Hannah's Book Wonderland

Book Trailer: Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

2010-09-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

I was catching up on my blog reading this afternoon, and I came across this:

(BTW, it totally rocks!!)

Love, Hannah

I was gone, but now I'm back!

2010-09-03T22:29:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Have ya'll noticed my inexcusable absence? Have you missed me? No? Ah, well, that's okay if you didn't, but I certainly missed you!

Things have been pretty hectic with school, (boo) but *shrugs shoulders* what can I say: life sucks. Ha!

No really, life sucks right now, but I guess that's why we all read sometimes. To escape our lives for at least a little while...

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I am back, and I definitely will quit neglecting my blog as I have. It's funny because I actually enjoy blogging, but my schedule is so amazingly stuffed... I barely have any time to pee.

Though I have to go, I do hope that you're all doing well!

Now I, my friend, am going to go watch Camp Rock: the Final Jam right (yes, that's why I have to go) after I click the orange, "publish post" button. I admit it, and I am not ashamed. ;)

Love, Hannah

Unraveled: the Hunt (Win!)

2010-08-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

CHECK IT OUT HERE! (I'd click the link if I were you!)

Find out more about our agency team & authors: www.KnightAgency.net

Enter fun book giveaways, meet our clients and get industry news: www.KnightAgency.blogspot.com

Want to know what we're up to right now?: www.Twitter.com/knightagency

Gena Showalter’s YA series, Intertwined, about sixteen-year-old Aden Stone, a paranormal magnet who has, well had, four souls trapped in his head, continues this fall with the release of UNRAVELED (Harlequin, September 2010). Now, Aden is down to three souls bossing him around, but along the way he’s picked up the title of Vampire King to add to his ever-growing list of worries (which includes a prophecy that says he’ll bite the dust after a knife through the heart). To celebrate UNRAVELED’s release, Gena and her YA buds are hosting a scavenger hunt on their blogs.

The all-star lineup of hunt participants includes authors Rachel Caine, PC Cast, Marley Gibson, Rosemary Clement-Moore and Tina Ferraro, as well as Gena, natch, and The Knight Agency blog.Three grand prize winners will each win a $100 Visa gift card, plus Gena's giving away signed copies of UNRAVELED to five lucky runner-ups. All you have to do is find all eight letters, unscramble them and email the word to Contests(AT)KnightAgency.net. To find out where the letters are hiding in the great internet universe, click here for a contest road map and rules.

This contest runs from Monday, August 30^th to Thursday, September 2nd. All entries must be received by Monday, September 6th at midnight!

Love, Hannah

Review: 13 To Life

2010-08-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis: Something strange is stalking the small town of Junction…

When junior Jess Gillmansen gets called out of class by Guidance, she can only presume it’s for one of two reasons. Either they’ve finally figured out who wrote the scathing anti-jock editorial in the school newspaper or they’re hosting yet another intervention for her about her mom. Although far from expecting it, she’s relieved to discover Guidance just wants her to show a new student around—but he comes with issues of his own including a police escort.

The newest member of Junction High, Pietr Rusakova has secrets to hide--secrets that will bring big trouble to the small town of Junction—secrets including dramatic changes he’s undergoing that will surely end his life early.

Review:

I'd spotted this all over the blogosphere for a while, and I knew I had to pick it up. Took me a while, I'll admit, but I finally got around to it! And I can honestly say that I enjoyed every page!

From page one you are instantly sucked into Jess's rather complicated life. She's a nice, likable protagonist, and so often she'd say something so absurdly funny that made me burst out laughing. I got several strange odd, WTF? stares while running errands with my mom. :) Also, you know Pietr? The love interest? Yeah, HOT.

The writing was probably my favorite aspect of 13 To Life. I know that one pet peeve of mine is when authors over explain details I'm just not that interested in. Though Shannon Delany's writing IS descriptive, it was the kind that you could read for hours and hours without wanting to stop which everyone appreciates!

The goods way outnumber the bad, but there were definitely a couple things that bothered me. Like I mentioned earlier, Jess was extremely likable. Admittedly she has a bit of an attitude, (which was the funny part!) but her intentions were always kind. However, there is a difference between being nice and too nice, which Jess did cross. I don't want to spoil it for you, but you'll understand what I mean as you read it. Pietr was great most of the time, but there were several pages where I seriously wanted to bruise his pretty face. And lastly, the plot did confuse me as the story progressed, but maybe that's just me.

Overall, though, this book was so much fun! It's definitely a title spending a few hours on (few hours which will pass by FAST!). Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

Love, Hannah

Cover/title: ☺☺1/2

I'm not the biggest fan of the cover. The fact that they only used one color really makes the cover pop, but the actual image... eh, it's okay. And the title? Honestly, I don't get how it pertains to the book. But that could totally just mean that I'm way too dense in the head, so don't call me out for it. ;)

Wednesday Musing (LATE): Friendship bracelets (via Etsy!)

2010-08-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

Anything Fierce, terrifying, bitchy, nice, intelligent, puzzling, fascinating, cute, quirky, satisfying, stylish, mystifying, dazzling, life-altering, humorous, sparkling, lame, kinda lame, really lame, awesome and everything more will be featured on

WEDNESDAY MUSING!

(in short: anything and everything that intrigues me that isn't related to YA books) :)

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Today's topic: Friendship bracelets (from seller keepsmesane1972 via Etsy.com)

Interest: Er, friendship bracelets? Need I say more?! :)

When I was little, all the "cool kids" always had these colorful bracelets tied on their wrists.

I remember it clearly: I was seven and intrigued by these fun strings, and I asked Alexa (aka the queen of our playground, and possibly the meanest girl ever) what she had on. She then proceeded to stick her tongue out at me and snidely add, "It's a secret! Only the cool kids get to know, and you aren't one of them!"

Uh, thanks, Alexa. Yeah, thanks for ruining my childhood.

But then I was on Etsy the other day, and I came across keepmesane1972's awesome shop. I remember Alexa had those pretty bracelets, but they were just strings that were braided together. Simple, and pretty, but something everyone can do. But these bracelets are something else; they're possibly cooler than cool itself!

Check them out:

These are just two of many really cute bracelets she sells one Etsy.com. I actually ordered a couple bracelets from her today, and I'm so excited for them, I decided to share them with you!

I actually also ordered a book of patterns so that I'll hopefully be able to make a couple neat bracelets of my own. Nothing as intricate as Jen's of course, but something a tad more complicated then, eh, let's say a braid. :)

Thanks to Jen, I'm not officially cool. ;)

Not sure you want to buy a couple quite yet? That's okay! Jen is giving away a bracelet to one lucky commenter on HER BLOG, so check it out!

Love, Hannah

Link to contest

2010-08-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

I'm finally back from vacation (It was so great; I seriously have to spend more time doing absolutely nothing.) and my blog posts will now resume it's usual sporadic, but more frequent, schedule!

I'll have a book review up tomorrow, but before I bid you farewell, I have a contest link for you:

Stephanie Perkins (who's so cool and sweet and has the blue highlights to prove it!), author of Anna and the French Kiss is giving away an ARC of her debut novel, which doesn't grace Barnes and Noble's shelves until late December. That's four months away. Four months.

"Very sly. Very funny. Very romantic. You should date this book."

—MAUREEN JOHNSON, NYT bestselling author of 13 Little Blue Envelopes andScarlett Fever

"Imagine a mug of rich, thick hot chocolate. Now add a swirl of sweet whipped cream. Yummy? Oui. Well, Anna and the French Kiss is richer, sweeter, and—yes—even hotter. You're in for a very special treat."

—LAUREN MYRACLE, NYT bestselling author of Peace, Love, & Baby Ducks andLet It Snow

"No one captures the exhilarating and exhausting 'but-does-he-like-me?!' question better than Stephanie Perkins. A scrumptious read."

—JUSTINA CHEN, author of North of Beautiful

"Smart and sensual, Anna and the French Kiss is everything your heart is longing for. You'll want to live inside this story forever. More, s'il vous plaît."

—LISA MCMANN, NYT bestselling author of the Wake trilogy

"From the magical streets of Paris to its charming narrator, Anna and the French Kiss has it all. A wonderfully winning book!"

—ROBIN BENWAY, author of Audrey, Wait! and The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June

After reading all that praise, I'm dying for an early copy, and I'm sure you are too! So go ahead and enter already! :)

Love, Hannah

Wednesday Musing: The Human Centipede

2010-08-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

WEDNESDAY MUSING!

(in short: anything and everything that intrigues me that isn't related to YA books) :)

____________________________________________________________________________

Today's topic: The Human Centipede

What it is: a movie

Interest: the movie's title

The Human Centipede... jeez, it's one of those things where you hear it, and you have no clue what to think, no?

Instantly curious, a bit puzzled, and I'll admit, a little scared were the three emotions running through my head when I first heard about it.

Well me, my brother, and my cousin were driving home when my cousin says, "I watched the sickest movie trailer I've ever watched a while back. I couldn't go to sleep for a week."

I kinda looked at my brother and think yeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh since scary movies I'm all for. My cousin tells me all about it. (since I like to know what I'm getting myself into before I watch anything)

And holy shit, I'm scarred for life!

(some of this information could be wrong, btw!)

So basically there's this crazy doctor who specializes in separated siamese twins. Only this doctor has this dream to create the ultimate creature, the human centipede.

He lives in a deserted area, I guess, so not many people come across his home, but those that do are mostly always lost. The doctor offers his hospitality only to take them/him/her to his "sick room". He sews their lips to the person's (person in front) butt, removes their knees, and continues this from person to person. So it literally is almost like a human centipede.

Imagine this: you're sitting on your computer chair, and to your right you see this thing crawling towards you. Their mangled, emaciated bodies have no knees, so they're sorta dragging themselves... like a centipede (of course!).

Their lips are sewn crudely onto the person in front. The dark stitching isn't delicate, not like how a seamstress would sew, but someone who doesn't know how. And it's RIGHT NEXT TO YOU!

___________________________________________________________________________

*shudders* I'm scaring myself!

I'm too scared to watch the trailer for myself, but if you're brave enough, go watch it! I'm so scared, I don't even have to guts to link it! So watch it, and tell me what you think about it in the comments!

Love, Hannah S.

A new challenge: 2010 Summer "Beach Reads"

2010-08-17T19:05:00.001-07:00

I'm already participating in the Debut Author's challenge, but I stumbled across this one and thought, "What the heck!"

Sure, summer's almost over, but I can at least score to the tadpole level, no?

Now what is this tadpole level I'm hearing about?

Well, click HERE for all details!

Only two weeks till school starts, but I can read plenty in just two weeks. ;) You in?

Love, Hannah

An update + new HOLD STILL cover!

2010-08-16T16:58:00.001-07:00

Hey guys!

I've been gone for a while, I know... August is usually the month where things turn pretty hectic for me. There are seven family birthdays (including my own), two of my best friend's birthdays, and of course, the last minute vacation planning's... It's pretty crazy. Crazy fun, that it. ;)

Anyway, I read an awesome book semi recently which was Hold Still by Nina LaCour.

Every page was so freaking beautiful, and I even photocopied a page. I'm not sure if that's illegal or not, (if it is, pretend you never read the last, I dunno, five words?) but I wanted a little bit of inspiration to hang on my door without ripping the book apart. It's there to remind me... of things. I'm not sure what "of things" means exactly, but I can assure you that I mean it in a good way. :)

And trust me, anything that makes it on my Door of Fame is something worth it.

But without further ado, I present to you the paperback cover of Hold Still:

Ain't it gorgeous?! :)

Love, Hannah

Review: Sea by Heidi R. Kling

2010-08-11T21:12:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis: Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother’s disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen-year old California girl Sienna Jones reluctantly travels with her psychiatrist father’s volunteer team to six-months post-tsunami Indonesia where she meets the scarred and soulful orphaned boy, Deni, who is more like Sea than anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can’t be together, so why can’t she stay away from him? And what about her old best friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home? And why won’t her dad tell her the truth about her mother’s plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to finding answers.

Review:

I really liked Sea! A lot! I've been reading Heidi's blog since a month or so before Sea's release date, but I only just got to reading it myself. Reading it and basking in it's wonderful, magnificent glory. You can tell that I liked it a lot, no?

Sea doesn't have any magic in it, but it was a magical experience reading it. A lot of the emotions Sienna felt throughout the book I was familiar with myself. Every page touched me in a special way not many books have, and I'm certain that I'll never forget it. The character growth was amazing to watch, (or read about?) and when I finally reached the last page, Sienna wasn't a stranger any longer but a very good friend.

And wow, Indonesia sounds amazing for both good and bad reasons! Definitely a destination I'll be visiting one day!

Sea ends in a bittersweet note, and I'll admit, I cried when I reached the last couple chapters. But hey, that's okay. Though it ended kinda sad, it ended perfectly. I really hope you check this one out!

Love, Hannah

P.s. I learned that Heidi was touring near me, (oh yeah, that's right) so I obviously had to attend! My only regret is that I didn't pick up a signed copy for you guys as well! Don't worry, though, since I'm going to attend this awesome signing soon, and I'll be picking up a book or two for you. :)

Mockingjay series!

2010-08-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

#1 Team Gale or team Peeta?

I just realized that we finally reached the month of August. Holy moly. Where has our summer disappeared off to? Understandably, I'm feeling disappointed, (school sucks) but... Mockingjay is coming out so soon, and I'm so excited for it! For the remainder of this month, I'm going to post multiple blog posts that are somewhat related to this awesome trilogy.

WOOT WOOT!

I've browsed several fan forums, and I was totally surprised to see how well matched the sides are. Team Gale, team Peeta, team Gale, team Peeta... :) I, however, belong to the third groupie. The both-guys-are-so-hot-and-I-can't-possibly-decide group. So I compiled a short, really basic list of reasons why I think both are awesome for Katniss (or possibly myself...?).

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Pros (Gale):

-He cares about Katniss' family almost as much as she does (which is evident in The Hunger Games)

-According to Katniss, Gale is extremely popular among the girls, but I doubt that Gale has ever had eyes on anyone but Katniss

-The fact that he calls Katniss Catnip

-He can hunt

-He's got this whole masculine, sexy thing going on

-He'd stop at nothing to protect Katniss

Cons (Gale): (side-note: we see both Gale and Peeta through Katniss' eyes, so it's kinda impossible to find anything really negative about either of them)

-He's not Peeta

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Pros (Peeta):

-He's experienced the gruesome Hunger Games with Katniss, and those few days (or weeks?) were like spending a lifetime together

-He loved Katniss since they were little, when Katniss sang for their class (Her voice was so sweet, even the birds stopped to listen)

-He can bake

-He's got this whole sweet, pretty-boy (in a good way!) thing going for him

-He'd stop at nothing to protect Katniss

Cons (Peeta):

-He's not Gale

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Q: I still can't decide between the two, so can you help me out? Leave me comments below!

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

2010-08-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

There are plenty of titles I'm itching for, and Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers is on the top of that list for sure. It's definitely my kind of book! :)

Anyway, you have a chance to win a signed ARC of Personal Demons on Lisa's blog. It's technically a debut's author challenge, so you also have four other titles to choose from, but who wouldn't pick Personal Demons as their prize?!

Love, Hannah

Tell Me a Secret Trailer Launch Party + Giveaway!

2010-08-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

So if you check out my review of Tell Me a Secret HERE, it's pretty obvious that I loved it. I loved TMAS, I love Holly, and I'm really loving this book trailer!

The music with the cartoon(ish) drawings... Kinda creepy. However, I mean that in the best way possible.

Holy Cupala:

Holly Cupala wrote teen romance novels before she ever actually experienced teen romance. When she did, it became all about tragic poetry and slightly less tragic novels. When she isn't writing and contributing to readergirlz, she spends time with her husband and daughter in Seattle, Washington. These days, her writing is less about tragedy and more about hope. TELL ME A SECRET is her first novel. Ten percent of the author's proceeds go toward World Vision's Hope for Sexually Exploited Girls.

Tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one…

In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her

sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died.

Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.

Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.

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Party Prizes! Here’s what people can win:

Signed TMAS books!
TMAS t-shirts!

Fan-made bracelets
Music that inspired the book!
Sneak Previews!
Bookmarks and Handmade Magnets!

and...

A Tell Me a Secret handmade necklace!

HOW TO WIN? Share the Trailer Love!

Click here to go to YouTube, then click the Share button to send to your Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, or blog! (5 pts each)
...then Click here to tell us where you posted and enter to win!

You do so little for a chance at winning such awesome prizes!

And though it isn't required, I'd really appreciate it if you left me a comment letting me know what you thought of the trailer!

Plus Holly will be featured at readergirlz for the entire month of August, with a live Twitter chat coming up! Hope you enjoy the trailer, and thank you so much for being part of the virtual tour and party!

Love, Hannah

LINKS:

Holly's website/blog

TMAS on Book Depository (free shipping!)

TMAS on Amazon

TMAS on Goodreads

Review: Tell Me a Secret

2010-08-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis: Tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one...

In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.

Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.

Review:

Ooh, this book was so good!

I had pretty high expectations for this to begin with, and I'll gladly tell you that yes, Tell Me a Secret did meet them. Surpassed them even!

I haven't felt so emotionally drained from one title in the longest time. Lately I've been reading tons of so/so titles where something supposedly devastating occurs to the protagonist, and I'd just be sitting here shrugging my shoulders. Because who cares if _______ (insert name) lost all her friends due to some vicious, rapidly circulating rumor? So what if the protagonist's father died? Not my pop! ;)

And no, I'm not totally void of emotion. It's just that you can't muster up any feelings for a character you have no connection with. The whole point is: this definitely wasn't the case in Tell Me a Secret. Every cruel thing Rand's "friend" pulled felt like a punch to my own gut, and every, er, difficult conversation Rand had with her mom I totally understood. Rand wasn't just some fictional character. To me she was almost, like, a real girl. There were plenty of moments when I was beyond frustrated with Miranda/Rand, but that only added to her realness.

Not only are the characters great (including the ones I didn't love so much), but so was the writing. I've built this annoying habit where I begin composing my reviews in my head while reading. I'd be in the middle of a sentence, and my mind would begin drifting... In this case, though, I couldn't think of anything but the book. And though it's partially Holly's awesome story that sucks you in, a lot of it came from the way Holly told the story.

I definitely recommend this to anyone interested 13+. A powerful story that'll keep you from doing anything else!

Love, Hannah

I'm such a nerd... wanna join? (JULY 2010)

2010-07-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

--July 2010--

Hello everyone!

At the end of every month I'm going to list all the book titles I've read. I'll include a link, too, if a review has been written by myself. If not, I'll just let you know whether I enjoyed it or not. This is so that you wouldn't have to read this whole whopping page about my likes/dislikes for whatever title, but you'd still know my opinions. I know reading multiple paragraphs about ONE BOOK can get boring at times. :)

You try it out, too--I'd love to see what you read this month! If you choose to, link below!

Titles read this month:

1) Jinx by Meg Cabot ☺☺☺

2) The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks ☺☺☺1/2

3) Wings by Aprilynne Pike ☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

4) Delirium by Lauren Oliver ☺☺☺☺☺

5) Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson ☺☺☺☺ 1/2 (Review to come...)

6) As You Wish by Jackson Pearce ☺☺☺1/2 (Review to come...)

7) Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan ☺☺☺☺

8) Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper ☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

9) Rampant by Diana Peterfreund ☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

10) Hold Still by Nina LaCour ☺☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

11) The Iron King by Julie Kagawa ☺☺☺☺

13) Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala ☺☺☺☺☺ (Review to come really soon!)

14) Need by Carrie Jones ☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

15) Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready ☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

16) She Went All the Way by Meg Cabot ☺☺☺

17) Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams ☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

I usually love writing reviews (it's an awesome way for me to organize my own thoughts), but all of this month my computer's been acting wacky. Typing is a pain (since it takes, like, a second for every letter I type to appear on my screen) and so I have lot's of "reviews to come" this month.

However, I'm serious when I say this, because they will come! :)

Love, Hannah

Review: The Iron King

2010-07-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis: Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart. The Iron King is the first book in the Iron Fey series.

Review:

Huh. So this was what all the hype was for... Wow, but now I can totally see why!

The Iron King started off strong, and it immediately sucked me in with the captivating--yet terrifying--world of fae. It starts off fun enough, but it's really when you reach, what, the triple digits (page wise) you're like, "Ohmygosh! OHMYGOSH! What happens next?" Every page is suspenseful, and everything was just plain ol' fun.

I especially liked how the story weaved in elements from previous, well-known stories such as Midsummer Night's Dream and Alice in Wonderland. I already knew it, but it was still fascinating reading Julie Kagawa's take on it all. The characters were also another aspect that I really enjoyed. Our protagonist, Meghan, is one who truly holds her own. She's fierce, loyal, and full of this, like, peppy(ish) vibe that you can't help but love. It's hard to explain, but you'll understand what I mean when you (notice how I use the word "when" instead of "if") read this. For the most part, all the characters are extremely likable, though, there were several occasions when I wanted to just smack Meghan's pretty little head. Ugh, talk about exasperating!

Overall, I really enjoyed The Iron King, and I'm eager (dying, yearning, longing) for the sequel. I didn't give The Iron King a full five stars because, well... This is hard to explain, but I'll try my very best: For me, titles I give five stars to aren't necessarily the ones with the "best plot" or the "most unique premise" (though that's obviously very important!). They're titles I'm sure I could read over and over without getting bored, the titles I thank the lucky stars for.

And though I enjoyed every page, I honestly don't see myself re-reading this. Does that make any sense?

Love, Hannah

Er, embarrassing stories anyone?!

2010-07-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, this had nothing to do with YA books, but I figured this would be fun!

So my dad asked me this morning if I'd want to clean out the pool for some $, and I thought, "Sure, who doesn't want more money?!"

It was a helluva lot more difficult than I expected it to be, though. Especially since this one really stubborn leaf kept on floating away from me. I swear, for five minutes I was really patient with it. I started pleading with it and everything (Yeah, I was literally talking to a leaf!). Oh pretty leaf, please just get in the damn pool-pole...

It obviously didn't work, and so I lunged for it only to fall right into the pool with the stupid, really annoying leaf. It was still floating, only now it was beside me. :P

It was more funny than anything until I realized that my neighbor (who is one year older than me and really cute!) was watching me this WHOLE TIME. All the way from the leaf talking to the fall in... Oh yeah.

What made it worse was that he was really trying his best to not laugh only he was totally failing. I don't usually blush, but I bet I was so red!

It all sounds like nothing, but I swear that it was the most embarrassing thing I've ever experienced!

So what's your most embarrassing* event?

Love, Hannah

*Thank God for spell check! I still don't know how to spell that word!

In-My-Mailbox (6)

2010-07-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah guys... this is my In-My-mailbox post. In-My-Mailbox was created by Kristi from The Story Siren, who was partially inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie.

In case you aren't already familiar with this weekly meme, this is basically a posting sharing all the books I've either won, bought, or borrowed. Hope you join in on the fun if you don't already!

(BTW, a BIG thanks to Elizabeth Scott, Simon Pulse, Holly Cupala, and Khadija !)

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott White Cat by Holly Black

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper Zombies vs. Unicorns by many authors

Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

Elizabeth Scott's signature:

Just thought a few of you might be interested to see the author's signatures. I don't know why, but I love looking at people's writing! It's cool when you see it and you're like, "OH, that totally fits you!"

Holly Cupala's signature:

A Huzzah to Summer!

2010-07-23T15:47:00.001-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past two months, you're probably well aware that it's summer (wow, way to state the obvious, Hannah!). Therefore I compiled a list of rockin' reads that will definitely keep you satisfied. I'm not sure what defines a "summer read" exactly, but hopefully these make the cut!

BTW, every single one of these reads have been rated over 4 stars on Amazon which is, I think, really great!!

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Amazon link

I got this in the mail (today actually) from the lovely Khadija (thanks, girl!).

This book is about a girl who had a friend--a best friend--who committed suicide. It's about loss, pain, sadness, but it's also filled with hope, courage, and love.

Goodness, this title broke my heart... But hey, even during the summer we need a little sadness. So, SO good--read it!

Oh, and Hold Still probably has the best book trailer I've ever seen. Watch it here.

Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler

Amazon link

Whoa, such an awesome read! It's kinda hard to remember what it's about (kinda hazy on the details... It doesn't help that I have a terrible memory!), but I remember that it's good. I know it's good. It's kinda weird and has all this odd, totally random stuff in it, but it somehow all works.

*nods* Yeah, this is one of those books... ;)

Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern

Amazon link

Oh man, this is possibly the funniest YA book I've read to date (or one of them at the very least!).

** Anna's attending her first 'confrontation'. It's a group therapy type thing where you, you guessed it, 'confront'. This is Anna's first day at the 'mental hospital' (her words, not mine).**

"Jolene, I am mad that you kept me up all night snorin' like my wrinkly ol' bulldog, Dexter." I noticed a couple of guys holding in smiles (so at least we know their faces hadn't been tampered with to prevent smiling)...

"Tanya, I just want to say that I'm really sorry for keeping you awake. But tomorrow's my release date, so you can just suck it, bitch." -pg. 28

Funny, no? :)

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Amazon link

I bought this on a whim, ("on a whim" meaning that my mum was honking repeatedly outside the bookstore's parking lot, and I had to grab something... quickly.) and I'm so glad for that! It's a hilarious read that'll keep you entertained from page numero uno till the very end.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Amazon link

Ooh! Looking for a book full of jam-packed action and pure fun? Well, you're in luck, because this is it!

I'll admit, I got a little tired of hearing bloggers argue over Puck and Ash. Now that I actually know who they are, though, I can talk about them for hours on end with no complaints!

The writing is great, the characters are great, and so is the action. Here's one title you won't wanna miss.

*The second in the trilogy comes out on August 1, I believe!

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Amazon link

Does the name ring a bell? I'd hope so since otherwise, could only mean you haven't yet read The Hunger Games (which is one of my all-time favorites. It's on many people's favorites lists.)!

Everyone is psyched-out for the release of the last installment in the trilogy, Mockingjay, but lots of eager fans are forgetting about her older series, already existing series.

Gregor the Overlander is a fantastic start to a fantastic series; you should definitely pick this up if you haven't already. The best part is that because all books are already out, you won't have to wait a single day if you don't want to!

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Amazon link

Like Hold Still, this story is about loss. This time, however, they're grieving the death of a sister. I've read lots of books with a similar premise, but none have made me feel as much as this title has. It is SO good, and Joe is SO hot!

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amazon link

This book is about two teens going on a road trip. It's funny, sweet, and endearing. Every scene will make your heart melt. Plus, the playlists that the author compiled is freakin' awesome! Simply icing on the moist, scrumptious, one-of-a-kind cake!

Favorite quote:

"Roger: "God, I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

Amy: "Really"
Roger: "Oh yes. Since Kansas. At least." --Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman

Amazon link

What better book to read during the summer than one that actually takes place in the summer? Oh yeah!

This book is laugh-out-loud funny. Not only is the writing awesome, but the characters are so real and so likable. I promise that you won't be disappointed in this. And the best part is that this is all told from kick-ass Geena's point of view. Geena isn't just kick-ass, but she knows how to ride a skateboard, and she's intelligent. My favorite kind of protagonist. :)

P.s. I'll admit that the cover isn't my favorite, but hey! I've heard that it's supposed to be scratch and sniff! (though I don't smell anything unusual or delicious on my own copy)

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Amazon link

Reading this, you're instantly sucked up into this world of clever, and I promise, you'll never wanna come back. This takes place during Christmas (hence the snow), but no one cares about that!

Summer is all about reading an entertaining, good read, and this is exactly that.

EDIT: Huh. This doesn't come out until October... I totally didn't know that. I guess this is an awesome fall read. :)

This is my list of awesome summer reads. However, I still have plenty titles that I just haven't mentioned. Melissa Walker, Sarah Dessen, Susane Colasanti, Elizabeth Scott (and so many more...) are some other authors (to name a few) who write fun, amazing books. I'd read any of their titles any day of the year, but if you haven't yet checked them out, summer would be an excellent time to do so.

Thanks for reading!

Love, Hannah

Win 7 ARC's @ Carol's Print!

2010-07-23T12:11:00.001-07:00

This contest is flipping fantastic!
So do yourself a favor and ENTER THIS CONTEST!

And no, I'm not making this post just because it earns me some extra points. It's so great, it's worth shouting to the world!

Oh, and a BIG thanks so Carol for hosting the contest to begin with. :)

Love, Hannah

Winner!

2010-07-21T22:41:00.000-07:00

Hey!

I'm sorry this took so long, but I finally had the chance to announce the winner of Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker and the mystery title, Forget You by Jennifer Echols (though, it isn't so much of a mystery any more, right?!). I had no time to snap a picture of the drawing (like my previous contest), but congrats to...

Caitlin G! (who entered by email, by the way)

You are the winner of those two awesome titles!

*tosses confetti*

BTW, isn't this picture cool? :)

Oh, but there's more! I was browsing through Book Depository the other day, and I saw how awesome the price was for Lovestruck Summer. So I thought, "Sure, why the hell not?!"

So I picked a second winner who will be receiving a copy of Lovestruck Summer... and the winner is...

Robby!

You're the winner of just one (but very great) summer read.

Send me an email of your shipping address and I'll order those books for you.

Thanks for participating you guys!

Love, Hannah

P.s. Both titles are super affordable on Book Depository. It's free shipping, too, so head over there right now! They are SO worth it!

Review: A Match Made in High School

2010-07-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis:

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.

Review:

I saw this on several blog's around it's release, but I never thought to pick it up. To be honest, the cover was a huge turn off for me... (I know, bad habit!) Luckily, I caught this at my local library, (in perfect condition, if I may add!) for only a buck, so I obviously picked it up. And let me tell you, the three(ish) hours I spent on this title was pure fun!

The concept itself is nothing spectacular, but I can easily say that Kristin Walker made it her own. The characters were so much fun to read about, and the constant drama was hi-freaking-larious! The witty banter between the protagonist and everyone around her was also a big plus. The best part, though, was watching each character (especially the protagonist) grow as a person. It really felt like how it was: an immature senior growing into a mature, likable one.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a light, funny read, or to anyone who has some extra time on their hands. The language isn't bad or anything (least I don't remember it being crude... :P ) so I'd say it'd make a safe gift to anyone 11+.

Hope ya enjoy!

Love, Hannah

Everlasting by Angie Frazier's book trailer!

2010-07-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

Most of you probably already know how much I loved Everlasting by Angie Frazier (who not only writes addicting books, but is amazingly sweet!). If not, you know now. ;)

Anyway, Everlasting (of which you can find my review here) now has an awesome book trailer to go with it.

Check out Angie Frazier's website here, or watch the trailer right now!

Review:Will Grayson Will Grayson

2010-07-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺ 1/2

Amazon link

Author link(s) 1 & 2

Synopsis: One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

Review:

I thought this was awesome!
It was everything you'd hope for in a good book: well written, relatable, entertaining, and utterly hilarious. :)

I'm a big fan of both authors, and unless you've been living under a rock for the past, what, decade (?), you've probably read at least one of their existing titles. I thoroughly enjoyed Looking for Alaska (John Green) and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, (Both book AND movie! Co-written by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn) so when I saw this on the library shelf, I did my little dance. I've heard nothing but positive (more like awesome, spectacular, amazingly extraordinary) things about Will Grayson Will Grayson, so my expectations were high to begin with. And trust me, this book it completely worthy of those awesome reviews!

I don't know what it is, but something about their writing is so... so, easy? Not easy easy but easy easy, ya know? I'm sure that, like, makes no sense, but I'm hoping you guys will just take my word for it. And both Will Grayson's were very fun, and I enjoyed reading from both perspectives. I'm not sure which Will I liked better which is kinda funny considering how different they were.

As you can already tell, this title is definitely something. Every page was laugh-out-loud funny, and every page was a pleasure to read. But what really got to me was the more serious part. Like when you reach the last few pages and... yeah. Read it, and you'll get what I mean. I hope you take the time to read this because it's worth every minute you spend (in my case, it was worth every minute I spent not working on my homework).

Love, Hannah

In-My-Mailbox (4&5)

2010-07-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah guys... this is my In-My-mailbox post. In-My-Mailbox was created by Kristi from The Story Siren, who was first inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie.

In case you aren't already familiar with this weekly meme, this is basically a posting sharing all the books I've either won, bought, or borrowed.

Also, keep in mind that these are titles I got in the course of three(ish!) weeks! I know, I know... I splurged. I don't usually, though. Also, I've already read, like, nearly all of em', so... :)

I'm so excited for these two!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (ARC)

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (ARC)

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar (Thanks RandomBuzz!)

Eyes Like Stars Lisa Mantchev

Only the God Spy Young by Ally Carter

Faithful by Janet S. Fox

Saving Maddie by Varian Johnson

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

A Match Made in High Scool by Kristen Walker (ARC)

Willow by Julia Hoban

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Changed Blog Name!

2010-07-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!
I guess I always felt that my previous blog name, Book Wonderland, sounded too plain. Agreed?

So I felt that maybe if I added my name, it would make it more, well, like me?

I just wanted to quickly inform you guys!

Let me know if Hannah's Book Wonderland is any better than the previous--I think it is!

BTW, I'm drawing the winner of the 2-book contest in a little bit, so stay tuned for that!

Love, Hannah

Review: Hush Hush

2010-07-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Review:

After hearing reviews raving about this book, I was dying to read this! 3 stars means that I still enjoyed this, but I was expecting... more? :P

What initially drew me to this, I think, was the cover--so great! It's been on my TBR list for quite a while, but finally, two weeks ago, I purchased this along with 2 other books. I started this right away and was immediately sucked into to the story.

I think Hush Hush started off super strong, but then it sort of slowed down. I got bored during the middle of it, but the unanswered questions got me curious. Who IS Patch? Whats are Patch's true intentions? Looking at the cover you can (hopefully) already guess who and what Patch is, but wow, Becca Fitzpatrick really knows how to keep us reading!

One person that kind of bothered me was the protagonist, Nora (I Had Google her name which isn't ever too great of a sign...). It was confusing because at certain times I loved her, but at other times, I couldn't help but shake my head. For someone so smart, she was so clueless! It's funny because I usually don't mind that at all, but on Nora it just pissed me off. And the infamous Patch... he was certainly a "bad boy". You'll have to read Hush Hush to find out more about him. ;)

Overall, I think Hush Hush is an exciting read for anyone into the paranormal(ish) genre. Hope you enjoy this!

Love, Hannah

Review: Beige by Cecil Castellucci

2010-07-03T13:57:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis:

Exiled from Canada to Los Angeles, Katy can't believe she is spending the summer with her father—punk name: the Rat—a recovered addict and drummer for the band Suck. Even though Katy feels abandoned by her mom, even though the Rat's place is a mess and he's not like anything she'd call a father, Kathy won't make a fuss. After all, she is a girl who is quiet and polite, a girl who smiles, a girl who is, well, beige. Or is she? From the author of BOY PROOF and THE QUEEN OF COOL comes an edgy L.A. novel full of humor, heart, and music.

Review:

I got this a while back, but I've held it off until recently. I shouldn't have doubted Beige, because I only missed out on reading a fun read sooner. The story line was pretty typical in itself, but Cecil made the story fun. Cecil has a very sweet voice, and so reading was easy.

Also, '"Consider this pure Nirvana" -Booklist' is what's quoted on the cover. Ohmygoodnes, YES! You don't know how often I dropped my book to search whatever band Cecil wrote about. It wasn't just any song list either... you could tell that she took the time to carefully compile her playlist making sure that it actually fit the story. While listening to whatever song, I could totally get how it might have reminded Cecil of whatever moment in the book. It was so much fun, and probably my favorite part, reading the musical aspect of Beige!

After maybe 3(ish. The book has a large font!) hours of reading, I came out feeling super excited to read Cecil's other titles, and super excited to create my own playlist. Oh yeah, and I have maybe 10+ new songs on my iPod now! :)

Hope you enjoy this,

Hannah

Review: Twenty Boy Summer

2010-07-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺1/2

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis: “Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it.”

“Okay.”
“Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?”
“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?”

According to Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie–she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Twenty Boy Summer explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.

Review:

People weren't exaggerating when they said this book was great; this was a fantastic read! Though this has a sadder premise, it still leaves you feeling hopeful and satisfied, making it the perfect summer read.

Sarah Ockler wrote up some amazingly realistic characters... kinda makes me doubt whether this really was fiction. :) I can't say Anna was relatable exactly since I've never been in her shoes (nor am I half as mature as her!), but she was awesome nevertheless. She was really loyal to her friends, but better yet, she stayed loyal to herself; something, I imagine, is incredibly hard to do when you loose someone so close to you.

And Sarah's best friend, Frankie, perfectly portrayed how I imagined a sister who had lost her brother to act. I don't know what I'd do if I lost my siblings, but I know I'd change dramatically. Even despite that, Frankie remained the kind of friend you would want and wish you had. You can probably tell that I loved both girls to death!

Another favorite was Sarah Ockler's description of the ocean. Whenever my family decides to drive to the beach, (which is, like, hardly ever, but still...) I always complain a little... "Oh, but it's an hour away!" "I HATE sand!" "Ugh, seagulls are SO annoying!" But the moment I get out of my car, and I see it, I'm always blown away by the sight. I mean, it's SO big, blue(ish), and it's amazing! So Anna's descriptions of her first visit to the sea, I'm sitting here thinking, "Exactly! She's so right!" Oh! And I almost forgot about the cover! I'm not the hugest fan of it, but I loved how they used the sea glass because of it's significant to the story. How there's just one piece of red sea glass in the heart... Just read it, and you'll understand what I mean. :) Some covers are so gorgeous, it makes you want to cry. But then you read the content and you're like, what? This had nothing to do with anything!

Overall, I think this was such a good read! I didn't give this a full five stars, though, because the premise wasn't so original, and I'm always looking for a unique book. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this to anyone interested!

Love, Hannah

I'm such a nerd... Wanna join? (JUNE 2010)

2010-07-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

--June 2010--

Hello everyone!

At the end of every month (or in this case, the beginning) I'm going to list all the book titles I've read and finished. I'll include a link, too, if a review has been written by myself. If not, I'll just let you know whether I enjoyed it or not. This is so that you wouldn't have to read this whole whopping page about my likes/dislikes for whatever title, but you'd still know my opinions. I know reading multiple paragraphs about ONE BOOK can get boring at times. :)

You try it out, too--I'd love to see what you read this month! If you choose to, link below.

Books read this month (in order):

1) Looking for Alaska ☺☺☺☺☺

2) Spirit Bound ☺☺☺☺☺

3) How NOT to be Popular ☺☺☺

4) The Virginity Club ☺☺☺

5) The Naughty List ☺☺☺☺

6) Sunday's at Tiffany's ☺☺☺

7) The Fidelity Files ☺☺☺☺

8) Beige ☺☺☺☺

9) Twenty Boy Summer ☺☺☺☺ 1/2

10) The Body Finder ☺☺☺☺ 1/2

11) Only the Good Spy Young ☺☺☺

12) Willow ☺☺☺☺☺

13) Stealing Heaven ☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

14) Glimmerglass ☺☺☺☺(Review to come...)

15) Hush Hush ☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

Love, Hannah

Contest Reminder

2010-06-30T21:55:00.001-07:00

Just a quick heads up to let you know that tomorrow is the last day to enter the 2 book contest.

It's definitely worth checking out! (I think so, at least!)

Either scroll down a bit to find the posting (Melissa Walker's interview) or click on the link above.

Love, Hannah

Review: The Body Finder

2010-06-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

Rating:☺☺☺☺ 1/2

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis: Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

Review:

Everyone (I felt like) was raving about this book. "Oh, the romance between Vi, our protagonist, and Jay was just so sweet!" or "Ohmygoodness, this was so totally swoon worthy, and the premise was so unique!"

After reading things like that, of course I had to get it! And wow, I really did enjoy this.

The romance aspect of this novel was sweet but not sickly sweet (which I'm really glad for). I always wished I had a guy who fiercely protected me, (though I am SO capable of taking care of myself! *sighs* Of course thats what people like, well, me say...) but who needs a guy when we got fictional Jay?! Though slightly cocky, he was just too cute. And nice. And smart. Good looking, too.

And Violet was a protagonist you rooted for 100%. I liked how that even though she wasn't Buffy brave, when it came down to it, she would do anything to guarantee her loved one's safety. Not only that, but Vi was genuinely nice. It's impossible to not like nice people.

There were a few short chapters told from the killer's perspective. I read throughout the day, but during the night (or should I say early morning?) is when I really get to read. Anyway, my point is that you could probably understand how spooky that might've been for me, reading so late into the night. But don't get me wrong! It was a good kind of creepy. Kind of like when you're watch the show ER (though, it is a dramatization) and you can't change the channel no matter how disturbing the view is. It was kind of like that, and it added that little extra something, you know? My only problem with this, however, was how I felt it kind of, I dunno, rushed during the end? It just wasn't as enjoyable as the first half of the book was.

Overall, The Body Finder was a great read; I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone 13/14+.

Let me know what you thought!

Love, Hannah

P.s. There is gonna be a sequel! Yay!

Review: Willow by Julia Hoban

2010-06-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy—one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down.
Told in an extraordinary fresh voice, Willow is an unforgettable novel about one girl’s struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy’s refusal to give up on her.

Review:

Wow, this book was so SO good; it's definitely on my favorites list, and I doubt that'll ever change. I've hear fantastic things about Willow for some time now, but I didn't want to purchase this because, well, I don't love the cover too much. So silly, I know! But I obviously eventually did get this, and I'm glad for that. Because I love this book.

The characters in Willow are unforgettable, the kind you really wish you knew. Not because they're nice exactly (though they are), but because you know that they'd always get you. I have lots of great friends, and though I share a lot with them, certain things aren't worth mentioning simply because, well, I just don't think they'd understand. My problems are probably significantly not significant in Willow's, the protagonist, eyes but still. It'd be nice to have someone who really gets everything. And although I'm not much like Willow and her friends, I'm pretty certain they'd understand. :)

Not only that, but Willow gives me a better insight into why a cutter would purposely hurt themselves. I thought I understood it before, but I guess I didn't. Now I do. Another great title is Stephanie Kuehnert's Ballads of Suburbia. In both books the writing is fantastic, but more importantly, the story is too.

If you haven't already, I highly suggest reading this one!

Love, Hannah

I'm back from Arizona!

2010-06-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

This is basically just a quick posting to let you guys know that I'm home safe and sound. I don't have much to write, so I'll keep this fairly short... I had an awesome time with my friend just lounging by the pool, exercising, (I know! ME?) watching a lot of movies, and reading. Of course. :)

I read several books this week, and I made a few trips to the local Borders, so this week's In-My-Mailbox (a combination of this week's and last) will be pretty big.

Also, I'll have a review up tomorrow so look out for that.

Take care, Hannah

P.s. OMG guys, I have 50 followers! Thanks so much! That really put a smile on my face when I saw that. Definitely made my... night? :)

Off to Arizona, baby!

2010-06-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

Hey, guys!

I'm sorry I've been absent from the blogosphere lately, but I've been way too excited to sit still. Because school's over! Finally!

For all of you who recently moved up a grade, congrats! And for the rest of you awesome readers, cheers to being you; being YOU is fantastic!

Anyway, this is a quick posting to let you know that all is well with Hannah. I highly doubt any of you had thought, "Gee, I wonder where Hannah from Book Wonderland has gone off to, " but I'd like to pretend that at least a couple of you were curious. I'm not dead is essentially what I'm trying to say. :)

Like I mentioned, school is out and I've basically been catching up on everything thats fallen behind. I finally got my groove back together, (er, did I just type out groove?) but now I'm off to Arizona for five days. Five days of limited Internet access and thus, no blogging. However, when I return, I'll have loads of posts ready, and then you'll be struggling to keep up with me! Thanks for being so understanding!

I hope you guys have an awesome upcoming week!

Love, Hannah

P.s. I realize I forgot to do my In-My-Mailbox post... I'll be combining this week's titles with next week's to make the ultimate, most bad-ass posting next week! :)

P.p.s. In case you missed Melissa Walker's interview + giveaway, scroll down for more information! You don't wanna miss this!

Review: The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

2010-06-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis:

As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility!

Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty!

When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe?

The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

Review: OMG, how cute! (the OMG seemed fitting considering the protagonist, Tessa, is a bubbly cheerleader) Every page was a pleasure to read, and I don't think there was one page that bored me. Tessa was extremely likable and fun, though, admittedly slightly irritating at times. However, later on you realize Tessa has much more to her than what you originally expected... She may say the words totally and OMG way too often, but she's one of those girls who you can't help but admire and love. The idea of cheerleaders doubling as spies is an extremely cute one (though I might have seen it a few times already...?) and one you can do a lot with. A lot of fun missions and stuff. Though there are some, you know, sexual references, but Suzanne always ended the chapter before anything really started, so I'd say it's pretty safe in that aspect (the cover is much racier the the actual content!). Also, the pacing of this was really nice leaving a satisfying ending... well, as satisfying you can get while still writing a sequel!

Overall, I thought this was a fun read you'd be sure to enjoy while soaking up some sun. I'm starting to wish I saved this till my trip to Arizona! I hope you check this one out, or if you have already, let me know what you think!

Love, Hannah

Review: How NOT to be Popular

2010-06-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Maggie Dempsey is tired of moving all over the country. Her parents are blowin’-in-the-wind hippies who uproot her every few months to go to a new city. When Maggie was younger, she thought their life was fun and adventurous. Now that she’s a teenager, she hates it. Each time she moved, she left behind good friends, a great school, and a real feeling of belonging. But this last time she moved it was even worse: she left behind a boyfriend, too.

Now that they’re moving to Austin, Texas, Maggie knows better. She’s not going to make friends. She’s not going to fit in. And she’s definitely not going to fall for the alpha hottie who won’t leave her alone—no matter how gorgeous he is. Instead, she will dress like a mental patient, in muumuus and flowered swim caps. She will say and do the wrong things at the wrong times. She will have a bad hair day every day. Anything to prevent her from liking this new place—and prevent the new people from liking her. That way it won’t hurt at all when she has to leave.

Only … things don’t go exactly as planned. A misfit won’t take the hint and becomes Maggie’s friend anyway. And as wrecked as she is over the boyfriend she left behind, Maggie feels … something … for the last person she would have imagined. Who knew not being popular could be so hard?

Review: Overall, I really thought this was great! A fun, cute CLEAN, book for anyone searching for a few hours of fun! I think it's ironic (and utterly hilarious) how in most cases, nearly half the books you pick up these days (from the YA section) starts off with a, "...I always wanted to be popular," or a, "I'm SO popular!" I mean, yeah, I'm obviously exaggerating (a lot actually!), but it's definitely somewhat true! So picking this up, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the interesting synopsis and the cool cover.

I think that my favorite pages were those describing the wacky outfit that Maggie put together on whatever day. I wish I were ballsy enough to show up to school wearing some of the clothing she wore! Another thing I enjoyed was the writing. It was an easy read, it flowed very nicely off the page, but what I especially appreciated was it's lack of foul language. I'll admit that I'm a curser, but knowing that a book can be entertaining without all of that was cool. There are a *few* curse words, and a few sexual references, so don't begin this expecting a "G" rated book; this IS YA literature, though, it may be tamer than most other titles.

Overall, this was a cute read. Not my favorite, but one worth checking out for sure! Enjoy. :)

Love, Hannah

In-My-Mailbox (3)

2010-06-13T22:16:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah guys... this is my In-My-mailbox post. In-My-Mailbox was created by the awesome Kristi from The Story Siren, who was first inspired by Alea (also awesome) from Pop Culture Junkie.

In case you aren't already familiar with this weekly meme, this is basically a posting sharing all the books I've either won or bought or borrowed. I'm going to be following this meme weekly now so make sure to look out for it!

Also, feel free to participate if you don't already. I love seeing what others have received since I'm just nosy like that... :)

Sorry but this week I had no time to post any pictures! No worries, though, since I only have one book anyway...

Maggie Dempsey is tired of moving all over the country. Her parents are second-generation hippies who uproot her every year or so to move to a new city. When Maggie was younger, she thought it was fun and adventurous. Now that she’s a teenager, she hates it. When she moved after her freshman year, she left behind good friends, a great school, and a real feeling of belonging. When she moved her sophomore year, she left behind a boyfriend, too. Now that they’ve moved to Austin, she knows better. She’s not going to make friends. She’s not going to fit in. Anything to prevent her from liking this new place and them from liking her. Only . . . things don’t go exactly as planned.

I've already finished this, and I'll be posting the review tomorrow!

Thanks for listening (reading?) guys, and have a wonderful week! (I sure will! This is officially my last week of school, though, I have my last finals tomorrow. Wish me luck!)

Love,

My Soul to Keep Trailer

2010-06-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

Are you interested yet? I thought so!

Check out Rachel Vincent's website for more information on the awesome Soul Screamers series!

The latest in the series is in stores now!

Love,

P.s Hey guys! I just wanted to make a quick posting regarding blog looks and the next few weeks on my blog. I'm going to be trying tons of different templates, headers, pictures, everything basically, until I find the right one. I hope you don't mind that! It'll be a little confusing--and really annoying--but I want to find one thats just right. :)

If you see one you like in particular, let me know in the comments below!

Also, don't forget the author interview + contest! Scroll a little for more information!

Author Interview: Melissa Walker + 2 book Giveaway!

2010-06-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm super excited for this post since it's my very first author interview... with Melissa Walker! Author of Violet on the Runway, Violet in Private, Violet by Design, and her latest, Lovestruck Summer.

It's funny since I've always seen authors as untouchable beings, kind of up there on the status chart. (alongside Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal) So whenever I hear from an author, I always jump up and do my own little happy dance! Ya know, because it's, to me, equivalent to Brad Pitt asking me for my e-mail address so that we could chat or something equally as amazing. :)

And Melissa Walker was cool enough to answer a few questions!

___________________________________________________________________________

Melissa Walker...

What's you're six-word memoir?

"Writing teen novels; the angst lives." (It's in their latest book of memoirs: IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT)

A life as Melissa Walker must be pretty exciting (As being an author and magazine editor, along with being the co-founder of iheartdaily.com must be crazy exciting!)... So can you describe your "typical" day?

Oh man, it changes ALL THE TIME. I guess often it involves many of these things: writing a little on a book, writing a magazine story, writing for iheartdaily.com, setting up blog posts for beforeyouwerehot.com, readergirlz.blogspot.com and melissacwalker.com. Plus yoga, TV and eating! I also love getting the mail. It's my break.

So Quinn, the main character from your latest release Lovestruck Summer (which I loved!), is a huge indies-rock fan. Was her taste in music by any chance inspired by your current itunes library? I know that most (?) of the bands mentioned were one you made up, but the genre in general maybe?

I definitely have a lot of indie rock on my iTunes, but I also have a ton of country. However, I used to shun country music. Then I grew to appreciate its charm, much like Quinn does! So now my playlists are much more eclectic.

Because you're holding a wicked cool contest on your blog (it's about some sail boats, guys!) it's pretty obvious that you're in the midst of writing something new... Any hints?

Let's just say it involves a sailboat, a boy, and a heartache that Clem can't forget. That's your scoop: The main character's name is Clementine. :)

I realize that getting into the publishing world can be tough, and I understand that a few (at the least) of my readers are aspiring authors, so what advice could you give us?

Ooh, I wrote an article for Seventeen about becoming a writer. Here's the link: http://www.seventeen.com/fun-stuff/17-buzz/violet-buzz-092407

Thanks, Melissa! You guys can check out Melissa at melissacwalker.com (or actually, any of the links provided, really...) and scroll down about a centimeter for the second portion of this post: the small giveaway!

_______________________________________________________________________

Giveaway...

Alright, so by entering you have a chance to win a copy of Melissa's latest, Lovestruck Summer. I'll be drawing names next Friday and ship it the following Monday. Good luck to you! (EDIT: I'm sorry but I just found out that we're going on vacation for the next couple of weeks--when schools over. So unfortunately, I'm going to have to extend the date to July 1. BUT, I'll throw in another cute summer read as well. So now you're entering to win two books. Again, Sorry!)

My rules (ooh yeah, super hard):

-You have to be a follower

-Visit Melissa's blog right here, and let me know what you like about it!

Extra points system (You get an entry for following and answering the question):

+4 Make a blog post

+1 For each "real" comment you leave on my reviews. I love hearing what you guys have to say.

+1 For being a follower before this post was published

+2 For tweeting

+1 For following my awesome affiliate Erika from Moonlight Book Reviews!

Leave links, please!

Love,

P.s. The few of you who e-mailed last week, the bookmarks are on there way to you. :)

Links to contests

2010-06-09T18:14:00.001-07:00

I have some contest link for you guys! I'll be updating as I go along, so check back here for more!

The Smarty Owl is holding a contest for reaching 50+ followers! Congrats guys! Not only is it run by awesome people, but it's an awesome blog in general. Click here to enter.

Elizabeth Scott is giving away a few books from BEA. She's super sweet, and so are those books!

It seems like Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel was one of the most coveted ARC's given away at BEA. Well if you didn't have a chance to get one (I REALLY wish I did... along with the rest of the world....), it's okay since you have a chance to win one now. Click here to enter. (It's really neat, too! Not just a typical contest!)

And then there is another opportunity to win one of five copies of Shade from Books by their Covers (another great book blog!). Click here!

One more! So the awesome YA Vampire Books is hosting her 200 followers contest! It's a super sweet blog in general, so check it out. :)

Thats all for now, but I'll be adding more to this!

Have a great rest of the week.

Love,

In-My-Mailbox (2)

2010-06-06T13:46:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah guys... this is my In-My-mailbox post. In-My-Mailbox was created by Kristi from The Story Siren, who was first inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie.

Also, feel free to participate if you don't already. I love seeing what others have received since I'm just nosy like that... :)

-The Whole World

(Dude, can you even see the picture? I still have no idea how to make it bigger!)

-Simply from Scratch

-Tell Me a Secret (preview booklet)

-Looking for Alaska

-Opposite of Me

And this is sort of random, but check this video clip out. Freakin' hilarious! I saw this while waiting for Letters to Juliet (which was super cute, though, nothing more). It's laugh-out-loud funny, I promise!

Winner!

2010-06-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Thanks so much for entering my first contest here on my blog! I was thrilled to even get one entry, and getting around ten was just awesome!

So this drawing was completely random, and I hope you see my pick-out-the-name-out-of-the-box method fair enough. After writing down all your names, I used random.org and generated a number. The lucky number was eleven, and I picked out eleven names from the box. And I documented the whole process... (thanks Erika for the help! Also, Erika from Moonlight Book Reviews is actually my newest, and very first, affiliate!)

(I really hope the pictures are big enough to see!)

And the winner of one book is...

(Sorry! I realize I accidently wrote down your blog name wrong!)

Throuthehaze (?)

Congrats!

I'm sorry for the lack of selection, but all my "newer" books (Books release this year and the end of last year) are in various friend's houses. So that leaves us with the selection below. I understand picking one from the picture below may not interest you, so you have a second option. You can choose a paperback book (I'm sorry! I have a card for Amazon. Actually, I have a Vanilla Visa gift card, but for some lame reason The Book Depository won't except it...) So like I said, you can choose one from the picture below, or one paperback book.

And just for fun...

(my dog's camera whoring)

Thanks guys!

Now for those of you guys who didn't win, I have a small (remember, it's gonna be SMALL!) prize for you too! E-mail me your shipping address (@ xoxosweeet at yahoo dot com) with the subject line as, uh, CASPER, (my dog's name!) and I'll send you a little something as a thank you. It's only gonna be a bookmark or something, but you've got nothing to loose, right? Plus, I love getting things in the mail!

And I'm honestly kinda curious to see who reads this far down in my post...

Anyway, have a nice night!

Love,

Review: Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

2010-06-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

Synopsis:

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won’t soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won’t be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge—and over...

Review: I already knew before beginning this that Going Too Fare was going to be good. I was so right, too!

Going Too Far immediately piqued my interest and had everything I typically look for in a good read: likable characters (they could be on the "good" side or the "bad", but they have to be relatable), an interesting plot, great writing, and humor (which is super important for me!). I was already a fan of Jennifer Echol's-- I adored her The Boys Next Door series--but this was just... wow. Definitely different, but a good kind of different.

We're first introduced to the daring Meg, the girl who is constantly needing reprimanding, and John who is nothing but sweet and good. Put them together and BOOM! Instant attraction! Although there were many positive aspects to this title, it was John and Meg's romance that made this so sweet. They seemed real to me, and I loved them for that. Not only that, but they're relationship had such depth. In some titles I feel like the romantic relationship is way too rushed. However, in this case, though there was this instant attraction, they were wary of each other till they really knew how their relationship would play out. In short: they didn't get together just to have hot sex. Also, I thought I knew who Meg was, but really, she's so much more than a I-like-to-break-rules kind of girl. And John... He's great from the start, I think. :) Like the romance, they had hidden depth to them.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend this to anyone maybe 12+? Don't miss out on this awesome read!

Love,

P.s. Jennifer Echol's newest book Forget You is coming out on July 20th! Can't wait!

I'm such a nerd... Wanna join? (MAY 2010)

2010-05-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

--May 2010--

Hey guys!

How's it going?

Anyway, I've decided to try something new on my blog because, well... I don't know. I just did, I guess. At the end of every month I'm going to list all the book titles I've read and finished. I'll include a link, too, if a review has been written by myself. If not, I'll just let you know whether I enjoyed it or not. This is so that you wouldn't have to read this whole whopping page about my likes/dislikes for whatever title, but you'd still get my general input. I know reading multiple paragraphs about ONE BOOK can get kinda boring at times. :)

You try it out, too! I'd love to see what you read this month!

(BTW, a good majority of my list are titles from the awesome SWEEP series. My friend owns all fifteen of em' and I was reading them like there was no tomorrow! I'll admit, though, the books are fairly short... On average, each book is about 190 pages... I think.)

1) Sweep: Book of Shadows

2) Sweep: The Coven

3) Sweep: Blood Witches

4) Sweep: Dark Magic

5) Sweep: Awakening

5) Sweep: Spellbound <----- Listing what I felt about each book would take too long (I hardly remember, either!) so I'll

6) Sweep: The Calling give this series one rating as a whole: ☺☺☺☺☺

7) Sweep: Changeling

9) Sweep: Strife

10) Geek Charming ☺☺☺

11) The Summoning ☺☺☺☺

12) The Awakening ☺☺☺☺ 1/2

13) More Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet ☺☺☺☺

14) Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys ☺☺☺☺

15) Sweep: Seeker

16) Gimme a Call ☺☺☺☺

17) Sweep: Origins

18) Sweep: Eclipse

19) Everlasting (ARC) ☺☺☺☺☺

20) Incarceron ☺☺☺

21) Before I Fall (ARC) ☺☺☺☺ 1/2 (Review to come...)

22) Private: Book 1 ☺☺☺

23) Sweep: Night-child

24) Dark Secrets ☺☺☺ 1/2

25) Morganville Vampires (Books 1&2) ☺☺☺☺

26) Going Too Far ☺☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

27) Rules of Attraction ☺☺☺☺ 1/2

28) Love You Hate You Miss You ☺☺☺☺☺ (Review to come...)

Wow, 28 is a lot... But it's probably only about 20 if you combined some of the sweep books together (Like I said, they're short!)

What have you read this month?

Leave a link in the comment below!

Love,

In-My-Mailbox (1)

2010-05-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah guys... this is my very first In-My-mailbox post. In-My-Mailbox was created by Kristi from The Story Siren, who was first inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie.

Also, feel free to participate if you don't already. I love seeing what others have received since I'm just nosy like that... :)

Its been seventy-five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her. And she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone, and Amy doesn't want to talk about it. No one knew Julia like she did. No one gets what life is without her.
No one understands what it's like to know that it's all your
fault.Amy's shrink thinks she should keep a journal but instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia. And as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past holds its own secrets--and that the present deserves a chance.

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far... and almost doesn't make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge - and over..

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong…

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives beyond the Academy’s iron gates to begin. But Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri, and he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her... forever.

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

So thats it for me!

Before I say adios, I have two quick questions to ask you guys:

1) What do you think of this font and size? The text, of course. I've been keeping this font all till today, but I realize that this could be straining on the eye. But the next size up is REALLY BIG, so I'd love your input!

2) How the heck do you upload pictures onto the computer? I'm not tech savvy AT ALL, and would definitely appreciate the help!

Thanks guys!

Love,

Review: Morganville Vampire (1&2 Bound)

2010-05-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

Rating: ☺☺☺☺

Amazon link

Author link

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood. Original.

From the author of the popular Weather Warden series. Welcome to Morganville, Texas. Just don't stay out after dark. College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

Review: I liked this, though, it wasn't quite what I was expecting... To be completely honest, I'm not even sure what I was expecting; just not this, I guess. I enjoyed the few hours spent read it, though! From the first pages Rachel Caine really reels you in with the intriguing first few paragraphs (which only grows more interesting as the story progresses). Caine's writing was very fluid and pretty off the pages, which only added to this already enjoyable read.

Also, I liked the characters for the most part. Some were awesome while others were punch-in-the-face worthy, which is how most books are. So pretty normal, right? Though I wasn't totally devoted to our protagonist, Claire, she was a fairly likable and relatable character. I admired her strength, courage, and concern she expressed while protecting those she cared about. She was going through such a tough time and isn't exactly the baddest girl around, (the opposite, really!) so it was great to see her strike back. I'm definitely gonna be picking up the next installment to this series, but I'm thinking of holding off for a bit. I had so much on my wish list to begin with, and I wouldn't want to kill myself with it. However, this was a great start to a seemingly awesome series, and I hope you decide to pick this up if you haven't already! If you've already read this, let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks!

Love, Hannah