Faves of 2011 (So Far)

This meme is being hosted by Inkcrush :D

This is post one of a 3 post series. Post one will be about my favorite books of 2011 (so far), post two about the characters/covers, and post 3 the random bits (favorite steamy scene, best opening line, etc.)
Feel free to spread the book love and make a post of your own! Stop by Inkcrush's blog and share your link.

 1. Favorite book read so far in 2011

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Magical! Sweet! Charming! I loved Anna, Etienne, all of the secondary characters, and PARIS. I maintain that Stephanie Perkins is a genius


2. Most Powerful Book

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr. It is a beautiful story of friendship and finding out who you truly are. I want a Cameron Quick of my own, just sayin. 

3. The most brilliantly funny 

 

 Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins, book 2 in the Hex Hall series. I seriously loved this second book more than the first! Sophie is as snarky and hilarious as ever, Jenna is adorable, and Sophie's dad is as witty as she is. 

3. Best ache-y, heart-breaking, tear-jerker read

If I stay by Gayle Foreman. Read this book. It will break your heart. It's the most beautiful book I've ever read. 

5. Most beautiful story

This one, again,  has to go to If I Stay by Gayle Foreman.

6. Fave rainy day comfort read

Entwined by Heather Dixon. This one is a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses. The story and characters are enchanting and make me smile. Plus this book is super long, so what better way to spend a rainy day?

7. Best tense, adrenalin-fueled, unputdownable award

Divergent by Veronica Roth

8. The beautiful prose award 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. Her writing is gorgeous. 

9. most atmospheric and vivid setting

 Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Hello, it's Paris!

10. i-so-want-to-go-there award

I'd LOVE to go to Cousins Beach with Belly from The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

11. most original and imaginative 

 Bumped by Megan McCafferty. Those electronic baby bumps were creepy :/

12. best under-appreciated, hidden gem book

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal. This one is a fabulous contemp novel about a girl coming of age in 1980's NYC. Very realistic.

13. i-had-no-idea-i-would-love-this-so award

 Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. I thought this would be a typical paranormal book, but oh how wrong I was. The story AND characters in this one were unique and hilarious. Win.


14. most haunting story

 Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. This is a story about Lina, a 15 year old Lithuanian girl, who is torn away from her home in 1941 during the soviet reign. She is sent to a forced labor camp in Siberia, along with her mother and younger brother.

15. series I'm loving

Wither by Lauren Destefano

16. would make the best movie

  Across the Universe by Beth Revis. I'd love to see that one play out on the big screen.

17. want to re-read already

Entwined by Heather Dixon. I loved all 12 of the princesses and can't wait to read about them again :) 

That's it for this post. What have been your favorite books of 2011? 


 



 



 

Freedom Hop

Hey guys. Welcome to the Freedom Hop
Friday July 1st through Thursday July 7

This hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Simply Stacie

What are you offering for your giveaway?
- I am offering (2) winners a giftcard to a bookstore of their choice. One card will go to a U.S. reader, and the other will go to an International reader.

How do I enter?
- You must be 13 years or older to enter this giveaway.
- The winners will be selected by random.org
- Simply leave a comment on this post with: your name, email address, whether you are entering for the U.S. or international prize, and your favorite quote from a book
- I am a new blogger and would love to make some new bookish friends, but following is NOT required to enter this giveaway.  This hop is all about sharing the love of good books :)

The winners will be posted by Monday July 11 

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

Mid Summer's Eve Giveaway WINNER!

Hey Guys! I've chosen the winner of the Mid Summer's Eve Giveaway Hop using Random.org.

The winner is... # 76! The Reading Owl

The winner has been emailed and has 48 hours to respond. If I don't get a response, another winner will be selected.

Want another chance to win? 

I will be participating in the Freedom Giveaway Hop starting July 1st. Two (2) winners will receive a $10 giftcard to the bookstore of his or her choice. I will select one winner from the U.S. and one International winner.

Stop back on Friday July 1st to enter!

In My Mailbox: ALA Conference 2011 Edition

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren, where bloggers share new books they've received in their mailboxes (or from the library/friend/etc)!

Hey guys! I just got back from the ALA conference a few hours ago. I'm exhausted, but it was an amazing experience! I met SO many nice librarians, publishing reps, book bloggers, and bookish people in general. I was overwhelmed by how friendly everyone was! Anyway, I was fortunate enough to receive some amazing ARCS, which I'd like to share with you. I'll be reviewing as many of these as possible in the upcoming months.

 

Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins (Giveaway coming!)

Dark Parties - Sara Grant

Shut Out - Kody Keplinger

How to Save a Life - Sara Zarr

Perfect - Ellen Hopkins

All These Things I've Done - Gabrielle Zevin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin

Fury - Elizabeth Miles

The Near Witch - Victoria Schwab

The End of Everything - Megan Abbott

Story of a Girl - Sara Zarr (purchased at ALA)

Once was Lost - Sara Zarr (purchased at ALA)

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi

The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman - Meg Wolitzer

Don't Breathe a Word - Holly Cupala

Legend - Marie Lu

The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson

The Future of Us - Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (Met these two - they are so sweet :)

Crossed - Ally Condie

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

Why We Broke Up - Daniel Handler

Jessica Rules the Darkside - Beth Fantaskey

Tris & Izzie - Mette Ivie Harrison

What was in your mailbox this week? Please share!

 

ALA Annual Conference 2011

Hey guys! I am leaving for the American Library Association annual conference in New Orleans tomorrow morning. I live less than an hour away from New Orleans and am so grateful that I will have the opportunity to attend. I am also absolutely ecstatic about having the chance to meet some of my favorite authors, publishers, and other book lovers! 






I am hoping to meet these authors on Saturday & Sunday at the convention center:
 

Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Ruta Sepetys – Between Shades of Gray

Frannie Billingsley – Chime

Cassandra Clare – The Clockwork Prince

Ellen Hopkins – Perfect

Mette Ivie Harrison – Tris and Izzie

Jay Asher – 13 Reasons Why

Carolyn Mackler – The Future of Us

Maureen J. Johnson – Name of the Star

John Green & David Levithan – Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Sara Zarr – How to Save A Life

Jenny Han – We’ll Always Have Summer

Sarah Dessen – What Happened to Goodbye

Please excuse me while I run around screaming like a little fangirl. Anyway, I will be back on Monday with a gushing report of the conference, as well as the winner of the Mid-Summer Giveaway Hop

I hope you all have a great weekend!

 

 

Ten Things We Did by Sarah Mlynowski

Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)  
by Sarah Mlynowski  
Publisher: Harper Teen  
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Source: Purchased from Amazon

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

- Summary taken from Amazon.com

My thoughts:
This book was So. Much. Fun. The story jumped back and forth between the past and present, which I always love. The situations in the story are sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, but always AUTHENTIC. Ms. Mylnowski does not shy away from real teen issues, such as drugs and sex. Her dialogue and characterizations were spot on.

I loved April as a main character. She was quirky, down to earth, and made mistakes that many teens (and adults) will be able to resonate with. Even though April went through many "uh oh" moments while living with Vi (overflowed the dishwasher, bought a hot tub she couldn't afford, froze her car battery), she grew as a character and learned that being an adult is not always as awesome as it may seem.


Read this book. I guarantee that it will put a smile on your face. It certainly put one on mine. 


My Rating: 
Wide Awake! - This book is going on my "Favorites" shelf

 

Mid Summer's Eve Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Mid Summer's Eve Giveaway Hop!



This hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.
This is my first time participating in a giveaway hop, and I'm excited to join in!
This hop will run from June 21 through June 24.

What are you offering for your giveaway?
- I am offering (1) $15 giftcard to Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, or The Book Depository.
- This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL as long as The Book Depository ships to your country.

How do I enter?
- You must be 13 years or older to enter this giveaway.
- The winner will be selected by random.com
- Simply leave a comment on this post with: your name, email address, and the title of your favorite book
- I am a new blogger and would love to make some new bookish friends, but following is NOT required to enter this giveaway.  This hop is all about sharing the love of good books :)

The winner will be posted on Monday June 27th when I return from the American Library Association Convention.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

SIS Read-a-Thon Day 2

• Total Books Read: 1
• Total Pages Read: 240
• Books Read Since Last Update: 1
• Pages Read since last update: 170
• Total time read:  3.75 hours
• What I'm currently reading: I just finished Don't Stop Now and am about to start Cracked Up to Be.
• How I'm currently feeling: Energetic! My boyfriend bought me a keurig machine last night as a surprise, so I was able to make a delicious cup of coffee today.

Challenge # 10 from Squeaky Books:
Tell me, what is the funniest/most inspiring thing you have read so far in the read-a-thon?

I just finished Don't Stop Now, which had plenty of funny parts. Josh and Lil set out on a road trip to find their friend, Penny, who faked her own kidnapping. While on the roadtrip, Josh and Lil went to every cheesy tourist trap that they could find, including a cheese castle, the house on the rock, and an Elvis church. The two exhanged many, many quirky one liners about the tourist traps.

My favorite quote. While shopping at the cheese castle: "Whenever I imagined a no-holds-barred shopping spree, a la Pretty Woman, I thought it would be in a fancy department store, complete with doting sales girls and an appropriate montage soundtrack. Never did it involve cheese products." - Lil, page 54

Time to get back to my books. I'll be participating in the next challenge in a couple of hours.
 

SIS Read-a-Thon Report #1

Here is my progress (what little of it there was) for day 1 of the read-a-thon.

• Total Books Read: 0
• Total Pages Read: 70
• Books Read Since Last Update: 0
• Pages Read since last update: 70
• Total time read:  1.75 hours
• What I'm currently reading: Don't Stop Now
• How I'm currently feeling: Exhausted! I had a ton of housework and homework to do on Thursday and did not get to go to bed til 3 in the morning, and then I had to work all day on Friday before I was able to go home and read.

What is the favorite thing you have read today? I read a few pages of Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins this morning, which gave me a good laugh. I haven't quite broken into Don't Stop Now enough yet to judge it properly.


Which mini-challenge was your favorite?
I wasn't able to participate in any. I will tomorrow though!

What has been your favorite thing about the read-a-thon?
having an excuse to sit on the couch with a book for hours at a time :D

What has been your LEAST favorite thing about the read-a-thon?
I'm a bit sad that I have not been able to participate in the entire event.

Are you on track to meet your goals?
HA, no! I will try again tomorrow though. I'm a fighter.

Will you be participating tomorrow? Do you have any new goals?
Of course! My goal is to read as much as possible, without getting distracted too often by facebook and blog posts.

Read-a-Thon Starting LIne

Well, I'm a bit late getting started on this read-a-thon because of having to work all day, but I'm home now and ready to read!

GOALS!

1. What do you hope to read during the read-a-thon? I am definitely planning to read Don't Stop Now (which just came in the mail today!) and The Iron King. I'm hoping that I'll also be able to get to Cracked Up to Be, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, The Liar Society, and City of Bones. 
2.  What book are you starting with? Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern. I love books about road trips, so I'm quite excited about this one!
3. I hope to read: at least 3 books, but preferably 5 or 6
4. Where are you going to read? on the couch in my living room. It's one of the only rooms in our house with enough light to read properly.

Those are my basic goals for this read-a-thon. I hope those of you who are participating are having a great time! I'm off to curl up with my book, coffee, and blanket.....some of the best things in life.

First Read-a-thon!

This post is to announce to the world that I'm participating in the Spring into Summer read-a-thon hosted by Enna Isilee of Squeaky Books!

This read-a-thon is going to be so great! It's two days where you try do NOTHING but read. It's a great chance to get rid of some of those books that have been sitting on your TBR pile forever.

But that's not all! There will also be awesome mini-challenges and a TON of giveaways! In fact, just for signing up you are entered to win a $25 gift card to Amazon! SO GO SIGN UP! And if you say that The Caffeinated Reader sent you, you'll get 5 extra entries to win that gift card! CLICK HERE to enter to win, and know all there is to know about the read-a-thon.

Here's my goal:

I plan to participate on:  Friday night and all day Saturday

I plan to read: 5. I am a slow reader though, so we shall see how that goes!

I hope to read: 

Don't Stop Now - Julie Halpern

The Iron King - Julie Kagawa

Cracked Up to Be - Courtney Summers

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan

Well, have you signed up yet? DO IT NOW!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Jumping Right In

Hi guys! I wasn't planning on writing a blog post until I had arranged things just the way I wanted them on the blog. I wanted to be in control: have my review style and rating system determined, know the ins and outs of html, and understand blogging in general. HOWEVER, I realized that this was incredibly unrealistic. If I waited until I understood every aspect of blogging, I would never actually start mine!

I plan to post book reviews one to three times per week, as well as participate in a few weekly features. I love reading others' Top Ten Tuesday posts, so I will definitely be participating in that one!

On another note, I will be participating in my first read-a-thon ever this weekend, and I am incredibly excited! The event is being hosted by Squeaky Books, and I will write a separate post about it shortly.

That's all for now. Feel free to shoot me an email or leave a blog comment anytime. I love "meeting" new people, especially people who love books as much as I do.