Review: Brightly Woven by Alex Bracken

Brightly Woven by Alex Bracken

Publication Date: March 2010

Published by Egmont Books

368 Pages, Hardcover

Book received from publisher for honest review

Summary from Goodreads:

"Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry."

My review: *****+ = 5+ Stars

Sometimes I don't like writing reviews for books I really like because I feel I can't do it justice. This is one of those time.

Brightly Woven an original, entertaining, action packed adventure that I didn't want to end. It is a spectacular piece of YA literature. The first half of the book was excellent and I enjoyed every bit of it. Around the half way point, the book got even better. The pace picked up(it wasn't slow before, just got a bit quicker) and my mind really started racing about all of the possibilities. Multiple times I found myself reading sentences and paragraphs ahead, and I had to slow down and go back so I didn't miss anything.

I am not a spoilery reviewer so I won't go into detail about the book. I will mention that I loved the characters, even the bad ones. They were all very well written. I can also admit that North is now tied with Jace, from The Mortal Instruments Series, as my favorite male character. He is attractive, charming, caring, has a sense of humor, pretty much everything I love.

I'll leave this as it is. Just know that I LOVED this book. I want to read it again, right now. As soon as I finished it I brought it to my mom and said, "Here, you have to read this one next."

As far as the cover goes, I'm not its biggest fan. I will say that it is unique so it matches the book in that effect, but I also feel it doesn't do the book justice.

I recommend this to everyone. Go read it. Now.

*Also I can't believe Alex Bracken originally wrote this as a birthday present, my bday is Oct. 20th, just so you know! ;)

Sherry<3

In My Mailbox(21)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, which was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

For review:

None

Bought:

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

(Special thanks to Monica!)

Won:

Sea by Heidi Kling(signed)

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

(Special thanks to Heidi and Kai!)

From my bestest:

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

(Special thanks to Eleni!)

There you go! That's what I got for this week. How was your mailbox?

Sherry<3

Only three days left!

There's only three days left to donate books you no longer need or read to St. Anne's Institute. St. Anne's, a not for profit organization that helps at-risk girls ages 12-18 in a variety of ways- through residential programs, therapeutic and educational programs, and outreach programs as well, could really use your help. Due to a lack of funding and tight competition for the funds they do have, the library of books available to the girls is not what it could be.

So far over 50 books have been donated. I would like to be able to drop off at least 100 books to these girls, so if you have any that you no longer want, please donate them.

To those of you that have already donated, I thank you and appreciate your support.

Not only are the three $10 gift cards up for grabs, but I will also get a signed copy of Eric Luper's Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto for one lucky donater. I will be going to his signing July 8th, so I will get the book personalized for one winner that is picked randomly. Eric was the author that bought this cause to my attention so I thought it would be neat to throw a copy of his book in the mix! :) You can read more about his efforts here.

Just fill out this form(by June 27th), with your name, email and the number of books you would like to donate and I will get in touch shortly. Don't forget, for those of you that do donate, you have until July 12th to send out your books!

Thanks again everyone!

Sherry<3

CSN Bookshelf Review

ORE 4 Level Bookshelf w/ Doors Review 

(Product received for honest review)

I recently received an email about reviewing a product from CSN. With over 200 stores to browse through the decision was hard but I knew it had to be something book related.

I saw this bookshelf and I knew it was what I wanted to try out. I've never had a bookshelf with doors so I thought it would be kind of neat to have something to put all my signed books in.(since they are practically sacred).

Review: Likely to purchase similar products in the future

Overall Look: 5/5

Customer Service: 5/5

Directions Given: 3/5

 

I ordered the bookshelf and it shipped out that day. It only took 7 days to arrive, which is pretty good since it came from the other side of the country. (I'm in NY and it shipped from Cali). Unfortunately, the bookshelf that I received was broken. Both main side supports were broken in the same spot, as if they were dropped and the force went directly through the package. I contacted the company and spoke with a very nice sales support associate who ordered a replacement bookshelf for me. She even put a note on the order to handle with more care since the first one was damaged. Again 7 days later I got my bookshelf. This package was wrapped in lots of bubble wrap so I was pretty certain it was damage free. And it was!

Now we come to the directions. The directions for the most part were easy to read. There was one part of the bookshelf where I had major trouble. The doors have a metal piece on the inside, which is meant to hold the door closed with the magnetic strip inside. Well, I had the screws for the metal pieces for each door but there were no pre-drilled holes like there was for everything else that needed screws. It was very difficult to get the screws started and it made screwing them in much more difficult then the rest of the bookshelf. One of my small screws also broke while putting the metal pieces on but thankfully I had one around the same size. If it wasn't for the those two things then everything would have been perfect.

The bookshelf is very sturdy and it looks great. It isn't too large so I was able to put it in my room without taking up too much space. Overall, I am pleased with the product, and very pleased with the service.

Here is a picture of the bookshelf put together with the doors closed. Sorry I couldn't get all four levels in the picture, my room is kind of messy right now.

And here is a picture of the bookshelf with the doors open.

I find my signed books somewhat special so it's great to have something to put them in.

Sherry<3

Attention Pretty Little Liar game participants!!

Hey guys! So the Pretty Little Liars game is now over. And I have this super awesome Droid that I can't use. It's for Verizon and I have ATT so I can't use it. Did anyone get an iPhone who has Verizon and possibly wants to trade? I would love to be able to have a phone I can actually use! :P

Just send me an email if you want to!

ssalach88@gmail.com

Thanks!

In My Mailbox(20)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, that was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Not only is this my 20th IMM but it is also my 200th post. Wow. That's just crazy!

For Review:

Merger by Jacquelyn Wheeler

Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

(Special Thanks to Jacquelyn, Paul and Sourcebooks Teenfire!)

Won:

I won a prize pack from the Teenfire Popularity Contest a while back and this is what I got.

We Hear the Dead by Dianne Salerni

The Turning by Helen Ellis

Merlin's Harp by Anne Crompton

Beautiful Dead: Jonas by Eden Maguire

The Star Shack by Lila Castle

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown

(Special thanks to Paul and Sourcebooks Teenfire!)

Gifted:

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce

(Special thanks to Catie!)

Also won some bookplates from Jackson Pearce. You can see the Sisters Red one at the bottom of the page, but the As You Wish is already in the book! :P Thanks Jackson!

There you go, that's my week in books!

Sherry<3

Review: As You Wish by Jackson Pearce

As You Wish

By Jackson Pearce

Published September 1st, 2009

Published by HarperTeen

304 Pages, Hardcover

Source: Given to me

Summary from Goodreads:

"Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent her days silently wishing—to have someone love her again and, more importantly, to belong again—until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to return home, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid she will not wish for the right thing, the thing that will make her truly happy. As the two spend time together, the lines between master and servant begin to blur, and soon Jinn can't deny that he's falling for Viola. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn as well . . . and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life—and her world—forever.

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Jackson Pearce spins a magical tale about star-crossed lovers, what it means to belong . . . and how important it is to be careful what you wish for."

Before I review this title, I will admit that the last review I posted was two weeks and three days ago. Now I know that this blog is a review blog, and I hope that my lovely readers haven't stopped reading just because I've been slacking on the reviews. I am literally in the middle of ten books right now. I haven't been able to find one that just sucks me in and has me not wanting to stop reading. I'm glad I can finally say that my reading block has been broken. Thanks Jackson! :)

Review: ***** = 5 Stars

I had previously read Jackson Pearce's second novel, Sisters Red, and I loved it. There's something about the way she writes that just draws the reader in. Since reading Sisters Red, I've been very excited and interested in reading As You Wish. I wanted to see how her writing differs, and if I enjoyed her first book as much as her second, or if what I really enjoyed was the fairy tale retelling. I am very pleased to say that I am not in the least bit dissapointed.

I don't need to tell you what As You Wish is about, it's pretty clear from the summary. What I can tell you though is that Jackson Pearce is an artist. Her words flow like it was an effortless task for her to write them, and we all know that writing a book is anything but effortless. If you haven't read one of her books, you should.

It didn't take me long to finish it, probably 5 hours total. The characters are fun and enjoyable, and even when they are sulking there is just the right amount of emotion. The main character Viola, she's smart. She thinks about her actions before she goes forward with anything. And Jinn is sarcastic, which I find quite charming. While I seem to enjoy books where the girl is head over heels for the guy and shes just plain stupid, there's something about a book where the girl is actually intelligable.

If you are looking for a fun, quick read, that is enjoyable and written extremely well, then I recommend this book for you! I have high hopes that you won't be dissapointed.

BTW Jackson Pearce is now on my "will read anything she publishes" list. And she makes the best videos, you should totally check them out. Everybody's Free(To buy a laser printer) or Writers Blok  <---Seriously... watch those! :P

Sherry <3

Favorite Friday(3)

Welcome to this weeks edition of Favorite Friday!

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Favorite Friday is a meme that focuses on a bloggers/authors favorite things.

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This week we have Jessica with us. Jessica blogs over at Jessica's Vision. And here she is!

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My favorite Evening out now has to be singing karaoke at a local warehouse/bar.

Although I would have to say I truly suck at singing I really enjoy myself and that is what it's all about. My husband actually got me hooked on it. Jerry is really good at singing and can pretty much sing anything from country to heavy metal. We have people begging him to sing with them every time we come and even request certain songs.

Before we started coming I really had a hard time speaking in front of people much less singing. I decided that night I had to get over my fears signed my name and sang Evanescence: My Immortal, which I pretty much know all the words too. I just went for it!

Even though I know by no means did I do great I feel better now that I gave it a shot. Now every time I go up there I have to do at least three songs!

Thanks Again Sherry!

Jessica

Jessica's Vision

http://jessicasvision.blogspot.com/

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Thanks for joining us today. Come back next Friday for a new Favorite Friday! :)

Sherry<3

Books for a good cause!

Donation Contest

Give at-risk girls between the ages of 12-18 the chance to read some books! There truly is nothing better than giving a gift to those in need, and who better than those who will be affected in an amazing way with the books you no longer need or read!

At St. Anne's Institute, a residential and therapeutic facility for at-risk girls ages 12 to 18 from all over New York State, they have a limited library of books available to them. We all know the amazing effect books can have on us, and these girls need a positive thing in their lives.

If you have any middle grade, young adult, or other books that are in decent condition and are relevant to the readers(girls, ages 12-18), please donate them!

The library in St. Anne's that will be receiving these books won't be the only ones scoring big.

There will be mulitple prizes going into the prize pool and multiple winners will be drawn. For each book you donate, you will get one entry.

Here are some of the things you can win:

A $10 Barnes and Noble Gift Card

A $10 Borders Gift Card

A $10 Amazon E-gift Card

There will be prizes added soon, promise!! :)

I will have the books sent to me, and the books will be dropped off all at once. 

You will have two weeks to fill out this form(until June 27th), which simply asks your name, email(so I can give you my address), and the number of books you will be donating. After the form closes in two weeks, then you will have two weeks to send your books out. You can start sending them out as soon as you let me know all of the information, or you can wait until sometime later near the end, it doesn't matter as long as they are sent out by July 12th.

Once all of the books have been received, I will pick winners!

I hope to get some more prizes for you guys. If anyone wants to donate something to give away as a prize to the people donating books, please email me at ssalach88@gmail.com

I hope to get a great turnout for this, and to have lots of books for these girls to read! If you could please spread the word in any way, it would be greatly appreciated!

A big thanks to author Eric Luper who brought this to my attention! To read more about his efforts, go here!

Thank you everyone!

Sherry<3

I need your help!!!

Hey guys!

So I recently found out about author Eric Luper's(Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto) efforts to get books donated to St. Anne's Institute, which is a residential and therapeutic facility for at-risk girls ages 12 to 18 from all over New York State. Now I think this is pretty cool, and what makes it even cooler is that this is less than an hour from where I live. I think it would be amazing to get some books for these girls that need and want them.

So here is where you come in hand. I am planning everything out for a donation type contest. Everyone who donates books will be entered to win. Here's the problem... I don't know what to give away as prizes. I was thinking some signed books and what not, but I'm not really sure. If you were one of the people participating, what would you want to win? Any and all ideas are very much appreciated.

So please, leave your ideas below or email me at ssalach88@gmail.com if you would like to help or donate something to be given away as a prize! :)

Thanks so much!! :)

Sherry<3

In My Mailbox: (18 & 19)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, which was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

I got some great books these past two weeks.

I took a week long break from reading because I was getting a little overwhelmed with all of the books I have to read, over 70.... But  I am looking forward to diving back in to my tbr pile!

For Review:

Brightly Woven by Alex Bracken

Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Sorcerer of Sainte Felice by Ann Finnin

Sea Change by Aimee Friedman

The Karma Club by Jessica Brody

(Special thanks to Goodman Media, Egmont, Macmillan, Flux and Big Honcho Media)

Won in contests:

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble (Signed)

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (Signed)

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs (Signed)

(Special thanks to Cristin, Aliseonlife and Tera!)

Given to me:

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Red Moon Rising by Peter Moore

(Special thanks to my Mom and Eleni!)

Ok that's what I got this week and last! What about you, what did you get?

Sherry<3

Favorite Friday (2)

Welcome to this weeks edition of Favorite Friday!

Favorite Friday is a weekly meme that focuses on a blogger or authors favorite things.

With us today is Aly from Fantasy 4 Eva.

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Aly here! I say random things and when I say random, I mean really, really random heck just look at my tweets... crazyyyy *coughs* Anyway I like to maintain a professionalism that I believe is important within blogging...urmm I lied. Actually I love to ramble in my posts and say amusing silly things. I love my YA and I've just recently gotten into my paranormal romance. I'm not really into the whole chick lit thing, I mean I might come across the rare read that I'm willing to give a chance but it doesn't happen often. And I also adore my Urban Fantasy novels, bring on the smexy boys! Speaking of boys *Grins* I shall name a few of my hunks, Vin diesel the one with the muscles, perfect bod and deep hot hot voice! Gosh I love that man. Then we have Damon / Ian somerhalder. That man is gorgeou. Also I am a big Jace fan so you do not diss my Jace, I refuse it! And Alex Fuentes... so yummy. Arhhh my expectations have so risen since seeing him! And lastly my man Rain hmmmmm we have already decided to go visit the moon and then have our very own happy ending, sweet huh? Me think yes!:)

My favorite books/series are Thirteen reasons why, The Mortal instrument series, Vampire Academy, Pretty little liars & PS i love you! Ice cream wise I don't know if this is like really abnormal but I've always just simply loved Vanilla. I know years ago we got all these new flavors appearing but I guess I just never out grew Vanilla. I don't really tend to have different flavors. I know once again lame! My all time favorite movie would have to be Memoirs of a Geisha. If you have seen this movie then you will know how spectacular and beautiful it is. It gives you such great knowledge and understanding of the culture of a Geisha. Blog-wise, if there is anything to know about my blog all you need to know is if you get my blog then you get me. You know I don't think I ever realised iIwas a pink person until I made my blog and then I started realizing all these pinky things and I was like omg I like pink!? There you have it all the basics you need to know about me *You may also have also noticed me and Eleni have similar tastes in books and uh hum men because where awesome like that* =) Thank You for having me Sherry, I'm so glad I got to be a part of this!

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Thanks so much for joining us Aly!

And thank you guys for stopping by! See you next week here at Favorite Friday!

Sherry <3

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Currently I am waiting for a lot. hehe. But here is one that I chose. I lot of the ones I am looking forward to are coming out early next year and that felt like top far away to post about as a WoW.

Sooo I chose Secondhand Charm.

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

"In a secluded village, magic sparkles on the edges of the forest. There, a young girl named Evie possesses unusually strong powers as a healer. A gypsy's charms—no more than trinkets when worn by others—are remarkably potent when Evie ties them around her neck. Her talents, and charms, have not escaped the notice of the shy stonemason's son. But Evie wants more than a quiet village and the boy next-door. When the prince's carriage arrives one day, and his footman has fallen ill, Evie might just get her chance after all . . .

Berry's debut novel garnered glowing reviews and strong sales—and now she's done it again with a beautifully woven tale to keep all readers, young and old, absolutely charmed."

It doesn't come out until October but I have already added it to my wishlist! :)

What are you waiting for?!

Sherry <3

New Meme: Favorite Friday

I've asked some bloggers out there, who have seen way more blogs than I have, if they've ever seen such a meme, and the answer was no. If you or someone else has a meme like this, don't hesitate to come forward and I will gladly give credit to you! :)

Favorite Friday

Here's how it's going to go:

Every friday a blogger or author will have a guest post here on Flipping Pages. The topic can be anything that's a favorite of theirs, wether it be books, characters, ice cream, vacation spots, hobbies and so on and so on.

To start things off, I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful blogger with us, Eleni from La Femme Readers.

Please welcome, Eleni! :)

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Eleni's Favorite Hobbies:

I'm sort of a dull person. I mean I consider myself entertaining enough for people. But, my hobbies aren't really adventurous. I really love reading, watching movies and TV shows, blogging, hanging out with friends and my fiance. I know...boring! haha. I consider myself an avid reader that never leaves the house without a book in my bag. Young Adult books are my favorite! I don't care if I am an adult, I will always read them till I drop dead. :) The category that intrigues me the most is supernatural. I love me some vampires and werewolves!

Also, I am a huge fan of supernatural TV shows such as The Vampire Diaries and True Blood. I'm obsessed with Lost! I am currently watching the episodes on Netflix. Thank God for Netflix, what would I do without it? Anywho, back to my supernatural addiction, a few of my favorite books embody that vibe. I love the Twilight Saga (I know they're some people who don't like it, but I do), and The Mortal Instrument Series. Those by far are my all time favorite series. My favorite books however are a bit different. I am utterly infatuated with Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. She is an amazing writer and definitely knows how to create a sexy, bad boy. Besides, reading and watching TV shows, I love my blog. It literally is my therapy on a bad day. I seriously love all of my followers and appreciate all the love and support I receive on a daily basis. Well, I guess that wraps up myself in a nutshell. :) Thank you to my darling Sherry for letting me be the first one to be featured on this new meme!

 

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So there you have it!

 

How do you guys feel about this meme? Do you want to particpate?

 

If you want to guest blog about a favorite of yours, just leave your name, email address and blog name here.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Sherry <3

500 Follower Contest!!!

Wow! I can't believe it. After 10 months of blogging I have hit 500 followers. I remember back when I hit 50 and I thought that was amazing. You can't imagine how great it feels knowing people are interested in what I have to say. I've formed some great friendships due to this blog and I hope to form many more in the future.

As a thank you to all of my wonderful followers, I am giving away books!!

There will be three winners: 1st gets 3 books, 2nd gets 2 books and 3rd gets 1 book.

Open to everyone everywhere!
It will run from now until July 2nd at midnight. A lot of people are going on vacations and what not now that school is out so I want to make sure everyone has the chance to enter!

Here's what up for grabs:

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
The Agency 2: The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

There will be no extra entries, its just easier for me that way and everyone has an equal chance of winning. Of course I won't hate you if you want to spread the love for me. :)

The only stipulation is you must be a follower. This is a thank you for my followers so just make sure you click the follower box to the right if you aren't a follower yet.

That's about it.

FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER  *CLOSED*

NO comment entries but you can comment on my awesomeness all you want! ;)


There you have it, enter away and good luck! :)

Win a copy of Hunger!

Want to win a copy of Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler??

Summary from Goodreads:

"“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?"

If this sounds like something you would like to read, head on over to Lafemmereaders now to enter to win an arc.

This giveaway will end July 7th and it is international. For a complete set of rules and the entry form, just check out the link above! :)

Sherry <3

Review: The Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff

The Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff

Publication Date: September 1st 2010

Published by Carolrhoda

264 Pages, Hardcover

Source: ARC won from the author

Summary from Goodreads:

"The absolute value of any number, positive or negative, is its distance from zero: -1= 1

Noah, Lily, and Simon have been a trio forever. But as they enter high school, their relationships shift and their world starts to fall apart. Privately, each is dealing with a family crisis—divorce, abuse, and a parent's illness. Yet as they try to escape the pain and reach out for the connections they once counted on, they slip—like soap in a shower. Noah’s got it bad for Lily, but he knows too well Lily sees only Simon. Simon is indifferent, suddenly inscrutable to his friends. All stand alone in their heartache and grief.

In his luminous YA novel, Steve Brezenoff explores the changing value of relationships as the characters realize that the distances between them are far greater than they knew."

My review: **** = 4 Stars

The Absolute Value of -1 shows the reader different points of view from four characters. Three characters perspectives on the same period of time is used throughout the majority of the book whereas the fourth character leads the introduction and then brings about the end of the novel.

Brezenoff did an astounding job with each of his individual characters. To read the same thing occur three times and in such different ways, it was written extremely well. The characters of Noah, Lily and Simon are brutally honest in their own versions of the story. Most likely anyone who reads this can relate in some way to at least one of the characters in the book, wether it be through drug use, abuse, loss of a loved one, friendship, or relationships.

On the outside they seem to be three best friends, but when each p.o.v comes around the reader sees that not only is friendship involved, by love, lust, pain, hurt, fear and multiple other emotions for each of them.

Overall Steve's YA debut is a wonderful book that I am so glad I had a chance to read.

*This book may not be appropriate for younger ages due to the heavy use of language and the use of drugs.

Sherry <3

A whole lot of new!

So for the past couple of months my house(err parents house) has been undergoing some renovations. We've redone the basement so that it has two rooms, a computer room and a bathroom. It's like a mini house within the main house. Cool huh?

We also redid the main bathroom. New vanity, shower/tub, paint, tiles.. pretty much everything.

All of this new stuff is making me want to redo my bedroom. I started painting it when my family first moved in 6 years ago and I never finished. The border on one half of the room is a cerulean blue type color and it stops half way over my door frame. That's all I got done.

I want to do something exciting and unique, not just paint it, you know what I mean?

Do you guys have any ideas?

I would love your input! :)

Thanks!

Sherry <3

Review: Rising Shadow by Jacquelyn Wheeler

Rising Shadow

By Jacquelyn Wheeler

Published September 2009

Published by Jacquelyn Wheeler

378 Pages, Paperback

Read through an ARC Tour

Summary from Goodreads:

"Ashlyn Woods just transferred to one of the most beautiful campuses on the west coast, where she can't wait to start her life over as a normal college student. But her plans take an unexpected turn when she discovers that she is a Soterian: a person who develops amazing powers when the balance of good and evil shifts too far in evil's favor. Soon she and the other Soterians are studying martial arts and learning to use their powers to prevent California from being plunged into chaos. But they quickly discover that they're up against a much more dangerous enemy than they anticipated. And when Ashlyn meets Kai, a devastatingly gorgeous guitar player, she realizes she must sacrifice more than she ever imagined."

My review: **** = 4 Stars

I had previously heard about this book and when an ARC tour of it was announced I didn't hesitate to join. The idea of the Soterians is very unique and was a joy to learn about. It started out decent but felt like the author was trying too hard to push into our heads the idea that something was up with Ashlyn, the main character. But at about 60 pages in, that feeling fades away and it really starts picking up. New characters are introduced throughout the book and just when I thought I had everything figured out there was a twist in place.

As far as the action and romance went, Wheeler couldn't go wrong. The characters of Ashyln and Kai were meant to be together.

This novel involves a lot of politics. If you aren't a politcal person and think that just because this books talks a lot about politics that it won't be for you, then you are wrong. The Soterians can be helpful in any situation(I am sure of it!!), it just so happens in this book, its a politcal backdrop(I hear the next one is financial).

It's exciting to see YA go into a different direction. I've never read anything quite like this, and I think that's one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much. It's new and refreshing.

I look forward to the sequel, titled Merger, which was released March 18th.

Have you read this yet, if so what are your thoughts?

Sherry <3

YA Debut Book Battle- Bracket 18 Winner!

Hey everyone! Sorry for my lack of posting lately. Things have been a bit crazy here but are beginning to calm down.

Today I have some exciting news for you.

Cait(Escape Through the Pages) and I have chosen which book should move on into round 3 of the YA Debut Book Battle.

Our decision was 100% unanimous.

*Between Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver and Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev*

We chose...........

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

You can check out my review here!

We both felt that this book was at the top of its game.

Cait said, "The character growth in the book is amazing. The way Lauren Oliver wrote all the tiny connections between characters really makes you think, too - how one little change, or sentence, or action can set off a ripple effect that alters everything (and yet how some things stay the same no matter what).

I said, "I personally think Before I Fall should move on. I enjoyed everything about it and it was a novel that really made me think, about how I am towards other people, and how the behavior of one person can effect someone else so much. "

I had a hard time reading Eyes Like Stars. I have heard great things about it, but knowing that I was comparing the two books, Before I Fall was a hard book to compete with. I think it may even win this whole battle.

I haven't posted a review on Eyes Like Stars yet because I feel comparing it to Before I Fall somewhat clouded my judgement of the book as a whole. I will be reading it in a few weeks so that I can look at that book and that book only.

I hope that makes sense.

So there you go, have you read one of these books, or both, and what did you think of them?

Sherry <3