2011 Reading Challenge Update/Books Read in 2011

(I know this is crazy late for me. I've been... just not in a mood to do it.)

So. The results of the 100 book reading challenge I did last year are... not so good. I'm a bit disappointed in myself but I'm hoping to do better this year.

Here's what I read last year (novels only in this list):

1. Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas by Jun Asuka
2. Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton
3. Wintercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw
4. Drought by Pam Bachorz
5. The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
6. Night Child by Jes Battis
7. A Flash of Hex -//-
8. Inhuman Resouces -//-
9. Always and Forever Friends by C. S. Adler
10. Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
11. Paradise County by Karen Robards
12. Coraline by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell
13. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
14. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
15. Where She Went -//-
16. Worth the Trip by Penny McCall
17. When Blood Calls by J. K. Beck
18. When Pleasure Rules -//-
19. When Wicked Craves -//-
20. Future Imperfect by K. Ryer Breese
21. Blue Moon by Lori Handeland
22. Hunter's Moon -//-
23. Dark Moon -//-
24. Cresent Moon -//-
25. Midnight Moon -//-
26. Rising Moon -//-
27. Hidden Moon -//-
28. Thunder Moon -//-
29. Marked by the Moon -//-
30. Moon Cursed -//-
31. Sweet Hannah Rose by Lori Copeland
32. Birthright by Nora Roberts
33. The Trouble With Harry by Katie MacAlister
34. Sanctuary by Nora Roberts
35. Charlie All Night by Jennifer Cruisie
36. Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard
37. This Matter of Marriage by Carla Cassidy
38. Shadows in the Darkness by Elaine Cunningham
39. Making Waves by Tawna Fenske
40. Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell

*cough* Yeah. Not my best year. I'm going to put up a picture book post tomorrow to make myself feel better. :P

How did you guys do in 2011? Favourite books?

Peace and cookies,

Laina

Waiting on Wednesday (105)

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


Something Like Normal by Trish Doller - To be released June 19th, 2012

When Travis Stephenson returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are on the brink of divorce, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and his car, and nightmares of his best friend getting killed keep him completely spooked. But when he runs into Harper Gray, a girl who despises him for trashing her reputation with a middle school lie, life actually starts looking up. As Travis and Harper see more of each other, he starts falling for her and a way through the family meltdown, the post-traumatic stress, and the possibility of an interesting future begins to emerge.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want to read this: Have you guys met Trish Doller? Seriously one of the nicest people I have ever met. And this is going to be an awesome book. *nods* Trust me.

Alright, next up, we have:


Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel - To be released June 26th, 2012

Callie LeRoux lives in Slow Run, Kansas, helping her mother run their small hotel and trying not to think about the father she's never met. Lately all of her energy is spent battling the constant storms plaguing the Dust Bowl and their effects on her health.

Callie is left alone, when her mother goes missing in a dust storm. Her only hope comes from a mysterious man offering a few clues about her destiny and the path she must take to find her parents in "the golden hills of the west" - California. Along the way she meets Jack a young hobo boy who is happy to keep her company—there are dangerous, desperate people at every turn.

And there's also an otherworldly threat to Callie. Warring fae factions, attached to the creative communities of American society, are very aware of the role this half-mortal, half-fae teenage girl plays in their fate.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: Things about the Dust Bowl are fascinating. I (very, very, very) briefly ran a book club for grade 4-6 kids and I got this resource book that had all sorts of books in it and one unit thing was based on Karen Hesse' Out of the Dust Bowl. I thought that would a great thing for a book club to do, but maybe come summer (when it's hot and dry in Saskatchewan), depending on what hours I'll have V, we could do something like that. But with MG books for her because she's 8 and this one for me as a treat. I totally rambled there, but anyways, this sounds awesome!

What are you guys waiting on?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday (104)

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


Miracle by Elizabeth Scott - To be released June 5th, 2012

I sat there and wondered again why I'd lived…

Megan is a miracle. At least, that’s what everyone says. Having survived a plane crash that killed everyone else on board, Megan knows she should be grateful just to be alive. The truth is, she doesn’t feel like a miracle. In fact, she doesn’t feel anything at all.

Then memories from the crash start coming back. Scared and alone, Megan doesn’t know who to turn to. Her entire community
seems unable—or maybe unwilling—to see her as anything but Miracle Megan. Except for Joe, the beautiful boy next door with a tragic past and secrets of his own.

All Megan wants is for her life to get back to normal, but the harder she tries to live up to everyone’s expectations, the worse she feels. This time, she may be falling too fast to be saved…

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want to read this: I *cough* haven't read any of Elizabeth Scott's books. I know. *is shunned by all* But holy heck, Batman, this sounds beautiful and heartbreaking and like it would make me cry and I would really, really like to read it.


All These Lives by Sarah Wylie - To be released June 5th, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal. And Jena is wasting away.

To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: *sniffle sniffle* This one is going to make me cry, too, I just know it. Why do people write such sad books?!?!?

(If you guys had read any of my WIPs, you'd know what a hypocritical thing this would be for me to say, lol.)

What do you guys think? What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Fun Friday: Give Me Something to Sing About! (85)

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.



(Rescued by Jack's Mannequin.)

I can't really get radio stations at my house and I don't have a car, so besides when I watch music channels, I don't really know what's popular in music, so I have no idea if you've heard of this song. But I really like it and I'm invoking the my blog, my rules thing ;)

What do you guys think?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday (103)

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

What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen - To be released May 1st, 2012

“Don’t even think of leaving…I will find you,” he whispered. “Guaranteed.”

Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it. Each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want to read this: It sounds really, really good. I have no better word for that, other than the feeling of, "This is a book I will enjoy." Also, look at that cover. Not just the beautiful picture and lighting and colours, but the font. I love how they have it arranged to kinda be hugging the trees and her name is in the corner and it's so pretty. Love it.

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis - To be released May 8th, 2012

It isn’t easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.
When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past—and hers?

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: I absolutely adore fairy tale adaptations and this one sounds amazing.

So what are you guys waiting on this week?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Fun Friday: Give Me Something to Sing About! (84)

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.



(You Got Me by Crash Kings.)

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday (102)

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


The Night She Disappeared by April Henry - To be released April 10th, 2012 (Which is really amusing. I wish there a Laina month. WOULDN'T THAT BE AWESOME?)

Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. She also works part time as a delivery girl at Pete’s Pizza. One night, Kayla—another delivery girl—goes missing. To her horror, Gabie learns that the supposed kidnapper had asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was working that night. Gabie can’t move beyond the fact that Kayla’s fate was really meant for her, and she becomes obsessed with finding Kayla. She teams up with Drew, who also works at Pete’s. Together, they set out to prove that Kayla isn’t dead—and to find her before she is.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want to read this: I love mysteries and suspense. Some of my favourite books are murder mysteries, but most of them aren't YA, so this make me very happy. Also, I love the cover. She has a head and she's wearing pants!


Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris - To be released April 24th, 2012

A YA thriller, features a 17 year old girl who mysteriously comes back to life after dying in a car crash. She sets out to avenge her father’s murder, solve the case he was working on, and stop the rapidly approaching apocalypse. And unravel the mystery of the boy responsible for bringing her back to life.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: It's a short summary, but it's intriguing, isn't it? More mystery on top of the paranormal aspect that I really like the sound of and look!! She has a head and pants too!!

Alright, so, I'll talk to you guys next week.

Peace and cookies,
Laina