Fun Friday: Give Me Something to Sing About! (71)

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 as always goes to J.J. at Random Musings for help with the title.

Okay, I confess. I like Disney a lot. If the TV is on in my house during the day, it's either on Disney or the Food Network. *is ashamed* *only not really*

One of my favourite shows is Wizards of Waverly Place. I love Selena Gomez and I finally got around to getting her second CD with her band - and I LOVED it. This is one of the songs I like the best:



(Rock God - Selena Gomez and The Scene.)

What do you guys think?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday (85)

Waiting on Wednesday is, of course, brought to us by the lovely Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce - To be released August 23rd, 2011

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: While I haven't read Sisters Red yet, I like the idea of this being a companion rather than a direct sequel. I don't think we see that very often in YA, at least I don't, and I like it. I am also in LOVE with this cover. Oh, and I also think that the idea of a Hansel and Gretal retelling is awesome.

Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst - To be released September 13th, 2011

What happens when a vampire is stabbed through the heart by a were-unicorn? She suddenly develops a very inconvenient conscience. Oops.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: Okay, it's a short summary. But were-UNICORN?? How freaking AWESOMESAUCE is that?? I can't wait to see when a little information more about this one comes out.

So what are you guys waiting on this week?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

March, April, and May (so far) Picture Book List

Wow, it's been a while since I've done this. Skip it if you want, it'll be long.

March:

1. Teatime in Space by Caroline Castle
2. Regards to the Man in the Moon by Ezra Jack Keats
3. Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman
4. Aliens in Underpants Save the World -//-
5. Beegu by Alexis Deacon
6. What Faust Saw by Matt Ottley
7. Nova's Ark by David Kirk
8. Smelly Peter the Great Pea Eater by Steve Smallman
9. Alistair in Outer Space by Marilyn Sadler
10. Alistair and the Alien Invasion -//-
11. Space Station Mars by Daniel San Souci
12. Hush, Little Alien by Daniel Kirk
13. Giraffes Can't Dance by Gail Andreae
14. Sheep in a Shop by Nancy Shaw
15. Tomatoes From Mars by Arthur Yorinks
16. Mud is Cake by Pam Muňoz Ryan
17. Pirate Pup by Caroline Stutson
18. Fluffy, Scourge of the Sea by Teresa Bateman
19. A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohmann
20. Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth by Alison McGhee
21. If the Shoe Fits by Alan Osmond
22. Ice Cream by Elish Cooper
23. Big Little Elephant by Valeri Gorbachev
24. How to Catch an Elephant by Amy Schwartz
25. A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
26. Sam Who Never Forgets by Eve Rice
27. What Elephant? by Geneviéve Côté
28. Ella the Elephant by Jan Latta
29. Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss
30. Never Ride Your Elephant to School by Doug Johnson
31. I Love My Mama by Peter Kavanegh
32. The Elephant Wish by Lou Berger 
33. Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Suess
34. Ella the Elegant Elephant by Carmela D'Amico
35. Where's That Cat? by Stephane Poulin
36. Ice Cream Fun Day by Kitty Richards
37. Bats at the Ballgame by Brian Lies
38. Dino-Baseball by Lisa Wheeler
39. Brady Brady and the Ballpark Bark by Mary Shaw
40. Hit the Ball Duck by Jez Alborough
41. The Berenstain Bears Go Out For The Team by Stan Berenstein
42. Rhinos Who Play Baseball by Julie Mammano
43. Curious George Plays Baseball by Margaret & H. A. Rey
44. Roasted Peanuts by Tim Egan
45. Albert's Ballgame by Leslie Tryon
46. Tulip at the Bat by J. Patrick Lewis
47. The Jungle Baseball Game by Tom Paxton
48. A Girl Named Dan by Dandi Daley Mackall
49. Luke Goes to Bat by Rachel Isadora
50. Batter Up Wombat by Helen Lester
51. The Boys by Jeff Newman
52. Snow Bear by Piers Harper
53. Panda & Polar Bear by Matthew J. Baek
54. Hush Little Polar Bear by Jeff Mack
55. Because I Love You So Much by Guido van Genechten
56. Baby Polar by Yannick Murphy
57. Cold Paws, Warm Heart by Madeleine Floyde
58. Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
59. Zen Ties -//-
60. Zen Ghosts -//-
61. A Friend Like You by Julia Hubery
62. I Am Going to Save a Panda by Lauren Child
63. I Am a Little Panda by François Crozat

April:

1. On Beyond Zebra by Dr. Seuss
2. The Monkey and the Panda by Antonia Barber
3. Sweet Hearts by Dorothy Donohue
4. Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
5. Tracks of a Panda by Nick Dawson
6. Mr. Panda's Painting by Anne Rockwell
7. Here Comes the Aliens by Colin McNaughton
8. We're Off to Look For Aliens -//-
9. Dancing Larry by Daniel Pinkwater
10. Patrick's Dinosaurs on the Internet by Carol Carrick
11. A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na
12. Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood
13. Little Hoot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
14. Owly by Mike Thaler
15. Good-Night, Owl! by Pat Hutchins
16. Sam and the Firefly by P. D. Eastman
17. "I'm Not Sleepy!" by Jonathan Allen
18. Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton
19. Annie Hoot and the Knitting Extravaganza by Holly Clifton-Brown
20. The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by Edward Lear
21. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
22. Berkeley's Barn Owl Dance by Tara Johnson
23. Down in the Woods at Sleepytime by Carole Lexa Schaefer
24. Angelina and Henry by Katharine Holabird
25. Archibald Frisby by Michael Chesworth
26. Bailey Goes Camping by Kevin Henkes
27. Three Days On a River in a Red Canoe by Vera B. Williams
28. Camping Day by Patricia Lakin
29. Froggy Goes to Camp by Jonathan London
30. Arthur Goes to Camp by Marc Brown
31. Curious George Goes Camping by Margaret Rey
32. Franklin Has a Sleepover by Paulette Bourgeois
33. The Bear Scouts by Stan and Jan Berenstain
34. The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp -//-
35. A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris va Dusen
36. Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite! by Diane deGroat
37. Maisy Goes Camping by Lucy Cousins
38. Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer
39. The Easter Egg by Jan Brett
40. If I Were the Easter Bunny by Louise Gardner
41. Peter Rabbit's Happy Easter by Grace Maccarone
42. 10 Easter Egg Hunters by Janet Schulman
43. Splat the Cat: Where's the Easter Bunny? by Rob Scotton
44. Clifford's Happy Easter by Norman Bridwell
45. Countdown to Easter by Ann Marie Harris
46. Easter Bunny's on His Way! by Brian James
47. The Best Easter Eggs Ever! by Jerry Smath
48. Easter Mice! by Bethany Roberts
49. Bunny Trouble by Hans Wilhelm
50. More Bunny Trouble -//-
51. Big, Bad Bunny Trouble -//-
52. Benny's Chocolate Bunny by Janee Trasler
53. Clifford's Big Red Easter by Nancy Parent
54. Owen's Marshmallow Chick by Kevin Henkes
55. The Great Easter Egg Hunt by Michael Garland

 May:

1.  Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk
2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
3. Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas
4. The Wacky Wedding by Pamela Duncan Edwards
5. A Closer Look by Mary McCarthy
6. Leo the Lightning Bug by Eric Drachman
7. What the Ladybug Heard by Julia Donaldson
8. I Love Bugs! by Emma Dodd
9. Jump! by Scott M. Fischer
10. I Love Bugs! by Philemon Sturges
11. Bugs at Play by David A. Carter
12. Hello, Bugs! by Smriti Prasadam
13. Sleepyhead Bear by Lisa Westberg Peters
14. Mud by Mary Lyn Ray
15. It's Spring! by Linda Glaser
16. Spring's Sprung by Lynn Plourde
17. Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson
18. Hooray for Spring! by Kazuo Iwamura
19. Spring Sail by Larry Dane Brimner
20. Spring Is Here, Grumpy Bunny! by Justine Korman
21. B Is For Bunny by Tanya Lee Stone
22. Good Job, Oliver! by Laurel Molk
23. Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson
24. It's Spring! by Jimmy Pickering
25. Spring Is Here by Will Hillenbrand
26. Ready for Spring by Marthe Jocelyn

If you're wondering, I'm up to 288 books this year. You can see the full list here. 

Fun Friday: Give Me Something to Sing About! (70)

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 as always goes to J.J. at Random Musings for help with the title.



(Valerie by Glee Cast.)

This is one of my favourite new Glee songs. I LOVE Naya Rivera's voice, and this song is an awful lot of fun to sing along to.

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday (84)

Waiting on Wednesday is, of course, brought to us by the lovely Jill at Breaking the Spine.


The Death Catchers by Jennifer Anne Kogler - To be released August 16th, 2011

On her fourteenth Halloween, Lizzy Mortimer sees her first death-specter.

Confused at first, Lizzy soon learns from her grandmother Bizzy that as Death Catchers, they must prevent fate from taking its course when an unjust death is planned—a mission that has been passed down from their ancestor, Morgan le Fay. Only, Lizzy doesn't expect one of her first cases to land her in the middle of a feud older than time between Morgan le Fay and her sister Vivienne le Mort. Vivienne hopes to hasten the end of the world by preventing Lizzy from saving King Arthur's last descendant—humanity's greatest hope for survival. It's up to Lizzy, as Morgan's earthly advocate, to outwit fate before it's too late.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want to read this: I LOVE Morgan le Fay. It comes from reading this book over and over and over as a kid. Also, I think the cover of this will be really cool in real life. (It was a pain in the tuckas to find a picture of, though.)


Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw - To be released August 16th, 2011

On her way home one evening, Liza has to force her way through a group of men in a train underpass. She doesn’t think anything of it, but when her mom is shot dead moments later, Liza’s world turns upside down. Even worse, Liza was really the target. Only hours after her mother’s death, Liza is nearly killed again and she and her dad are placed in the witness protection program.

Leaving everything she's ever known behind, Liza and her dad pick up and move, never staying in one place for long. It's too big of a risk--and Liza's worst fear is realized when she gets recognized. The would-be killer is still on their trail, so all Liza and her dad can do is keep running. Unsure whom to trust and where to go, they're just trying to stay alive.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want to read this: I like mysteries. This is a little bit more thriller, but I think I'll like it.

Anyone find it cool that the heroine names are kinda similiar in these??

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Things I Talk About on Twitter (11)

Heffalumps. (Elephants.) More specifically, one I made.

I made it for my elephant Storytime at work. Because I knew none of the kids would know how to make elephant noises (you make one and see!!), I brought in one of the elephants that I got for Valentine's Day from my mom the year before last.

The one on the back left makes elephant noises!! (There's a mommy elephant, and a daddy elephant, and a baby elephant. And yes, I know, the baby elephant looks like it's doing bad things to my blanket, but that wasn't on purpose.)

That was last year's Valentine's day present from my mom. This year I got a pig!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Fun Friday: Give Me Something to Sing About! (69)

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 as always goes to J.J. at Random Musings for help with the title.

WARNING: Laina is immature. Note the number up there. ^ It makes me giggle. And so does posting this song in the post with that number.

(PG-13 warning, though, guys.)



(Redlight District - Porcelain and the Tramps)

If you guys follow me on Twitter, you know I live next door to a church. I also talk about a song I won't play out loud during the summer, for that reason, that is about strippers. This is that song.

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday (83)

Waiting on Wednesday is, of course, brought to us by the lovely Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Hey, I kinda have a theme this week! Darkish covers, with red accents.


Dark Parties by Sara Grant - To be released August 3rd, 2011

Sixteen-year-old Neva has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere, in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield "protects" them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. But there's nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Or so the government says...

Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a "dark party" to recruit members for their underground rebellion. But as Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she's ever known, including the people she loves the most.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: I like books about cities in walls. I know. Random. But what can I say? I do. And the dystopian thing is totally cool.

The Cupid War by Timothy Carter - To be released August 8th, 2011

Ricky Fallon had decided against killing himself — just before slipping off a bridge to his death. Now he's a Cupid in the afterlife, helping people fall in love. The job would be cool if it weren't for the dorky pink bodysuits, his jerky boss, and attacks from joy-sucking shadowy entities called Suicides.

When Fallon discovers a dangerous new breed of Suicide, a terrific battle erupts. To save the girl he's falling for — oh, and prevent total world domination — Fallon uses a secret weapon to kick some serious Suicide butt.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want to read this: Pink bodysuit. That is hilarious. And I think this is a different sort of take on the whole Cupid thing that will probably be very interesting to read.

So what are you guys waiting on this week?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Books I Read Whilst Sick

So I had the plague. Again. This isn't really a review of anything, because I was usually too loopy to review, but here's what I read.

Night Child by Jes Battis (OSI #1)

Published: May 27th, 2008 by Ace Books

Genre: Adult urban fantasy/mystery

Binding: Paperback

Page Count: 292

Part of a series: Yes.

Amazon link.

Summary (from goodreads): That's a dead vampire, I thought. My boss dragged me out of bed at two in the morning to see a dead vampire? I might be an Occult Special Investigator for Vancouvr's Mystical Crime Lab, but a dead vampire is routine and no reason to disturb a person's sleep. Then I took a closer look at the body...

Tess Corday soon realizes that there is not going to be anything ordinary about this cares - not the lab results on the cause of death; not Mia Polanski, the teenage girl living at the address found in the vamp's pocket, who may well be in thrall to a demon; and certainly not Lucian Agrado, the necromancer who is liaison to the vampire community. Agrado is supposed to be part of the solution, but Tess suspects he might be part of the problem.

Under pressure from her boss, Tess is trying to go by the book on this one. But when Mia reaches out to her, she risks her career to help the girl - and finds herself in the middle of a paranormal conspiracy that will change her life forever.

Or possibly end it...

A Flash of Hex by Jes Battis (OSI #2)

Published: May 26th, 2009 by Ace Books
Genre: Adult urban fantasy/mystery
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: 371
Part of a series: Yeppers.
Amazon link.

Summary (from goodreads): As an Occult Special Investigator, Tess Corday has seen her fair share of disturbing crime scenes - but nothing has ever shocked her as much as the ritualistic murder of a drugged-out runaway kid, who she soon learns was not the first such victim.

All the dead teens had traces of the dangerous magical drug called Hex in their bodies. All were the children of powerful mage families. All were killed with the sacred tools of mages. It adds up to the chilling possibility that the OSI is dealing with a serial killer, one who has incredible inhuman powers.

To stop the slaughter, Tess and her partner, Derrick, will go anywhere and do anything - including seeking help from the necromancer Lucian Agrado, whom Tess is under orders to avoid. But as the deaths continue, Tess becomes convinced that the identity of the killer is locked inside her own head. And the question is, how many rules is she willing to break to get to the truth?

Inhuman Resources by Jes Battis (OSI #3)

Published: May 25th, 2010 by Ace Books

Genre: Adult urban fantasy/mystery

Binding: Paperback

Page Count: 305

Part of a series: If you haven't figured that out by now, you're probably on more drugs than I am.

Amazon link.

Summary (from goodreads): Occult Special Investigator Tess Corday is not known for her people skills. If a crime's been committed, she wants the guilty party to face justice - end of story. But when a powerful necromancer is killed, Tess has to handle the heavy politics in the occult community as carefully as she handles the scant evidence.

A priceless suit of armor may know something about the murder, but it's not talking. Neither is Tess's sometime consultant, sometime lover, Lucian Agrado - who is officially representing the necromancers in the grisly matter.

Tracking down the necromancer's killer will pit Tess against old enemies, draw her into forbidden realms - and force her to confront a nightmarish truth that will change her world forever...

Thoughts: I didn't want to do a real review on these, because I didn't read them in a reviewing frame of mind, but I did want to mention them. If you read adult books, I highly recommend you read them. They're really, really good and the author is Canadian, which is really cool. (Seriously... the bio in the back of the books says he lives like two hours away from me. It's crazy cool.) And as a big fan of murder mysteries, I really enjoyed that element as well. Recommend.

Always and Forever Friends by C.S. Adler

Published: 1990 by Avon Camelot (my edition), 1988 by Houghton Mifflin

Genre: MG contemporary fiction

Binding: Paperback

Page Count: 164

Part of a series? Nope.

Amazon link.

Summary (from goodreads): If only Meg hadn't moved away. Then maybe eleven-year-old Wendy wouldn't be so upset about the other things going on in her life. Like her mother's marriage, and the new stepfamily that came with it. If only Wendy could find someone else like Meg to be her best friend - always and forever.

There were the popular kids - who all stuck together. And there was Honor, a bright and interesting girl who didn't seem to want to be anybody's best friend. It was only when a new girl came into class and Wendy thought she'd found the perfect "always and forever" friend that she really got to know Honor... and found out what friendship was all about.

Thoughts: My mom (and Mires) said that as long as I sat on a blanket (I sat on like four, it was like a nest), I could organize my bookshelves, which I'd been itching to do since I was so bored. And, okay, so maybe I exhausted myself a little and spent the next two days doing nothing, but my bookcases are organized!

Anyways, I got distracted by this one while I was tidying. For the record, even though it's older, it's still good. I honestly thought it was from '96 or '97, not this old. The only part that  really jolted me was an eleven-year-old taking a purse to school XD Recommend.

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

Published: March 5th, 2009 by Putnam Juvenile

Genre: YA contemporary fiction

Binding: ARC (Won in a contest)

Page Count: 264 (Goodreads says the hardcover has 272, though)

Part of a series? No, I think it's a standalone.

Amazon link.

Summary (from goodreads): Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman knows about the power of positive thinking. With a little brother who has cancer, it's all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery.

But Annika's plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly finds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right?

Thoughts: It was cute, funny, and made me cry at the end. Maybe it was the drugs, but I didn't always connect with the voice entirely at the beginning and at certain parts throughout. But all and all, a solid read. If I were to rate it, I'd probably give it three and a half roses. Good characters, great dialogue, and I flew through it, so it's not that there was anything wrong with it, I'm just... hard on contemporary books. And, again, cold medicine. Recommend.

Paradise County by Karen Robards

Published: 2000 by Pocket Books

Genre: Adult romance/ mystery / thriller

Binding: Paperback

Page Count: 437

Part of a series? Nope.

Amazon link.

Summary (from goodreads): Left bankrupt after her billionaire father's sudden death, Alexandra Haywood returns to Shelby County, Kentucky - that bit of Southern splendor known as Paradise County - to sell the family's magnificent horse farm. Part of her mission is to fire Joe Welch, the sexy, stubborn farm manager who worked hard for the Haywoods while raising his children.

But Joe refuses to be fired, and he and Alex clash. They also fall for each other - hard. Just as their attraction flares, a shocking murder with ties to the past rocks the county - and cuts close to home when Joe's teenage son, Eli, and Alex's wild-spirited younger sister, Neely, vanish. Now, the evil that lurks beneath Paradise County raises its gruesome head - and Alex is targeted as the next victim.

Thoughts: This one was pretty good. I liked the crime/mystery element and Joe was hot. Some parts of it sort of felt like it was written in the 90s, not 2000, but it wasn't bad at all. Recommend.

I'm not even going to ATTEMPT to do this with movies. I've watched so many it's not funny since our cable's out and sometimes when I'm sick, the cold medicines make me so foggy that I can't focus on anything for more than five seconds at a time. Hence, a lot of movies.

Alrighty, so that's what I've been reading. What about you guys?

Peace and cookies,

Laina

Fun Friday: Give Me Something to Sing About! (68)

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 as always goes to J.J. at Random Musings for help with the title.




(Bruised by Sugababes.)

I really like this song. It's a whole lot of fun and it fits on my WIP's playlist really well. What do you guys think?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday (82)

Waiting on Wednesday is, of course, brought to us by the lovely Jill at Breaking the Spine.


Wildefire by Karsten Knight - To be released July 26th, 2011

Every flame begins with a spark.

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her.

But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own.

With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want to read this: Well, besides that Ashline is REALLY close to Ashelynn, I just think it sound awesome.


Want to Go Private by Sarah Darer Littman - To be released August 2011

When Abby meets Luke online, she can’t believe her luck. He’s nice. He’s funny. He listens to her and he thinks she’s pretty. He even gets jealous of other guys, which is adorable. Without Luke, Abby’s not sure how she’d make it through her first year of high school. Everyone, including her mom and her best friend, Faith, tells Abby that if she just made more of an effort, she’d be having fun instead of dreading each and every day as if it’s a prison sentence. But there’s nothing fun about being the lowest link in the social food chain.

Abby knows she’s not supposed to chat with random guys online. But Luke isn’t random, and he isn’t a stranger. Best of all, he really loves her. So what if she never goes out with her friends anymore and her grades are slipping? All she needs is Luke. Luke is her secret, and she’s his — it’s perfect that way.

So when Luke suggests that they meet each other in person, Abby agrees. And then she’s gone. Missing. Without a trace. And everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don’t, they’ll never see Abby again.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: Isn't there a movie coming out soon that kinda tackles this subject? I think it'd be better from this POV, though.

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Things I Talk About on Twitter (10)

Remember when I did one of these posts about makeup and showed you the drawers I keep mine in? See the basket on the top? That's where I keep my hair products. Let's examine that a little closer.

Doesn't really look like that much, right? (Yes, I have two bottles of the same spray. One of them is running out and knowing me, I'd run out on a day I'm running late.)

But let's lay everything in the basket out:

 

Yeah. That's two regular brushes, one paddle brush, two round brushes, three combs, one tiny brush, two or three kinds of hair spray and, well, tons of stuff. The stuff I use the most is in the bottom left corner

The sad thing? My mom's store just got a bunch of new hair stuff I want to try.

Peace and cookies,

Laina

In My Mailbox (36)

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


Leap by Jodi Lundgren - ARC

When life is changing, sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith in yourself.

Natalie Ferguson has just turned fifteen, a momentous age that, happily, means that she's officially a grown-up. But while her mom doesn't seem to have got the memo, Kevin, her best friend Sasha's older brother, has. The school year is over, and Natalie is looking forward to a summer of perfecting her technique at dance camp. Caught up with the excitement of Kevin's attention, their relationship quickly becomes intimate and all-consuming.

Natalie's summer is a mix of amazing highs and dramatic lows. She goes from being in love and lust with Kevin to realizing that he is not the guy she thought he was, and she may have lost her friendship with Sasha in the process. Then, just when she's ready to turn to her single mom for advice, she learns that her mother is now in love with a woman. Losing her virginity, dealing with her new understanding of her mother, and trying to renegotiate her relationships, Natalie clings to her dancing as the only sure thing in a life suddenly full of questions.

(Summary from goodreads.)

I won this in a contest from (blog) along with a cute little notebook.

Such A Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess - Paperback

They promised Meredith nine years of safety, but only gave her three.

Her father was supposed to be locked up until Meredith turned eighteen. She thought she had time to grow up, get out, and start a new life. But Meredith is only fifteen, and today her father is coming home from prison.

Today her time has run out.

(Summary from goodreads.)

I cheated and peeked at the first couple pages and holy WOW do I want to read this like NOW. I won this one from a blog contest, too.


Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison - Paperback

Madison's prom was killer—literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper—yeah, that kind of reaper—intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away.

Now she's stuck on Earth—dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe . . . ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.

Well, if she believed in that stuff.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Okay, so I kinda already have this one... but this is a paperback and my other copy is an ARC so it totally counts as not being the same... right? :P

Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison - Paperback

Seventeen, dead, and in charge of heaven's dark angels—all itching to kill someone.

Madison Avery's dreams of ever fitting in at her new school died when she did. Especially since she was able to maintain the illusion of a body, deal with a pesky guardian angel, and oh yeah, bring the reaper who killed her to his untimely end. Not exactly in-crowd material. It's amazing that her crush, Josh, doesn't think she's totally nuts.

Now Madison has learned that she's the dark timekeeper, in charge of angels who follow the murky guidelines of fate. Never one to abide by the rules, she decides it's time for a major change to the system. With the help of some unlikely allies, Madison forms a rogue group of reapers who definitely don't adhere to the rules of the heavens.

But as she grapples with the terrifying new skills that come with being a timekeeper, Madison realizes she may not be prepared for what lies ahead—unless she gets some seriously divine intervention.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Something Deadly This Way Comes - by Kim Harrison - ARC

When Madison died the night of her prom, she knew her life would never be the same. Now she has a powerful amulet, a team of rogue angels by her side, and the ability to flash forward into the future to see the shape of destiny. And of course, now she's finally with Josh—a perfect boyfriend who doesn't even mind that she's dead.

But being dead has its disadvantages, too. Madison feels caught between the light and the dark, and between her real life and her timekeeper status. When Madison has the opportunity to get her body back—to be alive again—she faces her most difficult decision yet. If she claims it, she could return to being a normal girl—and have a chance at a real relationship with Josh. But would having the one thing she wants most in the world also mean giving up everything she's worked so hard for?

(Summary from goodreads.)

So are they changing the covers of all the books? If they are... I don't think I like it. I like the old cover betters. Anyways, I won all three of these in a contest.

Highland Heat by Mary Wine - Paperback

Ruined, betrayed, and banished…

As brave as she is impulsive, Deidre Chattan’s tendency to follow her heart and not her head has finally tarnished her reputation beyond repair. But when powerful Highland Laird Quinton Cameron finds her, he could care less about her past—it’s her future he’s about to change forever…

But it’s never too late for redemption…

From the moment Quinton sets eyes on Deidre Chattan, rational thought vanishes, for in her eyes he sees a fiery spirit that matches his own and he’ll be damned if he’ll let such a wild Scottish rose wither under the weight of a nun’s habit…

With nothing left to lose, Deidre and Quinton band together to protect king and crown. But what they can accomplish alone is nothing compared to what they can build with their passion for each other.

(Summary from goodreads.)

*shrug* My mom has already stolen this one from me... and I like romance novels. Won in a blog contest.

I won a bunch of swag and some other little things, too, but I don't even know where my camera is, so that'll have to wait til next week.

What'd you guys get this week?

Peace and cookies,
Laina