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This is a bit late, but a few weekends ago (when the movie came out) I saw "I Am Number Four" — yes, Alex Pettyfer is on FIRE. Two book to movie films in less than a month! I reviewed "Beastly " earlier this week also starring Pettyfer based on the book by Alex Flinn. Last August I reviewed "I Am Number Four " by Pittacus Lore. It was the first book I did a book talk of in my classroom and when I loaned out my precious signed ARC, one kid later it had bite marks, torn covers, and dog eared pages. Needless to say it came out of my classroom. I have since loaned it to family friends and coworkers and let's just say this: you can tell the book has been loved. I am DYING to get my hands on the next book, "The Power of Six" (August 23, 2011), and am hoping to score a copy at BEA.

Unfortunately (ugh, I hate starting like this) — if you haven't read the book yet I wouldn't advise seeing this movie. We all know that movies leave out loads of details from the book, but seeing this movie without first reading the book will, I think, leave viewers completely in the dark. Last week in class two students summed it up perfectly: "it lacked plot." I asked them if they'd read the book and they said no. Without the back story that the book provides, the movie is confusing and the plot falls flat. They only mention in passing at the very beginning of the movie that they are being "hunted down one by one" but it is never explained that it has to be in order and that once Six found Four all bets were off. All of Lorien was left out and Pittacus Lore was never even mentioned. So, please, if you haven't read the book — read it before you see the movie. You'll save yourself a headache.

That aside, as I have read the book, I was able to follow the extremely (almost too) fast paced film. I was able to fill in the left out details and as a result the plot wasn't lacking. Even with the fantastic plot, the characters were lacking a bit for me. Now I'm not one of those people who can't separate books from movies. I am able to view both forms of media as two different entities with the same story. I am not noe of those people who will let a movie "ruin the book" for me. So without comparing my connection with the characters while reading the book, I felt like the character development was extremely lacking. The only character I felt any emotion toward was Number Four. Some of it was bad acting but not always. For instance, Dianna Argon did a great job but I'm still weary of Sarah. I can't place it, but I just don't trust the girl. I was extremely disappointed with Henri; one of my favorite characters in the book and I felt no emotion toward him at all. I was also disappointed with Sam, the nerdy best friend. I just wasn't impressed with most of the characters in the movie.

Although, I will say this: I liked the movie version of Number Six much more than the book! Wow! This girls' got... uh... balls? And, does this face look familiar? Percy Jackson anyone!

The scene I was most looking forward to was the "Haunted Forest" scene and it was perfect. It was exactly how I had envisioned it. It was also great to see the ending — again — how I had envisioned it while reading the book. The dog was perfect as were the Mogadorians were great too.

Overall, this is a great movie (as I had read the book) but I wouldn't recommend it to "standard" movie goers. Take my advice. Read the book — it's fantastic and then see this movie! The two together are a story worth knowing.

I could be completely wrong too — Anna over at Anna Read's loved the movie without reading the book.

From Amazon.com...

"Fall in love with the adorable Becky Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) in the hilarious romantic comedy Confessions Of A Shopaholic. Becky s desperate for a job writing for a high-fashion magazine in glamorous New York. She gets her stilettos in the door writing a personal finance column at a sister publication. Much to her surprise, her column, The Girl In The Green Scarf, becomes a hit, and she falls head over high heels for her handsome, overworked boss (Hugh Dancy). But Becky has a secret that leads to some hilarious high jinks that could unravel it all. From the best-selling novel, and featuring the perfect comedic cast, it s the feel-good romantic comedy you ll fall in love with over and over."

It bothered me that they changed it from London to New York. This could be due to the fact that I listened to "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and that the narrator was British. It's probably that. But it still bothered me. At least Hugh Darcy is British — and he was plenty perfect to look at!

Also, gardening... when did this happen?

I absolutely loved Suze! She was depicted perfectly! Different from the character in the book, but wonderfully so! I loved the added depth of the relationship between Suze and Becky. Seeing Suze heartbroken near the middle of the movie was what I, as a viewer, needed in order to connect with Becky. I also really liked Becky's parents; they stole the scenes they were in.

I was also a BIT grossed out by Tarky and Suze's romance... you know, as they are cousins in the book. I also really wanted to see the date between Tarky and Becky. I wish they would have focused on him a bit more.

If you read my book review — I had a hard time connecting with Becky because I found her unlikeable. I didn't necessarily have that problem with "Movie Becky." I'm not sure if this was because it was a movie or if it was because movies rarely have a constant narrating voice — like the audio book I listened to.

Overall, I think I actually preferred this movie to the book (gasp!) simply because I found it easier to relate to (and not completely hate) Becky. The movie sort of humanized her. I'm not sure if I'd recommend this movie to someone who didn't read the book. It is an extremely light film (I like light chick flicks but this one lacked the emotion of others). But, as stated before, the film did make up for it with Hugh Darcy.

What a weird review huh? Bottom line: if you've read the book — see the movie. If not, it's completely up to you what to do with your Friday night.

Favorite Quotes:
"I was once stalked — by a dog."

This weekend I had to drag my BFF Button to see Beastly. She hadn't read the book yet so I had to bribe her by paying for her ticket — but I just couldn't wait to see it! Plus, I watched Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" earlier that day and was on a one way track.

I loved the book by Alex Flinn — check out my review of "Beastly. " And in case you haven't seen the trailer, here you go:

If you haven't read the book yet (or don't plan to), you can still see the movie. The movie did leave something rather big out at the end that they alluded to with the cinematography throughout — but you wouldn't know it was missing.

I thought that Alex Pettyfer (Kyle) did a fantastic job and he was great to look at (scarred or not). I know that Alex Flinn (the author of Beastly) has talked to the press recently about the change in the "Beast" from her novel to the screen — most notably the loss of hair and claws. To be honest, when I was reading "Beastly" I didn't really like the hair and claws bit; it felt like it was straight from the Disney movie. I really like how Kyle looked in the film because it seemed more modern and even plausible. There were a few parts where Kyle was "stalking" Lindy (same as in the book) — but he's so good to look at I didn't mind.

I really believed Pettyfer's portrayal of Kyle — it was fantastic acting on his part (albeit a bit of bad writing). I felt his pain and his heart break and, despite my feelings toward Vanessa Hudgens, I couldn't help but sit at the edge of my seat saying "KISS HER!" several times.

Vanessa Hudgens. Vanessa Hudgens made this movie awkward — almost like Kirsten Stewart awkward. Yes, at times Pettyfer was also awkward (see the trailer) but that's just bad writing. I don't know — I just didn't buy into Hudgen's portrayal of Lindy at all.

Random: I'm really glad they left out the chat room bit.

What really made this movie for me was Neil Patrick Harris as the tutor. He did a fantastic job (as always!). I found myself looking for him on screen to be the source of witty banter and conversation. He lightened the mood without taking away from the seriousness of the story. Seriously, if for no other reason — see this movie for NPH!

This movie was well paced and the ending was perfect! I don't quite remember exactly how the book ended — but the movie ending was flawless. Again, I was on the edge of my seat the last five minutes. I liked how they didn't shy away from the fact that the story is a bit cliche: "We've all heard that story." But they did it in such a way that it was new and exciting. I never doubted the ending, but I still willed it to happen.

If you didn't like the book because of the cliches — see the movie. The movie somehow eliminates the awful "nail on a chalkboard" feelings I had when I read the book. If you haven't read the book yet, go ahead and read the book or see the movie first — it's a great story with an amazing actor (Harris) and some great eye candy (Pettyfer — okay, he's a good actor too).

Today I am joining GReads for TGIF (Thank Goodness it's Friday!) I'm every excited to be participating! I've been looking for a Friday meme that will allow me to participate by answering a question and posting my week's recap without the whole "Follow me, I follow you back" bit (that's a post for next week).

Today, GReads asks:

Book Mourning: does this happen to you? When you finish an amazing book, do you find yourself at a loss to pick up another one? What was the last book that left you feeling so bewildered? & what did you do to overcome it?
This is a tough question! I totally understand Book Mourning. I can't quite remember when it happened to me last but any really good book will have me feeling sad when I close the book at the end, especially if it is a series!

Movie Review: Beastly Review: The Iron Daughter Movie Review: I Am Number Four Live Simple For Lent Share a Story: Literary 2.0 Review: The Iron Queen

I survived the cold this week. Aberdeen was, according to CNN, the third coldest place in the nation on Friday. Brr! I spent New Years Eve at school attending a jazz dance (which was awesome) and returned to Northern Minnesota the next day. That was a lot of driving. I saw "The Blind Side" with my mom tonight — such an inspiring movie. Wow!

I just finished "Some Girls Are" and plan on writing the review later today (Monday). This week, while I didn't get a chance to formally review anything, I did have two quick giveaways (Congrats to Sharon and Esme), I posted my Privacy Policy, along with my latest Award. I also posted all of my recaps: December Wrap Up, Books Read in Fall 2009, End of Fall 2009, Guest Reviewers, and Hello 2010.

Sandy was this week's Guest Reviewer — donating her review of Hush Hush. Please share some book love and visit her at Pirate Penguin's Reads.

My holiday campaign to collect Guest Reviews ends today (my Sunday Salon was late...) — we acquired 44 reviews! Thanks to everyone who has donated! I will post later today (after I go to bed and wake up again) who won the $25 Gift Certificate.

I gained three followers this week and now have 37 amazing followers. Welcome and Thank you!

This week I am so excited to begin Bloggiesta! I've compiled a Twitter list of all the participants who have Twitter and I'm really excited about it. I spent a lot of time on it so I hope people use it. Overall, I'm just really excited to start Bloggiesta. I'll be starting a day early, as I'll be driving on Friday for five hours and unpacking everything. If you haven't joined in yet, check it out at @Maw Books, there's still time!

From my insane list that there's no way I'm going to finish, I'd like to finish "Girlfriend Material," "Sea Change," and "Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single."
My list of books to read/things to do during break:

• Read "Inside Out"
• Read "Elmer, the Christmas Elf"
• Post all the Guest Reviews I've received for My Holiday Book Review Campaign
• Finish "The Source of Miracles" (Review)
  
• Read "Lucifer Rising" (Review)
  
• Read "Comfort Living" (Review)
  
• Read "I Used to Know That" (Review)
  
• Read "Some Girls Are" (ARC — Goodreads Winner)
  
• Read "The Van Alen Legacy" (Library — Momma Remmers)
  
• Read "Love You, Hate You, Miss You" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Truly, Madly: A Novel" (ARC — Goodreads Winner)
• Read "Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Sea Change" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Jumping off Swings" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Before I Die" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Embellish" (Review)
• Read "Gone" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Cracked Up to Be" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "How to Buy a Love of Reading" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Oh.My.Gods." (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Dark Places" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Nothing But Ghosts" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Isabelle's Boyfriend" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "The Grand Sophy" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Shelter Me" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Poltergeist" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Girlfriend Material" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "Wicked Lovely" (Library — Momma Remmers)
• Read "According to Jane" (Library — Momma Remmers)

What did you finish this week?

ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS on Blu-ray and DVD

A perfect family gift, ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS land ed on Blu-ray and DVD November 26 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and features the original voice talents of Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Sean William Scott. Available for a low price ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS arrives on single disc DVD and a Blu-ray, DVD and digital copy combo pack with extra features, making it a great holiday stocking stuffer for the whole family to enjoy.

In ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS, America’s favorite arctic herd is busy decorating for the holiday season. In his rush to help, Sid (John Leguizamo) destroys Manny’s (Ray Romano) favorite decorations. Manny is so upset he convinces Sid he is now on Santa’s naughty list. Sid, Crash (Seann William Scott), Eddie (Josh Peck) and Peaches (Ciara Bravo) take off for the North Pole to plead their case to Santa (Billy Gardell). Meanwhile, Manny, Ellie (Queen Latifah) and Diego (Denis Leary), worry over Peaches’ safety and race to find her. Back at the North Pole, Sid and his crew accidentally destroy Santa’s Workshop on Christmas Eve, and it’s up to these newfound friends to orchestrate a Christmas miracle. The instant holiday classic, directed by Karen Disher, also features the voice talent of Chris Wedge, T.J. Miller and Judah Friedlander.

With over $4 billion in box office, home entertainment and consumer products sales, the “Ice Age” franchise is a perennial hit, and continues to grow with next summer’s all-new animated feature “Ice Age: Continental Drift.” From Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios, the film features new characters voiced by Janenifer Lopez, Wanda Sykes, Keke Palmer, Aziz Ansari and Drake, among others. Share in the all-new adventure as they join the original cast voiced by John Leguizamo, Ray Romano, Seann William Scott, Queen Latifah and Denis Leary. “Ice Age: Continental Drift” arrives in theaters everywhere July 13, 2012 in 3D.

I've always been a fan of the Ice Age movies and this is a super nice addition to the collection. This is a short movie, only 26 minutes, but if you are looking for something new to add to a child's Christmas movie list, this is a cute pick. The outstanding cast, enjoyable story line, and incredible visuals really bring this movie to life. My 4 year-old daughter highly enjoyed the characters and Santa, of course.
Plus, the glimpse at the new Ice Age movie “Ice Age: Continental Drift” made me super excited to see it this summer.
You can find Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special on amazon and in stores. It's very inexpensive and if you or your child is an Ice Age fan, you gotta get this!
Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt

Well, mom and I went to see "My Sister's Keeper" last night. And while yes, this is a book blog — this movie is based off of a most beloved book, so a review is in order.

I know I'm not the only fan of the book to be disappointed by the movie. Yes, I cried. Yes, it was a heart warming (and wrenching) film. I found myself loathing Sara Fitzgerald (Cameron Diaz). I was happily surprised with this, because I'm a fan of Diaz, I sort of assumed she'd soften the role. But she played "evil" very well. Okay, maybe not evil — but if you've read the book you know what I mean.

I was also delightfully surprised at the amazing character of Kate (Sofia Vassilieva). And... well actually the WHOLE cast was amazing! So that's not the reason I was disappointed. And it's not because the ending was changed — I went in to the theater knowing that after reading this at Jodi Picoult's website:

"Yes, I know the ending is different. Yes, I know some of you are very upset. I didn't change it. The author has no control over the movie, and it was hard for me to accept too. However, there's a great deal in the movie that I think is great, and I enjoyed watching it — and I hope you did too. Please don't email me asking why I changed the ending, or "let" Hollywood do that — it wasn't something I had any control over."

It was more about how the film was portrayed. I didn't like all the random 'time switching' without any heads up or clues to what year it was. It made it extremely hard to follow, in my opinion.

Okay, I won't lie. When I got out of the theater, if I hadn't have read the above post — my mom and I both would have sent angry (more frustrated than angry I guess) emails. I thought they ruined it with the changed ending — ruined the book, I mean. I was just very disappointed in such the drastic change that was made. For those of you who haven't read the book — read it first. You won't be disappointed. Until you see the movie — and then you will be.

Any one else's thoughts on the movie or book? Don't give anything away!

In case you live under a rock or have severely neglected your Google Reader, you are aware that Beth Revis' "Across the Universe" was released yesterday. If you need to jolt your memory, take a look at any one of these fantastic posts:

Frenetic Reader
The Compulsive Reader
Books with Bite
Book Soulmates
Hooked To Books
Chick Loves Lit
Overflowing Shelf
Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf

I've heard talk about this novel for the past couple weeks and everyone sounded really excited. Here's the kicker and my confession: I ignored every single post in my Google Reader about this book. I ignored every review and every mention of it on Twitter. Yes, world — I stuck up my nose whenever I came across this book's title or cover.

Why?! You ask me WHY?

Because I hated the move "Across the Universe." Gasp. I know. Everybody supposedly loved that movie. Yes, I can appreciate the artistry and I love the Beatles music — but the movie did not float my boat. So immediately upon seeing the cover for Revis' "Across the Universe" and looking at the title — I became a book snob. I assumed it was book with the plot of the movie. I, for the life of me, couldn't figure out why everybody in the blogosphere was so excited for the release of "Across the Universe."

Then, on Monday I was pursuing Flippin' Fabulous and saw this review. I'm not sure why I didn't immediately scroll down or exit out like I had been for so many weeks, but I heaved a huge "here we go" sigh and actually read the synopsis and the review.

From Goodreads

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next. Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

After reading this I thought of one thing — my love for Battlestar Galactica.

Yes, I admit it. I love Battlestar Galactica. What do "Across the Universe" and Battlestar Galactica have in common (that I know of)? Basically this: "A spaceship built of secrets and murder." But it's enough to peak my interest!

I always knew I was a cover snob; I pick books up because they look pretty. But I never realized that I am an actual SNOB! That I would let the cover and title deter me from even being open minded about a book because I hated a movie just blows my mind (although, you have to admit, both covers do look similar). I feel bad as a reader that I would be so stuck up. So close-minded! It's something I definitely need to work on — to think, I almost would have never even looked at this book! It has a great synopsis and, I'll admit, the more I look at the cover the more I like it.

Beth, please take this post as the most sincere apology I could come up with. I can't wait to read your book in the very near future.

Godspeed.

Buy "Across the Universe": Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Visit Beth Revis: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Evolution Becomes Revolution In The Critically-Acclaimed
Over $432 Million Worldwide Box Office Smash Arriving Globally
on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download in December

Summary: A single act of both compassion and arrogance leads to a battle unlike any other when RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES makes its worldwide debut on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download on December 13th in North America and starting December 7th Internationally. From the Oscar-winning® visual effects team that brought to life the worlds of Avatar and Lord of the Rings comes revolutionary new ground — a CGI ape that delivers a dramatic performance of unprecedented emotion and intelligence, and epic battles on which rest the upended destinies of man and primate.

James Franco (127 Hours) stars as Will Rodman, a neuroscientist living in San Francisco trying to develop a cure for Alzheimer’s disease by testing on chimpanzees, giving them a human level of intelligence. After a test subject’s baby, Caesar, is orphaned, Will decides to raise him at home on his own with his Alzheimer-stricken father (John Lithgow; “Dexter”). What begins simply as a continuation of his experiment quickly turns into a problem for Will, as Caesar is taken away from him and forced to live in a primate facility. As Caesar’s intelligence continues to grow, he begins to stake his claim as the leader of his new primate counterparts, which will ultimately lead to the RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.

Directed by Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist), this special effects blockbuster features fantastic supporting performances from Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Brian Cox (Red), Tom Felton (Harry Potter films) and Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) in a ground-breaking performance. The RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Blu-ray is loaded with bonus material including deleted scenes, making-of featurettes commentaries and more.

Review:
This was my first time experiencing one one of the Ape movies and I absolutely loved it! I'm a big fan of James Franco and I thought that John Lithgow did a fantastic job portraying his father — and a man suffering from Alzeimer's disease.
The special effects in this film are outstanding. I read somewhere that no real apes were used in the making of the film, which really surprised me. Many times the shots looked very realistic and I could really see the emotions behind the animal characters. They all really had their own unique personalities. If anything, the film really helps make people aware of the dangers of animal testing and the price of coming up with a"miracle cure".
I really enjoyed the clips were we can see the adopted chimp, Caesar, grow and mature over time. Even though he is more apart of the human world each day, he knows he is different and is often treated as a pet when they go outside. The seclusion begins to make him lash out.
One of my favorite parts was actually the battle between the apes and humans near the end of the film. Wow, the degree of detail during these scenes was mind-blowing. I was glued to my seat waiting to see what would happen next.
Overall, I was highly impressed with this new adaption of an older franchise film. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was incredibly enjoyable with a wonderful cast and special effects that really brought the entire thing to a new light.
You can rent or purchase Rise of the Planet of the Apes from Amazon.
Review copy provided by ThinkJam and Fox Entertainment. Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt

This week was crazy! I was in DC from Tuesday to Friday. Then Saturday evening the wireless internet modem broke and I've just recently got off the phone with Qwest setting up the new modem. So my Sunday Salon post is up on Tuesday. It's my favorite meme so I couldn't just not do it!

This week I finished A Circle of Souls, Elemental Shaman, and Suspense and Sensibility. So this week wasn't as lucrative as last — but I'm still happy with what I accomplished. I also hosted an Author Interview.

This week I intend to do a lot of catching up. I have 800+ posts in my Reader to read and comment on, two book reviews to post, a movie review to post, etc. I also went to the library and checked out the Twilight Books — figure now is the time to read them all before school starts and the next movie comes out! But the parents are gone for the week so it's just me and Pippin for the week so hopefully I'll get it all accomplished.

A little bit of excitement to mention: I was with my mom in her library in the middle school and saw a Harry Potter throw blanket laying on the floor. I asked mom what was up with it and she told me that it was something that the book clubs sent her as incentive to buy books from them and their publishers. She simply told me to take it if I wanted it (which of course I did!). So I am now the new owner of a Harry Potter blanket! Exciting! It will probably have to go into storage until next year when I move out of the house with the parents and into my own house in the 'real world'.

I've also started reading "Jane Austen Ruined My Life" and wow — I'm on chapter four and... wow! I can't wait to finish it! The main character is so easy to relate too! Wow! But I feel like I have some catching up to do with the blog and summer classes before that will happen — but really, wow!

Happy Sunday/Tuesday everyone!

What did you finish this week?

Thanks everyone for taking the time to fill out my blog survey. First, I'll go over the feedback then announce the winners below.
Overall, you all said you really enjoy my blog. THANK YOU! That means so much to me!

REVIEWS — All responses were either great/average.which is wonderful to me. I sometimes struggle with reviews and, oddly enough, the more I liked a book, the harder the review is to write. I feel like I'm not doing it justice. I had some people say they wished I'd add a section to my reviews that said if I recommend the book or not, or who it would be recommended for. That is a great idea! I will start doing this. I'll try to either add (Recommended for ALL/PARANORMAL/CONTEMPORARY fans), something like that and I'll add an age range when needed.

INTERVIEWS — Most of you enjoy my author interviews. Some said they didn't read those, which I completely understand. Typically, I add interviews when I'm giving away a book by that author. I feel it's a way to explain the book better to the readers and introduce them to the person who wrote it. I always alter the questions to fit the author/book. Sometimes they are the same questions you will see on another interview, but I try really hard to not just use the same questions over and over. I'm still trying to expand on this and come up with new post ideas for authors.

GIVEAWAYS — Responses ranged on this question. A majority said the giveaways were great, some said average, and a few said bad. Which is fine. I wanted honest opinions. According to blogger (and this number isn't completely accurate), I've hosted around 193 giveaways. Most of the time these giveaways are made possible by the author or publisher. I try whenever possible to include International readers by giving away ebook copies. Giveaways are one of my favorite parts of blogging because it's nice to give people the chance to read a book they may not have been able to pick up. I would love to host giveaways more but it is expensive to package and ship the books. People may not realize it, but many times bloggers do pay for those things (any time it doesn't come directly from the publisher/author). I'd love to have more giveaways, open to everyone, but it just isn't possible. Even an event like Haunted Halloween costs us (Lisa and I together) about $400 for shipping and supplies alone during that 1 month.

EXPLORING NEW YA — This was a new feature this year and I wanted to know if people liked it. The reason being because it takes an incredible amount of time to set up: ) I post it twice a month. Some people said they haven't seen it, and others said they read it, but normally don't add any of the books to their lists. Just a note, if you haven't seen the feature at all, you can click on FEATURES then EXPLORING NEW YA at the top of the blog. Lots of people said they love it and do use it for book recommendations too. I do enjoy having a place where new releases can be featured. I'm just glad most people do see it and may find some books they'll enjoy.

MOVIE REVIEWS — This part was kinda even around the board. Some liked it, some didn't, some didn't care.: ) This is a new feature that I do think I'll have on, but only occasionally. Maybe 1-2 posts a month related to movies. I liked this idea because we all watch movies. Sometimes these movies will be related to books (like Water for Elephants). When I got the opportunity to review movies for Fox Entertainment I didn't want to pass that up. Especially since they do offer giveaways for many of these movies. This is something I'd really like to offer to readers. Plus, I really need more features on here. I know people get tired of reviews and interviews so this will give me something to break that up. Hopefully people like it!

LEAST FAVORITE POSTS — This one had a wide range of answers but a majority picked either YA NEWS, INTERVIEWS/GUEST POSTS or IN MY MAILBOX. YA News is something I post occasionally just to highlight some things going on in the YA book world. Sometimes it's cheap books/ebooks, author news, book covers, or other bookish news. It's sort of a"misc." place to put things. I would like to make it a more enjoyable thing to read, but it all really depends on what's going on right at that time. I'll try to include more interesting things as we go along. Interviews/Guest Posts are kinda part of the norm for bloggers. I mentioned interviews above and I do want to make these posts more interesting as well. Sometimes these posts are part of a tour so they are out of my hands but I do want people to enjoy what they read. In My Mailbox will be mentioned below.

FREE/CHEAP EBOOKS — Most of you said you do want to know about free or cheap ebooks. This is something I've had in YA News most of the time. I'm going to keep a look out for these books and hopefully post about them more frequently. For now, they will be with other YA news though. I don't find out about them enough to have a separate thing so be on the lookout for those.

INDIE/SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS — A majority said yes, they do read these books. I try super hard to feature these books for a few reasons. 1- the books can totally rock! Some of my all-time favorite books are self-published or from a super small publisher. 2- the authors rock! 3- the books are normally much cheaper. This is especially true if it's in ebook form. So, an awesome book for only.99 or $2.99? Yes! And 4- because these awesome books from these fabulous authors are often overlooked. I'm not someone who will ever turn down someone just because their book is self-published or from a publisher I'm unaware of. That isn't fair. Every book deserves a chance and if it's something I think I'll enjoy, I'll read it. That's the fun part of reading. You never know where your next favorite book will come from. At the same time, it really makes me happy to know that the readers enjoy these books as well. I honestly wasn't sure if people did so I'm sure this makes a lot of the authors very pleased.

WHAT IS NEEDED? — This had a wide range of answers. CONTEMPORARY/HISTORICAL/FANTASY/MYSTERY. And this is why I loved the survey. I hadn't realized how neglected certain genre's were on here! Especially contemporary. I love contemporary books! I admit, when I first started blogging paranormal was my go-to type. Over time, I've tried to expand that a bit. This can be difficult because I'd say around 60-70% of the review books I receive are paranormal. But I will be changing this! I'm even thinking of having a contemporary week in a few months. I'm reading more and more contemp. books so you guys are in luck! I'm not a huge fan of historical and I really don't get many of those for review. Same goes for fantasy or mystery. But, I will still try to feature those books in some way. I do want to have a nice balance on here.

WHAT IS NOT NEEDED? I didn't have a ton of answers here but PARANORMAL was a common answer.: ) Sorry guys! I do have lots and lots of paranormal. Expanding my own book preferences is a goal of mine for this year. I've been surprised in the past by the books I've liked so I think it will be nice to get out of my comfort zone.

WHAT NEEDS IMPROVED? Some people commented here about the blog appearance. I do realize there is a font problem. I'm not sure why it's like that and my blog designer isn't sure either. It is small and usually I have to go back and resize each post (but then that throws the formatting off). This is something I plan to work on. Along with that, I hope to de-clutter a bit and change things around in the next few months. But it's good to hear from readers because I'm not sure how things show up or load for you guys. Others said NOTHING, so thank you!!: ) I'm so happy to see that many of you enjoy my blog and like coming here. I did see a comment about using more social media and YES, I need to do this badly. I'm naturally introverted. I do have twitter but rarely get on there. I lurk a lot: ) I do want to become more social on twitter and even have more conversations take place on the blog. Actually I'm working on this part right now (stay tuned for details on that!).

FAVORITE PART OF THE BLOG — You guys had such nice answers here! Many said reviews, that I think of international followers, that I seem to care about my readers (I do, lots!), that I'm nice (*blush*). Thank you! Sometimes it's hard to know how things come off when we are just typing them out. I never want anyone to feel ignored or like I don't care about what the majority would want. Yes, I blog for myself but I enjoy it because of you guys. Honestly, I would never do this if no one read what I wrote. The enjoyment comes from knowing that maybe at least 1 person will get joy out of a book I recommend, or out of reading about a new author. That is what makes everything worthwhile.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU COME HERE? Most said a few times a week, which is great! I know I've been slacking since October. Haunted Halloween sort of gives me a blogging hangover: ) I want to pick things back up again and I do have lots planned!

LAYOUT — Most people said they loved it or it was average. Personality, I do love the overall look of the blog but I do plan to change things up a bit because I know it can get boring. But the design will stay the same for a while, little things may change.

IN MY MAILBOX — I know IMM is something people either love or hate. Some people picked it as a favorite post and some suggested I stop doing it. I don't do IMM each week. I'm lucky to do it once a month.: ) So if you see a ton of books on here, that's why. I DO like to do IMM occasionally because it's a way to mention books that may otherwise not be noticed. I can't read everything I get, and I'd feel bad for getting a book that never gets viewed on my blog. IMM gives me a way to show the books where hopefully some people will see them and add them to their lists. I personally love seeing people's mailbox posts because I get a lot of good book ideas myself. Plus, it's nice to see an actual copy of the book (I'm all about book covers!). So I guess I'll be somewhere in the middle. IMM won't be something you'll see here each week, but I won't be cutting it out completely. But I did want to mention it so people know why I personally do it.

RATING REVIEWS — Everyone said yes or that it doesn't matter. I wasn't sure if people liked this fact or not so I was glad with the results. I pay much more attention to reviews that are rated but I didn't know if people agreed with that or hated if a book was rated. This will be staying the same. I will continue to rate books and will be adding the recommendations I added above.

Again, thank you guys so much for participating! You all had such nice comments and suggestions. Another survey will be posted in the near future related to Haunted Halloween. Lisa and I will give more information about that soon.

Also, be on the lookout for some new features coming up!: )

Winners!
US Winner (Wins Damon.uhh, I mean Vampire Diaries season 2, UNLEASHED, and AMPLIFIED) theatredreamer@…

INTERNATIONAL Winner ambiepie@…

Other Winners from past giveaways
UNTRACEABLE Kelsey D.

HUSHED Ashley
OBSIDIAN (ebook) Kristin A.

From Amazon.com...

"Amanda Price is sick of the modern world. She yearns for the romance and elegance found in the books by her favorite author, Jane Austen. But she's about to get a rude awakening as one fateful evening, she is propelled into the scheming 19th century world of Pride and Prejudice while that book's Elizabeth Bennet is hurled into hers. As the book's familiar plot unfolds, Amanda triggers new romantic twists and turns within the Bennet family circle as she clumsily tries to help the sisters nab husbands and even captivates the tantalizing Mr. Darcy herself. But what about Elizabeth... and what will become of one of the world's greatest love stories?"

When I first started this movie I thought it was absolutely ridiculous and I couldn't wait for it to be over! And then I realized that I was barely forty minutes into it. Once I finally sat down and started breathing slowly, I got into it, especially once things started diverting from the book. At first I felt as though Amanda was simply watching things live out — and then it got good.:)

I don't want to give too much away, but I ended up liking it — a lot. I love the Amanda's voice and I loved the words, it's a wonderfully written movie. I also loved how things were different than in the book — Wickham! Gah! He's so... wow. He was definitely my favorite part of the movie (ironic, I know). I loved how they redid his history and his story, I think (don't chastize me) I liked Wickham more than Darcy. (GASP!)

I'd definitely recommend it (I think I may even purchase it!). Just be prepared and expect some twists.

After seeing this small trailer, I wanted to read "Beastly" SO bad! I've since finished the book (review coming soon) but I wanted to share it with you. I can already tell that when I compare the book to the movie, I'm not going to like the movie. I think Vanessa Hudgens is much too pretty to be playing Lindy. I think Mary Kate Olsen is going to do a fantastic job on Kendra (surprisingly). There are already HUGE differences that I'm not sure I'm going to like.

BUT... on it's own, I think this movie is going to rock! I can't wait to see it!

Also, doesn't Vanessa Hudgens kind of play the same character in everything she's in?

This week was much better than last week. I got my August Wrap Up (late — but still)! I finished "Frozen Tears"! Amazing — btw! Look for a review next week! I am currently half way through "The Lovely Bones" and it is phenomenal! Hopefully I'll finish this week!

I put up the first pictures of my new bookshelf!

This week's Guest Review was The Miles Between by Cassie from Happy Book Lovers Blog! If you're interested in submitting a Guest Review — please find out how. I reviewed Aurora of the Northern Lights.

I apologize for this being late — it is now Monday evening. My bad. Classes are going well — in the process of catching up (as always). Dorm is doing awesome! Loving the girls on my floor. Harry Potter course is going. We finished up talking about Trauma and today started the first movie. We are going to spend six weeks (I know! Can you believe it!) watching and talking about the first three movies and then we will begin to talk about the last four books (which we are reading).

Happy Sunday everyone!

What did you finish this week?

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen (May 31st, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 496 pages
Source: Author (Thank You!)
Series: Starcrossed #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood.. and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.
Review: I L-O-V-E-D this book! No really, loved it so much that I kept re-reading parts a day after finishing it. This will be one of my top books of 2011. I'm sure of it! I've been a complete fan-girl over this book all week and I will try to get my head together enough to write a review. But first, I must get all of the random, crazy, fan-girly thoughts out of my head.

Lucus *swoon*… HOT! Other hot boys with kick butt powers.*le sigh*. Must plot strategy for how to get book 2 from Josie's house.Hmm… will think of that later.

Okay, here goes. Helen Hamilton is beautiful. She tries to stay as closed off as possible because she hates attention. She has an adorable best friend named Claire who keeps her sane throughout the high school experience. Then one day she sees the new boy in school and can't seem to figure out why she wants to rip his hot little head off. I couldn't help but crack up at some of their first interactions. Josephine really brought some creativity to their struggles with each other.

From that point on Helen is only focused on Lucus and his family, no matter how hard she tried to go on with her daily life. She's not normally a violent person but she knows she wants them all dead. Spooky hallucinations seem to appear when they are close to her and she is sure she has gone insane. The more Helen tries to avoid Lucus, the more fate brings them together until one night all heck breaks loose and she finds out way more about her history than she would have ever thought possible.

Josephine's writing is beyond explanation. I experienced a full range of emotions while reading this book. From giddiness, to fear, to heart-pounding anxiety due to the intense action and passionate romance. I was hooked from the start! Helen was a wonderful character. I enjoyed seeing her spunk come out as the story progressed. She had a lot of power behind the cute face.

I am new to books that involve Gods and Greek mythology but Josephine did an amazing job weaving it into this book. It didn't feel forced or"too much" at one time. All the pieces slowly came together. Along with that, she introduces us to so many secondary characters that will steal your heart. Even though we don't get to learn everything about each of them, they were all so critical to the story and they really help bring everything together. It's rare to see a story with a"big family" and still know what is going on and who's who. Each family member had a distinct personality and after reading the book, I couldn't imagine even one of them not being part of this story.
Starcrossed is a book where I could picture everything in detail as I read it. The beauty of the Delos house, the view from the water, the sky, each character; everything was picture-perfect. It was like watching a movie.

Josephine Angelini was a master at presenting this new YA story that is sure to capture the hearts of many and only get more fantastic as the series continues. Starcrossed was much more than a"boy meets girl" type of story. The flow of the writing, action-packed plot, and outstanding characters make this book impossible to put down. A brilliant read with a captivating romance and a nice dose of mythology. It is a must read!

Find Josephine Angelini
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Purchase Starcrossed Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Book Trailer (UK)

The 2nd annual Authors are Rockstars tour has started! You can see the stops by going here.

I am lucky enough to feature Janenifer Castle. I adore her! I read her book The Beginning of After and was completely blown away. it was such an emotional story and I fell in love with Laurel and David. You can read my review of the book here.

Now, Janenifer has more awesomeness out in the wild! You Look Different in Real Life was released in June and Playing Keira (a novella) was released in May. I haven't had a chance to read these yet but I will be very very soon!

Today, as part of the rockstar tour, I have Janenifer here for an interview about her book You Look Different in Real Life. Don't miss the giveaway below for a signed copy of the book!

INTERVIEW WITH JaneNIFER CASTLE

What made you decide to write about teens involved in a movie of their lives?

I’ve always been fascinated by what happens to reality TV and documentary film subjects after the cameras go away. Do they live their lives differently, like someone’s always watching? Does the way they’re portrayed on screen change the way they see themselves in real life? The possibilities of character and story seemed so juicy, I couldn’t resist. Then I started thinking about how the rise of blogging and social media has allowed pretty much everyone to make themselves the “stars” of their own documentary. Every time we post a status, a photo, check in at a location… we’re building a narrative of our own lives. I think it’s scary-easy to share so much of ourselves, to think so obsessively about what we’re putting out there for the world to see, that we lose track of who we really are.

So the documentary film premise seemed like it was relevant on a couple different levels, and something I could really have fun with. After many years of working on THE BEGINNING OF AFTER, I needed some fun. I was ready to do something where nobody dies. That might have actually been the first note to myself about this book: “Dear Jane: Please don’t kill anyone.” You have to start somewhere.

2. What's one word you'd use to describe each character (Justine, Rory, Nate, Felix and Keira)?

I love you for this question, and also I hate you for this question. This was tough. But the good tough.
Justine: Lost
Rory: Found
Nate: Underestimated
Felix: Overlooked
Keira: Who?

3. With so many reality shows out these days, would you ever agree to have a portion of your life taped?

It’s funny, because while I was writing YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE, I spent an afternoon carrying around a small digital video camera, shooting everything that went on in my house. I just wanted the experience of choosing which moments to record and being conscious of this extra eye observing us. I only lasted a few hours, because it freaked me out that our family’s craziness, the absurd stuff that happens with me and my husband and my kids and my pets every day, was actually being saved for posterity. But maybe it would be cool to have strangers see this absurdity and say, “Yup, we are like this too. You’re normal, because there is no normal.” In the end, it would probably come down to whether or not I had to clean the house and put on something besides ripped sweatpants.

Do you have a favorite line from YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE?

Love/hate question! Again! I have many favorite lines, but most of them are in the later part of the book and might do some spoiling. I do have a soft spot for this early passage where Justine describes her connection to the others, because it’s generally how I feel about my own long-term friendships:
Sometimes I think of an invisible cord connecting Nate and Keira and Felix and Rory and
me. It’s made of something thin and deceptively powerful, like the stuff Spider-Man squirts out
of his wrists. Then I wonder who spun it. Was it Lance and Leslie? Was it everyone who’s ever
watched the Five At documentaries? Or maybe it was me. All I know is that it’s always there. It
stretches and winds but will never break.”

5. Can you share with us what you are currently working on?

With both THE BEGINNING OF AFTER and YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE, I loved writing the romantic storylines. Especially the kissing. Is there anything better than writing about kissing? Ah…

I’m sorry. Where was I? Oh yes. So my current project (which is still untitled, because I suck at titles) is a romance, pure and simple. It’s about what happens when a killer crush actually leads to something, and you have to navigate that intersection of fantasy and reality. It’s about figuring out what love actually is, when you don’t have any good examples in your life to base it on. And it’s got a cute guy who is amazing but not flawless, craveable but problematically complex, because “perfect” boys in YA lit really bug me. I’m hoping it will be done in time for an early 2015 release. Until then, I plan to squeeze out one or two digital short stories or novellas, like I did with PLAYING KEIRA. I like mixing up the long projects with shorter ones. It’s like creative snacking.

You Look Different in Real Life by Janenifer Castle
Published: HarperTeen (June 4th, 2013)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 355 pages
Summary:
For the rest of the world, the movies are entertainment. For Justine, they're real life.

The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There'd be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star.

Now sixteen, Justine doesn't feel like a star anymore. In fact, when she hears the crew has gotten the green light to film Five at Sixteen, all she feels is dread. The kids who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who hardly know one another. And Justine, who was so funny and edgy in the first two movies, feels like a disappointment.

But these teens have a bond that goes deeper than what's on film. They've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how it feels to have fans as well as friends. So when this latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to see yourself is through someone else's eyes.

Smart, fresh, and frequently funny, You Look Different in Real Life is a piercing novel about life in an age where the lines between what's personal and what's public aren't always clear.

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Ten by Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (September 18th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 294 pages
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary:

SHHHH!
Don't spread the word!
Three-day weekend. House party.
White Rock House on Henry Island.
You do NOT want to miss it.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Review:

Meg and Minnie are excited to join this little party and, especially, to get to see the school hottie T.J. When they get there the teens do get to have a bit of fun but then things start getting a bit crazy. They find a DVD and the ten of them can't help but watch as ominous messages appear on the screen talking about pay-back.

At first they try to brush it off but then the teens start getting killed one by one. The mystery behind this book is so intense! I had no clue who the killer would be or how they would be connected to the story of the house. I kept second-guessing my choices and considering if it could be Minnie, T.J., or even Meg herself.

The visuals in this story are amazing. It's dark, stormy, intense! You can't help but be sucked into it and feel like you are actually there trying to run for help but finding that escape is impossible. Beyond that, we do have the connection between Meg and T.J. It was a bit if light in this dark tale. I enjoyed getting to know them and discovering their backstory as well. I thought they were adorable with their little flirtations. Then the killer has to go and ruin it all!: )

If you love horror stories, or a book where you can really picture each scene, you need to read this one. I'd love if this was a movie. I'd have to watch it in the daytime with 100 people, but still, I'd love it.

I can't wait to read more from Gretchen!

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review books mentioned:
"Forbidden" by Syrie James
"Dating the Undead"
"Glow" by Amy Kathleen Ryan
"Death Cloud" by Andrew Lane

Bloggers mentioned:
Michelle at Hooked to Books
April at Good Books and Good Wine
Sheila at Book Journey

I grew up absolutely LOVING this movie! As a kid I hung out at the library waiting for the excitement to start. It wasn't until my mom in layman's terms explained the metaphor that the adventure lies within the covers of the books. I may need to revisit this movie soon!

I know, I haven't done a Sunday Salon in... well for sure all of October! My last Sunday Salon was Sept 27th — I know, I can't believe it either!

This week I reviewed Lost in Austen for the Everything Austen Challenge. I spent most of my day yesterday reading blogs and doing some 'house keeping'. I caught up with a huge to do list; I wanted to read "Mr. Darcy's Dream," but I'm having a really hard time getting into it. So I started "A Duty to the Dead," which is a phenomenal book! I'm already half through! My Everything Austen Mini Challenge ended on Friday — congrats to the winner, Jennifer from Between the Lines.

I gained a follower and now have 30! Thank you!

This week's Guest Review was "Candor " by Kristen, from Bookworming in the 21st Century. If you're interested in submitting a Guest Review — please find out how.

This week I have a lot fun things planned! On Monday check back to see a book trailer that I created for an education class. I have never done anything like this before so it took me a lot of time and I'm very proud of it! On Tuesday look for a contest! Ohhh exciting!

My goal for this week is to finish "A Duty to the Dead" and "Mr. Darcy's Dream".

School has been going great. This Harry Potter class is a lot more work than I had anticipated; I find myself writing two pages a week, one on half of a book and the other on a movie. It's a bit tedious. I want to start spending more time reading and devoting to this blog, and if that means I need to get up a bit early... I also want to put more time into my reviews. I write them right after finishing them, which works for me, but I think that I need to spend more time thinking about them and start adding more things to them. So that's another goal.

Happy Sunday everyone!

What did you finish this week?

From Amazon.com...

"Rebecca Bloomwood just hit rock bottom. But she's never looked better...

Becky Bloomwood has a fabulous flat in London's trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season's must-haves. The only trouble is that she can't actually afford it — not any of it.

Her job writing at Successful Savings not only bores her to tears, it doesn't pay much at all. And lately Becky's been chased by dismal letters from Visa and the Endwich Bank — letters with large red sums she can't bear to read — and they're getting ever harder to ignore.

She tries cutting back; she even tries making more money. But none of her efforts succeeds. Becky's only consolation is to buy herself something... just a little something...

Finally a story arises that Becky actually cares about, and her front-page article catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life — and the lives of those around her — forever."

I listened to "Confessions" via an audiobook.

This is going to be an odd review. For most of the audiobook, I simply listened to it because I had nothing else to do. There were times where I had to turn the volume down because I was so embarrassed and ashamed for Becky. So that proves to me that it was a good book, I definitely connected with Becky. But I'm not sure if I want to connect with her.

By this I mean, Becky is probably one of the most flawed characters (no Twilight jokes) I've ever met. Yes Bella and Edward have their "issues," but they at least do things for love of the other (whether it be stalking each other or mishandling a situation with severe depression — okay no more jokes, I promise). But Becky lies to absolutely everyone, I don't even think she knows how to tell the truth (or what the truth is!). For most of the book she hurts everyone she comes into contact with only to advance or save herself.

But that's understandable, protagonists are meant to be flawed so that they can grow (insert Twilight joke here, but really, I'm done). So the last couple of chapters I begin to see all of Becky's lies catch up with her and I see her decide to be better, and she is! But then the ending (don't want to ruin it, so I won't)...

So I guess I'm just a bit frustrated with such a flighty character that showed no growth.

On the other hand, as a light "listen," I enjoyed this book. It was fun seeing what Becky was going to get herself into next. And even I couldn't believe all the bad things that happened to her. I would have loved to see more interaction with Becky and Luke (which is why I'll be listening to the second book).

Yes, you heard me right. I've already interlibrary loaned the second audiobook. The last couple hours I just had to find out what happened and was listening to the book all the time — in the car (obviously), in the shower, while doing homework, while getting ready for school, etc. The narrators British accent made me want to hop a plane the day after graduation and move to Europe. No luggage, no plan. Just move. I was inspired. I was also inspired to get on with my life and that there was life after college. All the "business" talk made me want to purchase my own briefcase.

I warned you this would be an odd review. I shouldn't have liked this book — but I can't help it, I do.

Oh, and I apologize for my Twilight jokes. Read my reviews, I really did like Twilight and I was super excited for the movie to come out. But I'll be the first to point out it's flaws as character development and even plot goes. I mean no offense to anyone.

To the FTC, with love: Purchased