The Underwood and Flinch Chronicles - Mike Bennett (Happy Halloween Everyone!)

Underwood and Flinch

Mike Bennett

For hundreds of years, the first born son of the Flinch family has grown to become servant and guardian to the vampire, Lord Underwood. Then in 1958, Underwood lay down to rest for fifty years, and the world moved on without him. Now, upon arising, Underwood finds the Flinch family is not what it was, and service is the last thing on the mind of his would-be servant.

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First off Mike Bennett is a very talented author and a superb story teller, he knows how to bring his characters to life and makes them feel like real people who you can relate to.   You might get a little confused at the beginning trying to keep track of all the different characters and story lines going on at once but it does it get easier and it all comes together as the story goes on.   I really liked how Bennett kept old vampire myths (like burning in the sun) that we all know and also made up some of his own and they still made sense. it's the perfect book for someone who like a good ol' bloody vampire horror story and not a story about vampires who sparkle in the sun.

I actually should have finished this over a year ago because that was when the last podcast episode was finally put out but I just couldn't bring myself to do it! It's not that I didn't want it to end I just couldn't finish it!

45 podcast episodes.

Happy Halloween everyone!

*Note
Oh my goodness you guys I am so sorry! This was supposed to post on Halloween but It was still saved as a draft!

4 to 16 Characters - Kelly Hourihan

4 to 16 Characters

Kelly Hourihan

Fifteen-year-old Jane Shilling’s best friends don’t know her real name. In fact, they don’t know anything about her at all. Jane’s life has collapsed in the last few years; following the death of her mother, her father turned to drinking, and Jane is reeling from the double blow. To escape, Jane devises a number of online personas, each with a distinct personality, life history, and set of friends. But things become trickier when she finds herself drawing close to some of her online friends, and winds up struggling with the question of how to maintain a real friendship while masquerading as a fake person. With the help of Gary, a socially awkward classmate and competitive Skeeball player who is Jane’s only offline friend, and Nora, her therapist, Jane begins to sift through her issues. The only catch is that that involves taking a long, hard look at what her life’s like when the computer is shut off, and that’s a reality she’s been fighting for years.

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First off I bet people who are not in fandoms had a lot of googling to do!  While I have never had her as much... passion for any of my favorite shows/movies/books as Jane does I can relate with her internet life (not the personas though).  You can still see similarities with Jane and her personas but at the same time they are still very distinctive and I really liked how every one of her personas reflected a small piece of her.   You can really see the difference between Jane talking to her therapist out loud and chatting with her online instead of just sitting across the desk from each other staring at each other. She would ignore her in real life while they were chatting online but would giggle out loud and seemed more open and friendly online.  I really liked watching her come out of her shell with Gary and I think why he was able to get so close to her is because when he would talk to her he was in her element so she felt more comfortable,  The down side of this book is there would be times there would be an email or something from someone to someone and I would be really confused on who they were.  I lose interest in the long chat sessions/conversations, and during some of the chats she would ask someone if they were there but if you looked at the time stamps it had only been like a minute!

If you go to the author's website there's a really cool fan work contest going on.

I was provided an E-galley from netgalley.com
Pages: 314

Seeds of Trust - Cynthia Reese

Seeds of Trust

Cynthia Reese

When Becca Reynolds heads for rural Georgia to investigate a suspected crop insurance scam, she's concerned about her career, not her heart.

Chief among the suspects is handsome Ryan MacIntosh, who isn't telling everything he knows. Could his involvement possibly be deeper than his devotion to his grandmother and the small farm that's been in the family for generations?

Becca can't be sure, even though she and Ryan have shared the most intimate of conversations—at least online. She's certain he's the charming stranger with whom she's exchanged countless emails…and fallen in love. But she can't admit the truth any more than Ryan can—nor predict what it will cost them in the end.

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This is actually a book I can't say too much about it's kind of a slow beginning but once you get past the first few chapters it picks up and I started to enjoy it more. The characters aren't necessarily bad but they aren't memorable and for me they aren't very relatable.  I did really enjoy the mystery side of it and I liked how it didn't just focus on Becca and Ryan's relationship the whole time. Mee-Maw was one of the better characters and she gave me a few chuckles here and there.  

Pages: 204 pages (mine was 362 because I got it from the library and it ended up being a larger print version)

Phone Kitten - Marika Christian

Phone Kitten

Marika Christian

Shy, slightly overweight Emily would die if she had to talk dirty face-to-face-especially to her hot cop boy friend. She sure didn't set out to do phone sex-she wanted to be a writer. But when her BFF framed her for plagiarism, she got in a tiny financial hole and saw this ad for "phone actresses" . . . Hey, it's not nearly as bad as it sounds. No pantyhose or pantsuits, no regular hours, you're your own boss, and lots of people to talk to. Guys, that is. But here's the odd thing-lots of them want to talk about more than Emily's imagined attributes; they start to think of her as the best friend they'll never have to meet. Next thing you know, one of her customers gets killed and Emily knows a lot more about it than she should. But she can't tell the nearest cop, who's also her own true love, because then he'll find out about her secret life. What's a phone kitten to do? Solve the murder herself, of course-because wouldn't it be a great story for the newspaper that wrongly fired her? It's her ticket back to her real life-if it doesn't get her killed.

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First off the cover is pretty cute but nothing too special. I was really worried this book might be a little too similar to the movie For A Good Time Call but I was wrong to thing that! Who would think to mix murder mystery with a phone sex line?  

I loved how in the middle of laughs or drama there would be these sweet little lines that the author would throw in there like one of the characters telling Emily to remember that she is one of the pretty girls.

It was definitely interesting reading about Emily's different phone customers and what they like (Beef jerky in certain body cavities was my favorite! I laughed for a good ten minutes.)

Now I know some people will agree with me and some won't but the book automatically made men (I don't believe there were any women) perverts just because they called sex line and I didn't really agree with that.  

There was a part of the book that made me laugh because Emily goes over to her date's house and thinks 'I took a deep breath and said a little prayer, hoping he had his porn hidden in his bedroom.' and my note said  'girl you work for a phone sex line you can't be complaining about porn!'

One thing about the book that I didn't like was how Emily complains about her granny panties quite a bit and my thoughts were why she bought them and why she keeps wearing them!

I felt like this book would be interesting from another character named Rachel-ann's point of view.

Over all I really did enjoy the story line and it gave me a few good laughs.

Pages: 253

SPOILER

I thought the author kind of threw Jim Alexander's death at you but at the same time it was pretty realistic.  I feel like the main place someone would find out about someone's death would be the news (in this case the newspaper) if you weren't close to them or their family.

Stitch - Samantha Durante (Stitch Trilogy #1)

Stitch

Samantha Durante

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees - and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell - Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn't figured out yet is that she's not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university's idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface...

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

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I would love to just hand someone this book and have them read it because the genres it's listed under totally give it away (don't read the tags on this post if you want to be surprised) I'm not a big fan of the cover for some reason that I can't put my finger on.

At first I thought this book was kind of boring but as time went on it started to get more exciting and I really started to enjoy it and all of these little details earlier in this book just clicked and really added to the story.

It's hard to review this book without giving it away! Let's just say it's a genre mash up full of amazing-ness.  Will I be reading the sequel? YES!

Pages: 314

United We Spy - Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls #6)

United We Spy

Ally Carter

Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever.

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First off the cover is much more pink than I thought it was going to be and I love how they put the GG crest (logo?) on the diploma. I thought it was sweet how Ally Carter dedicated it to all of the Gallagher girls past, present, and future.   Some people might find it annoying but I like how Tina Walters always asks for gossip at every welcome back dinner. The B&N hardcover has the special epilogue at the end (the cover just says extra short story or something like that) and I accidentally saw the title of it before I actually got there and OH MY GOODNESS I was so excited to find out who was getting married (and they went with periwinkle!). There were so many plot twists and I am really sad to see this series end (I almost cried during their graduation.) And I would love to be able to thank Ally Carter in person for writing the series I have grown up with have read and reread over and over again. Bex seemed more British to me in this book.

Pages: 304

SPOILERS!!!!!!

HER MOM GOT ENGAGED!! I was actually hoping it would be Cammie getting married in the future. Holy guacamole Townsend is Zach's dad!!! 

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices #1)

Clockwork Angel

Cassandra Clare

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

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I love this cover! Just everything about it fits the book perfectly.

What i loved most about this book is how unpredictable it is.  You would think it would go one way and it would go in the complete opposite direction or you had no idea at all where it was going to go!

I wish the author would have picked a better word for the nephilim tattoos than 'marks' I just thing she could have done better and come up with something more creative than that.

It almost seems like multiple stories crammed into one book but instead of it being crazy and unorganized it just works.

Would I recommend it? Most definitely!  Am I going to read the sequel?  I don't think so, not any time soon anyway. 

Pages: 479

Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story - Ally Carter

Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story

Ally Carter

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists.

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IT WAS A GLORIOUS DAY WHEN THIS WAS ANNOUNCED.  I had been waiting on this ever since Heist Society was announced because it was meant to be.  I LOVE how she used Hale and Macey and not because those two have the most chance of meeting but because they are not the main characters (but Kat does have a small part in the book) Abby is even in the book!  I thought the name was really cute because it's a crossover between the two series.  I like how she did the little time stamp pages (i'm pretty sure these have a name but I don't know it) like in Heist Society.  When I starting reading I thought 'Huh, this looks a lot longer than I remember' and then once I got to the end I remembered that half of it is the Heist Society preview.   I never noticed the necklace the girl is wearing on the cover of the book is the one that's being heisted (is that a word?) in the book.  And the best part is it's free!

Pages: 60

Classified Information (Gallagher Girl 4.5) Out of Sight, Out of Time - Ally Carter (Gallagher Girl 5)

This is a double review so the first book is

Classified Information

Ally Carter

Only Ally knows the secrets that lie within the world of the Gallagher Girls.

And the biggest secret of all? In Out of Sight, Out of Time, the fifth installment in the Gallagher Girls series, Cammie “The Chameleon” Morgan has awoken in an alpine convent with one very important thing missing — her memory. So what happened to Cammie over the summer? Did her friends manage to find her before it was too late?

Click here to access a classified short story from Ally Carter, broken into ten parts. We’re releasing a new part each week, so keep coming back to get the full scoop, for Gallagher Girls eyes only!

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If you don't know Ally Carter made a website after GG 4 that was updated every week (I think) leading up to GG 5 and it changes POV every 'chapter' and I don't have too much to say about it but I thought it was really cool.   All you have to do is make an account to be able to read it.

Pages: We will just say 10 since there's 10 entries.

Out of Sight, Out of Time

Ally Carter

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan-an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers that months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie's summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It's a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

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To start off this is probably my least favorite cover.  I just don't like the colors (I think it may be the red) and her boots.  I actually got emotional while reading about how Cammie thought she was losing her friends because I know exactly what that's like (i'm sure a lot of us do) but I still think Zach and Bex still seem suspiciously close. Ally Carter will not let Cammie get seriously injured (Every time there is a chance for serious or fatal injuries someone else takes the hit!) and in the next book I really just want her to get shot or something not because I want to see Cammie hurt but because I think it's her time considering how many people have gotten themselves seriously injured for her.  When I first read this book I could have sworn the covenant parts were way longer (now it was just like three chapters if that)  I wish Ally Carter would have taken a more personal and in depth view on Cammie's feelings (like after the gun incident) because I felt like there could have been a lot more said.  The whole music thing was really bothering me and I didn't think we would find out why she would randomly start hearing/singing/humming music but once we found out HOLY GUACAMOLE that was genius.  

A lot happens and if you compare the early parts of the book with the last its like 'wow a lot happened' and they almost seem like different books and some scenes were short and some people might think it moved too quick or didn't go into enough detail but I didn't think so.  I still don't feel any differently about Zach (but I didn't dislike him as much) and I was just putting up with him the whole book.

I Have so many questions about this book that I don't' think will be answered like

how did Cammie first get into the safe deposit box?
HOW DID SHE GET INTO THE RIVER TO WASH UP AT THE CONVENT!?
They said that Cammie did the gun thing to herself but HOW?

Pages: 294

IS ANYONE ELSE FLIPPITY FLAPPING EXCITED FOR THE LAST BOOK!?  I have the hardcover pre-ordered from Barnes and Noble so I should be getting that in the mail in just over a week (and I will have the extra little epilogue too!).
Until next time
Baylee

Only the Good Spy Young - Ally Carter (Gallagher Girl #4)

Only the Good Spy Young

Ally Carter

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.

Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers—or even her own heart.

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This is probably my favorite cover out of all of the books because I love the colors (it looks brown in the picture but it is actually gray) and the trench coat.  It started of reeeaally slow (much slower than I remember) and felt like a bunch of filler up until the last... 15 or so chapters.   I don't think Townsend and  Headmistress Morgan's talk after the CoveOp trip to the amusement park shouldn't have happened out in the open where the students could hear everything but I understand how upset Cammie's mom would be when she found out about it and how she would really want to tear into Townsend once they got back and on the topic of Agent Townsend he really pushed my buttons up until the second to last chapter (it might have been third to last) and I really didn't trust him the whole book but what he did for Cammie (and 'Mr. S') was so nice and it really changed my opinion of him but that didn't make up for him using Cammie as bait.  It has been hinted around at Mr. Solomon and Ms. Morgan having feelings for each other (like him taking her to the party in Roseville in book two and them holding hands in this book) but I don't think that's the case, they might have some feelings for each other but I think it's more of friendship from back when Cammie's dad was alive and how he was probably there for her after he died.

Spoiler

We finally got a glimpse into Zach's world but the fact that Blackthorne is a school for assassins was such a plot twist! but my question is Zach says that the detention center is their cover so were all of the boys actually needing to go to a detention center or would Blackthorne make up stuff so boys would have to go there?   

Pages: 265

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover - Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls #3)

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

Ally Carter

When Cammie “The Chameleon” Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she’s in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she’s there to watch Macey’s father accept the nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world’s best school (for spies), “exciting” and “deadly” are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnappers’ plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can’t shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn’t feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion’s corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey’s private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth….

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I think this is the most important book in the series so far and I like how it focuses more on friendship and the spy side of Cammie's life and not her love life like the past two books have.   One thing I didn't realize back when I was younger and read this book that I realize now and appreciate is Macey and Cammie's friendship.  I love Bex and Liz but Cammie and Macey's relationship seems much more special and unique than with Bex and Liz. Cammie was the first one to help Macey study and catch up in the last book and she is the one who was able to bond with her over the summer.  Cammie really seems to understand, relate, and care for Macey just a tad more than the other two.   I really liked how whatever the girls were learning in class connected with the story and filled in a few missing pieces.    I liked how the plot focused more on Macey than Cammie and goodness WHAT A PLOT TWIST! That ending was crazy.

Pages: 272

Happy reading!                                                                                                                                                                                  Baylee

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy - Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls #2)

 Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Ally Carter

Cammie Morgan is back, and it's clear that her life hasn't calmed down since the events of I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You. At first, giddy anticipation is in the air. Gallagher Academy, Cammie's elite spy school, is hosting a visit from a covert training center for boys. Soon after the boys' arrival, though, everything goes dangerously awry when a series of security breaches are discovered at the academy. Worse yet, teenage agent-in-training Cammie is being blamed for the penetration. With the school's top-secret status at risk, the Gallagher Girls have to work quickly to save their beloved school.

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Yay we have made it to the second book! 

It was just as well written as the first book and there are so many questions about small details in the book that I have and really want answered.   It was interesting to see how the first time I read it I liked Zach but now I didn't!  He was so irritating and I hated not know if he was actually being honest or not!  Just like it annoyed Cammie so job well done Ally Carter.   Early on in the book they fly to the National Mall for a class assignment and I just really wanted to smack Cammie because it was so obvious what was going on but everyone makes mistakes, even Gallagher Girls.   I really liked how the big action scene is at the end (just like the first book) because I find myself losing interest when books have the climax like 3/4 of the way in and the rest just seems like filler.

Overall it's a fun and light read and I would really recommend reading it if you read the first one.

SUPER DUPER SPOILER AHEAD!!!!

I was SO dissapointed/irritated that Dr. Steve stealing the disk was fake!  I really wanted it to be true because that plotline would be awesome (Having a traitor) and I wanted the girls to save the day and not just pass a test.  So does that mean all of the code blacks were fake? What would Mr. Solomon have done if one of the girls had killed one of the guards? I know that's not really how they do it (they like to knock them out) but if push comes to shove you know the girls know hundreds of ways to kill a man (just with their bare hands)

Pages: 236

Happy reading!

Baylee

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You - Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls #1)

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Ally Carter

Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her? 

Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's on her most dangerous mission-falling in love.

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The first official Read-a-thon post! I'm so excited! This has been amazing so far (and it's only the first week!) and I can't wait until we get to the other books!

I fell in love with this book all over again!  I forgot how much I enjoyed it the first (and second... and third) time.  There is a reason this has been my favorite book since Middle school (I think that's when I read it but goodness that seems so long ago)

I can never put into words how much I enjoyed every second of this book! There weren't any boring or slow parts and each part really fit in and there wasn't really any filler. The book is supposed to be Cammie's first covert operations report and it feels as if it actually was written by a fifteen year old! I Just love Carter's writing style and sense of humor and she really seems to connect with girls.  I love the little glimpse we get into the life of a spy like 'When you're on a plane home from Istanbul and you have a nuclear warhead in a hatbox the last thing you want to do it write a report about it' it seems like the paperwork would be the hardest/most irritating part! but doesn't everybody hate paperwork?   All of the characters are very relatable and I found I could relate to every one of them in some way, even the little side characters like Tina Walters and Anna Fetterman (Tina's probably my favorite! or maybe Anna... I can never decide).  It seemed like Josh and I have the same mom! But my mother doesn't make 18 different kind of banana bread and make me sample them all.  It was definitely interesting to see how my opinions and views have changed since I first read it so many years ago and I think I appreciate and enjoy the book more now then I did back then!   I think this would be a great book for an adult who doesn't read too much YA but wants to dabble a little bit and I really enjoyed experiencing Cammie's first crush and her first date (and kiss!) with her and I think other older readers will enjoy that too.

I just love this book so much!

Pages: 284

Happy reading!

Baylee

Gallagher Girl Read-a-thon!

So to start off the read-a-thon I thought I would make a post about the GG series. This is a series very near and dear to me ever since I started reading it back in the summer of '08 (I believe) when there were only two books in the series and I CANNOT wait for the new book coming out in just a little more than a month (I will be getting the B&N hardcover so I will get the little extra epilogue) and her newest series about an ambassador's granddaughter.

It's funny how when you look at my books it's like a gradient of how worn or as I like to say loved they are based on how old they are. Most of them are more loved around the corner and edges but some of the pages are bent and folded in places too but I have try to take care of them like I do with all of my books.

I actually love the British covers more than the American cover because the British covers are like pieces of the uniform whereas the American cover is different colors to show it's a different book (there's a few more differences than that but that's the easiest way to put it.)

I even made a bookmark in celebration of the RAT and I picked yellow and blue since the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women badge (patch?) is blue. So this is the bookmark I will be using for the RAT. You may not know I believe the bookmark you use is just as important as the actual book (and I love them just as much too!)



I am a big fan of Ally Carter's books and I have read all of her YA books (I'm hoping to find her adult books at used book stores since they are no longer printed) and I even met her once at a book signing and she signed my book and I got a few pictures but she signed HS 2 since it was actually the day the book came out but I can make another post with all of the details and little stories that I took back from that day (Ally is a lot prettier in person!)

Be sure to check out Books As You Know It since they are the lovely hosts of the RAT

Please take note that due to a family emergency my reviews may be a few days late so please be patient.


Happy reading!
Baylee

Summer Getaways - Peggy Darty, Nancy J. Farrier, Marilou H. Flinkman, Gail Sattler

Summer Getaways 

Peggy Darty, Nancy J. Farrier, Marilou H. Flinkman, Gail Sattler

(Sorry i can't find a bigger picture ANYWHERE)

Four inspirational stories of love set during vacation getaways in contemporary times. Authors Peggy Darty, Nancy Farrier, Marilou Flinkman, and Gail Sattler weave enchanting tales that you will want to take along on your own getaway.

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Overall, It's an okay book. All the stories seemed to go the same way, not to mention the characters in every story have a lot of similarities. All of these stories 

just moved way too fast and I know there could only be so many pages/chapters but I think they rushed things a little too much. Spring in Paris and Sudden Showers seemed to be most natural and not as rushed as the other two.

Spring in Paris

I was not impressed. Without giving away the details I think some of her choices were unsafe especially for a younger woman alone in a foreign country.

The Rock Wall

I really like how the characters were on a bike tour of England I thought it was unique and different (you don't read about biking everyday!) but I found the book to be just a little to cliche for me with the character who is the cliche 'jealous girlfriend' who sabotages the girl she thinks is trying to steal her boyfriend but really the girl is innocent in her intentions and she is the childhood friend that moved away and the guy starts to like her and realizes what kind of person his girlfriend (the woman he was going to propose to on the trip) really is. It gets really cliche and predictable at the end. If you can get passed the cliches the story was pretty great. 

The River Runners

This was another one that I thought was a little different  I didn't think it was very realistic based on the fact that the main character talks about God while rafting. Unless you worked for a christian based company you would get fired/reprimanded pretty quick. So I thought this book was okay at first but they had known each other TWO weeks and he was already mentioning moving close to where the main character lived. If you didn't think that was soon enough just a few days later he was asking the main characters uncle if he could marry her! They met TWO WEEKS ago! I was not very impressed with this one.

Sudden Showers

I had issues in just the first few pages. First he calls her Miss (he doesn't know if she is married or not so the author should have used Ms.) and then he walks her home, now I don't really want to put my own personal opinion in this review (though I know I already have) but I would not want a man who is a stranger to walk me home and learn where I live there are some really creepy people out there nowadays. I liked the idea of sightseeing and vacationing in your own town so I enjoyed this story a lot.

Pages: 346

Update

Goodness it's been a while huh?  I have been super busy with life and other things i'm involved with so I have not uploaded my reviews here but I have been reading books and writing them so all I have to do is actually write the post.

I wanted to update you all on a few things!
1st  I have been participating in a summer reading program for all ages with my local library so I will be uploading all of those books (Your reviews are giveaway entries so lets hope I win a prize!)

2nd I will be participating in a Gallagher Girl read-a-thon hosted by Books As You Know It and you can find the link at the bottom of this post.  I am so glad they are doing this because the whole GG series and HS have been a big part of my life.  I first read them while I was on vacation to Disney World back in 2008 so there were only two books published at that time. You should definitely check out the host blog because it's pretty awesome (I love the colors.)  Leave a comment if any of you are participating too!

3rd  I will be starting up with weakly reviews again (probably Sundays) so be sure to look for those.


http://booksasyouknowit.blogspot.com/2013/07/sign-up-gallagher-girls-by-ally-carter.html#more

Playing Nice - Rebekah Crane

Playing Nice

Rebekah Crane

Martina "Marty" Hart is really nice. At least, that's what people think. 

It's Marty's junior year at Minster High. Minster's a small town where making great grades, smiling pretty, helping old people, running the new-student Welcoming Committee, and putting up decorations for all the dances--including the totally awful Hot Shot fall hunting celebration--gets you ... what? Marty's not sure. Instead of dreaming about a sororities-and-frats future at nearby University of Michigan, she's restless, searching for a way out of the box her controlling mother and best frenemy Sarah have locked her in. When Lil--don't call her Lily!--Hatfield transfers to Minster, Marty gets her chance. Lil's different. She smokes, wears black, listens to angry punk records, and lives in a weird trailer with her mother. Lil has secrets--secrets that make her a target for all the gossiping and online bullying Minster can muster. But so does Marty. And Marty sees something different in Lil. Something honest. 

Something real. 

PLAYING NICE is the achingly true story of a girl who's been following the rules for so long she's forgotten who she was when she started. It's about falling in love with the wrong people and not seeing the right ones, about the moments in life when you step out of line, take a chance ... and begin to break free.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

First off I love the cover!  The font and the use of colors really makes this book stand out on a bookshelf.

There were a lot of things that irked me about this book and it seems like Crane never went to high school or knew anyone who went to high school.  For example:

1. Band kids do NOT wear their uniforms to school
2. There seemed to be all of these stupid 'rules' in this town/school that make no sense for example "Once you date someone in Minster, you're off-limits for the rest of your high school career.... It's unwritten dating law."   You're kidding me right?
3. She seems to think kids can't text in class whenever they want.

Some of the situations in the book are believable particularly the whole teenage 'Who am I?' crisis but others... eh not so much.  There was one particular thing Marty's mom said I think people could really relate too about how you could love somebody but not always like them.  I also found Marty's view on her and her best friend's relationship changing extremely relatable!  I have been through that myself and I am sure plenty of others have too.

I really thought Marty was an idiot for following Lil outside to sit with her while she smoked and then she was paranoid about people smelling it on her, well Honey if you didn't want anyone to smell it you shouldn't have been sitting next to someone who is smoking illegally.

"And then Matt winks at me. A deliberate, slow, super-sexy wink that makes his hair fall in his face." This just makes me go "What?"  I really wish someone would do this for me as an example because in my mind it just looks weird and how does just eye lid movement make your hair fall in your face?

I hate to say one of the most popular things used in my notes was 'Really!?'

Now lets address the main protagonist Marty!

I did not like her.  She seemed to have an obsession with sex and her virginity.  Some of the thoughts she has about a rocker boy who she has a crush on was just a little too much at times (and keep in mind I am young so this isn't coming from some middle-aged woman) and I was thinking 'What is this?  50 Shades of Teenagers?'.  She keeps referring to her 'rotten and stinky virgin vagina'  (not an exact quote) and I was getting really irritated/tired of it it.  Here is a quote from the book "I'm surprised at how steady my voice sounds and the fact that his leg is touching mine isn't sending my mind into a crazy montage of sex scenes"  reeeally!?.  You know how in some books with angst-y teens they always go on and on about something or how people fish for compliments and it gets really annoying? This was Marty's version of that. 

I understand teenagers have angst and disagreements with their parents but at certain parts of the book Marty was downright disrespectful, immature and overreacting.

She says at one point "It makes me want to tear off my skin and crawl into someone else's. Someone like Lil, who says what she wants, who can sleep with any body and not care and smoke cigarette after cigarette out in the open for the whole town to see.  Who can say you smell like a virgin and I want to get laid and 'Shot through the heart is a terrible theme because no one cares about Bon Jovi anymore!'"  why would you want to be somebody like that?

But what's up with her obsession to become friends with Lil?  Does she not understand that some people might not like her?  Does she think she's that amazing and perfect?   The answer to that is yes.  Through out the book you notice that she's not nice she's actually pretty rude immature and conceited.  She doesn't do things to be nice or helpful she does them for self gain and benefit. 

She seemed to judge and assume things about EVERYONE whether it was Lil when they first met or her mother.  At one part of the book she thinks "I touch my black jelly bracelet.  I was overreacting about Meghan. Matt's busy with guitar and school.  His pothead mom probably doesn't have a computer" did she ever think that Matt's mom feels the same way Lil and her mom do when it comes to stereotypes and people assuming things?

She has these ridiculous rules about dating boys!  For example  "But he's a jock, and I just can't date a jock. I hate the smell of sweat."   Has she never heard of showers? She also went to a party as one boy's date just so she could talk to another guy she even thinks "I'm not supposed to leave with Alex I'm supposed to be with Matt."  Who does that?

I got really tired of her always 'Because it's the nice thing to do' or 'Because that's what a nice person does' now when you just read it it doesn't seem that bad but it's all about context.  You shouldn't have to think about or remind yourself to be a nice person if you really are a nice person.   I also thought the fact that she used curse words was a little out of character for a character who has such high expectations from her parents and is just all around supposed to be perfect and nice.

She has no idea what humility is.

At the beginning of the book I thought I could really relate to Marty but I learned really fast that that was not the case.

I'm glad that Marty finds out who she really is inside and she does grow up some in the last chapter or two but she still has A LOT of growing up to do.  I was glad that she finally understood her mom at the end.

Now it's Lil's turn.

I did like that she seemed to be the voice of reason at certain parts but I found her pretty cliche a lot of the time.
That is all.

The book features quite a bit of poetry written by 'Marty' and I will be honest after the first few poems I started skipping over them.  I understand she write poetry but do we really have read everything she writes?  I found it unnecessary but I'm sure someone out there liked it.

I feel like the only person who would enjoy with book would have to be 13 years old but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under 16.  I wouldn't consider this a coming of age novel because I don't think this shows Marty or Lil's transition to adulthood. Marty still has A LOT of maturing and growing up to do.   I ended up reading it just to see what happened not because I wanted to (thank goodness it's short!).

Pages:  270

P.S  I actually had to stop about half way through writing this review because It brought up all of my frustrated feelings I had while reading the book!

P.P.S  There is a huge spoiler for West Side Story in this book that I was not pleased about.