The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard

Publication Date: January 7, 2010

Summary:

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

My Two Cents:

This book is about main character Colt, who sees the very popular and rich Julia by chance one night, they hit it off and become secret lovers for a year. They go to the same school, yet that's the only thing they have in common. Julia has her own life, her own friends, a boyfriend and she lives in the richest neighborhood called Black Mountain while Colt lives in the Flats which is the most poor. They travel in different circles so they secretly meet up every Friday night. After a tragic accident, Julia dies and the only trace of their secret affairs is a journal she left behind with letters written to Colt that she'd never given him. In this journal we get more of an insight to their relationship by seeing things from her perspective.


I had high hopes for this one but it really just didn't do it for me. I needed this author to take this synopsis and run with it. I felt like it stayed on the whole issue of their secret relationship for the whole book. At one point (I won't give spoilers) I thought we were moving on to the next issue. However, by the end of the book we were back to square one. Yes, they had a secret relationship. Yes, he loved her. Yes, she died and he can't grieve the way he needs to because no one even thought he knew her. Okay now that all of that has been established now what? I felt it was missing that extra thing that makes readers continue to read.





Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine :-)



Sleepless by Cyn Balog


Publication Date: July 13, 2010



Why I'm so Antsy:

Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest. But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved.

In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her. . . . Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves? Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.

I was not crazy about Cyn Balog's first book Fairy Tale. It seemed like it was dark and serious when yet it was quite fluffy! This one promises to be much more darker than the first one so I'm looking forward to Balog's serious side.


Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Publication Date: May 3rd, 2010

Why I'm so Antsy:

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship. To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.

Just look at the cover!! What are you waiting on?

Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton

Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton

Summary:

I am so dead... Now, was I supposed to go left or right at the Light?

Seventeen-year-old Amber Borden has a lousy sense of direction—so lousy that she takes a wrong turn when returning from her near-death experience. She ends up in the body of the most popular girl in school, who has just tried to commit suicide.Can a girl who can't even navigate the halls of Halsey High discover the secrets of her new identity and find her way back to her own life?

My Two Cents:

When main character, Amber's body "dies", on her way back to her body she makes a wrong turn and ends up in the the beautiful and popular Leah's body. Instead of being overjoyed, she's on the hunt throughout the book just to get back to hers. Amber Borden is certainly one of a kind. She's definitely the type of girl I'd love to hang out with. I love that the author made her so likable. In this book, we learn a lesson that beauty isn't everything.

Leah was living the fabulous life, popular,rich,loads of friends...yet very unhappy. Amber on the other hand wanted to be Leah but when she got the chance she saw that things always look great when you're on the outside looking in. I found this book to be very entertaining and Amber definitely kept me laughing the whole way with her different schemes to get back in her body. She was such a clutz but you had to love her! After inhabiting Leah's body she became thankful for her overweight mom, her weird friends, and her very normal looking crush.


Something to Think About:

Sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side. So, we should be thankful for the life we live because it could always be ten times worse.

Rating: 3 Out of 5 Stars

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren :-)


Right now I'm working on making over my blog and also finding my way around this whole blogosphere so please be patient with me. I will try to do these on Mondays.



Anywho, Here's what I got:

Don't mind the quarter in the picture!

Possessed by Kate Cann

Love, Lies, and Texas Dips

For Keeps by Natasha Friend

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Front and Center by Catherine Murdock

Shadowland by Alyson Noel

Woohoo for all of these! Reviews coming soon! What did you get??

The Complete History of Why I Hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Background Info:


Nola wants nothing more than a summer of her own--and a job at an upscale Maine coast resort sounds ideal. She'll have plenty of beach time between waitressing, some freedom from stresses back home, and the chance to make new friends. Enter Carly, the the perfect pal: full of jokes, ideas, energy--and experienced at being away from her mysterious family. but Carly turns out to be much more complicated than the standard summer buddy--her borderline personality can turn on Nola in a flash, and even love becomes a rivalry. As the girls' instant friendship unhinges by subtle, increasingly powerful turns, the commonplace becomes dramatic--and the outcome unforgettable.





My Two Cents:



First off, I couldn't WAIT to read this one. I was able to snag an ARC of this from The Sexiest Place on Earth! This book was a really quick read having only been 181 pages. Has anyone ever seen that movie "Single White Female"? Well that movie pretty much explains this book. Main character Nola meets Carly on her way to her summer job at a resort in Maine. They hit it off like two old pals on the way there and eventually depart to their destinations. Somehow a couple days later Carly ends up being Nola's roommate. They begin the fastest freiendship I've ever seen. They've become a dynamic duo with Carly taking the lead. Slowly but surely Carly begins spilling Nola's secrets, making her feel silly in front of their friends and more importantly Nola's crush Harrison.




Carly begins to take on things that make Nola...Nola. She wants to run, she wears Nola's clothes, she cuts her hair exactly like her, she contacts Nola's dying sister. Pretty damn creepy if you ask me! There's a huge blowup at the end courtesy of Carly and Nola is forced to make some hard choices. For me the ending was a bit abrupt. A couple of my questions went unanswered. All in all I liked reading about Crazy Carly's (as I've nicknamed her) antics. She was completely nuts but soo entertaining. Hopefully there's a part two!

Something to Think About:

Carly found it easy to take over Nola's identity. She just didn't know how to be herself...which is sad. My question is how do you see yourself? What makes you who you are?



Rating: 3 1/2 OUT OF 5 Stars


Side note: This ARC will now continue on to The Princess Bookie ARC Tour hosted by my buddy Cindy!