Waiting on Wednesday - Beautiful Lies

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesday is a post where you can let people know what upcoming books you're excited about!


This week I am waiting on:


Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman
August 7, 2012 - Walker Childrens

"Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins—so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they’ve lived with since their parents passed away, can’t tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong—especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself? Master storyteller Jessica Warman will keep readers guessing when everything they see—and everything they are told—suddenly becomes unreliable in this page-turning literary thriller."


Why I Want It: I'm a big fan of Jessica Warman, I really enjoy her writing style. Also, this book sounds like it's going to get pretty creepy, and I've been getting into a lot of thrillers this year. Add into that the fact there are identical twins, and I'm all about this.

Also by Jessica Warman: Breathless (2009), Where the Truth Lies (2010), Between (2011)

TGIF - Comfort Reads

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads. Each week a new question is posted for followers to answer on their blogs. This TGIF questions is:
Comfort Reads: Which books do you go to for comfort and familiarity? Is there a type of book you seek out when you're needing that extra bit of comfort in your life?


There are a few specific books that I reread over and over, usually because something about the characters feels familiar or comforting, but also sometimes because I remember reading them for the first time and when I read these books for second or third or fourth times, I can recall how I felt that first time experiencing those particular words.

If I'm in the mood for a comforting book, but don't want to do a reread, I will usually go for some contemporary realistic fiction, mostly coming of age stories or stories where the protagonist gains confidence or self-awareness by the end of the book. There are also some authors I will always go back to, like John Green, Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Maureen Johnson, because their writing styles feel so familiar to me by now. In high school I would reread all of Caroline B Cooney and Francesca Lia Block's books.

Pictured Above:
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
Paper Towns by John Green
Tomorrow, Maybe by Brian James
A Time for Dancing by Davida Willis Hurwin
I Can Hear the Mourning Dove by James W Bennett
Samantha Crane on the Run by Linda A Cooney
Echo by Francesca Lia Block
Twins by Caroline B Cooney

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for People Who Like Sarah Dessen

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Each Tuesday there is a different Top Ten topic to join in on, and you can see past and future topics on their features page. This week's topic is: Books For People Who Liked X Author. For this topic I chose Sarah Dessen, because in high school she was one of the first author's that I really latched onto and enjoyed basically everything she's ever written. So these books are for fans of Dessen who are looking for something new to read.


Top Ten Books for People Who Like Sarah Dessen:


If you liked these books:

Then you will like these books:

The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

Just Like That by Marsha Qualey

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott

Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

For Keeps by Natasha Friend

The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

The Night She Disappeared - April Henry - 2012

The Night She Disappeared by April Henry


Published: Henry Holt - 2012
Age Group: Young Adult
Dated Read: July 1, 2012
4 of 5 Stars: Fast-paced, intense, with quality characters.


Reason for Reading: I read Henry's Girl, Stolen in the Fall of 2010, and I really enjoyed it. I've recently started reading a lot more mystery & thriller books, and this book by Henry fit right in.


On GoodReads: 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.


My Thoughts: April Henry seems to do a great job of putting a lot of action, emotion, and character building into a short number of pages. Both this book & Girl, Stolen were quick reads, but they both really packed a punch. I liked Gabie's determination to find Kayla and her insistence that she was still alive, and I admired Kayla's strength throughout her kidnapping. Henry writes realistic characters that I find it easy to see myself in. There are a few different POVs in The Night She Disappeared, and they all work really well, it is especially creepy from the kidnapper's perspective. Added in between the chapters are transcripts of 911 calls, police interviews, lab reports, and evidence logs. These extra pieces of information really add to the atmosphere of the book and completely sucked me in. Overall, this was a really great, quick mystery, that I think would appeal to a wide audience, teens and adults alike.


Quote From The Book: "There's something else I wanted to talk to you about before the police did."
"What?" I Wonder if he wants me to lie for him. Not tell about him and Kayla smoking weed in the cooler that one time.
"They asked for you first." Drew says, interrupting my thoughts. "The guy who called asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was delivering." (p.12)


Recommended To: Mystery lovers. Fans of I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab, or Samantha Crane on the Run by Linda A Cooney.


Books Read This Year: 55


Currently Reading: Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

Rules of the Road - Joan Bauer - 1998

Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer


Published: Speak (Penguin ) - 1998
Age Group: Young Adult
Date Read: June 30, 2012
4 of 5 Stars: Full of humor, fun, and strength

Reason for Reading: I had read one of Bauer's other books, and my mother had actually picked this up from the library, so I read it while visiting my parents.

On GoodReads: Jenna Boller is too tall for a sophomore and she's not much good in school. Her sister Faith got all the looks in the family, but boy, can Jenna sell shoes! She's supremely happy at her after-school job at Gladstone's, where the big white sign over the door says "We're Not Just Selling Shoes, We're Selling Quality." When elderly Mrs. Madeline Gladstone, the crusty president of the company, chooses Jenna as her driver on a business trip to visit other Gladstone's stores, Jenna goes reluctantly--with trepidation at driving the huge Cadillac, and at the prospect of leaving her alcoholic father behind. But on the road, Jenna learns "great road truths" such as "Never eat at a place called Mom's, because it's a safe bet Mom's been dead for years." She also proves to be indispensable (possessing an eagle eye for shoddy quality and sloppy service), and soon learns to admire and love the irascible Mrs. Gladstone as well as her old friend, "World's Best Shoe Salesman" Harry Bender. When Harry dies suddenly, Jenna realizes that she wishes he had been her father. Trouble looms in the form of a company takeover by Mrs. Gladstone's sleazy son, Elden, "Shoe Rodent," but Jenna summons courage from Harry's memory and saves the day for quality shoes. 


My Thoughts: This book was so funny at times, and so touching and heartfelt at others. It was very tame compared to many more recently written YA books, but it worked well. I liked seeing Jenna find her strength and confidence over the Summer she worked for Mrs. Gladstone. Bauer seems to always write good, strong female characters that have some type of work-force talent, which I find really enjoyable. Jenna's struggle with her father's alcoholism is very realistic, though a bit cheesy at times, and her final confrontation with him shows how much she has grown and changed over the course of the book. The side characters were also wonderfully written and unique. Bonus: Road trip.

Recommended To: If you liked Joan Bauer's Hope Was Here, or if you like road trip novels, like Morgan Matson's Amy & Roger's Epic Detour or Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

Quote From The Book: "The car was pointed away from the garage door, which meant that to get the car out, I would have to back it up. I was a C-minus backer-upper.
"A Cadillac, Floyd always said, is entirely trustworthy. It has been tested in any and all conditions and will perform to the utmost to protect its driver."
Was this a car or a Seeing Eye dog?" (p. 27)

Books Read This Year: 53 of 100

Currently Reading: The Night She Disappeared by April Henry

Nothing - Janne Teller - 2010

Nothing by Janne Teller translated from Danish by Martin Aitken


Published: 2010 - Atheneum (originally published in 2000)
Age Group: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Date Read: June 28, 2012
3 out of 5 Stars: It was good/baffling/disturbing/too hard to categorize

Reason for Reading: The text on the jacket flap (see below) completely got to me. It sounded so interesting that I had to find out if the children in the book ever proved that there is meaning in life or not.

 On GoodReads: "Pierre Anthon left school the day he found out that it was not worth doing anything as nothing mattered anyhow. The rest of us stayed behind. And even though the teachers carefully cleared up after Pierre Anthon in the class room as well as in our heads, a bit of Pierre Anthon remained within us. Perhaps this is why things later happened the way they did...  
Thus begins the story of Pierre Anthon, a thirteen year old boy, who leaves school to sit in a plum tree and train for becoming part of nothing. "Everything begins just in order to end. The moment you were born you began to die, and that goes for everything else as well." Pierre Anthon shouts and continues: "The whole thing is just one immense play which is about pretending and about being best at exactly that."
Scared at the prospects that Pierre Anthon throws at them together with the ripening plums, his seventh grade classmates set out on a desperate quest for the meaning of life. Nothing they do will make him come down, not even pelting him with rocks. So to prove to Pierre Anthon that life has meaning, the children decide to give up things of importance. The pile starts with the superficial—a fishing rod, a new pair of shoes. But as the sacrifices become more extreme, the students grow increasingly desperate to get Pierre Anthon down, to justify their belief in meaning.

My Thoughts: My feelings for this book are so hard to put into words. I really enjoyed the writing, though I could often tell where the translation from Danish to English was a little off, and I liked the idea of meaning and wondering what has meaning in the world and what makes life worth living and things worth doing. As the children in this story begin to demand what each other must give up and put into the "heap of meaning," the demands became more and more disturbing. What started with some books, shoes, and a fishing rod, ends up with a coffin, Jesus on the Cross, and other, even more disturbing, items that involve criminal behavior to retrieve. I am still thinking through this book. It was so baffling and strange, but also really well done.

 Recommended To: Anyone up for a really strange, disturbing read. And someone with a strong stomach.

Quote From The Book: "How come everyone's making like everything that isn't important is very important, all the while they're so busy pretending what's really important isn't important at all?"

 Books Read This Year: 52 of 100

Currently Reading: Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer

Books 41-51 of 2012

The final part in my series of Catching Up posts. 
Find books 1-20 here, and books 21-40 here.


Books 41-51 of 2012:

The stand-outs are:


Keep Holding On - Susane Colasanti
All These Lives - Sarah Wylie
What She Left Behind - Tracy Bilen
The Year of Secret Assignments - Jaclyn Moriarty


Coming Soon: Regularly scheduled posts!

Books 21-40 of 2012

This is my follow up the my last post, the first 20 of 2012.

Books 21-40 that I read this year are:

Of these 20 books, the ones that stand out to me are:

If Only - Carole Geithner

Legend - Marie Lu

Bitterblue - Kristin Cashore

Wither - Lauren DeStefano

The Selection - Kiera Cass

First 20 of 2012

The first 20 books I read in 2012:

Of these first 20 books, the stand-outs are:

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E Smith

The Catastrophic History of You & Me - Jess Rothenberg

Possession - Elana Johnson

Waiting on Wednesday (4) - Bitterblue

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesday is a post where you can let people know what upcoming books you're anticipating!

This week I am waiting on:

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

May 1, 2012 - Dial

Not a lot has been released about the story of Bitterblue, but from GoodReads: "Bitterblue is a companion book to both Graceling and Fire and takes place in the seven kingdoms eight years after Graceling. This third book will tie all three books together in some way. Bitterblue is the sixteen-year-old protagonist, and Katsa, Po, Giddon, Helda, and other characters from Graceling will be part of the fabric of the book."

And from Cashore's website: "Bitterblue is a companion book to both Graceling and Fire and takes place in the seven kingdoms eight years after Graceling (not six, as I'd written previously). As you may have gathered, the protagonist is Bitterblue. Yes, Katsa, Po and others from Graceling do appear in the book. Bitterblue will be released on May 1, 2021 in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. It will be released in a few other countries/languages as well; I'll supply that information when I have it."

Why I Want It:

I loved both Graceling and Fire, both were so much fun to read and really got me started on reading more YA Fantasy novels. Bitterblue's part of the story in Graceling was really well done and ever since there was talk of a Bitterblue novel a few years ago, I have been waiting to find out when it comes out. I'm so excited that there's a date for it now, and can't wait to read it!

Last week's Waiting on Wednesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Read That Were Outside of My Comfort Zone

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Each Tuesday there is a different Top Ten topic to join in on, and you can see past and future topics on their features page. This week's topic is: Books I Read That Were Outside of My Comfort Zone.

For me, this list is more about genres and styles instead of topics. I used to be pretty predictable in the books I would read; a lot of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, Elizabeth Scott, a lot of books about coming into your own as a teen. I didn't read fantasy, non-fiction, adult fiction, etc. Going back over my GoodReads lists for this post was a lot of fun, because I could remember being wary about some of these books when I picked them up to read.

Top Ten Books I Read That Were Outside of My Comfort Zone:

The Uglies Series (Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras) by Scott Westerfeld

This was my first dystopia (not counting The Giver in 6th grade) and I had no idea what to expect from it. It wasn't my "type" of book, I didn't like sci-fi or fantasy, but man, this book got me hooked on terrible futures.

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga

This book was recommended to me by a Children's Lit professor, so I picked it up and read the summary. It just didn't sound like something I would like. I know little of comic books and was wary of protagonists that were so into something I had no idea about. I did end up liking the book, but not the sequel.

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Foreign Horror. I used to be a big chicken, sleep with a night light during high school type of person. Scary movies actually scared me. So horror fiction, especially foreign vampire fiction, sounded a bit too creepy for me. But it was really good!

Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

Like I said, I didn't used to read non-fiction. This was one of the first in a string of biographies & memoirs I read a few years ago. I read a whole bunch right in a row, but haven't gotten back into the genre for a while.

In the Woods by Tana French

This is the first real Mystery I read. My mom always reads mysteries, and I'd never been interested in them. I saw this book at the train station, loved the cover, and it sounded interesting. I still don't read a lot of mysteries, but I always read Tana French's books now!

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson

I'm not a historical fiction person. I was never a history lover in school. I've always really liked books that could happen now. But I heard so many good things about this book and this author, and I am so glad that I looked past my usual issues and picked it up.

Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams

A book in verse. I had to try so hard at points in this book to push myself to keep going. Not because it was bad, it was actually a really wonderful story, but because my brain just wasn't used to reading a story told in verse. I am still not a big fan of the style, but I won't completely shut them out.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I read some fantasy books as a young child, like Patricia C Wrede's Dragon books. But throughout middle school, high school, and college, I just did not read fantasy. I didn't like books that I couldn't believe actually happened, or that I couldn't imagine happening to me. I think I had an imagination problem for a while. This book was also recommended to me by the same Children's Lit professor, who said she also had trouble getting into fantasy books. I figured if someone with my same views on fantasy liked it, then I should give it a try. It was an instant favorite, and now I love reading fantasy YA.

Stitches by David Small

My first graphic novel. It was difficult at first to navigate the story without words and on many pages, without dialog. Once I found my rhythm, I really enjoyed this book and have read a few more graphic novels since.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

This is sort of a silly reason for being hesitant of a book, but I really never read books with male protagonists. I just felt I couldn't relate to them. I love Laurie Halse Anderson though, so I gave it a try, and realized how silly I was to ignore a whole bunch of books just because they had boys in them.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Had Strong Emotions About

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Each Tuesday there is a different Top Ten topic to join in on, and you can see past and future topics on their features page. This week's topic is: Books I Had Strong Emotions About (good or bad). I've linked each book to its GoodReads page.

Top Ten Books I Had Strong Emotions About:

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Emotion: Anger -- So much build up and then... nothing.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Emotion: Sadness & Anger -- The poor tree just gives and gives to the neediest boy alive, but the boy never gives anything back!

Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern

Emotion: Disappointment -- One of the only books I put down and didn't finish.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Emotion: Anger -- Henry and Clare made me so angry... I don't usually hate characters, but I hate Henry.

Bleed by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Emotion: Confusion -- This book was all over the place with small chapters on different characters, but there was no ending to any of the stories, usually I am a big Stolarz fan!

Stitches by David Small

Emotion: Wonder -- This was one of the first graphic novels I read, and the images were so powerful, I was just in awe of this book.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Emotion: Lots of tears -- This book (and its sequel) made me cry so hard, and I hadn't expected it.

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Emotion: Wonder & Joy -- This book is just amazing, I am so excited for the sequel to come out (next week!).

A Time for Dancing by Davida Wills Hurwin

Emotion: Sadness & something I can't quite name -- The power of friendship in this novel just astounds me and fills me with all sorts of emotions.

Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon

Emotion: Creeped out -- This book freaked me out, I had chills at times.

Hold Still - Nina LaCour - 2009

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Published: 2009 - Dutton

Age Group: Young Adult

Date Read: October 20, 2011

4.5 out of 5 Stars: Overall, really liked it

Reason for Reading: This was picked up on a giant book run last winter. I don't think I've ever bought so many books at once. I liked how it sounded, and I loved the design of the book.

On GoodReads: "Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend's suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn't die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid's descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid - and Caitlin herself."

My Thoughts: I really liked this book. It was very emotional, as you would expect from a book about a girl recovering from her best friend's suicide, and it felt very true to life. I don't know what it is about emotional realistic fiction, but it gets me every time. I am so drawn to stories about people who need to get past a major conflict or major loss. I like books where you can see the characters grow from start to finish.

Nina LaCour's writing was wonderful. She did a great job of getting me inside Caitlin's head and making me feel like I was experiencing the pain and loneliness that she felt. I really just enjoyed this book all around, even the journal entries of Ingrid's that were included.

Recommended To: If you liked Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott or Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

Quote From The Book: "I sort through the letters and pull out what I need for the beginning. They snap easily into place. And even though I thought I would need every letter, I finish the first sentence and realize that it’s all I have left to say.

I MISS YOU."

Books Read This Year: 87 of 100

Currently Reading: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa

The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson - 2011

The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson

Published: 2011 - Putnam Juvenile

Age Group: Young Adult

Date Read: October 27, 2011

5 out of 5 Stars: Loved it

Reason for Reading: I have been a fan of Maureen Johnson since I read The Bermudez Triangle a few years ago, and then proceeded to read every book she's written. I highly recommend Devilish as a fun read.

On GoodReads: "The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities."

My Thoughts: I wasn't quite sure I was going to like this book as much as Johnson's other books, mostly because I tend to dislike books with ghosts. However, this book also has Jack the Ripper, and I really like serial killer, creepy books. So this worked out really well for me. This book was super creepy, in the best way possible, and I could not stop reading. I just wanted to find out how it was going to all go down.

Johnson's writing is intelligent and funny, and her characters always remind me of real people. Rory was such a fun protagonist, this Southern girl transplanted to a London boarding school. She was was witty and smart and Johnson had me laughing out loud one minute and then gripping the book with anticipation the next. There is nothing like a good boarding school setting for a thriller, and this was done fantastically.

Maureen Johnson just announced the second title in the series will be The Madness Underneath.

Recommended To: Fans of the supernatural genre, Maureen Johnson fans, those in the mood for a good, creepy Halloween read.

Quote From The Book: "I was terrified for a few minutes that they would all be like this, but reassured myself that it probably took a certain type to become head girl. I decided to deflect her attitude by giving a long, Southern answer. I come from people who know how to draw things out. Annoy a Southerner, and we will drain away the moments of your life with our slow, detailed replies until you are nothing but a husk of your former self and that much closer to death." (page 23-24)

Books Read This Year: 87 of 100

Currently Reading: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa

Waiting on Wednesday (3) - Wintertown

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesday is a post where you can let people know what upcoming books you're anticipating!

This week I am waiting on:

WinterTown by Stephen Emond

December 5, 2011 - Little, Brown

"Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has chopped dyed black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth, "Old Lucy" still exists, and he's determined to find her... even if it means pissing her off."

Why I Want it:

It's been described as "Garden State" meets "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist." Need I say more?

Last week's Waiting on Wednesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Perfect Books for Halloween Reading

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a different Top Ten topic to join in on. This week's topic is: Books that are perfect for reading around Halloween. This topic was a bit difficult for me, since I didn't start reading fantasy or horror until recently.

Top Ten Books Perfect for Halloween (in no particular order):

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Being Dead by Vivian Vande Velde

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

The Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris