Nyxen's Sidewalk Journey Through Life

Nyxen's Review of "Through Her Eyes"

2011-04-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer
379 Pages
HarperTeen 2011

EVERY GHOST HAS A STORY TO TELL...

The last place Tansy Piper wants to move to is Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere. But once there, she's immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place that has a disturbing history. Yet it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar-a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal-that have the most chilling impact on her.

Soon Tansy finds herself lured into the mind and world of the mysterious, troubled Henry, who once lived in the very same house. Through the lens of her camera, Tansy enters a surreal black-and-white world, only to find her life and Henry's linked by fate and the artifacts she found. But the more time Tansy sends in the past, the more her present world starts to fade away-and Tansy is in danger of losing touch with her own life forever.

First off, I just want to thank Teen Book Scene for letting me be apart of a blog tour where I got to be able to read this book.

This book really captivated me from the beginning. I remember trying to read in school or just wishing the school day would be over just so I can read it. I loved the fact that Tansy was a photographer. That made me relate to her just a bit. To me, though, she just seemed a little bit too average. Henry was very dark and brooding. Whenever I read about him I always shivered. It was just interesting reading about Henry.

The storyline was absolutely amazing. I just seemed to really enjoy it for some reason. It wasn't different but for some reason it worked. Jennifer Archer did a great job writing this. Not only that, but the poems! The poems were just something to die for. I knew how Tansy felt when reading the poems. I sometimes felt they were also meant for me. I think it was just an "in the moment" type of thing.

The paranormal aspect was also very beautiful. The way Tansy saw the past was pretty awesome. It made me wish I was her sometimes. I also loved that Archer brought up the fact that Tansy could be going crazy. I honestly thought that's how it would have all ended, with her going to a hospital for mental illness. But I did like the ending, it was bittersweet, a very good way to end it. And I'll be honest, I did get teary-eyed..but I shall not say why. You'll just have to read it.

I rate this Four Stars.

Through Her Eyes Blog Tour - Jennifer Archer Interview

2011-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Next stop on the "Through Her Eyes" Tour!

Today we have an interview with the lovely Jennifer Archer. Her book, "Through Her Eyes" is something amazing!

1. How did you come up with the title?

The title evolved with the book. By that, I mean that the book had several
different titles before we chose Through Her Eyes. Originally, it was Picture
This, but after an extensive rewrite, I decided to change it to Luminosity because
I thought that was a better fit for the story’s darker tone. When my agent was
about to begin shopping the book around, she admitted that she didn’t like the
title, so we brainstormed a bit and ended up selling Through Her Eyes to Harper
Teen with the title Click. After the sale, my editor pointed out that a movie had
recently premiered with the same name, so we made a list of possible options for
yet another title and gave it to the team at Harper. They wisely choose Through
Her Eyes.

2. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

My main goal when writing a story is to entertain my readers; I hope that the book
is fun to read and hard to put down. However, Through Her Eyes does touch on
the importance of truth, learning to embrace change and differences in others,
and moving on with life after a loss, so if Through Her Eyes challenges readers to
think about those issues, I would be very humbled by that.

3. How much of the book is realistic?

I can relate to Tansy. I grew up moving frequently, so I know what it is like to
leave old friends behind and to try to fit-in at a new school. I wasn’t exactly
like Tansy, though – she is braver than I was as a teenager. Still, I’m sure her
character sprang to life in my mind at least in part due to my own childhood
experiences.

All of my stories are a mixture of truth and imagination. I live in Amarillo, a town
of around 175,000 in the Texas panhandle, which is surrounded by many smaller
towns. I visited several of these small communities to get a sense of what the
fictional town of Cedar Canyon might be like. I also researched life in the 1930s
so that Henry’s world would be as realistic as possible.

4. What books have influenced you most?

The Pink Motel was my favorite book during elementary school, and it very well
might be the source of my lifelong fascination with beaches and the ocean. A
Wrinkle in Time taught me that well written, compelling fiction can stretch the
mind, making confusing subjects more interesting and accessible. Escape from
Warsaw and To Kill a Mockingbird exemplified how powerful and life-changing
a well-told story can be. The Great Gatsby brought me an understanding of
symbolism and imagery, and illustrated that if handled deftly, those elements add
depth of meaning to a story. Rebecca proved that tone and atmosphere can set
a desired mood and stir a reader’s emotions. Go Ask Alice showed me how one
person’s story and words can impact another person’s choices.

5. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Long before I ever published a book, I took creative writing classes from two
romance writers: DeWanna Pace, and NYTimes bestselling author Jodi Thomas.
Both of these talented women went on to become my friends, as well as my
teachers. I’ve learned a lot about the craft of writing from them and consider
them mentors. I’ve also learned so much from my friend Kimberly Willis Holt,
who won the National Book Award for Children’s Literature for her novel When
Zachary Beaver Came to Town. And every day, I continue to learn and grow as
a writer with the help of my incredible critique partners, author Mary Schramski,
NYTimes Bestselling author Linda Castillo, and soon-to-be-published authors
Marcy McKay, Anita Howard, and April Redmon.

6. What book are you reading now?

I am reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver with my book club.

7. Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I can think of several, but will name just a few for the sake of space! Sophie
Jordan isn’t new – she has written romance novels for years and is a New York
Times bestselling author. However, she is new to teen fiction, and when I read
her YA novel Firelight that came out in September, 2010, I was hooked. I’ve also
become a fan of Lauren Oliver, who wrote Before I Fall and Delirium. And a
somewhat new author, Rebecca Stead, wowed me with her John Newbery Award-
winning novel, When You Reach Me.

The Other Side of Life - Blog Tour

2011-02-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not back but I do have some tour promises i need to fulfill.

Today I have Jess C. Scott, author of The Other Side of Life, on the blog! :D Let's all welcome her!

--------------------

Music is a huge influence and inspiration to me! Here is a list of songs that I associate
with The Other Side of Life [Book #1 in the (Cyberpunk) Elven Trilogy].

Songs that influenced the book:

1. The Chemical Brothers – Three Little Birdies Down Beats (for the cyberpunk/
futuristic/magical texture / when they’re about to travel on the elves’ train network)

2. Maidens of the Celtic Harp (for the Celtic/Elven charm! While Nin and Anya are
having a meal in the elves’ underground abode)

3. Linkin Park – The Catalyst (for the ‘emotional’ components)

4. Nine Inch Nails – That’s What I Get (during a nihilistic moment where Anya ponders
on why life is always cruel to idealistic dreamers)

5. Johann Strauss II – The Blue Danube (a famous classical waltz, when Anya and Nin
have a dance together)

Other songs I listened to while writing:

6. Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero (the album brings to mind a futuristic dystopia, which
mostly goes in line with a cyberpunk theme)

7. Vivaldi – Autumn Allegro (from ‘The Four Seasons’—good for tension, and a prompt
towards action)

8. Kevin MacLeod – Darkness is Coming (I used this song for the book’s trailer @ http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YiT3bLQIyg)

9. Michael Jackson – They Don’t Care About Us (great song by MJ)

10. Se7en – Digital Bounce (a ‘hi-tech’, upbeat kind of song by a very talented Korean
popstar. Features in Anya’s playlist, briefly mentioned in one chapter)

---------------
Author Bio:

Jess identifies herself as an author/artist/non-conformist. Her literary work has appeared
in a diverse range of publications, such as Word Riot, ITCH Magazine, and The Battered
Suitcase. She is currently working on several multiple-genre-crossing projects, including
her trilogy featuring cyberpunk elves.

Website: www.jessINK.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jesscscott
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jesscscott
Blip.fm (music playlist): www.blip.fm/jesscscott

--------------------

There you have it! Hope you all enjoyed it and have a great day!

Tell Us We're Home Blog Tour - Marina Budhos Guest Post

2011-02-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Even though I said there was supposed to be a hiatus, this post was scheduled way before that thought crossed my mind. So here is a guest post from the lovely Marina, author of Tell Us We're Home. :D

Enjoy!

Which character was your favorite to write and why (and how you developed them) and which do you relate to more?

That’s a hard one to answer, since I grew to like all three, very much, and think that there’s a bit of me in all three. However, let’s put it this way: Lola was a blast, insofar as she just pounced on to the page, and never left. Her energy, her voice, was right there, from the get go. I wrote her material the fastest, which seemed apt for her. I always knew she would be obsessed with history, and had a fast mouth. I knew she'd land in trouble somehow, but I wasn't exactly sure how. My favorite scenes to write were later, when she really crashes and is in the therapist’s office and her moxie boldness isn’t serving her anymore.

But I will say it was Maria who began as the most distant and truly grew on me. Her pining for Tash, her accompanying her mother on job interviews, her slow political awakening, felt wonderful to write. I loved writing the scene where she sees Tash's house and encounters his parents--that felt very natural to me, and perhaps drew on my own sense of outsideness. I also just enjoyed figuring out where she would take herself, what kinds of new and sometimes painful insights she learned along the way.

Jaya always began as the main character, and so in a sense, you could say she was whom I was closest, or most intimate with. I felt as if I knew her, knew the way she saw the world, and how she felt, especially about her mother. Writing her was about tunneling inwards, understanding her inner landscape, the imagery of her past, which was so vivid to her.

Thanks for stopping by, Marina. :D Hope you enjoyed this last (not for long) post.

Back to hiatus-ness(?).

There shouldn't be a title (HIATUS)

2011-02-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

*Sigh*
I'm a horrible, horrible girl. :O

I haven't posted in a week and it's been so hard to try and schedule posts. I haven't been interacting with any other bloggers and I miss that. It's the beginning of my second term at high school, 10th grade, and everything is so hectic.

Right now, I'm supposed to be doing an essay but I'm writing this. And I don't mind but I need to write that essay. School has been taking over my life and everything else in between. I guess what I'm trying to say is this blog is going on a short hiatus. It might be two weeks, it might be a month. ):

I just need to wrap my head around everything and not worry about this blog and all my followers.

I'll be back soon, don't worry! And when I do, there will be a post everyday. (Hopefully.)

Don't be mad at me. I hope you'll forgive me.

Nyxen's Review of "Dash & Lily's Book of Dares"

2011-01-31T16:13:00.000-08:00

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn
260 Pages
Knopf Books 2010

I've left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don't, put the book back on the shelf, please.

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disasterous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers persuing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

This was such an amazing read! Let me tell you a funny story. I read this books at the end of 2010. It wasn't until I got towards the end of the book that I realized we (the book and I) were coinciding with eachother. I mean to say that I was in the same time as them. I read the last chapter, Chapter twenty, the same day it took place, December 31st.

I really enjoyed that. I felt powerful. Well, Dash & Lily were an extremely cute yet awkward couple. They reminded me of my friends. Rachel and David have such powerful chemistry when it comes to writing. Everything about their writing just speaks to me.

The plot was wellwritten and the characters were very well rounded. I sort of wish there was a sequel to this book, wanting to see how their story progresses.

I'm not sure what else to say because I loved it so much that I don't know what how to put it into words.

Either way I recommend this book. You'll love it! It's not your average, typical love story. GET IT.

I rate this Five Stars

Nyxen's In My Mailbox (15)

2011-01-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at the The Story Siren. :D

I don't have a picturenor video but I was supposed to have a video. I uploaded to youtube and then something happened.

I got Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Doctor Who: The Clockwise Man by Justin Richards.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Fused Blog Tour - Kari Lee Townsend Guest Post

2011-01-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

Today, for a blog tour, I have Kari Lee Townsend on my blog.

I asked her "What Her Favorite Childhood Book Was and Her Favorite Memory With It?
Here's what she had to say.
--------------------
Childhood Books & The Memories That Go With Them

A person's childhood goes by so quickly. I have four children, and I'm watching theirs go by way too quickly for my liking. Childhood is a time for believing that anything is possible. For discovering the wonders of the world. For setting off on new adventures and not being afraid. Books are one of the best ways to experience things you never thought possible.

I remember loving to read almost anything because it felt like I was stepping into a whole other world. It was like getting swept away in an amazing movie, and I hated to see it end. I don't really have one favorite book, but I do have a favorite series. I was addicted to the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. The thought that kids so young could venture off on great adventures, facing all sorts of dangers, yet solving the mystery on their own in the end was so exciting.

I have one sister and one brother. When we were really young, my dad was in the air force. But once he retired and worked as an air traffic controller for the FAA, we finally put down roots and lived next door to our cousins growing up. I have always had an active imagination, but these books inspired me to come up with some pretty cool adventures for us all to play.

Even today, I still love a great mystery. In fact, my Samantha Granger books have a mystery in them as well. And I also write a cozy mystery series called The Fortune Teller Mystery Series with book one, Tempest in the Tea Leaves, coming out in August. To find out more about all my books, go to http://www.karileetownsend.com

Thanks so much for having me here today. This has been fun, and I hope all of you find a great book to curl up with that inspires you to live your own adventurous life :-)

Thank you, Kari, for coming here today! Hope you guys enjoyed it and be sure to read Fused: The Samantha Granger Experiment. Out Now!

Until next time,

Nyxen's Review of "Tell Us We're Home"

2011-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Tell Us We're Home by Marina Budhos
297 Pages
Atheneum 2010

Jaya, Maria, and Lola are just like the other eighth-grade girls in the wealthy suburb of Meadowbrook, New Jersey. They want to go to te spring dance, tehy love spending time with their best friends after school, sharing frappes and complaining about the other kids. But there's one big difference: All three are daughters of maids and nannies. And they go to school with the very same kids whose families their mothers work for.

That difference grows even bigger-and moer painful-when Jaya's motehr is accused of theft and Jaya's small, fragile world collapases.

When tensions about immigrants start to erupt, fracturing this perfect, serene suburb, all three girls are tested, as outsiders-and as friends. Each must find a place for herself in a town that barely notices she exists.

This book really wasn't one for me but I actually did enjoy it, nonetheless.

Tell Us We're Home tells the story of three immigrant girls who all have a few things in common: They're not from New Jeresey and their mothers are all nannies for the rich kids' family they girls go to school with.

They find each other when times get rough and they've stuck through it all. They just want to fit in, some more than the others but in the end they remember who their friends truly are. These three girls just don't know what to do when they're left alone, in this cruel, rich kid world, when their parents are in trouble.

I'm not really sure how to explain it but this book gives you hope, and an open mind about important issues. I highly reccomend it.

Marina Budhos did a tremendous job on this book.

I rate this book Four Stars.

Nyxen's Featured Book of the Week (3)

2011-01-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

We have another week of Book of the Week. :) I haven't done Blogger of the Week and I am super sorry. Forgive me?

Well, let's get on with the feature!

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
217 Pages Paperback
Scholastic 1978

This book...OMG! This book is just one amazing piece of literary genius. (That did not make sense but stick with me.) I remember when I wasn't a big reader back then and my uncle-who's only four years older than me- wanted me to read The Westing Game. I didn't want to because, well, I didn't like reading. But then I read it just to humor him and OH. MY. GOD.

This book is just amazing. I wish I could put many, many, many exclaimation marks just to prove it.... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a small summary I got from Wikipedia.
Sixteen individuals who are mysteriously chosen to live in the Sunset Towers apartment building on the shore of Lake Michigan come together to hear the will of the self-made millionaire, Sam Westing. The will takes the form of a puzzle, dividing the sixteen heirs into eight pairs, giving each pair a different set of clues, and challenging them to solve the mystery of who killed Sam Westing. As an incentive, each heir is given $10,000 to play the game. Whoever solves the mystery will inherit Sam Westing's 200 million dollar fortune, along with his place in society.

I highly suggest this book to sleuths, future detectives, mystery fanatics or anyone who wants something worth remembering.

READ IT!

Until next time,

Trickster's Girl Blog Tour - Hilari Bell Interview

2011-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Today, thanks to everyone at Teen Book Scene, I have an interview from Hilari Bell! She's the author of Trickster's Girl.

So, let's welcome Hilari!

NA:How did you come up with the title?

HB:With a lot of work, that's how. For me, a title either appears with the concept of the story, it's the perfect title, and no one ever tries to change it--or (far more often) the book has no title throughout its writing and coming up with one is really hard. My clever and original working title was "Book One". All I knew then was that I liked the word Trickster for the title, but didn't know what to put with it--much less what to call the second book. And I was worried that Trickster it made it sound like Raven was the main character, when in fact the main characters are Kelsa in the first book, and Jase in the second. I turned the rough manuscript over to my critique group and asked them to come up with a title for me--as I frequently do at this stage. We brainstormed back and forth and came up with some things, and I mulled them over and finally settled on Trickster's Choice, which I really liked. I then gave the title (with the book) to my editor, who also liked the title really well...until she realized that Tamora Pierce had recently used that exact title for one of her books. Contrary to popular belief, titles can't be copyrighted--but there are a lot of disadvantages to duplicating the title of a book already published in the same genre for the same age group. So my editor and I brainstormed some more and came up with Trickster's Girl instead. I'm very happy with that, and it also goes well with Traitor's Son, which was the perfect title for the next book.

NA:Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

HB:Not really a message. Most of my books have a theme, but that's more to keep me on track than to demonstrate something to the reader. I doubt many readers will pick it up, but in the first book, what Kelsa learns is that sometimes you have to give up control/responsibility, and in the next book what Jase learns is that sometimes you have to take on responsibility, even if it's not a fight you started. But as I said, I don't think too many readers will notice that bit of balancing. In fact, there's a lot in both stories about achieving the right balance.

NA:How much of the book is realistic?

HB:I write SF and fantasy--and this book crosses both genres, so there's a double dose of not realistic! However, because it's near future SF set on this planet, I got to take the same trip, over the same roads that Kelsa did--so all the places are real, and (without the magic parts) I did most of the thing she did in healing the leys, including exploring lava caves with a very inadequate flashlight, wading into icy lakes, sneaking out of sight of the ranger to pass the don't-cross tape and lay hands on the glacier. And the places Jase goes in Alaska I also went, and discovered for myself how alive the sickly looking taiga feels. I had so much fun doing the research for these books! I wasn't, of course, being chased by a homicidal biker gang, but the restaurant where they attacked Kelsa is real too, though I moved it's location a bit. And Pickhandle Lake, which really was a First Nations gathering place called Chetthel Chi. And the museum Kelsa robs is real, though I changed its name. In fact, except for the science fiction parts and the magic parts, most of the things in this books are real.

NA:Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

HB:My own father died of cancer, about 10 years ago. And because he had come to passionately hate hospitals, we let him die at home, in his own bed. But I have to admit that was hard on our family in all kinds of ways. The debate about whether to put a dying family member in a hospice is a very real one, and neither decision is right or wrong. You just have to make the right choice for your family and the person who is dying.

NA:What books have most influenced your life most?

HB:Books as a whole have been a huge influence on my life, but I think the most influential ones were Lloyd Alexander's Prydain books. The were the first "real" books (not picture books) I ever read, and they made me into a lifelong fantasy reader, and eventually a fantasy writer.

NA:If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

HB:Lloyd Alexander, for all the reasons mentioned above. When someone asks me who my style most resembles, I think it's probably him.

NA:What book are you reading now?

HB:First I should confess that I mostly read adult books, and not so much YA. But right now it's Robert Parker's latest Spenser mystery. Next up on my list is Mercedes Lackey's new fantasy novel. And the last book I read was Lois Bujold's latest Miles Vorkosigan book--science fiction. I added Lois, because she's probably my favorite author right now. Both her Miles books and her Sharing Knife books are absolutely wonderful.

NA:Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

HB:New authors...as in just publishing their first books? No one I can think of offhand. New authors as in, I just discovered them recently? I've really enjoyed Lindsey Davis' Marcus Didius Falco mysteries (historical mystery) and Susan Elizabeth Phillips (humor/romance) I don't read a lot of romance, but the humor in the Phillips books is delightful.

Thank you Hilari for stopping by on this amazing Blog Tour!

Until next time,

Nyxen's Review of "Trickster's Girl"

2011-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell
288 Pages
Houghton Mifflin Books (January 3rd, 2011)

A century after 9/11, in a high-tech, high-security world, magic is the last thing on anyone's mind.

Something bad is happening. Trees are dying. People are getting sick. Fifteen-year-old Kelsa's father died from cancer-a particularly aggressive case, the doctors said. Science has no answers.

Then Kelsa meets a boy. He's the most beautiful boy Kelsa's ever seen, but he's also very strange. He claims to be Raven, the mythological creature. He keeps going on about magic and an impending ecological disaster and that Kelsa must help him save the world.

Maybe he's crazy.

Or maybe he's telling her truths people have forgotten. And maybe she should help him, even if doing so means risking her own life.

Trickster's Girl takes place in 2098, in America, where things haven't changed a lot from today's society. Security is tighter, and Earth is changing, dying. Kelsa is a regular girl who experiences a tragedy. Her father dies and she starts to become represssive. In an effort to take a stand and rebel, she steals her father's ashes to have a proper burial at a park. But at the park, she meets someone, someone different.

Raven, a shape-shifting mythological being, who needs Kelsa's help to cure the tree plague and all the disasters happening to the Earth. But Kelsa can't really believe him because magic isn't something very easy to handle. It doesn't exist, very hard to believe. But Kelsa agrees to help Raven and go out on this expedition seeing as how she doesn't belong anywhere after he father died.

Trickster's Girl is an dystopian novel that really is interesting. I loved the idea that the author used something that is happening in our everyday life, global warming, and how she intermixed it with a dash of fantasy. It was interesting but up until a certain extent.

Kelsa wasn't a character that was like 'WOW' to me. She did an exceptional job but that was it. She didn't captivate me as much as I would have liked. Raven, though, he was interesing. I loved him in a way that made up for Kelsa...Does that sound bad? He was quirky, mysterious and just plain weird. I enjoyed reading about him.

The adventures they have together were okay for my taste. Kelsa had to escape from Raven's enemies about a thousand times (not really) just because she was trying to help. I liked their adventure to save civilization and Earth but it just didn't captivate me as much.

I'm sure other people would enjoy it and as a whole I would probably give it Four and a half stars......

But I wasn't too fond with it so I rate it Three Stars

Nyxen's Featured Book of the Week (2)

2011-01-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

I would say that this feature totally failed last week.
But I am back and still deciding how I should format this post....Oi vey (sp)?

This week's Book of the Week is....
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I haven't read this book but I want to. It's a classic! :D It seems very interesting though, how the main character is kicked out of prep school and is suddenly thrust into the adult world.

But either way, this is the Book of the week and I think you should read it. If you haven't read it go do it! And then tell me what you thought of it.

I don't know what else to write....I really have to start getting better at these feature things.

Until next time,

Nyxen's Featured Blogger of the Week (3)

2011-01-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

It's the third of this fabulous feature.

Today I want to feature two special people.

Today I am featuring Julie and Lanna from Bloggers-Heart-Books.

I've known Julie since the early days of Jackson Pearce's chat and she's pretty awesome. Or in Harmony's words : MEGA-AWESOME.

Julie is very sweet yet sarcastic and an excellent blogger from what I've seen. She knows what she wants and she goes for it-in book senses. She loves to reading, like everyone else book blogging, so it's a given that she's awesome.

I remember we used to critique each other's things, but I can't remember what stopped. Overall I say you should get to know her.

Lanna is also the co-blogger to Bloggers Heart Books. She was the primary founder with a bucnh of other girls before it just became Lanna and Julie. Lanna is a little older than Julie but their chemistry and blogging style.

I don't know Lanna all that well but she has been to Jackson's Chats and she's very cool.I love both their reviews and all their features.

They're blog is something amazing and it's still climbing to the top. I say go to their blog and follow it, comment it, read it..but not in that order of course.

Just go! You won't regret it. :D

Nyxen's In My Mailbox (14)

2011-01-16T09:52:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at the The Story Siren

Let's see what I got in my mailbox this week.

Bought:
Matched by Ally Condie

Borrowed:
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Torment by Lauren Kate

Not much going on but still a lot of good books.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Nyxen's Featured Blogger of the Week (2)

2011-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's the second week of 2011 and I am going strong!

Today we have another blogger to feature on my blog. She's pretty popular and very nice.

Harmony's Radiant Reads is our next BLOGGER OF THE WEEK!

Harmony is a very amazing blogger AND person. She's funny, quirky, and a hilarious sense of humor.

She's my first ever blogger buddy that I made in this universe.

Harmony writes really eccentric reviews and posts. They really show you what kind personality she has and what type of person she is in general. She puts herself into her posts. Harmony works really hard at what she does and I'm sure she will continue with what she does for a long time (or I think she will. SHE BETTER!)

Besides being an awesome blogger, she's also an amazing CP. I throw my ideas at her and she's not afraid to speak her mind. She will tell me whether they suck or not and that's what I love. She's truthful and that's all there is to it.

You should definitely check out her blog if you haven't yet. She's someone whom I admire, even if I do call her kid. We're just a year apart.

Check her blog out and until next time,

Nyxen's Review of "What My Mother Doesn't Know"

2011-01-10T17:35:00.000-08:00

What My Mother Deosn't Know by Sonya Sones
259 Pages Paperback
Simon & Schuster 2001

My name is Sophie.
This book is about me.
It tells
the heart-stoppingly riveting story
of my first love.
And also my second.
And, okay, my third love, too.

It's not that I'm boy crazy.
It's just that even though
I'm almost fifteen
it's like my mind
and body
and my heart
just don't seem to be able to agree
on anything.

This book was published awhile back and is one of those books that you just completely forget about. Sophie is just a regular teenage girl who is trying to find the right guy, despite being so young.

She just wants that special somebody to be in her life like a lot of us do. I really related to this book because I remember when I was almost fourteen (four months ago) almost fifteen wanting that special someone.

This book was just very entertaining and hilarious. Despite the verse like format I really enjoyed it. I wished it could have been longer, with actual descriptions but I was content with it. Sonya Sones can really write in a teenager's perspective. Sophie is at the age where pretty much she is starting to develop in all ways and everything else that comes in that territory.

It's a very heart-warming book (does that make sense?) that you'll hopefully love if you pick it up. Sophie may go through many love interest but you can always tell if she's found the right one. It's a very bubbly tale that I reccomend if you want a quick read. Literally, it took a few hours to read this book.

I rate this novel Four Stars.

Nyxen's In My Mailbox (13)

2011-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.

I recieved A LOT of books this week! It was amazing!

Firelight by Sophie Jordan
What my Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Seeing Red by Frank Beddor
ArchEnemy by Frank Beddor
Doctor Who : Night of the Humans by David Llewellyn
Doctor Who : Apollo 23 by Justin Richards

(Will add the links later)

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Until next time,

Saturday Rants : Smallville

2011-01-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

In 2001, a show premiered on the WB. It told the story of Clark Kent in his teenage years trying to cope with his abilities and earning new ones.

In 2001 I was six years old and I have no recollection of ever watching it. But in 2004, when it premiered on ABC Family I knew I would be hooked. It's been ten years since it premiered, seven years since I've been a fan and my obsession is still going strong.

Smallville gives us a powerful message that enourages people to go for their dreams, never give up and to always stick by your friends and family. It shows us, even through the tough times, friends will always be there for you.

The whole journey through Smallville has been an incredible one and since it's on its last season, I know I'll be bawling like a baby. Sort of like how I'll react to teh end of Harry Potter and teh Deathly Hallows Part 2.

Here's a little something I right back in July about Smallville on Book Blogger Rebellion.

Smallville isn't just a show. It's a way of life. Everything in this show has led me to become a better human being. Okay, now I'm just exaggerating. But this show has taught me some morals. As in, what's the point of being mean when karma will come back and bite you in the butt. But that's not the point of this post.

Besides the protagonist being super hot, this show has some excellent story lines that keep you on your feet, yelling at the tv because the suspense is too much. I really am going to be sad when this show is over because I literally grew up with it. Hard to believe, I know but that's the truth. I was six when this first came out and I now I will be turning fifteen in September. Oh, how the time flies.

Hmm, I see I still love. :D

Do you have any tv obsessions that have ended are are about to end?

Until next time,

Nyxen's Review of "The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fused"

2011-01-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

The Samantha Granger Experiment: Fused by Kari Lee Townsend
208 Pages
Sourcebook Jabberwocky
November 1, 2010

When you make a face or cross your eyes, do you parents tease that if you're not careful, your face might stay that way FOREVER?

Well, my parents said that if I'm not careful, I'll turn into one of my gadgets.

I thought they were joking, people!

But-somehow,someway-I have become a living, breathing, walking piece of technology. Apparently my head now has a built-in GPS and my palm is equipped with a talking and texting capabilities-just like my cell phone!

Now I'm a techno-superhero with powers that seem to have a mind of their own. Any, in my case, keeping a secret identity is harder than it sounds. I short-circuit every time Trevor Hamilton looks my way.

Like Being a girl isn't stressful enough.

This book was phenomenally hilarious. I was at the edge of my seat, waiting to see what was going to happen. Samantha Granger was cute, funny and very much a kid/teen that I adored.

Samantha is a regular teenage girl who is starting eighth grade. All she wants are friends, a regular life and her first kiss to be with Trevor Hamilton. She's walking home, a little lost, when she runs into a meteorite type of thing in the middle of the woods. Her "regular" life as she knows it is over as her mega-technologic phone, the Electro Wave, is fused into her.

She is now the town's superhero but no one considers her an actual superhero. They think she's behind everything bad that suddenly has happened in her town. Not only is has she gained some power, she has also become very intelligent, thanks to the power of the internet in her head. And now Trevor Hamilton has noticed her. And everytime he does somthing to Samantha, her hormones get out of control which evidentaly controls her powers.

Kari Townsend has a quirky sense of humor and writing style. I spend at least three days reading this novel because I didn't want it to end. The most heart-warming, actual teeneage relateable life(besides the fantasy portion of it) best novel I've read in 2010. Just because it isn't YA doesn't mean I can't love it. :D

I rate this novel Five Stars.

Until next time,

Nyxen's Featured Book of the Week

2011-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I have a new feature that will be added to the blog. This is called Featured Book of the Week.

This is where I randomly feature a book from my very own bookshelf on the blog. I numbered every book in my bookshelf-it wasn't that hard and didn't take long-and I will post a different book every Wednesday.

Let's get started!

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audry Nifffenegger
Hardcover 406 Pages
Scribner September 29, 2009

Audrey Niffenegger's spectacularly compelling second novel opens with a letter that alters the fate of every character. Julia and Valentina Poole are semi-normal American twenty-year-olds with seemingly little interest in collenge or finding jobs. Their attachment to one another is intense. One morning the mailman delivers a thick envelope to their house in the suburbs of Chicago. From a London solicitor, the enclosed letter informs Valentina and Julia that their English auth Elspeth Noblin, whom they never knew, has died of cancer and left them her Londom apartment. There are two conditions to this inheritance: that they live in it for a year before they sell it and that their parents not enter it. Julia and Valentina are twins. So were the estranged Elspeth and Edie, their mother.

The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders that vast and ornate Highgate Cemetery, where Christina Rossetti, George Eliot, Radclyffe Hall, Stella Gibbons, and Karl Marx are buried. Julia and Valentina come to know the living residents of their building. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword-puzzle setter suffering from crippling obsessive compulsive disorder; Marijke, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholor of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including-perhaps-their aunt.

Author of one of the most beloved first novels in recent years, Niffinegger returns with an unnerving, unforgettable and enchanting ghost story, a novel about love and identity, secrets and sisterhood and the tenacity of life-even after death.

I can say that I've never read this book before. But I have read The Time-Traveller's Wife and I pleasently enjoyed that. This book is not YA but I thought we can all give it a chance.

The only thing that bugs me is the very detailed summary. It's like I already know what's going to happen yet at the same time, not. All I know is that this books will give me a lot of surprises when I finally pick it up to read it.

Have you read this book and if so did you like it?

Until next time,

Nyxen's Featured Blogger of the Week (1)

2011-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

I want to do something on this blog that I haven't really done before. I want to show my appreciation to other bloggers. I want to give one a blog a post all about their awesomeness. That's what I've decided to do.

First up is a blogger whom I completely adore.

Let me introduce you to Reading Vacation!

Melina is an eleven-year-old girl who I first discovered when I was starting out in the blogging world myself. I thought it was completely insane that a ten-year-old (she was ten back then) was among the interent, no less than reading and blogging. But then I thought about it and I'm like, "Oh, wait, I was among the interwebz when I was ten also." Melina is this cute, adorbale pre-teen girl (I think pre-teen) whom I admire so much. I love the fact that she is an avid reader and isn't afraid to announce it to the whole world.

Melina is a great friend and an even greater blogger. I just wish we would be able to talk more to each other.

She's going to go places, Melina is. I can already imagine her a successful whatever she wants to be. Her blog is very successful already and I'm sure that isn't the end.

Melina, you are one truly amazing girl! Keep doing what you're doing and never falter from it. :D

And that was the first installment of Featured Blogger of teh week. :D

Until next time,

Nyxen's Review of "Elixir"

2011-01-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Elixir by Hilary Duff
330 Pages
Simon & Schuster 2010

A SOUL MATE FOR LIFE...OR DEATH.

Seventeen-year-old Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. The daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent politician, she has become a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a world that allows her to travel to many exotic place. But after Clea's father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, Clea begins to notice eerie, shadowy images in her photos of a strange an beautiful young man-a man she has never seen before.

When fate brings Clea and this man together, she is stunned by the immediate and powerful connection she feels with him. A they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father's disappearance, and they discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fates, together they race against time to unravel their pasts in order to save their lives-and their futures.

Let me just say: Hooray for this being my first review of 2011!

Elixir was a book I wanted to read almost immediately. And yes, maybe it was only because of Hilary Duff. I was very skeptical at first to read it though, because when I picture celebrities I don't see them writing. I'm still a little on the 'eh' side if Hilary actually wrote this book. But enough about that.

I want to talk about the cover. I think it's gorgeous! The font is amazing even if it looks plain and it's purple. The iris gives it the right touch. It is a beautiful looking flower, and one of my favorites.

Elixir starts off with the main character, Clea, out dancing in Paris with her best friend. They're on vacation and everything isn't going great for Clea. After her father dies, her life just isn't the same. She doesn't relate to her mom at all and all she has are her two best friends.

This novel is all about life, adventure, and figuring out who you really are, and possibly a love interest along the way. As much as I loved this book, I didn't really like the main character. There was just something about her that seemed off.

The plot takes off right from the beginning. After her vacation in Paris, Clea gets a job in the place her father disappeared from. Everything is filled with twists and turns. I never realized there was going to be a paranormal aspect to it and I just went wild for it!

The fact that this novel talked about soul mates, though, was just something I had to get used too. I've read plenty of books with reincarnation and soul mates so I thought this would end up the same. But it didn't, and i was quite glad.

Overall, this book was very good. Besides some aspects of it which I diidn't like I think some of you would like it! For this, it all depends on the reader.

I rate this book Four Stars.

(I realized this wasn't a very well written review. Forgive me?)

Until next time,

Nyxen's In My Mailbox (12)

2011-01-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR! How did you all spend it yesterday? I stayed home with my cousin who slept over. Nothing major but fun nonetheless.

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.

I recieved:

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Firelight by Sophie Jordan
What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

(Links all go to their Goodreads pages.)

That is all I got. These were the last books I recieved before 2010 ended.
Hooray for my first post of 2011!!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Until next time,

Nyxen Says Goodbye to 2010

2010-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years Eve everyone! Can you believe that it's almost 2011? I sure can't. It feels just like yesterday when we were counting down to 2010. And it's strange that I can still remember what I was doing a year ago time. I made a video-it's still on youtube, username: NyxenProductions-telling everyone my new year resolutions. I haven't watched that video but I can still barely remember my resolutions and let me just tell you that I failed, completely.

But I can say that my biggest resolution (not mentioned in the video) was starting a blog. I didn't start this blog until Apri but I am so glad I started then. Better then than now because I wouldn't have met all these great authors and bloggers. Starting this blog was a major step up for me. It taught me responsibility and to never procrastinate, which I still do. :P

Oh, I was alsoo supposed to make another video to go along with that one from last year but I didn't. Well, I'm not sure. I still have a couple of hours so it MIGHT be posted at the end of this post....Probably not.

2010 is now gone and done with and I expect 2011 will be even better. A decade might be ending but a new one is just beginning.

In 2010, I found out that I can't do everything. I found out who my real friends are, real and online. I found out a guy will never make you happy (evenn if I tell everyone that it took me awhile for it to sink in). I found out I won't be happy with myself unless I think positive. I found out that books practically run my life. And I found out that I'm completely fine with how my life is turning out.

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! May your New Year be filled with everything you want it to be. :D

Until next time,