Forever Princess

Forever Princess ends the fairy tale story of New York City girl Mia Thermopolis discovering her true identity. Mia hasn't been writing in her journals for roughly two years as she's been working on her senior project. She lies to everyone, making her project sound incredibly boring, when really she's been writing a romance novel. She's spent the last two years dating J.P., not talking to Lily, and worrying about the rest of her life. Now, she has many life choices to make, including where to go to college. But instead of telling everyone the truth about: her senior project, her acceptance letters to colleges, and her feelings, she's lying to everyone. Mia's trying to understand herself before sharing the news with the rest of the world, but with deadlines looming and senior year coming to a close, she's almost running out of time. Can she figure things out in a royal fashion?

It's the perfect ending to the modern fairy tale that has captured so many hearts.

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Home for the Holidays

I'm going to Vermont for week to spend the holidays with my family. It's going to look like this:

hopefully that means we'll go sliding, maybe skiing, and I've been promised that this year, I'm allowed to try my sister's new snow shoes. I'm hoping for snowball fights followed by hot chocolate and cookies (in that order). Mostly I'm just looking forward to seeing everyone. And especially a few faces when they open their presents.
And of course, I'm bringing home several special books to read during the week, is seven too much or not enough? I'm thinking it's just about right...but we'll see.

Happy Holidays Everyone
I'll be back soon with my thoughts on Forever Princess

Most Entertaining Books of 2008

These books made me exceedingly happy during the year. Some I waited months to read, some I picked up on a whim. I know not all are "2008" but since I read them this year, I'm counting them on the list. Of course there are some I might be missing. And these are only a handful of books I've read this year.

Best book that made me think of Jane Austen's era.

Best Snarkiness, plus I just love the idea of cheerleaders as spies. V. Clever.

Best College series

Best new series

Best Jewelry idea

Best fate book

Best new author to watch

Best sequel

Best Series end

Best Mythology

Best Zombie book

Best gaming book

Best beach romance

Best books (also the sequel) with a look into the political world

Best Action book

Best new mystery series

Best historical fiction

Best magical book

Best new fairytale

The series I want to continue...tomorrow

Funniest book about high school stereotypes

Best online companion: Awesome start to a great new addicting series.

Best Books of 2008

Purge (I know this comes out next year, but It's AWESOME. Everyone should read it.)

Hunger Games: Crazy Good

Audrey, Wait: funny, very funny

Skies over Sweetwater: great historical tale -about a little known piece of history

13 Reasons Why: tapes from a girl who committed suicide

Other 2009 Movies I'm anxious for...

Bride Wars

Inkheart

Confessions of a Shopaholic
(even though I think it might be completely butchered as far as the books goes)


Angels and Demons

X-Men Origins: Wolverine


Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

My Sister's Keeper

The Proposal

The Year One (no photos available yet)

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

New Moon

Night at the Museum 2 Trailer

Really like this trailer, anxious to see the movie now

Dark Whispers: Book 3 in the Unicorn Chronicles

The land of the unicorns,Luster, is in danger. Their ultimate enemy, Beloved now holds a key to entering their world. The unicorns know that time is precious while they wait for the blood moon to enter the sky and Beloved to enter their world. There's rumor of a greater threat, one behind Beloved, who's secret lies in their ancient history. But when they look in the books, it's clear pages are missing. Thinking that this story might be useful in their upcoming battle, Cara's grandmother, the Queen of the Unicorns, sends Cara, three unicorns, and the keeper of the stories to the Valley of the Centaurs to gather this tale. They need to move quickly and quietly across the land. But they do not make it there without detection. Delvers track them and in a battle, take Cara as prisoner leaving the others behind. Cara doesn't know what they want with her, but she suspects, they want the amulet she wears, the amulet that allows her to cross back into Earth. Will she allow them to take it or will she fight back, even though she's alone?

I Love this series and this book is no exception. There's drama, action, betrayal, and friendship found in these stories. I was a little disappointed because I thought this series was a trilogy, but it is not. I'm hoping the wait to the next one isn't too long. because the cliff hanger at the end is HUGE.

4th and 5th grade book group

Ingraine the Brave:

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Middle School January Book Group

Middle School Choice: HOOT

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Reviews from www.teensreadtoo.com

Damosel plays by the rules.

The Lady of the Lake creates the sword Excalibur for Merlin’s new champion. Damosel doesn’t like crowds, so
when she receives an invitation to Camelot, she sends her cousin, Nimue, instead. Nimue craves power and she finds herself drawn to Merlin. When Merlin teaches her a powerful spell, she traps him in a cave with magic. With Merlin out of the picture, Camelot could be in serious danger. Damosel finds Merlin and promises him to watch over Arthur and guide his decisions. Unfortunately, she finds Pelleas, a heartbroken knight. When she heals him, she falls in love with him. All other thoughts, including her promise to Merlin, fly out of her head. She doesn’t realize that while they become content in their lives together, Camelot’s falling. Can she stop the fall of a kingdom?

With DAMOSEL, Stephanie Spinner pens a unique tale of the Arthurian Legend from the Lady of the Lake’s point of view.

Savannah didn’t ask for a fairy godmother, but after her boyfriend dumps her for her sister, she’ll take all the help she can get. Instead of a fairy godmother, she gets Chrissy, a fair godmother. Chrissy doesn’t fully listen to her wish because she’s late for a shopping expedition, so she sends Savannah into the Middle Ages, as Cinderella.

Savannah’s stuck as a servant, in a life she never wanted. Chrissy doesn’t come back until she’s met Prince Charming (who’s not a nice guy). Savannah’s home for a few minutes trying to explain her wish, when Chrissy sends her to become Snow White. Savannah’s beyond frustrated with her fair godmother.

She’s stuck back in the Middle Ages with dwarfs treating her like an airhead because she doesn’t remember anything and she can’t cook. Finally, her fair godmother answers her calls. Savannah returns home. Frustrated beyond belief, she tries to explain her feelings, hoping that she won’t be sent off on into yet another fairy tale.

Instead, she’s pleasantly surprised when she stays at home. She loves the luxurious amenities of home compared to the Middle Ages. The next morning she discovers that her possible prom date went MIA. Finally, she connects the dots and figures out that he’s been sent back to the Middle Ages to become the prince she wanted. He can’t return home until he’s become a prince. Can she go there and rescue him - or will they both disappear into the Middle Ages?

Janette Rallison writes a very funny and unique novel about love, wishes, fairy tales, and how to list all the ideals of a boyfriend (carefully, of course). If you like fairy tales, you won’t want to miss this one!

The Carlyle triplets are back in the spotlight and shaking up Manhattan.

Baby’s decided that Manhattan looks good right now, and that includes J.P. With that decision made, she has to worm her way back into the heart of Constance Billard. All she has to do is revive the school’s art magazine. Will her bohemian ways match the artsy direction of the magazine and push her further away from the elite crowd? Avery’s busy with board meetings with ladies at least fifty years older than she is. The almost daily meetings consists of gossip and very little else. It’s hard to imagine that Avery’s almost friendless, but will the last remains for her reputation be shot now that the word is out that she’s never had a boyfriend?
Owen’s having his own love troubles. He’s still hung up on Kelsey, but since Rhys adores her, he’s trying to stay away from her. But sooner or later, they’re going to have to confront their emotions.The scandalous secrets flow from the new socialites and they’ll do almost anything to stay on top. How far is too far?
This is one series that will grab your attention and not let go. And I LOVE the background of the cover.

Murphy and Leeda plan on traveling home for the summer, Murphy to escape city life and Leeda to listen to her grandmother’s will. Leeda expects to be gone within two weeks, back to the city and her boyfriend. The reading of the will changes her plans and potentially her life’s direction. Murphy’s trying to run away from her feelings about a certain boy she left behind at the end of last summer. Will she see him again this year and, if she does, what is there left to say?

Birdie didn’t plan on coming home this summer. Recently engaged, she decided to spend her time in Mexico. But on a whim, she rushes home, breaking things off with Enrico. Then she hears the news that her father plans on selling the orchard and its decrepit house to retire. Her heart breaks twice over the summer and she desperately needs something to help her heal.
Together the girls have one more summer on the orchard while they deal with their lives in separate ways. Friendship, love, and survival guide the girls together. Jodi Lynn Anderson wraps up her amazing trilogy wonderfully, leaving readers fully satisfied.

Facebook Flair

I've created a page of facebook flair and I LOVE it. It's quickly becoming my new addiction. You can only post 20 a day and it takes a day for them to appear. So it's going a bit slowly, but surely. Check it out here and let me know what you think. And, of course, pass them along to all your friends. *if you want to make some for yourself, just add in teen books in the tag, so they all show up together!*

Writing Contest: What My GF Doesn't Know

Are you a teen writer? Check out THIS contest then. It's based off of Sonya Sones's book and your entry could be posted on her blog!