2009 Wrap-up

Wow, what a year! Looking back in 2009, I have read some pretty amazing books, met some pretty awesome bloggers and authors, and had some great times. Here is my 2009 Wrap-up!

My top 12 favorite 2009 books (not in order):

1) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
2) Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

3) Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

4) Candor by Pam Bachorz

5) Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatric

6) The Siren by Kiera Cass

7) Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

8) Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

9) Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

10) The Singing by Alison Croggon

11) Fade by Lisa McMann

12) Betrayals by Lili St. Crow

To my fellow Bloggers:

(Vania left, Shalonda right)

-This year I had the pleasure to meet many other bloggers at various signing and festivals! Thank you Shalonda, Vania, Kelsey and Kate for making these events so much fun!! Love you girls!

(Danni left, Shalonda middle, Me right)

-I also want to give a shout out to my best internet blogger buddies! I hope we meet someday girls!! Love you Taschima, Sandy, Briana, and Shayla! The Blogosphere would not be the same with out you girls.

-To Danni and Ali, my dear friends before my blogging days (or theirs), I want to let you guys know it was so great to have your support. Thank you! <3

To my readers:

-2009 would not have been as fantastic as it was without your feedback and support. Thank you so much for being there to comment when you agree or disagree. You are the ones that keep me going-- I still can't believe people read what I write! Thank you, thank you, thank you and I look forward to seeing all of you so much more throughout 2010!

Signing/Festivals:

2009 was full of great signings and author festivals. I had the chance to meet so many authors and actually have conversations with them! Here are some pictures from various events.


(Diana Peterfreund)


(Aimee Friedman and David Levithan)


(Richelle Mead)


(Ally Carter)


(Maggie Stiefvater)


(Kathryn Williams and Victoria Schwab)


(Maureen Johnson)

There are so many more signings and many more authors that I met that I wish I could also include, and I want to give a shout out to them as well: Daniel Waters, Jennifer Jabaley, Melissa De La Cruz, Sara Zarr, Charlaine Harris, Andrew Smith, and Justine Larbalestier. You guys/girls are all fantastic and it was so great meeting all of you!

Wrap-up:

Thank you everyone who came and supported me in 2009 and all the authors who agreed to interviews and requested that I review their books. I really appreciate everyones help! Thank you Briana, the Book Pixie, for getting me into blogging this year--and Thank you everyone else for being so nice that I couldn't help but stay! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Candor by Pam Bachorz

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Re-Read: Yes, I do plan on re-reading this.

Recommend: To people who enjoyed books like The Giver. Some cussing and sexual references, but nothing too bad.

Release Date: September 22, 2009
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pages: 256

Synopsis:

In the model community of Candor, Florida, every teen wants to be like Oscar Banks. The son of the town’s founder, Oscar earns straight As, is student-body president, and is in demand for every club and cause.
But Oscar has a secret. He knows that parents bring their teens to Candor to make them respectful, compliant–perfect–through subliminal Messages that carefully correct and control their behavior. And Oscar’s built a business sabotaging his father’s scheme with Messages of his own, getting his clients out before they’re turned. After all, who would ever suspect the perfect Oscar Banks?
Then he meets Nia, the girl he can’t stand to see changed. Saving Nia means losing her forever. Keeping her in Candor, Oscar risks exposure . . . and more.

My Thoughts:

Candor certainly surprised me. Always on edge and constantly in danger of exposure, Oscar doesn't exactly live a normal life. But what teenager does in Candor, Florida? Where all teenagers brush their teeth before bed, never eat candy or drink pop and always do all their homework and extra credit. But there is more going on then just good parental guidance.

First off, I have to say this book could not have ended better. Whether you love the ending or hate it, it truly was the only way to end this novel. The book starts off rather slow because there is a lot of background information to take in, but once you get started on the last stride of the book, it really gets interesting.

Oscar was very real-- His flaws were what really made him a believable character. Isn't everyone trying to act perfect in front of their parents? Oscar just takes it to the next level. Personally, I didn't really care for Nia's character. I wish I could have seen more into her personality and maybe I would have enjoyed her more. I also originally thought that the side characters like Oscar's girlfriend were all going to be static, but they actually showed some depth in them that I didn't expect. It made the novel that much more enjoyable knowing there is more to them then meets the eye. That behind the brainwashing, some bit of them still exists.

The concept of Candor is really what drew me in. The idea that a whole town could be controlled (especially the teenagers) made me want to read more about it-- and I wasn't disappointed. The ending is what sealed the deal for me with Candor, but the road there was just as intriguing. A life altering ending to a fantastic book.

Details:

Cover: 5.0
Plot: 5.0
Characters: 4.5
Writing: 4.0

In My MailBox -10

Ahh! So I have been outta town for the past few weeks and I haven't really posted anything I have been getting! Well, here is about 2 1/2 weeks worth of books that I have received!

Candor by Pam Bachorz (ARC)

Synopsis:

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages.
He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens.
But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (ARC)
I actually received two of these, so expect a contest!

Synopsis:
Falling in love was never so easy . . .
or so deadly. For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Ash by Malinda Lo (ARC)

Synopsis:

Cinderella retold
In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash

learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.
Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan (Paperback)

Ok, So I loved the UK cover of this so much, I bought it. x)

Synopsis:

Nick and his brother, Alan, have

spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole -- a charm that keeps her alive -- and they want it badly enough to kill again.

Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is des-perate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.

Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick st

arts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.

This is the Demon's Lexicon. Turn the page.

Evernight by Claudia Gray (Hardback)

Synopsis:

Bianca wants to escape.

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him."I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear the

m apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson (Paperback)

Synopsis:

Her new summer job comes with baggage.

Scarlett Martin has gro

wn up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City, and Scarlett lives there with her four siblings - Spencer, Lola, and Marlene.

When each of the Martins turns fifteen, they are expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett's fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest called Mrs. Amberson.

Scarlett doesn't quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.

Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery, B

roadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deceptions. But in the city where anything can happen, she just might be able to pull it off.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (Paperback)

Synopsis:

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.

In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.

The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.

Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again?

Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

Cathy's Book: If Found Call 650-266-8233 by Sean Stewart (Hardcover)

Synopsis:

This stunning debut combines reading with the world of internet gaming to create a masterful new genre that will allow teens to take the story from the page into the world of cyberspace and beyond.

Things weren’t so peachy in Cathy’s life before Victor broke up with her. Her father died unexpectedly, she’s failing school, and her best friend is mad at her. But when Cathy decides to investigate Victor’s reasons for ending their relationship, things suddenly go from bad to very, very, very bad as her findings produce more questions than answers. For instance, what does the death of Victor’s co-worker, the strange mark that appeared on Cathy’s arm, and the surreal behavior of several Chinese elders have to do with it?

Through Cathy’s unique and irresistible voice—and lots of proof in the form of letters, photographs, date book entries, telephone numbers readers can call, websites they can access, as well as secrets only a careful reader will be able to decipher—readers will enter a strange and fascinating world where things often aren’t how they appear.

Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi (ARC)

Synopsis:

The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. With the murderer on the loose, the police desperately look for any clues to lead to his identy. Meanwhile, a psychiatrist in a nearby hospital is also in a desperate search to find the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings s devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope. When these two situations converge, they set off an alarming chain of events. In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.

The Great God Pan by Donna Jo Napoli (Paperback)

Synopsis:

Pan, both goat and god, is a curious being who roams nature searching, wondering, and frolicking with maenads and satyrs. He plays melodies on his reed flute, wooing animals to listen. He is a creature of mystery and delight. One day in his travels, Pan meets Iphigenia, a human raised as the daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra. Pan is captivated by the young princess. Set against a landscape of myth and legend, Napoli’s latest tale is a love story wrought with sincere emotion and all that is great about the Gods.

Harry Potter and The Deadthly Hallows by JK Rowling (Paperback)

I Love this book and I'm glad I won this in a contest! Looks pretty next to my Hardback. x) No need for a synopsis for this one!

In My MailBox was created by: The Story Siren.

What are you Reading Mondays -5

So I haven't posted this in awhile! Well I'm am back home and I hope to be back on a regular schedule. Here is what's going on this week:

What I Read:

-The Siren by Kiera Cass (Hope to post the review this week).

What I'm Reading:



What I Plan to Read:

-Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

-Candor by Pam Bachorz

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So those are my plans for this week. What are yours?

This meme is brought to us by: J. Kaye's Book Blog.

Candor Book Trailer

Recently Pam Bachorz posted Candor's Book Trailer on her site. Since I did a WOW on it awhile back, I thought I'd post it! I thought it was pretty cool. x)

Pre-order Candor at: Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday -6

Candor by Pam Bachorz

Release Date: September 22, 2009

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Synopsis:

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

Read the first chapter: Here

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I just had to choose this one for my WOW. Look at those lovely colors on that cover! x) Anyways, I've heard a lot of good things about this so far and I cannot wait to read it!

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to us by: Breaking The Spine.