Review: The List

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.     Review:   THE LIST

FRESHMEN
Ugliest:
DANIELLE DEMARCO -
Also known as Dan the Man.

Prettiest:
ABBY WARNER -
Bonus points for overcoming family genetics!

SOPHOMORES
Ugliest
CANDACE KINCAID -
Beauty isn't just skin-deep btw.

Prettiest
LAUREN FINN -
Everyone's hot for the new girl.

JUNIORS
Ugliest
SARAH SINGER -
It's like she's trying to be as ugly as possible!

Prettiest
BRIDGET HONEYCUTT
What a difference a summer can make.

SENIORS
Ugliest
JENNIFER BRIGGS -
(Drum roll, please.)
The only four-peat in Mount Washington history!
Congrats, Jennifer!

Prettiest
MARGO GABLE -
All hail this year's homecoming queen.
  This was the list that hit the school a week before the homecoming dance.  This book explores the different reactions each girl has to this particular list, it goes back and forth between each character in every chapter.  It's really amazing to see how each one takes it so differently, for example even though they were voted prettiest that doesn't mean that is how they feel and vice versa.  It's hard to be labeled in high school as something because it will stick with you as that is when you are the most impressionable.     They are all really great characters and shows the variety of which our world is made of, sure some I feel more sorry than others.  There are some I can relate to and other I can't but that's what this is all about isn't it, diversity.   We'll start with the Freshman - Abby the prettiest, her sister is Fern who is not the prettiest and we find out later that yes, she was on the list as well but not in the same way.  And one of my favorites Danielle, who just because she's an athlete is deemed to be a man.  This from her boyfriend's stupid football jock friends.  She has a tough time and I really liked her as a character, she was so honest and hopeful.  Nothing beats hope that everything will work out in the end.   Sophomores brings in a home schooled girl Lauren who is voted prettiest, which of course does not make Candace happy at all.  Especially when her very fickle friends start to hang around Lauren more, makes you wonder if they were friends to begin with.  But there's something going on with Lauren's mom like she's trying to protect Lauren too much, you know that only makes you want to go out more.  The whole time Candace is trying to prove to everyone that she is not that mean girl, I don't know how successful she is after all again her friends are fickle.   I think the Juniors are the most dramatic.  With Sarah being donned the ugliest she takes it to an extreme to make that notation come true, how you may ask?  Well she doesn't shower, change etc for a week.  I feel grimy just thinking about it and there is even one moment where I feel myself wanting to gag, no lie.  Bridgette on the other hand, after losing so much weight still does not feel pretty.  She's actually got a real issue with weight, as in the kind that needs some serious intervention.   Last but not least, the very dramatic seniors.  Funny thing is they used to be best friends before they went into high school and look at them now on complete opposite of the totem pole, one the ugliest and one the prettiest.  Jennifer really just wants her and Margo to be friends again but goes about it the wrong way, and she doesn't seem to have learned any different from when she was younger till now when they are seniors.    I loved every bit of it, and sometimes I wanted more from some characters but I think everything ended the way it should have.  We do find out eventually who wrote the list, but I won't tell you that because really you should read the book :-)

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:

 “Oh great, just great,” he calls back to me. “The Piggly Wiggly’s gone under too.”
We pass the barren supermarket, and I see the darkened sign—that familiar pig in his funny hat. Once the pig shone bright and jolly. Now in the gloom, he sports a menacing leer.

While He was Away
By: Karen Schreck


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I've never been to a Piggly Wiggly but every time I hear it mentioned whether it's a movie, book, song anything it just always brings a smile to my face so I had to put it as my teaser. 

Musing Monday

MUSING MONDAYS… is a weekly event where MizB at Should be Reading will ask a book/reading-related question, and you answer with your own thoughts on the topic.

This week’s musing asks…
What attracts you to a book blog? What puts you off in a book blog? Do you share personal stuff on your book blog?


I love blogs that share the same interest in me, that have great reviews of books I haven't gotten a chance to read.  Those are the blogs that attract me too, and of course blogs that keep pulling me back are ones that I can relate to and that are simple and easy to load.  I don't usually go on blogs that take too long to load because they have too much content.  It's unnecessary really all that extra stuff.  Yeah it's great that you are promoting everything and everyone but it doesn't have to be all at once.  I want to know where I'm going go there read what I came to read and be able to go out fairly quickly on to the next one, but if it takes too long slows my comp down or anything like that I will most likely close it.

Simplicity is the key :-)

Review: Biting Cold

Biting Cold
By: Chloe Neill
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Series: Chicagoland Vampires

Description:
Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined. And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans.

Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed. No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on.

Review:
If you haven't read the rest of the series, please note there will be spoilers/

We are back in Chicago again, back into the world of the Chicagoland Vampires and Chloe Neill has yet again kept me at the edge of my seat with another brilliant continuation of Merit's story. Last we left off Ethan was reincarnated by Mallory to be her familiar but was interrupted and the spell not complete, but still Ethan came alive again. Merit and Ethan are finally reunited but things aren't the same as they were before. There is apprehension on Ethan's part due to the fact that he is now somehow connected to Mallory even if the spell wasn't completed.

I don't really want to give too much away because really you have to experience everything on your own and it's just an amazing ride. I can give you bits and pieces. The dynamics of Ethan and Merit's relationship are heart wrenching, because one minute they are there the next they aren't and it keeps going back and forth and you just want them to be together in the end, they deserve their happily ever after. Merit's relationship with Mallory is on the mends, but still and probably will never be the way it used to be. Because of Mallory Ethan is not the same, although he is reincarnated and the world is in turmoil because the Maleficium has been destroyed and evil and good are out there now with dire consequences. Tate comes back into the picture and works with Mallory to get this accomplished.

After the destruction of the Maleficium Mallory is put under house arrest by the pack and new sups are introduced to Chicago humans and non humans alike. We finally discover what Tate really is and man it is a doozy definitely not what I was expecting. With this brand new discoveries there are new things that need to be handled out there in Chicago and Merit is in the middle of it. Seems that everyone she comes into contact with is in the middle of something and she needs to solve it. She bears way too much weight on her shoulders, but still she soldiers on as the Sentinel of the house.

We finally find out the outcome of the Cadogan house and if they are to stay in the GP or if they will learn to survive on their own. It's all very exciting and around the corner there is always something new happening. You're heart goes out to Merit because she's literally stuck in the middle. She definitely needs a very long vacation after all this is over, but will it ever be over.

Chloe Neill continues this amazing story with more twists and turns than you can imagine and it's a journey I'm willing to take over and over again. 

Review: Confessions of an Angry Girl

Confessions of an Angry Girl
By: Louise Rozett
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Series: Confession

Description:
Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some CONFESSIONS to make... #1: I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

#2: I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who "might" be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

#3: High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry-get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.) (Sorry. That was rude.)

Review:
Louise Rozette's story is refreshing and realistic.  The emotions one feels when something bad happens to a family member is always different for everyone.  With Rose it was anger, and she was just angry at everything and anything.  I couldn't put this book down the story captivated me from beginning to end.

We meet Rose entering high school, no one said high school was easy to begin with, but add on the fact that her father died during the summer and her friends were starting to change and all chaos breaks lose.  We start out with six friends, there's Tracy and Matt and Stephanie and Mike and then there's Rose and Robert (the only two who weren't a couple but Robert wanted to be with her, she just doesn't like him like that).  Matt and Mike start hanging out with the older kids from the swim team. Tracy decides to become a cheerleader and there in lies the downfall of all their friendship.

When other people get involved and start to tear them all apart Rose begins to lose herself.  She befriends her crush from three years ago, who is still a crush and something happens between them, but he's dating one of the cheerleaders.  The meanest one of course which starts harassing Rose. 

Everything begins to spiral here, Rose tries to save a friend and instead is made an outcast.  Her crush follows her and he wants to but he doesn't want to but he can't because he's with the cheerleader and Rose is too young because he's older.  Her best friend has betrayed her, her friend Robert has finally realized that they will never be together and he leaves her.  She's all alone with no one to turn to.

It's all very emotional and there are many times where i just wish I could go and give Rose a hug because really she's only doing the right thing it's everyone else that has their priorities out of sorts.  But I know that what goes around will come right back around.  Her mother finally breaks down and shows that she is still in there and not just a shell, her brother tries to be there for Rose too but it's hard when he's in college and really doesn't want to be there at home where the reminder of their father is. 

By the end of the book after the roller coaster ride of emotions and events the cheerleader is still after hurting Rose and keeping her away from Jamie, but Rose is determined to make something happen with him.  That's what brings us to the second book, and now I can't wait until next year to continue the adventure that is Rose and her angry attitude.  It's going to be great. 

The characters were delightful because I can totally relate them to people in my lives, it's really true people change with their surroundings.  The writing was great and real, the story was well written and thought out, like I said I was literally captivated and could not put the book down.  I hope to read a lot more from this author.  (PS being from Jersey and all the whole Jersey shore stuff I love that this book is full of Italians and at one point one is called a guido lol, I'm not Italian but I could appreciate it ha)

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Harlequin, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Random Ramblings

50 Shades of Gray:
So I haven't read this series yet, but I know many who have and many who haven't.  But I could not believe what I heard this morning on my ride to work - well I could believe it but still you know.  Apparently there is a Baby boom that is a direct result of reading 50 Shades.  How funny is that, maybe people are acting out their fantasies or other things lol.  I think that's too funny.  Have you read the book?  What do you think can it cause a baby boom?

Olympics:
This is on at my house 24 hours a day practically (or at least when I'm there and not working), and I love it.  I watched the Fab Five get a Gold, Michael Phelps make history with the most medals (more to come cross fingers), beach volleyball and the American teams winning. Iy's a beautiful thing.  I really wish I could watch some of the other sports but they are never highlighted in the night time showing.  Well it's still early in the games too we still have a long way to go and I can't wait for Track & Field.  Apparently one of the US team members went to my high school (but he was like two years younger), but either way GOOD LUCK!!! I can't wait to watch it on TV.  I was telling my boyfriend last night on my bucket list I'm adding going to the Olympics as a spectator of course hehe, just once that's all I want.  Maybe it will be an epic day too.

Book vs Kindle:
Ok this is where I used to say book, but I'm at a loss as it is taking me much longer to read a physical book than it is to read a book on my kindle.  Because the kindle I can open it up anywhere really (even my phone) but the book it's hard to whip the book out and start reading it wherever you are so I tend to read on my Kindle much faster.  I never thought I would say that but it's so true.  I just got a book this week to review and I've been waiting for this book for a while and it's an actual book and it's taking me longer to get into it.  If I had the ebook reader version I might have been done with it already lol.  What do you think?  Do you feel the same way?

Ok enough of my ramblings for the week.  What do you feel like rambling on about?  Do you want me to ramble on about any topics?  Let me know what you think!

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":

Clockwork Princess
By: Cassandra Clare
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Series: The Infernal Devices (3)

Description:
In Clockwork Princess, Tessa and her companions travel all over the world as they race to stop the clockwork army before it’s too late. As Jem’s health worsens alarmingly and his friends search desperately for a cure, can Tessa choose between the two boys she loves—even if it means never seeing the other one again?


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I know it's just too far away right!! This cover is beautiful though.  Cannot wait for this one!