Showcase Sunday (23)

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

Won:

Envy by Elizabeth Miles - Thank you, Paper Lantern Lit!

Starring Me by Krista McGee - Thank you, Artsy Musings of a Bibliophile!

Ten Good and Bad Things About My Life (So Far) by Ann M. Martin - Thank you, Macmillan!

Shift by Kim Curran - Thank you, Manga Maniac Cafe!

Speechless by Hannah Harrington - Thank you, YA Librarian Tales!

Tide of Lies by Sarah Ballance & $10 Amazon Gift Card - Thank you, Sarah Ballance!

Awakening: The Watchers Trilogy by Karice Bolton

Boneyards by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

The Pleasures of Men by Kate Williams

Prophecy of the Flame:Book Two by Lynn Hardy

Widow's Might by Sandra Brannan

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

Vampire Empire Book One: The Greyfriar by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith

Crashers by Lindy S. Hudis

Huge thanks to Literary Sweet for the above eight books! I won a surprise box of books and these are the goodies that arrived at my door this week :)

I'm still suffering from lack of book funds, but thankfully I have been very lucky in the win department and have received some amazing books, as well as a few more on the way. I did attempt to buy one book this week but two stores didn't have it. I suppose that was a good thing though because I am seriously behind on review books and I can't afford it anyway. But man, it sucks! So please leave me a link to your book haul so I can live vicariously through you!

On My Wish List (52)

On My Wish List is a fun weekly event hosted by Workaday Reads and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Title: The Maze Runner Author: James Dashner Publication Date: October 6, 2009 Synopsis: When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind. I'm choosing The Maze Runner today because I have had this series on my reading list for years. I own the second and third books but still haven't gotten my hand on this one. The fourth book in the series just came out recently and I am feeling a wee bit ashamed that I haven't made a better effort to get my hands on the first. Hopefully that will change soon! What is your heart's desire this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

Waiting On Wednesday (52)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: The Program
Author: Suzanne Young
Expected Publication Date: April 30, 2013

Synopsis:

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. 

With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in.

And The Program is coming for them.


This sounds freakin' AWESOME! I love this idea, that suicide is an epidemic. It's pretty original, or at least I haven't come across anything like it. I'm anxious to see how this is going to work and I wish we didn't have to wait until next April. But alas, we must. I guess that just gives me more time to make a bigger dent in my TBR pile, which will also work in my favor when the husband sees that I am in fact reading the books I own already and will not give me crap about buying more. He actually had the nerve to tell me to start boxing up the books I've read and storing them in the attic when I asked him what I should do about space limitations on my shelves. How DARE he! Perhaps I should put him in the attic and start piling new books on his side of the bed :) Seriously though, I would never lock up my babies! Err, I think I might have a problem...
Anyway, what are you waiting on this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

Teaser Tuesday (52)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This Week's Teaser Is From:

The Salt God's Daughter by Ilie Ruby

As we bumped against the submerged curb in the parking spot, my mother turned off the ignition and looked over at me. “Ruthie,” she said. “I said I’d never forget you. One day you’ll have a daughter of your own and you’ll understand why I did all of this.”  -page 20

Showcase Sunday (22)

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

Won:

Eve & Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate - Thank you, Macmillan!

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - Thank you, Uniflame Creates!

The Language of Sisters by Amy Hatvany - Thank you, Chick Lit Is Not Dead!

The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti -  Thank you, Kelsey Sutton!

Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham - Thank you, Random House!

Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon - Thank you, For Those About To Read!

As you can see, a lot of my winnings arrived at my door this week. Yay! I'm still swimming in review books, which seem to be coming in my the dozen, so these will have to wait. But I'm so excited anyway for when I will be able to sit down with each of them because they all look AWESOME!

For Review:

The Paternity Test by Michael Lowenthal

Enchanted by Starlight by Tina L. Hook

Perfect Bait by Michael Fowlkes

I recently signed up to be a "groupie" for BookSparksPr. One of the perks of being a groupie is being the first to know about upcoming book tours. The first email I received was for tours of the top three books, and as a special bonus for signing up for all three tours, groupies were able to choose three more books from their selection for free! So not only did I receive the top three books for review (finished copies!!!!), but I also received the bottom three books as well for signing up (along with some really adorable goodies)! I'm not sure if the groupie program is still open for sign ups, but I'd definitely give it a shot. I've read twelve of BookSparksPR books this summer alone and loved every one of them. Click the "I'm A Groupie" badge on the left sidebar to be taken to the groupie page. Good luck!

Hotel No Tell by Daphne Uviller

Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

Darkness My Old Friend by Lisa Unger

As always, thank you so much to the authors, publishers and bloggers who have supplied me with these amazing books. Without you, I'd be a very sad girl living in a bookless home. And honestly, who would want that?! You guys ROCK!!

What came for you this week? Leave me a link to your pile of goodies and I'll come check it out!

On My Wish List (51)

On My Wish List is a fun weekly event hosted by Workaday Reads and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Title: Playing Hurt Author: Holly Schindler Publication Date: March 8, 2011
From Goodreads:
Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college--and everyone's admiration in her hometown. But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.

As a graduation present, Chelsea's dad springs for a three-week summer "boot camp" program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she's immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who's haunted by his own traumatic past. As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home. Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain--or finally heal their heartbreak?
I haven't read this author before, but this book sounds very promising. I'm on a huge YA contemporary kick right now so I'm pretty sure this would be a perfect read for me. Unfortunately though, I'm a poor girl and new books are not going to be coming to my door any time soon unless I can win them. So this will be staying on the wish list for a bit longer. But my birthday is coming up, so maybe I will get some book money soon!
What about you? What is your heart's desire this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check it out!

Review: Populazzi by Elise Allen

Title: Populazzi Author: Elise Allen Publication Date: August 1, 2011 Synopsis:

Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.

Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

My Thoughts: In kindergarten, Cara Leonard suffered what was known as "the incident", forever labeling her and best friend Claudia as losers. Even now, as juniors, Cara and Claudia are still outcasts. But that is about to change. Cara has moved and is starting a new school, finally giving her the chance to become what she always wanted: Populazzi. Populazzi is the highest level of social status. They are the most popular and elite, everyone wants to be them or be friends with them. Claudia has come up with a plan: The Ladder. By starting low and working her way up, Cara has agreed to climb The Ladder by dating boys in the different rungs. Each new boyfriend will get her the attention of the higher level groups, thereby making her more and more popular, ultimately getting her into the Populazzi. Only Cara didn't realize exactly what The Ladder meant. It meant having to change herself to please everyone else, ultimately losing herself along the way. 
Populazzi has spent a long time on my wish list. A very long time. I first heard about it well over a year ago, months before it was published. I tried to get my hands on an early copy back then, didn't, but then swore to myself that I would buy it as soon as it came out. But I suffer from The Book Store Blank Stare, which means that even if I know exactly what I'm looking for when I get to the book store, my mind is completely wiped clean as soon as I walk in. I wander the aisles for a good hour while trying to remember, and eventually end up leaving with something completely different. When this happens, and it happens far more often that I'd like to admit, the original book I wanted to buy gets shoved deep down into the dark areas of my brain, not to be thought of again for a very long time.  Sadly, this happened with Populazzi. 
Then a few months ago I came across the BookSparksPR Summer Reading Challenge and ha! Populazzi was on the list. I immediately signed up for the challenge and requested my copy. Finally it arrived and I couldn't have been happier, only I was still a few weeks away from reading it due to my review schedule. So again, I had to wait. 
But then it was finally time to sit down and read, and I can promise you that I was not disappointed. Populazzi was everything I thought it would be and more. I liked Cara and Claudia immediately. They were funny, weird and had fun personalities. They also seemed to have a very special bond, the best kind of friendship there is. But as Cara worked her way up The Ladder, she started to change. Even though she knew it wasn't supposed to be for real, she started to actually think and act like those she was trying to emulate. This did not help her keep her true friends, especially Archer, one of the first people she met at her new school who she seemed to really hit it off with. 
Even though Cara did start to change, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have something happen to you at such a young age only to never outlive it. I can understand wanting to get a new start and trying to have everything you ever wanted. Did she go about it the right way? Definitely not, but everyone makes mistakes. 
My feelings towards some of the other characters though, were not as sympathetic. Cara's parents, for example, were not my favorite. Her mother seemed more obsessed with keeping Karl, her husband, happy and ignoring the fact that he was very mentally abusive towards Cara. He seemed very jealous over her natural father, even going to extremes and smashing a Christmas gift he has given Cara as a child. If I were the mother, I never would have tolerated this. My only issue with this book was that I was hoping this would become a greater issue and be resolved further, but it wasn't. At least not as much as I hoped.
As much as I loved Archer, my favorite character had to be Robert, the Star Wars loving, Jedi Knight cape-wearing, nerd who first befriends Cara. He was hilarious, always talking in movie quotes or using Yoda Speak. He definitely brought a fun quality to the story.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It was funny, clever and brilliantly executed, making it a breeze to  read through and extremely difficult to put down when forced to. It also dealt with many deeper issues other than popularity. We face peer pressure, bullying, drugs and alcohol abuse along with emotional abuse. 
I recommend this book to all teens, especially those who find themselves a little lower on the totem pole of popularity and are desperate to work themselves up. Perhaps this will give them a glimpse of what life is like on the other side and they can make better choices. I also recommend this to parents of teens to help them remember what it's like being a kid and hopefully be more understanding. Of course, I also recommend this to everyone else who is looking for just a fun, quick read. You won't be disappointed!

For more about Elise Allen or Popluazzi, check out her website here.

{Purchase} {Amazon}{B&N}{The Book Depository}






*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Review and Giveaway: Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know

Title: Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know Author:  Hy Conrad & Jeff Johnson Publication Date: April 1, 2012
Synopsis:
Dear Human:

Your dog probably puzzles you. Most of us do that. And most of us would like to keep things as they are: humans in the dark, dogs with the upper hand.

But we dogs are about to let you in a little secret. Okay, a lot of secrets. We graduated first in our obedience class three times. This should tell you something. Puppies know that they're being cute. They're using you. We don't sound anything like those silly voices you use to imitate us. We hate those ridiculous names you give some of us. Moonbeam is not a dignified name for a mutt. You might want to check your herb garden for fertilizer. We are only wearing this stupid birthday hat so we can get some cake. No self-respecting dog cares about his birthday. We are not spoiled, certainly not in comparison to teenage girls. We are in charge of the house. We let you pretend that you are. We'd be lost without you. We love you.

It's all in our new book, Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know, as told to humans Hy Conrad and Jeff Johnson. Even Steve Martin (yes, THAT Steve Martin) raves about us Inside you'll find revelations such as the reason we at the sofa (leather tastes very similar to rawhide), and what we really think of the costumes you dress us up in.

I'm not alone. Ten other courageous canines have stepped forward to tell you what your dog won't - every last dirty, hairy bit of it. If you have dogs, love dogs, or have ever been baffled by a dog, this book is a must-have.
My Thoughts:
Are you a proud dog owner? Ever wonder what your dog would say to you if he or she could talk? Well now is your chance to find out. Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know is a hilarious tell-all from eleven dogs who can no longer hold back their thoughts. Every turn of the page brings you to a new story or situation that every dog and dog owner can relate to. 
This book was such a fun read. I have two crazy dogs myself, and I would give just about anything to know what they are thinking. And yes, I am guilty of some of the things these dogs are complaining about (as in yes, sometimes I talk to my dogs in that high pitched baby voice. Hey, I never said I was proud of it!). Even though the book alternates between dogs and every other page is a new story, you are still able to gain a good connection with each dog. They all have their own life story and it picks up where it left off each time their turn comes back around. 
I'll admit that I had a soft spot for Sarge, the German Shepard. He is a hard working police dog who can't seem to hold on to a job. He tries, but things just don't seem to go his way. Even so, he has a great attitude and just wants to please his boss. Another favorite was Tinkerbell, the Chihuahua who is the unfortunate sidekick to a mother/daughter pair who are rich, spoiled and very dramatic. If Paris Hilton's poor little Chihuahua could talk, I'm pretty sure she and Tinkerbell would sound the same.
Overall, this was an incredibly fun read. It's the perfect coffee table book, something to pick up when you are in need of a quick laugh but don't have a lot of time to commit, or it is great to read through all at once. I recommend Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know to anyone who has ever owned or loved a dog, or any other animal. 

About Hy: 

Hy Conrad has made a career of mystery, developing a horde of popular games and interactive films over a span of 30 years, plus hundreds of stories, a dozen books of short mysteries and three Edgar nominations. In the world of TV, he is best known for his eight seasons as a writer / producer for the ground-breaking series Monk, as well as his work on White Collar and the web-based series Little Monk. His non-mystery work includes the upcoming humor book, Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know. His first full-length play, Home Exchange, will be produced at the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West, FL in May 2012. (www.hyconrad.com)

About Jeff: Jeff spent most of his working life in advertising agencies, currently as General Manager of Cramer-Krasselt in New York City.  He is the author of The Hourglass Solution:  A Boomer’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life and co-authors (with Paula Forman) a national online advice column called Short Answers, which also appears in newspapers all along the east coast (from Massachusetts to Florida).  Jeff lives in Vermont and Key West and is on the Board of Directors of the Waterfront Playhouse and the Florida Keys SPCA.

{Purchase} {Amazon}{B&N}{The Book Depository}

Giveaway: Thanks to the authors, one lucky reader is going to win their own copy of Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know! This giveaway is open to US/Can and will end on 9/30.  a Rafflecopter giveaway



Thank you to Hy Conrad, Jeff Johnson and Teddy Rose at Virtual Author Book Tours! Be sure to check out all the other tour stops here.

*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Review: Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Title: Girl Unmoored Author: Jennifer Gooch Hummer Publication Date: March 6, 2012 From Goodreads: Apron Bramhall has come unmoored. It’s 1985 and her mom has passed away, her evil stepmother is pregnant, and her best friend has traded her in for a newer model. Fortunately, she’s about to be saved by Jesus. Not that Jesus—the actor who plays him in Jesus Christ, Superstar. Apron is desperate to avoid the look-alike Mike (no one should look that much like Jesus unless they can perform a miracle or two), but suddenly he’s everywhere. Until one day, she’s stuck in church with him—of all places. And then something happens; Apron’s broken teenage heart blinks on for the first time since she’s been adrift. 

Mike and his grumpy boyfriend, Chad, offer her a summer job in their flower store and Apron’s world seems to calm. But when she uncovers Chad’s secret, coming of age becomes almost too much bear. She’s forced to see things the adults around her fail to—like what love really means and who is paying too much for it. My Thoughts: Apron Bramhall is just thirteen years old but she has already been through way too much. Her mother has died, her father's new wife hates her and her best friend has also decided that she is not good enough to be friends with anymore. With big, red hair and freckles, Apron feels out of place and alone.  Enter Mike, the Jesus look-a-like who Apron sees in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Thrown together by unpleasant circumstances, Apron and Mike seem to hit it off. For the first time, Apron feels like there may be some hope after all. Someone is there to listen to her and soon she finds herself in a terrific friendship with Mike and his boyfriend, Chad. Unfortunately, being friends with them brings other tragedies to Apron's life, things that she never expected. Girl Unmoored is one of those books that leaves you feeling a million different emotions long after you turn the last page. Sadness, anger, but most of all, hope. Apron is one of the best young characters I've read in a long time. Even at thirteen, she is very kind and wise beyond her years. She is still dealing with the loss of her mother and her father's new marriage to her mother's nurse. "M", as Apron refers to her, is incredibly cruel. Desperate to stay in America, M has chosen Apron's father as her new husband and means of getting citizenship. She wants Apron gone and does whatever she can to get her into trouble. She even says horrible things to her when her father is not around. He, of course, doesn't believe Apron so she is left to suffer. Even with all these things going on, Apron doesn't lash out. She stays to herself and ignores the horrible comments from her old best friend. I'm not sure I would be as strong as she is. Each side character was exactly what you would think them to be. The author does an incredible job of  character development and this created some very real people, although I'm not sure I would want to know many of them personally. Actually, I do know them. Not the exact characters, but there are people I have met over the years who could very well be the characters in this book so it was very easy for me to picture these characters while reading. I'm pretty sure that everyone has come across people like this and it definitely gives the book a very raw, emotional feel. As for Mike and Chad, I loved them. They are who they are and they weren't sorry for it. Even when faced with unbelievable cruelty, they still kept a smile on their face. They showed Apron what is means to truly love without boundaries and to show kindness even when someone didn't deserve it.  I think there is a lot to be learned from this story. Although it takes place in the 1980s and many things have changed since then, we are still faced with some of the ignorance portrayed by some of these characters. People are still committing hate crimes based on race and sexual orientation, and there is still a stigma that comes along with AIDS. People are still picketing and fighting about whether gay marriage should be allowed. While I have high hopes that I will live to see these hatreds disappear, I am pretty sure this will not be the case.  There is only one way to cure hatred: knowledge. Children are not born to hate based on religion, race, sexual orientation or politics. They are taught this by us, their parents and community, throughout their lives. Teach them respect instead. Show them that everyone is different and that is what makes our world special. Teach them that everyone has a right to happiness, no matter how they choose to attain it. The only way to cure hatred is to stop teaching it.  Girl Unmoored is not a book to breeze through. Take the time to fully grasp all the lessons you can learn from it. Share it with a friend, perhaps one that shares different views. Even if it only changes one person's opinion, that is one step in the right direction for a safer world. To learn more about Jennifer Gooch Hummer or Girl Unmoored, check out her website here. {Purchase} {Amazon}{B&N}{The Book Depository} *I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.