Swoon at Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter

Publication Date: April 2010

Summary:

You’d think Polly Martin would have all the answers when it comes to love—after all, her grandmother is the famous syndicated advice columnist Miss Swoon. But after a junior year full of dating disasters, Polly has sworn off boys. This summer, she’s going to focus on herself for once. So Polly is happy when she finds out Grandma is moving in—think of all the great advice she’ll get.

But Miss Swoon turns out to be a man-crazy sexagenarian! How can Polly stop herself from falling for Xander Cooper, the suddenly-hot skateboarder who keeps showing up while she’s working at Wild Waves water park, when Grandma is picking up guys at the bookstore and flirting with the dishwasher repairman?

No advice column can prepare Polly for what happens when she goes on a group camping trip with three too many ex-boyfriends and the tempting Xander. Polly is forced to face her feelings and figure out if she can be in love—and still be herself.

My Two Cents:

Polly has a lot of Daddy issues in this book. She's looking for the attention her father doesn't give her from teenage boys. When Polly doesn't have a boyfriend she feels empty. Every time she gets a boyfriend she becomes who she thinks they want her to be. Whatever they're into, suddenly she's into. This leaves her doing many activities just to impress them. In turn, she loses herself and is only defined by who she's dating at the moment.

Unforunately I know a couple girls like this. Unsurprisingly, the relationships don't work out for Polly, resulting in a lot of ex boyfriends floating around. She gets to the point where she swears off all men in general. In doing this she's overlooking the one guy who's been aound the whole time and into what makes Polly....Polly. Will it be too late to still give this one a chance?

I'd say this one is worth a read. The whole book I found myself screaming at Polly to give this guy Xander a chance. It was a little frustrating when she just keeps resisting him when she know she wants him too. My question is why deny yourself something that you deserve??

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine!

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted







Publication Date: July 2010

Why I'm so Antsy:


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

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

But that's not what Will wishes. He wants to join the military and learn about real life, not what's written in books.

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

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



It has such a cute cover and it has that whole historical fiction look that I like. I doubt I can wait until July so I'll be keeping my eyes open for an advanced copy!

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

Publication Date: February 2010

Summary:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer. Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

My Two Cents:

I found this book to be completely hilarious! It had such a cute and original plot. Fiona is just soo likeable even when the other characters don't think so lol. She's blunt and to the point and I love it. She's someone I'd enjoy hanging out with. At least you'll always know where you stand with her! She gets paired with this jock Todd who she believes is such a prick yet he actually has a soft side and they love to hate each other. The pranks they pulled on each other throughout the book were such a riot! Johnny Mercer, Marci's "husband" is such a huge teddy bear and I wish he was real so I could give him a great big hug! Unfortunately the Johnny Mercers in real life never get much play with the ladies :(

I think back to when I was in high school, and I think I would've been happy to be married to someone...but not for the whole school year. It would also depend on who I was married to. The only part in this book that I didn't like was Fiona and Marci's relationship. I won't go into details because I don't want to give spoilers but let's just say I wouldn't have been so forgiving.

Anywho, something I've learned years ago is that sometimes people grow on you. At first you may think they're just another face in the crowd and next..they could do something like picking your books off the floor and you see how pretty their eyes are and all of a sudden you can't stop thinking about them! Yes...it's happened to me before lol. Go get this book!

Rating:

Awesome Contest!

Hey everyone! Tynga over at Tynga's Reviews is having an awesome giveaway. You can win one signed copy of any Mari Mancusi books of your choice. You also get a very cool Vampire-in-training kit.

Contest ends December 10th so you'd better go quickly!

In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

Publication Date: February 2, 2010

Summary:

When a small mistake costs sixteen-year-old Eagan her life during a figure-skating competition, she leaves many things unreconciled, including her troubled relationship with her mother. From her vantage point in the afterlife, Eagan reflects back on her memories, and what she could have done differently, through her still-beating heart.

When fourteen-year-old Amelia learns she will be getting a heart transplant, her fear and guilt battle with her joy at this new chance at life. And afterwards when she starts to feel different—dreaming about figure skating, craving grape candy—her need to learn about her donor leads her to discover and explore Eagan’s life, meeting her grieving loved ones and trying to bring the closure they all need to move on.
Told in alternating viewpoints, In a Heartbeat tells the emotional and compelling story of two girls sharing one heart.

My Two Cents:

Eagen gets into a tragic skating accident and ends up in limbo, not quite in heaven but in a very gray area that shows memories of her life, good and bad. Her and her mother have a love/hate relationship but when she dies she sees how much her mom really cared about her.

Amelia, she's been sick for the last 7 or so years of her life because of a heart condition. When Eagen dies, she gets the heart transplant. She doesn't know how to feel. Sometimes she's happy to be alive and sometimes she's guilty for beingalive and knowing Eagen isn't. Suddenly she's beginning to get some of the same traits and Eagen and just KNOW certain things about her. Eagen becomes a part of Amelia through the heart. Now all of a sudden she gets smart with her mom, she's more gutsy. Amelia's set on meeting the family of Eagen's. That in itself was such an emotional moment in this book.

Warning: If you're a big cry baby like me don't read this book! This was such an emotional read...man. I was sucked in from the very first page. It had excellent character development. It was such a short book, only 200 pages but it was very much complete. Great plot. The author even managed to squeeze in a bit of romance in there. Definitely look out for this one in February 2010.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is brought to you by The Story Siren :-)





My laptop is still being repaired so I can only use the computer at work (which I have to sneak and do) so this week's imm will cover what I've received over the last 2 weeks.

• Crazy Beautiful by Lauria-Baratz Logsted
• A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
• Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
• Numbers by Rachel Ward
• Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (Woohoo!!!)
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman
• Hold Still by Nina LaCour
• The Amanda Project: Book 1: Project I by Stella Lennon
• The Secret Circle: The Initiation and the Captive by LJ Smith
• The Luxe by Anna Godberson
• Envy by Anna Godberson
• Splendor by Anna Godberson
• Burned by Ellen Hopkins
• Positively by Courtney Sheinmel
• Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison

I also got Hate List by Jennifer Brown that I won in Princess Bookie's huge contest!

These were a great two weeks as far as my mailbox went. However terrible for my bookshelves which almost fell on me while trying to squeeze these in lol! What did you get??

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the spine!


Spells by Aprilynne Pike


Publication Date: May 4, 2010

Why I'm so Antsy:

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.
When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

Isn't this cover so cute?? I even loved the cover from Wings also but I think this one is just a bit more sophisticated.

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

Publication Date: January 7, 2010

Summary:

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?

My Two Cents:

This book is about main character Colt, who sees the very popular and rich Julia by chance one night, they hit it off and become secret lovers for a year. They go to the same school, yet that's the only thing they have in common. Julia has her own life, her own friends, a boyfriend and she lives in the richest neighborhood called Black Mountain while Colt lives in the Flats which is the most poor. They travel in different circles so they secretly meet up every Friday night. After a tragic accident, Julia dies and the only trace of their secret affairs is a journal she left behind with letters written to Colt that she'd never given him. In this journal we get more of an insight to their relationship by seeing things from her perspective.


I had high hopes for this one but it really just didn't do it for me. I needed this author to take this synopsis and run with it. I felt like it stayed on the whole issue of their secret relationship for the whole book. At one point (I won't give spoilers) I thought we were moving on to the next issue. However, by the end of the book we were back to square one. Yes, they had a secret relationship. Yes, he loved her. Yes, she died and he can't grieve the way he needs to because no one even thought he knew her. Okay now that all of that has been established now what? I felt it was missing that extra thing that makes readers continue to read.





Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine :-)



Sleepless by Cyn Balog


Publication Date: July 13, 2010



Why I'm so Antsy:

Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest. But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved.

In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . . Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves? Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.

I was not crazy about Cyn Balog's first book Fairy Tale. It seemed like it was dark and serious when yet it was quite fluffy! This one promises to be much more darker than the first one so I'm looking forward to Balog's serious side.


Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Publication Date: May 3rd, 2010

Why I'm so Antsy:

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship. To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

Just look at the cover!! What are you waiting on?

Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton

Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton

Summary:

I am so dead... Now, was I supposed to go left or right at the Light?

Seventeen-year-old Amber Borden has a lousy sense of direction—so lousy that she takes a wrong turn when returning from her near-death experience. She ends up in the body of the most popular girl in school, who has just tried to commit suicide.Can a girl who can't even navigate the halls of Halsey High discover the secrets of her new identity and find her way back to her own life?

My Two Cents:

When main character, Amber's body "dies", on her way back to her body she makes a wrong turn and ends up in the the beautiful and popular Leah's body. Instead of being overjoyed, she's on the hunt throughout the book just to get back to hers. Amber Borden is certainly one of a kind. She's definitely the type of girl I'd love to hang out with. I love that the author made her so likable. In this book, we learn a lesson that beauty isn't everything.

Leah was living the fabulous life, popular,rich,loads of friends...yet very unhappy. Amber on the other hand wanted to be Leah but when she got the chance she saw that things always look great when you're on the outside looking in. I found this book to be very entertaining and Amber definitely kept me laughing the whole way with her different schemes to get back in her body. She was such a clutz but you had to love her! After inhabiting Leah's body she became thankful for her overweight mom, her weird friends, and her very normal looking crush.


Something to Think About:

Sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side. So, we should be thankful for the life we live because it could always be ten times worse.

Rating: 3 Out of 5 Stars

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren :-)


Right now I'm working on making over my blog and also finding my way around this whole blogosphere so please be patient with me. I will try to do these on Mondays.



Anywho, Here's what I got:

Don't mind the quarter in the picture!

Possessed by Kate Cann

Love, Lies, and Texas Dips

For Keeps by Natasha Friend

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Front and Center by Catherine Murdock

Shadowland by Alyson Noel

Woohoo for all of these! Reviews coming soon! What did you get??

The Complete History of Why I Hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Background Info:


Nola wants nothing more than a summer of her own--and a job at an upscale Maine coast resort sounds ideal. She'll have plenty of beach time between waitressing, some freedom from stresses back home, and the chance to make new friends. Enter Carly, the the perfect pal: full of jokes, ideas, energy--and experienced at being away from her mysterious family. but Carly turns out to be much more complicated than the standard summer buddy--her borderline personality can turn on Nola in a flash, and even love becomes a rivalry. As the girls' instant friendship unhinges by subtle, increasingly powerful turns, the commonplace becomes dramatic--and the outcome unforgettable.





My Two Cents:



First off, I couldn't WAIT to read this one. I was able to snag an ARC of this from The Sexiest Place on Earth! This book was a really quick read having only been 181 pages. Has anyone ever seen that movie "Single White Female"? Well that movie pretty much explains this book. Main character Nola meets Carly on her way to her summer job at a resort in Maine. They hit it off like two old pals on the way there and eventually depart to their destinations. Somehow a couple days later Carly ends up being Nola's roommate. They begin the fastest freiendship I've ever seen. They've become a dynamic duo with Carly taking the lead. Slowly but surely Carly begins spilling Nola's secrets, making her feel silly in front of their friends and more importantly Nola's crush Harrison.




Carly begins to take on things that make Nola...Nola. She wants to run, she wears Nola's clothes, she cuts her hair exactly like her, she contacts Nola's dying sister. Pretty damn creepy if you ask me! There's a huge blowup at the end courtesy of Carly and Nola is forced to make some hard choices. For me the ending was a bit abrupt. A couple of my questions went unanswered. All in all I liked reading about Crazy Carly's (as I've nicknamed her) antics. She was completely nuts but soo entertaining. Hopefully there's a part two!

Something to Think About:

Carly found it easy to take over Nola's identity. She just didn't know how to be herself...which is sad. My question is how do you see yourself? What makes you who you are?



Rating: 3 1/2 OUT OF 5 Stars


Side note: This ARC will now continue on to The Princess Bookie ARC Tour hosted by my buddy Cindy!