Versatile Blogger Award!!!

YAY!  I received the Versatile Blogger Award from Hafsah at Icey Books, Kate at Literary Explorations, Carmel at Rabid Reads and Julia at That Hapa Chick!  Thanks Hafsah, Kate, Carmel and Julia!!!  If you guys saw this post and realized that you awarded us this award a while ago, I apologize because I have had this for a while... I know, I'm horrible :(  But anyways, THANKS SO MUCH AND YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME :D

There are four things that you have to do when you receive this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person that gave this award.
2. Write 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic.
4. Contact the bloggers you have picked to let them know about the award.

Here are 7 (random) things about me:

1. My favorite color in the whole entire world is: PURPLE!
2. My favorite TV shows include: Supernatural (GO DEAN!), The Vampire Diaries, Bones, America's Next Top Model, House, Hellcats and Glee.
3. I have the most awesome bookend ever: It's a dachshund.  I think I'm going to do a post about it later. 
4. My favorite Mexican food is enchiladas and my favorite Italian foods are ravioli or lasagna.  If you ever see me eating Mexican or Italian foods, it's always either one of these (pizza may be an exception though... although, I think pizza should have its own food group)
5. I choke on my water very often... I really don't know why. 




This is the vicious, but cute and
fluffy doggy :)


6. I LOVE ANIMALS!  I think I might want to be a vet when I grow up.  I especially love dogs.  I have two of my own, and they're pretty darn cute (even though one of them's actually really vicious (he was never socialized properly)... he's our first dog so he was kind of like an experiment... and it sort of failed, but he's so cute!!)
7. I lived in China for 3 1/2 years... It was an awesome experience and REALLY fun and I miss living there.  It was probably the best time of my life :)

Yep!  That should be a little bit about me :D


Here are the 15 bloggers that I have chosen:

• Vision Quest Fail
• Cari's Book Blog
• The Book Scoop
• Hobbitsies
• The Grammarian's Reviews
• Epic Booknerd
• YA Bookie Monster
•  Books are like People
• Nice Girls Read Books
• Diary of a Book Lover
• Call Me Crazy
• Ivy's Reads
• Small Review
• Loren Chase
• Brush Up On Your Reading

YES! 15 bloggers!!!  That took me a while, but you guys have awesome blogs and I totally enjoy reading them!!

Cleo :)

Follow Friday (15)

It's Follow Friday, which was started at Parajunkee's View :)  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

No question this week :(

Cleo :)

All I Want for Christmas Is... (5)

This is a weekly meme that's hosted by Danya @ A Tapestry of Words, where every week up until Christmas, you choose a book that you would like to see under your tree! You also have to say why, which shouldn't be too hard :)

This week, I want: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

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.

I've heard so many great things about this book, and Baylee's read it and said that it was good, too... So I think that I definitely need it now!

Cleo :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!



Doesn't that just make your
mouth water???



I'm personally excited today because of the turkey, awesome stuffing that my mom makes, and PIE!  Yes, I ♥ pie.  I think I like pumpkin pie the most, but my mom (the head chef) decided to skip out on that one this year.  Instead we're having a pumpkin roll... But at least there will be some apple pie!

Basically, this year I'm thankful for:

• My friends and family (as always!),
• BOOKS!,
• All the authors that write the fabulous books I read :D, 
• All the followers who follow this blog,
• Smiles and laughter :),
• Shelter and food AND,
• School (even though you supply me with endless amounts of homework)

What are you guys thankful for?

Have a great Thanksgiving!
Cleo :)

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

It's Waiting on Wednesday today!  This is a weekly meme, which is brought to you by Jill at Breaking the Spine!!! This meme is where you can post a post about what you're really look forward to. And I'm always looking forward to new releases :)


This week I'm waiting for...

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Releasing on: January 11th, 2011

Description:

When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York—and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn't think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship. Ari's family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future.

When misfortune befalls Blake's family, he pulls away, and Ari's world drains of color. As she struggles to get over the breakup, Ari must finally ask herself: were their feelings true love . . . or something else?

I think that this sounds really good!  And I love the cover as well!

Cleo :)



*Description from Goodreads.com

Cover Crazy (1): Vampire Kisses

Cover Crazy is a new meme that was created by Tawni at The Book Worms.

This week, I'm going crazy over the the Vampire Kisses series. 



Cryptic Cravings #8

Why I'm going crazy over these?

• I love how they portray the goth-ness of Raven and how it's not really creepy, but elegant
• There's always red lipstick that pops out!
• The title font is REALLY pretty :)

So what do you guys think?

Cleo :)

Teaser Tuesday (7)

It's Tuesday today, so obviously it means it's Teaser Tuesday!  I haven't done this in a while (again...).  This is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. 

And here are the guidelines (if you want to join in):

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I hadn't seen Shay in the cafeteria during lunch, and now his regular seat in our afternoon class remained vacant.  I scribbled a few more notes and tried to tell myself that it didn't matter."

    -- pg. 153 of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Review: Bright Young Things

Title: Bright Young Things
Author: Anna Godbersen
Date Released: October 12th, 2010
Pages: 389
Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:
The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star…

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

Review:
I was waiting to get this book in my hands for a while!  I loved Godbersen's The Luxe series, and she really gets me reading historical fiction.  I'm not the biggest fan, and when the genre that was picked for my book club at school was historical fiction, of course I let out a little moan... or something like that.  But then, I realized... I can totally go and get Anna Godbersen's latest book! 

I totally agree with the description, this is "an epic new series!"  This book kind of flew by really fast... I'd pick up the book, read a few pages, put it down, then look at how much I've read, and think, "Whoa!  I've read so many pages and SO MANY THINGS HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED!"  Before I knew it, I was done (even though it took me about a week... don't judge me! I'm just a slow reader).  The plot just totally absorbs you and you can't help but just read on.  There are also so many unexpected twists that make you gasp and keep reading until you're just about done with the book. 

The setting was beautiful, too.  It was kind of like The Luxe, but New York just seems so much more fascinating this time because of the descriptions of all the tall building and bright lights and night.  I thought it was also amazing how Godbersen switched from the late 1800's/early 1900's to the 20's, but also makes the 20's seem so much more likable than the time frame in The Luxe.  The characters were pretty lovable as well, although I couldn't really get into any of the guy's that each of the girls fell in love with.  They were all so-so.  Actually, I think that I liked Thom a little bit... But then... this thing happened... and if you want to know what it is, then get the book!  You know you want to :)

Overall, it's defintely a promising start to Godbersen's new series!  I'm really excited and cannot wait for the next book which is called Beautiful Days.  If you like historical fiction, I'd recommend anything by Anna Godbersen because she writes about really intriguing times in history that will really captivate you.

Cover Review:
I love this cover!  It kind of has the same concept as the covers for The Luxe series, but this time the model has the clothing that they probably wore during the 20's, which is beautiful :)  And the font for the title really fits the book.

Cleo :)

*Description from Goodreads.com
**Review copy purchased.

2011 Debut Author Challenge

This is my first challenge ever, and the 2011 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren looked like a lot of fun to participate in!  I think that the rules are pretty much to the point, like you have to read at least 12 books, and they must all be from debut authors :)

I think that for next year, I'm planning to read:

• Across the Universe by Beth Revis (1/11)
• Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal (1/11)
• Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (1/14)
• Where I Belong by (2/8)
• Falling Under by Gwen Hayes (3/1)
• Wither (3/22)
• Possession by Elana Johnson (6/7)

And that's is for now!  If you have any suggestions, feel free to suggest any other debut author books that you know of!  If you want to sign up, just go here.


Cleo :)

City of Bones The Mortal Instruments

Basic Information
Title: City of Bones
Publisher/Published date: March 27th 2007 by Margaret K. McElderry
Author: Cassandra Clare
Rating: 4 out of 5
Pages: 485


Sypnosis:


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. . . .


Review


Cassandra Clare obviously put a lot of thought not only into the characters, her settings, and most of all her plot that seems to have more twists and turns than a maze! At first I thought it would just be another love story between a human (Clary Fray) and someone connected to the supernatural world (Jace ...?). But as it turns out their relationship is one of the most shocking that I have yet to read. My jaw actually dropped a few times. I thought her story was original, and I love how she crafted the history of the Shadowhunters. Clare has diverse characters of all ethnicities and sexual orientations and even though Jace and Clary were the main characters a lot of the other characters played big roles. Also, her cover artwork is beautiful and each book features a different character!


Unfortunately, I felt that sometimes her characters were weak or, in Clary's case, a bit whiney. I had also hoped that the prejudice between Downworlders and Nephilim would not have taken so long to end. Even in the City of Glass the Shadowhunters were very slow to accept the help of the werewolves, warlocks, and fairies. Some of her ideas such as the romantic love triangles were a bit predictable as well. All in all, it's not the greatest book I have ever ever ever read in my life, but I still found it an enjoyable break from the books that I needed to read for school.


XoXo~ Baylee ~

Follow Friday (14)

Woo hoo! It's Friday!  Or, more like Thursday, but Friday's only a couple hours away :)  Follow Friday was created by Parajunkee's View.

This week's question:

How long have you been book blogging?

Just about 3 months... Yeah, we're pretty new at it, and it's felt like forever.  But so far, I've been enjoying doing this!

If this is your first time visiting our blog, just so you know, we're three teenage friends who love reading books and have been dedicating our time to tell people about the amazing books that we read :)  And we mainly read YA books.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Cleo :)

Review: The Iron Daughter

Title: The Iron Daughter
Author: Julie Kagawa
Date Released: August 1st, 2010
Pages: 359
Rating: 5 out of 5


Description:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Review:
This has got to be the best series ever, next to The Hunger Games, of course.  Wow.  I was just amazed by all the action and adventure in The Iron Daughter, not to mention all the romance.  It really sucked me in and I couldn't stop reading it!!!  After I would have to put the book down, I'd keep thinking about picking it back up again... I was totally addicted to it!

This book is N.O.N S.T.O.P A.C.T.I.O.N.  And I'm seriously not kidding.  It really keeps you on your toes.  They're always on the move or thinking of a plan to retrieve what is lost.  If you love adventure, then this is the series for you.  I really can't keep my excitement down...  This is just pure awesomeness.  And I have no other words for it... Wait, maybe I do.  I think that Kagawa also does a good job of adding new things into the book and series, and expanding more on the knowledge of the Iron Fey.  Even though she adds some more new characters like Leanansidhe, I don't think that I will ever forget them, unlike how I normally do (like in the Blue Blood series...).

In the beginning, when Ash was being a jerk, I wanted to punch him in the face or something sooo badly, because I'm Team Ash and I think he rocks, but he was being mean to Meghan.  But it all came together and I totally understand why, and you can tell that because of his actions, he really loves her.  However, the romance in this book is a love triangle.  We all love those :)  It's pretty predictable... Especially if you've seen the whole Team Ash and Team Puck thing going around :)  I'm not Team Puck because I just think that Puck is more of a best friend to Meghan than Ash.  I like how he's really nice and tries to lighten the mood and make jokes, but sometimes he seems like he's not all that serious.  Personally, I think that people like Ash more because he just seems so mysterious.  And to me, Meghan and him just seem right.  I'm still trying to figure out why they're so right for each other, and I'll get back to you guys on that one.

So, now, I begin my wait for The Iron Queen (February 1st, 2011), and then The Iron Knight (2011).  *Sigh*  But I'll manage.  If you haven't read The Iron King yet, then go out and get it now!  It's amazing!  If you don't believe me, then read my review here.  It's proof of my opinion :P

Cover Review:
Again, this is a very cool cover.  I love the designs and how it's a purple theme this time!  But it's also got this iciness that reminds me of the Winter Court.

Cleo :)

All I Want for Christmas Is... (5)

This is a weekly meme that's hosted by Danya @ A Tapestry of Words, where every week up until Christmas, you choose a book that you would like to see under your tree! You also have to say why, which shouldn't be too hard :)

This week, I want: Twelfth Grade Kills by Heather Brewer

It all comes down to this.

Vlad’s running out of time. The Elysian Council has given him weeks to live, and that’s if the Slayer Society doesn’t kill him – along with all the citizens of Bathory – first. Then there’s the issue of Vlad’s father, who may or may not still be alive after all these years, and oh yeah, that tiny little detail in the Pravus prophecy about Vlad enslaving Vampirekind and the human race. So much for college applications.

In this epic finale to Heather Brewer’s heart-stopping Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, dark secrets will be revealed, old friends will become enemies, and warm blood will run cold. Just be careful it isn’t yours.

The last book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series is a must for me at the moment...  BECAUSE IT'S THE LAST BOOK!  And I'm hoping that more things are explained!!!  If you haven't read this series yet, it's pretty cool, but more of a light, fun read :D

Cleo :)

*Description from Goodreads.com

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

YESS! It's Wednesday!!  And it's been a pretty busy day, but I'm going to squeeze this in!  We're halfway through the week :D Today's also Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly meme, which is brought to you by Jill at Breaking the Spine!!! This meme is where you can post a post about what you're really look forward to. And I'm always looking forward to new releases :)


This week I'm waiting for...

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Releasing on: February 1st, 2011

Description:

My name is Meaghan Chase.

I thought it was over.That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stay by my side. Drag me into the core of a conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

If you read my review on The Iron King and The Iron Daughter (which I have not published yet) then you know why!  And if you don't, this series is totally awesome!

Cleo :)

*Description from Goodreads.com

Shiver Review

Basic Information


Author: Maggie Stiefvator
Publisher/Date Published: Scholastic Press, August 1st 2009
Pages:392
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5


Synopsis:


For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.


Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.


My Review


It was refreshing to read a story that was all about wolves after the huge Twilight uproar. This was a really beautiful book about the struggles faced by a girl from small town Mercy Falls and the boy she loves. Then, the story takes a dramatic turn when the boy, Sam, turns out to be more than just what's on the outside. I thought Sam was a beautiful character because he seems so delicate and easy going, but when faced with a tough situation he really has the guts to do whatever needs to be done. Grace was also great because unlike some other heroines in other stories she actually gets off her but and takes some action when something threatens to tear her and Sam apart instead of letting the guy do all the work.


Grace is a perfectionist. She has never missed a day of school, she has perfect grades, and practically takes care of herself while her artist/hippie mother and her indifferent father stay out till sunrise and ignore Grace when they're home. Even though Grace has a bland life, there is always one thing that she's able to count on to make her feel like she belongs. Seeing her yellow eyed wolf. Maggie Stiefvator creates a beautiful and powerful connection between Grace and her wolf that really shows how much thought she put into her character's relationships. But something terrible has happened in the small town of Mercy Falls, that puts Grace's and her wolf's worlds on edge. Writing a book is easy. Writing a good book is another story. Maggie's book really captured me and although it did get a bit slow towards the middle I still love the story very much.


Stiefvator has many surprises in store for her readers with plenty of twists that you wont ever expect. So go on and try it. What have you really got to lose? I know that there's a really good chance you'll love this book as much as I do.






P.S. If you do read the book, don't forget to check out Linger, the second book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series!!


XoXo~ Baylee ~

Today's Adventures!

Okay so today we celebrated miss Cleo's birthday because it was the only weekend available for the both of us, and guess who we met today?

MRS. LAUREN KATE!

(Yes, the author of Fallen, Torment, and coming soon PASSION!)

She was visiting a local bookstore near Cleo's home and it was really fun. She gave us some info on the upcoming book Passion and we also found out that.....THERE'S GOING TO BE A FOURTH BOOK! We found out the last book is to be called Rapture! So exciting, very exciting! :D

Besides...who else has been wondering about the beautiful covers of her books? Well we finally found out that the designer of the cover is.... THE GIRL ON THE FRONT COVER! You think I'm joking? THINK AGAIN! The beautiful girl in black on the front cover of Fallen and Torment is both the photographer and model. She takes these beautiful photos and then Photoshop's the beautiful background. Lauren Kate says she will most likely be the model for all four books. If you want to see more of her work:

 This is her deviant art gallery website.

Cleo's mother also might have mentioned...(while Cleo and I were hiding due to embarassment) to Mrs. Kate that we had a book blog called Booklopedia and that we had written reviews on her books. The awesome part...Lauren Kate said she thought that was awesome and asked for the website address so she could check us out for herself! She truly cares about her fans and we here at Booklopedia would just like to thank her for writing such beautiful books!

XoXo~ Baylee and Cleo!

BLOG AWARD FOR BAYLEE!

Hey guys Baylee here and I just saw that Booklopedia got chosen for another blog award! YAY! Exciting, exciting yes I know(:  haha its my first time doing the blog award sooooo why don't we start on the rules shall we?

Rules:

1.Thank and link back to the person that gave this award.
2.Answer the 10 survey questions.
3.Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic.
4.Contact the bloggers you’ve picked to let them know about the award.


Questions:


1. If you blog anonymously are you happy doing it that way; if you are not anonymous do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now?


Hmmm...blogging anonymously...I think it's a great way to blog for someone who wants to keep their privacy and also have their thoughts heard. For me privacy really isn't an issue because, trust me I am an avid privacy up keeper person. I also think that, while blogging anonymously give an air of mystery ;) I think it's great for people who read blogs to see who they're reading from.


2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side:


I think everyone has an "inner stubborn side"...some more evident than others(; But what really gets me going is when I get in a "discussion" with my blog partner Cleo about...yes of course...TEAMS! I mean we may read the same books, but that does not mean we have the same taste in guys haha. Our talks are quite long...and we aren't above making fun of each other either  :)




3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror?


A girl who has such a long journey ahead of her it's pointless to guess, but that just makes the surprises all the more fun.
4. What is your favourite summer cold drink?


Arnold Palmer's


5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?


I usually, of course, read or go lay outside in the sun. I also love playing with my two dogs and messing with my siblings.


6. Is there something you still want to accomplish in your life? What is it?
Of course! There are hundreds of things I'd like to accomplish but getting to college is definitly a priority!
7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever , the shy person, or always ditching?
I'm usually the overachiever/shy type. :) But I'm actually very fun!
8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment of your life what would you see?


Everyday when I see someone doing their best for someone else, it makes me want to do something for someone else as well.
9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events?


I think in writing blog I can really say what I want because no one is going to whisper behind my back or point unfriendly looks my way. Sure they can comment and say they don't like my blog or my post, but here it's just an opinion. In person it feels like they're judging you.
10. If you had the choice to sit down and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?


Of course I would read. I mean I'm young of course I text and talk on the phone but reading just...well its me. Its a big part of me and I'm not giving that up or any opportunities to read either. Reading makes you smarter sure, but it creates and imagination and brings people to new places that we can't actually go. It brings us romances and friendships that are so touching that we strive for one of our own. I love reading its my favorite passtime.

Follow Friday (13)

WOO HOO!  My 13th Follow Friday!  The number 13 is my favorite number... sooo I hope that something good will happen tomorrow :D  It is my birthday on Saturday (which is also the 13th) and my best friend is coming to stay the weekend... So it will probably be an excellent Friday!  This weekly meme is brought to you by Parajunkee's View!

This week's question:

What is your usual monthly book budget?

Hmm... $20?  I don't exactly have a budget, its usually what ever's in my wallet, which is usually around 20 bucks... :)  I'm still not old enough to have a job and my allowance is small, so my budget is small too :)  But I survive on Amazon.com and Borders coupons.

Today, I posted a review for Freefall by Mindi Scott (which was a really good book) and be on the look out for The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa (which was also really good!!!).


Cleo :)

All I Want for Christmas Is... (4)

This is a weekly meme that's hosted by A Tapestry of Words, where every week up until Christmas, you choose a book that you would like to see under your tree! You also have to say why, which shouldn't be too hard :)

This week, I want: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

I've been waiting for this since I finished Beautiful Darkness, and I haven't gotten the chance to get it...  I loved the first book and really can't wait for more.

Cleo :)

*Description from Goodreads.com

Review: Freefall

Title: Freefall
Author: Mindi Scott
Date Released: October 5th, 2010
Pages: 315
Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:
How do you come back from the point of no return?


Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend’s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth will soon realize he isn’t the only one who needs saving . . .

Review:
Freefall was an amazing book. I loved how this could actually be someone’s life. I think that people can relate to every aspect of this book whether it’s from facing your fears or just going through a relationship with someone. Freefall captivated me and I could not put it down (although I had to because of school and stuff >.< (<-- annoyed face)). I think that if I could, I would’ve been able to finish this in one sitting.



At first, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Seth. I understood that he lost a friend, and Seth thinks that he’s the one to blame for his death, but I didn’t like how he would drown himself in parties and drinking. After a while, I noticed that he was changing and probably wanted to be a better person, so I started liking him then. I even felt bad for him, and totally shocked, when a popular jerk at his school started spreading lies. However, when Rosetta came into the book, I immediately loved her (as a character). I loved her personality and to me, she seemed different, like she didn’t really want to be in the popular crowd, or she didn’t really fit criteria of being popular because she was just too nice :D Haha, I know, dumb reason, but she wasn’t like her friends! I swear she wasn’t! She was pretty nice to Seth, and didn’t treat him like trash, unlike the circle of friends she had at school.


I will warn you though: there is some bad language and making out and stuff like that… I won’t get into specifics, but you know what I mean, right? If it were a movie, it’d probably be rated PG-13. But I didn't let the bad language or the inappropriate stuff hold me back. I wanted to read this because it sounded great and I heard a lot of great things about it :D Overall, Freefall is a great, awesome, and captivating book that’ll probably captivate you, too.


Cover Review:
I love the cover and how it's pretty simple, but it's just so beautiful in the way that the glass has crashed on the floor.  I wonder how they took a picture of that...
 
Cleo :)
 
*Description from Goodreads.com
**Review copy won.

Review: Misguided Angel

Title: Misguided Angel
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Date Released: October 26th, 2010
Pages: 256
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
Back in New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat. Vampires are being abducted and their captors are planning to burn them alive online…for all the world to see. Help arrives in the form of Deming Chen, a Venator from Shanghai, who must untangle the web of deceptions before the killers strike again.

As the young vampires struggle for the survival of the coven, they uncover a deadly secret, a truth first discovered by Schuyler’s mother during the Renaissance but kept buried for centuries. And as the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler to a terrible choice that will ultimately map the destiny of her heart.

Review:
A follow up to the first four books in the series, Misguided Angel is VERY short compared to, for example, The Van Alen Legacy.  But, it is pretty good.  This one goes more in depth into what is happening considering the Silver Bloods (really evil sort of vampires, just in case you didn't know) and what Schuyler is up to with both finding the gates and Jack. 

This time, it was split into four parts, rather than each chapter just switching off between several characters.  The first part was from Schuyler, second from Mimi and third part was from a relatively new character named Deming (if this name rings a bell, she had a really short cameo in Masquerade).  The fourth part switched off between the three characters, but only for three chapters (so basically one chapter for each character).  I found Deming's part to be the most intriguing part, probably because she's a new character, but also because de la Cruz just somehow managed to make this part a lot more interesting than Mimi's and Schuyler's parts.  I think it's because she actually had the job of discovering who was the one that was murdering the Blue Bloods.

Honestly, the first two parts were kind of boring.  And where did Bliss go?  It's like she just disappeared into thin air...  Maybe de la Cruz is saving her for her spin off series... but still, Bliss was a pretty big character and I wanted to know more about what her job was in this book.  I didn't like how all the characters had their own parts.  Especially when it came to Schuyler because I wanted to see more of Schuyler trying to find all of the gates.  I think that it would've been better if they switched off in every chapter, rather than by parts. 

The plot thickens in this book though!!  So, that's a plus :)  The ending was really good, too.  No, it was shocking!  Or the Schuyler part was, at least. 

Overall, this book wasn't exactly fulfilling.  I mean, it was pretty short... Like waaaay too short!  Also, Schuyler and Mimi's parts were just a tad bit boring.  Everything else was great though :D I still want more even if this book wasn't as great as I had expected it to be... But I don't think that I'll ever stop reading this series until it's done.  Now, I'll just be waiting until the next book comes out, which will be around this time next year... -.- (<--- the slightly annoyed look)  But I guess I can wait :D

Cover Review:
This is an awesome cover!!! I love the girl with the angel wings on the front.  I don't exactly know what city is silhouetted on the cover this time... But it's very pretty :)

Cleo :)

*Description from Goodreads.com
**Review copy purchased.

Follow Friday (12)

It's Follow Friday again!!!  This is a weekly meme that is hosted by Parajunkee's View :)

This week's question is:

Who are your favorite authors?

Hmm... I think that the list could go on and on but I'll just name a few... I think that they're basically all YA authors.

Here are some of them in list form (in a random order)!

• Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instrutment Series)
• Sharon Creech (technically not YA, but her books were my favorite growing up)
• Maggie Stiefvater
• Carrie Jones
• Melissa de la Cruz
• Michael Grant

How about you guys??

Hope you guys have a great weekend!  And be on the look out for another review coming out, most likely tomorrow :)

Cleo :)

All I Want for Christmas Is... (3)

This is a weekly meme that's hosted by A Tapestry of Words, where every week up until Christmas, you choose a book that you would like to see under your tree! You also have to say why, which shouldn't be too hard :)



This week, I want: Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto by Eric Luper

Seth Baumgartner just had the worst day of his life: His girlfriend dumped him (at Applebee’s), he spied his father on a date with a woman who is not his mother (also at Applebee’s!), and he lost his fourth job of the year. It’s like every relationship he cares about is imploding, and he can’t figure out what’s going on.

To find answers, Seth decides to start an anonymous podcast called The Love Manifesto, exploring “what love is, why love is, and why we’re stupid enough to keep going back for more.” Things start looking up when Seth gets a job at a golf club with his hilarious and smut-minded best friend, Dimitri, and Dimitri’s sister, Audrey. With their help, Seth tracks down his father’s mystery date, hits the most infamous bogey in the history of golf, and discovers that sometimes love means eating the worst chicken-salad sandwich you can ever imagine.

I don't know how I found out about this book... But ever since I found it, I've really been wanting to read it because it sounds really interesting, with the whole drama with love.  Plus, everyone wants to know what love is, just like the main character.

Cleo :)

*Description from Goodreads.com