Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens
243 Pages (Paperback)
Grove Creek Publishing
April 29, 2011
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC

Ashlyn: A lonely society princess living in New York City.

Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong.

    I found this book pretty enjoyable. Some moments I liked, some were a bit slow or uneventful, and some parts like the ending (oh the ending!) were amazing. With that said, there was not one moment when I didn't want to continue reading. The plot kept me interested until the very last page.

    Overprotected follows Ashlyn, a successful man's daughter who has practically been on house arrest since her babysitter kidnaped her when she was younger. Her parents are take "overprotected" to a whole new level. Since the incident, Ashlyn has been guarded by a "companion", a word trying to make "bodyguard" sound more appealing, anywhere she goes. Ashlyn wants nothing more than to be able to live like a normal teenage girl and to figure out the way of the world for herself. When she is given a new "companion" she thinks she might just get what she wants... until she finds out it is Colin, her childhood bully. What comes next surprises not just the reader, but Ashlyn herself.

    In essence, Overprotected is about being your own person - regardless of limitations, finding your way, dealing with the situation through the pain, and most importantly, loving.

    In the novel, Ashlyn is a piano protégée. I really appreciated how well the author described the scenes when Ashlyn plays. She fills the pages with so much emotion that even the most unmusical person, like me, can understand how vulnerable and touching music can be. More than anywhere else, in the music scenes I felt was Ashlyn was feeling and I started to hear music with a somewhat more educated ear. That was very interesting for me and I'm sure the lucky musical ones will enjoy it as well.

    My biggest criticism would have to be about the character Colin. I realize that he is a bodyguard and he takes his job seriously, but I highly doubt that someone can go so long without showing any kind of emotion. I found him quite dull sometimes and I really wished he would open up more. That was really the only thing that got me a bit mad...

    I mentioned this briefly before, but this book has one hell of an ending! The last couple of chapters really take you for a ride. When things start looking good, it just goes down, down, down. So low that you are actually kind of fearful. Then BOOM! Something huge(er) happens and you are practically breathless from exhaustion by that point.

    So give this one a shot - the ending it definitely worth it.

Book Blogger Hop (2011-10)

For those of you who are new to the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books, this is Jennifer's description of the meme, "In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word!  This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!" (Crazy-for-books)


This week's question is...

Summer is coming quickly - what 2011 summer release are you are most looking forward to?

 Easy! Well, it is easy if I don't think too hard about all the other amazing books also coming out this summer... I would say that I am most excited for Forever by Maggie Stiefvater. This is the third in The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy, which means, sadly, this is the last book. I am excited to see it concluded, but I am also incredibly sad. This is one of my favorite series ever and it will be strange to not have an installment on my to-read list again...
Leave a Comment: First time here? Say hello! 

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard
192 Pages (Paperback)
Speak
January 7, 2010
ISBN:
0670011533 (
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback

Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia's boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can't mourn Julia openly, and he's tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia's journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he's desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

    This book was absolutely beautiful. It was fluid and lyrical - like a wave crashing onto you, completely consuming your mind and body in the rush of energy and noise. The book reaches out and grabs your heart, twisting it until you loose your breath and cannot form coherent words.

    The Secret Year follows Colt in the aftermath of his lover, Julia's, death. He is overcome with grief, but the worst part is that he cannot show his grief, because to the general public, Julia probably didn't even know him by name. Julia lived on the mountain, she was beautiful, rich and popular. Colt lives in the flats with a dysfunctional family and is not popular at all. It was a Romeo and Juliet story, but no one ever found out, and Romeo kept living.

    The Secret Year is what comes after. The grief, how you deal with the pain that never quite fades, and learning to move on.

    This was really a book that made you feel. It didn't have the most exciting, action - filled plot, but it didn't need one. It is character driven - focussing on who they are (or were), what they want, and what they do. There are a lot of letters throughout the pages - written to Colt from Julia, but she never intended for him to see them, like a diary. That aspect makes the words so personal and vulnerable that you physically ache out of the pain these characters are facing.

    Now I have to say something I have never said before... If anything that I have said makes you roll your eyes, or sounds ridiculous, or boring - don't read this book. Because honestly, you would not be able to give it the respect it deserves and I could not stand someone saying bad things about a novel like this. It becomes so personal to the reader that bashing the book or the author would be extremely hurtful to anyone who read it. You'd be wasting more time than your own.

    With that said, if you can relate to what I am saying, or if you want to experience the emotional games this book plays on you, definitely pick it up. It was an extremely quick read - I read it in one sitting. I cannot wait until I have another book by this author in my to-read pile.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Angelfire (Angelfire #1) by Courtney Allison Moulton
453 Pages>
Harper Collins/Katherine Tegan Books
February 15, 2011
Source: Bought
Format: Hardcover

This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

    I read this book the day after it came out because I wanted it so much it was consuming. Why I didn't review it earlier is beyond me -life just got in the way I guess. Anyway... this book was great! It has made it onto my list of all-time favorite books, which is a very selective spot.

  &nsbp; Angelfire follows Ellie, a normal seventeen-year old. Well she was normal. Or more appropriately, she thought she was normal. But Ellie is anything but normal. She is an ancient warrior, reincarnated generation after generation after dying fighting the reapers. However, Ellie isn't sure that is who she wants to be. After going so long being just Ellie, it is hard to give that up. But when your life and the lives of your family are at stake, there may not be an easy way out.

    I loved, loved, loved this book! There was tons of reaper-killing, kick-butt action. As well as romance, teenage angst, humor, suspense, and difficult choices. The plot is something that will almost immediately draw you in, but for me, the plot wasn't the selling point (though I loved it), the characters were

    The characters in this novel were so well developed and completely likable! They were funny, they had depth and they were realistic. Also, Ellie's relationship with her best friend reminded me shockingly of me and my own best friend. So maybe I'm a little biased there since I felt like I bonded with them because they said the same things I would in that situation. But it wasn't just the "good" characters that I loved. I loved the bad ones just as much. They were not the annoying, I-can't-stand-reading-about-you kind. Sure, they were evil, but there are just some evil characters you don't find yourself hating. You might hate what they do, but the characters themselves are interesting. Like Bellatrix from Harry Potter (my favorite from the series), or Lady Macbeth. Both are horrible, but awesome at the same time. Or maybe I'm just evil... watch out!

    So overall, I cannot wait until I get to reunite with Ellie and dive into her crazy, scary, action-packed world again! It is a trilogy: Wings of the Wicked (2012) and Hymn to the Fallen (2013) will be the next installments in the series. If you have yet to pick up this awesome debut, I would recommend you do that soon (now would be great).

Flying Blind Tour

I had the pleasure of interviewing Deborah Cooke as part of The {Teen} Book Scene tour for Flying Blind. Below is the interview. I hope you enjoy reading Ms. Cooke's answers as much as I did! 

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1.) First things first, why dragons? What about them appealed to you?

My bio says I’ve always been fascinated by dragons and it’s true. The power of dragons is exciting, and that they are strong as well as beautiful is the perfect combo. I think it would be awesome to be a dragon, or even better, to be a dragon shape shifter. That would be the best of both worlds. I could become a dragon to fly, fight, breathe fire or soar through the sky, then change back to a person to read, write and knit.

2.) Can you please describe Flying Blind in five words or less.

Girl masters hereditary dragon powers. (Okay. That was tough!)

3.) What has been your most rewarding experience since becoming a published author?

It always thrills me to meet someone who has read one of my books. It also surprises me – this part makes no sense but it’s true all the same. I don’t think about people I don’t know reading my books. I know the books are published and distributed, and I know that some of them are sold, but I don’t really think about them being read. So, when someone comes up to me at a bookfair or signing and says “oh, I really like how this character did that in this book”, for a minute, I’m not sure how this person could know about that. Like it’s a secret that only my editor and I know about.  And then I get really excited that someone I don’t actually know has bought and read one of my books.

4.) Who would you recommend Flying Blind to in particular?

Everyone! LOL! Actually I think that FLYING BLIND will appeal to people who felt – or who feel – that they never really got it together in high school. Zoë is a late bloomer and one of those kids on the periphery of high school society. – she’s supposed to be the Wyvern, the prophetess of her kind, with extra powers, but can’t do anything dragon-like at the beginning of the book. Of course, we meet her right when everything changes. I like that she doesn’t get everything right the first time.

5.) What was the hardest part for you about writing this novel? Was there a particular moment that was very difficult to write?

Striking the balance between the two worlds took some work and was an interesting challenge. The Dragon Diaries (http://www.thedragondiaries.com) developed organically out of my paranormal romance series called Dragonfire (http://www.deborahcooke.com) but it had to be separate and different. Teensy spoiler here – in the world of Dragonfire, there is only one female dragon shifter at a time, and she’s the Wyvern, a prophetess with extra powers. The current Wyvern died in book #3, KISS OF FATE, so the child conceived in that book was a girl (Zoë) instead of the usual boy. The dragons all think Zoë must be the new Wyvern and are anxious for her to come into her powers. The male dragon shifters come into their powers at puberty, so it made sense that Zoë’s Wyvern abilities would show up then, too.  The problem is that with only one Wyvern alive at a time, there’s no one to train Zoë to use her powers or even to list all the powers she should have. She’s kind of feeling her way. This was all obvious from the outset, but I needed to give the next generation a new challenge, a different battle for the dragons than the one in Dragonfire.  I like the threat posed by the Mages, and also the idea that the older dragons think the Mages aren’t worth worrying about – it’s the kids who see the truth and the kids who have to save the day while still mastering their powers. As Zoë likes to say “No pressure.”

6.) Here's a character question: Zoe, if you could have one wish, what would it be?

To keep my promise to Jared – who is just the hottest guy alive - for his ride on Dragon Air. 
If only he’d hang around long enough...

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Thanks again to Ms. Deborah Cooke for answering my questions! Be on the lookout for my review of Flying Blind coming early June!

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Learn more about the book and author HERE

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Leave a Comment: What do you think of dragons?

The Time-Traveling Fashonista by Bianca Turetsky

The Time-Traveling Fashonista by Bianca Turetsky

272 Pages
Poppy
March 5, 2011
*Thanks to Poppy for providing me with a copy to review

When Louise Lambert receives a mysterious invitation to a traveling vintage fashion sale in the mail, her normal life in suburban Connecticut is magically transformed into a time traveling adventure.

After a brief encounter with two witchy salesladies and donning an evening gown that once belonged to a beautiful silent film star, Louise suddenly finds herself onboard a luxurious cruise ship in 1912. As Alice Baxter, the silent film star, Louise enjoys her access to an extensive closet of gorgeous vintage gowns and begins to get a feel for the challenges and the glamour of life during this decadent era. Until she realizes that she's not just on any ship-- she's on the Titanic!

Will Louise be able to save herself and change the course of history, or are she and her film star alter ego, destined to go down with a sinking ship in the most infamous sea disaster of the 20th century?

(From Goodreads) 

This book was adorable! I loved the story, the main character, and the beautiful full-color drawings placed throughout the novel. This is definitely a light, fun read you don't want to miss!

When the novel opens on the young, spunky, vibrant Louise Lambert, I instantly fell in love. She is practically the embodiment of childhood! She is underestimated, she wishes for things she may not actually want, her thoughts have no filter, she has a strong personality, and she dreams of being in a Old Hollywood silent movie (its not a princess dream, but same idea). Maybe that is exactly why I liked her so much, because it was so easy to see myself in her. Sure, I had a slightly different personality and I wished for different things, but she is a universally relatable character when you get down to the core. 

The plot was very interesting. Yes, it was light and girly and fun, but don't make the mistake of underestimating it! It had romance, fun historical fiction (1912 anyone?), lots of vintage fashion and some pretty intense action towards the end. 

If you aren't yet getting eager to pick up a copy, maybe the beauty of the novel itself will attract you. Absolutely gorgeous full color drawings of clothing and scenery are weaved throughout the story. But not in a picture book type way, in a new and different way that enhances the experience of the story to new, exciting depths. Check out the pictures throughout this post for some examples of what you will find...


I would recommend this book especially to middle school girls. But don't let that stop you from reading it - after all, I'm not in middle school and I devoured this book. If you love fashion (especially vintage) or you've ever been a young girl (which is about 50% of the population on the lovely planet Earth), you should pick up this book as soon as possible!


P.S: This lovely debut is just the first in a brand new series!

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Check out The Time-Traveling Fashonista's Pick a Poppy page for all kinds of goodies like excerpts, interviews and pictures! Or explore the book on its new website!

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Visit author Bianca Turetsky on Twitter (@lulambert)

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No pictures used on this post belong to me. They are property of Hachette Book Group

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Leave a Comment: What do you think of chapter books with some pictures? Yay or nay? 

Would you rather...

I am going to Books of Wonder on May 3, 2011 for a stop on Cassandra Clare and Holly Black's joint book tour for City of Fallen Angels and Red Glove. I am wondering what you would rather me get for you lovely followers, if I have the chance. So just do me (and yourselves) a favor and vote in the poll embedded below! I will try to get whatever the majority votes for, but due to unknown factors, this may not be possible. So this is to influence my choice. 


P.S- Clicking on the picture will not bring you to see the dates of the tour. Click HERE to see them

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare
424 Pages
Margaret K. McElderry
April 5, 2011 Source: Bought
Format: Hardcover

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever.

Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

    The fourth installment in Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series,City of Fallen Angels, does NOT disappoint! Stuffed with mystery and suspense, from the very beginning, this action packed novel will leave you breathless again and again.

    This installment starts just a little while after the epic events of City of Glass. Jace is with Clary, Magnus is with Alec, Luke is with Jocelyn, and Simon is with… Maya and Isabelle? That’s a story of its own… So all the main characters are back (except for one little fellow that parted with us in City of Glass – *crying*). Additionally, fans of Clockwork Angel,the first in the Infernal Devises series, will be glad to see a few people and names pop up like “Will” and “Camille”. (And Twitter followers of Ms. Clare will crack up when "South Carolina" is mentioned.)

    When Clary used her one wish to bring Jace back from the dead, she thought that event would be her and Jace’s dirty little secret. She has Jace back, everything is in order again, right? Wrong. Clary’s actions have consequences of immense proportions. There is something wrong with Jace, something really wrong with Jace. On top of that, vampires, thugs and very powerful demons alike want Simon, the daywalker, for their own wicked endeavors. When Clary and the gang finally figure everything out, it might be too late.

    I LOVED this installment! I will say that it does not quite top City of Glass for me, but I don’t think any book in this series ever will – but it came quite close. Some side plots irked me a bit, but the development of the main plot had my heart racing, my eyes glued to the pages and my mouth hanging wide open. Let me just say one thing, THE ENDING! Oh my goodness! The ending! I do not think I was the only one shocked by the conclusion to this novel. But wait, shocked does not adequately describe what I was feeling at the time. This does: what?! No! Yes! Ahhhhh! Holy shiz muffins! Take that b****! No, no, no, no, NO! (                        ). The space within those parentheses stands for my speechlessness when the words ran out. Even now, relieving those last few chapters makes me anxious….

    If you’ve stuck with the series so far (assuming you did, since you’d be insane not to), definitely pick this one up (if you didn’t already read it at midnight). When does City of Lost Saints come out again? May 1, 2012?! Ugh, it is too far away!

Overprotected Book Tour

I have the pleasure of participating in the book tour for Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens, organized by The Teen {Book} Scene. Today the main character, Ashlyn, is here with her choices to my this-or-that list. I hope you enjoy learning a little more about Ashlyn!

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1.) Coffee or Tea?

 Herbal tea.

2.) Real Books or E-Books? 

I like them both.

3.) Pink or Purple?

 Pink.  I love Colin in purple, though.

4.) Spray tan or real tan?

 Ugh, neither.

5.) Blackberry or iphone? 

Droid.

6.) Heels or flats?

 Both. 

7.) Pencil or pen?

 Pen.

8.) Beach or mall?

 Fifth Avenue.

9.) Cash or credit?

 Credit.

10.) Roses or Lilies?

 Pink roses.

11.) Cat or dog? 

Awww both.

12.) English or math?

 English.

13.) Lip stick or lip gloss? 

Gloss.

14.) Rainy day or sunny day?

 SUN!

15.) Rome or Paris?

 Paris.

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I love how Ashyln dances around my questions and choses either neither or both of my choices. If that doesn't show you a little about her, I don't know what will! (haha) Stay tuned for my review of Overprotected coming later this month.

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Visit the author Jennifer Laurens on her website, blog or Twitter (@jenniferlaurens)

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Leave a Comment: e-books or real books?

I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler

I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler
320 Pages
Sourcebooks Fire
May 1, 2011
Source: ARC Tour
Format: ARC
“For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel envy…”

Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that’s okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her. Yet the smiles of her picture-perfect family are cracking and her sister could be dying. Now Tess has to fill a new role: the strong one. Because if she doesn’t hold it together, who will?

Janet Gurtler tests the bonds of sisterhood in this moving debut that readers of Jodi Picoult and Sarah Dessen will savor.

    I'm Not Her, is filled with so many different emotions it is sometimes hard for the reader to breath - but in the best way possible. I felt for each of the characters as they dealt with their own type of pain, in their own individual way. I cried a little, but my eyes watered a lot. I laughed, I gasped, I smiled, sighed - a different emotion for each page.

    This novel follows Tess, a girl who is just trying to survive high school. Between her art, striving for the Honor Society, and trying to hide from her sister's shadow, her life can be a bit hectic. Little did she know that her life was easy compared to now, when her sister is in and out of the hospital with a rare bone cancer. Kristina may have cancer, but she is not the only one suffering. In the same way, the events in this novel may be rooted in cancer, but it is also about coping, keeping everything together, moving on, and finding your own place in this difficult world.

    While reading this novel, I was surprised by how deeply such a horrible thing like cancer can effect a whole community. I have been lucky to not have yet had cancer touch my family, so I was naive to how deeply it penetrates. I wasn't just enlightened by the pain, but by the fact that each person who is effected is effected in a different way, feels different pain, and deals with it differently. This seems like something really simple to comprehend, but for me, and I think for anyone who hasn't been through something like this, it was not as easy to understand as it seems.

    Also, the events in this story were not at all predictable. With some books with this subject matter, the reader goes in thinking they know everything that is going to happen (and sometimes they do). This story was not at all like that. This story was as unpredictable as it would be if you faced this situation in real life. Simply put, it was real.

    Additionally, I really loved all the characters in this book. That's not necessarily true, I didn't like the parents that much, but I guess I could understand where they were coming from. I loved Tess, Kristina. I especially loved how the beauty in their sisterly relationship was brought out by this tragedy. It really goes to show that no matter what life throws at you, love and happiness will always prevail.

    This book was beautiful - almost poetic in a way. I would definitely recommend it - especially to fans of Sarah Ockler and Gail Forman.

   

I'm going on vacation!

Just a note to everyone, I will be on vacation to Florida from Sunday April 17 until Friday April 22. I am really excited for this vacation, because unlike on my trip to St. John, I will not have a boot on my broken foot! (That means TWO flip-flops- ah, the simple things in life).  I will most likely have internet access, but no promises on how often I will actually use it. I do have some posts scheduled for the time that I am away, so my blog will not be completely dormant for the time. I am sure I will read a ton of great books during my time off, so stay tuned for some great reviews! 


If you need to get in touch with me, I will still be able to be reached by email. Just be aware that my response may not be as prompt as usual. 


Now as I said on my last vacation, for those of you stuck at home, get lost in a book! (Still as cheesy the second time...)


*Picture does not belong to me

Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro- Esteban

Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro - Esteban
324 Pages
Tanglewood Press
November 25, 2007

In this coming-of-age story set in a medieval kingdom, Andrea is a headstrong princess longing to be a knight who finds her way to modern-day California. But her accidental return to her family's kingdom and a disastrous romance brings war, along with her discovery of some dark family secrets. Readers will love this mix of traditional fantasy elements with unique twists and will identify with Andrea and her difficult choices between duty and desire.

(From Goodreads)

This book is difficult for me to review because I was kind of all over the place with it. Some parts were slow, others were super fast. Some parts made my mad, others made me smile. Some characters I liked, some I didn't, some I just didn't get. Overall though, it was entertaining, and if you like these types of books, you'll like this one.

Two Moon Princess follows the life of Andrea, the fourth born princess, right on the verge of her fourteenth birthday, the day when she will become a lady. Just one problem - Andrea wants anything but to become a lady. What she really wants is her family's permission to  be a knight. But her father, the king, is dead set against that idea, and once the king makes up his mind, it is practically written in stone.

After Andrea finds a magic portal that transports her from her Medieval world, to modern-day California, Andrea's eyes are opened. She never wants to leave. However, her trip is ended prematurely once she accidentally transports herself back to her kingdom....

To her shock and dismay, her return has unexpected consequences of huge proportions.

Two Moon Princess is about finding your place in a world you don't quite belong in, and learning to never give up your wants and needs to please someone else. 

I really liked the plot - it was different and intriguing. I thought the most interesting part about it is the culture shock Andrea faces upon returning to her homeland. It just goes to show how much she doesn't belong there. 

I think my problem with this book was strictly with some of the characters. I liked Andrea, she was headstrong, persevering, brave and funny. However, I did not like her parents or her uncle. Her uncle was just overly hypocritical (if you read the book you'll see why). The problem with her mother and father were that they didn't seem to really love Andrea. I know that realistic to the time, a fourth daughter would be used for political tactics, such as marriages, but you would still love your child. Maybe I understand her dad, but her mother? (I don't want to spoil a key plot point, but her mother should act differently considering...)


The ending and unexpected romances did makeup partly for the characters I didn't understand. The ending was sweet, it made my mouth hurt from smiling (and got me weird stares in study hall). I mostly enjoyed this book, but I feel like it was more geared towards middle graders. If you love backwards princess tales (when the character wishes she wasn't a princess, rather than wishing she was), give this one a shot. 

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Visit author Carmen Ferreiro - Esteban on her website.

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Leave a Comment: What do you like better: traditional princess tales? Or backwards tales? (I know some Disney princess tales would be considered my "backwards" tales. This is not a real definition, just how I associate the two.) 

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie and hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a way for bloggers to share what books they received that week and to hopefully introduce readers to new books. This is my first time participating in the meme. Think of it as a trial run. I don't know if I will be participating weekly as of now, but it is a possibility. So without further babbling, here is what I got in my mailbox this week! (It was an exceptionally good week.)

For Review

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander (Goodreads)

Paradise by Jill S. Alexander (Goodreads)


Exposure by Therese Fowler (Goodreads)


A Season of Eden by Jennifer Laurens (Goodreads)

Bought

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer (Goodreads)

*Special thanks to Jill S. Alexander, Jennifer Laurens, Ballantine Books and The Teen (Book) Scene for sending me books this week!


Leave a Comment: What is your favorite book that you got in your mailbox this week?

Winners!

I have two winners to announce to day... First off, the winner of the book of your choice worth up to $10 from the Book Depository as a part of the Autism Awareness Giveaway Hop is....

Jen7Waters!

(#169)

I was so happy that I was able to spread a little awareness about autism. I hope this gave you guys a little more understanding of children affected with it and sympathy f0r the parents of children with autism. So many of you thanked me for participating, but I don't think you really needed to. I was just doing what I can to help :) If this hop continues next year, I will definitely be participating. Also, if you know any hops like this one that spread awareness or information, let me know so I can check it out! Thanks to all who participated (and to all who continued to read after the winner was announced). 

Now, the winner of a copy of Two Moon Princess (for commenting) is...

ThatOneGirlYouKnew!

(#21)

The winner of the autism awareness giveaway has been contacted and has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The winner of Two Moon Princess has 48 hours to email me at Ilikethesebooks (at) gmail (dot) com to claim her prize before a new winner is chosen. 

Thanks to all who entered! If you didn't win, there's always next time! And I'll be sure to give you many chances!

Book Blogger Hop (2011-9)

For those of you who are new to the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books, this is Jennifer's description of the meme, "In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word!  This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!" (Crazy-for-books)


This week's question is....

Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her.

 The book I most recently finished was The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer. But, I'm not going to talk about those characters today, because either you love them (and know them already) or hate them (because you are crazy), or don't know what I'm talking about (which would again make you crazy). So, today I am going to talk about Louise Lambert from the newly released The Time Traveling Fashonista by Bianca Turetsky. Louise is very lively at twelve years old, however, she is stuck in the past. She buys all of her clothes at vintage stores, and is getting a little tired with unfashionable people who call her clothes "ratty". She understands that in each piece of vintage clothing, a little piece of the previous owner is carried in it - and it is up to her to keep that memory alive. While some girls dream of princes and fairytales, Louise dreams of Old Hollywood scarlets and silent movies.  Louise would give anything to live her life like an Old Hollywood movie.... I loved Louise, and I'm sure you will too! She is spunky and entertaining. Stay tuned for my review of The Time-Traveling Fashonista coming soon!


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