Reminder!

Today is the last day for my New Year's Contest, so join in if you haven't yet! :) You can find a link to it at the top of my blog.

Currently Reading...

Even though it has been a super busy month (school), I have still managed to sneek in some pages of the below books. Hopefully I will be done with them soon, so I can post up reviews. Until then...here's what I'm currently reading.




Title: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn


Author: Mark Twain

About: This is the sequel to Tom Sawyer, which I have yet to read. It was assigned for my english class which is why I'm reading it. I'm only on page 42 even though I've had it for 3 weeks now. I know. Shameful, isn't it? It's slow going because of school, but I actually like the story a lot so far! It has a bunch of really funny parts and the way Huck speaks is very real.






Title: Shiver

Author: Maggie Stiefvater


About: It contains werewolves, and a girl. I've only read like the first two pages, so maybe it doesn't count as currently reading, but technically it does. I opened it right?





Title: Pride And Prejudice


Author: Jane Austen

About: You probably already know what it's about. I looked at the first paragraph. This is going to be my book report book for english. Hope I like it.







Thanks for bearing with me. I think everything will settle down after tomorrow and then I'll have a long weekend to read. :) Have a nice weekend!

The Maze Runner

Yo peeps! I'm still alive over here. It is nearing the end of the semester, so I've been cramming for tests and trying to get all that homework done. Here's a book review! This was the last book I read in the past two weeks. I probably won't be posting actual reviews until the beginning of February, but expect a couple of songs for your entertainment. :)

THE MAZE RUNNER

Author: James Dashner

Summary:(from here) 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. He and the other Gladers are surrounded by an enormous, ever-changing stone maze . . . and solving it is their only way out.


Review: It has excellent description to the point where I get pukey thinking about the Grievers. EW! I felt that there was an insy bit too much description in the beginning, but for people who like to have the setting mapped out then it is actually a wonderful plus. I tend to rush through it though, so I end up not remembering where things are and therefore the mapping is a waste.

The plot was wonderful and the characters displayed lots of different emotions which helped get to understand them more. I like Newt a lot. I think he or Min Ho is my favorite character, but the mc, Tommy, was pretty great too. I didn't like Teresa that much. Me and her would not be friends.

The book actually left me wanting to read more, which is what a good book should do. You should feel like your missing a piece of your soul or something when your finished and it left a great part. There was enough closure that I wasn't like mad at the author for just cutting off the story, but there was also suspense created for the next book. I'll be sure to read it!

Rating: 1 2 3 4 4.5 5

The Body Finder Book Trailer

Author: Kimberly Derting

Summary: (from here) "Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers. Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself."


I really want to read this super cool book! I haven't read an actual mystery in a really long time and that used to be my favorite genre! I think I've read like every Nancy Drew book out there. My elementary school library was filled with them! :) This book has a really amazing cover and I've seen a couple of reviews for it out there. Both of them GUSHING about how good it was. So excited! :)


Trailer: Here is the book trailer! I liked it. :D



Check out the author's site for some really cool stuff.

Prophecy of the Sisters

Author: Michelle Zink

Summary: (back) Sixteen year old Lia Milthorpe has just recently lost her father, leaving her parentless. But when a strange mark appears on her wrist, she realizes she is being branded with much more than her newfound title of orphan. Lia and her twin sister, Alice, are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other.

Lia hides this discovery from Alice and even from her beloved, James, but to escape from the burden this secret bestows she must end the prophecy--before her sister. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the mark on her wrist, the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her, and the downfall the prophecy could bring.

With haunting, lyrical prose, this multylayered debut novel by Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's decision could have an impact of Biblical proportion.

Review: From the very first pages, I heard the writing so vividly. I really liked this novel because of that. The way the voice matched that time period was like amazing for me! It was easy enough to understand, but it was true to the era and if you don't know, I like historical fiction and myth and folklore kind of stuff. I wasn't disappointed at all.

The book held an appropriate pace and there was action and betrayal. The heartbreak of what Alice did to Henry was evident in Lia's voice. I think I cried during that little part. :(

I think everyone should read it. It has an authenticly youthful voice, but it goes deeper than a lot of YA does. Not too deep mind you or it might be too boring to read. Like the Scarlet Letter. I strongly disliked that book. A lot.

Anyway :) I'm sure all of you will enjoy this one! Hopefully? :)

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 (its been a while since I've given a five)

This is the actual cover. The one at top is pretty simple, but I think I liked it better than this one. -.- Sort of. Maybe a combination of both? :)

Cleopatra's Daughter Giveaway!

Haha! I'm so excited to be able to bring you guys this amazing contest. The author, Michelle Moran, is the one to thank. Thank You! So she will give one of you lucky people:

1 HC copy of Cleopatra's Daughter

&

1 Authentic Roman Coin with Certificate of Authenticity!

Wow. I want one! I'm really into coins because of their historicalness, although I'm not a collector. :( I haven't read this book yet, (shame on me) but I've heard many great things from other bloggers and historical fiction is one of my FAVORITE genres.

Can you tell I'm a little excited? :)

Okay, so the contest is INTERNATIONAL! And it ends February 12th!

Happy, happy, happy! Here is part of the book's summary from the author's site. It follows the story of Cleopatra and Marc Antony's children.

Selene’s narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place —the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the time. She dines with the empire’s most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.

Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of Imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of history, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart.


To Enter: Please fill out this form. Please comment on this post too! :)



Michelle Moran's Site: http://michellemoran.com/

(:~Visit it for some more information on other books she's written and also some cool swag she's giving out~:)

Contest Alert

Okay. It isn't books, but it is a nifty pair of jeans.

Where: Simple Finds

What: Jolts 7 oz. Jeans

Ends: January 13th

Give Up The Ghost

Author: Megan Crewe

Summary: Cass McKenna much prefers ghosts to "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable. They know the dirt on everybody...and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her help contacting his recently deceased mother, but Cass is less than enthusiastic.

Kicking and screaming, Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life. And she's more surprised than anyone when she realizes that maybe some living people aren't so bad if she'd only give them a chance....

Review: It was an excellent read with believable characters and individual voices. The ghosts were believable and Cass was a wonderful to listen to. It is written from her point of view.

Although the summary kind of makes Cass sound like a "mean girl", she really isn't. She is a nice person who decided to take revenge on the social elite for their snobbiness. Of course, even the other outcasts don't trust her, so she's friendless, but ghosts are enough company for her. She's pretty much a victim of the circumstances.

My favorite character is either Cass or her deceased sister, Paige. I really liked how Cass's character is developed through her relationship with her sister and the events surrounding Cass' life.

It was a good book. It wasn't overly deep or anything, but I enjoyed it. The ending was an insy bit dissappointing. Not because it wasn't wonderfully written, but because I felt that it could have gone on for another chapter or an epilogue. Oh well. :) I still reccomend it.

Oh, and I LOVE the cover! :D

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Tai Xing Ai Ni by Wilbur Pan

Artist: Pan Wei Bo or Wilbur Pan

About: So he was born in the United States, but he moved to Taiwan I believe when he was really young. He became one of Taiwan's biggest music artists. This MV is not really his best because his dancing is really limited and usually he is such an AMAZING dancer. I really liked the song though. :)

MV:

The Chic Shall Inherit The Earth

Author: Shelley Adina

Release: This month!

Summary: Lissa Mansfield has come a long way since transferring to Spencer Academy two years ago. She's made a great group of friends in Gillian, Carly, Mac, and Shani. She's strengthened and grown her relationship with God. She's even gotten over the Callum McCloud "incident"from her first semester. Now she's set to graduate and experience college life!


But with the girls about to seperate and head in different directions, Lissa is faced with some of her biggest challenges yet in her last term at Spencer. Her archenemy, Vanessa, has a shocking secret--one that could destroy her reputation forever. Can Lissa reach out to her foe when Vanessa needs a friend the most? And with college on the horizon, will Lissa and Kaz finally come to terms with their feelings for each other? School may be ending, but the excitement is just beginning!


Review: It had every single problem you could think of that you might go through in High School. That part made it really real and easy to relate to and the situations were realistic.


The solutions that the teens came up with were also realistic, so I think this is one of those helpful problem books. It is realistic fiction and the story was well written.


The writing flowed wonderfully and I liked hearing Lissa's point of view in this one again. She's such a real character and her decisions were hard. I've thought a lot about some of the things presented in the book. Like college. Ugh. :)


It was short and pretty good. If you like realistic fiction, then try out the series.


Rating: 1 2 3 3.5 4 5


Other Books In The Series:


1. It's All About Us

2. The Fruit Of My Lipstick

3. Be Strong And Curvaceous

4. Who Made You A Princess?

5. Tidings of Great Boys

6. This one!

Never Say Goodbye (song)

Artist: Mario and Nesty

Language: English/Korean

About: This track was made famous because of the korean drama My Girl which I finished today. I think it is super amazing that they mixed one of Beethoven's symphonies with rap music. The MIXING of music was well done. I hope you guys agree! :) I'm not really sure if I like the overall lyrics though.

Video:



Wasn't it interesting? :)