Simon Pulse Rom Com Challenge!

Shanyn from Chick Loves Lit has created a fabulous new challenge that I am so excited to be participating in.  I read some of the Simon Pulse romantic comedies back in high school but nowhere near all of them.  This challenge gives me the perfect opportunity to go back and re-read some and finally get the chance to read some of them for the first time.

If you are interested in joining the challenge you can find more info about it here.  The challenge runs from September 1, 2010-September 1, 2011.  There are four levels to the challenge.

Rom Com Lover- 5 Books
Rom Com Raver- 15 books
Rom Com Addict- 25 books
Rom Com Crazy- 35+ books

I am aiming for Rom Com Crazy.  You can count books you have read before the start date but you want to read at least 50% of the books this year.

Here is a list of all the Simon Pulse romantic comedies:
1. Royally Jacked by Niki Burnham - January 2004
2. How Not to Spend Your Senior Year by Cameron Dokey - January 2004
3. Ripped at the Seams by Nancy Krulik - June 2004
4. Spin Control by Niki Burnham - January 2005
5. Cupidity by Caroline Goode - January 2005
6. South Beach Sizzle by Suzanne Weyn and Diana Gonzalez - February 2005
7. She's Got the Beat by Nancy Krulik - April 2005
8. 30 Guys in 30 Days by Micol Ostow - June 2005
9. Animal Attraction by Jamie Ponti - August 2005
10. Scary Beautiful by Niki Burnham - January 2006
11. A Novel Idea by Aimee Friedman - January 2006
12. Getting to Third Date by Kelly McClymer - April 2006
13. Dancing Queen by Erin Downing - June 2006
14. Major Crush by Jennifer Echols - August 2006
15. Do-Over by Niki Burnham - October 2006
16. Love Undercover by Jo Edwards - December 2006
17. Prom Crashers by Erin Downing - February 2007
18. Gettin' Lucky by Micol Ostow - April 2007
19. The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols - May 2007
20. In the Stars by Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon - August 2007
21. Crush du Jour by Micol Ostow - October 2007
22. The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren by Wendy Toliver - December 2007
23. Love, Hollywood Style by P.J. Ruditis - January 2008
24. Something Borrowed by Catherine Hapka - April 2008
25. Party Games by Whitney Lyles - June 2008
26. Puppy Love by Nancy Krulik - August 2008
27. The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Catherine Hapka - October 2008
28. Sea of Love by Jamie Ponti - December 2008
29. Miss Match by Wendy Toliver - February 2009
30. Love on Cue by Catherine Hapka - April 2009
31. Drive Me Crazy by Erin Downing - June 2009
32. Love Off-Limits by Whitney Lyles - August 2009
33. The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols - October 2009
34. Perfect Shot by Debbie Rigaud - December 2009
35. Hard To Get by Emma Carlson Berne - February 2010
36. At First Site by Catherine Hapka - April 2010
37. Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols - May 2010
38. Language Of Love by Deborah Reber - June 2010

Bold=own
Underline=read

My current count:  4/38

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Book:  Forget You
Author:  Jennifer Echols
Published:  July 20, 2010 from MTV
My edition/number of pages:  ARC/293

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  No.

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.

But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

Jennifer Echols has written another amazing romantic drama.  Ever since I read Going Too Far I have been dying for more and Forget You did not disappoint.

Zoey Commander's life keeps getting worse.  Her dad gets his 24-year-old girlfriend pregnant, her mom tries to commit suicide, and her worst enemy, Doug, seems to know all about it.  Zoey needs to keep her drama a secret but she's worried what Doug might do or say.  He can't stand her.  That is, until they are in a car accident together.  Too bad Zoey can't remember what happened that night.

From the beginning I could tell that Forget You was very different from Going Too Far but that I was going to love it just as much.  It picked up really quickly and it never slowed down.  The best part was the mystery of what really happened the night of the accident.  I honestly couldn't guess what went on.  When I did find out, I was shocked but in the best possible way.  =]

There were some moments were I didn't like Zoey but most of the time I could really relate to her and feel for her.  She let her father walk all over her in the beginning but she grew into her own person throughout the book.  She had a lot going on in her life but she dealed with it.  Some of the ways she chose weren't the best but I liked her.  Doug, on the other hand, I absolutely loved.  He confused me for most of the book but he was great with Zoey.  He was a bad boy with a good heart which is the best kind.

Overall, Forget You may be my new favorite from Jennifer Echols.  I do need to warn younger readers though.  It has quite a bit of drinking and sex so it may not be for everyone.  Older YA readers should definitely check it out though!

First line:  Every strong swimmer has a story about nearly drowning.

Writing:  5

Characters:  4

Plot:  4

Ending:  5

Originality:  5

Overall:  23=A-

Cover:  5=A++

In My Mailbox 77 (week of August 28)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie! It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades. =]

For review:

-Hope In Patience by Beth Fehlbaum

-Dust by Joan Frances Turner

-Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

-Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (already read and loved!)

-Return To Paradise by Simone Elkeles

-Love Drugged by James Klise

-The Secret Society Of The Pink Crystal Ball by Risa Green

Bought:

-Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

-Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen

-Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti

-His Dark Materials box set by Phillip Pullman

-The Interns:  Fashionistas by Chloe Walsh

-P.S. I Loathe You by Lisi Harrison

-A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Of course I got Mockingjay this week.  If it hadn't arrived in my mailbox on Tuesday I was going to buy it.  That would have been pointless though because I didn't even get to start it until Wednesday night but when I finally did I read straight through.  I also did that with Nevermore which I just finished and my review will be up this week but I just want everyone to know it's awesome and you should buy it as soon as possible.  =]

All the books that I bought this week were from the thrift store and I am super excited that I found them.  Some of them are ones that I have read but I am happy to have them for my collection.  It's not like I need more books for my collection but oh well.  

What was in your mailbox this week?

Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Book:  Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3)
Author:  Suzanne Collins
Published:  August 24, 2010 from Scholastic
My edition/number of pages:  HC/390

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  Yes.  Final book.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

SPOILER ALERT:  If you haven't read the first two books in this series it may contain some spoilers but there are no spoilers concerning what happens in this book.

I finished Mockingjay in the early hours of this morning and I am still in shock.  Shock over what happened, how good it was, and how amazingly written it was. I didn't know if the end to the series would live up to the hype but it definitely did.

I'm obviously not going to go into details about the plot but I will say this: it was non-stop action.  From the very first page there was something going on and I loved it.  I'm so glad I was able to read straight through because I don't think I would have been capable of putting it down.

The honest truth about this book is that is was brutal.  It was actually kind of hard to read.  Since the first book I have come to know and love these characters and I hated to see them in any pain.  Reading about not only the physical but the mental torture they were put through was tough but I didn't expect any less from this book.  I knew going in that it wasn't going to be your fairytale ending but that didn't make it any less shocking.

Overall, Mockingjay is a brilliant ending to The Hunger Games trilogy.  I laughed, I cried, I bit my nails down to the cuticles.  I'm sad for the end of such a fantastic series but I'm excited to see what Suzanne Collins has in store for readers next.  =]

Grade:  A++

Cover:  A++ (I think it fits with the first two books.)

Giveaway: Dust by Joan Frances Turner (3 copies)

Thanks to ACE Hardcover I have the opportunity to give away 3 copies of Dust by Joan Frances Turner.  I just posted the trailers and you can check those out if are interested in finding out more about the book.

Nine years ago, Jessie had a family. Now, she has a gang.

Nine years ago, Jessie was a vegetarian. Now, she eats very fresh meat.

Nine years ago, Jessie was in a car crash and died. Nine years ago, Jessie was human.

Now, she’s not.

After she was buried, Jessie awoke and tore through the earth to arise, reborn, as a zombie. Jessie’s gang is the Fly-by-Nights. She loves the ancient, skeletal Florian and his memories of time gone by. She’s in love with Joe, a maggot-infested corpse. They fight, hunt, dance together as one—something humans can never understand. There are dark places humans have learned to avoid, lest they run into the zombie gangs.

But now, Jessie and the Fly-by-Nights have seen new creatures in the woods—things not human and not zombie. A strange new illness has flamed up out of nowhere, causing the undeads to become more alive and the living to exist on the brink of death. As bits and pieces of the truth fall around Jessie, like the flesh off her bones, she’ll have to choose between looking away or staring down the madness—and hanging onto everything she has come to know as life…

Details:
-Three people will each win a finished copy of Dust by Joan Frances Turner.

Requirements:
-You must fill out the form to enter.  Comments are always nice but do not count towards this contest.
-You must have a US mailing address.  I am not the ones mailing out the books.

Fill out the form here.

This contest will end two weeks from today on September 7.

Book Trailer: Dust

Dust looks like an interesting book.  I hadn't heard much about it until recently and now I am super excited to read it.  The publishers have put out a couple unique trailers and I think they really fit the zombie theme.  =]

(CAUTION:  If you don't like brains, don't watch either trailer.)




What do you think?  Creepy enough?

You can check out more info on the book on Goodreads or the book's website.

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Book:  Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)
Author:  Cassandra Clare
Published:  August 31, 2010 from Margaret K. McElderry
My edition/number of pages:  ARC/496

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  Yes.  First book.

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa.

As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Cassandra Clare has done it again.  This new series is just as good, if not better, than the Mortal Instruments. I didn't think it could be done but I am absolutely in love with Clockwork Angel (even though Jace is not in it).

Tessa Gray has just found out that she is not human.  As if that isn't bad enough,  she has been told this by her kidnappers.  Her whole life has been turned upside down and she can't think straight anymore.  All she knows is that she must escape and find someone that can help her.  That someone turns out to be Will Herondale, a Shadowhunter who rescues her and delivers her to the London Institute where she is told she will be safe.  That's not possible though.  How can she be safe with a madman searching for her and her brother still missing?

First off, I am so excited that some of the Mortal Instruments characters are in this book.  Namely, Magnus Bane!  I love the back story of all the Shadowhunters but he is an especially big mystery to me.  The new characters, Tessa, Will, Jem, Charlotte, all of them were fabulous.  At first I didn't like Tessa but she grew a lot throughout the book and she had some seriously brave moments.  The two boys, Will and Jem, were not what I expected but both were great in their own ways.  Will has a dark past but he also has his tender moments.  Jem has a huge secret but he is the sweetest guy ever.  I am team Jem right now but I will see if that changes with the next book.  

The world created in Clockwork Angel is even better than The Mortal Instruments.  I adore Victorian London and Cassandra Clare really made it her own.  The setting was definitely one of the best aspects of the book but it was only one of many.  The plot was right up there with it and the writing was as amazing as ever.

Overall, Clockwork Angel has earned it's place as one of the most highly anticipated books of the year.  Now not only do I have to wait for City Of Fallen Angels but also Clockwork Prince.

P.S.  Sorry for the totally gushing review!  =]

First line:  The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts.

Writing:  5

Characters:  5

Plot:  5

Ending:  5

Originality:  5

Overall:  25=A++

Cover:  5=A++

In My Mailbox 76 (week of August 21)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie! It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades. =]

For review:

-Three Black Swans by Caroline B. Cooney
-Loco Motive by Mary Daheim
-Rae by Chelsea Rae Swiggett
-Hannah by Hannah Westberg
-Alexis by Alexis Singer
-Girl, Stolen by April Henry
-Arizona (Beautiful Dead #2) by Eden Maguire
-Torment (Fallen #2) by Lauren Kate

Bought/gifted:

-The Evil Within (Posessions #2) by Nancy Holder
-Sundays At Tiffany's by James Patterson
-Poisoned Honey by Beatrice Gormley
-Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
-Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan
-The House Of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni
-Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
-The Ghosts Of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty
-Beautiful Darkness (Beautiful Creatures #2) by Kami Garcia and Margi Stohl
-Rumors (Luxe #2) by Anna Godbersen

Bought:

-Two Hunger Games t-shirts from Hot Topic. (buy one get one half off!)

This was my first week of school and it went great but it definitely cut into my reading time.  I really need to get caught up but I probably won't be able to.  Luckily I have some reviews saved so I can post those and my blog won't be neglected completely.  

I got some great books this week.  I am dying to read Beautiful Darkness and Girl, Stolen.  Of course I want to read all the rest too but those are just at the top.  Too bad I won't get to them anytime soon because in two days Mockinjay will be released and that is what I will be reading.  Oh and I will be wearing one of those t-shirts to the release party.  =]

What was in your mailbox this week?

The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa

Book:  The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2)
Author:  Julie Kagawa
Published:  August 1, 2010 from Harlequin Teen
My edition/number of pages:  PB/368

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Bookstore
Series?:  Yes.  Second book

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

SPOILER  ALERT:  If you haven't read The Iron King, do not read this review!

I honestly did not think that The Iron Daughter could be better than The Iron King but it was.  I absolutely adore the characters and the world that Julie Kagawa has created.  This trilogy is one of my all time favorites.

Meghan Chase is stuck in the Unseelie Court and she is alone.  Ash has abandoned her and she has nobody else to turn to.  Things seem to be at there worst but they aren't.  Not yet.  They get worse when the Scepter of the Seasons is stolen by the Iron fey and they pin it on the Summer court.  With a war brewing Meghan must set things right.  But how can she save the faery realm when nobody believes her about the Iron fey and her allies have become enemies?

First off, I am still team Ash!  I just thought I had to say that.  In The Iron Daughter Ash has some pretty bad moments but his good ones far outweigh them.  I did like seeing more of Puck but it's too late now to sway me.  Both the guys were fierce and protective and awesome but Ash was overall the best.  They weren't the only ones who were back though.  Grimalkin was back and more mysterious than ever.  There were also a ton of new characters introduced and I can't wait for more of them in the next book.

The action in this one was fantastic.  There was always something going on and I loved it.  The best thing about the action in this one is that Meghan was more involved.  She panicked sometimes but she seemed to take control a little more and I love strong heroines like her.  The Iron Daughter was so hard to put down and I'm sad that I finished it so quickly.  I just had to know how things would turn out and they didn't turn out at all as I expected.  =]

Overall, The Iron Daughter is the absolute best sequel to The Iron King that there could be.  This is not one of those series that gets worse but one that gets even better.  The wait for The Iron Queen is going to kill me though. 

First line:  The Iron King stood before me, magnificent in his beauty, silver hair whipping about like an unruly waterfall.

Writing:  5

Characters:  5

Plot:  5

Ending:  5

Originality:  5

Overall:  25=A++

Cover:  5=A++

Waiting On Wednesday: The Lying Game

Book:  The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Release date:  December 1, 2010 from HarperTeen

Summary:

Foster kid Emma Paxton has only just discovered Sutton Mercer, the wealthy twin sister she never knew she had, when Sutton drops off the face of the earth, asking Emma to cover for her at home, school, and with her friends—just for a few days. At first Emma enjoys trying on her sister’s fabulous life: her fiercely loyal friends, her adoring boyfriend, her close-knit family. But as Emma is drawn deeper into Sutton’s world she finds the friends are not so fabulous, the boyfriend is not who she wants to be with, and the family is clinging to long-buried secrets and a veneer of functionality. And worst of all, Sutton may not be coming back. In fact, someone may have made sure she never could…and that someone knows Emma is not who she claims to be. Emma will need all her wits to survive The Lying Game.

I adored the Pretty Little Liars series and I was so excited to hear that Sara Shepard was working on something new.  I can't wait to read this one.  I know it's probably going to be just as crazy as her last series.  =]

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Winner!

The winner of the Tweet Heart giveaway is:

Angelique from Vampires And Tofu!

I will be emailing the winner soon and she will have two days to get back to me before I pick another winner.  Thanks to everyone who entered and don't forget to check out this month's comment contest.  =]

The Education Of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Book:  The Education Of Bet
Author:  Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Published:  July 12, 2010 from Houghton Mifflin
My edition/number of pages:  ARC/192

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  No.

Bet is sixteen, very intelligent, but only knows as much as her limited education will allow. In Victorian England, girls aren't allowed to go to school.

Will is also 16, and though not related by blood, he and Bet act like brother and sister. In fact, they even look like brother and sister. And though they're both raised under the same roof, by the same kind uncle, Will has one big advantage over Bet: He's a boy, and being a boy means he isn't stuck in the grand house they call home. He gets to go out into the world--to school.  But that's not what Will wishes. He wants to join the military and learn about real life, not what's written in books.

So one night, Bet comes up with a plan. She'll go to school as Will. Will can join the military. And though it seems impossible, they actually manage to pull it off.

But once Bet gets to the school, she begins to realize the education she's going to get isn't exactly the one she was expecting.

The Education Of Bet did not live up to my expectations.  It was good but I didn't enjoy it very much.  It had more to do with my expectations being too high than the actual book though.  It was a cute story and I would still recommend it to historical fiction fans.

Bet wants an education.  She has always been just the maid's daughter and she knows that is all she will ever be but she wants to learn.  She knows though that there is no way for a girl to get a proper education.  So she decides to be a boy.  With the help of her best friend, Will, she becomes him and takes his place at school while he goes off to join the military.  It's exactly what they both wanted but it turns out that everything they expected is not necessarily how it is.

Bet had a lot of ideas about how school should be and they were very wrong.  I found her very naive when it came to boys and trying to be one.  She acted like it was super easy and nothing to worry about.  She was brave, I will give her that though.  I just wish she was more realistic.  I knew what was coming a lot with her and it took a lot of the fun out of the book.  Although there were some parts that just made me laugh.  I liked that about the book.  Will was more fun than Bet but he wasn't actually a big part of the book.  James was important too but I didn't like him.  I felt like I didn't know him and I just wondered why he did the things he did sometimes.  The characters were okay but I would have loved a little more insight into what went on in their heads.

Overall, The Education Of Bet just didn't appeal to me.  I know other people have enjoyed it but this was not one for me.  If it looks like something you would enjoy though, definitely check it out.

First line:  "William, I am so disappointed in you!"

Writing:  5

Characters:  3

Plot:  4

Ending:  4

Originality:  4

Overall:  20=B-

Cover:  4=B-