The House of Night

Okay so I know it has been forever since I posted and I feel really bad about it, but I got really sick, the flu and all of that nasty stuff. But while I was sick, a friend let me borrow the House of Night Series, all of the books. I was so excited to start on these too because all of my friends has started reading them last year and I could never find a copy of it. That was, of course, only until I was talking to my friend about them and she said, "oh yeah sure, I have the whole series I can let you borrow it." and so I did. So I started reading them and I finished all of them three days after I had gotten sick. And let that be a hint to you if YOU haven't read them already, that they are FABULOUS. I honestly think that other than the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer, this is the best vampire book series I have ever read. Although I have read a few vampire stories that are just in one book that are quite fascinating and stupendous also.

So my goal for this Winter break is to write a review for all of the books that are available so far. I hope you check my blog every once in a while to see if I have written any. And just a heads up, it will be a few days before I will be able to get the first one written and posted. :)
Happy Holidays and Reading!

TRICK-OR-TREAT!!! :-)

Happy belated  Halloween you guys!! haha
I hope that you all had fun trick-or-treating and hanging with friends and family or what not. :-D i had fun hanging with my family and family friends. I went trick - or - treating tonight but i think that I am going to hang with my friends at a party or stick around my house next year reading and giving out candy!

Speaking of reading, I am reading a book right now that my sister got.It is called My Sister The Vampire: Fangtastic by Sienna Mercer.  This is part of a series, but I couldn't find the first book so I started reading this one, the second. At first when I started to read this book, I thought it would be a cheezy little kid book, and it sort of is, but it is about two twin sisters and their friends. One sister is a vampire and the other is an average girl. I haven't yet finished it so I won't really write a review right now, but when I do finish it I will post about it. :)

Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner

Summary: 

     She is beautiful, she is a princess, and Aphrodite is her favorite goddess, but something in Helen of Sparta just itches to for more out of life. Unlike her prissy sister, Clytemnestra, she wants to takes no pleasure in weaving and embroidery. And despite what her mother says, she's not even close to being interested in getting married. Instead, she wants to do combat training with her older brothers, go on heroic adventures, and to be free to do what she wants and find out who she is. 


Not one to count on the gods - or her looks -  to take care of her, Helen sets out to get what she wants with determination and an attitude. And while it's the attitude that makes Helen a few enemies (such as the self-proclaimed "son of Poseidon" Theseus) it's what intrigues, charms, and amuses those who become her friends, from the huntress Atalanta to the young priestess who is the Oracle of Delphi.

My Rating for This Book:
7.8

My Reason for This Rating:
I liked this book. It was exciting but it wasn't really my favorite. I think that author did a pretty good job explaiing how a princess's life would have really been way back then. They detail was good.

Helen is a really good, strong character in this story. I think that her rebellion here is a great way of showing how girls can be independent and strong if they want to. That not all girls are prissy, stuck-up, and babies... so to speak. (I am a pretty independent, sporty girl who hates loosing to guys which is why i say this.)           :-)
I think that the other characters such as the Oracle of Delphi, the brothers, the royal warrior trainer were pretty cool too. The author wrote them so that they really helped the story along by the action of events that occured. Although I think that the twin siser of Helen was pretty snobbish, she had a little bit of a reason to be because she was never "enough" like her sister because she was never really "pretty" or "attractive" to others. So I feel bad for her. :-)

One thing that I really wished would have happened in this book was that Helen would have fallen in love with a boy when she went with her brothers on the Great Wild Boar Hun. That would have made it perfect and i would have been ereally happy with it. :) But even though the author didn't, it was still a fabulous book nonetheless.

The Undercover Book Lover (Not Really) Contest ** "Sleepless" by Teri Clark **

Hey guys!
There is a really cool contest that I found. You can enter to win "Sleepless" by Teri Clark
Here is the link for her Contest:
theundercoverbooklover.blogspot.com/2009/10/sleepless-contest-author-week-2.html

Contest Information is as follows:

* Win "Sleepless" by Teri Clark and a bookplate sticker signed by the author
* When you post make sure to leave your email to be eligible
* When you post you entry make sure to write everything in one post so it's easier for the contest holder
* If you aren't comfortable to leave a comment on the blog then you will be able to email the contest holder at:
  regietc@gmail.com 



And when you go to look at it, MAKE SURE YOU READ HER REVIEW FOR THE BOOK BECAUSE IT IS REALLY GREAT!!!!!

Be Mine by Sabrina James

     Jennifer couldn't believe how smug Claudia was being. What made her think she was going to win? There were lots of other couples at North Ridge High. Maybe one of them would be voted Most Romantic. There was no guarantee that Claudia and Chase were going to win. If they made the final cut, they were going to be stiff competition. But that didn't mean they were the most romantic. And it didn't mean they deserved to win!

      Listening to Claudia go on and on, Jennifer wanted nothing more than to knock her down a few pegs. She couldn't stand listening to her anymore! Claudia was so sure she and Chase were going to win.

      Before Jennifer could stop herself, the words came tumbling out of her mouth.
"I wouldn't be too sure about winning," she said.
__________________________________________________________________________________

My rating for this book:
8.7

My Reason for This Rating:
This is a really good book for girls who absolutely adore reading romances about teens in love. I loved reading this book. It was the second time I have read this book. One of the things that I loved reading about this book was that Jennifer is a normal teenage girls who can't stand the so-called "popular" group. She can't keep her  mouth shut, or think before she speaks. I can also relate to her because of this. Sometimes I can't keep my mouth shut either (but luckily its just the truth about what I think in a blunt way).

Another girl  that I can relate to in this book is Jennifer's friend, Violet. Violet is a kind of laid back girl who is smart and has a great personality. This book would not be very complete without Violet because she is the person who tries to keep Jennifer to think before she acts and does something, well, stupid.

I love how the author, Sabrina James, writes about Will in the story, because he really is the perfect guy for the Most Romantic Contest! He is so nice, and he is really funny. When ever Claudia is being rude to them by making snide remarks or does something mean, He has somehting up his sleeve to get back at her. If I ever have a boyfriend, I would want him to be like Will. :)

This really was a great book, and when you have a chance you should pick it up at the library, or a bookstore. (I got mine around Valentines Day this year at Barnes and Noble.) There is also a book that is called Secret Santa that is written by Sabrina James. So in otherwards this books could be considered a sequel. :) Make sure to check that book out this December!

A Charming Giveaway CONTEST!!

Hey! Here is another AWESOME contest guys!! Park Avenue Princess is having a free charm bracelet giveaway. Make sure you guys enter because it looks really good. You can pick out 8 free charms to go on a bracelet!
Her link for this AMAZING giveaway is:

http://aparkavenueprincess.blogspot.com/search/label/ROYAL%20GIVEAWAY

Please make sure to check it out!!!
-Missie :)

CONTEST!! True Blood:The Complete First Season

Hey guys! There's Acontest. like the title of this post says, True Blood: The complete first season from HBO.
The girl's blog who is hosing this contest is: Just Another Musing.
Her link for this contest is:
http://www.justanothermusing.com/2009/09/win-true-blood-season-1.html

Make sue that you check out her blog for thid contest because I thought that it lookd really cool. :)
Bye guys!
-Missie :)

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Summary:

Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man- perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr.Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaption of Pride And Prejudice. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths to her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real then she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

In this addictive, charming, and compassionate story, Shannon Hale brings out the Jane Austen obsessive in all of us.

My Rating For This Book: 

10.0

My Reason for This Rating:

I think that this is honestly one o the best books that I have ever read. I think that Shannon Hale really was able to put modern times and the Regency/Jane Austin- era together in such a brilliant way! I have always loved Pride and Prejudice, but this book can make me really appreciate everything Jane Austin wrote. 9Secretly, I have always thought it would be amazing to have my own Mr.Darcy as well, but trust me when I tell you that I am not a obsessed girl that has no life but to dream of Mr.Darcy. lol. Did I word that right??)

I love Mr.Nobley in this book, he is perfect for the role of Mr.Darcy, and he has his own way of doing things. He is so smart-alec-ish and witty and loving when he really loves someone. Too bad he isn't real and I'm not old enough because I would totally marry him. :)

Miss Charming, is definitely  a character. She is funny is a dork-ish way. She tries to hard to get the men and she does such funny things when she gets poutty and doesn't get her way.

Theodore/ Martin Jasper is cool at first and I was happy about him and Jane, then once I started to get more information and as the book went on. man, I can't stand him. He is manipulative creep who has no real life. lol.

I hope that I haven't let on too much. Just trying to give you a heads up. But trust me. You will fall in love with this book like Elizabeth Bennett and Mr.Darcy fall in love with each other. :)

Stealing Bradford (Book 2 of The Cater House Girls Series) by Melody Carlson

Summary:

The Carter House girls are just getting to know one another when the subject of boys comes up. Rhiannon is Dating Bradford, a fellow Christian, and the most popular jock in school; Eliza's seeing Harry; and DJ was dating Conner although now he acts as if he doesn't like her.

Boy's aren't always easy to understand but many girls in the house want a boyfriend- and will do just about anything to get one. So when Taylor Decides to put the moves on Bradford, Rhiannon is shocked and hurt. Mistakes are being made and feelings battered... there is forgiveness for some and bitterness for others... but at the end of the day, the girls learn a valuable lesson about what it means to be a family.

My Rating For This Book:

9.0

My Reason For This Rating:

Just like the first book in this series, Stealing Bradford is a book that you can really relate to.  You also can't put it down. I feel like DJ a lot in this book because I am really sporty and i always want to look cute, but I don't want to look like those girls who trying too hard to impress a guy by overdoing everything.  I also know what it's like to have a guy who you thought liked you not like you anymore. I have never had a boyfriend, but I have really liked a guy and have had them like me back. I have total sympathy for DJ. She has to go through a lot to try to understand Conner and what will become of their relationship.

I can connect with Rhiannon in this book because I have really liked someone and I have had my best friend steal him, and even though Rhiannon and Taylor are not best  friends, she still hurts because she thinks that they are somewhat friends. Poor Rhiannon, the girl who tries to love everyone and live a Christ-like life, gets hurt.

I love all of the characters in this book, even though the Grandma, Taylor and Eliza are way too much sometimes. I couldn't imagine this book any other way because everything just works out so well. This book a long with the rest of the books are one of the best Young Adults series ever written.

(In my opinion anyways! lol)

Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf - Signed Copy of Fire Contest!

I have another contest yet again to tell you guys about! This time it is a book called Fire by Kristin Cashore that is the prequel to Graceling. I am so excited to read it and I am trying to find a copy of Graceling that I can read so I will know exactly how everything works out! haha. I hope you guys take the time to check this out because not only is it an AWESOME looking book, but it is signed by the author as well :)
Her link is on the contest link part but here it is again anyways. :

http://laurenscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com/2009/09/contest-for-signed-copy-of-fire-by.html

-Missie :)