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Monday, August 31, 2009

In My Mailbox (13)

In My Mailbox is brought to us by The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea.

Alright, so I didn't get too terribly much this week, but I'm very happy about what I did get. Hey, you know what? Since there aren't that many and it was such a big hit last week, how about we do alternate cover thing again? Which, of course, is inspired by Lexi's weekly feature of the same name.

Bought:

Chosen by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast - Paperback

Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…

Summary from goodreads.

The 30% off table got me again... and I won the first two of these from I Heart Monster, so I figured I may as well get the next two, since they were there. It's probably a good thing I did, because my mom started reading them and really likes them. Anyways, I found two different covers for Chosen, this one, which is pretty cool, and this one, which I don't like much. I like the cover I bought best, though.

Untamed by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast - Paperback

Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird; she's become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.

Summary from goodreads.


The only alternative cover I found for Untamed is this one, which I'm pretty sure is the UK cover (I found it on amazon UK after seeing it on goodreads.) I do like the writing, but on the cover of my copy, the vine stuff is all shiny and pretty.

Dark Secrets 1: Legacy of Lies; Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler - Paperback

Two girls haunted by the past...and destined to relive it

In Legacy of Lies, Megan has to stay with the uptight grandmother she wants nothing to do with. She's determined to get through the visit without any drama, but when she falls into a twisted love triangle with potentially fatal consequences, Megan may be caught up in her family's legacy in more ways than she realizes.

In Don't Tell, Lauren knows that by returning to the town where her mother drowned seven years ago, she'll be reliving one of her most haunting memories. When she arrives, she is propelled into a series of mysterious events that mimic the days leading up to her mother's death. Maybe her mother's drowning wasn't an accident after all...and maybe Lauren is next.

Summary from goodreads.

This might sound a bit odd, but I really like the shape of this book. It's a short, fat book. Plus, I've read some of the Dark Secrets books, so I grabbed it. Anyways, these aren't really altnerate covers, they're the originals as this is a repeat (and are pretty cool themselves), but whatever. Legacy of Lies and Don't Tell.

Received:

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender - Hardcover

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.
When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.
Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

Summary from goodreads.
I won this from a contest over at the epic rat and can I just say YAY!!!! I've been hoping for this one for a while now. When it got here, I just sat and stared at it for like five minutes. *pets* Anyways, no alternate cover, but click the picture, it's huge and gorgeous.

I'll admit, I'm a tiny bit nervous about this one. See... I'm sort of chicken when it comes to ghost stories. And then I watched the trailor for it right before bed, and not only did it nearly give me a heart attack, it sorta made me have weird dreams too. (Not nightmares, just weird dreams.) So this might be one I have to read in the daytime with the doors locked and my stuffed duck to protect me. (Inside joke. I'm not serious. Not really.)

Check out the trailor, though, it's awesome. And I don't watch book trailors that often (I'm usually listening to music), so that's saying something for me.



Okay, that's it for me for this week!
Peace and cookies,
Laina

Friday, August 28, 2009

Fun Friday: Give me something to sing about! (16)

Fun Friday: Give me something to sing about! is where you guys get to see a song or two I like or that I want to talk about each week. Thanks goes to J.J. at Random Musings for help with the title.

This week's song is a little ironic, in a way. At least it has a funny story to go with it. I actually pointed out and semi-convinced my aunt to buy the CD this song is on, and also bought a copy of it for myself. I haven't even unwrapped mine, but I've listened to it a fair number of times in her truck. Life is odd.

Anyways, it's called Real World 09 and it's by Rob Thomas off his CD Cradlesong.



Let me know what you all think!
Peace and cookies,
Laina

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Waiting On Wednesday (16)

I scheduled this one because I expected to not be home. That's why it's on time. Just so you guys didn't freak out about the complete change of character. :P

As always,
Waiting on Wednesday is brought to us by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The first book for us to drool over today, class, is:

Night World: Strange Fate by L. J. Smith - Release date April 6th, 2009.

Sarah Strange and her soulmate, the gentle vampire Blade, live in a peaceful New England town. But Sarah's world is shattered when her family is asked to hide an arrogant male witch named Kierlan Harman. Sarah recognizes Kierlan as a soulmate and fights being drawn to him--until he's kidnapped by the Night World and everything she's ever known is lost

Summary from amazon.ca.

Why I want it: I have the others, now I need this one. Plus anyone named Sarah Strange must be read about. And does anyone else notice how often L. J. Smith and her books have been mentioned on this blog lately?

Anyways. My second choice is:

Wish by Alexandra Bullen - Release date January 1st, 2009

(Again, no cover that I can find. I'm really a sucker for tenners, aren't I?)

For broken-hearted Olivia Larsen, nothing can change the fact that her twin sister, Violet, is gone... until a mysterious, beautiful gown arrives on her doorstep. The dress doesn't just look magical; it is magical. It has the power to grant her one wish, and the only thing Olivia wants is her sister back.

With Violet again by her side, both girls get a second chance at life. And as the sisters soon discover, they have two more dresses-and two more wishes left. But magic can't solve everything, and Olivia is forced to confront her ghosts to learn how to laugh, love, and live again.

In a breathtaking debut from Alexandra Bullen, WISH asks the question: If you could have anything, what would you wish for?

Summary from amazon.

Why I want it: It sounds like it has magic and tears all rolled up into one. What more could you ask for?

Okay, that's it for me for now.
Peace and cookies,
Laina

Sunday, August 23, 2009

In My Mailbox (12)

As always In My Mailbox is the creation of the lovely Story Siren and inspired by the awesome Alea (see the alliteration there?).

Pay attention for this one, because I'm including links to alternate covers because... well, just because. So it's more than just "Look at the pretty books I got!" Inspired partly by Lexi at anotherpageisused... and partly by boredom and Google.

I haven't gotten anything in the mail bookwise for two or three weeks now. So I went to the library and got five books. Then a few days later, I was in a Walmart with my aunt and cousin and there was a 30% off table. I grabbed six books and after putting them in the cart, I made this noise, sort of a squeak, you know, a happy noise, and my cousin looks at me and goes, "What was that?" Then my aunt says "It's like a kid in a candy store."

Anyways, here are the books I got this week.

Bought:

Night World No. 1: Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness & Spellbinder by L. J. Smith - Paperback
Vampires, werewolves, witches, shapeshifters -- they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is their secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws of the Night World.
In Secret Vampire, Poppy thought the summer would last forever. Then she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Now Poppy's only hope for survival is James, her friend and secret love. A vampire in the Night World, James can make Poppy immortal. But first they both must risk everything to go against the laws of Night World.
Fugitives from Night World, three vampire sisters leave their isolated home to live among humans in Daughters of Darkness. Their brother, Ash, is sent to bring the girls back, but he falls in love with their beautiful friend.
Two witch cousins fight over their high school crush. It's a battle between black magic and white magic in Spellbinder.

Summary from amazon.

I love L. J. Smith. I've been reading her stuff since... forever. I own original copies of two of her books and would own more if they were easier to come by.

Night World No. 2: Dark Angel, The Chosen, & Soulmate by L. J. Smith - Paperback
In Dark Angel, Gillian is saved from drowning by her guardian angel. Only visible to Gillian, Angel will fulfill her heart's every desire. But when Angel starts making strange and sinister requests, Gillian must question who he truly is and where he came from.
Armed with a wooden stake, martial arts, and the will to resist a vampire's mind control, Rashel struggles to avenge her mother's death in The Chosen. Then she meets Quinn, her soulmate, who is part of the world she has vowed to destroy.
Hannah receives notes warning her of incredible danger in Soulmate. But if death is her destiny, is the Lord of the Night World's love strong enough to save her?

Summary from amazon.

I've actually read Dark Angel by itself. It was one of the few Night World books my library had. It was good, too. Oh, alternative cover. I much like the blue writing better. Although they should have made her eyes blue to match, and made the eyes of the girl on the first cover purple, and the girl on the third cover's eyes green. But that's just me. I'm insane. Oh, looky at what I found on amazon, another cover.

Night World No. 3: Huntress, Black Dawn, & Witchlight by L. J. Smith - Paperback
The apocalypse is drawing near. But four Wild Powers can save the world from the impending doom. Circle Daybreak, an underground organization with both Night World and human members, is searching for the four who can stop the darkness.
A vampire hunter -- who is half vampire -- stalks her own kind to protect humans in Huntress.
In Black Dawn, Maggie stumbles upon an old Night World kingdom where the ruling vampire prince is both an enemy and an ally.
And Circle Daybreak hires Keller, a shapeshifting panther, to guard a new Wild Power in Witchlight. But when Keller falls in love with the Wild Power's soulmate, her love could destroy everything....

Summary from amazon.


I've read Witchlight, too, but I have a feeling it'll make more sense in context. And the alternative cover. Wonder why they put out covers with red writing for each? Odd.

Need by Carrie Jones - Hardcover

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane... but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy town, and all signs point to Zara.

Summary from the inside of the dust jacket.

This one was a little more expensive than I expected. I think it ended up being like thirteen dollars. But the sticker inside says $18.50, so I'm not complaining much. Hardcover books are expensive here!

Oh! And look at what I found while I was looking around on Carrie Jone's website. Captivate's cover!! Isn't it pretty? Although it does remind me of something. This maybe? I don't know.

Evermore by Alyson Noel - Paperback

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school - but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he really is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him

Summary from the back of the book.

If you want to see something cool, click on the picture of Evermore or Blue Moon. They're huge pictures. Oh, and check this out. Somehow or another, I found an amazon link with Evermore's new UK cover. Isn't the font pretty?

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel - Paperback

Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever’s powers are increasing, Damen’s are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen’s past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...

Summary from the back of the book.

This one I actually grabbed just as we were walking away from the 30% off table. I didn't see it right away because more of them were gone than the others. I grabbed it and said to my aunt, "I spotted a sequel." She just looked at me funny.

Okay, now onto the borrowed books. Aka library books.

Lucas by Kevin Brooks - Hardcover, and the dumb thing has been poking me for the last ten minutes.

Was there ever a moment that changed your life forever?

There was for Caitlin...

One unforgettable summer afternoon, she meets a boy named Lucas, and her world turns upside down. Lucas is everything Caitlin longs to be: Brave. Honest. Free. But Lucas is everything that other people fear. As Caitlin grapples to find her true self amidst the unforgiving ways of her small town, she is inexplicably drawn to Lucas's mystery and strange power. But there are consequences. When the town suddenly turns on Lucas, Caitlin must make the most difficult choice of her life.

Summary from the inside of the dust jacket.

Random choice. Our YA section isn't exactly large. I should take a picture for you guys the next time I go. Anyways, other covers: this one which I think is the audiobook, this one, this one which is the German cover I believe, and this one that you can barely see because it's so small.

Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird by Vivian Vande Velde - Paperback

How to fracture a fairy tale:
1. Make the villain a hero.
2. Make the hero a villain.
3. Tell what really happened.
4. All of the above.

Welcome to a fairy-tale world where Hansel and Gretel are horrible children who deserve to be bakes, where Beauty is dismayed when her beloved Beast turns human, and where the princess with a pea under her mattress keeps everyone in the palace up all night with her incessant whining.

Summary from the back of the book.

Vivian Vande Velde is one of my favourite authors and I have to admit a certain fondess for books for this age group. I'm cool like that. :P Also, alternative cover. Isn't that creepy?

Three Songs for Courage by Maxine Trottier - Paperback

Summer, 1956. Life is cool in lakeside Erie View. The town's veterans of the two great wars struggle to shelve their memories and pick of where they left off, women with newfound independence work to rekindle their marriages, and teenagers with too much freedom live the secret lives of youth.

For sixteen-year-old Gordon Westly, this is the summer of first love, fast cars, the best buddies on earth and the heartrending tragedy; the summer he will explore the sweetest side of human nature and come to fear the darkest; the summer he must learn his third song for courage.

Summary from the back of the book.

This is Canadian, I think, which I like. Hold on...Yep, it's a Tundra book. Hey, weird, the first stamped due date is December 13th, 2008. My birthday.

Ricky by Eric Walters - Paperback

Ricky has always loved animals. After all, he shares his house with 29 weird and wonderful creatures. So when vandals break into his school and destroy many of his beloved science teacher's animals, including Ricky's favourite, Bogart the boa constrictor, Ricky is shocked. Now it's up to Ricky and his best friend, Augie, to devise a plan to raise money to replace Bogart - and to surprise Mr. Johnston, the science teacher, at the same time. Raising the money is easy: what's tough is getting the rather large new reptile - who happens to be smart and slithery - safely to the school.

Summary from the back of the book.

What can I say, it looks cute. Although the cover doesn't really seem to suit it, does it? This one does better, although not perfectly.

Luna by Julie Anne Peters - Paperback

Regan's brother, Liam, can't stand the person he is during the day. Like the moon from who Liam has chosen his female namesake, his true self, Luna, reveals herself only at night. For years, Liam has transformed himself into the beautiful girl who he longs to be with the help from his sister's clothes and makeup in the secrecy of their basement bedrooms. Now, everything is about to change - Luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam's family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives?

Summary from the back of the book.

Isn't this a subtle cover? (Sarcasm.) I like it, though. The copy I have is actually even brighter than this, and the little butterfly isn't foil or anything, it's a keyhole. Pretty cute, actually. Other covers are this, and this which is really pretty. When I was googling, I saw one and it looked familiar, and I couldn't figure out why at first. Then it hit me. It was a lookalike. And this is the third time I've linked to Alea in one post. I feel stalkerish now.

Okay, so that's everything for this week's book intake!
Peace and cookies,
Laina

Gone...

I'm going to be away for a few days, spending some time at my aunt's house before school starts. I have a few posts scheduled to post, but I probably won't be able to check my email for a few days (but you can email me anyways! And comment, of course!), and I'll be home soon.

Well, that's all! Just wanted to let you all know. :)

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Fun Fridays

This is a list of all the Fun Friday posts I've done so far, in chronological order. Fun Friday is my baby, created by me with some help with the name from a friend who I link to in each post.

Due to the nature of youtube, many of these videos have been deleted, and that deleting makes things look really weird the further we get from their posted dates. I'm not going to go through and fix them, so if any of the songs interest you, please just look them up on youtube.

Thanks!

Fun Friday (1)
Friday April 17th, 2009 - Songs featured: Music is My Boyfriend by Skye Sweetnam, My Favourite Tune by Skye Sweetnam and Cartoon by Skye Sweetnam.
Fun Friday (2)
Friday April 24th, 2009 - Songs featured: Tongue Tied by Faber Drive and Homecoming by Hey Monday.
Fun Friday (3)
Saturday May 2nd, 2009 - Songs featured: Hemorrhage (In My Hands) by Fuel, Let Me Sign by Robert Pattinson, and Lightening Crashes by Live.
Fun Friday (4)
Friday May 8th, 2009 - Songs featured: Misery Loves Company by One More Girl, Gunpowder and Lead by Miranda Lambert, and You're Not Sorry: CSI Remix by Taylor Swift.
Fun Friday (5)
Friday May 22nd, 2009 - Songs featured: Apologize by OneRepublic, Never Again by Kelly Clarkson, and I Just Wanted Your Love by Alexz Johnson.
Fun Friday (6)
Friday June 5th, 2009 - Songs featured: Wine Red by The Hush Sound, The Other Woman by Alex J. Robinson, and Darkness Round the Sun by Alexz Johnson.
Fun Friday (7)
Friday June 12th, 2009 - Songs featured: I'm Your Favourite Drug by Porcelain and the Tramps, My Leftovers by Porcelain and the Tramps, and Cheap and Cheerful by The Kills.
Fun Friday (8)
Friday June 19th, 2009 - Songs featured: Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down, Drops of Jupiter by Train, and I'm Just a Kid by Simple Plan.
Fun Friday (9)
Friday June 26th, 2009 - Songs featured: Mash up of Love Story by Taylor Swift and Apologize by One Republic, Love Story by Taylor Swift, and Apologize by One Republic.
Fun Friday (10)
Friday July 3rd, 2009 - Song featured: All You Wanted by Michelle Branch.
Fun Friday (11)
Saturday July 11th, 2009 - Song featured: Operator (Girl Like Me) by Shiloh.
Fun Friday (12)
Saturday July 18th, 2009 - Songs Feartured: Beautiful Disaster by Kelly Clarkson, live, Beautiful Disaster, from the CD Breakaway.
Fun Friday (13)
Friday July 31st, 2009 - Songs featured: Skin by Alexz Johnson and contest playlist.
Fun Friday (14)
Friday August 14th, 2009 - Songs featured: The Day We Fell Apart by Kelly Clarkson and whyyawannabringmedown by Kelly Clarkson.
Fun Friday (15)
Friday August 21st, 2009 - Song featured: Help I'm Alive by Metric.
Fun Friday (16)
August 28th, 2009 - Song featured: Real World 09 by Rob Thomas.
Fun Friday (17)
September 19th, 2009 - Song featured: Hang You From the Heavens by The Dead Weather.
Fun Friday (18)
October 2nd, 2009 - Song featured: Dirty Little Secret by Kelly Clarkson.
Fun Friday (19)
October 16th, 2009 - Songs featured: Ghost of Me and Supernatural by Daughty.
Fun Friday (20)
October 30th, 2009 - Song featured: The Monster Mash.
Fun Friday (21)
November 20th, 2009 - Songs featured: Demo and mastered version of Shout by Alexz Johnson.
Fun Friday (22)
December 4th, 2009 - Song featured: Hear Me Now by Framing Hanley.
Fun Friday (23)
December 12th, 2009 - Songs featured: No Air and Smile by the Glee Cast.
Fun Friday (24)
December 18th, 2009 - Songs featured: Remember Sunday by All Time Low and Hush by Automatic Loveletter.
Fun Friday (25)
January 15th, 2010 - Song featured: Forever is Over by The Saturdays.
Fun Friday (26)
February 5th, 2010 - Song featured: Explode (Makes My Head) by Ashes.
Fun Friday (27)
February 20th, 2010 - Song featured: Trip Around the World by Alexz Johnson.
Fun Friday (28)
March 5th, 2010 - Song featured: Break You by Marion Raven.
Fun Friday (29)
March 26th, 2010 - Songs featured: Take It Home and The Letdown by The White Tie Affair.
Fun Friday (30)
April 23rd, 2010 - Songs featured: Look At Those Eyes by Alexz Johnson
Fun Friday (31)
April 30th, 2010 - Song featured: Second Chance by Shinedown.
Fun Friday (32)
May 5th, 2010 - Song featured: Succexy by Metric.
Fun Friday (33)
May 14th, 2010 - Song featured: Migraine by Megan McCauley.
Fun Friday (34)
May 21st, 2010 - Song featured: Breath by Breaking Benjamin.
Fun Friday (35)
May 28th, 2010 - Song featured: A Little Bit of Red by Serena Ryder.
Fun Friday (36)
June 25th, 2010 - Song featured: Something to Be by Rob Thomas.
Fun Friday (37)
July 2nd, 2010 - Song featured: Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes.
Fun Friday (38)
July 16th, 2010 - Song featured: All Over You by The Spill Canvas.
Fun Friday (39)
August 6th, 2010 - Song featured: WTF? by OK Go
Fun Friday (40)
August 13th, 2010 - Song featured: Patterns by Band of Skulls
Fun Friday (41)
August 20th, 2010 - Song featured: One Girl Revolution by Saving Jane
Fun Friday (42)
August 27th, 2010 - Song featured: Howl by Florence and the Machine
Fun Friday (43)
September 24th, 2010 - Song featured: Mine by Taylor Swift
Fun Friday (44)
October 1st, 2010 - Song featured: All in the Suit That You Wear by Stone Temple Pilots
Fun Friday (45)
October 15th, 2010 - Song featured: Bulletproof by LaRoux
Fun Friday (46)
October 22nd, 2010 - Song featured: I Like to Dance by Hot Chelle Rae
Fun Friday (47)
October 29th, 2010 - Song featured: The Monster Mash
Fun Friday (48)
November 5th, 2010 - Song featured: Enough to Let Me Go by Switchfoot
Fun Friday (49)
November 12th, 2010 - Song featured: Take Me On the Floor by the Veronicas
Fun Friday (50)
November 19th, 2010 - Song featured: White Lines by Alexz Johnson
Fun Friday (51)
November 26th, 2010 - Song featured: Let's Be Friends by Emily Osment
Fun Friday (52)
December 10th, 2010 - Songs featured are a handful of Christmas songs.
Fun Friday (53)
December 17th, 2010 - Song featured: Desert Dressed in Lights by Porcelain
Fun Friday (54)
December 24th, 2010 - Song featured: Petit Garcon by Graeme Allwright
Fun Friday (55)
December 31st, 2010 - Song featured: Good to You by Marianas Trench ft. Jessica Lee
Fun Friday (56)
January 28th, 2011 - Song featured: Nothing Could Come Between Us by Theory of a Deadman
Fun Friday (57)
February 18th, 2011 - Song featured: Rolling in the Deep by Adele
Fun Friday (58)
February 25th, 2011 - Song featured: Patterns by Band of Skulls... again. Not on purpose.
Fun Friday (59)
March 4th, 2011: Song featured: Lollipop by the Chordettes the Squeak E. Clean and Desert Eagle remix
Fun Friday (60)
March 11th, 2011 - Song featured: Here We Go by Mat Kearney
Fun Friday (61)
March 18th, 2011 - Song featured: Come On Get Higher by Matt Nathanson
Fun Friday (62)
March 25th, 2011 - Song featured: Kids by MGMT
Fun Friday (63)
April 1st, 2011 - Song featured: Naturally by Selena Gomez and the Scene
Fun Friday (64)
April 8th, 2011 - Song featured: Breathless by Better Than Ezra
Fun Friday (65)
April 15th, 2011 - Song featured: Blinding by Florence and the Machine
Fun Friday (66)
April 22nd, 2011 - Song featured: Siren Song by Bat For Lashes
Fun Friday (67)
April 29th, 2011 - Song featured: Running With the Devil by Alexz Johnson
Fun Friday (68)
May 6th, 2011 - Song featured: Bruised by Sugababes
Fun Friday (69)
May 13th, 2011 - Song featured: Redlight District - Porcelain and the Tramps
Fun Friday (70)
May 20th, 2011 - Song featured: Valerie by the Glee Cast
Fun Friday (71)
May 27th, 2011 - Song featured: Rock God by Selena Gomez and the Scene
Fun Friday (72)
June 3rd, 2011 - Song featured: Fire in Your New Shoes by Kaskade ft. Dragonette
Fun Friday (73)
June 10th, 2011 - Song featured: Animal by Neon Trees
Fun Friday (74)
June 17th, 2011 - Song featured: Take Me to the Riot by Stars
Fun Friday (75)
June 24th, 2011 - Song featured: Summer's Not Hot by Selena Gomez and the Scene
Fun Friday (76)
December 9th, 2011 - Song featured: Haven't Had Enough by Marianas Trench
Fun Friday (77)
December 16th, 2011 - Song featured: Skipping Stone by Alexz Johnson
Fun Friday (78)
December 23rd, 2011 - Song featured: Mittens by Carly Rae Jepsen
Fun Friday (79)
December 30th, 2011 - Song featured: August 28th 3:30 AM by Automatic Loveletter
Fun Friday (80)
January 6th, 2012 -  Song featured: Annie by SafetySuit
January 13th, 2012 - Song featured: Fast Car by The Wilkinsons
January 20th, 2012 - Song featured: Soft Skeletons by Anberlin
Jnauary 27th, 2012 - Song featured: Run to You by The Midnight State
February 3rd, 2012 - Song featured: You Got Me by Crash Kings
February 10th, 2012 - Song featured: Rescued by Jack's Mannequin
March 2nd, 2012 - Song featured: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson
March 9th, 2012 - Song featured: So Contagious by Acceptance
March 16th, 2012 - Song featured: Falling for You by Seabird
March 23rd, 2012 - Song featured:Mirrors by Natalia Kills
March 30th, 2012 - Song featured: Staring At It by Safetysuit
May 4th, 2012 - Song featured: Elongo by Bedouin Soundclash
May 11th, 2012 - Song featured: Curiosity by Carly Rae Jepsen
May 18th, 2012 - Song featured: What Makes You Beautiful covered by Boyce Avenue
May 25th, 2012 - Song featured: Once Upon a December from the Anastasia soundtrack
June 1st, 2012 - Song featured: Make Me Wanna Die by the Pretty Reckless
June 8th, 2012 - Song featured: All I Ever Wanted by The Airborne Toxic Event
June 15th, 2012 - Song featured: Closer by Anberlin
June 22nd, 2012 - Song featured: What A Good Boy by Barenaked Ladies
June 29th, 2012 - Song featured: Love You Like a Love Song by Selena Gomez and the Scene
July 6th, 2012 - Song featured: Stay by SafetySuit

Reviews

This is a list of all the reviews I've done on this blog and links, in alphabetical order (per section, I'm not going to worry about the order of each section.) As usual, anything with a "the" will be sorted by the second word. For example, The Little Mermaid would be under L. And please keep in mind that some of these are really old and... really bad. (Note: This post has been updated as of August 2015, and the updated version can be found under my "Reviews" button.)

A


B


C

D


F


G

H

I


J

K

L

Life As It Comes by Anne-Laure Rondoux
Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen
Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti
Lord of Misrule (The Morganville Vampires Book 5) by Rachel Caine
Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell

M

Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle
The Miracle Girls by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt
M is For Magic by Neil Gaiman
Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires Book 3) by Rachel Caine
Making Waves by Tawna Fenske

N

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

O

The One Where The Kid Nearly Jumps to His Death and Lands in California by Mary Hershey

P

Paisley Hanover Acts Out by Cameron Tuttle
Passing Strange (Generation Dead #3) by Daniel Waters
The Phantom Isles by Stephen Alter

Q

R

Roastbeef's Promise by David Jerome
Rowan of the Wood by Christine and Ethan Rose
The Rules for Hearts by Sara Ryan

S

Salvation in Death by J. D. Robb
The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause
Star-Crossed by Linda Collison
Strangers in Death by J. D. Robb
The Stone of Alexandria by Lleu Christopher
Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Weiss
Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita

T

Tweaked by Katherine Holubitsky
Three Songs For Courage by Maxine Trottier
Tyger, Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

U

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer

V

Virgina by Susan Hughes


W

Wintercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw
Wishbones by Carolyn Haines
Where She Went by Gail Forman

X

Y

Z

Contact

(August 21st, 2009)

Review policy

I'm currently accepting books for review. Please be aware that I am Canada-based if you would like to send me a review request. This blog is devoted mainly to my YA readings, but I will accept adult or middle grade novels if they sound interesting to me. Fantasy/paranormal and murder mysteries are some of my favourite kinds of books but by no means do I limit myself to them. Updated October 20th, 2010: As I've started working at the library, I've been reading more and more picture books and I'm now willing to accept them for review.

I do not review e-books or... well, I don't want to say it because my blog gets weird hits sometimes already (stumbleupon classified it wrong...), but you know the type of book I mean. Adult books, even romance novels (I confess I have a bit of an addiction to them) are fine but nothing x-rated. That's just not what the readers of my blog are interested in. Plus my mom would probably murder me. I'm also not too interested in non-fiction as a general rule, unless it's like a Chicken Soup for the Soul type of book, then I'll give it a shot. As well, I'm not really interested in the Gossip Girl and similar type of book. It's just not my cup of tea.

I don't like reviewing on a schedule because my life tends to get in the way, so I tend to not want to do book tours of any kind, the pressure of the deadline just bothers me because I probably won't get it done in time. I also can't guarantee a review. I will try my hardest, but I can't promise anything.

About self-published books: Before I agree to review these, I'd much appreciate a brief summary of the book, and anything else important, such as other reviews, your or the book's website if you/it has one, and, if possible, a sample such as the first chapter or so. I've had some bad luck with self-published books and am cautious as a result. But if it sounds interesting, I won't pass it up just because it's self-published!


On repostings, book reports, and the like:


I am not here to do your homework for you. My reviews are my thoughts on books I've read. Please do not use them to do book reports or any kind of homework assignment. Read the book yourself. If you don't get it, talk to your teacher. Don't cheat and don't use me to do it.

As well, please don't repost my reviews without linking to my blog and giving me full and proper credit for it. I'd rather you didn't repost my reviews at all, really, the exception being author sites. That, honestly, is freaking awesome.

Giveaways, Interviews, etc.

I love hosting giveaways, as long as you cover the shipping because I'm, you know, broke and I'm completely open to guest blogs and interviews. Just ask!

Ways to contact me and places I am:

Email: Laina1312@gmail.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lainasparetime
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2478559-laina
Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/lainasparetime
LibraryThing: http://www.librarything.com/profile/Laina1312
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1666760414

About Me

Well, I'm Laina. This is my blog. I suck at writing About Me's, so I'm sorry if this is a bit rough. I'm Canadian and proud of it. Short and irked by it. I love reading and music, and I do enjoy writing, but this is by far not the best example of it. Some of my favourite authors are Meg Cabot, Neil Gaiman, Rachel Caine, J. K. Rowling, Lemony Snicket, Annette Curtis Klause, J. D. Robb... well, there are just too many to name, really. Same with favourite books. I could go on forever.

I've been reviewing for about a year now, since October 2008, but I still feel like a new blogger so it amazes me sometimes - a lot of the time - that people actually read my blog. I also make custom layouts and I have a blog where I list all the contests I come across and I sign every post on this blog with "Peace and cookies, Laina."

Um.

Random question time, via The ABC's of Laina.

Q. Cake or Pie?
A. Cake is nice for birthdays, but the rest of the time, pie. Especially apple. Or blueberry. Or banana cream.

Q. Drink of choice?
A. Usually these, although with this label (google images isn't being nice with these). I don't drink much pop anymore, but if I don't get some sugar, I end up all dizzy, so I consider these a happy medium. Plus they taste really good.

Q. Essential item for every day use?
A. Laptop, definitely. I get a bit twitchy when I'm without it for an extended period of time. Then... toothbrush comes to mind. :P Hair brush is nice, too, but I've gone without.

Q. Favorite color?
A. Blue, which sounds boring, but I know exactly what colour blue. It's this shade called Fishbowl Blue by Special Effects and I'm so buying it when I stock up on dye again. I use Electric blue right now, but I love Fishbowl. (Picture from google again, I don't know who she is.)

Q. Google?
A. Nope. Not all. Duh, yeah. I've used google images twice in this post alone. Next question, please.

Q. Hometown?
A. Waaaay too small to tell you guys that. Let's just say Canada and call it a day.

Q. Indulgences?
A. Chocolate. Candy. Tacky romance novels. Heinz ketchup. Recipes I'll probably never use.

Q. January or February?
A. February, even though I can't seem to spell it. I always forget about the first R. January here is too cold. February's at least starting to warm up. And it's short.

Q. Kids and their names?
A. Not a one. I'm sixteen here. (edit by 2011 Laina: Eighteen now! Still no kids.)

Q.Life is incomplete without...?
A. Books. Music. Chocolate. Hair dye. Life.

Q. Number of siblings?
A. I'm an only child.

Q. Oranges or apples?
A. The only oranges I really like are those little ones you get at Christmas, so apples.

Q. Phobias and fears?
A. Heights, spiders, bugs, snakes, storms somewhat, losing my mind, the usual stuff.

Q. Fear of death?
A. Only in the healthy "I'd rather not, thanks" way.

Q. Quote for the day?
A. "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux."/"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye." - The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It's the only one I ever really remember (I used wikipedia for the French.)

Q. Reason to smile?
A. Pavement by Cassie Steele just came on shuffle on my playlist. Great song. ^^

Q. Season?
A.Summer all the way! And hot as heck. I hate cold with a passion. Spring is nice, but I like heat.

Q. Unknown fact about me?
A. I have my ears pierced three times in each ear and am planning on going for a fourth soon, probably for my birthday.

Q. Vegetable you hate?
A. Cauliflower. Although I'm sort of a picky eater, so I have a few.

Q. Worst habit?
A. I chew on my left thumbnail when I'm nervous or thinking. Mostly when I'm on the computer, though. I also "lol" way too much in msn, twitter and emails, so the fact that my blog isn't plastered with them is a tribute to my self-control. *nods*

Q. Xrays you've had?
A. Just my teeth. Recently, too. I have roots down to my jaw in my bottom teeth, my wisdom teeth have no roots yet and my two adult canine teeth are crooked so I probably have to get the babies pulled and braces. Lovely, huh? Haha.

Q. Your fave food?
A. Probably French fries. I could eat them everyday. Yummy.

Q. Zodiac sign?
A. Sagittarius!

Well, I think that about covers everything. If you all think of anything I should add, leave a comment with your suggestions!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Friday, August 21, 2009

Fun Friday: Give me something to sing about! (15)

Fun Friday: Give me something to sing about! is where you guys get to see a song or two I like or that I want to talk about each week. Thanks goes to J.J. at Random Musings for help with the title.

This week's choice is a song most of you guys probably know but I only heard about recently, called Help, I'm Alive by Metric.



Thanks be to the Vampire Diaries commercial that had this song in it. Supposedly. Because I was looking for a different one because of the CTV commercial... but that's another story. Anyways, enjoy the song!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Waiting On Wednesday (15)

Hey, this one is on time! It's 10:30pm, it's still Wednesday.

As always, Waiting on Wednesday is brought to us by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

So, this week, we have a couple books that are a bit different from what I normally drool over but still look excellent. First up is:

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder - To be released in 2010.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous - the only neck I risk is my own. Until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. I should have just said no...

Why I want it: First of all, I love the cover. The blue eyes remind me of this notebook I have that blinks at you when you move it. Second... well, it just sounds really good. Normally I don't read much science fiction, but this sounds like something I'd enjoy.

Summary sorta stolen from Presenting Lenore because I couldn't find a good one anywhere else and I got lazy...

And my second choice this week is:

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly - To be released in 2010 as well.

(no cover image yet.)

Doctors have pinned 16-year-old Drea Horvath with everything from ADHD to Asperger’s Syndrome. She has an obsession with sound design, a tendency to blurt out whatever she’s thinking, and a problem making friends, but likes to think of this as following her own rhythm in a confusing world.

Drea is hesitant to befriend purple-haired Naomi Quinn, her teenage neighbor with a kamikaze personality. But Naomi is the first person to treat her like she isn’t a world class dork. Then there’s Justin Rocca, the sexy and persistent boy in her film class. If she’s learned anything from her mom, it’s that boys are trouble.

When Drea discovers Naomi’s love for drums and Justin’s piano prodigy status, the three form a trip-hop band and a friendship that will challenge everything Drea thought she knew about herself and the world around her.

Summary from goodreads.

Why I want it: Just two words: purple hair.

Well, that's it for me for this week!
Peace and cookies
Laina

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Joker review

Joker by Ranulfo

Page count: 194 in my hardcover.

Summary (from goodreads):
It spits, snarls, screams, curses, and laughs at the world. It mocks leaders and followers. Restores our faith in love and security or drives us mad.
Australian author Ranulfo has cracked open the story of Hamlet. This is what he's glued back together.

Review: I want to say right off the bat that this was not a bad book. The writing was excellent, I'm fond of books with male narrators, and I didn't have any trouble reading it at all. It just didn't... wow me. So this review probably won't be very long because I didn't write down that many notes.

Plot: Like the summary says, Joker is a retelling of Hamlet. It probably would have helped if I'd actually read Hamlet... but yeah. The plot seemed a bit wandering and a little confusing at times, to be honest. Again, that could be because I haven't read Hamlet.

Characters: The main character and narrator is Matt, and Matt is severely depressed, paranoid and jaded, very much an unreliable narrator, so much of how he describes the people around him is skewed. The most interesting character is Joker, the title character, and there isn't enough about him and I wish there had been, because... well, here's an example of why.

From page four:
Who is Joker?
He is crazy, a lunatic, a fool, who laughs at everyone and everything. He is a voice and a shadow. He is inside me. Sometimes he possesses me totally. Sometimes he hides and crouches, ready to pounce. Endlessly, I hear his laughter. He makes me see things - visions, hallucinations, nightmares, epiphanies. I love/hate him.
(This is also a great example of the author's talented writing. I really did enjoy the poetic nature of parts like this.)

PG-13 stuff: Some cursing, some "adult subject matter"... basically, this is more for older/mature readers. It's also pretty dark at times, so that'd be a good rule to go by anyways.

Cons, complaints, bad stuff: There was nothing that really jumped out at me, but as I said, the plot was a bit confusing at times. Nothing huge.

Cover comments: I hate to admit it, but half the reason I picked this up was the cover. (The other half is my library's YA section is so small that whenever I see something new there, I notice and look at it. Seriously, it's seven shelves three-quarters of the way full.) Anyways, it's attention grabbing, that's for sure.

Conclusion: Like I said, I didn't make that many notes, and I sort of accidentally locked it in a closet for two days while we were moving around when they redid our flooring, so I couldn't write this while it was fresh in my mind like I like. So I think this might be it. It is a good book and very well written. Maybe reading Hamlet first would make it a better read. Three and a half roses.


Sorry it's short, guys!
Peace and cookies,
Laina