Memorable Books from 2009!

I haven't gotten the chance to read as many books from 2009 as I would have liked to. I see these lists with so many books that I haven't read but I still found many books that were very enjoyable to me. Instead of picking a 6th and 7th for my favorites from 2009, I just decided to list some memorable ones.

So these are also up for grabs in my contest along with my previous 5 that were posted throughout the week:

Evermore by Alyson Noel (first in the immortals series)
Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (second in the immortals series)
Stargazer by Claudia Gray (second in evernight series)
Eternal by Cynthia Leicht Smith

So in all that makes 9 books to choose from, so far theres only like 13 entries so you have a pretty good chance of winning. Only 14 more followers until the first place winner gets to pick two of these books!

I will post all of the choices on the contest page!

Sherry <3

Books 3,4 & 5 from my top 7 of 2009!

Ok so I know I am a slacker, most of the time, but that wasn't the case in why these posts are so late. I went to Connecticut Sunday, i've been working a lot. I just didn't have the time to sit down and write reviews about these books no matter how much I love them. But I do have time now so without further ado, books 3,4 & 5 from my top 7 from 2009.(I'll do books 6 & 7 tomorrow so there's not to much in this one post!)


For book 3 I have chosen a book that I originally never intended on reading, seeing as I never intended on reading the first book that came out in this series. I am talking about Catching Fire. While it took me a while to actually pick up The Hunger Games(the first book in the series) it took me a few more months to actually open it. I'm not sure what it was but it just didn't look that good to me. Well, I was wrong. I know it's a rarity but it does happen on occasion. I loved The Hunger Games and I knew Catching Fire would be just as good.

Here is a little bit about Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins(possibly some spoilers for those of you who haven't read this yet):

"Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying."

What I think:

OMG! That's all I can say because that's what I said when I finished reading Catching Fire. I couldn't believe it, when does the third book come out?!!? Just kidding I already know the answer to that. But seriously, this book was amazing. It kept my attention the whole time and I never wanted it to end, but it did and the author has done an awesome job of keeping her readers interested. I am now a loyal follower of this series and regret admitting I was not the least bit interested when it first came out. The characters are amazing too. Katniss is a great female character. She's strong physically and mentally, she takes care of her family, she's a survivor. And Peeta. I am Team Peeta. That's all I have to say on that subject. If you haven't read this or The Hunger Games, you should. I regret not reading it sooner but now there's less time until the third and final book is released!! This series is a must read.

Book 4 from my top 7 favorites. This is a book that is not part of a series, well it is but it is the first one in the series so you're not behind if you haven't read this one yet, but you still need to read it. hush,hush by Becca Fitzpatrick is one of my favorites from 2009.

Here is a little bit about the book:

"For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life."

Personal Opinion:

I read mostly vampire books or books related to that. Theres always something thats not about vampires but is equally as good. This year my prefrences grew to include angels. Fallen angels for that matter. Fitzpatrick hooked me in when her first two chapters of hush,hush were available online to read before it was released. I read them, and couldn't believe I had to wait. But wait I did and I didn't regret it. I loved the book and will be getting the second one, Crescendo, whenever that is released. Patch is amazing, he is one of the main characters. Did I mention that he was amazing? Oh right, I did. Annnyways... this book develops well and becomes very fast paced near the end, which I loved. It just got better and better, and I have to admit I was a bit surprised with the ending. I mean usually I figure most everything out before the book ends but Becca was good at keeping some things a surprise, which as a reader I really appreciate. Not only is this book one of my favorites but it has to be one of my favorite covers too. That's what initally drew me in. I recommend this for all, so go pick it up!

I have to add this to my favorites because out of all of the books from the House of Night series this is my favorite so far. Hunted is number 5 from my top 7! Hunted is book five from the House of Night series which is written by mother daugher team P.C and Kristin Cast.

Heres a summary of the book(definately spoliers below if you haven't read the previous books):

"At the start of this heart-pounding new installment in the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey's friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren't Neferet's secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona is gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if his past life unearths secrets Zoey doesn't want to see and truths she can't face? On the run and holed up in Tulsa's Prohibition-era tunnels, Zoey and her gang must discover a way to deal with something that might bring a them all down. Meanwhile, Zoey has a few other little problems. The red fledglings have cleaned up well- they've even managed to make the dark, creepy tunnels feel more like home- but are they really as friendly as they seem? On the boyfriend front, Zoey has a chance to make things right with super-hot ex, Erik, but she can't stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms after one unforgettable night, and she is driven to try to save him from Neferet's sinister influence at all costs. Will anyone believe the power evil has to hide among us?"

Review:
All of the books in the HON series are fun reads. They are interesting and different than other vampire books that I have read. While I enjoy the entire series, this is my favorite from the bunch. Zoey is a strong main character but she isn't overconfident and that makes me like her more. She can be a leader when she has to be but likes being one of the group. I love all of her friends, and I really like Stark. It has romance but action and comedy too. Sharp wit from some of the characters is what makes it such a fun read I think. This book, or the others in the series aren't too long, you could probably read them in 1-2 days if you have the time. They are enjoyable though so I recommend them as a quick, fun read. The other books in the series in order are Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed, Hunted and Tempted. The next book Burned comes out in April of 2010 and theres supposed to be like 12 books or something in the series. Enjoy!

Alright so five books down two to go, heres what's to choose from if you win my contest if you missed my previous picks:
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Hunted by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Books 6-7 will be posted tomorrow!

Have a great day!

Sherry <3


Amazon links used are affliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, I may get a small percentage. This does not affect any of the opinions expressed on this blog.

So behind!!!

I'm so very, very SORRY that I am behind on my posts. I promise to make it up to you all tomorrow. I will post books 3,4,5 and 6 in my top 7 from 2009. That will leave book 7 for the 31st. Don't forget those 7 books will be the choices for the prizes in my contest, if you haven't entered yet, you can find it on my navigation bar at the top of the page. (look up^^^^) Alright, I have to go but I promise to catch up tomorrow! Night all!!!!

Sherry <3

Book 2 from my top 7 favorites from 2009!

So since I only had 7 choices for my top picks from 2009, a lot of thought went into making this list. I have many favorites but some didn't make the cut. Blood Promise was one of the ones that did make it. Blood Promise is the fourth book in the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. Keep reading for my review!

Here is a summary of the book(minor spoilers below, you have been warned!):

"How far will Rose go to keep her promise? The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir's Academy was the deadliest ever in the school's history, claiming the lives of Moroi students, teachers, and guardians alike. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them... including Dimitri. He'd rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa – the one she has sworn to protect no matter what – and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most?"

My views:
I have to admit that when I first read Vampire Academy(the first book in the series) I wasn't ecstatic about the series. It is definately a good book but it wasn't one of my favorites. As the books continued coming out, they got better and better. Blood Promise was so good, I don't know how Mead can write a better book than that. I reread the day after I finished it for the first time and noticed many things I missed because I was reading so fast. So much happened but it wasn't overwhelming in any way. I just wanted more and more and I am patiently waiting for the next book in the series Spirit Bound, which is scheduled to be released in May. I don't have a single complaint about the books and I just have to say I think I might be Team Adrian(please stop giving me those evil eyes!) I've reread the first book since reading Blood Promise and that even seemed to get better to me. Just like with City of Glass, I recommend this series to anyone and everyone. I tend to push my books off on people and make them read them just to see their reaction when I know for certain they will love them. Everyone I have made read this series so far has proved me right! So, go read this now. :)

The titles of the first three books in the series are: Vampire Academy, Frostbite, and Shadow Kiss.

I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on my second choice for my top 7 picks of 09'.

By the way, the seven books I choose are in no particular order. I love them all!

Sherry <3


Amazon links used are affliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, I may get a small percentage. This does not affect any of the opinions expressed on this blog.

Review and Interview w/ author Christina Harner!

Here is a review of the book Behind Every Illusion by Christina Harner. Christina was kind enough to do an interview with me so read on to see what she had to say!

Here is a summary of the book:

"Even timid eighteen-year-old Tatiana Lewis wholeheartedly accepts this logic. So when she begins to experience unusual changes, she has no clue where to turn and instead keeps her new abilities a secret. But her best friend and brother, Isaac, sees past her illusions and together they explore the significance of her differences and search out the meaning behind them.

Amidst tragedy, unimaginable transformations and an unexpected friendship, Tatiana has to learn to reveal the girl hidden behind her illusions and what it means to face the world in order to preserve not only the forest but her very existence."
 
 I received a copy of this book back in September from Christina Harner and Librarything. I didn't want to sit down and read it until I knew I would have time to interview Christina and post a review about it. I must say I thouroughly enjoyed this book. While the beginning was smooth, it was a bit slow for my taste but the end
really made up for it so i'm glad I read all the way through. The copy I received is a pre-published one so it is a little longer than the final product will be once it gets published, so maybe that will speed the beginning up a bit. The characters in the book are very realistic and relatable which is always something I look for in books.
Even though it is based in fantasy, the characters are written so well it feels as if they could just come to life right before my eyes. I loved how the book includes the Earth and protecting it. Harner did a great job of twisting the story of myth and the "save our earth" message together in one. As you read the novel you get sucked in and you just have to continue until your finished! Harner's debut novel is a must read and is a series that I will be following from now on.

This book has not been been published by a major publishing company yet but is still available for purchase if you go here ---> Behind Every Illusion.


A little bit about the author:

 
Christina Harner spent years studying the complexities of culture for her B.A. A lover of all things fantasy and creating imaginary beings and stories in her head, she is thrilled to finally blend her passions for anthropology, nature and the unknown realm of fairies together in her debut book. She wrote Behind Every Illusion while living in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband and two children.
 
...and this is what Christina had to say!
 
1. Did you always want to be a writer?
When I was a kid, I only managed to write very bad poetry and one “choose your own adventure” book on a notebook involving Squanto and the Indians. It was very scary. So, no…I had no idea that writing would become my very favorite thing in all the world! I discovered my senior year of college, that not only did I like writing essays (at least, I could get A’s pretty easily), but I LOVED writing humorous papers. But if you’d asked me if I’d ever be a writer, like of a book (gasp!), I’d have laughed at you! And now, I wish more than anything else to someday have the title “bestselling author” in front of my name. I mean, it sends shivers down my back.

 1b. If not, what made you decide to want to be a writer?


Every since my preteen years, I’ve spent hours each day imagining stories in my head. Sometimes I had mind reading powers, sometimes I could fly, and sometimes I met someone with amazing abilities. Often I’d be inspired by a movie and then write “fan books” inside my head. But mainly, I created my own stories and worlds in my head at night as I fell asleep. And sometimes, especially when I had no friends after we moved to a new part of the country when I was twelve, I would pretend to be different creatures even during the day (yeah, like at school and the store and even while hiking with friends in the woods). But no one knew about this. In 2007—a few years after graduating from college with a Cultural studies degree, I gave my husband, Matt, a new laptop for Christmas. As I sat in bed that night (2 years ago to this very hour, in fact), staring at my old clunky laptop, I wondered, “Hmm, what could I do with a computer that only has Microsoft Word on it?” Hmm, indeed. So, I started typing. “This story is not a fairy tale...” and then I proceeded to write a fairy tale. Lol. But the truth is, I loved it. I mean, I really really loved it. I wrote my favorite scenes first (not advised!), and then other scenes that popped into my mind, and then I filled it in with tons of character developing plots. And I found that all those stories I’d perfected in my head over the past 10 years or so were all right there, waiting in line to be written on paper. And the romantic climax scene on the rooftop? Well, I’d been replaying that scene for years every night as I went to bed. In fact, I uncovered sketches of that scene all over my notebooks after I’d finished the book! And so, once I finished my first draft (6 months after Christmas), I started the “real” work: editing. And that took a year. But now, it’s finished and I’ve learned so much that I find I can write a lot faster now. And so, over the past few years, I’ve written 2 complete books and one half-finished book and I have LOVED every minute of writing. I told my agent I hope to have 2 books out a year once I get my debut novel out in the open. I now consider myself a writer and hope to never stop. Ever!


2. What gave you the idea to write about faeries?


Why not? Fairies are beautiful, subtly sexy, exciting, free-spirited creatures! I like that my fairies love nature and will teach others to love it. I love that my fairies can hide their true identity; I mean, what’s more exciting than that? And wings on a cute blond guitarist? Wow. Nothing better than that.


3. What's your favorite character from the book?


Oh, Isaac BY FAR. In fact, I based him (mostly—aside from what we learn in his diary!) on my brother, Daniel, who is one of my best friends and, although four years younger than I, is like a big brother to me. I love Isaac and it was hard to make the decisions I did about him.


4. What is your favorite book now, and growing up?


Ha! Favorite book? I read about 1 new YA novel a week and my favorites change all the time. But I’ll say that my “classic” favorite book is probably the Goblet of Fire. Brilliant characters, hilarious scenes and breathtaking writing. Before HP? Well, when I was growing up, Jane Eyre was my obsession. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s Twilight for the Victorian age teens. Seriously.


5. What are some authors that you enjoy reading?


Holly Black for serious fairy attitude (especially Ironside). Scott Westerfeld for making teens think deeper (take, Uglies, for example). Neil Gaiman for bizarre worlds (named my son, Tristan, after his Stardust character).

6. What can we look forward to in the sequel?

Hmm. First of all, I look forward to publication! My first one was self-published, but my agent would like to sell the series to a publishing house (yay!). Second, if you like Isaac, you’ll love book 2. It goes back in time a bit and gives his amazing story. I’m extremely excited about it; and although it may take a little while to come out (since I am getting another book published first), its halfway written. I hope to have two more after that in the series and I’m REALLY excited about book 4! It’s going to be AMAZING! In book 2, we’ll learn that not all these fairy creatures are the same; we’ll learn some of the history of nature and nymphs; and we’ll have another—even more—excited romance that can’t be missed!

7. Other than this series, do you have anything else in the works?

Yes! I just finished a book currently (but not officially) titled A Mermaid’s Tale of Dodging Destiny. Between finishing Behind Every Illusion and writing part of book 2, I procured my very own YA agent in New York City, who wants my “mermaid manuscript” to be my debut novel. The book is finished, aside from a few tiny edits (and yes, I am working on it despite the fact that its Christmas day!). I am very excited about it, and we will be working to sell it to publishers come first week of January 2010. So, be looking for a fun first-person YA (young adult) novel about a young girl who finds out she’s a mermaid (who can transform back into a human at will) who meets a dark handsome mermaid after she is already engaged to her best (human) friend. That’d be my book!
For fun:


8. What is your favorite type of snack food?

I don’t have a favorite snack food, but I’ll say that this week its jalapeno popcorn because that’s what I ate when I saw Avatar on the IMAX screen last week and so it will forever be the “snack I ate while watching my new very favoritest movie ever!” (I mean, they’re blue and beyond beautiful and they are connected to the earth. Can you ever go wrong with that?) Hehe.
 
 
Thanks to Christina for taking the time to share with us!
 
Sherry <3

Book 1 from my top 7 favorites from 2009!

Ahhh so this is a little late but I had this family Christmas party last night and it just wasn't going to happen. This counts towards the 25th though. This is my first day of my favorite books from 2009. While the books that I am choosing are in no particular order, this has to be one of my favorites from not only 2009 but ever. I am a huge fan of Cassandra Clare so I am happy to say that City of Glass, part of the Mortal Instruments Series is indeed in my top 7 of 2009. *cheers from the crowd*

City of Glass is the third book in a series(The Mortal Instruments) written by Cassandra Clare. Originally meant to be a trilogy, a fourth book will now be released in 2011(hopefully!!!!).


Here is a summary of the book:(if you haven't read the first this or the first two, beware of minor spoilers below!)

"To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and her best friend, Simon, has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling The Mortal Instruments."

My review:

   Well I already told you it's one of my favorites so that should say something. I don't know what it is about Clare's writing but she sucks me right into her books everytime. The first two books in the series I had a difficult time putting down when I had to, but with this it was just impossible, I read it in a straight shot. The characters are engaging and they grew as the series progressed. I won't give anything away but I love the ending and i'm very glad that's how Clare decided to end it. It was full of suspense, action, comedy, romance everything us YA readers love to read about. The book has a great plot and everything that happens from the beginning until the end somehow fits into the conclusion of the book. Jace was my favorite character throughout the first two books and was again in this one. He has that sarcastic wit and charm about him and you can't help but love his character. Overall if I had a rating system, which I don't yet but I will get eventually, it would be a 5/5! I recommend this book to anyone and if you haven't read the first two in the series they are City of Bones and City of Ashes. You will not regret it!

So that is my 1st book out of my top 7 from 2009. This will be one of the books of choice to the winner/winners of my contest. If you haven't entered yet just find the tab that says My Year End/First Contest at the top of my page and go enter!

I am going out of town today and I don't know what the internet access is like there. It will just be for two days so if by chance I can't get online, I will be posting my reviews on the next two books when I get home. Let's all cross our fingers though that I can get online because that will just plain suck if I can't!

I'll be posting an interview with author Christina Harner, who wrote Behind Every Illusion, after this so make sure you come back to check it out!

Sherry <3

Amazon links used are affliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, I may get a small percentage. This does not affect any of the opinions expressed on this blog.

My End of the Year/First Contest!

This Contest is CLOSED!!!


So this is my first ever contest and it coincides with the end of the year perfectly. Later tonight, and for the following six days I will post one book with its review. Those seven books will be my favorites from 2009 and that is what the winner will be choosing from, one of those. If I get more followers the prizes will get better. Here is what could potentially be up for grabs:


75 Followers- The winner of the contest will get to choose two books from the 7 on the list.


100 Followers- The first place winner will get to choose two books and a second place winner will get to choose one book from the list. It will be first come first serve as far as picking out of the 7 books goes.


125 Followers- Same as the 100 followers, but a third place winner will win a random book off my bookshelf, I will tell them the book ahead of time and if they don't like it can choose to receive a bag of swag instead.

If the time comes where I need to up the prizes, I will!

You must be a follower to enter this contest. You will need to leave you name and email address in your comment so that at the end of the contest I can contact you. You need to answer this question to be eligible to win: What was your favorite book from 2009? You will be able to get extra entries. This is how:

+1 - If you are a new follower.
+2 - If you are an old follower.
+3 - If i'm on your blogroll, or if you add me to your blogroll.(leave page link)
+5 - If you blog about this contest in an actual post and leave the link.

That will be it for extra entries for this contest, since it is my first one I don't want to over do it and make it to difficult for myself. Please add all entries into one comment.

Here's what the winner/winners will get to choose from:
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (third book in the mortal instruments series)
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead (fourth book in the vampire academy series)
Hush,Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (second book in the hunger games series)
Hunted by P.C and Kristin Cast (fifth book in house of night series)
Evermore by Alyson Noel (first in the immortals series)
Blue Moon by Alyson Noel (second in the immortals series)
Stargazer by Claudia Gray (second in evernight series)
Eternal by Cynthia Leicht Smith


The contest will run until January 8th, around 5:00pm.
This is open to U.S Residents Only! Sorry to those of you who are outside the U.S.

Alright that's it, I hope that's everything!

Get entering and good luck!!!!

Sherry <3

Beautiful Bingo Award

Beautiful BINGO Award

N- Neighbourly

Thanks to Velvet at vvb32 read's!

This award was started by Bookin With BINGO and here are the rules:

This "B-I-N-G-O" BEAUTIFUL BLOG AWARD means that this blog is...

 

 
B: Beautiful = Cindy of Princess Bookie


I: Informative = Natalie of Mindful Musings


N: Neighborly = Kari of A Good Addiction


G: Gorgeous = Jessica of A BookLover's Diary


O: Outstanding = Taschima of Bloody Bookaholic

Thanks again for my second award!
 
Sherry <3

The perfect Christmas!!!

                   (a picture of my dad in Iraq, he works on those things!!!)

I am so happy right now. This Christmas was made perfect by the arrival of my dad last night. He's been over in Iraq, working as a Field Service Rep. We originally didn't think he would be home until January 4th but we're lucky enough to have him home early. He had a tough five days of travel to make it here, but he's here and thats all that matters. He's only home for three weeks unfortunately and then he goes back to Iraq until sometime in the middle of 2010. He is starting his own blog to record what goes on over there so if anyone is interested his page will be this: A Place in the Sun He doesn't have any posts yet and we are still working on his profile but I think once he starts actually posting when he goes back it will be quite interesting to hear whats happening and to see some pictures.



Sherry <3

Check out the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways!!!

For those of you who aren't aware, there is a 12 Days of Xmas Giveaway going on right now. As of now they are on day 10, and all of them end on 12/31/09. Here is a list of all of the days and blogs that are participating, if there is a link just click and you will arrive right on the contest page for that blog. Go check out all the awesome prizes!

One amazing contest (with 9 winners) by The Neverending Shelf
Two - fantasy and paranormal by Literary Escapism
Three winners (with 4 books each) by Library Lizard Lounge
Four fun from the Blood Coven series by Bites
Five chances to win 5 prizes by Ellez Reads
Six - choose from 50 books by Book Rat
Seven - an invisible bookshelf (ooo) and books (of course) by Luxury Reading
Eight - books and swag by Princess Bookie
Nine - Borders gift card by Shooting Stars Mag
Ten - book and bookish goodies by vvb32 reads
Eleven by The Shady Glade 
Twelve by The Page Flipper

Alright so there they are twelve days, make sure you go check them out, and good luck everyone!

Sherry <3

It's almost over!

Tomorrow is the first of my three finals. After Wednesday, I will officially be done with school(for this degree). Evenutally I will go back to school but to think having one degree down is a relief. I actually like school, well certain classes. Anyways, I have a lot of studying to do for the next three days so if you notice my absence please don't be alarmed. I will be returning. I will try to post at least once a day since the holidays are upon us and there are some things coming up I want to talk about.

Enough about school, lets talk about books!

My TBR list keeps growing and my read pile isn't going anywhere.... I haven't really been in the mood to read anything on my shelf except for ones i've already read. All the books I really want to read, I don't have. With Christmas right around the corner i'm hoping to get lots of new stuff, and when I say stuff I mean books. I'm excited.

Here's are some books I want to read or am looking forward to reading when they come out:

Fallen by Lauren Kate (already released)

The Maze Runner by James Dashmer (already released)

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl (already released)

The Dark Devine by Bree Despain (HC Dec 22, 2009)

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (HC Jan 26, 2010)

The Mark by Jen Nadol (HC Jan 19, 2010)

Firespell by Chloe Neill (PB Jan 5, 2010)

Let's hope some of these find their way into my hands soooooon!!!!

Alright time to go study, night all!

Sherry <3


Amazon links used are affliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, I may get a small percentage. This does not affect any of the opinions expressed on this blog.

New everything!

I just went through and changed my whole blog around. I got a new template, and spiffied things up a bit. I am really trying to make my blog a good one and one that other people enjoy so if there is something that you think I should add or take off please let me know. What does everyone think of the new layout, your input is important to me!!!

Thanks all!

Sherry <3

So do YOU want to win some books???

Taschima over at Bloody Bookaholic is having a SUPER contest in celebration of all of these wonderful holidays that are upon us, as well as her reaching 500(now she has over 600!) followers! There are many prizes including the following books:

- ARC Eyes Like Stars
- Signed ARC Hush Hush
- ARC Ash
- ARC The Demon's Lexicon
- ARC Betraying Season
- The Black Tatto + poster
- I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You
- Candle Man, Book One
- Deadtown
- Lenore Noogies
- The anticipated sequel of The Nanny Diaries, The Nanny Returns
- Never After by Dan Elconsin
- Secret Society signed book and an Ambassador Kit


***And a 2010 Book called The Mark by Jen Nadol.

You could also win a ninja Tshirt gift card.


There will be three main winners, but that's not all, there will be random winners at the end of the contest as well. And if you post on your offical blog about this contest, you have the chance to win a prize if you aren't one of the big 3 winners. So what are you waiting for. Head over to Bloody Bookaholic now to enter to win some great prizes!!!


If you leave my name when entering we both get an extra entry so just mention Sherry @ Flipping pages for All Ages sent you!


Good luck to you all!

Sherry <3

Long overdue Eclipse and Breaking Dawn reviews!

I never actually thought about posting a review on the Twilight Saga books because I read them soooo long ago, but I just re-read Eclipse and Breaking Dawn so I figured, why not? Here ya go!

Eclipse
By: Stephenie Meyer

Inside Jacket Summary:
"As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob---knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?"

My views:
As a reader of the series from the very beginning, I have followed all there is to follow about the Twilight Saga. I wouldn't call myself one of those obsessed fangirls but I thoroughly enjoy the books. Previously I had only read Eclipse one time, compared to the multiple times I had read all of the other books in the series. After I finished reading through this time, I wondered to myself why that was. Stephenie Meyer does a wonderful job of keeping the conflict present throughout the story, even at times that have nothing to do with it. And while the idea of what is going on with the killings in Seattle are always at the forefront, they don't stick out and ruin the rest of the book. This book flows wonderfully and keeps an interested reader captivated for hours. The characters are stronger now then in the previous two novels and the amount of growth is amazing to witness. Being a follower of Team Edward, I do not like a few of the situations that occur later in the book, but that is just personal opinion. They add to the storyline and this book wouldn't be itself if not for those certain happenings. Though this isn't my favorite book from the series, it is definately a vital part of it and i'm glad I can re-read this, and the others, and still find that the emotion felt while originally reading, is still there. Recommended for any young adult, supernatural, romance reader. (not all three but at least one of them!)

p.s - Please don't let the basis of this story and the previous ones to cloud your judgement, these books are not only for the female reader, as I know plenty of males that have enjoyed them as well!

Ok, so that's that, keep reading for my review on Breaking Dawn!

Breaking Dawn
By: Stephenie Meyer

Inside Jacket Summary:
"To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heigtened reality for Bella Sawn. Pulled in one direction for her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another for her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fate of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life---first discovered in Twlight, then scattered in New Moon and Eclipse---seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever!"

My views:
(minor spoilers below)
There was so much negativity concerning this book when it first came out and I couldn't understand why. I guess I am one of those people that want things to come to a somewhat decent end(like where movies have the main character die, HATE it!). For me, Breaking Dawn had it all. There was romance, friendship, action, and conflict and I always feel an array of emotions when I read it, such as happiness, fear, sadness etc. I will admit, I still cry when I read the end of this book! The characters have come so far, some of them are completely different from how they started in Twlight. That is one of the things that many people didn't like, but I found it refreshing as so many series have characters that remain completely the same throughout the whole series and it drives me absolutely crazy. While the reviews are mixed on this one, my review will always be the same. I love this book, it is my favorite of the series and I don't think there is one thing I would change. I recommend this book for anyone, that is if you've read the first three books in the series, if you haven't, get to it! The cover also happens to be my favorite in the series. I think it relates to what happens in the book the best compared to the others.

Ok, so took my a while but here they are, maybe I will re-read Twilight and New Moon sometime soon and post belated reviews on them as well. Going backwards hmm, I like to mix it up a little!

I'm not sure what I am going to read next, I have a couple books I received from Librarything that I still have to read and review so maybe I should jump on that. Keep a look out for my 7 favorite books of 09', a week full of posts on my favorite books from this past year, followed by a contest where one winner will be able to pick out one of those seven books. Depeneding on the number of followers I get before the end of the contest, there very well may be two winners or even three so be sure to send all your friends over to become followers! Want to earn extra entries for the contest?

***ANYONE who becomes a follower in the next 7 days, that is from right now 12/16/09 until 12/23/09, approx. 6:30pm, can email me if they were sent by a friend or another follower, and both the person who joined and the person that sent them will receive three extra entries each! So if you become a follower after this post, please send an email if someone sent you here and you would like extra entries for the upcoming contest! My email is ssalach88@gmail.com. Please include your name, email address and the name/blogname of the person who sent you! I will add the extra entries in following the end of the contest so no need to worry about mentioning the extra entries when the contest is actually running! ***

Hope you all have a great night!
Sherry <3

Amazon links used are affliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, I may get a small percentage. This does not affect any of the opinions expressed on this blog.

Late reviews and contest idea!!

I'm getting ready to go to bed and thought I would post first. I'm in the middle of Breaking Dawn right now, and I decided, that I would go through and review all 4 books in the Twilight Saga. I read the books way before I had a blog, but I just reread Eclipse and now Breaking Dawn so I figured it wouldn't hurt since i'm sure there are still some of you out there that haven't read the books. Then I thought that maybe right before 2010 arrives, I will spend a week posting reviews on some of my favorite books from this past year, like a salute to the great books from 09'! Does that sound like a good idea. And then(am I reminding anyone of that annoying lady from dude where's my car yet, if so I apologize!!!)...... I decided at the end of my week of great books from 2009 posts, I would have a giveaway where the winner would get to pick one of my 7 favorite books from 2009. If everyone likes this idea then I will do it but I need some feedback so let me know!!!

Alright now I really am going to bed.

Good night

What i'm looking forward to... :)

The days of this December have gone by rediculously fast. In approximately 13 days, I will be taking my last final to finally, yes FINALLY, graduate from College. Of course it's just a two year degree, but hey a degree is a degree so YAY! I will gain an Associate's in Liberal Arts: Humanities and Social Science. I won't be stopping there though, next fall I will be attending University at Albany to start all over again to get my Bachelor's in Sociology. I am thrilled to be at this point, and thrilled for a lonnnnnng break from school. I plan on reading lots of books.

Here are some books that I am eagerly waiting to be released(some soon and some way down the road):

Phantoms, Evil Thirsts, Creatures of Forever
By: Christopher Pike

This is three books in one, the last three books out of the six book series about vampires. I read the first set of books when it came out last year(another 3-in-1 book) and absolutely loved it. Here is a description of this one that is coming out January 5th.
:Tears roll over my face. I touch them with my quivering tongue. They are clear and salty, not dark and bloody. Another sign that I am human.
What Alisa has desired for five thousand years has finally come true: She is once again human. But now she is defenseless, vulnerable, and, for the first time in centuries, emotional. As she attempts to reconcile her actions as a vampire with her new connection to humanity, she begins to understand the weight of lifeand-death decisions. Can Alisa resolve her past and build a new identity, or is she doomed to repeat her fatal mistakes?

Spirit Bound By: Richelle Mead

I first got into the Vampire Academy series right after I got into the Twilight Saga and I thought for sure nothing would compare. I was wrong. The series started off a bit slow but the third and fourth books in the series have really dragged my in and now I am anticipating the fifth, which unfortunately doesn't come out until May!!! Oh well, I KNOW it will be worth the wait.

Here's the description of Spirit Bound(minor spoilers from the previous book): Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...
After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.
She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

Bleeding Violet By Dia Reeves

The cover of this book is what got me interested. It sounds pretty good too of course. It comes out in Feb. 2010.

With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast. So she runs away to Portero, Texas, in search of a new home. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul.




Here are some more much anticipated books on my list:

The Clockwork Angel - The first in a new series by Cassandra Clare. (Sept 2010)
Crescendo - The sequel to hush,hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. (Late 2010)
Numbers - By Rachel Ward. This just sounds like the perfect amount of supernatural for me!
City of Fallen Angels - The fourth book in The Mortal Instruments Trilogy? Fine by me! (March 2011 but I will wait for any amount of time for another book in this series!)

What books are you looking forward to and how long do you have to wait?!

Sherry <3

Contest News!

Here are the current contests going on here @ my page!

Awesome Contest!

Shannon over at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe is having a contest where she is giving away one signed copy of Twilight. All you have to do is follow the link I posted above, read the instructions and fill out the form! So if your a fan, make sure you go check this out, and hurry it ends in two days!!!

Sherry <3

A re-read and a new song!

I have read Twilight numerous times. I have read New Moon at least three times and Breaking Dawn at least seven. I know, i'm pathetic. I was sitting here earlier thinking about how I have only read Eclipse once. For some reason, one that I am not aware of so don't ask, it is my least favorite of the Twilight Saga. Anyways the point of this little story is that I grabbed a copy of it off my shelf, yes I say a copy because I have more than one of each of the books, and started reading it. Big mistake because I only have like 50 books on my shelf I still haven't read and now I am going to have to stay up all night reading this because now that I started it I can't stop. I also have a show on at 9, Gossip Girl(im addicted), so that takes an hour out of my time! Chances are after I finish this, that i'll want to read Breaking Dawn again.... Rediculous. I guess I can't get too mad because I do love these books... :)

I also have this new song stuck in my head, the tune is what is catchy more than the lyrics and I keep humming it. It's called Lisztomania by Phoenix. This is the second song i've heard from them, the first I absolutely loved too so I think their album is one I am going to have to pick up. The song should be in the bottom of my playlist at the bottom of the page so check it out if you have a couple free minutes!


I am still fairly new at this blogging thing, so anyone reading this that has been doing this a while that perhaps has some ideas on how to make my blog better or more enjoyable in any way please don't hesitate to help out, and I will thank you generously!!!

Sherry <3