January Update

So January is already almost over...

Where the heck did it go? This month went by so fast... But somehow in this crazy busy month I managed to read 42 books (!!!!!) and only 2 of them were novellas. I think this was actually a record on the amount of books that I have ever read in one month. It's crazy to think how much higher that number would have been if I hadn't been getting sick this past month, since I was sick I lost about 8 or so days reading... Because unlike a lot of my friends I can't concentrate on reading at all when I'm not feeling good... I mostly just sleep :P

ANYWAYS....

Hopefully in February I will read just as many books (or most likely, not.) but we will see. If it ends up I do read a crazy amount of books I might end up posting more then one thing on each day so it's not like I am scheduled past a month in advance (as I am actually writing this I'm already scheduled past the 10th of February...).

So here is to another month of reading! 

-S 

Double Crossed by Ally Carter

"Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?
W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?
There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.
Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.
When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?
The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists." -Goodreads.com

So when I saw that Ally Carter was going to have a novella that involved both the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society I got pretty excited (and not just because I have been reading her books since the very first Gallagher Girl book came out...). I loved how perfectly she had both worlds meeting but in a way not in Double Crossed, it flowed so well but didn't give away spoilers if people hadn't read all of the other books (Soon to be a total of 8 next month). Though hopefully it will get more people to read the series', because they are really good :)

4 stars.

Read on January 22, 2013

(Also it is free(!!!!) on kindle :D)

Always the Designer, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

"It’s taken Audrey Regan years to establish herself as a wedding dress designer, and to date she’s been roped into creating dresses for nine of her girlfriends. Request #10 follows her vow to “Just say no!” and comes from her very best friend. She can hardly turn Carly down!
Audrey arrives in Atlanta early to perform all of her maid-of-honor duties along with final fittings for a one-of-a-kind dress. But Carly’s wedding is nothing short of an event, complete with Prince Charming, and the festivities make Audrey question whether there’s a prince of her own anywhere in her future.
Enter the groom’s brother and best man. Shaggy-haired, tattooed bad boy J.R. Hunt couldn’t be any more different from Prince Charming if he rode in on a Harley Davidson. Oh, wait. He actually did ride in on a Harley!" -Goodreads.com

I liked  Always the Designer, Never the Bride a lot better than Always the Baker, Never the Bride. I felt like it flowed a lot better and didn't have those annoying cake decorating errors :)

3 stars

Read on January 21, 2013

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

"A great summer beach read filled with sunshine, cooking, and—of course—romance!
Elizabeth Margaret--better known as Em--has always known what her life would contain: an internship at her father's firm, a degree from Harvard, and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is, it's not what she wants. So when she gets the opportunity to get away and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em learns that her family has some pretty significant secrets. And then there's Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can't resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels that for the first time ever, she is really living life on her own terms." -Goodreads.com

I had the pleasure of meeting Shannon Greenland last weekend at YAK fest and picked up her newest book The Summer My Life Began which I finished the next day :)
I loved the whole premise of the book and the story line.The only thing I wished was that is was longer! I wish there was more in the ending...

3.5 stars (got knocked down from 4 because the ending went to fast)

Read on January 20, 2013

Exposed by Susan Vaught

"Chan Shealy’s got most things going right in her life—straight A’s, a shot at the regional majorette championships in baton twirling, and the best best friend a girl could wish for. But after the football quarterback spreads a vicious lie about her, and the whole school decides she’s too trashy for words, Chan begins to wonder if the only place she’ll find love is online.
She’s careful. She follows all her parents’ rules, mostly anyway. A girl’s got to trust herself at a certain point, right? But what if your gut is telling you something that you’re just not hearing… until it’s too late?
From the moment Chan logs on and meets Paul, until the truth begins to show through, Susan Vaught sends readers on a fast-paced and gripping ride. Even when you know something bad will happen, you still might not see it coming…" -Goodreads.com

So Exposed was actually pretty good, the only thing that really stood out to me was that while reading it I felt  like the character was a older with how her thoughts and stuff were (until age was mentioned I thought she was 18 or so... not 16.. so uh yeah...). Also at times felt like it read really slow but then the end was sped up.

3 stars.

Read on January 18, 2013

The Other Side of Dark by Joan Lowery Nixon

"Stacy wakes up in a hospital room, in a body she doesn't recognize. Her mother is dead--murdered--and Stacy is recovering from a gunshot wound. She is the only eyewitness to the crime, but she has only a shadowy memory of the killer's face. Will Stacy be able to regain a clear memory of that fateful day before the killer reaches her?
"The Other Side of Dark" is one of Joan Lowery Nixon's most intriguing, suspenseful, and dramatic mysteries." -Goodreads.com

So, I felt like The Other Side of Dark wasn't that mysteries to me. And honestly I didn't like there wasn't a why her mom was killed. Just at the end showed who did it and then it was over... Really? And who it was didn't really even understand that person's motive...

2 stars.

Read on January 17, 2013

Princetta by Anne-Laure Bondoux

"Princess Malva--the Princetta of Galnicia--flees her kingdom and an arranged marriage, only to find herself betrayed by the very man who promised to help her. Orpheus is the son of a sea-captain-turned-pirate and is determined to make a name of his own commanding a ship in Galnicia's royal armada. But when their paths cross on the high seas, so do their destinies. Together the Princetta and Orpheus will travel to edges of the Known World and beyond . . . a journey from which only one of them will return alive. Shipwrecks, shark attacks, barbarians, and mysterious archipelagos await readers in this lavish fantasy-adventure written by one of France's most celebrated authors." -Goodreads.com

For about the first half of Princetta I really loved it but then it just went downhill with a bunch of twists that I felt like if they were left out it would have been a lot better. Also felt like this one part in the ending was never resolved. Like they just let it slide and didn't seem to matter to the main characters.

2.5 stars

Read from January 15 to 17, 2013

Always the Baker, Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

"Thirty-six-year-old Emma Rae Travis has been baking specialty cakes and melt-in-your-mouth pastries at The Backstreet Bakery in historic Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, for the last six years. But here s the rub about her job as a baker Emma is diabetic. When she tastes her creations, it can only be in the most minute portions. Emma is considered an artisan for the stunning cr me brulee wedding cake that won her the Passionate Palette Award last year, but she s never even had one full slice of it. When Jackson Drake hears about this local baker who has won a prestigious award for her wedding cake artistry, he tells his assistant to be sure and include her in the pastry tastings scheduled at his new wedding destination hotel the following week. And for Jackson, that particular day has started out badly with two workmen trapped in a broken elevator and a delivery of several dozen 300-thread-count bed linens in the wrong size abandoned in the lobby. But when the arrogant baker he met a week prior in Roswell stumbles into the dining room with a platter of pastries and a bucketful of orders, he knows for certain: It s going to be a really rotten day. Can these two ill-suited players master the high-wire act and make a go of their new business venture? Or will they take each other crashing downward, without a net? And will the surprise wedding at The Tanglewood be theirs?" -Goodreads.com

So while reading Always the Baker, Never the Bride I was liking it but at times getting slightly frustrated with it. One thing I though the whole diabetic part would have a more important part of it because in the very beginning of the book (In the prologue) it has her finding out about it.... and then besides a few times of people telling her not to eat cake and one time her telling that she just's has to check her blood sugar before she eats nothing. Nothing at all. Another thing I didn't like was all the cake decorating tips in it. I felt like the author was very much not a cake decorator or had very little knowledge with how the recipes were (and considering one part of the book has her rolling out fondant with flour. Uh yeah not supposed to do that). Though probably most wouldn't spot those type of errors I didn't since my mother has her own cake business so I have helped out with doing the decorating and such...
Also didn't like all those church preachy moments in it. Got annoying pretty fast.

2.5 stars

Read on January 16, 2013

The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

"Two boys: the same age, almost the same face. The one difference: Tom Canty is a child of the London slums; Edward Tudor is heir to the throne. How insubstantial this difference is becomes clear when a chance encounter leads to an exchange of clothing and of roles..." -Goodreads.com

Yeah.... So I didn't really care for The Prince and the Pauper, didn't hate it but it just wasn't for me...

2 stars.

Read on January 15, 2013

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin

"Fans of romance don't need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers-known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it's their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country. The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can't stand to be in the same room. Still, it's a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on. . . . Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realize that there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile." -Goodreads.com

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance is your average teen romance but doesn't mean it wasn't good, going into it you probably have a very good idea but it was still good.

3 stars.

Read on January 15,2013

 

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

"The Phantom of the Opera was first published as a serialisation in Le Gaulois from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910.
The Phantom of the Opera lives under a famous opera house. A mere chorus girl, Christine Daae, becomes, under his guidance, a well known singer with a beautiful voice. But her old child hood sweetheart, the Vicount Raoul de Changy, has also entered the picture. The past comes back to haunt her, the future ahead is uncertain, and the present is undecided. Who will win the heart of Christine?; the handsome, rich Raoul or the masked Angel of Music? A story of romance, murder, sacrifice and sadness, this riveting, seductive tale will keep your emotions high until the very last page of the shocking conclusion." -Goodreads.com

So if you haven't heard the story of The Phantom of the Opera there is a slight chance you have lived in a bubble.
I really liked it, I knew the concept of the story but haven't watched the movie/play in several years so I was able to keep a more open mind I guess.

4 stars.

Read on January 15, 2013

Catherine by April Lindner

"A forbidden romance. A modern mystery. Wuthering Heights as you’ve never seen it before.
Catherine is tired of struggling musicians befriending her just so they can get a gig at her Dad’s famous Manhattan club, The Underground. Then she meets mysterious Hence, an unbelievably passionate and talented musician on the brink of success. As their relationship grows, both are swept away in a fiery romance. But when their love is tested by a cruel whim of fate, will pride keep them apart?
Chelsea has always believed that her mom died of a sudden illness, until she finds a letter her dad has kept from her for years—a letter from her mom, Catherine, who didn’t die: She disappeared. Driven by unanswered questions, Chelsea sets out to look for her—starting with the return address on the letter: The Underground.
Told in two voices, twenty years apart, Catherine interweaves a timeless forbidden romance with a compelling modern mystery." -Goodreads.com

So I really liked Catherine but didn't like it as much as I had liked Jane. But then I also liked Jane Eyre better than Wuthering Heights.

4 stars.

Read from January 13 to 14, 2013

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

"When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero." -Goodreads.com

So I went into reading Something Like Normal not expecting much,  but then was blown away. Yes it had a lot of romance on it but it was so much more, really looked into  PTSD and also just the after affects of being a marine.

5 stars. Easy.

Read on January 14, 2013

 

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo

"In the vaulted Gothic towers of Notre-Dame lives Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bellringer. Mocked and shunned for his appearance, he is pitied only by Esmerelda, a beautiful gypsy dancer to whom he becomes completely devoted. Esmerelda, however, has also attracted the attention of the sinister archdeacon Claude Frollo, and when she rejects his lecherous approaches, Frollo hatches a plot to destroy her that only Quasimodo can prevent. Victor Hugo's sensational, evocative novel brings life to the medieval Paris he loved, and mourns its passing in one of the greatest historical romances of the nineteenth century" -Goodreads.com

I think if all classics were like Victor Hugo's books I would be a lot more willing to read them. No joke.
So yeah, I did like The Hunchback of Notre-Dame a lot. Not as much as Les Mis but pretty close. And that ending... ahhh.

4 stars.

Read from January 10 to 14, 2013

Janie Face to Face by Caroline B. Cooney

"In this riveting and emotional conclusion to the thriller-romance Janie series, that started with The Face on the Milk Carton, all will be revealed as readers find out if Janie and Reeve’s love has endured, and whether or not the person who brought Janie and her family so much emotional pain and suffering is brought to justice." -Goodreads.com

I felt like going into it I had to much of a OMG THIS IS SOOOO GOOD expectation for Janie Face to Face. And it fell flat. It wasn't horrible but for someone who has been in love with this series for years it just was ok. But not one I will probably reread again. I didn't like how so much of the book was in a way retelling all that happened in the rest of the series. And I felt like the ending was way to short. After finishing the last chapter I felt like "Wait. That's it?!?"
Now I know right before it was published a novella for the series was released so maybe that will be better? Guess I will have to see.

3 stars.

Read on January 13, 2013

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

"A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay
When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.
Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!" -Goodreads.com

*Please excuse me while I have a mini fangirling going on*

So it is safe to say that I liked screw that LOVED Just One Day and might have rushed shortly online to preorder Just One Year but was saddened that it wasn't available yet.
Just One Day is one of those perfect contemporary books that flows so perfectly. I think the only thing I would have wanted different was if it was longer.. Because that ending... Ahhhhhh! A few pages before it ended it had me going whattttttttt?!?!? I don't think I have gotten that emotionally attached to characters in quite a while. Defiantly a favorite for the year. No doubt about that.

If I could I would give it at least 1 billion stars but since I can't on Goodreads I gave it 5 stars :)

Read on January 12, 2013

Head Over Heels by Rain Mitchell

"Five unforgettable women. One beloved yoga studio. A million tales to tell.
Lee is a caring yoga teacher who changes lives and inspires friendships. But a year after the breakup of her marriage, she's struggling to raise her twins and make ends meet at her small studio in LA's trendy Silver Lake. The California yoga scene is dominated by celebrity teachers with agents, publicists, and other trappings Lee has rejected. When she's offered a teaching stint at a high-profile yoga festival at Lake Tahoe, she has to choose between standing by her principles--and those of the man she's just started dating--and the lure of becoming a "star." It would be an easier choice if her four best friends could join her, but each has problems of her own.
Katherine, a masseuse with a troubled past, is being evicted from the only real home she's ever had.
Graciela, a dancer, is in New York trying to hide her affair with a famous baseball player from her volatile boyfriend.
Imani is a TV actress coping with motherhood as she's struggling to make a comeback in film.
Stephanie, a screenwriter, is trying to come to terms with a very unexpected relationship.
Head Over Heels explores the burgeoning world of commercialized yoga with the warmth, humor, and insider knowledge that won Rain Mitchell's Tales from the Yoga Studio raves from critics and yogis, and made the book an international success" -Goodreads.com

Head Over Heels didn't impress me at all, I felt like there were way to many point of views for a book that was less than 300 pages and felt like the author just had to end the book and didn't really finish it. Was a disappointment :(

2 Stars, Read from January 11 to 12, 2013

Posts.

So as you can tell lately I have been finishing more than one books a day so I decided to just schedule a book a day so then I can feel awesome that I have read the equivalent of at least one book a day, don't know how long this will go on for though but figured I might as well put a heads up :) 

As They Slip Away by Beth Revis

"Taking place on the spaceship Godspeed before Amy Martin wakes up and Elder takes leadership, this novella describes life at the Hospital during Eldest's reign. Focusing primarily on background characters, readers will see fan-favorite characters Harley, Orion, Victria, and more.
Selene is a singer on a spaceship that only values people who can provide important skills that enhance survival. As her friends--fellow "loons" in the Hospital--start to join apprenticeships to turn their skills into valuable labor, Selene is sent with a handful of other students to learn about the importance of art from the Recorder, Orion. The assignment pairs her with a young sculptor, Luthor, and their dangerous romance proves just how terrifying living trapped on a spaceship under the rule of a heartless dictator could be.
This tragic tale explores the background of a previously unknown character, linking the history of the ship and its residents to Amy and Elder, giving depth to the world of Godspeed." -Goodreads.com

As They Slip Away is a novella with the Across the Universe series that was released this past week (and is free too!) I loved reading it so much and made me even more excited to read Shades of Earth.

4 stars.

Read on January 12th

Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day by Meg Cabot

"When nine-year-old Allie Finkle's parents announce that they are moving her and her brothers from their suburban split-level into an ancient Victorian in town, Allie's sure her life is over. She's not at all happy about having to give up her pretty pink wall-to-wall carpeting for creaky floorboards and creepy secret passageways-not to mention leaving her modern, state-of-the-art suburban school for a rundown, old-fashioned school just two blocks from her new house." - Goodreads.com

Moving Day by Meg Cabot is the first book in the Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls series and was Meg Cabot's first middle grade book. Honestly if it wasn't by Meg Cabot there would probably have been a zero chance that I would have read it but since I am a slight Meg Cabot book addict (I have reread the Princess Diaries books dozens of times, no joke). It was slightly funny and I feel like she made it great for little kids, this is actually a book if it had been out when I was younger I would have read.

3 stars.

Read on January 11th

A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford

"Eden won the battle-she saved her true love from the darkest evil. But the war has only just begun. With secrets swirling around her, powerful allies unraveling, and life-and death-as she knows it eroding, Eden and those she loves tread dangerous ground. Can she trust anyone? Will her unearthly powers be her salvation or her downfall? A sweeping, dark, and sexy paranormal romance that will haunt readers with an inventive mythology and a cinematic New York City filled with shadows and longing." -Goodreads.com

So I liked A Touch Morbid so much better that A Touch Mortal, felt like it wasn't drawn out as much. And now might be more willing to read the last one in the series. But not a run out and buy it they day it comes out :)

Giving it 3 stars.

Read on January 10th

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski

"Darcy Jones doesn’t remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere—but she couldn’t have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn’t happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.
Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn’t thought possible. But Conn’s interest in her is confusing. It doesn’t line up with the way he first looked at her.
As if she were his enemy.
When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can’t rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades’ latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .
In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won’t soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense. " -Goodreads.com

Ok I think it is safe to say that I loved The Shadow Society. It was the first non contemporary book I've read in a while that wasn't part of a series or just ended without finishing up the story. Loved the parallel worlds, first time I've seen it work out really well. I feel like even though some stuff felt a little predictable the whole book flowed really well and will be looking up the other books by this author really soon.

Giving it 5 stars.

Also how cool is the cover? That is actually how I noticed the book at the library, had never heard of it before. The colors and everything work so well with the book!

Read on January 9th to the 10th.

A Mortal Touch by Leah Clifford

"Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

 And that's only the beginning of the end" -Goodreads.com

So I got A Mortal Touch by Leah Clifford on my kindle while it was on sale since I already had a physical copy of the 2nd book in the series and have been meaning to start it... And now I'm glad I at least got it on sale because I didn't fall in love with it. It was just another eh book for me. I felt like was way to predictable and the only reason I will be reading the next book in the series is because I already own it....
Eh.
Was nice though and rounded it up to 3 stars on goodreads...

Read on January 8th till the 9th

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

"The narrative drive of Stowe's classic novel is often overlooked in the heat of the controversies surrounding its anti-slavery sentiments. In fact, it is a compelling adventure story with richly drawn characters and has earned a place in both literary and American history." -Goodreads.com

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe was ok. It was one of those books that if I hadn't already owned a copy I probably wouldn't have picked it up. Though honestly I am just now starting to like classics after hating them all through middle/high school. So I might keep this around to read again in the future and see how I like it then :)

Giving it 3 stars.

Read it on January 4th till the 8th

The Pigman by Paul Zindel

"When sophomores John and Lorraine played a practical joke a few months ago on a stranger named Angelo Pignati, they had no idea what they were starting. Virtually overnight, almost against their will, the two befriended the lonely old man; it wasn't long before they were more comfortable in his house than their own. But now Mr. Pignati is dead. And for John and Lorraine, the only way to find peace is to write down their friend's story #151; the story of the Pigman." -Goodreads.com

 The Pigman by Paul Zindel was one of those books I wanted to love. I truly wanted to finish it be like "Wow that was sooo good" because I had several friends that told me to read it a few years ago. And now I feel like maybe I missed something? Because yeah the story was ok but nothing to start gushing about... *sign* even though I was hoping to give it more am only giving it 2 stars... and will probably be heading straight to my donate pile of books...

Read on January 8th

Wake by Amanda Hocking

"Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong. Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets." -Goodreads.com

 Ahhh. Ok so I read Wake by Amanda Hocking  and I have such mixed feelings about it. From not knowing until the very end that this was the the first book in the series to the book just not having enough detail/reading way to fast. At the end of finishing it I felt like up until about the last few chapters there wasn't a whole lot going on... Will I read the next book when it comes out? I have no idea, at times I liked it but for the most part I was getting annoyed by it. But also want to know what happens next... Ughhhh.
I'm giving it only 3 stars.

Read it January 7th till the 8th

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

"Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life under her aunt's guidance learning to communicate with animals. As she grows up Ani develops the skills of animal speech, but is never comfortable speaking with people, so when her silver-tongued lady-in-waiting leads a mutiny during Ani's journey to be married in a foreign land, Ani is helpless and cannot persuade anyone to assist her.
Becoming a goose girl for the king, Ani eventually uses her own special, nearly magical powers to find her way to her true destiny. Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can become queen of the people she has made her own."
-Goodreads.com

Next up in the year of reading is The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. So this is another book I have been meaning to read for several years now that I happened to find in clearance at Half Price Books, so glad I found it because after reading it this is one I would have rushed out to buy for a personal copy (since over half the books I read via library). It is so good, and will probably be reading the next books in the series VERY soon. Gave it 5 stars. If there was a higher star count on Goodreads I would probably give it a higher one :)

Read it January 6th - 7th

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him? -Goodreads.com

Woah! So read Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan, and just wow. So good,  and seriously didn't want it to end.  Also the fact that the sequel won't come out till August, ughhhh. It's been a while since I've finished a book and immediatly gone online to see when the next one is released....Anyways I'm giving it 4.5 stars on Goodreads, did the lovely rounding it up to 5 and wrote in the review 4.5 stars since giving it just 4 stars didn't feel like justice :)

Read it January 4th till the 6th

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

then. When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their loved moved from curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives. now. That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be kill in one final, spectacular hunt. forever. Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever. -Goodreads.com

So finally got around to reading Forever by Maggie Stiefvater, have had it on my bookshelf for over a year now and just got around to reading it. The only thing that kept me from reading it was solely the fact that it's printed in red ink... And I have such bad eye sight that reading colored ink gives me headaches... Anyways :) I liked it a lot, was the perfect ending to the series :)

Read from January 3rd to the 4th

Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step inside Mosco’s Traveling Wonder Show, a menagerie of human curiosities and misfits guaranteed to astound and amaze! But perhaps the strangest act of Mosco’s display is Portia Remini, a normal among the freaks, on the run from McGreavy’s Home for Wayward Girls, where Mister watches and waits. He said he would always find Portia, that she could never leave. Free at last, Portia begins a new life on the bally, seeking answers about her father’s disappearance. Will she find him before Mister finds her? It’s a story for the ages, and like everyone who enters the Wonder Show, Portia will never be the same. - Goodreads.com

I was actually slightly surprised that I liked the Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby , I had it on my shelf for several months now and I kept pushing off reading it since after I got it I had doubts if I would like it or not... But ends up I liked it, I think on Goodreads I rounded it up to 4 stars and then put 3.5 stars in the review section :)

Read January 3rd

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvator

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.” It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore. -Goodreads.com

So next on the list of books read this year is The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvator. I really liked it, loved the plot and everything about it and can't wait for the next book to come (which I have no idea when that will be...)

Read on January 2nd

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

"Meek little Mole, willful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant Toad. In the almost one hundred years since their first appearance in 1908, they've become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly, and friendship. And their misadventures-in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their Wild Wood-continue to capture readers' imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up. Begun as a series of letters from Kenneth Grahame to his son, The Wind in the Willows is a timeless tale of animal cunning and human camaraderie. "                           -Goodreads.com

I decided to read The Wind in the Willows next since I couldn't remember when the last time I remember reading it, I think I was maybe 10? So I remembered the story but didn't completely remember it so I enjoyed reading it again. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. 

Read on January 1st

Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

"Based on native legends of killer whales and wolves, this haunting tale of change and choice sensitively explores issues of the right to die, integrating the optimistic spiritualism of native myth and the hard realities of modern-day life. This beautiful story, told in flashback, straddles the genres of mystery and family drama, as the only witness to a tragedy loses her memory and an innocent person may be in prison for the crime, posing the difficult question Which is the higher morality—love or law?" - Goodreads.com 

Today I finished Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif.
I have mixed feelings about it, at times I didn't like how slow it was going but then started to like it in the last 50 pages... but since I mostly didn't like it I decided to give it only 2 stars....

Read on January 1st