12 with the boy whose nose she broke. luckily for Lucy, she’s getting two birds with one stone.

Lucy is a unique artist from a quirky family. she finds solace in her psychic best friend Jazz and in the hobby-turned-creative-outlet of glass blowing. she can just tell that Shadow is the type of boy who will understand her and makes it her mission to discover his identity. she just never seems to be in the right place at the right time...

Ed quit school to work part time, help his mom with the bills, and to continue painting his heart and soul onto crumbling walls. he feels like he’s not good enough, not smart enough, not typical enough for his ex-girlfriend Beth - and certainly not good enough for the for girl who broke his nose over an ass grabbing incident. after his mentor and boss dies, Ed searches for direction and meaning.

between alternating chapters, we have the fabulous vantage point of being third person omniscient and knowing each thought, feeling, shift and change in Ed and Lucy.

we are with them when they are reluctantly paired together for a night of shenanigans and wingman/wingwoman duties.
we are with them when they start to have fun together at a party.
we are with them when they start to share more about who they are with one another.
we are with them when the sparks start.
we are with them when those sparks turn into a flame that spreads more quickly than either of them anticipates...though neither one minds the heat.

this is a story about Ed and Lucy discovering the true identity of each other over one crazy evening. the way they arrive to this discovery includes, but is not limited to, near nipple piercings, running over someone with a bike, sharing secrets and insecurities, holding hands, and laying on the roof of a pink van.

what really brings this book home are the amazing background characters. between their friends who are on the crazy adventures with them, their artistic mentors, the crazy guy threatening to beat them up, and dysfunctional families, you can’t help but fall in love with Ed and Lucy individually and root for them to the very end.

if you’re looking for that next great rush of captivating storytelling, slow-burn romance and envy-enducing artistic expression from characters with a lot to say, be sure to pick this one up.

fave quote: "I missed him after he'd gone. I mean, it's not like the feeling he gave me stopped because he grabbed my arse. I spent the weekend after our date wishing I could stab him with my fluffy-duck pen and staring at the phone hoping he'd call. Dating is a very tricky business." (476 of 2345 on Kindle)

fix er up: i really liked the Poet chapters (Ed’s friend, Leo) and would have LOVED to have a few Jazz chapters thrown in.

title: Graffiti Moon
author: Cath Crowley
pub info: Feb 2012, Knopf Books
genre: Contemporary, Humor, Friendship

[ftc notice: i received a copy of this book via Netgalley. i was not compensated in any way for this review. thanks, Netgalley!]

10 things to adore about Sherlock Holmes

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

as part of the tour hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene, i had a chance to talk to the author, Ryan Jacobson, about why he adores Sherlock Holmes.

in related news, i found out more about the author. turns out he's pretty rad AND he likes Batman. i know, you guys. i know.

so i asked Ryan to please share the top ten things he adores about the world's most famous detective. here's what he had to say!

---

It’s great to be here, visiting a fellow Minnesotan’s blog,but Lisa asked me a really tough question: what are 10 things I adore aboutSherlock Holmes? Hmm, this could take a while, so let me jump right in:

10. He’s alwaysright. Yep, Sherlock Holmes is like me in this way—at least, that’s what Ikeep telling my wife. No matter where he goes, he’s always the smartest personin the room. This makes his investigations all the more exciting. We readersknow that if Sherlock hasn’t figured it out yet, then it must be quite thepuzzle.

9. He’s kind of ajerk. Well, yes, okay, he’s a bit like me in this way too. In his (our!)defense, he doesn’t mean to be a jerk. It’s just that he has more importantthings to do than worry about whether he’s hurting someone else’s feelings. Hesays what he’s thinking, tells it like it is, and then moves on with his day. Ilove it!

8. His hat. It’scalled a deerstalker—I’ve also heard it referred to as a hunter’s cap—andSherlock Holmes totally rocks it. I’m putting one on my Christmas list. I’mpretty sure I’ll look ridiculous, but I intend to wear it with pride.

7. His name. Oh,yes, I have name jealousy. Really, I’m jealous of anyone with a cool name.“Ryan Jacobson” is pretty blah.

6. His timelessness.Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance well over a hundred years ago, andhe’s still one of the most interesting and well known characters of today.

5. The movies and TVshows. When I started writing this adaptation, I also started watching oldSherlock Holmes movies and TV shows—and there are a lot of them! I’m still notfinished, but I’m having a great time getting there.

4. Howdunit? Withso many Sherlock Holmes mysteries, it’s not a question of who committed thecrime. Rather, the mystery is determining how they did it. This is so much moreinteresting; Sir Doyle dreamed up some pretty amazing schemes.

3. LEGO SherlockHolmes. Thanks to my five-year-old, I’m now addicted to LEGOs. Imagine myexcitement when I discovered that the latest line of LEGO minifigures includesa Sherlock Holmes. Whoo-hoo! Now I just need to build a 221B Baker Street to gowith it.

2. The BBC’sSherlock. I already mentioned movies and TV shows, but this is in a classall its own. It’s not just the best Sherlock Holmes; it’s one of the bestthings I’ve ever watched, period. And Season Two is coming! (As a side note, Iwant to see Benedict Cumberbatch play Snape in a Harry Potter prequel. Howawesome would that be?)

1. Sherlock-Holmes-inspiredcharacters. Whether intentional or not, so many of literature’s greatdetectives are reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes: socially awkward geniuses with aknack for solving crimes. You’ll find a bit of Sherlock Holmes in everyone fromBatman to Lisbeth Salander.

contest closed.

thanks again to Ryan for sharing his insight and adoration for the 2nd most awesome detective of all time (obviously Bruce Wayne is #1) and to The {Teen} Book Scene for hosting the tour.

in case you missed my review of the book, you can see it here.

Happy Holidays, YA Authors!

2011-12-11T06:30:00.000-06:00

Pam from Bookalicious invited YA Bloggers to make a 30 second video wishing their favorite YA author Happy Holidays.

in true Lisa fashion, i could not pick one. i picked five.

enjoy!

i'll keep you posted for when the final video is made. until then, you can just watch my ridiculousness.

gamers gotta game

2011-12-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

this is my life almost every night.

here's the source.

when books become movies

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

image from Ginger at GReads!

so, without further gushing, let us get to this week’s question!

Book to Movie:

Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

book to movie that got it right - Harry Potter
yeah, i know a lot got left out of the movies (i was really hoping for S.P.E.W to make it on screen) but very rarely did the director venture wildly off the path (with the exception of Barty Crouch, Jr. and his tongue tick).
what i love about the book to movie adaptation for HP is twofold:
1. nerds can talk about what was different/what was left out and debate the finer points of the series. i love that a lot.
2. the movies were a gateway to the reading of the series for many. i think that’s really rad.

book to movie that got it wrong - Eragonoh my. i had SUCH high hopes for this movie because i loved the book. my husband had also read it and we were discussing our hopes and dreams for it.
“John Malkovich is Galbatorix! He’s great!” we exclaimed.
“Dragons in movies are always cool” we agreed, without debate.
“I can’t wait to see what Tronjheim looks like!” we giggled.
we were wrong.

so wrong.
Galbatorix was absurd and comical, not threatening and crazytown as he should have been.
Saphira was pretty cool...but the computer animation wans’t as captivating as i’d wanted it to be.
the acting was hokey and it didn’t achieve that epic fantasy status it was shooting for. i really really REALLY wish it had.
but that’s the deal with fantasy movies, i think. they fall into one of threee categories:
1. ZOMGAMAZING. these are your Lord of the Rings, your Harry Potters, your Star Wars, Game of Thrones, etc.
2. Cheesy, yet endearing. these are your Clash of the Titans (classic version, obvs), Jason and the Argonauts, Soylent Green, Troy and Escape from New York.
3. Total Crap. these are your Eragons and your The Last Airbenders. you had such high hopes for these movies, yet they are so bad you are embarrassed to admit you paid money to see them in the theater.

what about you? what book to movie adaptation did you LOVE and which did you loathe. let me know in the comments and be sure to link it up over at GReads!

Review: Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3)

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

previously, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

In a sentence or so: After discovering the truth behinddistrict 13, Katniss must decide whether or not she will be the face of therevolution that will change the future of Panem.

After Katniss narrowly escapes the arena for the secondtime, she learns all about District 13 and what they’ve been up to. Thatthey’ve slowly been amassing the necessary weapons, leadership, andorganization to take down the Capitol. They are all hoping that Katniss willbecome the face of the rebellion. That she will become the Mockingjay. But canshe trust this rebel leader Coin? What will happen to Peeta in President Snow’shands if she takes on the leadership role? And what exactly does being the faceof the rebellion entail?

You’d think there would be a lot to wrap up in this finalinstallment of the Hunger Games trilogy. But basically, it all centers aroundwhether Katniss chooses Peeta, Gale, or neither and will the Capitol get takendown by the rebels. Okay, obviously the story is driven by what Katniss’ roleis in everything, but all of her actions are centered around those two plotpoints. And it just wasn’t enough.

I loved the action scenes. As soon as we were back toblowing stuff up and legs breaking and heads bleeding, I was sold. But thenwe’d get back to the drab inner monologue of Katniss and I wanted to quit.Yeah, you heard me. I wanted to DNF this book.

But I finished. Am I glad I did? Yes - but only for thesingle emotional scene from Katniss near the end. Otherwise, I would havehappily read the synopsis on the interwebs and called it a day.

Please reference my incredibly scientific breakdown by prosand cons below.

What The Hunger Games got right.

Where The Hunger Games failed.

President Snow. That dude was creepy as hell. I like that he tried to control everything, and the more he tried, the less control he had.

The action scenes. SO well done. Whenever they were in the arena or fighting dudes in the streets, I was totally hooked.

The Capitol. Okay, I guess this is almost the same thing as President Snow…but we’ll roll with it. I also liked how one district was ‘better’ than all the others…yet needed them to function.

Coin. Loved that twist. I won’t spoil, but just know that I loved that twist.

Katniss. Everything about her, but most specifically that she isn’t an emotional character that you can relate to. She doesn’t think for herself. She is the epitome of the mockingjay because she just repeats back whatever people tell her to say/think and how to act.

Transitions. Two specific examples are stuck in my craw. The first is when Katniss comes back in Catching Fire and two months pass between two paragraphs. And I had to double check to make sure that was right. It was dumb. The second is when she kisses Gale in the third one. There is no anticipation or build up – it just happens out of nowhere. It was dumb.

District 13. Why didn’t we hear about this until the very end of book two? It felt too convenient.

The Triangle. It was painfully obvious the whole time. And then when it happens, it's just so meh. Like, oh yeah, I gave in so whatever. DUMB.

I had such high expectations for this book and series. I waslet down. I chalk this up to a combination of reading other dystopianliterature that I much prefer to this series, as well as it being built up toomuch.

I can see why people like this series, but it just makes mewant to recommend other dystopian series to them instead. Perhaps I should behappy that this is a gateway read instead of being disappointed.

Fave quote: “It’s notwondering what I breathe in, but who, that threatens to choke me.” (2% onKindle)

Fix er up: KATNISS. For the love, if she had thought forherself or showed emotion or SOMETHING.

Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Dystopian
Publishing Info: August 2011, Scholastic

[ftc notice: I borrowed a copy of this book from the AmazonPrime lending program. I did not receive compensation for this review.]

dear bloggers, untwist thy panties.

2011-12-07T17:47:00.000-06:00

so something else has gone down that’s twisted the panties of the book blogging community.

go figure.

William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins) has posted a review policy for bloggers who want to review books for them.

you know, the kind of policies that we legit book bloggers have and feel are very important and demand they be respected? yeah, this publisher did that as well.

as with a vast majority of things that change on the internet, people are livid about it. bloggers are saying that they aren’t paid by the publisher and that the publisher can’t tell them when to review the book etc etc etc.

here’s my thought. if the publisher asks you to post the review within a month of the release, it’s because they want to promote the book to the best of their ability. which, by the way, is also the point of book blogging. they aren’t asking this to pull a dick move and remind you Who Is In Charge.

let us remember, these are FREE BOOKS, Y’ALL. for the love. don’t be all high and mighty about the publisher asking you to do what’s best for the release of their book.

you know those pitches you get that obviously haven’t looked at your review policy/the name of your blog/what gender you are? please imagine how many the publisher gets. you have a blog with a few hundred (or maybe thousand) followers. publishers trump you in terms of audience - they just do. so can we really be shocked/appalled/frustrated/ that they want to weed out reviewers that are all grabby hands and no professionalism? no way, bro.

this whole panty twist can be resolved in three easy steps:

1. Bloggers need to read the policy of all publishers before they request their titles. Can you abide by those rules? You can?! GREAT! You get it, you have no concerns, you’re golden. Have a cookie and read a book! If you can’t abide by those rules, don’t ask for review copies from that publisher. Get the books from the library, a friend, or buy them. You know, like the rest of the world who isn’t off feeling huffy and entitled.

2. Bloggers need to set their own review policy. Do you already have one of these? Do you demand that the publishers read it before sending you a book? Great! Please have another cookie. They’re small cookies, it’s fine. If you don’t have a review policy, make one. It is professional and is a great way for publishers who are interested in you to learn more about what you do and how you get it done.

3. Be reasonable and professional. The fact that the publisher is putting out some form of review policy is fantastic, so be professional enough to abide by it. You don’t HAVE to take books from them. They are offering them to you in exchange for a fair and honest review within a certain time frame. That is reasonable. You are getting FREE BOOKS that YOU WANT because the publisher is choosing to share them with you. Don’t be a dick.

you can see the full article here.

please tell me your thoughts! am i being absurd? do you have another viewpoint? let’s chat it out.

Review: Catching Fire (video review)

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

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games Trilogy #2

[ftc notice: i borrowed this book from Amazon Prime as part of my membership. i was not compensated in any way for my review.]

previously, The Hunger Games.

lisa + lisa = win

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

i'm guest blogging over at Read. Breathe. Relax. today. mostly i'm rambling about how to be a nerd.

her name is Lisa. my name is Lisa. we are both awesome.

check it, yo.

add it to the list [30]

2011-12-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

add it to the list is a variation of In My Mailbox which is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

we share all the wonderful bookish things we got over the past week.

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Publishing info: May 2011, Atheneum

loaned from Ginger at GReads!

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman

Publishing info: January 2012, Little, Brown

received from Amazon Vine

Dumbledore's Army t-shirt!

from Carrie at Stalking the Bookshelves

be sure to link up your mailboxes and lists of awesome this week at The Story Siren, who is the wonderful host of this fantastic meme.

BREAKING NEWS, Y'ALL!

okay so this wasn't REALLY from my mailbox...but it is bookish.

the hubs bought me a new bookshelf.

YAY!

25 Days of Jubilation

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-06:00

great news, dudes! the 25 Days of Jubilation kicks off tomorrow!

i know, i'm stoked too.

while my stop isn't for awhile yet, there is something awesome going on every day between now and Christmas!

be sure to swing by the following blogs and check it out.

Thursday, December 1st:
Christian at Goldilox and the Three Weres

Friday, December 2nd:
Molly at Surrounded By Words

Saturday, December 3rd:
Meridith at Mint Tea and A Good Book

Sunday, December 4th:
Sandie at Teen Lit Rocks

Monday, December 5th:
Shannon at Books Devoured

Tuesday, December 6th: Bex at Becky’s Barmy Book Blog

Wednesday, December 7th:
Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian

Thursday, December 8th:
Jen at In the Closet with a Bibliophile

Friday, December 9th:
Sara O. at The Librarian Reads

Saturday, December 10th:
Ginger at GReads!

Sunday, December 11th:
Asheley at Into the Hall of Books

Monday, December 12th:
Tina at Tina’s Book Reviews

Tuesday, December 13th:
Heidi at YA Bibliophile

Wednesday, December 14th:
Jess at Gone with the Words

Thursday, December 15th: Lisa at Lisa Is Busy Nerding

Friday, December 16th:
Jen D. at Not now…I’m Reading!

Saturday, December 17th:
Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner

Sunday, December 18th:
Andrea at The Busy Bibliophile

Monday, December 19th:
Karis at YA Litwit & Sarah at Workaday Reads

Tuesday, December 20th:
Katelyn at Katelyn’s Blog

Wednesday, December 21st:
Ruby at Ruby’s Reads

Thursday, December 22nd:
Jac at For Love and Books

Friday, December 23rd: Asher at Paranormal Indulgence

Saturday, December 24th:
Nikki at Books Most Wanted

Sunday, December 25th:
Merry Christmas!

if you have any questions about the 25 days, you should contact the hosts:

Cyndi at Dog-Eared & Bookmarked - bettyluvsbooks@gmail.com -@DEBookmarked

Jacinda at The Reading Housewives - jacindahinten@gmail.com - @ReadingWifeJac

Yani at The Secret Life of an Avid Reader (TSLoaAR) - jisforjinx13@gmail.com - @AvidYani

let's get this party started, y'all!

Review: The Sword in the Stone (The Once and Future King: Part 1)

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

In a sentence or so: before he becomes King Arthur, he is a scrawny little dude named Wart who goes on adventures with his cousin Kay and is sometimes turned into an animal in the name of knowledge. Adventures ensue!

Merlyn comes to tutor the young Wart and Kay in between their chores and their path to knighthood. While Kay isn't the most attentive student, Wart is always itching to learn and patiently absorbs all the lessons that Merlyn has to share with him. These aren't your typical lessons either, mind you, but probably the coolest lessons you've ever dreamed of. Wart becomes an owl, a falcon, a fish, a badger, and many other rad wild animals. Each of these animals teaches him something different about the nature of the world and a bit about himself.

Since this is just part one of The Once and Future King, we mostly get background and framework for how Wart becomes Arthur. Which isn't to say this is boring, because it most certainly is not.

In fact, this is quite silly and tongue-in-cheek and clever and witty. Merlyn and Wart have a great banter that kept me giggling like an idiot.

"You know you will turn me into a hawk when you want to," shouted the Wart, "but you like to plague me because it is wet. I won't have it."
"Hoity-toity!" (74)

Ultimately, this is a way for us to get to know what makes King Arthur tick, to experience his emotional development and to be a part of his childhood, which is pretty spectacular.

If you're looking to get your feet wet with some Arthurian legend goodness, this is a great place to start!

Fave quote: "So little time to pass?" said Merlyn, and a big tear ran down to the end of his nose. He wiped it off with his pyjamas and added anxiously, "Am I going to tell it you again?"
"I do not know," said the wart, "unless you have not finished telling me yet." (35)

Fix er up: I think any surprise was ruined for me because I've seen the Disney movie, but I still loved very page!

Title: The Sword in the Stone (The Once and Future King: Part 1)
Author: T.H. White
Genre: Fantasy, Arthurian Legend
Publishing Info: Penguin Putnam, 1965

[ftc notice: I own a copy of this book, so needless to say, I was not compensated in any way for this review.]

november ten

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

having recently spotted this post from Galleysmith, thanks to April from Good Books and Good Wine, i was inspired to make my very own list of ten books to read for November.

i kinda did this for October, and it was moderately successful. however, with the tips provided by Galleysmith, i feel even more confident for the November go-round!

here are the next ten books i anticipate reading. this may change, but i'm going to try REALLY hard to keep it to this ten. not necessarily in this order, however.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

yes it's the first time i'm reading it so DON'T RUIN IT FOR ME.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

for review from the publisher

Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters

continuing the series so i can wrap it up!

Can You Survive Sherlock Holmes by Ryan Jacobson

for review and blog tour

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

for review from NetGalley

Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut

for review and blog tour

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor

for review from publisher

Underdogs by Markus Zusak

for review from Amazon Vine

Fathers and Sons by Steven Novak

for review from author

Legend by Marie Lu

on loan from Jacinda at The Reading Housewives.

as you can see, i have many review books to catch up on!

are there any you think i should give my attention to first? any insight or thoughts for these titles? let me know!

add it to the list [29]

2011-11-26T23:35:00.000-06:00

add it to the list is a variation of In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

my Game of Thrones shirt came! HOLLA.

hubs has the same one. we are pretty cool.

Croak by Gina Damico

March 2012 from Graphia (imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

for the DAC ARC Tours blog

Thanks, Gina!

a signed copy of Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut

June 2011 from Twilight Times Books

part of The {Teen} Book Scene blog tour

Thanks, Darby!

Gig Posters Volume 2 by Clay Hayes

(i am making the same face as the monster. obvs.)

November 2011 from Quirk Publishing.

Thanks, Eric!

images from inside Gig Posters Volume 2

what awesomeness did you add to your lists this week?

hit me up down in the comments and link it up over at The Story Siren!

when i'm not reading

2011-11-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

image from Ginger at GReads!

so, without further gushing, let us get to this week’s question!

When You're Not Reading: What occupies your time when your nose isn't stuck in a book?

quite simply, i'm gaming or watching something rad.

what my gaming entails:

video games!

having just recently purchased the latest Zelda, that's been occupying a good chunk of my (and my hubby's) time. and i wouldn't want it any other way. i love Zelda the most of anything i do ever.

i've also been giving a decent amount of time to finishing Batman: Arkham Asylum. it's so creepy and awesome and i can't even breath half the time because i'm so skerd.

i almost always have a side game of Pokemon rolling as well. currently replaying Diamond.

board games!

my husband has a serious board game obsession. i wager he spends more hours on Board Game Geek than the rest of his internet browsing combined.

we also have a closet full of board games, euro games, dice games, strategy games...SO many games. and i love them so.

my favorite game as of late is called Quarriors. it's a blend of Magic: The Gathering and Dominion. also, i've won every time i've played. HOLLA.

in fact, we are having friends come in a couple weeks for a board game sleepover weekend extravaganza. that's right y'all, sleepovers didn't stop when i graduated high school. we continue to have sleepovers because they are the BEST EVER.

what my watching of rad things entails:

my favorite tv shows of all time include Avatar: The Last Airbender, Batman: The Animated Series, LOST, Spaced, and Arrested Development.

i have been known to watch cheesy SyFy movies.

i also rewatch the LOTR extended editions monthly. yeah, monthly.

the hubs and i are also severe Netflix addicts.

i'm anticipating a LOST rewatch starting around christmas time that will somehow be incorporated into the blog. just fyi.

i love the Pride and Prejudice with Matthew McFayden. he is so sexy i can hardly stand it.

my favorite Disney movie is Sleeping Beauty. mostly because i love Merryweather.

so what do you guys do when you aren't reading or blogging? let me know and be sure to link it up over at GReads!

christmas shopping for that special nerd in your life

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

chances are if you're reading this blog, then you or someone you know is a nerd.

which is why you're awesome.

since it's Thanksgiving and all, i thought i'd share with you some ways that you can share the love and thanks with that special nerd in your life with my top picks for the most amazing nerd christmas gifts this year!

wear your nerd. loud and proud!

Super Trooper Shirt from Think Geek - $20 to keep you or your honey the freshest mofo in the empire. and let's just be honest with each other. this shirt is the shit.

Batman Cozy Throw with Sleeves from Hot Topic. $30 and I should not have to explain to you all the reasons this is the best thing you'll ever see/experience/imagine in your entire lifetime.

Watch and Play

LOTR Extended Edition on Blu-Ray from Amazon. $50 and you have 12 hours of Middle-Earth glory in which to revel. if you haven't seen the extended edition, you're missing out! literally, like several hours worth of missing out.

Justice League: The Complete Series from Amazon. $72. yeah, it's a big spendy, but it's 15 discs of superhero cartoons done right. so there. even though i hate Superman, this show still rules.

The Settlers of Catan from Board Game Geek. About $20-25 and the best introduction into the wonderful world of eurogames you can imagine. You will not regret this purchase. I promise you.

Stocking Stuffers

Robot Pencil Sharpener - $10 at Think Geek

Mini business card filing cabinet. I KNOW. It's too cute! $13 at Think Geek.

Dr. Who Cookie Jar - $27 at Think Geek

any other nerd gift recommendations? do share!

tbr tuesday [14]

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Stitches by David Small

One day David Small awoke from a supposedly harmless operation to discover that he had been transformed into a virtual mute. A vocal cord removed, his throat slashed and stitched together like a bloody boot, the fourteen-year-old boy had not been told that he had cancer and was expected to die.

In Stitches, Small, the award-winning children’s illustrator and author, re-creates this terrifying event in a life story that might have been imagined by Kafka. As the images painfully tumble out, one by one, we gain a ringside seat at a gothic family drama where David—a highly anxious yet supremely talented child—all too often became the unwitting object of his parents’ buried frustration and rage. [partial summary from Goodreads]

why i want to read this: first, i have yet to meet a graphic novel i didn't like. but more importantly, this one sounds like it packs an emotional punch to the gut that i've been sorely lacking these days. i've been reading a lot of books that are silly or smart or romantic...but none that have filled me with anxiety and emotion and dread. i'm ready for the emotional turmoil. BRING IT.

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Just when seventeen-year-old Cullen Witter thinks he understands everything about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town, it all disappears. . . .

In the summer before Cullen's senior year, a nominally-depressed birdwatcher named John Barling thinks he spots a species of woodpecker thought to be extinct since the 1940s in Lily, Arkansas. His rediscovery of the so-called Lazarus Woodpecker sparks a flurry of press and woodpecker-mania. Soon all the kids are getting woodpecker haircuts and everyone's eating "Lazarus burgers." But as absurd as the town's carnival atmosphere has become, nothing is more startling than the realization that Cullen’s sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother Gabriel has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared.

While Cullen navigates his way through a summer of finding and losing love, holding his fragile family together, and muddling his way into adulthood, a young missionary in Africa, who has lost his faith, is searching for any semblance of meaning wherever he can find it. As distant as the two stories seem at the start, they are thoughtfully woven ever closer together and through masterful plotting, brought face to face in a surprising and harrowing climax.
[partial summary from Goodreads]

why i want to read this: multiple narrators. character development. emotional depth. original story. AMAZING recommendations from fellow bloggers. male main character. a book that will make me ponder and gasp. yeah, i'm kind of pumped for this one.

have you read either of these? if so, tell me what you think! i just may bump it up on my TBR, thanks to you. no promises, but you never know.

in which i am cautiously optimistic

2011-11-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

i am always cautiously optimistic when it comes to book to movie adaptations.

and this is no exception.

Ender's Game is becoming a movie. meet Andrew 'Ender' Wiggins.

image from Tor.com

yeah, he looks pretty solid for the role. but will i enjoy seeing it on the big screen? to be determined.

but WILL i be seeing it on the big screen? obviously.

full details at Tor.com

add it to the list [28]

2011-11-20T07:30:00.000-06:00

add it to the list is a variation of In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

this week, i am showered with love by friends...and Fox.

dudes. Asheley knows i adore Zelda and so when she got her hands on this copy of Game Informer that is focused almost exclusively on the awesomeness that is Link, she offered to share it with me.

obviously i said yes.

i had NO IDEA she was going to send me a Link candy dispenser and a GBA candy case. obviously, i screamed like an idiot and hyperventilated a little bit.

thank you, Asheley, for celebrating the Hero of Time with me and sharing this awesomeness. so much love.

I won a copy of Water for Elephants on DVD and in book form via a contest hosted by GReads! thanks to 20th Century Fox for offering up these goodies. i'm pretty excited to read and then IMMEDIATELY watch the movie. because all Twilight ridiculousness aside, Robert Pattinson is hot as hell.

what did you add to your lists or get in your mailboxes this week? be sure to let me know and then link it up over at The Story Siren so everybody can peep yo stuff.

i am so many of these.

2011-11-19T07:30:00.000-06:00

well, i'm not the star trek geek or the glee geek.

and let's be real, i'm not geek chic either.

image from Flowtown.

bookish thankfulness

2011-11-18T05:30:00.000-06:00

image from GReads!

so, without further gushing, let us get to this week’s question!

Giving Thanks: Which books are you most thankful for from other bloggers, friends, family members, or publishers?

I think I am always thankful for anyone and everyone who shares a book - heck, even a recommendation - with me. But there are a few titles what have really hit home and remain special to me.

Family: My mother’s favorite book is The Hobbit. And while I haven’t read it yet, the entire Lord of the Rings experience will forever be special to me because of my mother’s love for it and the movies. I remember watching them with her and my brother for the first time and being totally captivated. She shared with us some of her initial reactions to reading the series and pointed out some differences between the books and movies. It is a fond memory of mine and makes my hobbit love that much more intense. One day, when I finally read the books, I know I can call my mom and geek out about them and it will be most rad.

Friends: I didn’t read a ton in high school, so I don’t have any specific memories about HS friends (that I still adore to this day) recommending books to me. Mostly I was busy secretly playing Final Fantasy until 3 am and acting like I was up late on AIM or whatever. But these days, I have a couple coworker friends that I can share book recommendations with and push YA on them like whoa. In fact, we are currently geeking out over The Hunger Games. I read the first one, but they both finished the series AND have purchased HG jewelry from Etsy. Plans to see the movie together have been made. So again, this series will forever be associated with my most lovely coworkers, Jaime and Julie. They hound me quite often to finish the series as well, as good bookish friends should!

Bloggers: This is where a vast majority of my TBR books come from. Reading their reviews and hearing them say “This book is SO you” keeps my spark for reading alive. I have many favorite books that came into my heart via bloggers. Such as, but certainly not limited to, The Knife of Never Letting Go and Graceling (from Bookshelves of Doom) and Shatter Me (from GReads!). Other favorites of mine that I heard about FIRST from fellow bloggers are Before I Fall, Divergent, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, and Please Ignore Vera Dietz.

Publishers: Publishers always show me love. For that, I am forever grateful. But if I have to pick one book that really stands out for me as the one I am most thankful for...I can’t. So instead, I will pick three. You should realize by now that I hardly play by the rules AND i can seldom narrow anything down to one.
1. Murder at Wayne Manor from Eric at Quirk Publishing. Eric is just the best, in case you didn’t know, and he gets that I’m a huge dorkasaurus and encourages it by sending me a murder mystery where I get to pretend to be Batman.
2. Anything and everything from Little, Brown Publishing. They were the first publishing house to send me advance review copies of anything, and for that they will always be special to me. Plus, I happen to think their titles are consistently amazing.
3. A signed copy of Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness from Candlewick publishing. I am a very public Patrick Ness fangirl, so this obviously was the best thing to happen in my blogging life - EVER. I still get giddy when I think about it.

What about you? What books did friends, fam, bloggers and publishers share with you that hold a dear place in your heart? Be sure to share with me AND link it up over at GReads!

new love of my meme life

2011-11-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

essentially, it's rap lyrics in old english.

yeah, i just about pee my pants every time.

more of them here.

Review: Me & Tennessee

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

In a sentence or so:Rachel is used to spending her summers with her grandparents in Florida. Butthis summer is different. This summer is full of new loves, lust, significant dramaand self discovery.

Rachel is the only child of two very busy British parents.She isn’t necessarily unhappy, just a bit of a loner. She remains a loner mostsummers when she visits her grandparents on the Florida beaches. Not thissummer. This summer, Rachel meets Kyle (the older and jaw-droppingly gorgeousone) and Jed (the sweet, sensitive, and just her age one). Never before hasRachel flirted with boys, hung out with a group of friends such as this, orbeen introduced to so much family drama.

At times she is emotionally overwhelmed, but Rachel isconsistently interested in the boys and their friends. She starts spending moreand more time with Kyle and Jed (aka Tennessee) and discovers more aboutherself, the boys, and life beyond the beach. When dangerous situations arise,Rachel has to draw on her newfound inner strength to save the relationshipsthat she holds dear.

Rachel is naïve, yet understandably so. She isn’t from theUS, she’s just 14, she hasn’t interacted much with boys (or friends, really)and she certainly hasn’t had self confidence until this summer. Keeping in mindhow young she is, as the reader I was fearful for her. Like, all the time.Girls who are just starting to develop and get confidence and know they’repretty AND hang out with older boys are a recipe for disaster. I wasdesperately hopeful for her that she’d find her way!

At times this read like a memoir, especially consideringit’s written in first person. However, we do get to know the other characterspretty well and that added some depth and development to the story. For acoming-of-age story at the beach with a healthy dose of drama and suspense,give this one a try!

Fave quote: "Thank you for coming here. I don't just mean here to the beach today. I mean thank you for finding me." (63)

Fix er up: A few times this feel into the “and then this,and then this, and then this” trap for me. However, I was invested in the storyand the characters and allowed it to sound like a memoir.

Title: Me & Tennessee
Author: Sheridan Hernandez
Publishing Info: May 2011, Synergy Books
Genre: Coming of Age, Drama, Romance

[ftc notice: I received a copy of this book from the authorin exchange for a fair review. I was not compensated in any way. Thanks,Sherry!]

this makes my heart sing

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

top ten reasons why i am STOKED about John Green Week.

10. i just like participating in themed weeks, OKAY?

9. i have two books left of his that i need to read (Will Grayson, Will Grayson and A Fault In Our Stars [obv]) and this is the perfect opportunity to get it done.

8. John Green writes books that are hilarious and insightful and just my brand of geek.

7. i loved Looking for Alaska.

6. i loved An Abundance of Katherines

5. i loved Paper Towns.

4. the button is so cute. it's awesome, so obvs it's made by Ginger at GReads! yeah, i'm shallow. deal with it.

3. there are giveaways. this kid loves free stuff.

2. this week is hosted by some of my VERY FAVORITE blogging gal pals.

1. it's John "Nerdfighter Extraordinaire" Green, y'all.

i'd love it if you joined me. you can link it up right here at Lindsi's blog.

reading challenge preview

2011-11-14T06:30:00.000-06:00

can you believe it's almost time to re-up on reading challenges again?

yeah, me either. but here we are.

here are a few i've definitely got my eye on!

Sci Fi Reader Challenge hosted by Working for the Mandroid.

i love that there are different sub-genres within this challenge. i'm pretty stoked about this one, as it encourages me to read some adult sci fi books. WOO. thanks to Asheley for the heads up on this one.

Support Your Local Library Challenge hosted by The Eclectic Bookshelf

this is one of those challenges i already do, so it's nice padding for my challenge list. i freaking love the library, and that's the truth.

Sophmore Reading Challenge hosted by Shanyn of Chick Loves Lit.

this is perfect for me as it pushes me to keep on reading the series i've already started! you know i have a problem with starting series and not coming back to them...and Shanyn's helping me fix that! based on the list she provided, i plan on reading Goddess Interrupted, Insurgent, and Mara Dyer #2. i'm sure i'll find the other 7 i need!

Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren. obviously.

BREAKING NEWS! THIS JUST IN!
i've added another challenge to my 2012 goals.

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge hosted by a ton of peeps.

i seriously need to whiddle down my TBR and this is the perfect way to do it. HOLLA.

i'll be participating at the Love At First Sight level (31-40) books. i'm taking it seriously, ya'll.

okay, one more challenge and then i'm done. HONEST.

2012 YA Mythology Challenge hosted by About to Read

the goal is to read 10 YA/MG books that incorporate mythology

i love mythology like no other, so this one should be a breeze. i realize i'm not really stretching myself here with the challenges in terms of genre, but there's nothing wrong with reading what i love!

what about you? what challenges are you eyeing and spying at this point in the game?

are there challenges i missed you think i should check out? let me know in the comments!