Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Book: Catching Jordan
Author: Miranda Kenneally
# of Pages: 223 (ebook)
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Summary: 
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

My Thoughts: This book was full of awesomeness!! Jordan has been playing football since she was a little girl. She is quarterback for her high school team and is determined to play college ball. When Ty moves to town and joins the team, Jordan starts to fall for him, but is afraid of what her teammates will think. But she underestimates her friendship with her teammates, because they would do just about anything for her. Her best friend Sam Henry even says, "…Underneath that crazy knot you call hair, all us guys know you're really a girl, and we want you to be happy."

Did I mention that I LOVED this book?

This is a quick and funny story of friendship, family, and romance. And, even if you are not a fan of football, read this book anyway because it is just that amazing!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Book: Croak

Author: Gina Damico

Release Date: March 20

Goodreads Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.

Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her Targets like a natural born Killer.

Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?(

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Top Ten Favorite Books I Read in 2011

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

1. Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

2. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

3. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

4. Ashfall by Mike Mullin

5. If I Stay & Where She Went by Gayle Forman

6. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

7. Legend by Marie Lu

8. Variant by Robison Wells

9. Divergent by Veronica Roth

10. Wither by Lauren DeStefano

11. Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Book: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
# of Pages: 396 (Hardcover)
Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
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.
                                                                                                                         My Thoughts: One of the things that I really like about this book is the world that Revis created. The futuristic slang and inventions are incredibly creative. Her writing is amazing! I love the mystery of the story, trying to figure out who unfroze Amy as well as discovering the secrets of the ship. And, of course, I like the dual narrative. I did find Elder to be ever so slightly annoying. The one good thing about waiting this long to read this book? I don't have wait too long for the sequel!

Merry Christmas!

To everyone who celebrates

MERRY

CHRISTMAS!!!
I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Book: The Way We Fall
Author: Megan Crewe
Release Date: January 24

Goodreads Summary:
It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.


What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Will Bring

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

1. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

2. The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

3. Ruthless by Sara Shepard

4. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

5. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

6. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

7. Matched by Ally Condie

8. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

9. The Duff by Kody Keplinger

10. Unison Spark by Andy Marino

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 best rainy day read.

                                   deucE has wanted to be a huntress her whole life

                            after her Naming ceremony, she gets her wish

                                  but it Comes with a price

    she must hunt with the oLder and most mysterious hunter, fade

      together they attack freAks, zombie-like creatures, and gather food. one day they are ordered to leaVe the safety of the enclave forever

 forced into a world of dangEr and the unknown

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Book: Grave Mercy

Author: R.L. LaFevers

Release Date: April 3

Goodreads Summary:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

What are you waiting on this Wednesday

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 a book that you're grateful someone recommended to you.

                                              jacob jankoWski is in a nursing home
                                         he reminisces About his days in the circus
                               he wanted to be a veTerinarian
                                       but a family tragEdy changes everything
he finds himself jumping onto a moving tRain
                                   
                                   and into a circus liFe
                           being the new guy, jacOb becomes the brunt of jokes
                                                  and is foRced to work the more unpleasant jobs
                                           sharing a sleEping space with a dwarf
                                  and his jack russeLl 
                                                               tErrier
                               falling for one of the Performers
                      attempting to train an elepHant that does not obey commands
                                 enduring his boss, August, and his bad temper
                     trying to avoid being throwN off the train
          he was an underdog,but he foughT to make it to the top
                       a great story with an aweSome ending

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

Book: Dark Inside
Author: Jeyn Roberts
# of Pages: 329 (Hardcover)
Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads Summary:
Four teenagers on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found. THE DARK INSIDE is a stunning, cinematic thriller: 28 DAYS LATER meets THE ROAD. 

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…. Now it’s our turn. 

Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even worse is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, hooking on to weakness, turning the unwary into hunters, killers, crazies. 

Mason: His mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground. Everyone he knows is killed. 

Aries: A school bus, an aftershock and a crash. Pulled out of the wreckage by a mysterious stranger, she’s about to discover a world changed forever.

Clementine: An emergency meeting at the town hall that descends into murderous chaos. Outside the rest of their community encircle with weapons. How can those you trust turn into savage strangers? 

Michael: A brutal road rage incident. When the police arrive on the scene they gun down the guilty and turn on the by-standing crowd. Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad?

My Thoughts: Other than works by Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe, I have not come across a book that has actually creeped me out until now. I like how this story is told from four different POVs. After the earthquake everything changes. The power and Internet go out, there is no cell phone service, and the "ancient evil" has taken over many people so it is hard to tell who is a friend and who is an enemy. Mason, Aries, Clementine, and Michael each have their own obstacles to face and choices to make in order to survive.

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of suspense and amazingly written. I could not put it down. One of the things I like about it is the ending. No cliffhanger! Well, there were a few unanswered questions, but for the most part it could work as a stand alone novel. However, there is going to be a sequel (YAY!) coming out sometime next year. If you are a fan of creepy books, then you will definitely want to read this one.

In My Mailbox

IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Witch & Wizard The Fire by James Patterson and Jill Dembowski

Legend by Marie Lu

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Book: Try Not To Breathe

Author: Jennifer R. Hubbard

Release Date: January 19

Goodreads Summary:

Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die, as sixteen-year-old Ryan discovers in the year following his suicide attempt. Despite his mother’s anxious hovering and the rumors at school, he’s trying to forget the darkness from which he has escaped. But it doesn’t help that he’s still hiding guilty secrets, or that he longs for a girl who may not return his feelings. Then he befriends Nicki, who is using psychics to seek contact with her dead father. This unlikely friendship thaws Ryan to the point where he can face the worst in himself. He and Nicki confide in one another the things they never thought they’d tell anyone—but their confessions are trickier than they seem, and the fallout tests the bound of friendship and forgiveness.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Christmas Tree

My Harry Potter inspired Christmas tree

In My Mailbox

IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.     

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

The Iron Daughter & The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Book: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
# of Pages: 435 (Hardcover)
Rating: 5 stars
                                                                           Goodreads Summary:
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
                                                                             Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
                                                                                                                         
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
                                                                                                                         As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
                                                                                                                     Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.                         
                                                                                                                             My Thoughts: Wow, this book was amazing! I read Halo by Alexandra Adornetto last year and could not bring myself to read another angel book until now. Hand's descriptions of Wyoming are so beautiful and vivid. I would really like to go see it for myself. I love Tucker. His and Clara's relationship is sweet and believable. I could not help but root for them to be together. As for Clara, I like how her character grows as the story progresses. When she first moves to Wyoming, she seems to be focused on her popularity status. She grows to accept her new surroundings and turns her attention to the purpose she was meant to fulfill. If you like paranormals and angels, then you will definitely like this book. Highly recommended.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Book: Unraveling

Author: Elizabeth Norris

Release Date: April 24

Goodreads Summary: Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, Janelle knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life. 

But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process. 

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl’s fight to save herself, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Top Ten Books On My TBR List For Winter

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