In My Mailbox

IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.     

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo

Must Read Monday

Must Read Monday is a new meme created by Jenna from Fans of Fiction. This is a fun way to recommend books to other bloggers by using an acrostic puzzle based on the week's theme. It helps bloggers learn more about the book. This week's theme is fantasy (any book with fantastical elements).

                                          senT to a new school every year
                                     with adHd and dyslexia
                                              pErcy just can't fit in
                              
                               a class fieLd trip goes awry
                                and in an Instant
                            his life chanGes
               he is taken to camp Half blood
                where he learns thaT gods and goddesses
                                          do iNdeed exist
               and there are other kIds just like him
                  zeus's master lightNing bolt is missing
                     and percy is deleGated to find it
                      
                      and must return iT by the summer solstice
he is accompanied by annabetH, daughter of athena,
               and grover, his best frIend
                they emark on the quEst hoping they'll find the bolt
                                              beFore it's too late
                                                                                                                       The book is so much better than the movie.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Book: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
# of Pages: 374 (Paperback)
Rating: 3.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

My Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked how Thomas was quick-thinking when he was faced with danger and never let panic take over. I  liked the interesting scenes within the Maze, and I thought the Grievers, part animal-part machine covered in needles and other lethal instruments, were pretty creepy.

On the other hand, I felt that the first half of the book dragged. For the longest time all Thomas did was ask questions. Yes, I know that would be the logical thing to do if put in a situation like him, but he never tries to find anything out on his own. I also thought Thomas was a bit too trusting. When Teresa arrives, he feels a "connection," and is sure he knew her before coming to the Maze. He almost instantly accepts her, unlike the other boys who find her presence very suspicious. I do hope that more of Thomas and Teresa's history is revealed in the sequel.

In My Mailbox

IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.     

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker

2012 Debut Author Challenge

The 2012 Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. The goal is to read and review at least 12 YA/MG debut novels between Jan. 1, 2012 and Jan. 31, 2013.

My List:

Tempest by Julie Cross

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry

Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

Elemental by Emily White

Fracture by Megan Miranda

2012 Ebook Challenge

The 2012 Ebook Challenge is being hosted by Sarah from Workaday Reads.

This challenge will run from Jan. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2012. Any genre or length of book counts, as long as it is in ebook format.

Levels:

1. Floppy Disk - 5 ebooks
2. CD - 10 ebooks
3. DVD - 25 ebooks
4. Memory Stick - 50 ebooks
5. Hard Drive - 75 ebooks
6. Server - 100 ebooks
7. Human Brain - 150 ebooks

I'm going to aim for Level 3 DVD - 25 ebooks

Top Ten Books That Have Been On My Shelf The Longest But I Haven't Read Yet

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

1. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

2. The Stand by Stephen King

3. Angel Time by Anne Rice

4. The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

5. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

6. Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

8. The City of Falling Angels  by John Berendt

9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

10. My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares