Just a little post for me to keep track of where I left off when I stopped blogging last time...

- 1010 Challenge (12/100)
- 1 mo: The Last Time I Was Me
- 1 mo: Line of Scrimmage
- 4 mos: Sweet Magnolias
- 2010 A-Z Author Challenge (6/26)
- 2010 A-Z Book Challenge (6/26)
- 2010 A-Z Character Challenge (f) (6/26)
- 2010 A-Z Character Challenge (m) (6/26)
- RtM: March (5/5)
- Women We Love Challenge (2/15)
- 1st in a Series Challenge (2/12)
- Finish that Series Challenge (0/10)
- Romance Reading Challenge (2/20)
- Audio Book Challenge (1/3)
- Thriller and Suspense Challenge (1/12)

Uh...What Happened?

SO, I kind of dropped off the face of the earth when it came to this blog...as well as my crafting blog.  But I'm getting into the swing of things again.

Last year was just such a busy year...doing too much and pulling myself too thin.  But at the end of the year, I started to re-evaluate and remove stuff I didn't need in my life.  Kind of like spring cleaning my life, but in the winter.  So now I have more free time to do things I love to do, like read!  Yay!

I have a book I've been meaning to write up a review for...and the review has been waiting to be written for the past 4 months.  I just haven't had time to sit and type up the review because of school, work, and other activities.  When I write a review, I want to take time and write the best review I can...so I've been putting this one off.  But like I said, I've gotten rid of activities/clubs that no longer make me happy...plus I'm graduating in several weeks.  So, LOTS of time to read and write up reviews.  And of course, you know I'm going to start joining challenges again.  I'm hoping to be able to get rolling again sooooon~

Stay tuned! :)

In My Mailbox #002

Hello! I'm actually going to start packing up my stuff, since I'm moving this weekend.  But I decided to write a blog post before I started, because I accumulated a couple books since I last posted...

For Review:
- Tokyo Lives by Mark Hersberger (sent by author)

From the Library:
- Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich (audio book)
- Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich (audio book)
- The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory (audio book)

Bought:
- Aphrodite's Kiss by Julie Kenner
- Noble Intentions by Katie MacAlister
- The Mile-High Hair Club by Naomi Neale
- Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

I've already finished Motor Mouth, so expect a review for that soon.  Audio books are great for when I'm knitting or crocheting!  I get two things done at once...it makes me feel so accomplished, lol.

Anyway, pictures of these books will come after I move...so sometime within the next few weeks.  Keep in mind...I've got finals coming up now.

REVIEW: The V Club

Title: The V Club
Author: Kate Brian
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover
# of pages: 280
Source: Library

Summary:

When Victoria A. Treemont, the most revered and reclusive woman in Ardsmore, Pennsylvania, passes away, she leaves behind a $160,000 scholarship fund that rocks the worlds of students at Ardsmore High School.  The successful candidate must "exemplify purity of soul, spirit, and body." Everyone agrees that this caveat can mean only one thing: The recepient of the scholarship must still be holding on to the big V.

Welcome to the V Club—where members embrace abstinence, get off on civic duties, and heat up their chances to clinch the Treemont scholarship. What better way to prove purity than to pledge allegiance to the virginity flag? Besides, chastity belts are sooo 1300s.


Kai, Mandy, Debbie, and Eva have put their futures on the line. But will their deepest insecurities and darkest secrets ruin their chances at the scholarship, or worse, their relationships? Or will they discover the true meaning behind Mrs. Treemont's famous last words?

Review: (note: this review may contain offensive language)
This book reminds me of my senior year in high school, except mines wasn't so drama filled. Senior year of high school is all about applying for college and applying for scholarships to pay for college. At least that's how I felt, and that's the premise of this book. All the main characters are applying for a scholarship, which has all the same requirements of a regular scholarship plus one extra: the recipient of the scholarship "must exemplify purity of soul, spirit, and body." This scholarship will test friendships and other relationships…who knew applying for a scholarship could bring so much drama?

The premise of such a scholarship is definitely interesting. It was fun to see it all unfold throughout the novel, with best friends competing for the same scholarship. I really liked the characters in this one, because they were so real. They all had problems that were explored throughout the book, and in the end I think they all became stronger from their experience. They all learned something about themselves and overcame obstacles. However, I still had some issues with some of the characters. My favorite character was Eva, and my least favorite was Debbie. Debbie claims to be Eva's best friend, yet after learning that Eva liked Riley, that Riley and Eva had set up a date, and that this was the first guy Eva was ever interested in, she still went for Riley. And she was surprised that Eva was hurt after she caught her best friend mauling her crush?? SERIOUSLY?! She even said it was no big deal. And she wonders why people think she's a slut…That may not seem like a very nice thing to say, but I don't like Debbie's character much. I guess that conflicts with me saying that it was fun to see how the competition for the scholarship unfolded between best friends. But I feel it's different, because I feel a scholarship is meant for competition, while a boy is not. You should never go for your best friend's boy. It's like an unwritten rule. Anyway, even though I don't like Debbie as a person, she is a very real character…she did have her own problems to deal with…and I guess she tried to make up for it in the end.

This novel had an interesting storyline and great characters, and I would definitely recommend it, especially if you like YA.

Rating:
Plot - ★★★★★
Characters - ★★★★1/2
Ending - ★★★★1/2
Overall - ★★★★★

Book Blogger Hop!

I just joined the Book Blogger Hop!  It's hosted by Crazy-for-Books.com and is a really great way to find new, interesting book blogs to follow! :)

Midterm Season

It's midterm season again, but that's not the reason why I haven't posted all week.  I just haven't...because I've actually been quite busy.  I have dance practice 3 nights a week, until pretty late.  And then I had homework due this past Thursday, so I was working on that.  Then I also had a doctor's appointment.  But I didn't do any studying yet...

That will be for this week, since all my midterms are this Thursday.  I don't think I'll be getting any leisure reading done this week.  At least not until Friday...But I may post a review or two, since I have some that I'm writing up/working on.

Then, I'm also thinking of joining even more challenges. HAHAHA I just really like them, because they give me somewhere to start when looking for new books to read.  So here are some I'm interested in:
- The Royal Mistress Challenge
- French Historical Challenge
- Stephanie Plum Challenge
- Jean Plaidy Challenge
- The Debutant Ball Challenge


That's all for now~

Recap: Apr. 11 - Apr. 17, 2010

Currently Reading
- On the Brightside, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God
- The V Club

Books Read
- N/A

Books Added to TBR Pile
- N/A

Books Added to Wishlist 
- Hex Hall

Books Reviewed
- Executive Privilege
Note: I've got lots of books waiting to be reviewed...I hope that I'll be able to work on those reviews starting next week...Just that, I don't always have time to write them right after I finish reading and then I forget exactly what I was thinking/feeling about it and have to reread it again, so I can give the best review I can.  And that takes more time...xD

Challenges Completed
- N/A

Challenges Joined
- Thriller and Suspense Reading Challenge
- What's in a Name? Challenge

On My Wishlist #001

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme that allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. If you are anything like me then your wishlist is getting longer by the day! If you would like to take part and have your own 'On My Wishlist' post then you can find more info here. (This post was inspired by the fab In My Mailbox by Kristi at The Story Siren)"

 I always have so much on my wishlist!  Here's just a few:

Title: Abby Cooper: Psychic Eye
Series: Psychic Eye Mysteries
Author: Victoria Laurie
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Publisher: Signet
Buy @ Amazon
Other Books in the Series:
2. Better Read than Dead
3. A Vision of Murder
4. Killer Insight
5. Crime Scene
6. Death Perception
7. Doom With a View
8. A Glimpse of Evil

Title: What's a Ghoul to Do?
Series: Ghost Hunter Mysteries
Author: Victoria Laurie
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Publisher: Signet
Buy @ Amazon
Other Books in the Series:
2. Demons Are a Ghoul's Best Friend
3. Ghoul's Just Haunt to Have Fun!
4. Ghouls Gone Wild

Title: Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Paranormal YA
Publisher: Hyperion
Buy @ Amazon

MYSTERY: Executive Privilege

Title: Executive Privilege
Series: n/a
Author: Phillip Margolin
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: Recorded Books
Format: Audio Book
# of pages: 10 discs = 11.5 hours
Source: Library

Summary: 

"Hired by a prestigious D.C. attorney and Presidential confidant, ex-cop turned private eye Dana Cutler shadows campaign volunteer Charlotte Walsh--documenting the lovely political science major's whereabouts with pictures and voicemails.  The boring surveillance becomes interesting one night when Charlotte has a clandestine meeting with the President of the United States.  After the 19-year-old's body mutilated body is found the next day, police conclude Charlotte's the latest victim of the D.C. Ripper.  But Dana has evidence that implicates someone in the White House.  Hoping to stay alive long enough to prove it, she hops on her Harley and roars away." - Back Cover

Review: This was the first audio book I ever listened to.  At first, I wasn't sure I liked it, but as I got further along into the story, I couldn't stop listening.   It was also the first Phillip Margolin book that I've ever read.

Usually, I only read cozy mysteries, so this whole reading of a Suspense/Thriller audio book was a new experience for me.  I'm not sure if it was the narrator or the author's writing that made this one of those "can't put down" stories, but both definitely contributed.  The storyline was excellent, as was the narrator's reading of it.  This story simultaneously unfolds on separate sides of the country, with parts taking place in Washington D.C. and parts taking place in Oregon.  I found it to have a nice pace, with clues and details slowly being revealed and everything coming together nicely.  I usually figure out whodunnit by the halfway point in the novel, but I actually couldn't figure out the real person behind it all, until quite near the end.  Also, the characters were very real, with flaws and depths to their personalities.  I really liked that.

All in all, I give it four and a half stars, just because I was able to figure  out whodunnit.  But I still really liked this, and this will definitely not be the last Phillip Margolin book that I read.  Nor will it be my last audio book.

Rating:
Plot - ★★★★★
Characters - ★★★★★
Ending - ★★★★
Overall - ★★★★★

CHALLENGE: What's in a Name?

AND ANOTHER ONE! Because it sounds fun. :)

Find the challenge here: link

Timeline: January 1 and December 31, 2010

Challenge: Read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a food in the title.
2. A book with a body of water in the title.
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title.
4. A book with a plant in the title.
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title.
6. A book with a music term in the title.