Review: As I Wake

As I Wake
By Elizabeth Scott
Release Date: September 15, 2011

Description:
Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.


Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.
 
Review:
I really don't know how she does it, Elizabeth Scott can go from contemporary Young Adult (Something Maybe) to something so unbelievable Dramatic (Living Dead Girl), then to a book that really was strange like As I Wake.  It was a great book. 
 
We meet Ava, who is Ava but believes she is another Ava.  With constant doctor scrutiny she's lost to this world, it just doesn't feel right.  It really weirded me out at first with Ava waking up in different worlds constantly, I was starting to think she really did just have amnesia and then was making up another world, or another Ava really.  But as you delve more into the book you can see that there really is another world and another Ava or at least there was. In comes the other Ava's friends Sophie, Olivia and Greer.  Ava sees how evil Sophie really is and how much Olivia and Greer really love each other but Greer is in denial.  Ethan is her friend, and is always so sad with sorrow, in both of her worlds. Jane her mother, or the other Ava's mother just shows how much she loves Ava even if she is the other Ava.  It's confusing but not if that makes sense.  Then there's Morgan and Clementine.  You can see the very strong emotional bond that Ava and Morgan have throughout all worlds and it's a beautiful thing.  They are the reason this Ava is in this world.  But I won't go into details so you'll have to check the book out.
 
 It's a whirlwind of a novel and really had me wondering what if life was like this if you disappear from one world can you come back in another world as you but not really you.  Truly strange but really good.  Elizabeth Scott never disappoints.  Can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
 

Goodreads - 2011 Reading Challenge

In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.

- Mortimer J. Adler

Motivate yourself to read more books: Enter the 2011 Reading Challenge!

I joined this challenge at the beginning of the year when I received my First Kindle for Christmas.  It was something I could challenge myself to do and I'm so proud to have achieved my goal.  I started out with 50 books.  But saw that I surpassed that so I added 30 more books and last week I finished my goal of 80 books.  And then another one on top of that.  I'm excited that I was able to join a challenge and finish it.  Next year I'm going for 100 books.  Here are the books I've read this year:

1 Gone (Dream Catcher, #3) by Lisa McMann


2 The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols

3 Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush, #1) by Becca Fitzpatrick

4 Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2) by Becca Fitzpatrick

5 Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

6 Awakened (House of Night, #8) by P.C. Cast

7 Halo (Halo, #1) by Alexandra Adornetto

8 The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) by Suzanne Collins

9 Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins

10 Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) by Suzanne Collins

11 City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) by Cassandra Clare

12 City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2) by Cassandra Clare

13 City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3) by Cassandra Clare

14 Juliet by Anne Fortier

15 Will Work for Prom Dress by Aimee Ferris

16 Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

17 Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare

18 City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4) by Cassandra Clare

19 Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

20 Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill

21 Twice Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, #3) by Chloe Neill

22 Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand

23 Firespell (Dark Elite, #1) by Chloe Neill

24 Hexbound (Dark Elite, #2) by Chloe Neill

25 Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, #4) by Chloe Neill

26 The Duff by Kody Keplinger

27 The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1) by Jenny Han

28 It's Not Summer Without You (Summer, #2) by Jenny Han

29 We'll Always Have Summer (Summer, #3) by Jenny Han

30 What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

31 Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray

32 Stay by Deb Caletti

33 How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf, #1) by Molly Harper

34 The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf, #2) by Molly Harper

35 Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

36 The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June by Robin Benway

37 Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

38 Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

39 Divergent (Divergent, #1) by Veronica Roth

40 Babe in Boyland by Jody Gerhman

41 Passion (Fallen) by Lauren Kate

42 Hourglass (Hourglass, #1) by Myra McEntire

43 Ten Things We Did by Sarah Mlynowski

44 Raziel (The Fallen, #1) by Kristina Douglas

45 Demon (The Fallen, #2) by Kristina Douglas

46 Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

47 Love Story by Jennifer Echols

48 Forgotten by Cat Patrick

49 Major Crush by Jennifer Echols

50 Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

51 Diary of a Mad Fat Girl by Stephanie McAfee

52 16 Reasons Why My Life Sucks by Sara Walker

53 And One Last Thing ... by Molly Harper

54 Dramarama by E. Lockhart

55 Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

56 Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter, #1) by Nalini Singh

57 Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter, #2) by Nalini Singh

58 Glow (Sky Chasers, #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan

59 Matched (Matched, #1) by Ally Condie

60 Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

61 Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

62 Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter, #3) by Nalini Singh

63 So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti

64 Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

65 Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1) by Kendare Blake

66 Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

67 Hades (Halo, #2) by Alexandra Adornetto

68 Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

69 Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

70 The Demon Trapper's Daughter (The Demon Trappers #1) by Jana Oliver

71 Soul Thief (The Demon Trappers, #2) by Jana Oliver

72 Possess by Gretchen McNeil

73 Drink Deep (Chicagoland Vampires, #5) by Chloe Neill

74 Silence (Hush, Hush, #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick

75 Destined (House of Night, #9) by P.C. Cast

76 Crossed (Matched, #2) by Ally Condie

77 The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols

78 Pride & Popularity by Jenni James

79 Flawless by Lara Chapman

80 Roadside Assistance by Amy Clipston

81 As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

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":

Breaking Beautiful
by Jennifer Shaw Wolf 
Release Date: April 24, 2012


Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Farsighted Blog Tour

Announcing the Farsighted Social Media Whirlwind Tour! As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Farsighted eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including lots of Amazon gift cards (up to $100 in amount) and 5 autographed copies of the book. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 30th, so you don’t miss out.  

To Win the Prizes

1. Purchase your copy of Farsighted for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
2. Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes
3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!
4. BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!
5. DOUBLE BONUS: If I receive more comments than any other blogger, *I* win $100.

 

...And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.  

The Featured Events include:

Monday, a guest blog on Novel Publicity! Emlyn kicks off the tour on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog by discussing her brightly burning passion for books in a guest post entitled “My journey through the pages and toward a life-long love of reading.” One commenter will win an autographed copy of Farsighted. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there! Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. The winners will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet: Looking for a fun read to round out your holiday break? The paranormal YA hit Farsighted is just 99 cents! http://ow.ly/81Dt1 #whirlwind Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see the Stay Farsighted book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. Two chances to win with just one click! How about that? Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see the Farsighted book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Are you ready for some more fun? Take a picture of yourself with your copy of Farsighted either in paperback or on an eReading device, then post it to Emlyn Chand’s Facebook page or email a copy to author@emlynchand.com. You just way win one of three Amazon gift cards! A $100 prize will go to the photo with the most interesting setting (so put your holiday travel time to work for you). Another $50 will go the funniest photo, and one more prize of $50 will go the scariest photo—this is a paranormal YA book after all. An autographed copy of Farsighted will go to one randomly selected entrant. For more details about this contest, please visit http://www.emlynchand.com/.  

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About Farsighted: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Farsighted is the winner of the 2011 Dragonfly eBook Awards. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. About the Author: Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.  

Now please enjoy this exciting excerpt from Farsighted...

  “Did Dad tell you? A new tenant moved into the old pharmacy next door.” “Really?” I ask, not letting on I already know. If I feign ignorance, Mom’ll divulge all the details. “What is it?” “It’s a psychic shop,” Her voice crackles with excitement like a fire that’s just beginning to burn. “The All-Seeing Miss Teak. Isn’t that cute? Miss Teak, Mystic. Ha, I wonder if that’s her real name.” I laugh. “That is funny. Never had a psychic in town before. What’s she like?” “Oh, she’s very friendly. Why don’t you go over and say ‘hi.’ I’m sure she’d like to meet you.” “Okay, I think I will.” I’m incredibly intrigued, because first off, it’s a psychic shop—how weird is that?—and second, its presence made Dad super uncomfortable—also very cool. I waste no time heading next door to check out the scene. As I step cautiously into the new shop, a recording of soft, instrumental music greets me. I can make out chimes and a string instrument I don’t recognize but for some reason reminds me of snake charmers. The smell of incense fills my nostrils, which explains the burning I detected earlier. “Hello?” I call out into the otherwise quiet room. Nobody answers. I walk in deeper, sweeping my cane out in front of me in a metronome fashion. This place is new to me, so I need to be especially careful while moving around. Thump! Despite my precautions, I stub my toe on something hard, big, and made of wood. Just my luck to stub the same toe twice in one day. I reach down to press my fingers into my throbbing foot to alleviate some of the pain. Something teeters before rolling off of the chest and across the floor; the sound it makes indicates a curved path. Suddenly, the object stops. Somebody’s stopped it. “Hello?” I call again. “Hello,” a deep, feminine voice responds, placing more emphasis on the first syllable than the second. “I- I’m sorry I knocked that thing over. I didn’t mean to…” I hope she’s not angry. Probably not a good idea to get on a psychic’s bad side. “That wasn’t just a thing, it’s a crystal ball,” she says as she walks over, sending my blood pulsing through my veins. I sense her looking at me for a moment before she places the ball back on top of the chest. “Can it see the future?” I ask, allowing my curiosity to outweigh my uneasiness. “No.” After a pause lasting several beats, she continues. “But I can see the future sometimes when I look into it.” “Oh, okay.” I tighten my hand around my cane and turn to leave. It may not be the most polite thing to do, but all of this hocus-pocus stuff is freaking me out more than I would’ve guessed. The psychic lady speaks again, stopping me cold. “Don’t run away, Alex Kosmitoras.” She must’ve spoken to Mom earlier today. That must be how she knows my name. “I’m not running away,” I say meekly. “I’m just going back over to Sweet Blossoms.” “Don’t run away,” she repeats—this time she speaks louder and with more energy. “Don’t run away from your abilities. They are gifts.” “What?” I ask in confusion. What abilities is she talking about? “You already know. Watch. Listen. Be open to your gifts.” I turn to face Miss Teak, but find she’s already gone, returning to wherever she was before I got there. Is it safe to leave? I trail my fingers across the wooden box I ran into earlier; a thick coat of dust clings to the tips as I pull away. If this shop just opened, why is it already so dirty? I wipe my hands over my shirt to get the gritty substance off. Shivers rock my whole body. Something about this place is wrong, and I’m not sticking around to figure out what. Tapping my cane along the floor, I’m able to find the exit without knocking into anything else.

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:

I clutch my playbook to my chest and for a moment, I feel a pang of loneliness and wish that I had asked Henry to come over.

Catching Jordan
By: Miranda Kenneally
Release Date: December 1, 2011

Review: Roadside Assistance

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

Description:
A very bumpy ride.


Emily Curtis is used to dealing with her problems while under the hood of an old Chevy, but when her mom dies, Emily's world seems shaken beyond repair. Driven from home by hospital bills they can't pay, Emily and her dad move in with his wealthy sister, who intends to make her niece more feminine---in other words, just like Whitney, Emily's perfect cousin. But when Emily hears the engine of a 1970 Dodge Challenger, and sees the cute gear head, Zander, next door, things seem to be looking up.

But even working alongside Zander can't completely fix the hole in Emily's life. Ever since her mom died, Emily hasn't been able to pray, and no one---not even Zander---seems to understand. But sometimes the help you need can come from the person you least expect.
 
Review:
First let me start by saying that I don't normally read books like this but I received it in the mail and thought I would give it a try.
 
We meet Emily and her father, her mom had just passed away, they've lost everything and are now off to live with her aunt Darlene.  This is a complete shell shock for Emily because her Aunt and her family are wealthy where she has just always gotten by with her dad especially after her mom's cancer became more severe.  Off to a new school for a new start but throughout this whole thing she's lost the ability to speak to God.  She can't talk to him, she's lost her faith and with that she has lost herself.  Without her mom she is lost.  I can completely relate because I don't know what I would do without my mom.  Emily is also different in that while her cousin Whitney is a Cheerleader, a super girly girl and just a perfect person in Emily's eyes, Emily is just a girl who is different because she would rather work on cars than go to the mall. 
 
The book was overall good but sometimes it got a little too churchy and preachy for me, but that's because I'm not a very religious person.  I do like the relationship that grew between Zander and Emily and how he helped her to find her way back to God and back into everyones life.  Even when life gets hard, things will only get better and you just have to move on.  It might not be what you want but it's what you have to do and with your faith you will always have that unspoken support from above. 

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.