Sunday, July 4, 2010
It Started with a Dare by Lindsay Faith Rech
Release Date: September 13, 2010
Publisher: Graphia
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 312
Description:
Self-proclaimed nobody CG Silverman sees her move to an upscale new school as her chance to be somebody different. Her devil-may-care attitude attracts the in-clique, and before CG realizes it, a routine game of truth or dare launches her to iconic status.
While this rebel image helps secure CG’s newfound popularity, it also propels her through a maze of unprecedented chaos, with each new lie and every dare opening doors that, in most cases, were better off left shut.
CG is on a collision course with disaster. Will she be able to keep up the façade? Or will the whole world find out she’s a fraud?
My Review:
It might be called it started with a dare but it actually all started when GC, who was new to the school, was approached by the schools ‘it’ girl Alona Spelton and her clique, Grace and Sammie, at school during lunch after Alona noticed CG popped gum in front of her teachers face because apparently popping gum near your teacher is very rebellious. CG couldn’t even remember doing it but she thought ‘why not say I did it on purpose if it can get me in with the popular girls’ and so begins CG’s downward spiral into a moral black whole and boy did she descend. CG is welcomed into the clique and soon is completely abandoning all her principals of right and wrong, lying to everyone (to be honest I don’t know how she could remember every lie she told there were that many) just so she would seem cool to Alona, Grace and Sammie.
I didn’t connect with CG as a character at all, I felt nothing for her when she really hit rock bottom because it was her fault, she made the decisions no one forced her to she just wanted to be popular and boy did she make some crappy decisions. Hmmm where to start …. she lied to her ‘friends’ (I use that term lightly), she started an internet romance with her English teacher, she pretended she was an alcoholic, she started a secret relationship with her supposed friends college age brother and the list goes on. Whilst she may have constantly lied to Alona, Grance and Sammie I couldn’t feel sorry for them either because they were just as bad, boy these girls were terrible, I did not connect with any of them. I mean when one of the girls is sent away for a ‘medical condition’ the others act like it’s no big deal and don’t even care! I mean if my friend was sent away I’d want to know what’s wrong and if they are okay.
I also thought it was a bit weird that basically the book revolved around CG, Alona, Grace and Sammie, there was no real interaction between these characters and anyone else. They failed to even interact with other students at the school (well except for one), you’d think because they were part of the popular group that there would be some interaction with others at the school be it annoying those they dislike or fawning over the popular guys, but no they didn’t.
All throughout the book as CG’s lies became more and more ridiculous I was thinking oh boy this is going to blow up big time when it finally all comes out that CG was lying and it’s not going to be pretty, unfortunately it was a bit anticlimactic when GC’s deception was revealed, I thought (I guess was hoping) there would be more to it than what actually happened. I was also unconvinced of CG’s repentance, I got the feeling she wasn’t really that sorry for everything she did and she really wasn’t punished at all which was disappointing I wanted her punished big time, which probably shouldn’t be the case for the heroine of a novel.
Whilst I didn’t really like CG as a character she had me in hysterics in some parts, I mean some of the things that came out of her mouth were so cheesy (I love the cheese factor). One particular gem I loved was “sounds cheesy as a 10 pound wheel of cheddar” *giggles*! She also used words such as nimrod, buffoon and sheezmesiter, love it! I generally don’t mind if there is some bad language in the books I read (if it fits) however I did notice that the language in parts of the book is quite crass and extreme.
Overall I found this book a quick read with not much substance.
*I received It Started with a Dare ARC ebook courtesy of netGalley and the publisher (thanks!)*
In My Mailbox #2
In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren once a week which explores the weekly contents of your mailbox and books bought.
Bought:
Blood Feud (Drake Chronicles #2) by Alyxandra Harvey (
The action and romance continue as the Drakes face a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge. It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can
control her affection for Logan
The clans are gathering forHelena
This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles—told from both Logan’s and Isabeau’s perspectives—has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.
The clans are gathering for
This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles—told from both Logan’s and Isabeau’s perspectives—has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.
Borrowed:
UnSweetined by Jodie Sweetin (Clarion Books / November 15, 2010)
Once Danny Tanner's bubbly daughter on America
Jodie Sweetin grew up in front of America, melting our hearts and making us laugh for eight years as the cherub-faced middle child on Full House. Her ups and downs seemed not so different from our own, but more than a decade after the popular television show ended, the star we knew as goody-two-shoes Stephanie Tanner publicly revealed her shocking recovery from methamphetamine addiction. Even then, Jodie still kept a painful secret -- one that could not be solved in thirty minutes with a hug, a stern talking-to, or a bowl of ice cream around the family table. The harrowing battle she swore she had won was really just beginning.
In her deeply personal, utterly raw, and ultimately inspiring memoir, Jodie comes clean about the double life she led -- the crippling identity crisis that began at her birth, the hidden anguish of juggling a regular childhood with her Hollywood life, and the vicious cycle of abuse and recovery that led to a relapse even as she wrote this book. Jodie traveled the country speaking to college kids about her triumph over substance abuse, yet she partied nightly, spending tens of thousands of dollars on her habit. Her addiction tore her family apart and alienated her from her former Full House cast mates until becoming a mother gave her the determination and the courage to get sober.
If you read my blog your probably thinking why on earth am I reading this book, a memoir, when I read mainly young adult novels. Well good question, I was over at my friends house the other day who happens to be a huge Full House fan who basically handed me this book to me and said and I quote “you HAVE to read this book OMG it is so good”, me being me I couldn’t let her down and say no so I took it even though I have a huge TBR pile at the moment. I’ll admit I’m a bit skeptical of my friends musings about this book (surely this book couldn’t be as good as she said it was) because 1. I never really was into Full House (I know shock horror!) and 2. I generally steer clear of books written by ‘celebrities’, but I’ll give it a go anyway.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
50 Followers Giveaway!
As I reached 50 followers faster than I thought I would I’ve decided I’ll give away two books instead of one in order to thank everyone, so two lucky individuals have the chance to win a book each, yay! Instead of me just picking two books to giveaway the winners can choose which book they want from the list below:
These are some of my favourite books I have read so far this year, so I hope there’s one you’ll like.
To enter all you have to do is simply fill out the form. As I’ll be ordering the books from the book depository the giveaway is open to everyone where the book depository delivers to, which is just about anywhere (you can check here). Entries close 24th July. Winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email shortly after.
This giveaway has now closed. Thanks to everyone to entered.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Win One of 5 Copies of Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus!
For those of you who don’t know what Shadow Hills is all about below is the description taken from goodreads:
His love captivated her... his secrets might kill her.
Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in
After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.
But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.
*Squeals* I’ve been wanting to read this book since I found it on goodreads, I need to win one of these copies! Oh I almost forgot the best thing about this giveaway, it’s international, yay, I love international giveaways!
Here’s what Anastasia says:
I got in a box of the beautiful finished copies of Shadow Hills a few weeks ago and to celebrate I am giving away FIVE Shadow Hills hardcovers! If you are one of the first five names drawn you will get:
- 1 signed (personalized if you'd like) hardcover of Shadow Hills
- 1 signed bookmark, 2 unsigned bookmarks and 2 SH buttons & 1 SH magnet
Here's how to enter: FILL OUT THE FORM---comments are always appreciated, if you'd like to leave one, but it will not be counted as an entry into the contest.
Details: You have to be 13 or older to enter. This contest is INTERNATIONAL! Contest ends at midnight on July 9th central standard time. Winners will be notified by email on or before July 11th.
If this sounds like something you want to enter simply click here. Good luck!
For those of you who simply cant wait to read this book the first chapter is available online, simply click here. There is also a pretty cool trailer that has been released, the music makes it seem really spooky, simply click here to view.
Book Blogger Hop (#1)
Book Blogger Hop is
hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy for Books. ‘The Hop’ is a great way to find other people who love to blog about books just like me! So if your interested in participating why not check out Jennifer’s website for more information, simply click here.
hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy for Books. ‘The Hop’ is a great way to find other people who love to blog about books just like me! So if your interested in participating why not check out Jennifer’s website for more information, simply click here.Okay so this is my first ‘Hop’ (*squeals, so excited*), I hope everyone read some great books last week and found some interesting new blogs. Whilst perusing I found some great blogs, I’m only new to this book blogging and I’m amazed at how many fantastic book bloggers there are, it’s such as great community of people who love books!
Anyway back to ‘the Hop’, so this week Jennifer has added a new twist where we must answer a question, today’s question being (*drum roll please*):
Tell us your name and why you started blogging
Okay, so my name is Romy (Hi everyone!). I started blogging only recently because I really love reading books, particularly YA, but had no one to really discuss my thoughts or recommendations to (my friends aren’t as big readers as I am and are not particularly enamoured with the books I read, I know shameful). So I decided why not blog and get all my thoughts written down and out there. Another plus of this blogging was joining a vibrant community full of other book lovers who I can discuss books with.
Well, that’s my ‘hop’ feel free to comment, thanks so much for stopping by.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Read Pretty Little Liars for Free
The wonderful folks over at HarperTeen have decided to make Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard available online for free, that right free, for a limited time (don’t ask me how long a limited time is though).Simply click here to view the book.
So what are you waiting for, happy reading!
Win a Signed ARC of Angelfire
Attention all you fantasy lovers! Courtney Allison Moulton is giving away a signed ARC of her debut novel Angelfire which is not released until February 15th 2011. After reading the blurb I’m intrigued and need to get my grubby paws on this book! Below is the summary taken from Goodreads.When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.
A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.
While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.
It sounds soooo good, I can’t wait February is so far away. The contest open to everyone (yes everyone! *squeals*) and closes July 15th. In order to enter all you need to do is visit Courtney’s blog and post a comment, good luck!
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