In My Mailbox #19 & Sunday Confessions #14

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted every week by The Story Siren. To find out how to participate and the "official" details, check out the IMM page.

Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.

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Won in a giveaway (thanks to We Heart YA!!!):

--The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein by Libby Schmais

For review:

--The Bronze and the Brimstone by Lory S. Kaufman

Looking forward to starting the Verona Trilogy, and TPBoLL looks to be intriguing!

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This meme was started by Marcie @ To Read or Not To Read. She started it as a way to share a little about herself, but to learn about the rest of us as well. She says, "Sometimes its about books and book related topics and sometimes it's not. This is all in good fun and I would love it if you would participate."

This week's question is

"What's one of your top ten movies of all time?"

This didn't even take ten seconds to figure out. My automatic answer is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One. I LOVED this film; it made me love the series even more. I had been read the book, but seeing the first half of it acted out by characters that the world has come to know and love .... it was just ahmazing. I will always love this movie. I mean, until Part Two comes out, of course :).

What's one of your top ten movies?

Leave a link to your IMM &/or SC and I will be sure to come by! :)

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

This book counts toward the following challenges:


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Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires, #1)

By Rachel Caine

Publisher: Signet, 2009

239 pages, paperback

Date Finished: 22/4/2011

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Action, Some Mystery

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "On the day Claire became a member of the Glass House, somebody stole her laundry."
~Last Line: "They all screamed as the knife came down."

Review: More vampires. But that was okay with me because the novel proved to be more than worthy of my time. I'm definitely glad that I bought thee first four novels in this series.

The main character, Claire Danvers, reminds me of myself on some matters. She's intelligent, very advanced; advanced enough to be in college at the age of 16, not that we have that in common. Unlike me, she's a daredevil when she has to be. She takes risks for her roommates and only friends.

Speaking of said roommates, Michael, Shane, and Eve all grew up in Morganville, Texas. They all know the government concepts of Morganville concerning the vampires there. If you ask me, some of the rules are ridiculous, but I guess that's what you get when vampires are basically running the whole town.

The book was an ahmazing series starter. Claire learns quite a bit, like why Michael is never around during the daytime; I believe that was a good addition to the novel's plot line. Due to Michael's daily disappearances, Glass Houses did have a bit of mystery in it.

Glass Houses is a great novel, and, as I've already started The Dead Girls' Dance, you'll most likely hear even more of my praise for Rachel Caine's hit YA series very soon!

In My Mailbox #18

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted every week by The Story Siren. To find out how to participate and the "official" details, check out the IMM page.

Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.

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For Review:

--The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder (plus swag!!!)

Borrowed:

--Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza
--City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Excited to read all of these books! :D

Leave a link to your IMM and I will be sure to come by! :)

What's your status? (30/4/2011)

Since Marcie is without power, and can't host this week, I will quick-host. Please leave your links in the comments! There's some important info at the bottom, so please read it :)!
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Reviews This Week:

~Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare
~Heist Society, by Ally Carter (BuddyRead w/Destiny)
~Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by JK Rowling

Memes This Week:

~In My Mailbox
~Music/ Movie Monday
~Teaser Tuesday
~Waiting on Wednesday
~Thursday Interpretation & Library Unveiled
~Fun Friday

Finished This Week:

~Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush #1) by Becca Fitzpatrick. Finished on 25/4/2011. Really enjoyed this novel! Now I see what I was missing out on :).

~The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires, #2) by Rachel Caine. Finished on 29/4/2011. Another great book! Am going to start on the third in the series in the next day or two.

Currently Reading:

~Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. On page 105. I haven't really read any in the last week, but I am def going to work on that! (That's verbatim of last week's update, but it's honestly the same thing.)

~Kea's Flight by Erika Hammerschmidt & John C. Ricker. On page 12. This is pretty good so far! I am easily drawn to the plot line. It will be spotlighted this upcoming Friday in a book tour! :D

~Hate List by Jennifer Brown. On page 53. It's pretty interesting so far. I'm excited to get further along in the pages :)

To Be Read Next:

~The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman

What To Buy Next:

~Divergent by Veronica Roth


**IMPORTANT INFO: The WYS participants of this week, and next week will be asked to participate in the following:

I will hold a contest of sorts, and each WYS participant from this week and next will be given a chance to host What's Your Status? on their blog. Then, after everyone has had a week to host, I will hold a poll for about a week and a half for viewers to vote on their favorite WYS posting format. (This is NOT the blog's format. It's the way that person posts What's Your Status?.) The winner of this poll will be hosting WYS for a few weeks. I might even have some swag that I can send them!

Feel free to get as creative as you want. Dont worry yourself about it too much, though. We want you to be functioning afterwards!

If you are a WYS participant, and you would like to be part of this contest, you can leave your email address in the comments with your link; if you don't feel comfortable with that, please feel free to email me at massiekurhatesu [at] gmail [dot] com.


Happy Reading everyone! :D

Fun Friday #2

This is a meme that one of my really good blogging friends, Destiny @ Green Lillipads, started, and I thought it was a really awesome idea! You just post a book, CD, song, movie, etc. that you think is really cool for that week :). This week's cool-spotlight is on:

Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush #1)
By Becca Fitzpatrick
Publishing year: 2009
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Romance
Themes: Fallen Angels, Nephilium

Synopsis: 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...until Patch comes 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 whom 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 far 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.
 
 
Happy Reading!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

This book counts toward the following challenges:


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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

By JK Rowling

Publisher: Scholastic, 1997

309 pages, hardcover

Date Finished: 17/4/2011

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Action, Historical Fiction

Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley--a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all of that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry--and anyone who reads about him--will find unforgettable.

For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."
~Last Line: " 'I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer. . . .' "

Review: This was a reread for me. I probably wouldn't have read the thrilling series-beginner if it hadn't been for Marcie hosting her Harry Potter Reading Challenge.

The well-known Harry Potter begins his years at Hogwarts hoping not to disappoint. However, even if he isn't as good as one of his best friends, Hermione Granger, who can make any teacher proud, he makes people (especially us readers) proud because of his definite bravery.

My favorite character in this book . . . I'm not really sure. I love Dumbledore for sure, and Fred and George always make me laugh. But I don't think I have a favorite character for this series. Maybe I'll have one after I read Chamber of Secrets!

I think my favorite scene, however, was when Ron, Harry, Hermione were trying to save the Stone from ending up in the wrong hands. Let's just say that those very brave first years definitely had some challenges to solve :).

This really was an awesome start to an awesome series. I will have to start rereading Chamber of Secrets sometime soon!



Quotes from the Book:

" 'We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat.' "

" 'Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here.' "

"There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot troll is one of them."

" 'But we're not stupid -- we know we're called Gred and Forge.' "

" 'What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrel is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows.' "

Thursday Interpretation #10 & Library Unveiled #1

Thursday Interpretations is a "meme," which means that you may participate in this on your blog, but I won't be advertising it nor adding a Linky for links to your post/s.

Anyway, Thursday Interpretation will be a weekly post where I post a motivational quote (and/or a book quote) and tell you my feelings about it. You are more than welcome to post a comment telling how you feel about the quote.

*Remember that these are only my opinions. They are not influenced by anyone else.*

This week's motivational quote:

"No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

My Thoughts: Eleanor was completely right! If you let people's words get to you and make you feel bad, then you're letting them talk down to you.
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This meme was started by my good 'ole blogging friend, The Mad Scientist @ Steampunkery & Book Reviews; every Thursday, you are supposed to post 5 books from your shelf and maybe give a snippet of your thoughts about the book. You can use physical books, ebooks, audios, whatever you have that makes up your library :). This week I'm unveiling:

The first four books in the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine:

I have already finished the first, Glass Houses, and I loved it; The Dead Girls' Dance is leading me to believe that this will be a very wonderful series. I'm glad I bought the books!

The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman:

I just got this one for review last week, and I am really excited to read it! :D I'm glad that it's a series book; I have something to look forward to afterwards if I enjoy it.

What's in your library?

Read It With A Buddy #6 - Heist Society

This book counts toward the following challenges:


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Heist Society (Heist Society, #1)

By Ally Carter

Publisher: Hyperion Books, 2010

287 pages, PDF file

Date Finished: 12/4/2011

Genres: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Some Action, Romance, Realistic Fiction

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history—and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "No one knew for certain when the trouble started at the Calgan School.""
~Last Line: "And yet, she knew she could be."

Review: This novel was marvelous! I have been writing to read it for a while, but my recent motivation was when a fellow blogger (Destiny @ Green Lillipads) asked me to BuddyRead with it. I read it in 2 days, give or take.

The main character, Katarina Bishop, belongs to a family whose profession is thievery; not a very good one to fall into, but hey: You do whatcha gotta do, right?

Anyway, Katarina's good friend Hale was definitely my favorite character. The first thing that interested me about him? His name: W.W. Hale the fifth. Katarina has known him for years and still never succeeded in correctly guessing his name.

Hale's also caring, smart in his own way, and apparently super-handsome. Even if Kat doesn't want to admit it, she has absolutely no idea whatsoever what she would do without Hale :). That's what we call good 'ole romance.

This really was a good book. I am glad that the sequel, Uncommon Criminals, is coming out later this year. Can't remember exactly, but I think it comes out in August. Lookin' forward to its release!



**Click HERE to read Destiny's review of this novel!!**

Waiting on Wednesday #3: Divergent

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over @ Breaking the Spine; we are to give a book that we are anxiously anticipating the release of. I probably won't be participating every week, but I will try to post every so often.

This week's spotlight novel:

Divergent (Divergent, #1)
By Veronica Roth
Publication Date: May 3rd, 2011

From GoodReads.com:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

What book are you looking forward to?

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

This book counts toward the following challenges:

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Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices, #1)

By Cassandra Clare

Publisher: McElderry Books, 2010

541 pages, Kindle Edition

Date Finished: 30/3/2011

Genres: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Romance, Action

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts."
~Last Line: " 'Why don't you tell me what the problem is?' "

Review: Ah-mazing! Cassandra Clare has done it once again! Even though there was a long pause in my reading the book, Clockwork Angel's pages passed quicker than I'd realized during my reading.

Our main character, Theresa Gray, better known as Tessa, opens the novel by getting off a ship in dreary London. The Dark Sisters, Miss Dark and Mrs. Black, play a big part in the plot of the book, even if they aren't exactly nice to Tessa when they meet her in London.

Anyhoo, on to my favorite character: Jem. Jem is super-caring. I think he was such the perfect friend; the perfect guy period, really. Will has been his best friend since the age of about twelve; even though Will can be a true *female dog* sometimes, Jem never gets angry with him. Jem's nice to Tessa, helps out whenever he possibly can, and has a wonderful sense of humour that reminds me of Jace :). He made me wish that I actually knew a (or some) guys like him in real life.

Anywho, Clare really did impress me once again. I'm now anxiously awaiting Clockwork Prince's release in September! :D



Quotes from the Book:

" 'Beauty fades, but cooking is eternal.' "

" '...Cleverness that comes too late is hardly cleverness at all...' "