Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

Memoris of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Book Description: Diving to save a camera from a fall down a flight of stairs, high school junior Naomi Sukuse wakes with no memory of the last four years. Naomi must remember who she was and figure out who she wants to be in this story of love and second chances.


My Thoughts:
This was a quick read I just happened to come across when browsing through the library. I liked the story and it was an easy read in a weekend to past the time. Nothing super great. I'm just always fascinated by stories of memory loss and the new way of living for people with amnesia. Just imagine starting over and relearning everything. Nuts. There is also a really sweet best friendship between two characters that I enjoyed seeing play out. Love those sweet friend story lines in books. Need a quick easy read? There ya go.

The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Book Description:What perfect timing for this optimistic, uplifting debut novel (and maiden publication of Amy Einhorn's new imprint) set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams.

My Thoughts: Love at first read! I now have a new favorite on my shelves of best books ever. I really enjoyed the story from start to finish. One of my favorite things about a good book is all the detail the author can give on certain subjects. I loved the way Stockett would describe one of the maids cooking and I started craving caramel cakes after reading it. This book takes time to develop the details as well as the story. It alternates writing between three different perspectives and I loved the format. I loved being able to see some of the same events from totally different angles. It kept things entertaining. I would highly recommend this book. Awesome read!

North of Beautiful

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

Book Description:
Terra's body is very nearly perfect, except for the port-wine birthmark on her left cheek, which several surgeries have failed to remove. It is the teen's final semester of high school and she looks forward to college where she can study art and escape from her bullying, verbally abusive father. Over the Christmas holidays, Terra and her mother get into a car accident and meet Jacob, a Goth Chinese boy with a cleft lip, and his adoptive mother. The women immediately strike up a supportive friendship, while Terra and Jacob grow close. When Terra's brother, who lives in Shanghai, sends her and her mother tickets to visit, and Jacob's mother wants to try to track down Jacob's birth mother, they decide to travel together. But what about Erik, Terra's enamored but slightly clueless boyfriend? Headley's ambitious novel is written in a beautifully crafted style that flows seamlessly. The characters travel to China, where Jacob, Terra, and their mothers begin to confront their insecurities. Terra and Jacob are flawed, complex, and memorable characters. The message that true beauty and strength come from within is dominant, but this is also a moving and satisfying story in its own right.

My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this book. Another break from the usually fantasy or sci-fi that I enjoy, this book was quite refreshing. I adored the characters and seeing their development over such hard trials life had thrown at them. It was a real feel good book watching the characters overcome things while seeing the relationship with others come to life. It's a pretty quick read with a sweet plot that I would definitely recommend!

Something Borrowed

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin


Book Description: Rachel White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship. But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy's fiance, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way. As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself.

My Thoughts: Ok, so Sutton and I were in the theater with our husbands one movie night and we saw the trailer for this movie. Once I saw it was based on the novel, I had to read it. If you weren't aware, I love reading books turned into movies. I prefer to read the book first, they are 95% of the time way better! Do I even need to go into how lame the Twilight movie was....? Alas, I own them all. Back on point though. While this movie looked like a sweet Rom Com that Sut and I would surely be seeing without the husbands, the book was hugely disappointing. I was stressed the majority of the time reading it. The whole book is about Rachel who is in love with her Best friends fiance, Dex. I do not handle reading stories that are fully based around affairs, especially with your best friends beau. So I was annoyed and not satisfied with the ending. I'm still trying to decide whether the movie is even worth seeing. I ♥ the actors in it so that might save it. Who knows.  If they follow the same story line, it'll probably be super lame. Anyways, my thoughts... I wouldn't recommend it. Bummer.

Book of a Thousand Days

Book of a Thousand Days

Book Description:

When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.
As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren’s two suitors—one welcome, and the other decidedly less so—brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.
With Shannon Hale’s lyrical language, this forgotten but classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is re imagined and reset on the central Asian steppes; it is a completely unique retelling filled with adventure and romance, drama and disguise.

My Review:
It wasn't until about half way through did I even realize that this book was rewritten from the original Brothers Grimm fairy tales. I thought it sounded slightly familiar as it was sort of a cross between Rapunzel, The Prince and the Pauper and Mulan. I enjoyed it enough. It wasn't quite as exciting as I'd hoped but it would be but it was one that I had to at least finish to see how it ended.

Hollowland - the first book in the young adult dystopian series The Hollows..

Book Description: "This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

My Review: LOVED IT!! OK, it may just be the fact that I'm an odd kinda gal' that loves me some horror movies and what's more classic than zombies?? I have seen just about every zombie movie so I was super excited to learn that the same person who wrote the Trylle series wrote a zombie book too! Even more exciting is that it's a series called The Hollows. This was only the first book but I loved it. I love seeing how people learn to survive in a world wide pandemic situation getting really creative with the ways the deal with the zombie. A strain of the rabies virus has started to mutate humans and turn them into ravenous monsters. When almost the whole world population is wiped out, those few survivors fight to find a way to save their race. It even involves pet lions who rather enjoy killing zombies once all there Las Vegas show owners are killed off. OK, try not to think me crazy for loving this book, but it was such an entertaining and suspenseful read. Trust me, just try it!!

Ascend

Ascend...The final chapter in the Trylle Trilogy...

Book Description: With a war looming on the horizon, Wendy’s fate seems sealed. But everything she sacrificed might be in vain if she can’t save the ones she loves.

Her whole life has been leading up to this, and it’s all coming to an end.

My Review: Sadly, the book had to come to an end. But it was an awesome end at that. Sometimes it can be a disappointment how a trilogy ends but I think Amanda Hocking did well with the series. All the loose ends were tied up. I hate not knowing what happens to some characters so she did great and addressing where everyone was at in the end. It came down to a well written climax with a happy ending. My kind of book. I would suggest the series to those who love fantasy but are a little tired of all the werewolves and vampires. This book was a refreshing take on another not so popular creature! Enjoy!

Torn

Torn - the second book of the Trylle Trilogy...

Book Description: Wendy thought she finally understood who she was and what she wanted, but everything changes when the rival Vittra come after her.

She's caught between two worlds, torn between love and duty, and she must decide what life she is going to lead.

My Review: So this is the second book and it was worth reading the first two give us an awesome sequel. I love the characters in this story and the different take on fantasy that hasn't been done in quite some time. I like where the plot is headed with knowing a third book is about to be devoured by me. It gives me just enough romance, almost an overkill at times what with Wendy being awesome so everyone loves her but I like it. This one gives us a good look at all the characters and more background and even an event I was sure would never happen, totally did. Wow. Looking forward to the third one!!!

Switched

Switched - the first book in the Trylle Trilogy...


Book Description:

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

My Review:
Switched by Amanda Hocking was great! I jumped into the book and was hooked immediately. It's a young adult fantasy/romance but unlike any I have read in forever. No sexy vampires, or werewolves but TROLLS! Really?? When it first explained that these other worldly creatures that resemble humans were trolls, i nearly but the book down because when I think trolls, it's a major turn off. However, trolls are what we "humans" have given the stereotype to for the race called Trylle. They are trolls, but beautiful and powerful and quit entertaining to read about. First of three books and I'm loving the story and the characters. Loving Finn, our tall dark and handsome hero, that Wendy can't help but fall for. I just started the second book, Torn, and can't wait to see if it's just as good!

I am Number Four

So I usually love to read books before seeing the movie, but in this case the movie snuck up on us and we went to see it with some friends. It rocked. I figured if  I loved the movie, I would devour the book. I Am Number Four, by Pitticus Lore was awesome. The book, of course, was way better than the movie and I loved the movie so that's saying something. The book had a lot more detail and scenes that the movie didn't as per usual with movie/books so I was sucked in. John Smith or Four is awesome in book and movie. I loved to see the development of this Alien on earth for over 10 years try to blend in with the world. He finds love with Sarah and adopts the most awesomest dog in the world, Bernie Kosar. I loved all the characters, even Mark James the school bully. This was a very entertaining read. One with each chapter leaving you hanging so even at 1:00 in the morning I couldn't resist turning the page to read a little more. I definitely recommend this book as a great read!

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

I'd Tell You I Love Your But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter was a fun girls-kick-butt book. It's about a bunch of girls that go to the Gallagher Academy. From the outside this giant stone mansion just looks like your average rich girl private school, but what really goes on is perdy awesome. Girls from the 7th grade and up get trained to be the worlds best spy's. As far as your spy books go, it was a little on the giggling-over-cute-boys-and-gossiping-about-everything side but it was a quick read with fun characters. It's the first book in a series and I think I'm gonna read the next few. It left with a couple cliffhangers enough that I'd like to know what happens to the characters. Looking for an easy read that's fun to follow, give the Gallagher Girls a try.

Matched

So, the latest book I eventually made it through was Matched, by Allyson Condie. I seem to really be drawn to futuristic,(but not really sci-fyish)books. Matched was a great example of that. Cassia is our lead living in a world far from our future now and seems to enjoy having the "society" decide just about everything about they way she lives. From what she eats and wears, to actually deciding who she is to be "matched" with as her future husband. She eventually starts to see cracks in the society especially with falling in love with someone who is not her matched  man. I was more excited about the idea and story than I was the actually book. I got about half way through and was still sort of waiting for the author to really grab my attention and make me want to stay up well into the night reading. After I finished the book it was just sort of an "meh" reaction. As in it was ok but nothing great. This book is part of a trilogy and knowing that gives me hope. The end of Matched gives me hope that the second book will actually be much more exciting and keep my attention better. Let's hope! Bring on Crossed...released in November of this year.

Water for Elephants

Greg and I just happened to be at the movies one Friday night and we saw the trailer for Water for Elephants and I noticed that it was based on the novel. For some reason I love to watch movies that are made after books. However, if I see the movie, I insist on reading the book beforehand. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was one that I knew I was going to have to read just because the trailer alone looked awesome. Turns out the book wasn't half bad either. It's based in the 1920's and it follows the lives of those working on the traveling circus, The Benzini Brothers, the Most Spectacular Show on Earth. The story and detail about the lives of people who live on a train for months at a time was fascinating. The book itself bounces back and forth from the circus life to Jacob, our lead, who is now in a rest home reliving the good ol' days of the circus life. I enjoyed the story and miss the circus now that the book is over. So want to see Ringling now! While the story itself was good, just a word of warning, the book contains some graphic language and some rather risqué moments depicting rough circus life. Now that you're aware, it made for a great read and I love the idea of the story being fiction but non-fiction at the same time as it has basis on real life circus events. Enjoy!
♥B

Butterface

I knew the term butterface sounded familiar to me somehow. I remember overhearing a couple of guys in my highschool say that girls with really pretty bodies but ugly faces were called a butterface. Meaning everything was pretty but-her-face. Anger. Wow. Some boys can be so cruel. That is actually the basic of this short story I read today. Butterface, by Gwen Hayes is about a sweet girl, Beth, who was born with hemifacial microsamia, a disease that can cause facial disfigurment. She thinks everyone only see's the scars but in reality she was born with such a mild case that no one but her really notices it. Then along comes Lucky, a soccer god on his way to great things his first year of college. He happens to hang out at the local diner where Beth works and they become friends. In a couple of weeks all of Lucky's soccer buds are hosting a Dog Dinner. A dinner all of the soccer newbies have to attend. The guy who brings the ugliest date wins a prize. Really guys? Anyways, Lucky somehow gets roped into taking Beth, but he begins to fall for the real her but can't get out of the dinner. Short but very sweet story of two people learning to be the person they have always been inside and healing old wounds. Check it out. Good read!

The Maze Runner

 The Maze Runner by James Dashner became a quick favorite! A friend of my mom's actually suggested I try this book out and I loved it! It was a quick pace book that sucked my in from page one and those are always my favorite! It had a great hook and the plot was crazy fun. Thomas wakes up in a strange place only to soon discover that he is among 50 or so other boys who woke up the exact same way. Boys have been showing up once a month in what they refer to as "the glade" for almost two years now. Outside the safety of the giant stone walls that surround them is a giant maze that seems to go on and on. The boys are desperate to find a way out and back to whatever life they came from. In the maze there are some crazy scary machine like slugs that track and kill anyone left in the maze. Thomas decides to become a "runner" (those who track the maze looking for a way out) he becomes determined to solve it and help the other boys. Soon after he starts though, he starts getting a few memories back or maybe they are just dreams that he may be responsible for getting himself into this place as well as all the other boys too. It's chuck full of suspense and I'm dying for the third book to come out. Check out the sequel in The Scorch Trials while we all await the third book release in the fall of this year.

His Eyes

If you're looking for a quick read that is sweet and simple, His Eyes, by Renee Carter is a great choice. Amy desperate to make money for the college of her dreams takes on a babysitting job for the summer. The first day she finds out he is actually her age and is blind. An awkward and angry start for the two turns into something beautiful but just in time for the crazy, although gorgeous, ex girlfriend to show up. First love see's beyond the outer beauty. (see's...haha) Anyways, it's cute and I like it.

Southern Lights

I think I can pretty much credit my mom for my love of reading and books as that has always been one of her favorite past times too. I can remember growing up and even now, she has always been a huge Danielle Steel fan. One day when I ran out of books on my own shelf to read, I ventured down to mom's room to rummage through her collection. I pulled out a few hopefuls, and not really expecting much, I started to read Southern Lights, by Danielle Steel. While my mom has read almost every one of her books, this was my first. I can now honestly say that I like her a lot and enjoy reading her books. I still have a ton to go compared to mom but can't wait to read more of her work. This book takes place in the deep south of Charleston where it's a small town life but very high class blue bloods. Alexa is the assistant D.A. living in Manhattan working a high profile case of a convicted serial killer, but now that he's been caught, she's getting threats to herself and her 17 year old daughter. Alexa decides to send her daughter to live with her ex-husband,(bitter divorce there) in Charleston, they town she couldn't get away from fast enough after her divorce. It follows the lives of these women, one dealing with 11 years of heartache and the other forced to move to a new town during her senior year. Heartwarming watching the bonds of family come together in an unconventional way.

*** Special thanks to my mom. You started my love of reading and I haven't been able to put books down since. I love being able to share this passion with you. Love you!

Hurricanes in Paradise

Hurricanes in Paradise by Denise Hildreth, just goes to prove that I am capable of reading something outside the Young Adult genre. Just wandering up and down the aisles at the library and the cover and title caught my eye so I thought I'd give it a try. It turned out to be very entertaining. It follows the lives of 4 very different women who all happen to come together at a luxury resort in the Bahamas for a variety of reasons to escape their own demons and come to form an amazing friendship. It was a rather emotional book at times but seeing how these women came to lean on each other is awesome. I breezed through this book and enjoyed the island getaway it provided.

Paranormalcy

I was pleasantly surprised when I came across Paranormalcy. It was referred by a friend who actually got to interview the author so I thought I'd give it a read. Turns out it was great! It involved a ton of different paranormal creatures and events so of course I loved it. There are a few new character creatures that I had never heard of that were so unique. Lend who is a shape-shifter, love him! The story sort of starts out with our lead girl, Evie, short for Evelyn, as a Buffy the Vampire Slayer sort of figure born and raised to bag and tag paranormals. She has a gift that no other paranormal catcher has which makes her pretty unique and incredible valuable to the center she's a part of. Only later does she realize that maybe she isn't really making the world a safer place by neutralizing paranormals and she’s bound to find out the truth, while still making time to be a regular teenage girl. This book kept my attention the whole way and gave Evie a lot of relatable qualities that made you like her even more. I’d suggest it for sure.

Uglies Series

The Uglies series is a set of books I read years ago but still make for an awesome read. It revolves around a dystopian society in the future that being pretty is the most important thing there is. I really enjoyed the young rebellion of or lead, Tally Youngblood, as she views the world around her as normal until she discovers the truth and another way to live. Everyone in this society is known as a "littlie" until they turn 12 where they go to live in the "ugly dorm". From this age until 16 they are taught that they are all hideous and not really important part of society. When they finally turn 16, they get to have their "extreme makeover" which turns them into incredibly beautiful people and they get to go to all the best parties and do pretty much whatever they want. Tally always looked forward to being pretty one day until she discovers that being pretty has consequences. I always have been a fan of future based dystopian society books like The Hunger Games so even reading this before those fabulous books came out made for some great entertainment.

Beastly

Ever since I first saw Beauty and the Beast, it has remained my favorite Disney movie of all time. I have read several versions of the classic story and one I read most recently was Beastly. I saw that this was being made into a movie and I love to read the books before seeing the movie. This was an awesome retelling of that classic story and I loved it. It has a lot of parallels to the original Disney version but in a modern retelling of the story with some fun new characters. It was one of the books that have a big moral to it as well being the old adage, "Beauty is only skin deep." While this is often a theme in several love stories, being able to fall in love with a man who looks like a beast is still my favorite. I loved the book and look forward to the movie.

Vampire Academy

First, don't judge a book by its title. I admit I have done a lot of cover judging myself, but just because a book has the word "Vampire" in it, doesn't mean it's another lame teen romance pining for immortality. The Vampire Academy series involves several different kinds of vampires and remains another favorite of mine. It was incredibly refreshing to read an entire series of 6 with a new take on vampires and the different forms they come in. Once again, our heroine, Rose Hathaway, is a very strong, independent; take care of her-selfer type of girl that any one reading will like right away. She tends to cause most of the trouble she gets into but has a knack for getting out of all sorts of crazy situations. There is an awesome connection between Rose and several of the other characters I came to love in this book and the story line rocks! Each book is actually better than the last! Bella, Edward and Jacob have nothing on Rose, Dimitri and Adrian!

The Hunger Games

Ok ok, by now it seems everyone has heard of The Hunger Games, but just in case you have been living in a cave somewhere the last year or two, you may have missed one of the best books to have been published in what seems like forever. This book is probably one of my all time favorites, if not the favorite. I'd also like to point out that I read this book ages ago when no one had heard of it and I started telling anyone who would listen that they had to read it. From the first chapter, this book sucked me in and I flew through the series. Having to wait for the final book to come out seemed like torture. Suzanne Collins is the author of this fantastic series that remains one that people continue to talk about long after they have read it. The brilliant plot and story line absolutely carries this series. She is another author who really knows how to develop a character to make an audience really fall for them. This book is intense but more than that is the story line that is unlike anything I have read before. I envy Collins' kind of creative genius it takes to be able to create a futuristic world but keeps it so simple and relatable that it is believable for its time. As long as they don't slaughter the book like some, I wouldn't mind seeing this book on the big screen one day!

Study Series

This is one book I just happened to come across when wandering through the library. The first book in the series is called Poison Study followed by two more books, Magic Study and Fire Study. All three were incredibly well written and entertaining from start to finish. The author is Maria V Snyder and quickly one of my favorites. She really takes time to develop characters in her books. A few chapters in and you are in love with several of the people she has created. You really care about what happens to them and love to see what she has in store. This particular series takes place back in a time of medieval reign but with the descriptive writing she gives you, it's a world that you would love to be a part of. Yelena is our lead character and someone you can't help but root for. She is independent and strong but likable in a way that we can all relate to. The story is unique and fast paced with action and romance that find a perfect balance to keep us interested from book to book. It rates up there on my top 10 for sure.

New Year, New Blog

I'm finding that I quite enjoy blogging when I have the time for it. That being said, I decided to start another one focused around my love of reading. I am always on the look out for the next book or series that will capture my heart for a few weeks. I love to give book recommendations to others who are also looking for a new love. Hence that is what this blog is going to be all about. My favorite books! There are more than I could ever count that I adore (my husband doesn't call me Belle for no reason... :)). So here is a place where I would like to share that love with others. I will add new posts about current books i'm reading or favorites I've already devoured and hopefully inspire you to pick up those books and enjoy them as much as I have and still do. I love asking people what books they're reading or have heard are awesome so if you have any you think I'd like please please please leave a comment! I love new stories!