Bookish Merch (5)

Hello Again!
Here are some more additions to my Store , I keep getting all these new ideas and I cannot stop! Also, I love that I found a better layout for the site. Go Check It Out, Spread The Word and Maybe Purchase Some Stuff, yea? = )

STORE

Want Want Want Wednesday (34)

Wentworth Hall By Abby Grahame

"Eighteen-year-old Maggie Darlington has turned into an entirely different person. The once spirited teen is now passive and reserved. A change Lord and Lady Darlington can’t help but be grateful for.
It’s 1912, and the Darlingtons of Wentworth Hall have more than just the extensive grounds to maintain. As one of Britain’s most elite families, they need to keep up appearances that things are as they have always been… even as their carefully constructed façade rapidly comes undone.
Maggie has a secret. And she’s not the only one… the handsome groom Michael, the beautiful new French nanny Therese, the Darlingtons’ teenage houseguests Teddy and Jessica, and even Maggie’s younger sister Lila are all hiding something. Passion, betrayal, heartache, and whispered declarations of love take place under the Darlingtons’ massive roof. And one of these secrets has the power to ruin the Darlingtons forever.
When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details that closely mirror the lives of the Darlingtons, everyone is looking over their shoulder, worrying their scandal will be next. Because at Wentworth Hall, nothing stays secret for long."

The Wedding Letters By Jason F. Wright 

""The Wednesday Letters" introduced readers to Jack Cooper's tradition of writing letters to his wife every Wednesday. But the love story didn't end there. When Jack and Laurel's grandson, Noah Cooper, bumps into Rachel, it's love at first sight--at least for Noah. Readers are sure to laugh and cry, gasp and cheer, for two hearts that were meant to be one."

The Diviners By Libba Bray

"Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first."

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years

Hosted By The Broke and The Bookish

1. Rash By Pete Hautman

I have said this before and I will say it again, this is the better version of 1984!

2. The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

Such a beautiful and touching book, that everyone NEEDS to READ!

3. Harry Potter Series

Because this book makes readers out of non-readers, and it opens up the imagination and takes you to a whole new world!

4. The Gemma Doyle Trilogy

How can you not enjoy this series? It is the perfect combo of magic and historical fiction.

5. The Fault In Our Stars By John Green

John Green has such a unique writing style and voice and The Fault in Our Stars tells the story of living with cancer, in a whole new way.

6. If I Stay and Where She Went By Gayle Forman

Adam Wilde will forever be my favorite Book Boyfriend! And there is just something about the story that touches you.

7. Madame Tussaud By Michelle Moran

I love how interesting and accurate Moran, makes the story of Marie Tussaud and the French Revolution!

8. Mick Harte Was Here By Barbara Park

This book literally made my whole 6th Grade Class cry.

The Big Crunch

Summary:

"A funny, clear-eyed view of the realities of teenage love from National Book Award winner Pete Hautman.June and Wes do not "meet cute." They do not fall in love at first sight. They do not swoon with scorching desire. They do not believe that they are instant soul mates destined to be together forever.This is not that kind of love story.Instead, they just hang around in each other's orbits...until eventually they collide. And even after that happens, they're still not sure where it will go. Especially when June starts to pity-date one of Wes's friends, and Wes makes some choices that he immediately regrets."

Plot: You have this story that is so simple, yet intricate at the same time. It is refreshing.

Characters: June is a girl who is always moving and her family has this motto of Move Forward and Don't Look Back" So June does her best to never make tangible connections and then she meets Wes. Wes is a simple nice boy, who kind of wades his way through in the middle and I think if transformation and feelings for June are my favorite.

Final Thoughts: Honestly, Pete Hautman has become one of my favorite authors. His voice as a writer is great and realistic and I love it. What I like about The Big Crunch summarizes a teenage relationship through a school year, with out being overly romanticized and it ends realistically as well. I strongly recommend this book for people who are looking for a refreshing read. Good to clear your reading palette.

Top Ten Tuesday: Sites I Visited That Are Not Book Related

Hosted By The Broke and The Bookish

1. OceanUp.com

Yes, I like Gossip sites and this is one of my favorites. I prefer over Perez Hilton. However, It is geared toward the younger crowd, so everyone and awhile, I have to go check Perez =/

2. Facebook 

Probably, the only time I will link my FB on here... I think this is a given, I am pretty much always logged onto FB. It isn't something I NEED in my life, it just sort of becomes apart of it.. 

3. Twitter

Another Given.. It is a bloggers main marketing tool really.. and I even use my Blog Twitter more than my personal one.

4. Pinterest

ADDICTING! I think I have become way more creative and healthy since joining.

5. Ancestry.com

I love history and I am obsessed with knowing my ancestry. I think it is a) cool and b) pretty important.. if that one relative and that other relative didn't get together and have that other relative, and so on... uhm we wouldn't be here. So. when I can I do research, which is fun.. time consuming but fun. For Example I found out I am related to Kate Middleton and Prince William and Ellen Degeneres (we are Cousins through sharing the same Great Grandfather. My 16th Great Grandfather To be exact Sir Thomas Fairfax. Or I found out that my 27th Great Grandfather is King Charlemagne. I had relatives who were on the Mayflower, a Great Grandfather Burned at the stake in England for religious persecution. I have traced parts of my tree all the way back to 500 AD! 

6. TheBump.com

And this is where you say, But you are only 22?! I have many weird obsessions and one of them is babies and preparing for my future children. No joke, I have already researched which schools in LA are best. So to curb and fuel this obsession I go onto The Bump. No joke, I look up meaning of names, I love playing around with the Chinese Gender Chart, I even play with the due date calculator, because well I freaking can. So I am aware this one is a little weird.. but I like babies and all that goes with them.

7. Tumblr

I am not necessarily active on Tumblr, but I do have a Wedding Events Tumblr and a Baby Related Tumblr. That I check frequently and have scheduled photos for everyday.

8. Live With Kelly

Kelly Ripa is one of my IDOLS.. and I LOVE her show, even when it was Live With Regis and Kelly. So, I am on this site daily watching Fashion Finder, the web exclusives and all that fun stuff.

9. Duchess Kate Blog

Another Idol of mine is my 16th something Cousin Kate Middleton. I adore her, and her style and overall class and this site is THE best site to know what is going on with her. It is always the first to post about Kate and that is great, since in America we only get to info about her, if it is a huge event that is taking place. 

10. Yahoo

Not very exciting, but my e-mail is ALWAYS up and I am constantly checking it and I use it for Yahoo News as well. 

The Girl In The Clockwork Collar (Book #2, Steampunk Chronicles)

Summary:

"In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous. 
Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. 
One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens."

Plot: The Girl In The Clockwork Collar picks up right where The Girl in the Steel Corset ends. It has the same flow and excitement and romantic interests are Book 1, while still being a different book. It also prepares you for the plot line of Book 3.

Characters: Finley, Griffin, Sam and Emily are generally the same; The Girl In The Clockwork Collar is more about Jasper and his backround. Which was nice, since he was a charming Character in Book 1, it was nice to get know him better.

Pros: A True Steampunk Mystery Novel. A great sequel and awesome love triangles.

Cons: I felt their needed to be a little more of New York or something in it. I just felt it was missing something. A little too much repetition of some lines through out the book.

Final Thoughts: I was jumping for glee when I received an E-Galley of this book. I finished reading The Girl In The Steel Corset not too long ago, and was in LOVE! So, I was very happy to begin reading The Girl in the Clockwork Collar and taken right back into their world. I highly recommend this book and this series to people who love either Historical Fiction, Steampunk, Mystery and Paranormal Books, because Kady Cross mixes them really really well!

The Girl In The Steel Corset Comes Out May 29th, 2012! 

(Thank You Very Much To Harlequin and Net Galley)

In My Mailbox (36)

Hosted By The Story Siren

Received

The Queen's Lady By Eve Edwards

(Thank You Random Buzzers)

City of Bones ( Book 1, Mortal Instruments)

Summary:

"When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 
Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end."

Plot: Demon Hunters, Angels and Magic Galore! I think it is Blue Bloods, Mixed With Harry Potter and another book which has now escaped my mind... The book dives right into the world and keeps a roller-coaster of twists and turns.

Characters: The characters that stood out the most as being well written were Clary, Jace and Simon. But really I felt there was no real progression in their personalities and Sometimes I felt some actions didn't actually fit there personalities.

Pros: A well written series and creative world.

Cons: Dragged on towards the end and predictable at some points.

Final Thoughts: For a series that everyone is talking about, I wasn't blown away by it. However, I was happy by how well written the world Clare had created was. I will continue to read the series, but besides that I don't really have much to say about it.

Uncommon Criminals (Book 2, Heist Society)

Summary:

"Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. 
There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.
Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules."

Plot: I was reminded of Ocean's Eleven while reading the plot of Uncommon Criminals. It was very con,within a con, within a con.  Great concept but I don't think it was perfectly executed.

Characters: I like Kat, I think she is witty and intelligent, but honestly she really showed her age in this book, which in some ways is yes okay since it is her age, but she didn't seem like the girl in book one. And Hale was a complete ass in my opinion. Overall, though there was no character progression.

Pros: Fun, Cute, Witty

Cons: At times confusing, and didn't really progress from Heist Society.. in some ways it went a few steps back.

Final Thoughts: I had HIGH expectations for Uncommon Criminals and although I did enjoy it a lot, I was not as impressed as I was with Heist Society. I was frustrated with Kat and Hale and their lack of relationship.. and some things were just confusing. I just overall didn't feel a flow to the book. I will definitely continue with the series, I was just not as impressed.

Want Want Want Wednesday (33)

Scarlet By A.C. Gaughen

"Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 
Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.
It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for."

The Obsidian Blade By Pete Hautman

"The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished - only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing - one right on top of the roof - hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he's launched on a time-twisting journey- from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker's actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever."

The Magicians: A Novel By Lev Grossman

" Quentin Coldwater is brillant but miserable. He's a senior in high school, and a certifiable genius, but he's still secretly obsessed with a series of fantasy novels he read as a kid, about the adventures of five children in a magical land called Fillory. Compared to that, anything in his real life just seems gray and colorless. 
Everything changes when Quentin finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the practice of modern sorcery. He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. But something is still missing. Magic doesn't bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he though it would.
Then, after graduation, he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real."

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I'd Like To See On A Reality TV Show

Hosted By The Broke and The Bookish

 Based on how funny they are in person and through Tweets.

1. Libba Bray

2. Maureen Johnson

3. Stephanie Perkins

4. John Green

5. David Levithan

6. Ally Carter

7. Meg Cabot

8. Maggie Stiefvater

9. Sarah Deesen

10. Jerramy Fine

Red Glove (Book 2, Curse Workers)

Summary:

"Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.
That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she’s human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila’s been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila’s love is as phony as Cassel’s made-up memories, then he can’t believe anything she says or does.
When Cassel’s oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can’t trust anyone—least of all, himself?
Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose."

Plot: The plot is a very fast paced, murder mystery with some spy-like scenes. The story line flows well with Book 1 and in fact was more interesting to me.

Characters: Cassel definitely grew on me more as character, You see his duel personalities, His has this dark side (although, not always aware of it) but then he struggles with his inner want to be a good guy. Lila is a stronger character in Book 2, but there is still an Air of mystery surrounding her. And as usual Sam and Daneca play the role of supporting friends and characters equally well. Sam being goofy and great comic relief, while Daneca has the feminist do-gooder thing down.

Final Thoughts: I enjoyed Book 2 WAY more then I did Book 1, it is a good thing I like finishing series once     I begin reading them (unless absolutely horrid). Although, I do like this series and these books, I don't find them to be anything WOW worthy, hence why I don't have much to say over all. I read it, I liked it, you probably will like it and that is that.  I will say the idea of Curse Workers is pretty original.

In My Mailbox (35)

Hosted By The Story Siren



For Review
Beautiful Lies By Jessica Warmen (Thank You Bloomsbury and Netgalley)

Library
Queen of Hearts By Martha Brooks
Bloodlines By Richelle Mead
The Big Crunch By Pete Hautman
Breathing Underwater By Alex Flinn
The Lover's Dictionary By David Levithan

....And Books

I Am Going Crazy With The Book Merchandise! As Some Of You May Know, I Have Opened A Shop (still needs improvement visually) through Cafe Press. Here Is Some of The New Stuff We Are Offering... I Would Also Really Appreciate The Support By Spreading The Word of The Merch. Thank You!

I LOVE This Tea & Books Tea Tumbler

Click Here To Enter Store

By Invitation Only

Summary:

"Toni Fratelli has a busy summer ahead. 
After several setbacks in Manhattan force her to move home to East Hampton, her To Do list is full. She has to help her father run his popular Italian restaurant.  Start up her own catering company.  And plan, cater, and be the Maid of Honor at her best friend’s wedding on the beach.
Unfortunately for Toni, the groom’s mother is a competitive New York socialite who’ll stop at nothing to make sure her son doesn’t marry a local girl – especially on the family’s Southampton estate. The biggest caterer in the Hamptons is trying to run her fledgling business out of town.  And worse than anything, Toni seems to be losing her best friend to a circle of snooty bridesmaids.  Everything might be tolerable – if her dad could just stop treating her as if she was seventeen again.
At least Toni finds love.  When she meets a sexy surfer named Chris, it quickly turns into the most romantic summer fling of her life.  But there’s more to Chris than his vintage Mustang and used guitar … and he’s not sure Toni’s going to like the truth.  Before the end of the summer she’ll be forced to face her hopes – and fears – as trying to forgive becomes her biggest challenge yet."

Plot: It's your typical Hamptons Beach Read, there is love, drama and all that fun stuff.

Characters: Thee Main Characters are Layla and Toni. Layla is the easy going party girl, while Toni is the best friend who has to struggle. Both have damaged backrounds that factor into their current lives. My favorite character was DiDi, not because I liked her, but because her character was perfectly written. She oozed Old Money and desperation for her youth.

Pros: Perfect Beach Read

Cons: Some Stuff Could Have Been Editted Out.

Final Thoughts: By Invitation Only was a lot better then I had expected it to be, it truly is a satisfying beach read. I felt like I was really in the Hamptons. I enjoyed how the authors told the stories throughout the days of summer and told the story through alternating points of views. My only complaint it I  felt there were some characters in the book that were given too big a roll, but weren't needed. Granted in a movie, that might have worked. Since they play a part in the end, however I didn't like the ending. It was too rushed. Made to work. I can't explain it, I just didn't like it and then it continued to drag on and I felt other things mentioned in the book were left on finished. However, since I classify this book as a beach read.. I kind of let it slide.

Top Ten Tuesday : Favorite Book Quotes

Hosted By The Broke and The Bookish

So, If I was a better and more organized blogger ... Like I should Be.. I would have prepared better for this Top Ten Tuesday and had all my favorite quotes, since I have a weird obsession with them.

1. “People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. 
A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave. 
A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master...” ― Eat,Pray, Love

2.  “A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.” ― Pride and Prejudice

3.  “The saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last.” ― Dear John

4.  “I'm lonely. Why do you think I had to learn to act so independent? I also get mad too quickly, and I hog the covers, and my second toe is longer than my big one. My hair has it's own zip code. Plus, I get certifiably crazy when I've got PMS. You don't love someone because they're perfect. You love them in spite of the fact that they're not.” ―My Sister's Keeper

5.  “In desperate love, we always invent the characters of our partners, demanding they be what we need of them, and then feeling devastated when they refuse to perform the role we created in the first place.” ― Eat, Pray,  Love

6.  "It's a matter of curiosity - and anyone who says they are utterly indifferent to what their significant exes are doing is, in my opinion, either lying or lacking a certain amount of emotional depth. I'm not saying it's healthy to be past-obsessed,fretting out details of every ex. But it's simply human nature to have an occasional, fleeting interest in someone whom you once loved"
- Love The One You're With

7.  "..I am so sick of the way people are. They Don't Give You Respect.They Don't Give You trust. That's what i hate most. You Can't Trust Human Beings anymore then a pack of wild wolves. They Don't have consciences. One Minute they let you touch them, and the next minute they rip you apart and walk away and don't look back. You Deal with the damage."- Now You See Her

8. “You’re not asleep, and you’re not dead. I’m here, and I love you. I have always loved you, and I will always love you. I was thinking of you, seeing your face in my mind, every second that I was away. When I told you that I didn’t want you, it was the very blackest kind of blasphemy.” ― New Moon  

9.  “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” ― Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire 

10.   " ...Because horror on Earth is real and it is every day. It is like a flower or like the sun; it cannot be contained.” - The Lovely Bones

and a Bonus 11.  “Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well.” ― Daughter of Smoke and Bone