Jane by April Lindner

The Description:

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, a world-famous rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance.
But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is soon tested by an agonizing secret from his past. Torn between her feelings for Nico and his fateful secret, Jane must decide: Does being true to herself mean giving up on true love?

My Review:

When I saw the cover I thought, "Wow, that is amazing and spooky and... simple." I saw the the title Jane and had an inkling of what it was. When I read the description, I squealed in the middle of the book store. I had just read Jane Eyre for my AP Lit class and it was pure luck that I would find the teen fiction version of it. I don't know if I was a little bias when reading the book because I loved Jane Eyre so much but this book was absolutely amazing. It took me one day to read and I just couldn't put it down. The book Jane drew many parallels to the original Jane Eyre. It had the exact same timeline as Jane Eyre and even had the same names. Like, in Jane Eyre, there was St. John Rivers but in Jane it was River St. John. You have no idea how hard I laughed when I read his name. I scared my cat to death... or to the litter box. Lindner even kept the traditional and famous quotes from Jane Eyre such as, "Am I hideous Jane?" "Yes sir, you always were." Jane also gave better and more understandable reasons for certain situations than in the original. I would give an example of this but I realize that would give away an important part of the story so I'll let you guys figure it out once you read it. If you're a fan of the classics and don't mind reading a different adaptation then this is your book! If you haven't read Jane Eyre but find that Jane is the book for you, then that's great too! Though I believe you will get the most from Jane, its humor, wit, and all in all romance if you read Jane Eyre too. At least to compare!

Song Selection (What I believe Nico would have sung to Jane) - What makes you beautiful by One Direction

My Rating:

5 -- Best Book Ever group; Imprinted its awesomeness in my brain

Movie Review: The Woman in Black

Description:

Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a widowed lawyer whose grief has put his career in jeopardy, is sent to a remote village to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased eccentric. But upon his arrival, it soon becomes clear that everyone in the town is keeping a deadly secret. Although the townspeople try to keep Kipps from learning their tragic history, he soon discovers that the house belonging to his client is haunted by the ghost of a woman who is determined to find someone and something she lost… and no one, not even the children, are safe from her vengeance.




My Review:

Oh my! Our very own Daniel Radcliffe (affectionately and famously known as Harry Potter) has come into his own. His first big movie after finishing the last Harry Potter movie has arrived with a bang! I read many reviews before going to watch it and only heard/read good reviews. The trailers promise a frightening and suspenseful, paranormal thriller. Boy did it deliver. The beginning starts out a little slow, trying to get through all that background information. Once you catch up and Arthur (Radcliffe) has visited the house for the second time is when the action begins to heat up. Left and right you are scared out of your wits. The simplest noise or movement will cause you to jump out of your seat. Now you can say that I'm a little immune to scary movies, so most of the time I laughed during the scary parts. Though at the end is when I, yes the courageous and brave poobah Sarah, started to scream. The end is quite controversial. Many people were dissatisfied while others thought it appropriate. For me, I found it a fitting ending that tied all the loose ends of the story.

My Rating:

5 -- Best Movie Ever; Imprinted its awesomeness in my brain

Die For Me by Amy Plum

The Description:

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity. When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent. Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an
undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

My Review:

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. Some of you may be wondering if I judge a book by its cover. The answer is yes I do. I saw this interesting cover and thought, "This is going to be interesting." Though I was disappointed in the fact that the pattern on the cover has nothing to do with the story but only makes it aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The whole concept of revenants is something that I had never seen in a novel, let alone a teen fiction novel. The detail that Amy Plum puts into this book is absolutely amazing. Often I would find myself imaging myself there in France, drinking coffee in bistro's and clubbing with Kate and her sisters. Though the one thing that I was a little standoffish about was that the relationship between Kate and Vincent reminded me of Edward and Bella! I would have been offended by this turn of events if the story wasn't so interesting. I'm really excited to read the next book in this series! I'm also guiltily hoping for a love triangle to emerge! We shall see...

Song Selection (describes Vincent's and Kate's relationship) - Grenade by Bruno Mars

My Rating:

4-- time well spent; hopes it will become a movie

Parajunkee's Blog Hop

Q: When you've read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

A. I depend on the type of rating I give a book to decide what I'm going to do with it. Ratings of 4 and 5 stay with me for a VERY long time. I mean, every book that I have rated a 4 or 5 is still on my bookshelf. I feel that my books are my children. You know I clean the shelf and make sure they're not dusty. But when I receive a 3,2, or 1, they are just taking up space. (I hope that wasn't too harsh) I like reading books over and over and most of the time, the 3's and under I rarely touch. Each book is special, but there are just some books that maybe other people will appreciate more than I do. So I usually take the books that don't make the cut to McKay's Used Book Store and get trade. I'll use the trade credit to buy more books! So the cycle continues!

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Description:

It's always been just Kate and her mom and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests. Kate is sure he's crazy until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.



My Review:

This was a book I had chosen for my book club. I had gotten it for free at Netgalley. All readers have a specific genre that they love and for me that's, Historical Fiction and Mythology. So when I saw this, well you know I'm going to read it. There have been many teen fiction books written concerning mythology. Some of you may know the Persey Jackson books! But none have been written about Hades. Especially not ones that support that Hades is a misunderstood, sensitive good guy. The beginning of the book starts out a little confusing. If you're dumb like me, you don't understand the beginning until the very end. The heroine is someone I truly liked and rooted for the entire novel. Carter keeps you on your toes as you go through the seven tests with Kate. Trust me, some of the tests you really don't see coming. And the ending... Forget about it! My other book club friends said they saw it coming but I had no idea! That's how amazing it was. One thing I didn't realize until the end is that The Goddess Test is a series. So I am anxiously waiting for the next book in the series!

My Rating:

4 -- time well spent; hopes it will become a movie

Vacancy.com Blog Scholarship

Hey guys! So I'm getting ready for college and all of you know how expensive that can get. I really need some cash and I saw a great scholarship opportunity with Vacancy.com.

Bascially, by going to Vacancy.com, you will receive great service and it's easy to use. Literally! The homepage is has very nice primary colors that highlight its main uses. A nice BIG easy to use map illustrates Vacancy.com efficiency to use data and it makes a Neanderthal like me seem smart. Any qualities you want in an apartment is there right at your fingertips. All you have to do is put in your city, state, and/or zip code, press a few buttons and BAM! You have your perfect apartment.

I'm seriously going to use Vacancy.com when I start looking for apartments for college. I know they will give me the best deals. I've already found my dream apartment. Located in Nashville, TN, only a short distance from the downtown metropolitan area and I have a great view of the court yard. It's small enough for me and a friend, and it's also within a good price range. (Plus there's a playground for me to play on late at night!)
Here's the link: http://www.vacancy.com/tennessee/nashville-apartments/marina-manor-east-apartments/photos/

It's so easy a caveman could do it!! ;)

Parajunkee's Blog Hop! 10/21 - 10/24

Q. What superhero is your alter ego?

A. Hmmm... I would have said Catwoman, but that seems to be a popular choice on this week's Feature Friday. So I looked all around my house for inspiration and I found one of my favorite movies: The Crow. Even though the main characters throughout the series are guys, I can totally see myself as one of them. First of all, I love the face make-up. My mom thought it a little clownish but I think its awesome! Kind of like an opera mask. Second of all, when they are wronged by evil people, the crow gives them a second chance (which I'm all for) to get revenge. I told you how I like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland right? Well the guys that play "The Crow" are just like him. Insane and attractive.




In the picture: Eric Draven

Forgiven by Janet Fox

The Description:

Kula Baker never expected to find herself on the streets of San Francisco, alone but for a letter of introduction. Though she has come to the city to save her father from a cruel fate, Kula soon finds herself swept up in a world of art and elegance - a world she hardly dared dream of back in Montana, where she was no more than the daughter of an outlaw. And then there is the handsome David Wong, whose smiling eyes and soft-spoken manner have an uncanny way of breaking through Kula's carefully crafted reserve. Yet when disaster strikes and the wreckage threatens all she holds dear, Kula realizes that only by unlocking her heart can she begin to carve a new future for herself.



My Review:

I love reading stories about real life events, even if they are fictional. My usual reads are about the Titanic, but you find out later on in this series that this book is about the fire in San Francisco. Now some of you may be mad at me at this time because I mentioned the fire, but I assure you, that's only part of it. while many parts of the plot confused me, the characters were well written with great personalities. Kula was someone you can connect with. Someone you can empathize with. Especially if you feel that you're an outsider in society. The scenes throughout the book, describing her journey and adventures, were very detailed, giving the illusion that you're actually there with Kula. I will say this, and this is big because it kind of ruined the whole book for me. I HATED the ending! The ending was horrible! It was one of the worst endings I've ever read in a book. I believed this book should have had a better ending but it didn't. So like a disappointed child, I'm going to pout and say that the beginning and middle were ok, but the ending ruined it.

My Rating:

3 -- Eh, was ok but the book will definitely end up in the donate pile

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

The Description:

protect the diamonds
survive the clubs
dig deep through the spades
feel the hearts
Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.
That's when the first ace arrives in the mail.
That's when Ed becomes the messenger.
Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?

My Review:

I've read The Book Thief that was also written by Markus Zusak, so I began reading I Am the Messenger with high expectations. Zusak did not let me down. Speaking through the voice of a young, 19 year-old cab driver, you set off on a mind-boggling adventure that keeps you in suspense until the very end. You meet so many amazing characters, Ed's friends and the people he helps. Sometimes he's telling the story in third person, and then at some rare moments, he speaks directly to you. The lessons you learn are simply amazing. With Zusak's writing, you always walk away with a new outlook on life. Even though the end was a bit of a let down (I had hoped the story would continue) I would recommend anyone who likes suspense and slice of life genres.

My Rating:

5 -- Best Book Ever group; Imprinted its awesomeness in my brain

Just another Manic Monday! (With New Arrivals!)

So it's been a crazy couple of months with school starting and college applications needing to be completed. But now it's FALL BREAK! And I'm hoping to get a LOT of reading done. Especially since I've been feeding my addiction these last couple of weeks and hoarding books from my local used bookstores.

These are the recent additions to my bookshelf family:

• Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter



• Gateway by Sharon Shinn



• Halo by Alexandra Adornetto



• Forgiven by Janet Fox



• The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter



• The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross



• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins



• Bloodlines by Richelle Mead



• Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris



• The Plague by Joanne Dahme



• Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler