Review: Unraveling

Wow… this book has left me begging for more! There are so many twists and turns that it leaves you reeling from each new revelation. This book is just under 450 pages and I finished it in less than 24 hours. From page one, I was hooked. I felt like I WAS Janelle. I could connect with her because she felt like someone I used to wish I could be. She is headstrong, loyal, and is constantly getting involved with her father’s FBI cases, and this leads to troubles that Janelle is not ready to face. After one fateful day at a beach, she is saved by Ben Michaels and this sets off a series of events that she is hell-bent on stopping. With her father, best friend Alex, and the suspicious Ben, she starts an investigation that ends up with disastrous results.

I had this book sitting on my shelf and was not in a hurry to read it because of its size. I usually love reading large books but I did not have time to invest in a long novel. I am very glad that I decided to read this when I did! It was a quick read for me and I loved it. I loved every one of the characters, Alex especially. Alex is extremely loyal to Janelle and you can’t help falling in love with his happy, go lucky attitude and his willingness to stick by her no matter what. I also fell in love with Ben. He is a technologically advanced teen who is unwilling to do anything that will knowingly harm another person. He truly cares about Janelle and my heart broke when he had to make certain decisions regarding his future.

I can’t even begin to describe everything that happens in this book, so I won’t! I wouldn’t want to spoil it for anybody. I just want to say how great it was! I loved the plot line, the different curveballs that were thrown in, and the fact that the ending was full of heart-pounding action that left me speechless!  

-Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Expected Publication: April 24 by Balzer + Bray

Authors Website and Twitter

My favorite quote from the book, 

"The shirt is from a concert two summers ago I didn't even go to, because the book I was reading turned out to be crack. And well, I chose the book over the concert, because I'm like that." - "Unraveling" page 107

That sounds like something I would do! :) Make sure to check out this book when it is released on April 24!

Review: The Boy Project

This is a cute book for younger teens. By the time you reach 7th grade, everyone has had a boyfriend! Or so Kara McAllister thinks. She is so upset because she is the only person who hasn't had a boyfriend, or even her first kiss! Even her best friend got her first kiss during spin the bottle! All Kara got was a lousy handshake. This is what gives Kara a great idea. She has to turn in her science fair project in a few weeks, and what would be better than to do a project on what makes a good soul mate (or boyfriend). She uses the scientific method and different charts, graphs, and surveys to create her data on her project. This witty book takes you places that no 7th grade girl should have to go, including the boys' bathroom! Kara has to go through the ins and outs of middle school drama: including liking her best friend's boyfriend, being teased by the "popular girls", and having to deal with "unfair teachers". I feel like this book is something that any girl, 4th through 8th grade, could really identify with. Kara feels like she is the only girl without a boyfriend and she learns throughout the book that it is okay to not have a boyfriend, and she is able to really discover that she is special in her own way. By being true to herself she is able to gain a lot of new friends, respect, and maybe even a boyfriend....


I loved the fact that the author was able to integrate the scientific method, bar graphs, circle graphs, line plots, and surveys into a cute book that any girl would love to read. In order to gather data for her project, she goes through some interesting situations. She even ends up in the boys' bathroom! It is easy to imagine this story as having actually happened. The situations that Kara gets put in are laughable and you are able to feel sorry for her as she is trying to maneuver her way through middle school.This is a quick read and a great book to help lift up your spirits! It is not a book that I would usually read, and it is certainly geared towards younger, female readers, but it was still enjoyable to me! 

The Boy Project (Notes and Observations of Kara McAllister) by Kami Kinard
Released on January 1, 2012 by Scholastic Press
Buy it here: Amazon    Barnes and Noble 

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: • Grab your current read • Open to a random page • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



"I'm not sorry. Hannah deserved what she got. No one is going to see it that way, but I'm glad that I hurt her. I wonder if that means I'm crazy."

- "Breaking Beautiful" page 70 by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

If you liked the teaser and are interested in learning more about this book.. Check out my review

Review: Breaking Beautiful

What’s worse, being the only survivor of the crash that killed your boyfriend or having no memory of it?

Allie and Trip had what seemed to be the perfect relationship. They ruled the school; he showered her with gifts, and gave her all the attention and love that she could ever want. Or did he?

 Trip was killed when his truck was driven over the edge of the cliff and Allie is the only one who was there. She was somehow able to jump out of the truck before it went over but has no memory of what actually happened that horrible night.  The whole night was ruled an accident- until the case is reopened and the evidence points to Allie and her best friend, Blake. Will the truth be found? Or will the threats and voice that keeps haunting Allie cause her to do the unthinkable?

This book combines everything. There is a love story, mystery and thriller story all mixed in together. Slowly, throughout the entire book, Allie begins to remember bits and pieces from that night and she tries to put it all together. She is being followed and threatened and has become the school outcast. Everyone has turned against her, except for her brother, Andrew, and her best friend, Blake. Allie knows secrets about Trip that she should have told long ago and she is afraid to do it now. I really enjoyed watching Allie grow and mature throughout this book. She was able to come to terms with herself and her past. She is able to find out who her real friends are and she is able to learn what it means to be truly loved.

I really enjoyed this book. There is a little something in it for everyone! I loved that it was a tragic story, filled with mystery and love. I also think it sheds some light on dating violence that teenagers need to understand. This is a book that every teenage girl should read. This is a wonderful debut novel that will keep you guessing until the last page!

Expected Publication: April 24, 2012
Author: Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Review: "Of Poseidon"

 Galen is underwater royalty and an ambassador to the humans. Even though he hates humans, just like all Syrena (mermaids... although they take offense to that term) do, he has a close relationship with two humans: Dr. Milligan and Rachel. Dr. Milligan is the one who made the call that changed his life: a girl in Florida seems to be able to control the fish.  Galen rushes to find out what is going on and if this girl can possibly save his kingdom, and ultimately, the world. 
I really enjoyed this book! There were a few points that left me thinking, "really...?" this was mainly because some of the book was really cheesy. I really enjoyed the banter that flew freely between Emma, Galen, Rayna, and Toraf. Even though this is one of those books that is obviously not real, you are still able to connect with the characters. I understood the confusion, hurt, and elation that Emma went through, and even Galen as well. This story is told from Galen and Emma's alternating points of view. I loved being able to be in the minds of both main characters. I also really enjoyed how much of the storyline we saw played out between the minor characters. 
The majority of the story seemed to unfold the way you would have predicted it, then, BAM!, the author threw in a curve ball at the end that leaves you wishing you could put your hands on the next book! You are able to see how all of the pieces fall into place and it leaves you feeling content with the ending. Basically, I mean that you feel a closure with this part of the story while it opens up a whole new plot line for the next book.
Anna Banks has taken an old idea (what with mermaids and all..) and has transformed it into a new take on the rulers of the sea: Poseidon and Triton. I enjoyed this story and I think it will be one that all mermaid folklore lovers will enjoy!


"Of Poseidon" by Anna Banks
Expected Publication: May 22, 2012
Check out the author's blog!

March New Release Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the March New Release Giveaway hop! This hop is hosted by Book Twirps and Refracted Light.

There will be a different book given away at each of the stops. At the bottom of this post are all the sites participating in the book hop. Make sure to visit (and follow) everyone and enter their giveaways! :-)

So, On to my part in the hop!

There are two books up for grabs this month: "The Difference Between You and Me" and "Illuminate." With two books there will be two winners!! Good luck! Don't forget to check out all of the stops involved in the hop!

Review: Sweet Evil

Anna has always been able to sense how other people feel, it's a sixth sense that only she has, or so it seems. When Anna turns sixteen she learns that she is the only daughter of the Duke of Substance Abuse. She is half guardian angel and half fallen angel. Her adoptive mother can only tell her that the key to her past lies with two people in California- the nun that helped deliver her and her father. Unfortunately, the nun is elderly and does not have much time left and her father is in jail. In an effort to get to the nun before she passes away, Anna heads on a long road trip with Kaidan, the son of Lust. Anna is the all around sweet, southern girl that lives a pure life and Kaidan's job is to destroy it all. Neither of them is ready for the feelings that they evoke within each other. Can they keep Anna safe as they battle the demons swirling around them? Or will they fall victim to their own sins?

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: • Grab your current read • Open to a random page • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 "Option Three: Pray for a lightening bolt. A deadly one that you feel in advance because the air gets all atingle and your skin crawls-- or so the science books say. It might kill us both, but really, he should have been paying more attention to me when he saw that I wasn't paying attention at all."
-"Of Poseidon" by Anna Banks
Expected Publication: May 2012


If you like the sound of this book, check out my 100 follower giveaway where this book and many others are up for grabs!! 

Book Tag

Book Tag!
Here's how to play:
1. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you in their post.
2. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
3. Tag 11 people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them!
5. Include these rules and a link to the person who tagged you with your post.

I was lucky enough to be tagged by three awesome bloggers, Steph's Stacks, Annie in Wonderland and Reading Kelly. I was tagged a while ago but only now had enough time to sit down and write my answers! So, here goes nothing :)

100 Follower Giveaway!

Wow!! I can't believe I am lucky enough to have 100 followers already! I started this book blog on January 1 with help from one of the most awesome people ever, Sarah from Sarah's Books & Life. I have had so much fun participating in weekly meme's, giveaways, and writing reviews. I have made a lot of great friends along the way and have really enjoyed getting to read everyone's comments! 
When I first started my blog I was like, "no way will anyone want to read what I have to say..." I have loved being proved wrong day after day! It is so cool knowing that there are people out there who take the time out of their day to read my reviews and take part in my giveaways. 
So, in honor of the fact that I have reached 100 followers I have decided to host a giveaway! There will be FIVE winners!!


I have put together five different prize packs of three books each. Exactly what is going to be in each prize pack is a surprise, but, there will be at least ONE of the following in each prize pack: 

Make sure to enter and tell your friends! Good Luck!! :)
Stephanie