The Mutating Meme

I've been memed yet again by Book~Adorer!

The Rules:
1. Copy and paste the questions, then fill in your answers. Post this on your blog, livejournal, etc. There’s a catch, though. You have to change/add a question from the meme you were tagged with.
2. Post the rules.
3. Link to the person who tagged you.
4. Tag 3 people, by commenting on their blog.
5. Link back to the original (you can visit it here) to see how much it has mutated.

Now to the questions:
1.) If you were writing a book, what would your lead characters name be?
Oooh. That's hard. Probably Leah or Maddie. I kind of like the cute and simple names. And then for a guy, I'd choose Noah.
2.) What is your least favorite food?
Any kind of bean. Except for garbanzo beans. Those are good. I am especially disgusted by baked beans even though I don't think I've ever eaten them. There's just something so wrong about putting any veggie in nasty brown sauce. Ick.
3.) Are there any songs that get stuck in your head really easily?
Oh my gosh yes. Any song with a really simple melody and stupid words, I'll inevitably get stuck in my head. And then I'm humming it for the rest of the day! It's so annoying!
4.) If you could be (or are) a mythical creature, what would it be (or what are you)?
Hmmm. I think that I would like to be a shape-shifter because then you can take on all sorts of disguises and be whatever you want to be.
5.) What do colors taste like?
What a good question. I think colors taste like what you kind of perceive them as. Like brown tastes warm and thick and yellow tastes light and airy. It would be so cool to taste colors!
6.) Which Disney princess is your favorite?
Aack! That's so hard! I really like Belle because she sings all those cool songs and is a bookworm. But I also like Mulan. I don't think she's technically a princess though.
7.) What kind of toothpaste do you use?
I use that all natural stuff.
8.) If you could chose one superpower, what would it be?I
I would want to fly. I think it would be so cool to see everything from a bird's eye view!

Now then, I tag Em, Harmony, and The Magic Of Ink Girls. Have fun!

My First Contest!

So last night, I was lucky enough to go to a book signing of Meg Cabot's. I was so excited that she was visiting my chilly state of Minnesota. The whole night was very fun. She was upbeat, witty, and very funny. You could tell she really tried to connect with the audience which was great. And afterwards, I got to get my whole Mediator series signed (which is a very good series that I highly recommend, btw) as well as a copy of one of Meg's more recent books, Jinx. So therefore, I am having a contest to giveaway a signed copy of the book Jinx by Meg Cabot. I have read it and I thought it was very good so I'm sure you will all like it.

Now for the rules:

1. To enter either leave a comment on this post that includes your email or just send an email to livsbookreviews@yahoo.com.


2. If you blog about my contest and help spread the word, be sure to send me the link back and I will give you two extra entries. How cool is that?


3. The dead line for entries is Saturday April 12 at midnight, central time.


And that's it! I hope you enter!

The Earth, My Butt, And Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Virginia Shreves is living a tough life. Being overweight in a family of perfect, popular, and fit people is hard. She is constantly being pressured to change who she is to please those around her. To make it worse, her best friend just moved across the country leaving Virginia to fend for her own in the vicious world of highschool. And her brother was found guilty of date rape. Her perfect, flawless brother let her down. Virginia's world is crashing down around her and if she doesn't do something fast, she's going to be lost in the tidal wave of lies, expectations, and troubles that are filling her life. Can she find a way to be herself and assert who she is in an unaccepting world?

Yes, I finally finished this book. It's not that it was hard to get through or anything, it's just that I listened to it on audiobook. I find it so much harder to listen to books than to read them because to listen to them, you have to have no distractions. I usually listen to music in the background and it's hard to have to focus completely on listening to something. On the other hand, I'm able to read with tons of distractions. I can tune out the world and get lost in a book so much easier, so I think I'm going to stick with that from now on. :) Anyways, this was a really good book! I really loved Virginia's unique voice and her cynicsm. I think the author approached the difficult topic of obesity in a great way. You could really get into the main character's mind and see the world through her eyes. The media definitely presents a distorted picture of the perfect body and I think that this book really proved that you don't have to look perfect to be happy. I especially liked Virginia's doctor. He was so open and didn't pressure her at all. He said that it isn't about having the perfect body, it's about feeling good about yourself, which I think is a great viewpoint. I enjoyed seeing Virginia discover who she was and showing her family and friends that she was unique and special and that she wasn't going to let anyone push her around. I think that everyone should think about themselves that way. I think that the ending was really satisfying also. I liked that Virginia used her own experiences to help others. Overall, this book was very good. I would highly recommend this as a book that will change your thinking on a difficult subject. It really opened my eyes.

Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn

It all starts in prehistoric times when a young man and a young woman fight over a precious jewel. From then on, they share a special connection that is linked with green stones. Each time they are reincarnated as different beings, they are both undeniably attracted to each other when their paths cross, no matter the obstacles; but each time, their love never has a happy ending. Their affinity is put to many tests, but will it all work out in the end? Will true love prevail?

Yay for good books! I didn't really have any expectations coming into this book because I hadn't heard anything about it. It really surprised me though. It has a very unique plot line that draws you in immediately. The stories of the two souls are so intertwined and complex, and as the book progresses, you really start to root for them to work it out in the end. I loved how you got to experience different time periods and circumstances. And in each of the stories, everything is somehow connected. Like, in the first prehistoric story, the man gets stabbed in the head and the side and in later bodies, he has headaches and even experiences a ruptured kidney. And the girl has a beautiful singing voice as well as a lame foot that turns up in each of her reincarnated forms. I also liked the little twists that the author threw into the story. They really helped the book not seem so predictable and showed many some of the many different angles that love can have. One of the aspects of the story I particularly liked was that you got to meet the two side characters who have to work out their part in the story for themselves. You get to see the smaller characters really grow into themselves as well as the more important characters. The small complaint I have about this book, is that it is confusing. And you kind of have to expect that if there's around ten different stories that are intertwined in one book! It was good though, how in the end everything got unraveled and you could see how all the different parts were related. I felt like this was a well though out, well crafted story. It immediately drew me in and kept me entranced for the whole book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a quick, captivating read!

Six Random Things Meme!

I was tagged by Em for the Six Random Things Meme! And since this is my first meme, I figured I had to do it. And then while I was thinking about what my answers were going to be, I learned that it is really hard to think of random things about yourself! But, I tried my hardest to be interesting and creative, so here's my attempt:


1. I love chai tea. Whenever I go to a coffee shop, I never get coffee, I always get a chai. It has vanilla, spices, cinnamon, and warm milk. What more could a girl need on a rainy day?

2. I have never been able to pick a favorite color. I like all of them; it depends on my mood. I especially like the cooler pastel colors but if you can find a bright pink, orange, or yellow, then I'll be sure to fall in love with that color too. So whenever people ask me what my favorite color is, I say the first thing that pops into my head that day.

3. Best movie ever = August Rush. I saw it about a month ago at this little theater about two blocks from my house and, oh my gosh, it was amazing. I loved the music and the ambience, the plot line, and the characters. It was one masterpiece of a movie and you should all go out and see it ASAP. It just came out on DVD and I am just waiting until I have enough money to buy it so I can watch little Freddie Highmore with his adorable accent over and over again.

4. green beans are gross.

5. I love snow. Maybe not the actual wet flakes, but I love the whole idea of it. Right now, I'm staring out of my bedroom window at the branches of a tree that have little puffs of snow resting on every twig. It's sooo pretty. It snowed over night here, so nothing has had the chance to be messed up yet, and it's truly beautiful.

6. I'm going to the mall today! Yay! I get to go shop a little for my spring clothes, of which I have none. I swear, I think I have some ratty t-shirts and a pair of shorts or two and that's it. I don't think that's really going to get me through the summer.


And there you have it. Six random things about me that you didn't know yet. I hope that was at least a little bit interesting/entertaining!

The Rules For The Meme:
1. You link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your entry.
5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs.

So, I tag: Enna Isilee, Teen Book Review, Page Numbered, The Page Wanderer, Shelf Elf, and Kelsey

City of Ashes Contest

The Story Siren is having a contest to win a copy of the book City Of Ashes. It is the sequel to the book City of Bones, which is very good, so you should definitely go check out her blog to enter! I can't wait to read it!

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

In the small college town of Morganville, there is more going on than meets the eye. And Claire just happens to get herself mixed up in the middle of it. It all starts when she gets bullied by the most influential girl at her dorm. To escape, she tries to find sanctuary at the Glass house; a large mansion shared by three college students-Eve, Shane, and Michael. Claire finds that the Glass house is the only place where she is truly safe in Morganville because there are vampires living in town. And they will stop at nothing to get what they want, even if that means killing Claire and all of her friends. She has to try to find a way to find peace and protection for herself and her friends or the consequences would be unimaginable.

Okay, something that's really strange to me is that there are so many vampire books out there! Doesn't that seem a little wierd? Couldn't authors find something else to write about? But really, I'm not complaining, because almost all of the vampire books I've read have been really good. And that stays true for this one. This is the kind of vampire book though, that has suspense, chills, and fangs. It's not the whole nice, goody-goody deal that the Twilight saga or the Blue Bloods series has. And although I thought I wasn't going to like all of the freaky scary vampire parts of this book, I actually did. I enjoyed having shivers race down my spine and having myself have to keep reading. I think the plot is very good in this book and it was executed perfectly. I also liked that the author went into such depth with the characters. Even the minor characters were described thoroughly and you could really see all the aspects that any given character had. The imagery in this book was great too. Everything was filled with detail so you could be brought into the story and feel the aura of the town. I loved that. I also loved the little bit of romance that was thrown in. It helped the story not seem all scary! The ending, of course, was filled with a ton of suspense and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, Dead Girl's Dance. I would highly recommend this book.

Frenemies Contest

The wonderful Nicole is having a contest for a signed ARC of the book Frenemies by Alexa Young. To enter, you just post a comment telling her what your favorite book is from 2008 so far. What could be easier? So head on over to her blog and check it out!

Secrets of My Suburban Life by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Ren D'arc's mom was killed by Harry Potter. Well not actually by him, but by his books. She was crushed by a pile of J.K. Rowlings books in a freak accident. So, after that, her dad decides to move them out of New York and into a small
Connecticut town. And since Ren has lived in New York all her life, she has no idea how to fit in to a town in which you need to drive and the school requires you to play a sport. Things go from bad to worse with her when she discovers that the snobby, rich girl Farrin has been chatting online with an older man and is actually planning to meet him. So Ren decides to intervene, but after she finds out who the guy is, it just brings more and more trouble.

I liked this book a lot. I think that the plot line was really unique because I have never read a book about an internet sex predator. And a funny book at that! So, I definitely liked the idea of the story, it was new and interesting. The one thing that I didn't like though was the unbelievability of Ren's character. I don't really think that anyone has ever been exempt from playing sports in elementary school gym class and she, supposedly, has never done a sport of any kind. Also, in the scene where she walks out of the door of her house to hail a cab, I find her rather immature. I think that anyone would understand that you just cannot walk out the door in the suburbs to catch a ride. Other than that though, I thought this book was really quite good. I especially liked that the author leads you to believe that you know who the bad guy is but at the end she adds a big twist that really made the book fun. So, I would definitely recommend this book. It was a fast, easy read with a good message!

m or f? by Lisa Papademetriou and Chris Tebbets

Frannie and Marcus are brain twins. They finish each other's thoughts and are always there whenever the other needs a second opinion. So naturally Frannie turns to Marcus (who's gay) when she starts crushing on Jeffrey. The problem is, Frannie is too scared to talk to him so they start having online conversations where Marcus writes for Frannie. Jeffrey and Marcus really seem to hit it off and that's when everybody starts making mistakes and things get confusing. Frannie and Marcus have to get through tough situations and find out who everybody really is on the inside to sort through the mess that they've created for themselves.

This book actually wasn't that bad. I was a little tentative going into it because I've read some pretty amazing books recently and didn't want this book to not live up to them. Frannie and Marcus's story is very cute and heartwarming. I think that the authors did a great job working through a complex, twisting plotline to make it all turn out in the end. I also like the two main characters. I really appreciated how in depth each of the people in the story were. You really got to know them which is great. Some books really don't develop their characters very well, but this is not one of them. One of the other things that I thought was cool was how the book explored sexuality a little bit. Some of the main characters are gay and I really liked reading the story through their perspective. It shows that everyone thinks the same way and there is no reason to be afraid or disrespectful of someone who just happens to have different attractions than you. All in all, I really liked the book m or f? and would recommend it to everyone.

Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz

In the second book of the Blue Bloods series, Schuyler Van Alen is trying to figure out the mystery of the Silver Bloods. When her grandfather comes back to New York after a self-professed exile, Schuyler's world starts changing. Her grandfather is teaching her many skills and techniques that only grown vampires know and the effort is taking a toll. She has to take a human familiar so that she can regain strength and doesn't end up in a coma like her mother. But who will be her familiar? And then a new student comes to Duchesne and no one knows much about him. He's a trouble maker and very self confident, but is there more to this new guy than what everyone thinks? All of these things are just making Schuyler's life as a half-blood vampire more difficult. She's going to have to put her self to the test when a Silver Blood attack rocks the committee and someone is wrongly convicted. Will Schuyler be able save the committee and ultimately someone's life?

Eek! This is yet another vampire series that I've fallen in love with. There are just so many good vampire books out there and this one is definitely not an exception. One of the things that I like is Melissa De La Cruz's writing style; it flows really nicely. I also like how she gets so in depth with the characters. It's got to be hard to make up all the past lives of the characters because they have lived since the beginning of time and are just reincarnate. I like how all their back stories weave together. I also like the idea of the blood bond between two vampires. It creates drama and struggle which is always a great element in a story. And I think my favorite thing about this book would have to be the imagery. When Schuyler and Oliver go to Venice, you can really picture the canals and streets; and then when Mimi had the party I loved the description of the old synagogue with the broken beams and tealights. It sounded so magical and I could really see it in my mind which I loved. My other favorite thing would have to be Schuyler. I just like her character so much. She's always super modest even when she's getting a ton of attention and that is always an attractive trait in a person. She is definitely not egocentric. So, as you can see, I am totally devoted to the Blue Bloods series. I would highly recommend this book to everyone and am eagerly awaiting the sequel Revelations, coming in the fall!

Chosen by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

In the third book of the House of Night series, we join Zoey Redbird, a fledgling vampyre, once again. Things are really getting turned upside down in her life. For instance, her best friend is undead and pretty much all monster. Also, she has three boyfriends. No, not one, three. And to add to that, her sworn enemy, Aphrodite, seems to be the only person she can turn to. Oh, and adult vampyres start being killed. Sound's fun doesn't it? Now, Zoey has to try and figure out what's going on without her evil mentor/the House of Night's high priestess finding out that Zoey's on to her. And she has to deal with her guy situation. Also, she is still hanging on to a thread of hope that her best friend might still be saved. With all this going on, Zoey's having to keep a lot of secrets and when her friends find out what she's been keeping from them, it's not going to be pretty. I'm just glad I'm not Zoey...

I have been in love with the House of Night series since reading the first book, Marked. And with the third book, my love was just deepened. :P I really don't have much to complain about with this book! For example, the plot, though very complicated, was woven seamlessly and perfectly. The Casts really know how to deliver a story convincingly. I love, love, love this series! One of the things that sort of bothered me though was Zoey's selfishness. I mean, three boyfriends? Come on. And throughout the story she's debating what to do about that situation, but never actually acts on it. The only way the boyfriend problem gets cleared up is when the guys find out about each other. Not really a great way for it to end, huh? I think it really served Zoey right though for her to end up with no guys loyal to her. That actually satisfied me. So I'm hoping that for the next book, Untamed, coming in the fall, Zoey learns her lesson and puts it into action. One of the other things that I liked was the character Aphrodite. It really proved that even though people can be horrible in the beginning, everyone can change and I really liked that perspective. I was also glad that Stevie Rae, Zoey's undead best friend, came back in the end. I loved her charachter and can't wait to see more of her. So, obviously, I really liked this book. It's just another example of all the great vampire books out there! I would highly recommend it.

Wake by Lisa McMann

Janie rarely has dreams of her own. She is always sucked into others', and it's not much fun. I mean, how would you feel if you never had a true second of rest and were always on your guard for the next dream you would have to play a part in? It would definitely not be fun. And then one day, she experiences a new kind of dream, that of Cabel Strumheller. It's horrific, violent, and extremely frightening. Jamie has to somehow figure out how to control her ability and at the same time learn the truth about Cabel and all the mysteries that he keeps from her.

After all of the rave reviews about Wake I figured I had to go pick myself up a copy and learn what all the hype was about. I was not disappointed. Although the beginning was a little dry, it quickly picked up and I was completely drawn in. Lisa McMann's writing style was very unique and even though at first I thought it would be annoying, I actually really enjoyed the change from the usual writing style in books. I especially liked the idea of the plot. Falling into dreams is a cool, novel concept, and Lisa wrote about it flawlessly. It really made me think about what it would be like to be privy to everyone's secret thoughts. Although it might sound appealing now, Lisa really showed that not everything is what it seems, especially having to experience others' dreams. One of the other things I liked about the book was Cabel and Janie's relationship. I liked the way their romance evolved and they ultimately learned everything about each other. I wish I had me a Cabel. :) So, without a doubt, this was an extremely good book and I would recommend it to everyone and anyone. I can't wait for the sequel Fade!

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

Imagine living as a ghost for 130 years. No one has ever been able to see you, hear you, or feel you, and you've never seen another ghost. And then one day, a boy looks at you. He doesn't just look through you, he actually looks you in the eyes and acknowledges your presence. That's what happens to Helen, and now her world is suddenly linked with the human one. Not only do she and the boy, James, fall in love, but she discovers that he is actually a ghost like her but is inhabiting an abandoned human's body. Helen, following his example, also goes into a body in order to be with him, which brings about tons of trouble. She and James must find a way to be together, bring peace to the lives that they are living as humans, and find a way to heaven.

I liked this book a lot. It was written in a sort of old-fashioned style which was really neat and there was a bunch of great imagery. I liked how the author really delved into the details of living as a ghost and explored all the aspects of it. I've read about vampires and werewolves in books, but never about a ghost, so this was really cool. Also, the whole story has an aura of spookiness about it, and it sent shivers down my spine more than once. Helen and James can't remember anything about how they died in their previous lives as actual humans, and seeing them find out about their pasts was really eery. I also liked the whole romantic side of the book with Helen and James' relationship, seeing as their human bodies came from such unsimilar backgrounds. I did feel as though their relationship was rather underdeveloped and I think the author could have done a little more with it. Overall though, A Certain Slant of Light was a breath of fresh air for me. I would highly recommend this book.