The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols

Genre: YA Fiction

Author Website: www.jennifer-echols.com

One Word Review: Fun

First Line: “At the groan of a door opening, I looked up from my chemistry notebook.”

Synopsis: “Hayden and Nick used to be a hot item, but their brief affair ended with a highly publicized breakup. Now the two are "just friends," excluding the occasional flirtation. When Hayden wins the girls' division of a local snowboarding competition, Nick is unimpressed, claiming that Hayden wouldn't have a chance against a guy. Hayden calls Nick's bluff and challenges him to a head-to-head boarding contest. Their mutual friends quickly take sides, the girls on Hayden's and the boys on Nick's, making for an all-out battle of the sexes. This friendly competition is bound to get heated - and they might end up igniting some old flames.” -GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: I’ve been seeing this book a lot as I surf through different book review sites and finally decided to go pick up a copy for myself. This was a fun, light romantic story. I enjoyed Hayden’s character as well as Nick’s. They have great chemistry together, but not the best communication skills. They had a TON of misunderstandings over really simple things. I don’t blame Hayden for being reluctant to trust Nick, what with their history and all. But I couldn’t understand why Nick was surprised that Hayden didn’t trust him. Anyway, I’m rambling. I thought it was a fun, original story and I really enjoyed it.

One thing that really got on my nerves was how whenever Nick’s hair fell in his face he used his pinky to move it out of the way. Apparently this is a really sexy move for Hayden, but for me I thought it was weird and overused. If you have to move your hair that much, cut it. And who uses their pinky to move their hair anyway?

There is a little swearing, but overall it was pretty clean.

Christmas Reading Challenge 2009

So, I've decided to join another challenge! I love Christmas and was excited to see that All About Books was hosting a holiday reading challenge. Below are the requirments and my choices (for now, they may change down the road). They are all books that I have wanted to read but never got around to.

Challenge Requirements:
1.Challenge will start Friday, November 20 and will end Thursday, December 31.

2.You can read anywhere from 1 to 5 books

3. And now, here's the clincher... they must be holiday related books. That's right, the holiday doesn't really matter, but it would be more "jolly" if your choices were Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.............

You can find the rest of the info at All about N.....

Here is my list of 5 Christmas books:

1. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

2. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

3. The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans

4. The Christmas Sweater by Glen Beck

5. Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright

I'm also open to suggestions for other Christmas-y type books in any genre (mystery, spiritual, romanic, etc).

Retro Friday Review

Retro Friday Review is a weekly meme hosted by Angieville. This focuses on classics, out of print books or just old favorites that don’t get the attention they deserve. This Friday’s review is:

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
First Published: 1989

“Did the story of the three little pigs ever seem slightly biased to you? All that huffing and puffing--could one wolf really be so unequivocally evil? Finally, we get to hear the rest of the story straight from the wolf's mouth. As Alexander T. Wolf explains it, the whole Big Bad Wolf thing was just a big misunderstanding. Al Wolf was minding his own business, making his granny a cake, when he realized he was out of a key ingredient. He innocently went from house to house to house (one made of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks) asking to borrow a cup of sugar. Could he help it if he had a bad cold, causing him to sneeze gigantic, gale-force sneezes? Could he help it if pigs these days use shabby construction materials? And after the pigs had been ever-so-accidentally killed, well, who can blame him for having a snack?” -GoodReads

I decided for today’s RFR I would chose a childhood favorite. I was probably in third or fourth grade when I first read this book. It was my first experience reading a fairy tale re-imagining and I’ve been hooked ever since. I grew up loving fairy tales and for some reason I never really pictured the stories other than how they had always been presented. So, when I saw this book at a friend’s house I was extremely excited to see the story told from the wolf’s perspective. The story is linked closely with the original with all the huffing and puffing, as well as the three different kinds of houses, which gives it a lot of credibility. Personally, I think the pigs we’re being a little oversensitive and were stereotyping poor Mr. Wolf. I loved the art work and think this is a perfect edition in any child’s library!

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted at Booking Through Thursday. It asks fun book related questions each week. It’s a fun way to get you thinking about your books and share you're thoughts with other book bloggers. Once you’ve completed your post return to Booking Through Thursday and leave a comment and link. This week's question is:

Do you read everything all the way through or do you feel life really is too short to read bad books?

Great question! I do usually try and finish every book that I start. I’m always curious how everything will end up, even if I’m bored with the story. Sometimes if the book is really boring or I’m having a hard time getting into it I will skip to the end just to see what happens, then quickly move on to the next book. Most of the time I will only stop reading if I don’t like the content of the book, like if there are graphic sex scenes or other material that I just don’t agree with, then I will stop.

I read for pleasure, entertainment and an escape, so why keep reading if you’re not enjoying the story? I have a huge pile of books to read and won’t waste my time on something that isn’t worth it. So, I guess agree that life is too short to read bad books.

What about you?

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Dark Devine
By Bree Despain
Release Date: December 22, 2009

Synopsis: “Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared—the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in blood. But she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night really held. And when Daniel returns three years later, Grace can no longer deny her attraction to him, despite promising Jude she’ll stay away. As Grace gets closer to Daniel, her actions stir the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind Jude and Daniel's dark secret . . . and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it—her soul.” -GoodReads

Why I’m Waiting: This sounds just like the type of story I enjoy. I’ve read a few reviews of those lucky enough to get an ARC (I still need to figure out how to do that!), and all of them have been pretty positive. It sounds a little “Twilight-y”, which isn’t a bad thing if Grace and Daniel can pull off the chemistry, but I’m still hopeful for a unique story. You can even read the first chapter by following the link below.

The Dark Devine: Chapter One

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. It is open to anyone and is a fun way to get a taste of different books. The rules are simple and everyone is welcome to participate.

1. Grab your current read.
2. Open to a random page.
3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
4. Be careful NOT to include spoilers (you don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
5. Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to the TBR lists if they like your teaser.
6. After completing your post, return to Should Be Reading and add a link in their “comment” section.

The Red Necklace
By Sally Gardner
Page 285

“Yann knew there was hardly any time. The only way to get her out was to be bold—and bolder.”

Library Loot Monday

Library Loot is a weekly meme that is hosted by A Striped Arm Chair. It gives book bloggers an opportunity to share what fun books we have checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate visit A Striped Arm Chair and add your post link to their site. It’s a fun way to check out what other bloggers are reading. Below are just a few of the books I have checked out this Monday. (Photos and description from GoodReads)

Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson
Katie Chandler gets a job offer from Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., a company that tricks of the trade to the magic community. She quickly learns that office politics are even more complicated when your new boss is a real ogre, and you have a crush on the sexy, shy, ultra powerful head of the R&D department, who is so busy fighting an evil competitor threatening to sell black magic on the street that he seems barely to notice Katie. Now it’s up to Katie to pull off the impossible: save the world and–hopefully–live happily ever after.

The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
A mysterious gypsy boy, Yann Margoza, and his guardian, a dwarf, work for the magician Topolain in 1789. On the night of Topolain’s death, Yann’s life truly begins. That’s when he meets Sido, an heiress with a horrible father. An attachment is born that will determine both their paths. Revolution is afoot in France, and Sido is being used as a pawn. Only Yann will dare to rescue her from a fearful villain named Count Kalliovski. It will take all of Yann’s newly discovered talent to unravel the mysteries of Sido’s past and his own and to fight the devilish count.

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
He holds the secret that can end the world. The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life. The records show that he died in 1418. But his tomb is empty. The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects; the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Genre: YA Fantasy

Author Website: www.cindachima.com

One Word Review: FANTASTIC!

First Line: “Han Alister squatted next to the steaming mud spring, praying that the thermal crust would hold his weight.”

Synopsis: Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Helena, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has other plans for her--plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

Kathy’s Review: You may remember that I chose The Demon King as one of my "Waiting on Wednesday" choices. I finally picked up a copy at the store yesterday and couldn't have been happier. I loved Chima’s Wizard Heir series and just knew that this book would be awesome! As much as I loved the WH series, I think I loved this book even more. It follows the story of a reformed thief and streetlord Han Alister who is trying to turn over a new leaf in order to take care of his mom and little sister. And Raisa the Princess Heir, who is quickly approaching her sixteenth birthday and will soon be eligible for a political marriage. I loved that the book alternated between these two very different characters with their individual stories. It really gives you a chance to get to know and care for all the different characters in the forest clans and the royal court and what struggles each are going through. Chima has created a great new world full of intrigue, magic, power and even a bit of romance. Han and Raisa’s paths cross briefly and even though they each have separate love interests, I can’t help but wonder if there may be something between them in the next book. This was a great start to the trilogy, giving us a lot of background information, character development, and left things with enough closure to make me happy, yet still leaving some cliffhangers so that I really CAN’T wait to find out what happens next.

Reading Order:
Book One: The Demon King
Book Two: The Exiled Queen (Fall 2010)
Book Three: The Gray Wolf Throne (Fall 2011?)

Splendor by Anna Godbersen

Genre: YA Fiction

Author Website: www.theluxebooks.com

One Word Review: Posh

First Line: “Fifty years ago, every American girl wanted to be a European princess.”

Synopsis: “A spring turns into summer, Elizabeth relishes her new role as a young wife, while her sister, Diana, searches for adventure abroad. But when a surprising clue about their father's death comes to light, the Holland girls wonder at what cost a life of splendor comes. Carolina Broad, society's newest darling, fans a flame from her past, oblivious to how it might burn her future. Penelope Schoonmaker is finally Manhattan royalty—but when a real prince visits the city, she covets a title that comes with a crown. Her husband, Henry, bravely went to war, only to discover that his father's rule extends well beyond New York's shores and that fighting for love may prove a losing battle.” -GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: I’ve been waiting for this one for quite awhile and was excited to finally get my hands on a copy so I could dive back into the crazy socialite lives of Elizabeth, Diana, Penelope and Carolina. This was a good conclusion to the series, although I was a little disappointed with how some things ended up, for the most part I thought everyone got what they deserved. This book didn’t captivate me like its predecessors and thought it was kind of lacking some of the drama and intrigue that I enjoyed so much in the other novels and I think really would have been better as a trilogy. I thought some storylines were kind of neglected and then resolved too quickly (Elizabeth), while others were drawn out and didn’t quite have the ending I was expecting. If you enjoyed the first three books then you will probably like seeing what happens with everyone.

Reading Order:
Book One: Luxe
Book Two: Rumors
Book Three: Envy
Book Four: Splendor

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. It is open to anyone and is a fun way to get a taste of different books. The rules are simple and everyone is welcome to participate.

1. Grab your current read.
2. Open to a random page.
3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
4. Be careful NOT to include spoilers (you don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
5. Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to the TBR lists if they like your teaser.
6. After completing your post, return to Should Be Reading and add a link in their “comment” section.

One Second After
William R Forstchen
Page 45

“It was dark. There wasn’t a single light down in the town, except for what appeared to be the flicker of a Coleman lamp, some candles.”

This book is not for the faint of heart. The premise of the book, which according to the author is a very real threat facing the United States, is downright sobering. The book has some coarse language as well. I’m letting it slide because if the US was hit with an EMP, caused by a nuke, I just don’t think, “Oh fiddlesticks!” is going to cut it. Am I right?

The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum

Genre: YA Fiction

Author Website: www.lisamangum.com

One Word Review: Lackluster

First Line: “It is the counting that saves him.”

Synopsis: “His past. Her future. Can love bring them together in time? Abbys senior year of high school is going according to plan: good friends, cute boyfriend, and college applications in the mail. But when Dante Alexander, foreign-exchange student from Italy, steps into her life, he turns it upside down. He's mysterious, and interesting, and unlike anyone she's ever met before. Abby can't deny the growing attraction she feels for him. Nor can she deny the unusual things that seem to happen when Dante is around. Soon Abby finds herself drawn into a mystery whose roots reach into sixteenth-century Florence, and she uncovers a dangerous truth that threatens not only her future but the lives of those she loves” -GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: I’m definitely in the minority here when I say that I wasn’t that impressed with this one. For some reason it just fell a little flat for me. One reviewer compared it to an episode of Lost where you’re constantly questioning what is going on. I felt like that for the first 200+ pages. I had a general idea what the story was about, but I was still confused and had a hard time really taking to the characters. I did like Abby. I thought she was a good character. Dante was even okay (although, I lost track of how many times his eyes changed color…). He didn’t really come across as the “hero” type, he didn’t really do anything and by the end I wasn’t really feeling it between him and Abby. I was upset that he didn’t do anything to help Abby’s friend Valerie and his decisions at the end just didn’t really make sense to me. I thought the whole time travel idea was interesting, but was executed kind of weird. Overall, I thought it was okay. I had high expectations and have read a lot of great reviews so I’m sure I am one of the few that wasn’t blown away. I’ll probably still check out the sequel, maybe it’ll be better.

Hourglass Door Trilogy:
Book One: The Hourglass Door
Book Two: The Golden Spiral
Book Three: The Forgotten Locket (Summer 2011)