Abandon by Meg Cabot

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

So, who read it?

This was the September R4R book club pick. What did you think? Will you read the next one in the series? Who was your favorite character? Did you like the ending?

This book took a story from Greek mythology and put a modern spin on it. I would say that it was only *very* loosely based on the story of Hades and Persephone. My problem with this is I read a book earlier this year based on the same story. However, that book just happened to be my favorite book of 2011 (so far). This didn't come even close--it actually kind of tanked.

I have a confession.... This was my first time reading a Meg Cabot book. (Gasp!) And you call yourself a book lover?? I know, I know. While I liked the idea of the subject, I thought her writing style was hard to follow at times. Was it just me, or did some of the sentences seem like they were worded strangely? (Like that sentence! Ha!) Seriously though, I wasn't a fan that she'd hint at stuff CHAPTERS ahead of when we actually find out about what happened. I thought it was odd. Also, the entire book takes place over the course of about a day and a half. Also strange. That'd be one WILD AND CRAZY 36 hours. Really, I just felt like too much was crammed into too short of a timespan. This book was like a rapidly fraying rope--the end was all loose ends. Can't say I loved that either.

Pierce was a very flawed character. The book is centered on how "caring" she is, when in reality she's kind of rotten to the core. Her father is stuck with a 7-figure lawsuit because of Pierce, and she acts like it's no big deal. She causes trouble ("on accident")--people DIE because of her--and her parents are left cleaning up after her. She was actually quite a selfish character, and she acted like the victim the entire book. 

The main guy ("Hades") was named John. Really? JOHN?? Like a toilet? Don't get me wrong, I love the name John--for a grandpa or a baby or even a high-powered "suit". Not for a tall, dark, and handsome (teenage) Ruler of the Underworld. His name was John Hayden, actually, but I really wish the author would have just stuck with Hayden. (Love that name too. Much easier to picture a hot Hayden...) John was a complete jerk for 99% of the book and suddenly they (John and Pierce) realize they are madly in love with each other and hey, let's make out! Snore.

I was really disappointed in my first (and probably only) Meg Cabot experience. However, I am so glad I finally got the chance to read this book, and I'm even more glad I'm *done* reading it. Next month's book, Graceling by Kristin Cashore will be awesome though. I know this because I have very reliable sources. :D So, stick around. And let me know your thoughts on Abandon.

Happy Reading!

The False Princess by Eilis O' Neal

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl. Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever..

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

I actually read this book over Labor Day weekend, but it was the book we were reading for a book club that I'm in--Bookaholics Anonymous. Since we don't meet until the end of the month, I had to wait until now to post my review. I actually really enjoyed this book--which is a good thing since 1) it was my pick, and 2) I've been dying to read it all year. There were moments when the story went a little too fast and others where it dragged. Despite the erratic pacing, I couldn't put this down.

Can you even imagine?? Nalia spent the first sixteen years of her life thinking she was a princess. She was educated, trained, and treated like royalty. Then she found out that everything she ever knew about herself and her life was a lie. Nalia isn't even her real name. It's Sinda. When Sinda is turned out of the castle with next to nothing, she is shipped off to her only real living relative--an aunt who never even knew Sinda existed. Sinda tries to create a normal life for herself in her new town, but everyone only knows her as "the false princess", which ruins any chance she has at making friends. 

Sinda decides to go back to Vivaskari and make a life there on her own. Along the way, she meets an eccentric wizard, rekindles a friendship with Keirnan, and gets in the middle of a deadly plot. Sounds awesome, right? It was! I loved Sinda. I felt so terrible for her, but I thought she came into her own by the end of the book. I thought the suspense and intrigue were great, and the plot was well thought out, with just enough surprise to keep me hooked until the last page. 

Like I said, I really enjoyed this book. Definitely one to add to your To Be Read (TBR) pile. 

Happy Reading!

Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

DO NOT READ (YET) IF YOU HAVE NOT READ

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren.

THANKS!

Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

As you know, all week I have been seriously struggling. It's not for lack of good reading material. I've just been in a kind of funk. Apparently book club was what I needed to get me back on the wagon. Last night was our monthly book club meeting and talking about the book we read and books to come, something clicked and I got excited about reading again. So, yay for me.

I read the first book in this series, Waterfall, last month and really enjoyed it. It seems like there's not enough YA books set in the time period of knights and chivalry. I fell in love with Gabi and Marcello and even Luca in book one, but I really didn't like Gabi's sister, Lia. That changed in this book for me. She makes much more of an appearance in this book and I got to know (and like) her character more. She's just as fierce and lovable as Gabi--you just don't see much of that side of her in Waterfall.

I really enjoyed the storyline, again. I've been really impressed with Lisa T. Bergren's books so far. I think she's a fabulous storyteller with a particular talent for writing without a lot of fluff or unnecessary description. I was thinking about this last night while discussing our book club pick, The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal and I couldn't help but compare the two books. Lisa T. Bergren does a fantastic job of giving great descriptions without getting wordy, very unlike the writing style in The False Princess. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it on Tuesday.

If you haven't started this series yet, I recommend you get on it quick. I love this series. My snooze-fest all week was in no way related to my reading material, but more due to my hectic schedule I've been precariously trying to balance. So don't be scared that these books will put you to sleep. They most definitely will not! They'll leave you dying to read the next one....like I am now.

Happy Reading!

Success!

I have reached page 200 in the book I'm reading!!
Sadly, I'm still not even halfway through. :'(

Remember the good old days when page 200 in a book was 90% finished?


Sigh.


Happy Reading!

ZZzZzzZzzz....

This is going to be book reviewer sacrilege.

Just so you know.

So if that kind of thing bothers you, turn away.

You have been warned.

This has been me for almost a week.

I just can't seem to pick up a book without nodding off.

I really don't know what my deal is.

I guess I'm just not feelin' it.

I actually was reading quite a lot, but I can't put up reviews yet for any of the books I read, either due to it's release date (I can't post them until a month or less before the set release date) or because it's a book club pick and I have to wait until the end of the month.

So, now I have quite a few book reviews that will be posted in the coming months, but nothing for right now.

Genius.

I know.

Anyway, what are you reading?

Is it any good?

Can you stay awake while reading??

Inquiring minds want to know.

Happy Reading!

Or sleeping.

Whichever you prefer.

Let's Roll!: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage by Lisa Beamer with Ken Abraham

Lisa Beamer's recounting of her heroic husband's life, and how his sacrifice on September 11th has turned into a source of strength for her, is a tribute that will move and inspire readers all over the world. This bestselling book has also inspired a companion CD, Let's Roll!, filled with powerful, relevant performances. Proceeds from the CD go to the Todd M. Beamer Foundation, which helps children affected by September 11th.

I know my post is late this week (it was supposed to be yesterday), but this was a tough book for me to get through.

My oldest child was born on September 11th (not in 2001), and ever since then I've kind of shied away from anything and everything that has to do with the tragedy of that day. Not because I want to forget, but simply because I don't want sadness to overshadow my child's special day. This year, with it being the 10 year anniversary, there has been a lot of media coverage about "9/11". As I talked with a friend about it, she mentioned this book to me. I've never read books like this. Ever. Even before I got on my "Young Adult kick", I never read "true stories." But then as I debated about whether or not to read this, I had the thought that the better I understand what happened that day, the more prepared I will be to talk about it with my "9/11" child when the time comes. So, I put aside all my reservations and checked it out from the library.

Now, if you are not familiar United Flight 93 (I had actually forgotten about it), it was one of the four planes that was hijacked on September 11, 2001. The hijackers re-routed the flight that had originally been set for San Francisco and headed instead for Washington D.C.. The passengers aboard Flight 93 were able to use their cell phones and the phones available on the plane (Airfones) to contact loved ones. As they began to hear news of hijacked planes hitting the World Trade Center in New York and also one that had hit the Pentagon, the passengers decided to try to overtake the hijackers. The plane crashed in Pennsylvania and disintegrated.

Todd Beamer was on that flight. In the final 20 minutes or so of his life, he was on the phone with an Airfone operator named Lisa Jefferson. He spoke to her about what was happening aboard the plane, and also talked about his family and his faith. As news began to pour in aboard the plane about the other terrorist attacks, Todd Beamer, along with other passengers, was instrumental in formulating and carrying out a plan to overtake the plane from the hijackers. The last words Lisa Jefferson heard Todd Beamer say were, "Are you guys ready? Okay. Let's roll."

This book is by Todd Beamer's widow, Lisa Beamer. The book spans Todd and Lisa's childhoods, when they met, and the few short years they were married. Only, maybe, the last 100 pages or so are about Todd's final flight and the aftermath of that day. It was an inspiring book though. I would be curious to know about Lisa Beamer and her and Todd's children now, 10 years later. I'm kicking myself for not watching ANYTHING on September 11th this year.

One quote from the book that I really thought was inspiring:

"Slowly I began to understand that the plans God has for us don’t just include “good” things, but the whole array of human events … I remember my mom saying that many people look for miracles — things that in their human minds “fix” a difficult situation. Many miracles, however, are not a change to the normal course of human events; they’re found in God’s ability and desire to sustain and nurture people through even the worst situations. Somewhere along the way, I stopped demanding that God fix the problems in my life and started to be thankful for his presence as I endured them." (p. 68, emphasis added)

Anyway, I know that this isn't the type of book that I normally post about on R4R, but it was a great reminder that there were many people on that tragic day who had the choice to do SOMETHING, or do NOTHING. The people on United Flight 93, who are often overlooked or forgotten, chose to ACT and by doing so, most likely prevented an even greater loss of life that day. I am thankful for their courage and thankful for the faith of Lisa Beamer in the wake of a horrifying personal and national tragedy.

Happy Reading!

Don't Forget!

Just a reminder-- this month's book club pick is:

Here's what it's about:

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

I read this last week. I really hope you all get a chance to read it. My review for it will be up Thursday, September 29th. If you read it, please comment after I post the review so you can let me know what you thought! I'm so excited about this. :)

Happy Reading!