Almost Home by Jessica Blank

Well this book took me longer then i expected but I'm finallly finished and am very excited to review it for you guys!

****Almost Home by Jessica Blank****

Originality- 18/20
Characters- 17/20
Remembrance- 7/10
Quote-ability- 7/10
Entertainment- 16/20
Ending- 8/10
Recommend to read- 7/10
TOTAL- 80
Grade- B

The streets of Los Angeles offer an escape to a group of teenagers. Boredom, family issues and sexual abuse led them away from home, and now seven teens struggle to survive on the streets. Through Tracy, a junk-addicted porn star, Eeyore, Rusty, Squid, Critter, Scabius and Laura form a rough community with its own dynamics and hostilities. When 12-year-old Eeyore gets caught up in drugs and prostitution, Tracy has a chance to redeem them both.

I never really thought about the homeless and when i did i thought about adults who were probably just too lazy to get a job, but now i realize that people my age are living on the streets becuase of many different reasons, some that I can't even imagine. Almost every character deserved to get smacked a couple of times, but they ALL had very redeeming qualities or just DID things that redeemed them in my mind. Mostly i liked Eeyore, Rusty, and Squid, but i also couldn't help but like the rest too. I just loved that all of there stories were woven together unexpectedly. Though I wished you learned a little more about everyone, and there were times that the choices some of them made, made me crazy. Still I couldn't get enough of this straight up and real novel.

Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block

Sorry I haven't updated for a while. I was busy with Thanksgiving, and other family stuff. But I did have the time to finish Girl Goddess #9. Again with the lengthy titles. ARG. Not as bad as last time though.

****Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block****

Originality- 18/20

Characters- 16/20

Remembrance- 5/10

Quote-ability- 6/10

Entertainment- 15/20

Ending- 8/10

Recommend to read- 6/10

TOTAL- 74

Grade- C

Girl Goddess #9, nine stories about girl goddesses of every age and shape and color and size, wearing combat boots and spiky hair or dressed all in white. One girl has two moms, another has no mother at all but a strange blue skinned creature that lives in her closet. One is a rock star groupie, another loves dancing and reading poetry and having picnics in the backyard when the moon is full. These are stories about girls discovering that the world is not a simple place and that there is more than one way to live.

This book was wow. Just wow. Though each story seemed to take place in an earlier time. Like the 80's or 90's. All of the characters had a fashion sense from that era. but THAT my dear friends does not matter. The stories were sooooo short it like once i got into it, it was over. And the cycle continues. The stories, as short as they were, did make me think. Most of them had an odd twist or unexpected turn. All of the girls were SOOO different but they ALL discovered themselves, or learned something important about someone else. Every girl has what it takes to be a goddess.

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson

I'm giving you a lovely review today because i may not be able to update tomorrow. Here is the review! Is it just me or do you guys get tired of long titles?

****The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson***

Originality- 18/20
Characters- 15/20
Remembrance- 7/10
Quote-ability- 8/10
Entertainment- 17/20
Ending- 8/10
Recommend to read- 7/10
TOTAL- 80
Grade- B

With supreme abilities, like being able to shape-shift and move objects with his mind, Daniel is strong enough to take on anything in the world. It's the things from beyond this planet that are the real problem. Daniel possesses a coverted List--that belonged to his father, before he was brutally murdered--targeting intergalactic criminals preying on the human race. Now, Daniel vows to take on his father's dangerous mission as the Alien Hunter. In the first book of the series, Daniel must conquer the deadly Ergent Seth. The fate of the world rests on Daniel X, and he will have his revenge, whatever the cost.

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X is a very unique story. I could never predict what was going to happen next because the possibilities were endless. While reading it I was constantly being fooled by plot twists. It was a fun and interesting book to read. I only have a couple of complaints. In my opinion i love getting to know a lot of characters, and here there wasn't. Daniel is the only important character, and you don't even get a lot of detail with him. The ending though did redeem these character flaws. I loved the book began with Daniel turning into a tick to save himself and he does it again in the end to save himself and tons of other people. At first Daniel seemed like a very self righteous person, very cocky. But you do realize that he IS afraid and loving. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed The Dangerous Days of Daniel X, and can't wait to read more about him!

Sleepless by Terri Clark

Like I promised here is my review for Sleepless. And guess what? Wicked come out tomorrow!!

****Sleepless by Terri Clark****

Originality- 19/20
Characters- 18/20
Remembrance- 8/10
Quote-ability- 7/10
Entertainment- 18/20
Ending- 8/10
Recommend to read- 9/10
TOTAL- 87
Grade- B

The swaying Palms Hotel late-night room-service menu
Tuck-Me-In Tuna Salad on Rye $7.50
Catch-Some-ZZZs Cheeseburger and Fries $10.00
Up-All-Night Chocolate-Chip Cookies with Milk $5.50
Bedtime Banana Split$7.00I can't go to sleep!!! And not because of the cute boy lying next to me. There's a killer stalking me in my dreams. And if it's up to him . . . I'll never wake up. I have to find a way to get him, before he gets me.

Sleepless was very short but VERY enjoyable. It was incredible that so much action and mystery could fit inside a small book. There weren't many characters but the characters you did get to meet had very distinct personalities. The story line was soooo original and i got stuck right into the story. I was afraid when Trinity was, and i was happy when she was happy. All of the reactions were completely realistic and compassionate. Overall I thought Sleepless was super enjoyable and enteraining!!

In My Mailbox

In my mailbox is a post about the books i received this week either from a bookstore, library, or in the mail!

This Week I got....

Ghostgirl- Tonya Hurley
Almost Home- Jessica Blank
The Dangerous Days of Daniel X- James Patterson, and Michael Ledwidge
The Tommyknockers- Stephen King
The Adoration of Jenna Fox- Mary E. Pearson

I had pretty good week I thinks! I'll have my review up for Sleepless tomorrow!

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac + TWILIGHT THE MOVIE

Last night my friend and I went to see Twilight under the impression that it would be good and would be different than the book. NOPE it was FANTASTIC, and it followed the twilight story perfectly. Yeah i know some scenes were taken out or done differently. And yeah there were some new scenes. I still couldn't help but love the movie. My gosh. There were soooo many great parts! Like when Mike was by the window dancing, and the ending with Victoria at the prom. AMAZING. I used to be skeptical about some of the character choices but never mind. It was perfect. For my friend and i at least. I can't stop thinking about Twilight. Again.

So like the title says I'm gonna review Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac. Here you guys go!

****Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin****

Originality- 18/20

Characters- 17/20

Remembrance- 8/10

Quote-ability- 8/10

Entertainment- 16/20

Ending- 8/10

Recommend to read- 7/10

TOTAL- 82/100

Grade- B

After high-school junior Naomi conks her head, she can't remember anything that happened since sixth grade. She is by turns mystified and startled by evidence of her present life, from the birth-control pills in her bedside table to her parents' astonishing, rancorous split. Eventually, the memories return, leaving Naomi questioning the basis of a new, intense romance, and wondering which of her two lives, present or former, represents her most authentic self.

About a year ago I read Elsewhere and thought it was fantastic, that's why I read Memoirs. I wanted to read more by Gabrielle Zevin. And Zevin did not disappoint. I was very happy with the characters this time! WOOO. It's been a while. Naomi was so easy to relate to. Sometimes though i couldn't understand her thought process. Like when she didn't tell anyone about getting her memory back. REALLY?! Because I would have been jumping up and down and screaming to tell world that I could remember again. Besides a couple of odd things like that, Memoirs was super enjoyable and funny. Go check it out now. Please.

Waiting On Wednesday

I have a couple of books that i'm currently waiting on but I chose to talk about my favorite! Which would be Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen! She is my all time favorite author. I've read and own all her books except for Lock and Key, which is driving me crazy! I just never have the money at the right time! Along for the Ride is about a girl named Auden. I just LOVE the names in all of Sarah Dessen's novels! Okay here's the cover..

Along For the Ride will come out in the Summer of 2009.

My Life From Air-Bras to Zits by Barbara Haworth-Attard

Today our school had a snow day so that gave me the opportunity to finish reading My Life from Air-bras to Zits. (isn't that a mouth full?) Now here I sit typing a review. Here you go!

****My Life From Air-Bras to Zits by Barbara Haworth-Attard****

Originality- 15/20

Characters- 15/20

Remembrance- 6/10

Quote-ability- 8/10

Entertainment- 16/20

Ending- 7/10

Recommend to read- 7/10

TOTAL- 74/100

Grade- C

Teresa Tolliver is fourteen years old and is about to start 10th grade with the idea of it being the best year ever. Teresa WILL become an AN (above normal) which means popular, as she is currently a N (normal) and to get there she'll do whatever it takes which includes trampling over people who once thought of her as a friend. Teresa will have to discover what it really means to be popular, and how to fix the mistakes she made.

My Life from Air-bras to Zits got really annoying really fast. Teresa is forever blaming people for problems that SHE caused and refuses to take responsiblity for her actions. She believed she was always right and claimed to be things that she isn't. There were some good points though. Teresa had a great sense of humor and eventually did feel bad about the things she said and did. In this book you get a great feel of family togetherness. My favorite thing about My Life from Air-bras to Zits would be the th entertainment factor. My least favorite thing was that the characters were not very well developed. You got to know Teresa. That's it. You only saw a little bit into everyone else. No matter how annoying Teresa got, the humor remained and so did a great and relatable story

line.

My Life From Air-Bras to Zits will be in stores February 2009

Best of the Best

UPDATE- You all should seriously enter Kelsey's Birthday contest over at Reading Keeps You Sane!!! She is giving away some FANTASTIC books!

Sooo..MANY of the kids in my school believe that the Twilight saga are the BEST books ever. I'll be the first to admit that they're great books, definately some of my favorites. BUT i do think some of the book I've read are better. I told them this and they don't believe me. So what else is there to do but make a list? I put down my select choices.

Could you guys leave a comment about books that you read that are better than the Twilight saga? Please only express your opinion ONLY if you have read the series.

I guess the kids in my school believe this because most of them don't read much. Let's give them some great titles to choose from!

In My Mailbox

I took this idea from The Story Siren. I'll name all of the books I received this week. This week was great but It won't be like this most of the time. I hope to get a book a week but let's see what happens.

So this is what I got-

• Evernight- Claudia Gray
• Invisible Touch- Kelly Parra
• Unleashed- Kristopher Reisz
• Old Magic- Marianne Curley
• Red Handed (Teen Alien Huntress)- Gena Showalter
• LILY DALE: AWAKENING- Wendy Corsi Staub
• The Summoning (Darkest Powers, Book 1) - Kelley Armstrong
• Stake That! (The Blood Coven)- Mari Mancusi
• Sleepless- Terri Clark
• My Life from Air-bras to Zits- Barbara Haworth-Attard
• Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block

I was soooo excited! I finally have a big TBR pile! I know, I know, lot's of you wish you had less to read, but i love it. Hehe I still have books coming in the mail, and plan to order a few online.

On another note I didn't win anything at the Borders party, but Taylor did! She won a key chain! There was TONS of new stuff there! Like Alice's choker! I SOOOO wanted to buy all kinds of things but I didn't have money.

Overall I think my weekend went great!
How was yours?

Twilight Movie Pre-Release Party!

UPDATE- I got a LOT of books in the mail today 10+ and i still expect more. I am SOOO HAPPY!

UPDATE 2- Oh yes. see the delicously awesome banner? Well Kelsey from Reading Keeps You Sane made it!

Today Tay and I plan to go to our local Borders Twilight Movie party! We are pumped! So don't expect new things too soon. It'll take a while before we have our thoughts in order again. Also I'm still expecting books in the mail. Maybe (hopefully) they'll arrive today. Then new reviews will come up everyday. (um maybe).

At the Borders party they're gonna be giving away movie tickets and other awesome merchandise! You should seriously check out your local Borders RIGHT NOW! I can't wait to make a fool out of myself when we play charades!

Are any of you planning on going to a Twilight Movie Party?

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

I literally just finished reading Identical, and decided i'll give you a review fresh from my mind. Oh yes I noticed that The Book Muncher also put up a review for Identical. CLICK HERE to see!

****Identical by Ellen Hopkins****

Originality- 19/20

Characters- 19/20

Remembrance- 10/10

Quote-ability- 7/10

Entertainment- 18/20

Ending- 10/10

Recommend to read- 9/10

TOTAL- 92/100

Grade- A

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical down to the dimple. As daughters of a district-court judge father and a politician mother, they are an all-American family -- on the surface. Behind the facade each sister has her own dark secret, and that's where their differences begin. For Kaeleigh, she's the misplaced focus of Daddy's love, intended for a mother whose presence on the campaign trail means absence at home. All that Raeanne sees is Daddy playing a game of favorites -- and she is losing. If she has to lose, she will do it on her own terms, so she chooses drugs, alcohol, and sex. Secrets like the ones the twins are harboring are not meant to be kept -- from each other or anyone else. Pretty soon it's obvious that neither sister can handle it alone, and one sister must step up to save the other, but the question is -- who?

I've read all of Hopkins books, and let's just say they keep getting better. For a while my favorite has been Impulse, and closely followed by Crank. Now they all move down a notch to make room for Identical. The story is just so raw and real, you wan't to cringe and look away but you can't. You have to keep reading. Kaeleigh and Raeanne depend on each other and help each other more than they know. The ending is just about as perfect as it can get, wanna know how? Of course you do. PLOT TWIST. And a very big one at that. Overall I have to say that Identical left a long lasting impression on me. I would recommend Identical to anyone strong enough to read about the inner struggles of abuse of all kinds.

Waiting On Wednesday

Today when I logged on to Blogger, I saw, for the first time TONS of people posting something titled Waiting On Wednesday. I digged a little deeper and found the person who started it all! Which would be Jill from Breaking the Spine.

In case, for some odd reason you haven't heard about this segment *gasp* I'll explain. Every Wednesday I (plus MANY other bloggers) post about a book that is yet to be released that they're looking forward to. So without further ado here I go!

Pretty Little Liars: Wicked by Sara Shepard
Publication date- November 25th

In idyllic Rosewood, Pennsylvania, where Burberry earmuffs keep diamond-studded ears warm, four very pretty girls have done some very wicked things. . . . High school juniors Hanna, Spencer, Emily, and Aria have paid dearly for their sins. A stalker named "A" terrorized them for months and revealed their darkest secrets. But now that A's true identity has been revealed, the girls can finally go back to their pretty little lives. Only, once a pretty little liar, always a pretty little liar—and these girls just can't help but be bad. Hanna will do anything to be Rosewood's queen bee. Spencer starts stealing . . . from her parents. Emily can't stop thinking about her new boyfriend. And Aria approves a little too strongly of her mom's taste in men. As the secrets get darker and the scandals juicier, the consequences turn deadly. After all, girls who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. And in Rosewood, someone is always watching. . . .

I've read all the books so far and I REALLY wanna find out what happens next! Once i start reading PLL book I can't put it down. Thank gosh It comes out on the 25th of this month! I don't know what I would do if i had to wait much longer.

Well I'm off to Amazon.com to pre-order Wicked!

The Key To The Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson

I know it's kinda late at night, but here's a nice review to wake up to! I am just loving my new rating system!

****The Key To The Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson****

Originality- 15/20
Characters- 17/20
Remembrance- 5/10
Quote-ability- 4/10
Entertainment- 17/20
Ending- 8/10
Recommend to read- 7/10
TOTAL- 73/100
Grade- C

(from amazon) When Mike Gold has a heart attack and dies. May, Brooks, and Palmer Gold--all teenage girls in what May calls the "Tall, Blond, and Wonderful Family"--suffer from neglect as well when their mother goes to work overtime at the hospital to pay the bills. The three girls deal with their father's death in different ways: Brooks quits softball and starts drinking, Palmer focuses on pitching and TV, hiding her panic attacks from everyone, and May tries to keep the family together. As the family unravels, the Firebird endures. Palmer uses the back seat as a place to escape, Brooks takes it out for a spin when she's drunk (and gets arrested), and for the grand finale, the three girls take the battleship-sized car to Camden Yards to throw their father's ashes on the pitcher's mound. Fortunately, this is the act that allows the girls to start anew.

Maureen Johnson totally has me hooked! I thoroughly enjoyed this book+ 13 Little Blue Envelopes. I read The Key To the Golden Firebird a while ago but i think it deserves a review. The sisters were wonderfull and had great and different personalities. My only big complaint would be that I couldn't understand why the sisters kept so many secrets from each other. Like Palmer not talking about her panic attacks. I'd be afraid and would tell right away. As a whole I thought this book was good enough to keep me entertained but not enough to go out and buy it. Yeah i'm cheap.

This would be my signature!

It's about time right!? I've seen many and decided that it was time! Oh yeahh you're gonna have to read the whole post to see it...well unless you scroll down..=P It was hard for me to choose a name..so i went with my full, actual name- Amanda. I could have gone with- Manda, Mandy, Manders, Mander-lynn, That Teen...ect. Amanda is one of those names that comes with a TON of variations.

In other news I'm pretty proud of myself for updating more frequently. Yeah, yeah, they're not all reviews but STILL i'm trying. I'm expecting like 12 books in the mail, so plenty of reviews will be up sometime this week.

So what do you all think of my new rating system?
Do you have any nicknames?
Don't you hate waiting for books in the mail? I know i do..

Please Don't Stop The Music

Woot! I was tagged! i was hoping I would be after seeing like 10 people do this. Okay here I go!

_________________________________
____________________________________________________
1. Put Your iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Put the artist after a dash following the song name.
5. Put any comments in brackets.
6. Tag some lucky people to spread the disease.

How would you describe yourself?
Like This- Mims [haha like what?]

How do you feel today?
Rockstar- Nickelback

What is your life’s purpose?
Cyclone- Baby Bash

What is your motto?
Crazy Bitch- Buckcherry [Seriously? I seem strange now..]

What do you think about very often?
Stop and Stare- One Republic

What is your life story?
I Got It From My Mama- Will.I.Am [hahahaha I sure did]

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Hey Mickey- Spice Girls [Shut up....]

What will you dance to at your wedding?
Check Up On It- Beyonce

What will they play at your funeral?
Buy You A Drank- T-Pain [Wow..how depressing]

What is your hobby/interest?
I Like Your Hair- Scotty Vanity

If you could do anything right now, what would it be?
Love Like This- Natasha Bedingfield

What do you want most of all?
Sexy Lady- Yung Berg [oh my.]

What is your greatest fear?
U+ UR Hand- Pink [That's strange]

What is your darkest secret?
Ain't No Other Man- Christina Aguilera [That's for sure]

What is your favorite thing in the world?
I Love You- Barney [I put that song on my playlist for kicks..seriously..]

If you could have one wish, what would you wish for?
Teenagers- My Chemical Romance

What is your theme song?
Rip Her To Shreds- Blondie

The next time you hear this song (aside from now, that is), you must dance.
Irreplaceable- Beyonce [Pshh I'll be dancing anyways]

What will you post this as?
Please Don't Stop The Music- Rihanna

Errr...I guess I'll tag Taylor from Taylor's Rambles and Emily from That One Girl Emily

New York Times Best Sellers Meme

Borowed this little list here from Kelsey at Reading Keeps You Sane and decided to try it out. I don't think i've read many though...oh well. Here it goes!

How it works: bold what you've read, italicize what you own, or do both, and *star* books on your TBR list!
____

1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
2 Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution - Robert C. Atkins
3 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
7 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
8 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
10 Who Moved My Cheese? - Spencer Johnson
11 The South Beach Diet - Arthur Agatston
12 Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom
13 Angels & Demons - Dan Brown
14 What to Expect When You're Expecting - Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee Hathaway
15 The Purpose-Driven Life - Rick Warren
16 The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom*
17 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
18 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
19 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus - John Gray
20 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
21 Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter
22 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee*
23 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... And It's All Small Stuff - Richard Carlson
24 The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
25 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
26 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
27 The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
28 The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
29 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
30 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
31 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
32 Oh, the Places You'll Go! - Dr. Seuss
33 The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
34 Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
35 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
36 Body-for-Life - Bill Phillips, Michael D’Orso
37 New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
38 Night - Elie Wiesel, translations by Marion Wiesel and Stella Rodway
39 Chicken Soup for the Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen
40 The Greatest Generation - Tom Brokaw
41 Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
42 The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfield
43 Wicked - Gregory Maguire
44 Good to Great - Jim Collins
45 Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
46 Eragon - Christopher Paolini
47 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Rebecca Wells
48 Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
49 In the Kitchen With Rosie - Rosie Daley
50 Simple Abundance - Sarah Ban Breathnach
51 A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
52 A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
53 The Testament - John Grisham
54 Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger
55 Deception Point - Dan Brown
56 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
57 Marley & Me - John Grogan
58 Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter - Robert C. Atkins
59 Life of Pi - Yann Martel*
60 The Brethren - John Grisham
61 The South Beach Diet Good Fats Good Carbs Guide - Arthur Agatston
62 The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town - John Grisham
63 For One More Day - Mitch Albom
64 The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg
65 The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
66 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow
67 What to Expect the First Year - Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway
68 Love You Forever - Robert Munsch, art by Sheila McGraw
69 Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
70 A Painted House - John Grisham
71 The Rainmaker - John Grisham
72 Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
73 Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier
74 The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
75 Life Strategies - Phillip C. McGraw
76 Seabiscuit: An American Legend - Laura Hillenbrand
77 The Summons - John Grisham
78 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
79 The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
80 The Runaway Jury - John Grisham
81 Goodnight Moon Board Book - Margaret Wise Brown, art by Clement Hurd
82 The Perfect Storm - Sebastian Junger
83 Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
84 The Giver - Lois Lowry
85 Embraced by the Light - Betty J. Eadie
86 The Chamber - John Grisham
87 You: On A Diet - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
88 The Prayer of Jabez - Bruce Wilkinson
89 Holes - Louis Sachar
90 Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
91 The Shack - William P. Young
92 The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger
93 Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
94 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
95 The Seat of the Soul - Gary Zukav
96 Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
97 The Partner - John Grisham
98 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
99 Eldest: Inheritance, Book II - Christopher Paolini
100 The Broker - John Grisham
101 The Street Lawyer - John Grisham
102 A Series of Unfortunate Events No. 1: The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket
103 The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
104 Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
105 The King of Torts - John Grisham
106 The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
107 The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
108 Hannibal - Thomas Harris
109 The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama
110 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
111 The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls
112 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
113 The Last Juror - John Grisham
114 The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
115 Left Behind - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
116 America (The Book) - Jon Stewart and The Writers of The Daily Show
117 The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
118 John Adams - David McCullough
119 The Christmas Box - Richard Paul Evans
120 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
121 Sugar Busters! - H. Leighton Steward, Sam S. Andrews, Morrison C. Bethea, Luis A. Balart
122 Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
123 The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
124 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life - Don Piper, Cecil Murphey
125 The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
126 1776 - David McCullough
127 The Bridges of Madison County - Robert James Waller
128 Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts
129 The Ultimate Weight Solution - Phillip C. McGraw
130 Protein Power - Michael R. Eades, Mary Dan Eades
131 Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
132 Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer
133 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
134 Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
135 You: The Owner's Manual - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
136 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List - Patricia Schultz
137 Self Matters - Phillip C. McGraw
138 She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb
139 1984 - George Orwell
140 The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
141 The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
142 The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
143 The Zone - Barry Sears, Bill Lawren
144 The Pilot's Wife - Anita Shreve
145 The Lost World Michael Crichton
146 Atonement - Ian McEwan
147 He's Just Not That Into You - Greg Behrendt, Liz Tuccillo
148 Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
149 The World Is Flat - Thomas L. Friedman
150 Cross - James Patterson

Total Books Read: 9

Total Books on TBR List: 3

Total Books Owned: 4

That was pretty much pathetic. I swear i read a lot!!!!! Just not popular books i guess...

Happy Reading!
Amanda

Have some bacon..

My bestest buddy EVER is FINALLY updating her blog! Let's applaud. *claps hands enthusiastically* Here is a lovely linky-doo for it. Click on the piggy and proceed to Taylor's blog!

Happy Reading!

Amanda

I guess i'm a geek =D

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Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

I finished reading Leaving Paradise last night. My family is here to visit so i was surprised I was able to escape and read. So here is my review WITH my NEW rating system! Enjoy!

****Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles****

Originality- 15/20

Characters- 12/20

Remembrance- 7/10

Quote-ability- 6/10

Entertainment- 16/20

Ending- 7/10

Recommend to read- 8/10

TOTAL- 71/100

Grade- C

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled. After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers. Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

The first opinion I had about Leaving Paradise was- CHEESY!! Come one Leaving Paradise? At first I thought it meant like Leaving a good place, or something bad about to happen. THEN i found out the town was named Paradise! I loved the books name but seriously? I didn't get hung up on the name though and moved on. I'm sort of a sucker for the "let's change who the point of view is coming from" books. It was nice to get into Caleb's and Maggie's heads. The characters were pretty awesome. I did wish that I could have gotten to know more about Caleb and Kendra's relationship. There were also a few more characters i hoped to be more developed. Overall I think Leaving Paradise was a fresh new read, that i'm happy to read again. Just not now.

Happy Reading!

Amanda

Twlight Crazy + Nick and Norah's Infinate Playlist

I read the whole each book in the Twilight saga one day a piece, i loved them SO much and couldn't get enough. Now that the movie is about to come out my whole school has been over-ran by Twilight! Almost EVERYONE is reading, has read, or is soon going to read Twilight. I would love to re-read all the books RIGHT NOW, but unfortunately I'm already busy enough with the stack of books waiting to be read.

I'm also thinking about changing my rating system to something that you might be able to look at and know how and why i liked the book without reading the review if you don't have time.

I believe that if a movie is being made that is based off a book, you have to read the book before seeing the movie. That is why I decided to read Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, before my friend and i go see it. I'm done reading and here is the review!!

****Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan****

(Summary borrowed from amazon) Cohn and Levithan contribute alternating chapters in this high-energy romance that follows two high-school seniors through a single, music-fueled night in Manhattan. Nick, the "Nonqueer bassist in a queercore band," is playing with The Fuck Offs, when he spots his ex-girlfriend, Tris. Once offstage, he propositions a girl he has never met, hoping to make Tris jealous: "Would you mind being my girlfriend for five minutes?" Norah, also heartbroken (and hoping Nick will drive her home), agrees. What begins as a spontaneous ploy turns into something surprising and real in the course of one night as Nick and Norah roam Manhattan, listen to bands, confront past hurts, and hurtle toward romance.

OH MY GOSH. I am soooo glad i decided to read this book! It was very short, but still very full. Everyone knows i love a funny book, and this book was definitely funny! All of the characters were very much developed, and told you more than enough about themselves. I usually walk away from a book disliking one or two characters but not this time. I easily find myself quoting this book. For example "Holy shit squared! I think I just had my first orgasm"- Norah. Every page was very enjoyable. I couldn't put this book down until i finished. Overall the book was short and hilarious, with various serious points. I would recommend Nick and Norah's to anybody up for a fast read, that will keep you wanting more.

I'm proud to say that Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist receives 5 out of 5 muffins!

Harder by Sha

Hey guys! I'm proud to announce that i'll be updating more frequently! I have plenty of books to read now, so i'm happy! Here is a review! I hope you all had a Happy Halloween! I know i did. =D

****Harder by Sha****

Kai thinks she's pretty hard. She has just about everything she needs. But she wants more. Boys chase after her and girls despise her. Kai will to do whatever it takes to become #1. She wants to be feared by everyone. How will she do this? Running the drug empire of course. But to do that Kai will have to trample over many people. But Kai won't leave without being trampled over too. There will be deaths. Some caused by Kai. Kai thinks she's pretty hard, but won't stop untill she's Harder.

I've never read a book will so much violence, lies, sex, and deceit. Harder was different than any book i've read before. I'm not saying it was a bad thing. It was fun to read about a world far different from my own. The language used is so intriguing. You would expect no grammar issues, but Harder uses very realistic dialect, it was unbelievable. I'm not from the "bad part of town" so i couldn't imagine being in constant danger. But Kai liked the danger. Personally I think Kai was very well written. At first i didn't like her, but after reading more about the word she lives in the more i understood. Kai was meant to be hated yet understood. Other characters were hated much more. Harder was somewhat complicated at times and i got a little lost. My only other complaint would be that the ending seemed unfinishd. But still Harder exceeded my expectations.

This book deserves 3 out of 5 muffins!