Happy Holidays!

I wanted to make sure I let all my followers and the blog world know that I'm wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and any other Holiday you may celebrate!  Hope you all get what you want this year and things you didn't even expect. 

Friday 5 - Reflections

Hello, and welcome to this week’s Friday 5 hosted here! Please copy these questions to your web space. Answer the questions there; then leave a comment below so we’ll all know where to check out your responses.

1.In 2011, what did you do far too many times?

Ha, I think probably fall asleep too many times when I was putting the kids to sleep, I always meant to get up again and do things and I never made it back up again haha.  I overslept more than I'm used to.
2.In 2011, what did you rediscover?
I rediscovered my love for books and started up this blog again and it felt gooood.

3.What 2011 event will you still be paying for in 2012?
Ha - if it's not my youngest medical bills it will definitely be this Christmas.  I think I way over bought but I cannot help to spoil everyone, it's what I do best.

4.In what unexpected place did you find a friend in 2011?
Seriously at my local Kmart - I was just walking by and she's like Cathy and I'm like yea! I haven't seen her since junior year of high school many many years ago.  It was good and I tried calling her (well texting) but I could never get back to her, maybe this year I will reach out to her for real this time.

5.As 2011 comes to a close, what in your life is trending upward toward a much better 2012?
My book blog is looking better I just need more followers as soon as I can get some giveaways going it will go much smoother lol.  I'm looking forward to much better books this year too.  And more money since my car will finally be paid off. That's always a great thing

Booking Through Thursday

A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. Hosted at Booking Through Thursday.

Today's question is:

Any books you’re hoping to get for the holidays this year?  How about giving? Are you giving any good ones?

Answer:
I can always hope for books but I know I won't get any because my family isn't very book savvy.  I will say that I know I'm getting a Kindle Fire which I'm excited about (especially since my five year old broke my kindle that I was using) and some amazon gift cards which I will use for good things.  There are so many books I'm looking forward to reading next year and many I never got around to this year that I will look forward to.  I was contemplating giving books away but I always share my books so it wouldn't be as fun or new. 

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm "Waiting on":

The List
by Siobhan Vivian
Release Date: April 1, 2012

Description: An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. This feature is great because everyone loves lists, including me.

This week's Top Ten is:

Top Ten Books I hope Santa Brings:

Obsidian by Jennifer Arementrout - hot alien living next door, i'm intrigued.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Keneally - I went to B&N and was staring at this book, I really should have bought it.

Amplified by Tara Kelly - anything having to do with music is a plus in my world

Want To Go Private by Sarah Darer Littman - you hear so many things and see so many movies about stuff like this, I'd like to see how they go about the story line of online predators.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - looks to intriguing to pass up
 
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - this cover is just too creepy that i have to see what it's about

Carrier of the Mark (Carrier Trilogy, #1) by Leigh Fallon - i've seen too many reviews that i want to jump on the wagon.

Remembrance by Michelle Madow - love the cover, just have to read it

Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald - technically this hasn't come out yet, but I'm excited!

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen - this is also not out yet but you know with amazon gift cards (wink) I can get it as a Christmas gift lol.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: •Grab your current read •Open to a random page •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page •BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) •Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser for the week:

He blew out a frustrated sigh, and I knew I'd hit a nerve.  "Don't you remember what I told you about how lucky we are to be here? Chuck and Darlene are doing more than I could ever expect.  You need to just get rid of that chip on your shoulder and suck it up until we can move out.  it's going to be a while, a long while, so just make the best of it."

 Roadside Assistantce
By Amy Clipston
Release Date: April 12, 2011

Review: Flawless

Flawless
By: Lara Chapman
Release Date: May 10, 2011

Description:
Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking?
This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws.

Review:
Thank you to Amanda from Letters Inside Out for the fabulous giveaway of this book, it's always fun to win books from other great bloggers.

This book was a fun and easy read.  These are the kind of books I look for at the end of the year when everything is so hectic I just want happy thoughts and an uncomplicated read.  So I'm sure you know the famous story of Cyrano de Bargerac about a guy who loves this girl but his nose is too big and he doesnt' have enough confidence to believe she will love him so he speaks his words through someone else.  Yes this is a modern day version of that same story but instead of a guy it's a girl in high school.  Who sounds to me like she is really beautiful but her nose holds her back.  Even though in her mind she doesn't think it holds her back to everyone else they can plainly see it (not the nose but the wall).

Because of her facial feature she puts up this wall and doesn't let anyone in, that is until Rock comes into her life, but he goes for her perfect best friend.  Her not so intelligent best friend.  While Rock is more of an intellectual type and more suited for Sarah, Kristen wants to impress him so she has Sarah write to him on face book and email.  In doing this it's really Sarah;s own words and wishes that she is expressing to Rock, it's the only way she can tell him how she really feels (by pretending to be someone else).  I'm sure you know how the story unfolds but it's great to see old stories modernized into something more relate able for younger generations.  The book was great, was glad I finally picked it up.  Remember if you think something is wrong - then you probably shouldn't be doing it and "To thy own self be true".