Speak Booktalk

I’ve been avoiding reposting this because it is really awkward to see yourself on video. However, as it is Banned Book Week and there has been a lot of controversy over Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, I thought it was especially relevant.

So this is a booktalk for Speak that I created for a class last year. Sorry in advance for the sound, it’s really uneven.

Coming Soon to a Library Near You

Coming Soon to a Library Near You is a weekly feature inspired by Jill at Breaking the Spine that looks at upcoming books.

This Week’s Book: Stay
Author: Deb Caletti
Release Date: April 19 2011
Summary:
Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is--and what he’s willing to do to make her stay. Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough.... (Amazon)

I LOVE Deb Caletti, so I’m incredibly excited about this one.

The Unwritten Rule

The Unwritten Rule
Elizabeth Scott
2010
210 pages

“I’m that girl. The one who likes her best friend’s boyfriend. In the world of friendship, I’m awful. Everyone knows the unwritten rule: you don’t like your best friend’s boyfriend.”

Summary: Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years, but things never seem to work out for the two of them. When he comes back from summer, looking amazing, it seems like things might finally start to happen. That is until Sarah’s beautiful best friend Brianna sees him and decides to take him as her own. So now Sarah is stuck between her best friend and the boy she loves. Even though she knows that you aren’t suppose to like your best friend’s boyfriend, she can’t help how she feels, especially when Ryan keeps looking at her like she’s the one he wants.

Review: The Unwritten Rule is a wonderful light-hearted and fun summer read. Readers who enjoy Scott’s usual style of writing will fall for this story for sure. The characters were well developed, a complete mixture of sweetness, charm and a little bit of messy brokenness. I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah, but I was struck most by Brianna. While she is the character most will hate, I think Scott did a fantastic job at giving her enough of a back story to fill her out as a character, I definitely did not hate her. I thought the story was relatable, not overly complicated and the writing accessible. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and will be appreciated by many YA readers.

Also by Elizabeth Scott: Love You, Hate You, Miss you, Perfect You, Bloom, Stealing Heaven, Living Dead Girl and Something Maybe

If you liked The Unwritten Rule, you might also enjoy: The Karma Club by Jessica Brody, Something Like Fate by Susane Colsanti, Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Author Website: http://www.elizabethwrites.com/

Rating: W3.5/4 C4/4 P3.5/4 O2.5/4 PP3/4 CR2.5/4
Grade Level Interest: MJS

Some Girls Are

Some Girls Are
By Courtney Summers
2010
246 pages

“Hallowell High: You’re either someone or your not. I was someone.”

Summary: Regina use to be at the top of the social food chain in her high school. That is until someone wanting to take her place starts spreading rumours about her and her best friend’s boyfriend. Now she finds herself frozen out of her group and at their mercy as they taunt, tease and harass her. Finding new friends is difficult as Regina quickly realizes how horrible she has been in the past. As the abuse continues and there is the possibility of a new love interest, Regina must decide between redemption and revenge.

Review: Some Girls Are definitely has a Mean Girls feel to it, as Summers provides readers with an inside look at the types of power hungry cliques that exist everywhere. I found the story very relatable for both those who have experienced the terror of these types of people and those who have found themselves accidentally caught up in such activity. I liked that Regina got to play both sides because it showed how easy it is to go along with some of the bullying that takes place. I also enjoyed that Summers didn’t make a lot of excuses for Regina, making her a much more compelling and complicated character. Overall, the story is very well written and the style of writing makes for a fast and engaging read (lots of quick sentences and fast paced dialogue). My only complaint was that it moved too fast and I wanted more!

Also by Courtney Summers: Cracked Up to Be

If you liked Some Girls Are you might also enjoy: The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride. Beautiful by Amy Lynn Reed, Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

Additional Info: If you like Courtney Summers writing look for her new book Fall for Anything, set to be released Dec 21 2010.

Author website: http://courtneysummers.ca/

Rating: W4/4 C3/4 P3/4 O2/4 PP3.5/4 CR3/4
Grade Level Interest: JS

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren. It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, etc.

Scars by Cheryl Rainfeld - Kendra, fifteen, hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail-- her abuser's identity. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth

This Gorgeous Game by Donna Freitas - Olivia Peters is over the moon when her literary idol, the celebrated novelist and muchadored local priest Mark D. Brendan, offers to become her personal writing mentor. But when Father Mark’s enthusiasm for Olivia’s prose develops into something more, Olivia’s emotions quickly shift from wonder to confusion to despair. Exactly what game is Father Mark playing, and how on earth can she get out of it? This remarkable novel about overcoming the isolation that stems from victimization is powerful, luminous, and impossible to put down.

Might be a depressing week for me.
What did you get?

Older Teens and 20 Something's Part 1

I’ve been seeing a lot of discourse around the library blogs lately about service for older teens and new adults and whether or not they should be included in Young Adult services, have their own services and collection or be grouped with adults.

The YALSA blog had an article about it in April which can be found here. http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2010/04/09/serving-older-teens-and-twenty-somthings/

I know that you can’t create a box and say that’s what late teens and 20 something’s read since people are just not uniform. Like teens or those who are in their later 20’s, I’m sure they read a little bit of everything. However, this past week Youth Services Corner highlighted some great books that look at the college experience, so I’m going to repost many of them here and add a few of my own. Feel free to check out her blog.
(A) = Adult Fiction

An Off Year by Claire Zulkey
Upon arriving at her dorm room, eighteen-year-old Cecily decides to postpone her freshman year of college and return to her Chicago home, where she spends a year pondering what went wrong while forging new relationships with family and friends.

Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty
Leaving her New Jersey hometown for New York City's Columbia University, Jessica Darling finds her life on the upswing, until she lands an internship at an ultra-hip Brooklyn-based magazine, and she is torn between three very different men.

College Girl by Patricia Wiez (A)
Struggling with private demons from her home life in spite of her attractiveness and ambition, sexually naive college senior Natalie Bloom falls for an untrustworthy man who preys on her insecurities,and manipulates her into self-destructive behaviors.

Dirty South by Philip Thomas
When Kenya and Lark leave New Jersey to attend college in the South, Lark becomes jealous as Kenya gains popularity and becomes the star of a dance troupe.

Forever in Blue by Ann Brashares - As their lives take them in different directions and to different colleges, Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget discover many more things about themselves and the importance of their relationship with each other.

Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman
When three brilliant nerds--Max Kim, Eric Roth, and Isaac "The Professor" Schwarzbaum--bet $20,000 that they can get anyone into Harvard, they take on the Ivy League in their quest for popularity, money, and the love of a beauty queen valedictorian.

Obedience by Will Lavender (A)
The students of Winchester University's class on Logic and Reasoning are given a strange assignment by the creepy Professor Williams, to follow a series of clues to find a missing girl who will be murdered if she has not been found by the end of the term.

RX by Tracy Lynn
Thyme Gilcrest uses a friend's Ritalin to help her get through crunch time at school and develops a full-blown addiction, becoming the ringleader for a prescription drug trade in her circle of overachieving friends.

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot (A)
Former pop star Heather Wells has left behind hordes of screaming fans to settle into a new life, but when strange things start happening at her college, she finds herself once again in the spotlight, this time as a detective

Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreud
Eli University junior Amy Haskel finds her life turned upside down when she is invited to join the Rose & Grave, the country's most powerful and notorious secret society, as one of the organization's first female members.

The Ivy by Lauren Kunze
When Callie arrives for her freshman year at Harvard, she encounters her three vastly different roommates, new friendships, steamy romance, and scandalous secrets.

Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt
Courtney must drive across country to attend college orientation with her ex-boyfriend while still fuming that he dumped her for a girl he met online, but the two of them learn valuable lessons about themselves and each other along the way.

Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn
Consumed with emailing, online video games, and the many distractions of her electronic gadgets, hyper-frenetic Columbia University freshman Veronica, known as Very LeFreak, enters a rehab facility for the technology-addicted after her professors and classmates stage an intervention.

Book Blogger Hop

Time for the Blogger Hop from Crazy for Books

What a great idea! I love following readers blogs almost more than I like blogging myself. What a great way to get out there and meet new people who share the same interests as you.

This Week's Question: When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book.

I always write my reviews once I’ve completely completed the book. My reviews are really short so I like to know the entire story before I start evaluating it. If I’m away on vacation and I know I won’t be able to write a review right away when everything is fresh, I’ll write as I go. Usually in that case I’ll use a cue card as a bookmark and write down things I might want to use in my review.

Coming Soon to a Library Near You

Coming Soon to a Library Near You is a weekly feature inspired by Jill at Breaking the Spine that looks at upcoming books.

This Week’s Book: Exposed
Author: Kimberly Marcus
Release Date: Feb 22 2011
Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Liz is Photogirl—sharp, focused and confident in what she sees through her camera lens. Confident that she and Kate will be best friends forever.But everything changes in one blurry night. Suddenly, Kate is avoiding her, and people are looking the other way when she passes in the halls. As the aftershocks from a startling accusation rip through Liz's world, everything she thought she knew about photography, family, friendship and herself shifts out of focus. What happens when the picture you see no longer makes sense? What do you do when you may lose everything you love most? (Amazon)

Luxe

Luxe
By Anna Godbersen
2007
448 pages
Book 1

Summary: In 1899 Elizabeth Holland rules Manhattan’s social scene. She is beautiful, popular and rich. However, when she discovers that her family’s status is at risk due to her father’s poor investments, her life is turned upside down. In order to keep her family’s secret she’ll have to give up the things she cares most for and proceed with a rush engagement to wealthy and widely desired Henry. She’ll also make a lot of enemies along the way, enemies who wouldn’t mind if Elizabeth was out of the picture – for good.

Review: There are a lot fantastic elements about Luxe that would appeal to YA readers. There is mystery, romance, betrayal and a fantastic historical setting. Godbersen does a great job of keeping up the pacing, moving the story along with suspense and a few surprises. The story doesn’t just focus on one character which I felt better served the nature of the plot. However, for this reason, some readers might have difficulty connecting to the story. I especially liked the mixture of the glamorous historical elements with the more socialite storyline that is found in books like Gossip Girls. There was a lot happening plot wise, which might overwhelm some readers, but I feel Godbersen did a good job at keeping it all together. Overall, this was a very fun read and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

Also by Anna Godbersen: Rumors, Envy, Spendor, Bright Young Things

If you liked Luxe, you might also enjoy: Anastasia’s Secret by Susanne Dunlap, A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray, Secret Society by Tom Dolby and Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

Author website: http://www.theluxebooks.com/

Rating: W3/4 C3/4 P3/4 O3/4 PP4/4 CR4/4
Grade Level: S

Crash Into Me

Crash into Me
By Albert Borris
2009
257 pages

“I’ve tried to kill myself six times; seven if you count walking down the median strip near the trucks and thinking of jumping in front of them.”

Summary: After trying to kill himself yet again, Owen meets Jin Ae in the hospital. When they are released they stay in touch online, where they also meet Audrey and Frank, two more teens who also want to die. Together they decide to make a pact; take a summer road trip and kill themselves together at the end in Death Valley. However, spending so much time together on the trip results in Owen caring for people for the first time in his life, and he starts to question whether or not he can actually go through with it. A poignant story of heartbreak, friendship, self-discovery, solace and strength.

Review: Owen’s story was captivating from the beginning. The frankness by which the teens discuss suicide is haunting and adds considerable honesty to a difficult story to tell. While sometimes difficult to read, the story is engrossing. The reader quickly becomes attached to the quirky, vulnerable characters and is emotionally invested in the final outcome. There is also the element of the roadtrip and quirky celebrity suicide facts that add a bit of dimension. There are times of deep unbelievable sorrow and times of friendship, fun, love and light heartedness. This complex story will appeal to a wide audience.

This is Albert Borris’ debut novel

If you liked Crash Into Me you might also enjoy: By the Time you Read This I’ll be Dead by Julie Anne Peters, Impulse by Ellen Hopkins, Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Additional Info:
Ontario Association for Suicide Prevention. This is a list of Crisis and Contact numbers throughout Ontario

gURL – great website just for teens, has information and resources on suicide, bullying and other difficult issues teen face

Author website: http://www.albertborris.com/

Rating: W3/4 C3/4 P3/4 O3.5/4 PP2.5/4 (because it’s issue fiction) CR3/4
Grade Level Interest: JS

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren. It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, etc.

Working my way through the Vampire Academy and the Wake series meant I had to run out this week and get the next books in the series.



The Queen of Everything by Deb Caletti - Up until now, 17-year-old Jordan's biggest problem in life was dealing with her hippy-dippy mom, the kind of woman who "might suddenly flop out a boob" to nurse her little brother. She much preferred the company of her calm, measured father, "a Shredded Wheat and All-Bran guy," who never embarrassed her in front of her friends. That's why Jordan is stunned when her nice, divorced dad starts acting like a lovelorn teenager over one of their married neighbours, Gayle D'Angelo

Fade by Lisa McMann – In the sequel to Wake, using her ability to tap into other people's dreams, eighteen-year-old Janie investigates an alleged sex ring at her high school that involves teachers using the date rape drug on students.

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead - Is Rose's fate to kill the person she loves most? It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...

She’s So Dead To Us by Kieran Scott - Perfect, picturesque Orchard Hill. It was the last thing Ally Ryan saw in the rear-view mirror as her mother drove them out of town and away from the shame of the scandal her father caused when his hedge fund went south and practically bankrupted all their friends -- friends that liked having trust funds and new cars, and that didn't like constant reminders that they had been swindled. So it was adios, Orchard Hill. Thanks for nothing.

Book Blogger Hop

Time for the Blogger Hop from Crazy for Books

What a great idea! I love following readers blogs almost more than I like blogging myself. What a great way to get out there and meet new people who share the same interests as you.

This Week's Question: In honor of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, let’s take time this week to honour our favourite book bloggers and why we love them.

I follow a lot of book bloggers and I love them all. I wouldn’t follow a blog I didn’t enjoy reading, so it’s hard for me to pick favourites. However there are four that I look forward to reading every day that deserve a shout out and recognition.

I Swim for Oceans – and not just because I’m featured on her blog today! The thing I really like about Melissa’s blog is well, Melissa! I always see her commenting on other people’s blogs and she is super friendly and nice. She’s also really supportive and encouraging to new bloggers. It doesn’t hurt that her blog is pretty awesome too.

The Story Siren – obviously. She was the first blogger I followed and to this day I look forward to Kristi’s posts. Not only do I enjoy reading her reviews, but she’s also my go to blog for finding out about new books. She also has incredibly alternative posts that are really interesting, informative and helpful to new book bloggers. I don’t think many people would argue if I said that her blog is one of, if not the best YA book blog out there.

The YA Book Queen – Lea is my absolute favourite reviewer and the only person who I can only say I’ve never skipped a word of her reviews. I love the way they are structured and her use of appeal words. I instantly know what kind of book I’m reading about in the first sentence. I LOVE the way she talks about the highlights and the lowlights of the book, I find them honest and really helpful.

All About {n} – I’ve been a follower for Nely’s for almost as long as I’ve been blogging. The thing that I really enjoy about her blog is that it is really eclectic. There are YA books and Adult books, books I’ve never seen reviewed before. It’s really refreshing. She also has really fun features (who doesn’t love looking at people’s bookcases) and great giveaways.

Adult Fiction

While I primarily read YA fiction these days I do enjoy some adult fiction every once in a while. This feature looks at some of the adult fiction I am reading and examines its appeal for those who prefer Young Adult literature

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

84, Charing Cross Road is a charming record of bibliophilia, cultural difference, and imaginative sympathy. For 20 years, an outspoken New York writer and a rather more restrained London bookseller carried on an increasingly touching correspondence. They shared information about books, the conditions in their countries, information about their family and over the years a deep friendship ensued.

84, Charing Cross Road is a very quick and charming read. YA readers who enjoy reading diaries or journals will enjoy reading the lovely letters between Helen and Frank. They are sarcastic and funny, but at the same time incredibly sweet. Readers will enjoy watching the relationship develop. Those who are really interested in reading books about books will enjoy 84 Charing Cross Road as well. There is a little something for everyone, and those wanting a fun cute book they can read in an hour or two will enjoy this book.

YA Connection: The Secret Year of Assignments by Jaclyn Moriaty

Coming Soon to a Library Near You

Coming Soon to a Library Near You is a weekly feature inspired by Jill at Breaking the Spine that looks at upcoming books.

This Week’s Book: Entangled
Author: Cat Clarke
Release Date: Jan 6 2011
Summary:
The same questions whirl round and round in my head: What does he want from me? How could I have let this happen? AM I GOING TO DIE? 17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got there. As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see? Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here? A story of dangerous secrets, intense friendships and electrifying attraction. (Amazon)

Not only does this book sound amazing, how awesome is that cover?

The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty
By Jenny Han
2009
288 pages

“It was a summer I’d never, ever forget. It was the summer everything began. It was the summer I turned pretty.”

Summary: Every summer since she was born Belly has spent it at the beach house with her two best friends Conrad and Jeremiah. Despite always being in love with Conrad, the boys have seen her as nothing but a little sister. Yet the summer before her 16th birthday everything changes, and the boys start looking at her a little differently. In the midst of summer, sand and heartbreak, Belly must finally decide where her heart belongs.

Review: Han did a beautiful job at creating a warm and inviting story. One of the best parts of this novel is Han’s ability to capture the excitement and anticipation of heading somewhere familiar for the summer. Anyone who looks forward to the summer and the adventures it holds will find a place in this book. It was a fast paced novel with a lot going with respect to relationships unfolding. I wasn’t able to connect very well to Belly, but perhaps a younger reader would. I also wasn’t a huge fan of her boy choice, but I don’t doubt many readers will absolutely fall in love with these boys and Belly. A great summer read.

Also by Jenny Han: Shug

If you enjoyed The Summer I Turned Pretty, you might also like: When it Happens by Susane Colasanti, Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, Looking for Alaska by John Green, Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Additional Info: There are two other books in this series; It’s Not Summer Without You and We’ll Always Have Summer (May 2011)

Author website: http://www.dearjennyhan.com/

Rating: W3.5/4 C2.5/4 P3/4 O2.5/4 PP3/4 CR3.5/4
Grade Level Interest: J

When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me
By Rebecca Stead
2009
197 pages

Summary: By sixth grade Miranda knows how to navigate her New York City neighbourhood. She knows where it’s safe to go and things to avoid, like the crazy homeless man that lives on the corner. When her best friend gets punched on the street by an older kid, things start to unravel. Sal, her best friend, won’t talk to her anymore and she starts getting strange notes. They don’t make a lot of sense, but they seem to be from someone who knows things they shouldn’t, things that haven’t happened yet. In a mixture of real life and science fiction, Miranda starts to solve the puzzle of the letters.

Review: This quirky and quick read will appeal to a wide audience. Stead does an excellent job at creating a strong setting, one that is recognizable and adds considerable depth. She spends a great deal of time on the beginning, letting it develop, setting the stage before the letters come. This serves to root readers in the story from the beginning. Readers will enjoy the simplicity of Miranda and her life in contrast to the more “out of this world” elements. Overall, I thought this was a very enjoyable read and perfect for those who enjoy a bit of a quirky story.

Also by Rebecca Stead: First Light

If you enjoyed When you Reach Me, you might also like: The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg, 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson,

Additional Info: Winner of ALA Notable Children’s Books, Horn Book Award, Newberry Medal, School Library Journal Best Books and YALSA Best Books.

Author Website: http://www.rebeccasteadbooks.com/

Rating: W4/4 C4/4 P4/4 O4/4 PP3/4 CR3/4
Grade Level Interest: M

Book Cake

Hey everyone,

I thought I would share a picture of my really cute book cake that my mom had made to celebrate me being done my MLIS. It was pretty awesome, and very yummy :)

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren.It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, etc.

Frostbite: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead - It's winter break at St Vladimir's, a massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians - including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price

Forget-Her-Nots by Amy White - Something—some power—is blooming inside Laurel. She can use flowers to do things. Like bringing back lost memories. Or helping her friends ace tests. Or making people fall in love. Laurel suspects her newfound ability has something to do with an ancient family secret, one that her mother meant to share with Laurel when the time was right. But then time ran out. Can Laurel piece everything together quickly enough to control her power, which is growing more potent every day?

Wake by Lisa McMann - For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody- notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime. Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray - Ross is dead, and Blake, Sim, and Kenny are furious. To make it right, they steal Ross’s ashes and set out from their home on the English coast for the tiny village of Ross in southern Scotland, a place their friend had always wanted to go. What follows is an unforgettable journey with illegal train rides, bungee jumping, girls, and high-speed police chases—all with Ross’s ashes along for the ride. As events spin wildly out of control, the three friends must take their heads out of the sand long enough to answer the question: What really happened to Ross?
What did you get?

Award

Thanks to Elliott Review for the lovely Life is Good Award.

To accept the award you must link back and thank the person who gave you the Life is Good Award and then answer the ten survey questions. Then you can pass it along to other blogs.

I give this award to three blogs which I always enjoy reading:
1. Every Last Page
2. Librarian by Day
3. Pineapples and Pyjamas

Here are my answers:

1. If you blog anonymously are you happy doing it that way; if you are not anonymous do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now?

I don’t blog anonymously. I started my blog for a class, so I wanted to ensure my prof knew who I was. Now I’m kind of glad I did that, it makes it more personal.

2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side:

I’m really stubborn when it comes to food. I’m sorta picky and refuse to bend on what I like and don’t like.

3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror?

freckles

4. What is your favourite summer cold drink?

water (boring!)

5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?

I read, do yoga or paint.

6.Is there something you still want to accomplish in your life? What is it?

I really want to learn Spanish, I also really want kids.

7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever , the shy person, or always ditching?

A little bit of everything, depending on the class. I'm really shy, but I can be funny when I want to be the centre of attention. I’m defiantly an overachiever.

8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment of your life what would you see?

When my nieces and nephew were born. Holding them for the first time.

9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events?

I'm fine with either.

10. If you had the choice to sit down and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?

I hate talking on the phone, reading is always better (perhaps a little less social)

Blogger Hop

Time for the Blogger Hop from Crazy for Books

What a great idea! I love following readers blogs almost more than I like blogging myself. What a great way to get out there and meet new people who share the same interests as you.

This Week's Question: Post a link to a favorite post or book review that you have written in the past three months.

I’m not sure I have a favourite post or review that I personally have done. So I decided to think of the books I’ve read in the past three months and which one stood out to me the most. The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan was my favourite read over the past three months and I think you can defiantly tell that from my review. So check out my review here and then go read the book, it’s awesome. (Read Forest of Hands and Teeth first, its the first in the series)

Happy Hopping

A Lovely Award

I love awards, they are a great way to share blogger love. Thanks to Book Noise and Emilie’s Book World for gifting me with the One Lovely Blog Award.

Rules:1. Accept the award. Post it on your blog with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2. Pay it forward to 15 other bloggers that you have newly discovered.

3. Contact those blog owners and let them know they've been chosen.So, this award gets passed on to the following great blogs I've recently discovered

I’m kind of a rule breaker, so I’m going to pass it on to 5 bloggers instead of 15. Also, if you’ve already received it, that just means you’re twice as lovely

So I bestow the award on...

A Novel Idea
Book Duck
Fragments of Life
I Swim for Oceans
The Smarty Owl

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Coming Soon to a Library Near You

Coming Soon to a Library Near You is a weekly feature inspired by Jill at Breaking the Spine that looks at upcoming books.

This Week’s Book: Her and Me and You
Author: Lauren Strasnick
Release Date: October 5 2010
Summary:
I met Fred first.
Fred: Hot. Enigmatic. Alex’s first friend in her lonely new town. Maybe her first…everything.
I met Adina the following Monday.
Adina: Fred’s twin sister. Cold. Troubled. Trouble.
I kissed him.
She pressed her mouth to my mouth.
People warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, but Alex is drawn to them. She wants to be part of their crazy world…no matter the consequences (Amazon)

I read Lauren's Nothing Like you earlier this year and LOVED it, so I'm really looking forward to this new novel.

Rules of Attraction

Rules of Attraction
By Simone Elkeles
2010
336 pages

Summary: In a sequel to Perfect Chemistry, this time it is Alex’s little brother Carlos who is getting into trouble and falling in love. Carlos has been sent back to Colorado to live with Alex after getting into some trouble with gangs in Mexico. But when drugs are found in his locker at school, Carlos is forced to live with Alex’s old professor, his family and his quirky daughter.

Review: For those who loved Perfect Chemistry, Rules of Attraction will not disappoint. Elkeles spends more time on character development and expands the cast of supporting characters significantly. This is a much slower moving story, but I appreciated the time to get to know and fall in love with Carlos and Kiara. Elkeles does a great job of keeping some of the elements that readers enjoyed in the previous novel, such as the Alex and Brittney storyline and gang elements, but was able to maintain enough distance, creating new elements, which made this novel completely distinct. The pacing was a little uneven, but overall it was a very enjoyable read and will appeal to a wide audience.

Also by Simone Elkeles: Perfect Chemistry, Return to Paradise, Leaving Paradise, How to Ruin a Summer Vacation

If you liked Rules of Attraction: The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti, Up Country by Alden Carter, No More For Us by David Hernandez, Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler, Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X Stork, Going to Far by Jennifer Echols

Additional Info: The third book in the series is set to be released in 2011
Check out the awesome book trailer on Simone’s website here.

Author website: http://www.simoneelkeles.net/

Rating: W3/4 C3/4 P3/4 O2.5 PP3/4 CR4/4
Grade Level Interest: S (some sexual detail)

The Last Invisible Boy

The Last Invisible Boy
By Evan Kuhlman and J.P Coovert
2008
234 pages

Summary: Finn Garrett’s father has passed away. Now everything feels horrible and without joy and as a result he is starting to disappear. Told through journal entries and a series of comics, Finn recaps some of his best memories of his family, and some of the more difficult memories, like the one where he finds out his dad has died. With all this sorrow, will Finn disappear for good?

Review: The Last invisible Boy is a touching and tender novel that examines the process of grief, the importance of family and how only time can heal wounds. The style of writing through journal entries and comics, personalizes the story, but also gives readers a bit of distance in order to deal with the difficult issue of losing someone. The writing is very accessible for a younger crowd and I can see boys enjoying this story. While the topic might be heavy, there are times of lightness and even humour. Overall, this book comes highly recommended as it contains a lot of access points and could be enjoyed by a wide audience.

Also by Evan Kuhlman: Wolf Boy: A Novel

Author website: http://www.evankuhlman.com/

Rating: W4/4 C4/4 P3.5/4 O3/4 PP3/4 CR3/4
Grade Level Interest: M

In My Mailbox

This week in my mailbox/library bag I got...

Hold Fast by Kevin Major - Michael turned fourteen in May. By June, both his parents are dead, victims of a car crash. And for Michael, who has lived all his life in a small Newfoundland outport community, this means being suddenly uprooted and sent to live with relatives in St. Albert, a city hundreds of miles away

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver - What if you had only one day to live? Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

What Would Emma Do by Elieen Cook - There is no greater sin than kissing your best friend's boyfriend. So when Emma breaks that golden rule, she knows she's messed up big-time...especially since she lives in the smallest town ever, where everyone knows everything about everyone else...and especially since she maybe kinda wants to do it again. Now her best friend isn't speaking to her, her best guy friend is making things totally weird, and Emma is running full speed toward certain social disaster. This is so not the way senior year was supposed to go.

Blog Hop

What a great idea! I love following readers blogs almost more than I like blogging myself. What a great way to get out there and meet new people who share the same interests as you.This

Week's Question: Do you judge a book by its cover?

The simple answer...yes.

If I’m browsing the first thing I look at is the Cover, if it doesn’t catch my interest, then I’m probably not going to read the blurb on the back.

However since blogging, I’ve been influenced less and less by covers, because I tend to read reviews regardless.

As a rule, I don’t read things that look like they are from the 70’s.