Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Title: Keep Holding On
Author: Susane Colasanti
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 83% or B-
Buy It: Amazon 

Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself—and for the love that keeps her holding on.

My Thoughts::
I haven't read much before by Susane Colasanti, but I've heard a lot of great things about her books, so when I saw this one on netgalley my interest was already piqued. Add in the fact that in talks about an issue that I care a good amount about, bullying, and I couldn't resist requesting it.

At first I was worried about this book. I felt so sorry for our main character Noelle. She was in a pretty bad situation with her mom and she gets bullied a lot. I could see how she would have given up fighting at this point. It takes so much energy and makes you wonder if it's even worth it if it hasn't worked before. But I couldn't help but be annoyed when she found it so hard to believe that a guy actually liked her and kept thinking that she wasn't good enough. But then I realized that this is the result that bullying can have. It has the ability to take away all self worth, and that was a tough thing to see.

My only complaint about the book would be that at points it makes it seem like Noelle needs Julian there to make her happy and her life bearable. That he will be her savior and protect her at all costs. Sure, I thought he was a pretty good love interest, but he wasn't very developed so I didn't form any attachments. Thankfully, Noelle is able to make her own self happy without the constant assistance of Julian and proved herself to be very kick ass.

Overall I think this book was a great lesson on bullying without is looking very much like a lesson on bullying. Although the romance wasn't the great, it showed Noelle how worthwhile she is, so it served it's purpose. If you love it when people take a stand, read this book.

Summer Bookish Goals

Last summer I set goals for myself to make me more accountable and to also think through exactly what I wanted to accomplish. I want to do that again this summer. It's my summer before my first year at college, so I don't know yet how I'll juggle my blog and reading with this new step of my life. So I want this summer to prepare me in case I have less time than usual.

All of these goals should be met by August 20th!

Reading

I very much want to read at least 100 books this year. I am doing much better than last year at 45/100 already done at this time. I want to make it to 72/100.

Blogosphere

I want to be part of at least 2 giveaway hops and 1 read/review-a-thon.

Blog

I want to blog everyday. It would also be great if I could schedule posts through September 10th. I should also post all of my reviews before June on Amazon and Goodreads.

Thank you for reading my goals! I know that I'm taking a lot on, but I don't want to fall flat once college starts. I want to be able to have things ready for a week or so after I start until I can see where I can fit blogging into my new life.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years

 

Top Ten Tuesdays is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten is...

Top Ten Books Written In The Past 10 Years That I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years. Once again I'm stopping at 5 because I'm horrible..

1.Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I think this book really teaches its readers a lesson about how all actions and words affect people.

2. Any Ellen Hopkins books. There are some tough issues being dealt with around the world, and her books give us a peak on how bad it is.

3. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. These books are a journey and I really want my grandkids to go on that journey someday.

4. Any Sarah Dessen book. Girls all over the country can relate and find comfort in her characters. I hope the girls in the future can too.

5. Any book set in the future just so they can laugh at how wrong we got it.

Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin

Title: Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2)
Author: Mike Mullin
Publisher: Tanglewood Press IN
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 90% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no longer and must retrace their journey into Iowa to find and bring back Alex’s parents to the tenuous safety of Illinois. But the landscape they cross is even more perilous than before, with life-and-death battles for food and power between the remaining communities. When the unthinkable happens, Alex must find new reserves of strength and determination to survive.

My Thoughts::
I enjoyed Ashfall so much, which was no surprise to me. I love survival, end of the world type stories. But no matter how much I liked it I was a little worried about the sequel. Sure, there was more story to tell, but my favorite part is always the immediate reaction to the tragedy. I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy book 2 as much as the first book.

Let start off by saying I was both right and wrong about my worries. I still like the first book more because I love when things begin and survival mode kicks into gear, but I really liked this book too for a different reason. First of all, we get some long term implications of how the U.S is going to be like for while. Next, we see what society is doing about it. It is really interesting to see the awful reality of how people would use this horrible situation to their advantage. And I know it would happen too. But we also see some hope in communities where they can stay in control by working together.

Darla and Alex are just so good together without taking it to a nauseating point. I don't want to get all spoilery but  I have to say that I was rooting so hard for Alex every step of the way. Whenever he got closer to his goal, or completed part of it, I wanted to jump up and down even though it would freak out my neighbors because I often read outside. That death near the end totally ripped my hear apart. I already loved him so much and I didn't want him to go! These characters are all just so good and I liked how they are changing with the world and all that jazz.

The ending though kind of angered me. You just went through ALL OF THAT, and now you're going to put yourself in danger AGAIN!?  It is pretty frustrating. I want him to just make the mayor listen, but I'm guessing he eventually will. This book was a great sequel and I can't wait until book 3!

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a post where I tell you the books that I received this week either by buying them from the bookstore, going to the library or from my mailbox. In My Mailbox was inspired by Alea and turned into a meme by Kristi.

An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde

Brimming with Oscar Wilde’s wit, An Ideal Husband is surprisingly contemporary in its portrait of a powerful politician threatened with ruin for a single misstep. Sir Robert Chiltern’s career was built on selling a state secret, a fact that Lady Cheveley uses to blackmail him.

A celebrated and feared English ghost is outraged when the new American owners of his haunting place refuse to take him seriously and actually fight back against him.

Serpent's Kiss by Melissa de la Cruz

The intriguing Beauchamp family, introduced in the New York Times bestselling Witches of East End, returns in Serpent’s Kiss, with dizzying plot twists and spellbinding magic.

Joanna and her daughters, bookish Ingrid and wild-child Freya, are just settling into the newfound peace that has been cast over their small, off-the map town of North Hampton. With the centuries-old restriction against practicing magic lifted, casting spells, mixing potions, and curing troubled souls has never felt so good for the three witches. That is, until everything gets turned upside down—from Joanna’s organized kitchen to Ingrid’s previously nonexistent love life to Freya’s once unshakeable faith in her sexy soul mate, Killian Gardiner.

When Freya’s twin brother, Freddie, suddenly returns, escaped from Limbo and professing innocence on a long-ago crime, Freya should be ecstatic. The golden boy can do no wrong. Or can he? Freddie blames no other than her fiancé Killian for his downfall, and enlists Freya’s help to prove it. Now Freya doesn’t know who to believe or trust.

Contest Saturday

Here are some contests that are currently going on right now in the blogosphere that are book related. Click the links to enter them. I will try to hold my own contest each month.

Win a copy of Scorched Skies HERE. End 5/28

Win a copy of Bitterblue HERE. Ends 5/30

Win one of May's new releases HERE. Ends 5/31

Win a copy of Wrecked HERE. Ends 6/2

Win a copy of Stunning HERE. Ends 6/3

Win a copy of Insanity HERE. Ends 6/5

Win a copy of Dark Frost HERE. Ends 6/12

Win 2 summer reads HERE. Ends 6/22

Book to Come in June

These books will be released in the month of June. All links will send you to their Goodreads page.

 A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

 Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Timepiece (Hourglass #2) by Myra McEntire

 Stunning (Pretty Little Liars #11) by Sara Shepard

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods Series #4)
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 86% or B
Buy It: Amazon

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

My Thoughts::
It took me a while to get to the fourth book in this series, but I got to it eventually! Though I was happier with book 3, I still wasn't about to grab this book up right away. I waited until I could fit it into my reading schedule and then I pretty much devoured it.

I am still however bothered about how some characters can still care so deeply about boyfriend troubles when there is literally evil afoot. This mostly means Schuyler. After the first book I've grown to like her less and less. Even Mimi is out kicking ass and focusing less on the drama, but the boy stuff is like half of Schuyler's storyline. But besides that I really like how the characters grew in this book. Bliss is probably in the worst position and I can't wait to see what happens with her next. Jack however is still topsy turvy and never matches up to the character we expect him to be.

The book started off a bit slow. It's been a while since the last book left off and the beginning is just us readers trying to catch up and get a grip with what is going on. It takes a bit to get into the book because of this, but I can see why they would want to skip ahead. Time has to pass and time would have passed, but it wouldn't really be interesting for us to read. The last two-thirds of the book are pretty darn exciting. I like that it is still part mystery and I'm trying to figure it all out.

The ending was pretty awesome and some things that happen near the end are pretty great as well. There was a lot of development in this book and is probably my favorite so far.

Fear by Michael Grant

Title: Fear (Gone Series #5)
Author: Michael Grant
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 94% or A
Buy It: Amazon

It's been one year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

Despite the hunger and the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new world they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear.

Within the FAYZ, life breaks down while the Darkness takes over, literally—turning the dome-world of the FAYZ entirely black. In darkness, the worst fears of all emerge, and the cruelest of intentions are carried out. But even in their darkest moments, the inhabitants of the FAYZ maintain a will to survive and a desire to take care of the others in their ravaged band that endures, no matter what the cost.

My Thoughts::
This is the fifth book in a series that I love, so I pre-ordered it as soon as I was able to get the money. This review will definitely contain spoilers from the prior books. So please, don't spoil  this for yourself and read the first four books! Or, if you just like to follow this series from afar, read on.

The plot really progresses with this book! I mean, every book has a lot going on, but things were going on at an even larger scale with this book. Our main characters aren't at each other's throats anymore and most of the how to survive stuff is figured out. So the Gaiaphage is public enemy number 1 and it means business. That brought the excitement levels up a lot. You have no idea what the gaiaphage is capable of and you can't get inside it's head. When we finally learn what kind of things it's planning and trying to do..it is super shocking and keeps you hooked throughout the entire novel.

Since there was some huge plot going on in this book, the character development was slowed down. Though there was still a lot of progression. We finally get inside Penny's head in entirety and see how twisted she is. I really liked her part of the story because it shows us another side of Caine AND Quinn. Plus the stuff with Little Pete is confusing and strange, but also great because it helps out Astrid's development and kills off more characters because there are no big battles in this one.

The ending really took me by surprise and I wonder how it came about. I feel so sorry for Sam and how people must be thinking about him. But it must be practically impossible to explain to the outside world his position. I wonder how the world will react to everyone's powers? Even more so, I can't wait for the next book and see how anyone will deal with any of this!

Top Ten Tuesday: Sites I Read That Aren't About Books

 

Top Ten Tuesdays is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten is...

Top Ten Blogs/Sites You Read That AREN'T about Books. I could only think of 5 that I use frequently..

1. Tumbr. This site is a goldmine for procrastination. It's great, you can find a blog about one of your interests easily!.

2. Youtube. I know, I know. We all use youtube. But I advise you not to just look at movie trailers or cat videos. Subscribe to some funny people and it can really brighten up your day.

3. Unfriendable. This site is hilarious and it is great to just scroll though when you're having a dull time.

4. GetGlue. You can "check in" to shows and movies that you are watching and you earn stickers for being a fan. Once you earn so many they really send you them!

5. Imdb. I love to look ahead months at a time and see what movies are coming. It gets me pretty excited to see the trailers or read the interesting descriptions.

The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games

Director: Gary Ross

Writer: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth

Grade: 92% or A-

 

My Thoughts::
I was really excited for this movie to come out because I loved the book so much. Unfortunately I wasn't able to see the movie as soon as I wanted because I couldn't get my hands on the extra cash. But eventually I made it and went with a group of friends.

So as a person who was obsessed with The Hunger Games for a while, this review is probably biased. I obviously have no qualms about the plot and the story, except of course for the things that were left out or changed. But with the rate of YA books getting turned into shows or movies, it's something that I'm growing used to. Not everything can make it in, and in order for the story to flow well in the time allotted, some things have to change. So I can only think of two things that I wanted or that changed that I saw no reason for. First, why no Madge? She easily could have slipped in. Next, why did the cornucopia have to be so different from what most of us imagined?

The choice in actors I originally didn't really like. I agreed with Haymitch and Katniss mostly, but was iffy on the rest. But after seeing the movie I think they did a really awesome job and I have a hard time coming up with actors who could have done better. Most complaints from prior fans that I see bother me. Some say that Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) weighs too much to look like she lives in District 12, but it says in the book how hunting and eating meat has kept her healthier than a lot of people. What bothered me more was that people complained about Rue being African American, when it obviously states in the book that she has dark skin. It's sad that these things are being complained about.

Overall I think this was an action packed film that fans of the book should love. I can not wait for Catching Fire!

Graduation

There is no In My Mailbox post today because I didn't receive any books this week. I am expecting a few for next week though.

Today at 2:00 PM my High School Graduation begins. I started this blog the summer before my Freshmen year, and now High School  is over for me. The blog has grown so much in the past 4 years and I owe it all to my readers and followers. Thank you so much for sticking with me through those rough blogging patches and reading my error rich early reviews.

I've had this blog all through High School and plan to stay with it through college. Thank you so so so much!

Contest Saturday

Here are some contests that are currently going on right now in the blogosphere that are book related. Click the links to enter them. I will try to hold my own contest each month.

Win a copy of Wrecked HERE. Ends 5/20

Win a copy of Ferocity Summer HERE. Ends 5/20

Win a copy of First Comes Love HERE. Ends 5/21

Win a copy of The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted HERE. Ends 5/22

Win a copy of In Honor HERE. Ends 5/22

Win a copy of Scorched Skies HERE. End 5/28 

Win a copy of Bitterblue HERE. Ends 5/30

Win one of May's new releases HERE. Ends 5/31

Win a copy of Wrecked HERE. Ends 6/2

Win a copy of Stunning HERE. Ends 6/3

Win 2 summer reads HERE. Ends 6/22

To the Cinema #14

This post is similar to a Books to Come post, but will only feature MOVIES that I am excited about releasing. I will include trailers for your viewing pleasure. I'll probably only do this monthly so it doesn't push out reviews that I need to post.

The Watch

 

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Magic Mike

Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin

Title: Yesterday
Author: C.K. Kelly Martin
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 84% or B
Buy It: Amazon

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from.

My Thoughts::
This book captured my interest after reading only half of the description. I was a little confused as well but I was way passed curious enough to try and read it. Plus it looked like another dystopian like read, and I still can not get enough of those!

Like I said, the plot was a bit confusing until you're about halfway through the book. Then when you know whats going on, more questions are thrown at you to be curious and confused about. This made the book both interesting and frustrating. But more than that, it puts you into the heads of the two main characters. They are wondering about the same things that we are so we're able to get a sense of how they are feeling and their confusion.

Books that deal with time travel are amazing and usually fun to read. I say usually because it is easy for the author to make mistakes. As a fan of fiction having to do with time travel, I'm able to spot these things, as I'm sure many other readers are able to do as well. It really takes you out of the book when you notice a huge plot flaw that undermines all the author wants you to believe. Thankfully, Martin didn't take huge risks and I stayed along for the ride. There were no mistakes that I noticed.

Martin built up a great world in the past and in the future. She definitely found her footing in the YA dystopian realm. I can not wait to read any sequel that comes after this. The characters were engaging and the book was full of action and conspiracies. If this book sounds at all like something you'd like, do yourself a  favor and read it!

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Want to See on A Reality Show

 

 Top Ten Tuesdays is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten is...

Top Ten Authors I'd Like To See On A Reality TV Show.

1. Maureen Johnson.
2. John Green.
3. Libba Bray.
4. Barry Lyga.
5. Kody Keplinger.
6. Megan McCafferty.
7. Cassandra Clare.
8. Sara Shepard.
9. Robin Benway.
10. David Levithan.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a post where I tell you the books that I received this week either by buying them from the bookstore, going to the library or from my mailbox. In My Mailbox was inspired by Alea and turned into a meme by Kristi.


Vertigo by Kristina Dunker


Eva is sixteen and in love. And this weekend promises to be special, as she and her boyfriend, Julian, will be spending time together at his parents’ house in the country. Nothing could be more romantic and perfect. Except that the journey there goes horribly awry, and Eva’s dream weekend turns into a total nightmare.

After bearing witness to a terrible crime and narrowly escaping the scene, Eva loses her diary, an incredibly personal book that holds all of her secrets — including details of her visits to a therapist. So when she meets a helpful stranger who seems to know a great deal about her, she has to wonder if he is a kindred spirit or something darker.

What Happened to My Sister by Elizabeth Flock

Nine-year-old Carrie Parker and her mother, Libby, are making a fresh start in the small town of Hartsville, North Carolina, ready to put their turbulent past behind them. Violence has shattered their family and left Libby nearly unable to cope. And while Carrie once took comfort in her beloved sister, Emma, her mother has now forbidden even the mention of her name.

When Carrie meets Ruth, Honor, and Cricket Chaplin, these three generations of warmhearted women seem to have the loving home Carrie has always dreamed of. But as Carrie and Cricket become fast friends, neither can escape the pull of their families’ secrets—and uncovering the truth will transform the Chaplins and the Parkers forever.

One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf

In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, an unknown man armed with a gun walks into an elementary school classroom. Outside the school, the town of Broken Branch watches and waits.

Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility for the town’s children in her hands. Will Thwaite, reluctantly entrusted with the care of his two grandchildren by the daughter who left home years earlier, stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen-year-old Augie Baker, already struggling with the aftermath of a terrible accident that has brought her to Broken Branch, will risk her own safety to protect her little brother.

As tension mounts with each passing minute, the hidden fears and grudges of the small town are revealed as the people of Broken Branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger who holds their children hostage.
 
Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Your heart misleads you. That’s what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah. And he loves me.

We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other’s arms. It should be Rose & Noah forever, easy. But it won’t be. Because he’s Amish. And I’m not.

Contest Saturday

Here are some contests that are currently going on right now in the blogosphere that are book related. Click the links to enter them. I will try to hold my own contest each month.

Win a copy of Pushing the Limits HERE. Ends 5/14

Win a copy of A Temptation of Angels HERE. Ends 5/14

Win a copy of Girl Unmoored HERE. Ends 5/15

Win two books by Kody Keplinger HERE. Ends 5/15

Win a copy of Wentworth Hall HERE. Ends 5/17

Win a copy of Wrecked HERE. Ends 5/20

Win a copy of First Comes Love HERE. Ends 5/21

Win a copy of The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted HERE. Ends 5/22

Win a copy of In Honor HERE. Ends 5/22

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Book Quotes

Top Ten Tuesdays is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten is...

Top Ten Favorite Quotes From Books. In no particular order...

1. "You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not"- My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

2. "So it's you and a syringe against the Capitol? See, this is why no one lets you make the plans."- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.

3. "You should never be surprised when someone treats you with respect, you should expect it."- Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen.

4. "These are hard times. The world hurts. We live in fear and forget to walk with hope. But hope has not forgotten you. So ask it to dinner. It's probably hungry and would appreciate the invitation.- Going Bovine by Libba Bray.

5.  "In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn; color your hair; watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five. In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world; or you can just jump off it."- Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.

6. "The higher my GPA gets the more I realize high school is useless."- Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty.

7.  "Well, don't expect us to be too impressed. We just saw Finnick Odair in his underwear."- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.

8.  “If I could wake up in a different place, at a different time, could I wake up as a different person?”- Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.

9. “It's so much easier to convince yourself you're madly in love with someone when you know nothing about him.- Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty.

10.  "Here's the funny thing about the world coming to an end. Once it gets going, it doesn't seem to stop."- Life As We Knew It by Susane Beth Pfeffer.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a post where I tell you the books that I received this week either by buying them from the bookstore, going to the library or from my mailbox. In My Mailbox was inspired by Alea and turned into a meme by Kristi.

Revived by Cat Patrick

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency's true goals, she realizes she's at the center of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined.

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi

Soldier boys emerged from the darkness. Guns gleamed dully. Bullet bandoliers and scars draped their bare chests. Ugly brands scored their faces. She knew why these soldier boys had come. She knew what they sought, and she knew, too, that if they found it, her best friend would surely die.

In a dark future America where violence, terror, and grief touch everyone, young refugees Mahlia and Mouse have managed to leave behind the war-torn lands of the Drowned Cities by escaping into the jungle outskirts. But when they discover a wounded half-man—a bioengineered war beast named Tool—who is being hunted by a vengeful band of soldiers, their fragile existence quickly collapses. One is taken prisoner by merciless soldier boys, and the other is faced with an impossible decision: Risk everything to save a friend, or flee to a place where freedom might finally be possible.

The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze

Happily ever after is a thing of the past.

A series of natural disasters has decimated the earth. Cut off from the rest of the world, England is a dark place. The sun rarely shines, food is scarce, and groups of criminals roam the woods, searching for prey. The people are growing restless.

When a ruthless revolutionary sets out to overthrow the crown, he makes the royal family his first target. Blood is shed in Buckingham Palace, and only sixteen-year old Princess Eliza manages to escape. Determined to kill the man who destroyed her family, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. She has nothing left to live for but revenge, until she meets someone who helps her remember how to hope-and love-once more.

Now she must risk everything to ensure that she does not become . . .

The Last Princess.

What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor

Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat.

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.

When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn't the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

Contest Saturday

Here are some contests that are currently going on right now in the blogosphere that are book related. Click the links to enter them. I will try to hold my own contest each month.

Win a copy of The Selection HERE. Ends TODAY

Win a copy of The Sweetest Spell HERE. Ends TODAY

Win a copy of The Selection HERE. Ends 5/7

Win a copy of The Immortal Rules HERE. Ends 5/7

Win a copy of Mostly Good Girls HERE. Ends 5/10

Win a $10 Amazon Gift Code HERE. Ends 5/10

Win a copy of Dark Inside HERE. Ends 5/11

Win a copy of The Immortal Rules HERE. Ends 5/11

Win a copy of Pushing the Limits HERE. Ends 5/14

Win a copy of A Temptation of Angels HERE. Ends 5/14

Win a copy of Girl Unmoored HERE. Ends 5/15

Win two books by Kody Keplinger HERE. Ends 5/15

172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

Title: 172 Hours on the Moon
Author: Johan Harstad
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 93% or A-
Buy It: Amazon

It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space—and change their lives forever.

Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and fortune.

Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan.

Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.

My Thoughts::
After reading this book I realized that I do not read enough books having to do with outer space, which was one of the reasons that I wanted to read it in the first place. I like to say that I enjoy reading science fiction, but in all honesty, I haven't read many books that had their feet firmly planted, almost solely in the science fiction genre. So I might think more things were weird or amazing than people who read this kind of thing all of the time.

Let us start off with the characters. It was very refreshing to read a book with no American characters. Usually getting to know some characters isn't very exciting, but something that can be interesting. But this time it was pretty awesome. I knew barely anything about their cultures and it was cool to see what people around my age might be doing in other countries. It was also neat to see similarities even though they spoke different languages and were from three different countries. I really liked them. We aren't overwhelmed with unimportant details. We just get to know the kind of person they are and choices they would make.

The plot for this book was nothing like I've read before. Based off of the summary we know some bad things will happen, but I had no idea on what level I would be creeped out. During the entire first half of the book I already get a feeling of impending doom, like something bad is going to happen. This was even before the characters mention feeling similarly. Harstad is capable of making you feel that fear without having things jump out at you. It's more like a psychological thriller.

The ending surprised me and the entire concept of what was on the moon really freaked me out. I couldn't stop thinking about it and even told some friends and family about it, who in turn only smiled and nodded, not really understanding.

Overall I think this was a crazy freaky novel that will definitely make you think.

May TBR List

Hi everyone! Making a TBR list worked great last month, so I'm doing it again! These are the books that I plan to read this month. I accidentally say April...

Books: 
Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin
Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti
Henry Franks by Peter Adam Salomon
Purity by Jackson Pearce
It's Our Prom (So Deal With It) by Julie Anne Peters
The Line by Teri Hall
Gone by Lisa McMann
Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Blogs/People Mentioned:
www.readingangel.com

April in Review

I read 12 books this month (you can check them all out in the Books Read page)
I reviewed 11:

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
Ship of Souls by Zetta Elliott
Rock On by Denise Vega
Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt
What Do You Want to Do Before You Die? by The Buried Life
Gossip by Beth Gutcheon
Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hummer
The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Tomorrow Land by Mari Mancusi
Belles by Jen Calonita
I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

I reviewed 1 movies this month:
Bridesmaids

Challenges so far:

I read 37/100 books towards my personal goal.
2/5 books for the 2012 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge
1/6 books for the Zombie Challenge 2012
0/7 books for the 2012 Finishing the Series Challenge

Blog Changes:

I don't believe I changed anything this month.

Overall:

I am so proud of myself this month! I went above and beyond with my reading, posted everyday, and I also made a video! It went well so there will be another video tomorrow for my May TBR List. My only naughtiness was only reviewing one movie, and only reading one book for my challenges. Let's try to double those two numbers for April.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Into Movies

Top Ten Tuesdays is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's top ten is...

Top Ten Books You'd Like To See Made Into A Movie. In no particular order...

1. The Gone Series by Michael Grant. But I'd prefer a TV show...
2. Any other freaking Sarah Dessen Book!! Especially This Lullaby or The Truth About Forever.
3. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong.
4. Any Ellen Hopkins book.
5. Any John Green book.
6. Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult.
7. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.
8. Memoirs of A Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
9. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink.
10. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger