IMM (2)

I got some great books this week! Here are some of them:

These are the books I received for review this week:

The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan
The End is Near by Harry Ramble
You Don't Love This Man by Dan DeWeese
Stilettos and Scoundrels by Laina Turner-Malaski
Blood of My Brother by James LePore
A World I Never Made by James LePore

These are some Red Dress Ink books I got from the Goodreads Swap. I LOVE Red Dress Ink. They are amazing chick-lit books, and I have never read one I didn't like:

Tart by Jody Gehrman
The Breakup Club by Melissa Senate
Starting From Square Two by Caren Lissner
A Little Change of Face by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
The Younger Man by Sarah Tucker
What I Really Want to Do is Direct by Yvonne Collins

These are books I purchased from Amazon. I couldn't resist - the prices were really good!

Nothing to Fear But Ferrets by Linda O. Johnston (cozy mystery - Petsitter series 2)
Sit, Stay, Slay by Linda O. Johnston (cozy mystery - Petsitter series 1)
Holly's Inbox 2: Scandal in the City by Holly Denham (I really liked the first book so I had to get the sequel which wasn't available at the library)
The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate
Love in the Asylum by Lisa Carey
Dying to Live by Kim Paffenroth (zombies - my new favorite!)
The Price by Alexandra Sokoloff (I read and loved her book, The Harrowing, a few years ago -so scary!)
The Unseen by Alexandra Sokoloff
The Gentlemen's Club by Becky Due (not pictured)

YA vs. Teen: What's the Proper Term?

I don't know about you all, but I much prefer the term 'YA' or 'Young Adult' as opposed to 'Teen.' My library has recently transitioned from having spine labels on the books saying 'YA' to 'Teen,' as well as a lot of other local libraries. I am so not a fan of this, despite being a gigantic fan of my library. They have also labeled the YA section the 'Teen Space.' And NO, I am not at all trying to get down on the library, as this has apparently become the norm. I know a lot of bookstores and libraries now seem to use the term 'Teen' now exclusively as well.

Why is this a bother? Well, for starters, a lot of people, including myself, who read YA are NOT actually teens. Being 22, I am, however, a young adult. Entering a section called Young Adult, of which I am, would make me feel a lot less creepy and pedophile-ish than loitering around a teen section.

Also, the term 'Teen' really only encompasses a rather small population: ages 13-19. Young Adult, however, really broadens that... a much larger range of the population is considered to be a young adult. And ya know what, even if you're no longer a 'young' adult... who cares? Authors would be thrilled that their books are appealing to a broad range of people. We were all teens once, or still are, so YA books are really easy to relate to. While the majority of my reading is done in the Adult arena, I do enjoy YA sometimes for a nice change of pace... even though I'm not a teen!

Review: Lessons From Stanley the Cat by Jennifer Freed

Title: Lessons From Stanley the Cat

Author: Dr. Jennifer Freed
Genre: Humor, non-fiction
Published: 2010
Source: For Review, Pump Up Your Book

Summary: Stanley the Cat was the feline companion of Jennifer Freed for twenty years. This book is her human take of the life lessons she learned from Stanley, whom she calls the love of her life.

My Thoughts: I was quite excited to read this book, as I too have a Stanley the Cat. No, really, I do. One of my three kitty babies is named Stanley, so when I saw this book, I just knew I had to read it. My Stanley is an all black, approximately 18 pound spoiled rotten monster, so I could really identify with Jennifer's Stanley life lessons. To the left, you will see my Stanley under the Christmas tree being what I like to call "Christmas Kitty." He's the love of my life too... well, one of them.

This is a really cute book with adorable, often hilarious illustrations. What she does is... at the top of the page, there is one of Stanley's life lessons, followed by her interpretation as it should be applied to human lives. Quite philosophical for a cat really. My personal favorite was "When someone is on the computer too long, help them by distracting them, or walk lightly on the keyboard." This was particularly meaningful to me as my Stanley spends quite a bit of time standing directly in front of my computer monitor so that I am unable to see anything (I did mention the 18 pounds of him). He also walked across my laptop, touching all the keys and rendering it quite useless, requiring it to be sent to be repaired. I'm sure he was very proud of himself.

All in all, this is a quick fun read and I completely enjoyed it. Perfect for cat-lovers!

My Rating: 4/5

(First) 'In My Mailbox' 1

After book blogging for a year and a half, and enjoying everyone's IMM posts the entire time, I've finally decided to join in the fun! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

I picked a GREAT week to start IMM as I got lots of awesome books this week!:)

For Review:

The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy - this sounds like a really great dramatic, emotional read. I look forward to reading it!
Tales From The Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell - sounds like a really fun chick-lit novel about friendship. I love the cover!
Code of Justice by Liz Johnson - this is for a book tour, and is signed! Woohoo! Looks like some good romantic suspense!
Starring in the Movie of My Life by Laurel Osterkamp - sounds like really good contemporary fiction. I'm glad this was sent because now I have discovered a new author! Her other book, Following My Toes, sounds great too. As you can see, two copies... one for me and one for a giveaway! :)
A Pug's Tale by Allison Pace - (not pictured) I got this as an ARC and am SOOO excited to read it because I LOVE pugs! I plan on getting a pug as soon as I get my own place. The cover has pugs all over it and I love it! Won/Paperback Swap:

I won a Nancy Holder prize pack from Bookish in a Box! I got Possessions, Pretty Little Devils, and Wicked: Resurrection. Thanks, Erin!
Sheetrock Angel by Jeanne C. Davis - I recently reviewed this one and Jeanne was nice enough to send me an autographed copy!
Joyride by Jack Ketchum - he's an awesome horror writer. One of my Secret Santa's from Goodreads sent me one of his books that she got personalized and autographed for me called Ladies Night. I ordered this one from PBS.
Off Season by Jack Ketchum - another one from PBS. Jack Ketchum rocks. If you like horror, read him!
Purchased/Goodreads Swap:

Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez - this seems like goofy horror and looks like a lot of fun. I bought it from Amazon.
The End of Alice by A.M. Homes - this looks like a creepy kind of book, but seems interesting. From Amazon.
The Reunion by Sue Walker - this looks so good - a suspense about former mental patients. From Amazon.
How To Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal - looks like great chick-lit. From Amazon.
The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal - also looks cute. From Amazon.
Secret Language by Monica Wood - this looks like an interesting book about sisters. I got it from Goodreads Swap.
The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski - I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, a bucket list type chick-lit book. Goodreads Swap.
The Bird Room by Chris Killen - seemed like an intriguing love story, supposed to be dark and funny. Goodreads Swap.
The False Friend by Myla Goldberg- I've seen this one at the library a lot. Seems like a dramatic read about an abduction. Goodreads Swap.
You'll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again by Heather McDonald- this looks like a really funny memoir that I've also been seeing around at the library a lot about her quest to lose her virginity. Goodreads Swap.
High on Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips - this is another memoir that I've been wanting to read. I've gotten it from the library a couple of times but never got to read it, so I decided to grab it when I saw it on Goodreads Swap.
Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen - I'm excited for this one. I love Sarah Dessen! Goodreads Swap.

Whew! That took forever, but it was fun! So that's what I got this week, how about you?

Review: The Dumpster by Becky Due

Title: The Dumpster: One Woman's Search For Love
Author: Becky Due
Publication: 2010
Genre: Women's fiction, chick-lit, romance, adult
Source: For review, Pump Up Your Book

Summary: Things haven't been going great for twenty-something Nicole lately. She's self-concsious about her weight, and was just dumped by her "boyfriend" of two weeks via DVD on Valentine's Day. He told her she was too "easy," as Nicole seems to be a bit on the promiscuous side, going out drinking with her friends and, well... being a bit easy with men. Her friends and family tell her she should really start dating rather than hooking up. Can she find love in the most unexpected of places... the stinky dumpster that management just placed in the alley outside of her bedroom window?

My Thoughts: This is a really fun romantic comedy! It's really easy reading and perfect if you're looking for light, fun, contemporary chick-lit or romance. It's definitely a nice, refreshing read after reading some more serious books lately. While Nicole is definitely... promiscuous, I think all women can relate to her on some level. We all know that feeling of insecurity, be it about weight or men, like with Nicole, or any number of things. She also has a group of awesome friends who liven up the book with their attempts at straightening her out. Her misadventures and search for love are entertaining, real, and funny as heck. I recommend you check this out if you're looking for something fun and quick to read. I would say it is not suitable for anyone under 16, due to some mature content. I really enjoyed it, though, and already ordered one of Becky's other books off of Amazon today, called The Gentlemen's Club.

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm back, babies! My upper respiratory infection is almost completely gone now, except for the cough and stuffy nose, but I'm feeling A LOT better. Phew. I've also been pondering participating in IMM for awhile now. I'm not big into memes, but I love IMM and I always look at everyone else's, so I think I'm going to start up with that next week. I'm excited. Anyways, onto the review. :) I know, I'm a little late to the party, as far as Shiver's concerned, but better late than never!

Title: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Published: 2009
Genre: Young adult, fantasy, paranormal romance
Source: library

Summary: 17 year old Grace is obsessed with the wolves in her backyard, especially one in particular, with striking yellow eyes. As a child, she was attacked by the wolves, and saved by the yellow-eyed wolf... "her" wolf. The wolves have a secret though... they're werewolves, and when it gets warm enough, they shift into their human forms. Grace's wolf is Sam, and when she discovers him in his human form, they become deeply in love. The cold weather poses a threat, though, of taking Sam away. He fears when he shifts into a wolf this winter, he won't shift back, meaning he and Grace, who've loved each other for years, will never be together again.

My Thoughts: My feelings about this book are kind of just... "meh." It was okay, but for me, it just didn't live up to the hype. There were some aspects about this book that I enjoyed. The chapters are told in alternating viewpoints between Sam and Grace, which was cool; I like being able to see into more than one person's head. I also thought it was an interesting concept for a romance: loving someone you can't have... because he's a wolf! However, I guess I was just expecting this book to knock me off my feet and it didn't. There was never a point in reading where I felt that little "ding," like WOW, must. keep. reading. It wasn't eventful enough to keep me completely engaged, and while that would normally be okay, this book wasn't really character driven either, and to me, it seems like a book should be one or the other: really eventful and interesting, OR really character driven. I never felt close to Grace and Sam, just kind of felt at a distance, nor did they develop a lot throughout the story. I will be reading Linger though, because I'm intrigued just enough to continue the story, it just didn't captivate me like I'd been hoping. I do think big fans of paranormal romance will really enjoy this book, as well as teen readers.

My Rating: 3/5

Sorry for the Absence

Sorry I haven't been around much, blogging or commenting this past week. I have an Upper Respiratory Infection, and, quite frankly, feel like crap. Sore throat, massive headache, dizziness, cough, etc. I hope to be back in the swing of things by the end of the week. Talk to you soon and I miss you all!

Meet My Mom, a New Blogger!

I often credit my dear mother for being one of the biggest reasons I'm a reader. She always took me to the library when I was little, because she's a huge reader herself, and we always used to read books out loud together, especially Ramona. Now that I'm older, we often read the same books. I encouraged my mom to start her own book blog so we can go to BEA together in May (I'm going for my first time ever this year to celebrate my upcoming college graduation in May!), and she just started blogging. I hope you'll stop by her blog, Kim The House Mole, and say hi!

Review: Sheetrock Angel by Jeanne C. Davis

Title: Sheetrock Angel

Author: Jeanne C. Davis
Genre: Adult fiction, mystery
Published: 2010
Source: For review, Pump Up Your Book

Summary: Audrey James has been divorced twice, with the same man. Her mother is schizophrenic, and she thinks she may be seeing things . . . or someone to be more precise. Fred swiftly entered her life, offering to help her fix up her new house, and just as suddenly as he came into her life, he left. But not on purpose. He gets into a horrific motorcycle accident and dies - or was he murdered? Audrey believes in the latter, and tries desperately to show that his death was not an accident. She's rocked by his death, though she knew him only briefly, and now he's shown up in her house post-death, talking to her, hinting things, and Audrey starts to wonder, is she just like her mother? And can she discover the secret behind Fred's death?

My Thoughts: Wow, this book took me by surprise and truly captivated me! It's a strange book, but in a good way, and manages to be a really cool mystery but quite subtly. In other words, a lot of this story does involve a mystery, but you don't feel like you're reading a mystery novel as the story contains so much more as well. The mystery aspect is weaved into the story. Audrey is likable and realistic, questioning her self and her sanity, and often thinking back on past regrets, like her two-time husband Miles, who managed to cheat on her both times they were married. Other interesting characters that make up this cast are Carl, her and Miles' best friend and cop turned psychologist who often likes to analyze her, much to her dismay, Katherine, her pregnant but fierce best friend who works at the D.A.'s office with her, and Frances, Fred's angsty younger sister. The varied cast of characters with the realistic and fascinating Audrey in the lead, the subtle mystery, and the ever present question of 'who am I?' make for a truly outstanding book. I didn't want to put it down.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Now, while I don't really want to part with this book, I enjoyed it so much that I'd love to see another blogger read and review it too, to help spread the word. If you're interested, live in the U.S., and can agree to review it on your blog, leave me a comment with your e-mail address expressing your interest and I'll stick it in the mail for you.

Top Ten List from Michael Northrop, 'Trapped' Author

Please welcome Michael Northrop to StephTheBookworm today! His newest novel, Trapped, was just released! It's about kids that get trapped in their high school during a snowstorm for a week! What perfect timing as there is currently a blizzard headed my way! We are due to get 10-14 inches of snow. Oh joy. I'm home though, so at least it beats being stuck in my old high school . Can you imagine? To get you all ready for Trapped, here's Michael's list of . . .

Top 10 cold-weather animals

• Polar bear
• Snow leopard
• Narwhal
• Leopard seal
• Wolverine
• Arctic fox
• Megan Fox
• Reindeer
• Penguin
• Siberian husky
  

What in the world is a Narwhal, Michael?! Let me look . . . Here's one! It's a . . . whale with a long twisted tooth that lives in the arctic! Pretty cool. I learned something new today!