In My Mailbox (36)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. So this week I only got 1 book but 1 really good book!

Bought:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I already read it and I loved it! It's so good!

Accomplice by Eireann Corrigan

Title: Accomplice

Author: Eireann Corrigan

Published: 2010

Pages: 296
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: They've gotten good grades - but that's not good enough. They've spent hours on community service - but that's not good enough. Finn and Chloe's advisor says that colleges have enough kids with good grades and perfect attendance, so Chloe decides they'll have to attract attention another way. She and Finn will stage Chloe's disappearance, and then, when CNN is on their doorstep and the nation is riveted, Finn will find and save her. It seems like the perfect plan - until things start to go wrong. Very wrong.

Review: The story starts with Finn talking about the things that have been going on. She and her best friend have decided that they need to call the attention of the world so they can go to the college they want to. Their plan was simple and shouldn't have strayed from it but as the time goes by everything changes and makes them question if what they're doing will ever turn out good.

Finn wasn't the normal main character because she had to say so many lies and pretend to be feeling something that she wasn't. Even though she sometimes got me irritated towards the end she realized that what they were doing wasn't right and wanted to back away from it. She thought of those who were suffering and because of this and decide to do what was right even if at the end it took some time.

The one that really made me mad was Chloe. I kind of felt that she was only thinking about herself the whole time. Throughout all the times that they should stop what they are doing she never wants to. The ending only made my opinion of her worse, showing that she really doesn't care for others.

I really liked the story overall though at times I couldn't understand why some people were acting the way they were. I keep going back to the ending but that's what made me give it a 4. Even though it shows who Cloe really is I also liked that Finn decided to stand up for her beliefs.

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday!

Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme hosted by Crazy For Books. Enter your link and go hop around other blogs that are out there, ready to be discovered!

All this week I had to take my finals! I had to study for the first day and then I actaully had to put notes inside my books so that I could use them for my English essay! I had no time to read, the reason why there wasn't a review this week but I'll try to do it very soon!

What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011?  Why are you anticipating that book?

Out of the top of my head I would have to say Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton. I've heard so many good things about this book that I wish I could just have it and read it! 

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list.
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can

What is/was your favorite subject in school?

My favorite subject used to be math simply because it came easily to me and I didn't have to force myself to learn it. Now that I'm having some trouble in math I would say maybe English because we get to read even though it's a different kind of reading.

If you're visiting, make sure you leave your link and I'll make sure to visit your blog!

In My Mailbox (35)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. This week I got 1 book. I've been wanting to read it so I was excited when I finally got it!

For Review:

The Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie

I loved this book! If you want to see my review just click here!

Thanks to The Teen Book Scene!

The Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie

Title: The Princess of Las Pulgas
Author: C. Lee McKenzie
Released: 2010
Pages: 334
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: After her father's slow death from cancer, Carlie thought things couldn't get worse. But now, she is forced to confront the fact that her family in dire financial straits. To stay afloat, her mom has had to sell their cherished oceanfront home and move Carlie and her younger brother Keith to the other side of the tracks to dreaded Las Pulgas, or 0"the fleas" in Spanish. They must now attend a tough urban high school instead of their former elite school, and on Carlie's first day of school, she runs afoul of edgy K.T., the Latina tattoo girl who's always ready for a fight, even on crutches. Carlie fends off the attention of Latino and African American teen boys, and one, a handsome seventeen-year-old named Juan, nicknames her Princess when he detects her aloof attitude towards her new classmates. What they don't know is that Carlie isn't really aloof; she's just in mourning for her father and almost everything else that mattered to her. Mr. Smith, the revered English teacher who engages all his students, suggests she'll like her new classmates if she just gives them a chance; he cajoles her into taking over the role of Desdemona in the junior class production of Othello, opposite Juan, after K.T. gets sidelined. Keith, who becomes angrier and more sullen by the day, spray paints insults all over the gym as he acts out his anger over the family's situation and reduced circumstances. Even their cat Quicken goes missing, sending Carlie and Keith on a search into the orchard next to their seedy garden apartment complex. They're met by a cowboy toting a rifle who ejects them at gunpoint from his property. But when Carlie finds him amiably having coffee with their mom the next day -- when he's returned her cat -- she begins to realize that nothing is what it seems in Las Pulgas.

Review: The very first line of the book basically gives you a feel of what the book is about. "Last night I pleaded with Death, but he turned a bony back to me, pushed Hope into the corridor and shut the door." (Page 1)

Carlie has recently lost her father to cancer and all her family is suffering from this loss. They have to move to a city that is the complete opposite of what they are all used to. They must adjust to their new life and make many sacrifices. As they spend more time there, they find that things may be different than what they thought they would be.

At the beginning Carlie isn't happy the way her life is shaping up to be. Her new school is nothing like the one she went to before and there were many things that she had to learn. At first she wasn't happy at her new school and didn't try to fit in but as the story progressed she noticed that there were many good things in Las Pulgas.

There were so many emotions that passed through her and I think it's a reason why I liked this book so much. She felt anger towards her dad for having died and left them the way they are but at the same time she's sad he isn't there anymore. One thing I loved is when her dad talked to her in her mind when she needed guidance.

Her mom and brother, Keith, had a lot of adjusting to do and the reader could tell the different ways that each were handling their problems. Keith gets in trouble but at the same time that brings him to accept their new reality. Their mom was always hurting for what had happened to her and her way of life had to change.

There were some amazing characters each dealing with different problems that I think brought them together. The ending was one that I really liked! It was emotional but I think it suited the book well. I had high hopes for this book and I'm glad to say that I loved it!

I reviewed this book as part of a blog tour.

It's My Birthday & Blogaversary & A Giveaway!

So 15 years ago I was born! It was actually a Monday, though I hate Mondays! I think they seem to drag on forever! Anyway, it's my birthday!! And it also happens to be 1 year that I started this little blog! And so I decided to do a giveaway to celebrate my birthday and blogaversary and my followers!

What You Can Win

-A hardcover copy of Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
-A hardcover copy of If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor

The Details

-There will be 2 lucky winners.
-US only. I have no money!
-You don't have to be a follower but it's always appreciated!
-Deadline is 11:59 February 12th Pacific time. There's a clock on the left side.
-Winners will be announced on the 13th and will have 48 hours to respond to my email.
-1st winner will get first pick and the 2nd will get the other book.

All you have to do is fill out the form or the one below!!

Winner!!

Ashley from Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing!!

Congrats! You've won The Princess of Las Pulgas! I will be sending you an email soon!