The Book Addict

Witch Song by Amber Argyle

2012-03-16T05:00:00.003-07:00

The world is changing.
Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons, but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor.
All but Brusenna.
Now the traitor is coming for Brusenna, and even her guardian can't protect her. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her.
If Brusenna fails, there won't be anything left to save.
Look for the sequel, Witch Born, coming May 2012.

First Line:
"Brusenna's straw-colored hair felt as hot as a sun-baked rock."

Don't you LOVE the cover? I think it's beautiful.

The first bit of the book was hard to read due to how Brusenna was treated by the villagers. Her mother has kept her hidden because they are both witches but also because there is a war going on.
Witches are not the Halloween type we're all use to. Ms. Argyle gives witches a new, good twist. I love that they sing their spells.
Brusenna grows from mouse into woman through the book.
The story is full of great characters and I really liked Bruke, the dog :)
Romance, action and paranormal story all in one book.

Rating: PG
L: No
V: No
S: No

3 STARS

BOUND by C.K. Bryant

2012-03-13T05:00:00.002-07:00

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive.

BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love.

First Line:
"Kira glanced up at the silver eye hook screwed into the gym ceiling."

Interesting story with tough characters.
The story starts out in a high school gym and ends with a lot of fantasy and a stronger main character who is in all sorts of trouble and fights.
The action is fast, the plot twisting and characters always fighting for their lives.
I admit, some parts I skimmed because my brain couldn't take in any more action.

Like:
Kira
Fantasy

Dislike:
Not all the trilogy out yet
Boy who can't control anger
Too much action, not much down time

Rated: PG 16
S: No
V: fighting, torture
L: some

3 STARS

SILENCE (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick

2012-03-09T05:00:00.001-08:00

Fitzpatrick delivers the breathtaking conclusion to the "New York Times"-bestselling Hush, Hush saga. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in each other, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for--and their love--forever.

First line (prologue):
"The sleel black Audi rolled to a stop in the parking lot overlooking the cemetery, but none of the three men inside had any intention of paying respects to the dead."

Ms. Fitzpatrick has a way of rachetting up tension and giving us reasons to invest in the characters.
While I enjoyed the romance I was a little disappointed that the two main love interests got back into each other so quickly.
I keep getting confused with the different degrees of angels and bad guys. The author attempted to help me understand better throughout the book.
This was a quick read.

Rated: PG 14
S: make outs, kissing
V: fights
L: A few words

3 STARS

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

2012-03-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

Enjoyed this book and recommend it to moms and their daughters!
How would you feel if you found out you're really not a princess and the king and queen aren't your parents? That's what happened Nalia/Sinda. Poor girl's world is sent spinning when she's sent from teh castle to live with a peasant aunt. But if she hadn't been sent away she would never have learned about her gifts. The gifts that can save the kingdom.

Likes:
Action
Romance
Characters
Twists

Dislikes:
I couldn't figure out the twists!
Loose ends

Rated: PG
V: No
L: No
S: No

4 STARS

Loved this line:
"He watches you, Sinda. Like you're his best treasure, only he can't think of a way to slip you into his pocket."

LDStorymaker's Conference May 4-5, 2012

2012-02-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

2012 LDStorymakers Conference is coming soon!

Lovelovelove this conference.

You should go.

Seriously.

Go to this site and register.

I'll save you a seat!

Conference: May 4-5 2012

2-Day Conference: $170
Friday-only Conference: $95
Saturday-only Conference: $75

Location:

Conference: May 4-5, 2012

2-Day Conference: $170
Friday-only Conference: $95
Saturday-only Conference: $75

The Provo Marriott Hotel

101 West 100 North · Provo, Utah 84601 USA

Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

2012-02-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

The wars that followed The Collapse nearly destroyed civilization. Now, twenty years later, the world is faced with a choice—rebuild what was or make something new.

Stephen Quinn, a quiet and dutiful fifteen-year-old scavenger, travels Post-Collapse America with his Dad and stern ex-Marine Grandfather. They travel light. They keep to themselves. Nothing ever changes. But when his Grandfather passes suddenly and Stephen and his Dad decide to risk it all to save the lives of two strangers, Stephen's life is turned upside down. With his father terribly injured, Stephen is left alone to make his own choices for the first time.

Stephen’s choices lead him to Settler's Landing, a lost slice of the Pre-Collapse world where he encounters a seemingly benign world of barbecues, baseball games and days spent in a one-room schoolhouse. Distrustful of such tranquility, Stephen quickly falls in with Jenny Tan, the beautiful town outcast. As his relationship with Jenny grows it brings him into violent conflict with the leaders of Settler's Landing who are determined to remake the world they grew up in, no matter what the cost.

Another post apocalyptic that is closer to what could happen in our future. China bombs use with the plague and millions die.
Stephen and his father are survivors and what is called Scavengers. They find bits and pieces of scraps that keep them alive with food and clothes and medical supplies.
After his dad is hurt, Stephen gets help and ends up at Settler's Landing where people actually live in houses, eat at tables and sleep in beds. And to top it all off, they even have school.
Along with the good of this place, there is some bad. Slavers live outside and they are dangerous.
The battle at the end was good.
Can Stephen get along with the Settlers? Will his dad get better? Will he find a place in his survivor heart for love?

To be honest, three days after I read this I couldn't remember the title, main character or plot. Not good. Then something in the news about a plague and it all came back.

Rating: PG 13
V: Some fights, intense scenes
L: Not that I remember
S: No

3 STARS

Hourglass by Myra McIntire

2012-02-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

First line:
"My small Southern hometown is beautiful in the haunting way an aging debutante is beautiful."

Liked:
Beautiful language.
Interesting premise.
Hot main guy.
Creepy ghostly apparitions.
Great cover.

Didn't like:
MC instantly falls for main guy and his lips, always about his lips

Rating: PG 15
S: lots of talk of lips
V: fights
L: Some

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

2012-02-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object-an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas-it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking-er, focusing on-Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

First line:
"Nothing creates a buzz like an Executive Deluxe day planner."

Cute, clean romantic story.
Each character is unique, fun and entertaining. LOVED the counselor! A story about how life unexpectedly takes a turn but you can still find humor, love and comfort from those around you.

Rating: PG

Rearview Mirror by Stephanie Black

2012-02-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

On a rainy night eight years ago, Fiona Claridge lost control of her car and crashed, injuring herself and killing her roommate, Mia Hardy. Now, she strives to keep the painful past at bay by staying burrowed beneath the demands of her job as a college professor in a small Ne England town.But when someone starts leaving her gift-wrapped boxes containing malicious reminders of Mia's death, Fiona's guilt and grief come flooding back.

First line:
"Sleet whipped Linda Taylor across the face."

I. Love. Stephanie.
She's the sweetest person ever with mad dog writing skills. Seriously. This girl can churn out the best suspense novels ever. And she always tricks me. I'm pretty good at picking out the bad guy. I did pretty good on this story too. But she threw a twist in, just like the last book.
I'm not gonna tell you.
I love how Stephanie gives a handful of suspects, all with excellent motives then one-by-one eliminates them with their alibis until you're left wondering "who the heck is the bad guy??"
Stephanie's awesome.
Buy her books.
Read her books.

Good, clean book. Read it in one day.

Rated PG13
V: yes but not graphic, just really intense
L: No
S: No

5 STARS

Indelible by Lani Woodland

2012-02-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Sixteen-year-old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn't want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist s attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn't going to go quietly.

First line:
"Being stuck in California rush-hour traffic wasn't nearly so bad when I had something to keep me busy."

Second book of Yara and the Pendrell school.
Yara now understands her 'gift' and still doesn't really want it. Seeing and talking to ghosts isn't her idea of normal.
But her talents will help the school and students and keep them safe. If she can keep her self out of danger or getting killed.
Or possessed.
Yara doesn't realize how strong her powers are until she comes up against a very angry ghost.

Ms. Woodland doesn't an excellent job in characterizations, plot, twists, storyline and pacing. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen to Yara and Brent. And who was the bad guy? And how were Yara and her friends getting out of this one??
The mystery, paranormal, romance and intrigue kept me reading.
Oh! And my name is in this book! I'm the flour sack baby.

What I liked:
Vovo
Yara
Yara & Brent relationship
Flour sack (of course)

What I didn't like:
um, nothing really.
A few editing errors

Rating: PG 13
L: Don't remember any
S: Kissing
V: fights, angry ghosts, bad guys

25% test (p.99):
"...more juicy Waker secrets. That faulty belief had led Cherie to spy on Vovo more than once.
"So, what makes you think my friends need the necklaces."
Vovo threw an amused grin at Cherie, who hadn't been as stealthy as she thought.
"I've had a dream of darkness settling at Pendrell again. Although it didn't so much settle as raise from the ground." She cocked her head to the side thinking. "I'm not sure what it means yet, but I decided your friends should have them, just in case."
"You had a dream too?" I sat up tall and held her gaze. "About a fire?"
"Yes. I dreamed of the fire, but I also had a vision of the darkness." She shivered and paled slightly before pointing to the jewelry again. "I want you to hand them out to everyone who's close to you. I made some boy pieces too."
I pulled the box close and inspected the contents again.
"This is cute," I said, holding up what looked like a surfer necklace with a single large bead in the center and smaller ones worked into the knotted cord. I could see Brent wearing it. "I'm glad these will protect my friends but what about me? Isn't there something I can do to keep this ghost away from me? I don't want anything to do with her, and I certainly don't want to be waiting around for her to reappear."
Vovo rubbed her hand across her forehead, her shoulders slumping. "There is nothing you can do but wait. Fique tranquila."
"Stay calm?"
She kissed the top of my head. "We'll keep you safe and figure this out."
"So should we prepare to banish her?" I asked, dropping the necklace back into the box. Banishing a..."

2012-02-03T19:04:00.001-08:00

2011 Whitney Finalists

Click HERE to download a PDF of the 2011 finalists

Click HERE to purchase tickets to the 2011 Whitney Awards Gala on May 5th at the Provo Marriott

General


Before I Say Goodbye	Gifted	The Evolution of Thomas Hall	The Walk: Miles To Go	The Wedding Letters
Rachel Ann Nunes	Karey White	Kieth Merrill	Richard Paul Evans	Jason F. Wright

Historical


Daughter of Helaman	Fires of Jerusalem	Isabelle Webb: The Pharaoh’s Daughter	Letters in the Jade Dragon Box	Miss Delacourt Has Her Day
Misty Moncur*	Marilyn Brown	N.C. Allen	Gale Sears	Heidi Ashworth

Romance


Borrowed Light	Captive Heart	Count Down to Love	Not My Type	The List
Carla Kelly	Michele Paige Holmes	Julie N. Ford	Melanie Jacobson	Melanie Jacobson*

Mystery/Suspense


Acceptable Loss	Bloodborne	If I Should Die	Rearview Mirror	Smokescreen
Anne Perry	Gregg Luke	Jennie Hansen	Stephanie Black	Traci Hunter Abramson

Speculative


A Night of Blacker Darkness	I Don’t Want to Kill You	No Angel	The Alloy of Law: A Mistborn Novel	The Lost Gate
Dan Wells	Dan Wells	Theresa Sneed*	Brandon Sanderson	Orson Scott Card

Youth Fiction—Speculative


My Unfair Godmother	Shifting	Slayers	Tuesdays at the Castle	Variant
Janette Rallison	Bethany Wiggins	C.J. Hill	Jessica Day George	Robison Wells

Youth Fiction—General


Girls Don’t Fly	Miles From Ordinary	Pride & Popularity	Sean Griswold’s Head	With a Name Like Love
Kristen Chandler	Carol Lynch Williams	Jenni James	Lindsey Leavitt	Tess Hilmo*

Of these finalists, the following titles are also eligible for Best Novel by New Author 2011:

Daughter of Helaman by Misty Moncur
Gifted by Karey White
No Angel by Theresa Sneed
The List by Melanie Jacobson
With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo

Persuasion by Rebecca H. Jamison Blog Tour!

2012-02-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Happy day! I get to be part of PERSUASION blog tour!
I have a dear friend who is all things Austen and I asked her to be a guest reviewer today.
Take it away Mrs. LeBuck!

Rebecca H. Jamison's Persuasion: A Latter Day Tale was an easy, breezy read on a otherwise cold weekend. Her story echoes Jane Austen's Persuasion well enough that I could easily anticipate the general story line, but the updated new twist kept it fresh as I read. I especially enjoyed the "new" ways of getting the characters where they need to be. For example, the accident at the beach was a pleasant surprise, as was the back story given to the character of William.
Jamison's version of Anne Elliot has her own modern issues to deal with, including her work, her car, her friends and roommate. But the relationship issues Jane Austen gave her original heroine ring true in the modern version--her father's financial issues, her sisters' selfishness, and her own self-doubt. Played out within an LDS morality, the romantic entanglements work very well too, even in the modern settings. I could sense her longing for a husband and family life without seeing her as a sappy, unrealistic, washed-up spinster. And Anne's attitude never felt defeated.
Overall, I appreciated the clean but still romantic twist on a story I adore from Jane Austen. Perhaps this new telling will hook younger readers into seeing the brilliance of the character driven novel without the need to spice it up and out of my personal rating's window.

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

2012-01-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

Cat is smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits.

As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this new found male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .

This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves.

Interesting, quick, educational read.
Cat is overweight and doesn't like it but doesn't feel a need to change it (probably goes back to being insulted by her friend, Matt). But she does change thanks to a science fair project, which is really intense. She chooses to eat healthy, no processed food, sugar, etc and the pounds start falling off. She also turns off electronics, walks and doesn't use the phone. Except for emergencies.
Cat is sassy and smart. Cat and her BFF are great characters and their growth are shown from beginning to end. I just wish Cat would be a tad bit nicer to Matt, the guy who hurt her feelings four years ago.

What I liked:
Cat
Cat's BFF (she's awesome!) & her boyfriend
Wanting to change my bad eating habits

What I disliked:
How long Cat held a grudge. It got a little old.

Rating: PG 15
L: a little
V: No
S: kissing, making out

4 STARS

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

First line:
"On Wednesday nights when I was little, my mom and I would watch old musicals."

The last book of the Summer series. Phew!
The last book to finally find out who Belly chooses.
Even though I knew who she would choose because of the alternate chapters of one of the brothers, Jenny Han made it hard for the reader to decide who would be the right one.
Jere is cute and funny and sunshine.
Conrad is brooding and dark and deep.
But one of the them loves her enough to give her up to make her happy.
When Jere and Belly announce they are getting married, everyone is against it, mostly because they are too young. The sad part is everyone thinks the couple is getting married because Belly's pregnant. Belly's still a virgin. A few people even asked her why she has to get married? Why not just live together first? She's conflicted about that idea, but mostly because of the pressure.
Jenny also did well portraying the couple as immature and young. They drove me nuts as they tried to plan the wedding and get an apartment because they are so young. Jere doesn't have a job; he dad pays for everything. Belly has a waitress job during the summer. Seriously, how are these two going to survive? Jere wants the apartment closest to campus so he can be near his frat brothers. Belly wants one not filled with parties.
The angst Belly goes through when she sees Conrad again. It's heart wrenching. I wanted her to just decide already. She wanted to do what was right. She loves both brothers. Only one will really take care of her.

Rating: PG 15
V: Someone gets punched
L: Yes. "F" bombs
S: No. Kissing.

What I liked:
The tension
Belly's a virgin throughout the series
A satisfying ending with a little heartbreak

What I didn't like:
"F" bombs. They take me out of any story

4 STARS

25% test (p. 73):
"So it wasn't such a big deal after all, my not living with them. Life goes on, I guessed. I felt a little wistful, imagining what it would be like if I was still the fourth. Shay was really good at doing hair, and Lynn loved to bake cupcakes. It would be fun.
Anika sat down on her bed. "I'll be fine. I'm just...surprised."
"Me too."
When she didn't say anything else, I asked, "Do you think I'm making a huge mistake?"
In her thoughtful way, she asked, "Does it matter what I think?"
"Yes."
"It's not for me to judge, Iz."
"But you're my friend. I respect your opinion. I don't want you to think badly of me."
"You care too much about what other people think." she said it with sureness but also tenderness.
If anyone else had said it--my mother, Taylor, even Jere--I would have bristled. But not with Anika. With her, I couldn't really mind. In a way it was flattering to have her see me so clearly and still like me. Friendship in college was different that way. You spend all this time with people, sometimes every day, every meal. There was no hiding who you were in front of your friends. You were just naked. Especially in front of someone like Anika, who was so frank and so open and incisive and said..."

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

2012-01-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?
It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.
But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

First line:
"It was a hot summer in Cousins."

It's hot in Cousins in more ways than just summer. Cousins is the beach house where Belly and her mom and brother visit friends. Only this time, Susannah is dying. And Conrad told Belly he doesn't love her. And Jeremiah does. It's a brotherly love triangle.
It's a rough summer for Belly. She's use to going to the Cousins beach house every year. This year Susannah is gone, Conrad hasn't called her back and Taylor, the BFF, is pushing Belly to get over Conrad by making out with another guy, and Belly's own mom is distant.
Jeremiah, Conrad's brother, called Belly in a panic and asked if she could help him find Conrad who's disappeared from college.
This is the way most of them end up at Cousins again. It's not as pleasant as years past. It's awkward with Conrad and Belly since he dumped her/she yelled at him. And Jeremiah wants a chance with Belly if Conrad's over her.
All the characters have matured a little since the last summer. I wished Belly would get over her lifelong crush of Conrad. He doesn't treat her well at all.

Ms. Han brings this summer romance story to life with her details, internal dialogue, characters and writing.

What I liked:
Great summer read
Jeremiah

What I didn't like:
Taylor's attitude
Belly's obsession with Conrad

Rating: PG13
V: No
L: Yes: swearing + couple of "F" bombs
S: Kissing, making out

25% test (.69):
"...loved him more than anything. Because, he was everything. And I hated that, too.
"Connie's having a hard time with all of this. It's a lot." She paused and pushed my hair out of my face, her hand lingering on my forehead as if I had a fever. As if I was the one who was sick, in need of comfort. "Don't let him push you away. He needs you. He loves you, you know."
I shook my head. "No, he doesn't." in my head, I added, The only person he loves is himself. And you.
She acted like she hadn't heard me. "Do you love him?"
When I didn't answer, she nodded as if I had. "Will you do something for me?"
Slowly, I nodded.
"Look after him for me. Will you do that?"
"You won't need me to look after him, Susannah, you'll be here to do it," I said, and I tried not to sound desperate, but it didn't matter.
Susannah smiled and said, "You're my girl, Belly."
After lunch, Susannah took a nap. She didn't wake up until late afternoon, and when she did, she was irritable and disorientated. She snapped at my mother once, which terrified me. Susannah never snapped at anybody. Nona tried to put her to bed, and at first Susannah refused, but then she gave in. On the way to her bedroom, she gave me a little halfhearted wink.
Jeremiah came home around dinnertime. I was relieved..."

The Girl Who was on Fire

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Katniss Everdeen’s adventures may have come to an end, but her story continues to blaze in the hearts of millions worldwide.
In The Girl Who Was on Fire, thirteen YA authors take you back to Panem with moving, dark, and funny pieces on Katniss, the Games, Gale and Peeta, reality TV, survival, and more. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to fashion and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is.
• How does the way the Games affect the brain explain Haymitch’s drinking, Annie’s distraction, and Wiress’ speech problems?
• What does the rebellion have in common with the War on Terror?
• Why isn’t the answer to “Peeta or Gale?” as interesting as the question itself?
• What should Panem have learned from the fates of other hedonistic societies throughout history and what can we?
The Girl Who Was On Fire covers all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy.

Great eassys from today's popular authors. Each with a unique view and great insights on the Hunger Games trilogy. I finished this book with more respect for Suzanne Collins than before. Worth reading if you loved the Hunger Games books!

Why Do I Write Reviews?

2012-01-17T15:14:00.000-08:00

There are a few answers to that question:

I read over a 100 books a year and reviews were taking over my writing blog
Friends were asking for good books to read (and my puny brain couldn't remember all the ones I really liked or the reviews)
Finally: It's a great way to practice my writing. On days I can't sit and write in my story, I can sit and write a review.

My blog, The Book Addict, is a place I post reviews for all the books I read. I read about 100 books a year. My reviews have evolved over the few years this blog has been up and running. I found the best way to improve my blog and reviews was to just. keep. writing.

Diary of an Anorexic Girl by Morgan Menzie

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Morgan Menzie takes readers through a harrowing but ultimately hopeful and inspiring account of her eating disorder. Her amazing story is told through the journals she kept during her daily struggle with this addiction and disease. Her triumphs and tragedies all unfold together in this beautiful story of God's grace.
Features include: daily eating schedule, journal entries, prayers to God, poems, and what she wished she knew at the time. It's the true story of victory over a disease that is killing America's youth.

Easy, quick read with a teen girl voice written in journal entries.
Blythe is a typical teen girl who wants the attention of the cute boy, fit in and enjoy high school. Unfortunately, she catches on to the notion that if she's skinnier all her dreams will come true. This scary idea takes her down a path of self-destruction, manipulation and deception. All along she is asking God for help.
I feel for Blythe. I don't understand her need to starve herself or exercise for so long. But I did come to understand aneroxics more. At the end of the book are tips such as what NOT to say to someone you suspect has an eating disorder. Very enlightening.

Rating: PG
V: no
S: no
L: no

THREE STARS

25% test (p. 43):
"Oh well, we all make sacrifices.
School starts back up in a few days, and I'll be back tot he old routine. Christmas disrupted my whole regimen. It's a miracle I was able to keep the weight down. i've never been so ready to get out from under the family's watchful eye in my life!"

Queen of Common Cents by Michelle Snow

2012-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

From how to extend the life of your lipstick to how to save money by making your own yogurt, best selling food storage author Michelle Snow can help you start saving your time and money today! With 1001 tips and facts for ever aspect of your life, you'll wonder how you managed your home without them before. Enjoy this must have book and start saving today!

I'm happy to be part of this book tour!

The title says it all! And it's not kidding! There are 1001 Tips in this book. Also, Ms. Snow adds recipes, quick mixes, stories and facts.

Here are a few random tips:

Heavy cream that has been whipped and dolloped onto wax paper and frozen freezes well. Just allow 10-15 minutes to defrost.
Ever wonder how many shrimp are in the 1 pound package you bought at the market? Well, here's hos to read a shrimp bag: Cunt 21/25 means there will be between 21 and 25 shrimp in the bag.
Make gifts from plant cuttings or seeds from your garden.

This is a good book to keep handy.

Check out Michelle's book website here and her author website here.

Here is a calendar of the book tour.

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

2012-01-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

No one would believe me but at times I would choose wartime in Saigon over peacetime in Alabama.

For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by . . . and the beauty of her very own papaya tree.
But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape . . . and the strength of her very own family.
This is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next.

First line:
1975: Year of the Cat
Today is Tet,
the first day
of the lunar calendar.

A history lesson of Saigon's people written in free verse and set in two countries; Vietnam and America.
A lesson of patience, love, family, endurance, bullying, sacrifice and generosity.
Ha is a young girl living in Saigon on the verge of war. Her family slips on a navy ship defecting from Vietnam and sails to a land of promise, America. The voyage is hard. Trying to fit into an all white school is even harder. But the strength of her family and friendship in unusual places guides and helps her.
I read this easily in one day. The images of a young girl relearning a whole new life stuck with me throughout the next few days.
Worth reading out loud to children/students to give them a good perspective of a person of a different nationality and their struggles.

Rating: PG
V: Bullying
L: No
S: No

5 STARS

25% test (p. 65):

"In the Dark
Uncle Son visits
and whispers to Mother.
We follow Mother
who follows Uncle Son
who leads his family
up to the deck
and off the ship.
It has been said
the ship next door
has a better engine,
more water,
endless fuel,
countless salty eggs.
Uncle Son lingers
without getting on
the new ship;
so do we.
Hordes pour by us,
beyond us."

SEERS by Heather Frost

2011-12-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

For Kate Bennett, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes — and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble.

I could not put this book done.
I love the take on auras and guardians.
I found myself rooting for Kate and Patrick.
Good, clean, fast-paced book.
Everyone has a color surrounding them, telling of their emotion. Kate can see it. She can see happiness, jealousy, anger. (I think it's a great way to read a person. Think of the possibilities of helping a relationship! You don't have to wonder what the boy you like feels about you.)
Patrick is different (and gorgeous, of course). His aura is silver. That's it. It freaks Kate out and she wants nothing to do with the new kid. I was hooked, wanting to know if Kate and Patrick ever trusted each other or talked about their feelings for each other.
Soon enough, Kate finds out what she is and what Patrick is and that there is a whole other world creeping on right under our noses.
The characters were well written and their own. I liked the BFF's!

Rating: PG13

V: fighting, demons,
L: No
S: kisses

Liked:
the romance
the auras

Disliked:
two random Patrick chapters

THANKS to NetGalley for the preview! I think I'll go buy it now.

Savvy Saving by Melissa Jennings & Shelley King

2011-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Working to stretch your budget? With their expert coupon strategies, menu planning, and other household management skills, Stockpiling Moms are the answer! Straight from their award winning blog to your hands and home, they've compiled their best loved tips and tricks just for you. They know what it takes to live a frugal lifestyle within a budget, and now you can too!

Great book with lots of resources, websites, tips, ideas and secrets for couponing, food storage and stretching your budget.
This is a good book for starting off the new year and keeping your goals of doing better financially or getting your food storage stocked. While I'm not into major couponing I have found using them has helped me save $$, especially now that stores are doing double coupons.
I use a weekly menu service that prints out my recipes and shopping list. I save a lot of time and money doing this.
These ladies have a blog that's worth reading also: stockpilingmoms.com.
The book was easy to read even though I had to reread certain sections a couple of times to get the idea for the best way to coupon. I looked up the sites the ladies mentioned, tried a few of their tricks and am going to try and few ideas. I read this easily in one day.
Anyone can benefit from this book!

Want to buy it? Here's a link.

Melissa Jennings and Shelly King, authors and award-winning bloggers, announce the release of their first book, Savvy Saving, to be released - January 10, 2012. Their book will be available online at BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com (available now) and at select retailers.

Authors of the award-winning blog "Stockpiling Moms," Jennings and King know what it takes to live a savvy lifestyle within a budget and are now sharing their best tips and strategies in their book, Savvy Saving. Their new book describes expert coupon strategies, menu planning, and other household management skills.

"Like saving money? Working to stretch your budget?" Melissa Jennings asks. "Since 2009, Shelly and I have blogged at StockpilingMoms.com, making it our mission to save money for our families and helping others do the same."

Readers will learn from the collective expertise of Jennings and King as they share tips for frugal living and teach how to build a stockpile and how to live a debt-free life. "Around the new year, everyone wants to start saving money and eating healthy, but few ever do," says Jennings. "Our book has tips and tricks that can really help people achieve their goals."

The book blog tour calendar:

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
			December
	26	27	28	29	30	31
January	Christy Monson/ Living Your MoMent/ The Tuckers Take Tennessee/	Keepin’ Up with LDS Bookstores/	Sweeter Than Taffy/ Coupon Beat/		It’s a Penpal World/
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Happy New Years!	Krazy Book Lady/ Living Your MoMent/	Ebates/ Coupon Clutch/	Real Mom Kitchen/	Practical Frugality/	Coupon Magic Organizer/	Robyn’s Online World/ The Happy Wife/
8	9	10	11
Little Craft Nook/	Mojo Savings/ The Semi-Single Mom/	We Use Coupons/	Project Mom/

Love Twelve Miles Long by Glenda Armand

2011-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

First line:
"This was a special night."

Great story about Fredrick Douglas and his mother, both slaves on different plantations. His mother walked twelve miles to see her son. Each mile had a special meaning.
The beautiful pictures help convey the story.

Rating: PG
V: No
S: No
L: No

5 STARS

THANKS to NetGalley for letting me read it!

Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure by Naomi C. Rose

2011-12-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Tashi loves listening to Popola, her grandfather, sing Tibetan chants to the click, click of his prayer beads. She also loves hearing Popola s stories about the village in Tibet where he grew up. But recently Popola has been sick, and Tashi is worried. One of the stories Tashi remembers tells how people in Popola s village use flowers to help themselves recover from illnesses. Will this healing tradition work in the United States, so far from Popola s village? Determined to help Popola get better, Tashi recruits family, friends, and neighbors in a grand effort to find out. Lyrically told and illustrated with impressionistic paintings, Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure shines a tender light on the universal bond between grandchild and grandparent. Readers of all ages are sure to be inspired by the gentle power of this story and its spirit of compassion and community.

First line:
"I love being with Popola while he sings Tibetan chants."

Beautiful story. Pretty pictures.

Popola is sick and his granddaughter wants to help him get better. Popola talks often of his Tibetan home and the cure of the flowers. She sets up a way to help him and in the process they make new friends.

Rating: G

4 1/2 STARS

THANKS to NetGalley for the preview!

Choose the Right by Kimiko Christensen Hammari

2011-12-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

Crazy days mean no time to plan family nights. With Choose the Right, all your Family Home Evening lessons are done for a whole year, complete with activities, games, scriptures, songs, challenges, and a CD-Rom with printable handouts! Not only are the lessons fantastic but they correlate with the 2012 Primary topics and lessons. Spend quality time with your children as you make family night the best night!

Great Family Home Evening help!
The lessons are easy to understand and teach.
The activities are tied well to the lessons.
A challenge at the end of each lesson helps the family really learn what the lesson taught.
Perfect for children and teaching how to Choose the Right.
My kids love to teach FHE lessons so this is a great asset for my family.