In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is held weekly by Kristi at The Story Siren. Click here for details on how to participate.

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Justine:

The Time Traveler's Wife
by Audrey Niffenegger

Audrey Niffenegger's innovative debut, The Time Traveler's Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's marriage and their passionate love for each other, as the story unfolds from both points of view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals - steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

Contestissimos ['Round the Blogosphere]

Hm, shall I do this weekly? I realize I post about contests a lot...
Well, I think it's a fantastic idea. :)

• Win SING ME TO SLEEP at Books Make Great Lovers. US and Canada only. Ends Feb 5. Enter here.
  
• Best YA of 2009 Mega Giveaway at Book Bound. International. Ends Feb 5. Details, and to enter, click here.
• Win DARKLIGHT at Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! US and Canada only. Ends Feb 11. Enter here.
• Celebrate the New Year Contest at The Tainted Poet's YA Book Review. International. Ends Feb 11. Enter here.
• Win free books at Personal Demons with Lisa Desrochers. Ends Feb 15. Details, and to enter, click here.
• 300 Follower Giveaway at Reading With Tequila. International. Ends Feb 18. Details, and to enter, click here.
• Birthday Bash Giveaway at I Swim For Oceans. International. Ends Feb 23. Enter here.
• 100 Followers Giveaway at Monster Of Books. International. Ends Feb 25. Enter here.
• Blogoversary Giveaway at Steph Su Reads. International. Ends Feb 28. Enter here.
• [Pick Your Poison] Contest at Bloggers (heart) Books. International. Ends Feb 29. Details, and to enter, click here.
• MegaBook Giveaway (The Sequel) at Teens Read and Write. International. March 7. Details, and to enter, click here.

GOODLUCK to those who enter!

Friday Finds (6)

Friday Finds is held weekly by MizB at Should Be Reading.

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(left to right)
Maybe by Brent Runyon
Torn to Pieces by Margot McDonnell

(left to right)
Four Thigns My Geeky-Jock-of-a-Best Friend Must Do In Europe by Jane Harrington
The Good Daughter by Amra Pajalic



PS: WE ARE BACK FROM OUR BREAK!
Thank you guys so much for commenting and visiting while we were gone. Now, we'll be making it up to you.

2 books have been added to the Raptorrific Giveaway:

• How To Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski
• Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

And off I go to comment!

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

Shadow Mirror
by Richie Tankersley Cusick

Release Date:
March 18th, 2010

Description:

Unsettling. There’s no better word to describe Miranda Barnes’s ability to hear the cries of the dead, feel the wind move her hair when they run by, and—dare she look into a mirror—see the reflection of a ghostly woman behind her. There’s only one person to turn to for support: Etienne. As sexy as he is mysterious, Miranda can’t help but be drawn to him. He believes her; he wants to help her. But there’s a secret in Etienne’s past, something Miranda’s on the verge of discovering. As paranormal activity escalates, passion grows, and soon Miranda is caught up in both love . . . and tragedy.

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Guardian of the Dead
by Karen Healey

Release Date:
April 1st, 2010

Description:

In less than a day I had been harassed, enchanted, shouted at, cried on, and clawed. I’d been cold, scared, dirty, exhausted, hungry, and miserable. And up until now, I’d been mildly impressed with my ability to cope.

At her boarding school in New Zealand, Ellie Spencer is like any ordinary teen: she hangs out with her best friend, Kevin; obsesses over her crush on a mysterious boy; and her biggest worry is her paper deadline. Then everything changes: In the foggy woods near the school, something ancient and deadly is waiting.

Karen Healey introduces a savvy and spirited heroine with a strong, fresh voice. Full of deliciously creepy details, this adventure is a deftly crafted story of Māori mythology, romance, betrayal, and war.

Justine's Thoughts: Dramarama by E. Lockhart

Dramarama
By E. Lockhart

Pages:

305

Book Description:

Two theatre-mad, self-invented, fabulositon Ohio teenagers.
One boy, one girl.
One gay, one straight.
One black, one white.
And SUMMER DRAMA CAMP.
It’s a season of
hormones,
gold lame,
hissy fits,
jazz ahnds,
song and dance,
true love,
and unitards
that will determine their future
-- and test their friendship.

A quote:

You can’t only do things because you know you’ll get a return on it later. You have to do them out of generosity. Be bighearted because you are, not because someone will pay you back somehow.

Any thoughts:

This is a tale of friendship during the summer at Wildewood, the drama camp that Sadye and Demi are staying at. It is also a time when she truly discovers herself and whether or not she belongs to the life of acting.

I found myself being neutral with Sadye (originally known as Sarah). Sometimes, I agree with what she does and say, but at other times, I just thought she should just let everything be. That’s her character. She’s bold, unafraid, outspoken and strong. She would often suggest ideas to the directors when she’s not supposed to, say things that she don’t mean, stand up to the teachers for the sake of the play, and most of all, take in the blame for something Demi did in order for him to get what he had always wanted.

However, I wasn’t very satisfied with Dramarama. I felt lost at certain moments and thought, “What is it we’re dealing with again?” Often, I would get a little confused, not because of the knowledgeable theatrical plays that are constantly popping up every few lines or so (I knew some of them and would get excited) and also not because of the various characters (whom I love for their bright personalities) throughout the book.

This isn’t the best of E. Lockhart, but this novel does send out a message of self-discovery and achieving one’s dream while encountering obstacles in the way.

Daily Dose (10)

This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly, where inspirational pictures are posted to enlighten your day. Please note that these pictures do not belong to me. The photographers, whoever they are, fully deserve this credit.

In My Mailbox (10)

In My Mailbox is held weekly by Kristi at The Story Siren. Click here for details on how to participate.

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Justine:


Top: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Bottom: Freaks and Revelations by Davida Wills Hurwin

(both of them were won!)

Friday's Finest (03)

Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:
~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.

This is a short one...but here it is:

He put an arm around his brother to help him up. And then, for a moment, he just held on.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion (#3-4)

*sigh* Brotherly love.

A Short Break

Hey, everyone! Some of you probably know that it's close to exam week, which means we have to fully be in study mode. So Steff and I will be taking a short break, in which we'll be studying hardcore. There will still be posts that are scheduled to be up during the week...but we apologize in advance for not being able to comment back. We promise to make it up to you.

We'll back in February, of course. But until then, happy studying to all. :)

P.S. The Raptoriffic Giveaway is still on! Enter while you can...

Kimberly Derting: The Body Finder (Trailer)

The trailer for Kimberly Derting's novel, The Body Finder to be released in March 16, 2010...



She's also hosting a giant contest at her blog. The prizes? 2 ARCs of The Body Finder! AND MORE! Hurry and enter now! It ends at midnight on January 23, 2010.

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

Thief Eyes
by Janni Lee Simner

Release Date:
April 27th, 2010

Description:

After her mother mysteriously disappears, sixteen-year-old Haley convinces her father to take her to Iceland, where her mother was last seen. There, amidst the ancient fissures and crevices of that volcanic island, Haley meets gorgeous Ari, a boy with a dangerous side who appoints himself her protector.

When Haley picks up a silver coin that entangles her in a spell cast by her ancestor Hallgerd, she discovers that Hallgerd's spell and her mother's disappearance are connected to a chain of events that could unleash terrifying powers and consume the world. Haley must find a way to contain the growing fires of the spell—and her growing attraction to Ari.

Janni Lee Simner brings the fierce romance and violent passions of Iceland's medieval sagas into this twenty-first-century novel, with spellbinding results.

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Sisters Red
by Jackson Pearce

Release Date:
June 7th, 2010

Description:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

Twenty-five-year-old Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless.

Steff's Blurbs: Swoon by Nina Malkin

"Imagine a paper bag filled with water. The water is a story. The paper bag, a storyteller. The point being that eventually all stories must be told. People simply aren't built to hold them in... Since a story, even a sad one, is a gift."

Description:

Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut ... until Dice's perfect, priviledged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the posession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him - but not all that crazy about the havoc he's wreaking.

Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent - and irresistible - adversary before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.


Babbling Blurb:
If the cover art wasn't good enough to get me interested in this twist on the usual paranormal story, the description and quote from the back cover sure did! After spending quite a long time in the local Chapters trying to decide on just one book to buy, I'm glad that I picked this one. Dice is quite the likeable heroine, with her fiery attitude and New York City spunk. Her wit and humour usually got a few chuckles out of me although some references and jokes went completely over my head. But in the long run, that doesn't really matter. Her commentary was quite entertaining from beginning to end.

The male star is also quite interesting. Sure, the reason he possessed Pen was to get revenge. Sure, he turned a town into a bunch of sex-crazed fiends. Sure, he tantalized and used people for his own agenda. But what compelled him to do all of these things? Love. Yeah, this is the part where you "Swoon". Now I'm not saying that getting revenge is a good thing, but hey, it does make for a good story. Although some parts of the plot got me raising my eyebrows, I still enjoyed every little bit of it.

I must warn you guys, though. When I say sex-crazed fiends, I'm not kidding. There is a bunch of inappropriate little scenarios that occur in the story. While some people got really put off by this, I thought that it was completely fine and that it didn't ruin the story at all. I'm not sure what your tolerance for this kind of stuff is, though, so read at your own risk.

Overall, I thought that Swoon was a great read. There are times where there is a lapse in the time period which isn't indicated so it may get a bit confusing. As for complaints, that's pretty much all I've got. It is very entertaining and enjoyable and I'm hoping fans of the paranormal/romance genre will feel the same.

It's Monday! What are you reading? (2)

It's Monday! What are you reading this week? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week. Feel free to pile on a little extra. *This awesome meme is hosted by J.Kaye.

Read last week:

Steff

• The Mark by Jen Nadol
• Swoon by Nina Malkin
  

Justine

• Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
  
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  

Currently reading:

Steff

• Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
• Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
  

Justine

• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
  

Upcoming:

Justine

• The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger

A Raptoriffic Giveaway

As you know, we have reached 100 followers a couple of nights ago and we thought the best way to celebrate would be to hold our first ever giveaway!


We decided to make it more creative - and more random - than the usual contest by adding one special rule in order to enter:

Make up a dinosaur name for yourself. (Pokemon-centric names are acceptable, too.)

Now, we know it may sound hard (or not) but we've managed to create one for ourselves.

Say hello to Justineamore and Steffinax! And to our friend, Ramosaurus (who has been helping us with the contest and the adorable picture above)!

Don't be afraid to get your imaginative juices flowing! Because we'll add 3 extra entries to our top 3 faves and share them in the end.

The following list is compiled of books that are up for prizes:

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers
Devoured by Amanda Marrone
Far From You by Lisa Schroeder
I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly Martin
I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Keeping You A Secret by Julie Anne Peters
L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad
Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton
Such A Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess
Take Me There by Susane Colasanti
How To Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski (added)
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (added)
Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen (added)
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters (added)

There will certainly be one winner who will win a chance to choose one of the many books above and one of the two pairs of Swarovski butterfly earrings (click here to take a look) provided by Justine's mom at Little Presentz.
EDIT: Because we have reached 150 followers, there will be two winners in total. :)

You're probably thinking, "Butterfly earrings? In a dinosaur contest?" Well, shoo those confused thoughts away! Because Ramosaurus took the time to elaborate...

Back in the Mesozoic era, all dinosaurs shared one common source of nutrition: the butterflies. Of course, they were not like the butterflies we know today. The Mesozoic butterfly was approximately 12 times larger than the average butterfly of the 21st century. They were highly nutritious and had that extra crunch to their tough exoskeleton which the dinosaurs enjoyed.
THESE MESOZOIC BUTTERFLIES HAVE NOW BEEN IMMORTALIZED INTO THESE BEAUTIFUL EARRINGS AND ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IF YOU WIN THIS CONTEST!

They're very special, indeed.

Anyway. If we ever reach 150 followers by the end of this contest, the number of chances to win will be upped by one. That new winner will get to choose one of the books above. Then when we get to 200 followers, there will be another winner, who will also get to choose one book, and there will be 3 winners in total. It may or may not stop there...

The contest will end on February 19th, 2010 and the winner(s) will be announced the next day. We'll be picking the name(s) out of a hat, just because this is our first giveaway and we like to add a bit of excitement.

Onto the extra entries...

+2 following our blog
+2 following Little Presentz
+2 following Steff on Twitter
+2 following Justine on Twitter
+2 tweeting (It doesn't matter if you include one or both of our names)
To help you, the shortened link is http://bit.ly/4VhnrC
+4 blogging about this contest

Don't forget to leave a way for us to contact you (through email, preferably) in your comment. It's very important. Also, please note that if you feel uncomfortable with giving your contact information, you can email us at abookfulofthoughts@gmail.com with your info.

Did we forget to mention this is an international contest? Why, yes, we did. Well, now you know!

Good luck and have all the fun you can have while reaching into your inner dino and capturing that name to share it with us! :)

In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox is held weekly by Kristi at The Story Siren. Click here for details on how to participate.

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Steff:

The Mark
by Jen Nadol

Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?

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I'd like to thank Lizzy from CornucopiaofReviews for hosting the contest that led to me winning this amazing prize! This is the first contest I've won and I recieved an ARC! You can't even begin to believe how giddy and happy I am! :D

Contests-a-mania ('Round the Blogosphere)

There's like a spring of contests all of a sudden these days. So, very many.


Well! Hope you enjoy them!

• 150 Followers Contest over at The Bookette. 2 ARCs of ONDINE: THE SUMMER OF SHAMBLES to give away. International. Ends January 23, 2010.
• A contest to win CAPTIVATE at The Hiding Spot. Open to US and Canada. Ends January 24, 2010.
• A contest to win THE DEVOURING and SOULSTICE at The Bookologist. Open to US and Canada. Ends January 25, 2010.
• 100+ Followers Contest over at I Want To Read That. "The winner of the contest will have £30 to spend on a shopping spree. Depending on where you live you can spend this at: The Book Depository (International entrants - free shipping to these countries. I'm hoping this covers everyone but if your country is not listed please email me so we can sort something out)....or....Amazon.co.uk (UK entrants only - but if you are entering from the UK and would prefer to shop at The Book Depository you can do so)." Ends January 25, 2010.
• Blogoversary Contest #2 over at Katie's Book Blog to win a signed copy of LITTLE BLACK LIES. International. Ends January 30, 2010.
• January Book Giveaway over at Writer Musings to win THE SECRET YEAR, CHASING BROOKLYN, and an ARC of NUMBERS. Ends January 30, 2010.
• Blogoversary Contest #1 over at Katie's Book Bog to win NEED and CAPTIVATE. International. Ends January 30, 2010.
• 410 Followers Giveaway over at The Bibliophilic Book Blog. 3 Winners. "Each winner wins book of choice or 20$ Amazon GC." Ends January 30, 2010.
• A contest to win a book of their choice out of 5 (or more) books at Once Upon A Book Blog. Ends January 31, 2010.
• Michelle's Romantic Birthday Giveaway over at Michelle and Leslie's Book Picks. 3 winners. A few of the books you could win are: REMEMBER ME? (by Sophie Kinsella), UNTAMED (by Pamela Clare), DREAM A LITTLE DREAM (by Susan Elizabeth Phillips)...and more. International. Ends February 1, 2010.
• New Giveaway over YA Bliss to win BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, I'LL BE DEAD. Ends February 5, 2010.
• 50 Followers Contest over at Reversing The Monotony. "Because I got to 100 followers, there will be TWO winners who will each receive ONE book from the above list! If I can get to 200 followers (which is very unlikely, I know) there will be THREE!" International. Ends February 14, 2010.
• New Years Contest over at Juiciliciousss Reviews. 4 winners and 4 prize packs. Open to US and Canada. Ends February 14, 2010.

That's all for now, folks.

Good luck to those who enter!! :)

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And on another note...but still on the same topic...

WE MADE IT TO 100 FOLLOWERS LAST NIGHT!
So thank you to everyone who has been following us! You've all been such nice people.
And it's quite an understatement to say that Steff and I were -- and still -- ecstatic.
Anyway, we'll post more details about the upcoming contest this weekend...

Friday's Finest (02)

Friday's Finest is a new meme hosted by Steff & Justine from A Bookful of Thoughts.

Rules:
~Post a quote that really stuck to you after reading it in a book.
~Make sure it isn't a spoiler!
~If you'd like, expand on what you think it means and why you chose it.

"In a world beyond this one, that river goes on singing sweetly, enchanting us with what we want to hear, shaping what we need to see in order to keep going. In those waters, all disappointments are forgotten, our mistakes are forgiven. Gazing into them, we see a strong father. A loving mother. Warm rooms where we are sheltered, adored, wanted. And the uncertainty of our futures is nothing more than the fog of breath on a windowpane."

A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

I found this quote to be hauntingly beautiful because it captures what the girls in the story want and need the most. Its vivid imagery helps us picture this fantasy world where the girls have a loving family to protect them and a few more years to be innocent and carefree.

Justine's Thoughts: The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by Suzanne Harper

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney
By Suzanne Harper

Pages:

362

Book Description:

Sparrow Delaney absolutely, positively does not want to be a medium like her six older sisters, her mother, and her grandmother. She does not want to see, hear smell, or talk to ghosts. If she sticks to her rules and doesn’t let anyone know that she can do all those things-- everywhere, all the time-- Sparrow just might pass as a normal tenth grader at her new high school. She makes a new best friend and meets an irritatingly appealing guy in her history class. But when another boy catches her eye, all Sparrow’s dreams of being ordinary go up in smoke. Because this boy is a dead one--a persistent, charming, infuriating ghost, who won’t let her be until she agrees to help him Move On.

A quote:

“A complicated life is an interesting life.”

Any thoughts:

• This was a really enjoyable book from beginning to end, but it was halfway throughout the story when I became into it. I liked it a lot, however, and would recommend this to teens who love a light read.

• Our heroine is Sparrow, who is easily likeable. Her voice is funny and realistic, as well as her other family members. She would react like a normal teenager who is eager and both nervous to start high school. I even related to her at some point, saying that I strongly agreed.

• The ending I had mixed feelings about. It was pretty predictable and I probably would have liked a surprising ending. It was okay since everything is resolved, but I was left wanting for more of Sparrow Delaney’s life. What I was also left with was a perky smile on my face. It just happens that I’m a sucker for those kinds of endings.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

Lost For Words
by Alice Kuipers

Release Date:
May 1st, 2010

Description:

Ever since Sophie Baxter’s sister was killed in the London terrorist bombings, she has retreated into herself. But there’s only so long she can keep everything bottled up inside before she explodes, and Sophie comes to realize that she must confront the horror of her past before she can face the future.

Up-and-coming talent Alice Kuipers lets her teen sensibility, humor, and fresh perspective shine in this remarkable story of family, hope, and perseverance in the face of tragedy.

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Kiss in the Dark (Scarlett Wakefield Series book 3)
by Lauren Henderson

Release Date:
April 13th, 2010

Description:

With Dan McAndrews's murder finally behind her, Scarlett has high hopes for a fresh start at Wakefield Hall Collegiate, the elite English boarding school her grandmother runs. Unfortunately, those hopes are dashed when her nemesis, the infamous Plum Saybourne, is transferred to the school. Plum wastes no time turning Scarlett’s impressionable classmates against her.

Scarlett has dealt with Plum’s nasty schemes before, and she can handle her archenemy very nicely, thank you—until Plum sets her sights on Scarlett’s best friend, Taylor, and new boyfriend, Jase. Then Scarlett is more than willing to fight for what’s rightfully hers.

Things only get worse after Scarlett becomes entangled in a mysterious death on campus. Scarlett is compelled to investigate because she wants to protect someone close to her. She never imagines that she’ll uncover secrets related to her parents’ fatal accident so many years ago. . . .

Justine's Thoughts: If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor

If I have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince?
By Melissa Kantor

Pages:

283

Book Description:

When high school sophomore Lucy Norton’s father remarries, Lucy’s life is turned upside down. She and her father move from their West Coast home to a suburb on Long Island. With a small bedroom in the unfinished basement, unlimited chores, a blank social calendar, and a huge crush on the dashing prince of the varsity basketball team, Lucy’s life has the makings of a Cinderella story -- complete with two bratty stepsisters and a wicked stepmother. So isn’t she supposed to get the prince? And go to the senior prom?

A quote:

When was the last time anyone had wanted me to tell her anything, much less everything? Their curiosity was the warmth of the sun after a swim in the frigid ocean.

Any thoughts:

• Lucy and Cinderella clearly have many things in common, but there are also many differences, which become so important later on in the story, especially when huge twists come up (though I kind of saw them coming).

• I have never actually read a retelling of a fairytale before. And with this one being the first, I’ll have to say that I’ve got to read more! It seems like I’ve been missing out!

• I love Lucy and how she develops the ability to stand up for herself. Her relationship with her dad and her stepmother has been rough ever since they got married, however Lucy comes to realize that how they treat her isn’t right, and I adore her for finally learning her lesson.

• Melissa Kantor brings the story of Cinderella into the real world, where challenges (such as “Prince Charming” and her stepmother & stepsisters) are encountered. It’s only up to Lucy to overcome them and understand that not everything according to the Cinderella story is supposed to happen.

Daily Dose (9)

This new meme is hosted by Holly from Good Golly Miss Holly, where inspirational pictures are posted to enlighten your day. Please note that these pictures do not belong to me. The photographers, whoever they are, fully deserve this credit.

Bloggiesta - Finish Line

Yes, I've made it! We've all made it to the finish line!

Before we start to sum up what we've done, I got some work done earlier. Hooray!

Start time: 4:32
End time: 6:50
Total time: 2 hours and 18 minutes

What I got done:

• Twitter & Goodread buttons
• Comment
• Wrote the Beautiful Creatures review
  

Plus...
5 hours and 25 minutes..

With a total of: 7 hours and 43 minutes!

Hooray! That may not seem like a lot, but for a first timer (whose weekend was actually very busy), it's not so bad! I'm actually proud of myself. :D

I ended up participating in only 1 mini-challenge, the one by Rebecca, in which I had to post up some Resolutions for 2010. And remember my list in the very beginning? Well, halfway through the weekend, Steff and I decided not to do any of them because we've technically got them already. At least I made progress on the base posts (the ones you see underneath the header when you click on them), which I spent most of my Bloggiesta time doing. Of course, I didn't get to do some other things, like Awards. I'm going to suffer because of that one...I still have a lot to post up. I'll make sure to do it some other time. I also commented a lot in other blogs, though maybe most of them don't participate in Bloggiesta...Still, it felt like a lot. Most of all, I got to visit new blogs!

I had fun doing Bloggiesta while listening to music, which was the idea that came from Kristen. I honestly don't know why that never came to me. And Kristen cheered me on, too! If you're reading this, Kristen, you're the best. :)

I'm looking forward for another one in June (yesss! Summer!) so I could get even more things done.

That's all...I'm so exhausted now. Back to homework and studying!