Serena and Blair: The most fabulous, trendsetting serial killers

From PW:

Von Ziegasar Goes 'Psycho'
Cindy Eagan, at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, bought North American rights to a reimagining of Gossip Girl by the series creator, Cecily von Ziegasar. Sara Shandler at Alloy Entertainment brokered the deal, and the book, Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer, will riff on the original title that launched the popular YA line about a group of wealthy Upper East Side teenagers who attend a posh Manhattan private school. The book, which will be a mashup in the style of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, is, as a rep at LBYR put it, "a serial killer version of the original Gossip Girl novel... or, put another way, ‘Gossip Girl: Slasher Edition.' " In Psycho Killer Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen—the two central characters of the series—become the "most fabulous, trendsetting serial killers" around. The title, which will be released under LBYR's Poppy imprint, is scheduled for October 2011.

Sounds interesting...

Review: Legacies

Spirit White wakes up from a car accident to discover her body's beat up, her parents and her sister died, and her house burned down. She has no one in the world and no possessions. It's hard to fight back, but eventually time heals her.

Then she learns of a school for orphans where her parents set up a trust for her in case anything ever happened to them. It is a huge mansion filled with amenities for sports and academics. It's also a place for people with magical abilities. Spirit believes there's been a mistake. She has no magical powers.

It's quite evident during the first day of testing. However, she's a legacy to the school. She must have one; it simply hasn't appeared yet.

Despite its grandeur, Oakhurst thrives on rules. As Spirit's finding her place at the school and amidst all the guidelines, a student goes missing. It might not have made a huge difference, until another student disappears, too. Spirit and her friends begin to question these disappearances and come to the conclusion that there's something strange going on at Oakhurst. Can they solve the mystery before the same thing happens to yet more students, possibly one of them?

My Thoughts: LEGACIES is a fun start to a new series that creates a blend of magic and mystery with a dash of potential romance. Once Spirit and her friends comprehend the danger within the school, they do everything in their power to change the situation. They must unravel layer upon layer of mystery, all while keeping their suspicions to themselves. I loved the double lives they lead and the lengths they go to in order to keep them separate. I'm curious to see where book two will go.

Cover Thoughts: The cover first drew me into the book - while it doesn't quite match the book, it's mysterious and intriguing.

Source: My library - also reviewed for www.teensreadtoo.com

Mysterious Saturday Review:Sinister Sprinkles

Right in the middle of the Winter Festival, someone lets out a horrifying scream as if someone's been murdered.

Darlene Higgins is dead.

Suzanne has a past with this woman - and so does her ex-husband. When Max hears he's wanted for questioning, he goes into hiding.

At first Suzanne resists poking her nose into police work, but she can't let Max go down in flames. Nor does she want him back. She simply wants to clear his name and let the town get back to normal...

My Thoughts: Each time I read one of these books (this is the 3rd in the series) I CRAVE donuts. It's impossible not to. I love this series for the tasty mouth-watering donuts, for the relationship between Suzanne and her BFF Grace, and also her relationship with her co-worker Emma. There's a just a hint of romance to shake things up a bit in this small town mystery.

Cover Thoughts: Love it! It fits in well with the rest of the covers

Source: My Library

Next Up: Evil Eclairs out at the end of April:

Review: The Liar Society

OUT IN MARCH:

Kate receives an email from her dead best friend Grace and her whole world changes. Grace couldn't really be emailing her from beyond the grave...could she?

Either way, it turns out Kate was RIGHT about Grace's death. It wasn't an accident and Grace's boyfriend might know more then he's letting on.

Kate uncovers Grace's pearls for luck and starts digging up the past.
The more clues she uncovers, the more emails Grace sends her, and the more dangerous her life becomes. With all the rumors, it's hard to know who to trust.

Does Kate have anyone watching her back? Could it be her nerdy neighbor who has a conspiracy obsession and a major crush on Kate? Could it be a boy with a dangerous past, but a wicked smile?

Will Kate solve the mystery of Pemberley Brown's past and find out what really happened the night of Grace's death?

Obtaining the Book: I've been stalking the authors of this book for months -because I couldn't wait to read this book and because they're hilarious. Their blog makes me laugh daily. So I was super happy when I found this gem in my mailbox - and it IS a gem. I had already read the first chapter online (something I don't normally do because it only makes me want the book even more - which this one did). I was hooked from the first little bit and I never looked back.

My Thoughts: I seriously loved this book and I tweeted about my need for the next book RIGHT NOW. I loved it because of mystery, the romance, the friendships, sense of danger, and the LAYERS. As Kate unravels the mystery of Grace's death,, the reader finds out what happened after Grace's death. I loved quirky nerdy Seth and his competition (not really) Dylan who's the edgy bad boy. I loved how these three fit together. I loved the clues scattered all over the school and researching the history of the school. All in all, I just really loved this book.

Cover Thoughts: I like the cover. I love the girl in her uniform and the pearls. I think the pink hair adds some flair. I'm not crazy about the sign though. I wish it had an emblem on it or something different. That said, I do think that this cover screams to be picked up.

Source: Publisher

Check out the Book Trailer:

Challenges: Debut Author Challenge

Review: Unfriendly Competition

When the headmistress of Canterwood Crest calls Sasha, Julia, Alison, and Heather into her office, they have no idea why they're signaled out. They soon discover the hp address for the blog is coming from one of their dorm rooms.

If one of them doesn't come forward with the truth about writing the blog - they will all be expelled within the week.

Sasha's dumbfounded. She can't believe one of the trio is writing the blog, especially when the blog writes up a nasty post about her talking with Eric. She's trying to not to focus on the blog and enjoy things.

She's loving her time with Jacob, getting along with the trio, enjoying her new roommate, attempting to heal the friendship with Paige, and doing her best with riding.

My Thoughts: The end of the series featuring Sasha. As usual, I loved the book. However, I didn't feel like the title/summary meshed well with the book. There's not much discussion of the new girl until the end of the book. While I hate saying goodbye to Sasha, I'm curious to see where Lauren will take Canterwood Crest. Plus I feel like we're leaving Sasha in a great place right now.

Cover Thoughts: I love the covers of this series - they're beautiful and eye catching and just perfect.

Source: My Library.

Up Next: Sasha passes the torch to Lauren - coming in May

Review: Black Book of Buried Secrets

The book of secrets introduces several pieces of information already known to readers of the 39 clues, but also adds to the story.

It's broken up by branches including the Madrigals. The branches spill their secrets and some identities of their agents - past and present.

My Thoughts: I love how the authors are the real agents in this book - a great twist. A great finale of the first series where all the material comes together. I love reading about the hot spots of the various branches of the family, the family history, the tricks and tools, and famous members. The layout makes for a fast read and includes great pictures.

Cover Thoughts: I love it! It fits with the whole concept.

Source: Inter-library loan

Up Next: Vespers Rising out in April

Tween Tuesday Review: Aphrodite the Beauty

When Aphrodite walks into a room - all conversation from godboys stops. They all turn to look at her. While she loves the idea of love and matchmaking, she hates all the attention.

She decides to help Athena and give her a makeover. Aphrodite does such an amazing job that soon all the godboys flock to Athena instead. Aphrodite isn't sure she likes the change in behavior.

In fact, she might be a tad bit jealous of all the attention her friend's getting. How can she get things to change back to normal without causing a rift with one of her best friends?

My Thoughts: A cute tween tale that focuses on jealously and boy mixed with friendship. Aphrodite and Athena have plenty of misunderstandings and miscommunication- including eavesdropping between them. I love this series for the potential romance between the goddess girls and the godboys, for the strong friendship between the goddess girls, and for the fun twists on mythology.

Cover Thoughts: Really cute and fits in with the both the series covers and the story. I love the differences between the two boys and the pink ribbon weaving through Aphrodite's hair.

Source: Inter-Library Loan

Up Next: The fourth book Artemis the Brave

Dark Days of Supernatural

Pitch Dark presents The Dark Days of Supernatural:

Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber


Unearthly by Cynthia Hand


Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting


Afterlife by Claudia Gray


Check out their facebook page for author info, a chance to win prizes, and more!
Or check out their website

Plus new dark books and summer tours will be announced soon!

No Name Calling Week

Sticks and Stones DO hurt, but so do words.

No Name-Calling Week is an annual week of education activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities.

Here's a list of books dealing with bullies (it's from the Eastern CT Librarian Blog that I help run) While you're there, check out some of our other book lists. As always it's a work in progress.

For more information - check out the site

Adult Review: Mr. Darcy's Little Sister

Most girls can't wait for their debut and presentation to the court but Georgianna isn't most girls. She's nervous and has a horrible feeling she will mess up dreadfully.

She's so shy that it's painful for her to talk to strangers. On top of that, her social graces need serious work. Now that her brother's getting married, there are big changes ahead.

She doesn't want to feel like an outsider in her own home. Georgiana's only met Elizabeth Bennet once. She's nervous about meeting her again.

Elizabeth smooths over her feelings, happy to have a new sister in her life. As Elizabeth comes to understand her role as the new mistress of Pemberley, she strives to help her new sister feel at ease in society. Together the new sisters form a a deep bond while tackling the elite society.

As her season commences, Georgianna finds herself happier and look for potential husbands. Before long, she knows that one man in particular has captured her heart. If only she could get him to notice her...

My Thoughts: As an avid Jane Austen fan and particular fan of Pride and Prejudice, I love reading other sequels. I found this a delightful read. I loved watching the relationship between Georgianna and Elizabeth grow and blossom. I loved watching her interact with the rest of Elizabeth's family. I loved reading more about Georgianna's other friends. It was nice to see more of the slice of the Darcy family mentioned in Pride and Prejudice. All in all, a very enjoyable sequel.

Cover Thoughts: Very elegant and ties in nicely with the book

Source: My Library

Mysterious Saturday Cover Reveal: Lost and Fondue

The second book in the Cheese Shop mystery series will be out in May. I'm So looking forward to this read as I Loved the first book (read my review).

I really really like this cover. I like the set table and the bits of cheese. But I LOVE the open windows and the view of the mountains. Heavenly!

Your Thoughts?

Mysterious Saturday Review: Arsenic and Old Paint

Annie Kincaid might have just made the worst business decision of her life. She joined forces with ex-art thief Michael X. She's not sure if the ex is true. At the moment, he's been MIA for a week. Annie doesn't know what to do next.

She's working on a restoration project one morning when she and her assistants hear screaming. They follow the screams and discover a man positioned in a bathtub - dead.

The work is for an old boys club with strict rules. Typically women aren't allowed in the club unless they've been invited by a member and vetted. Annie and her assistants must pack up and leave as the police start investigating the murder.

Annie gains two more projects from her business with Michael - one is to seek out information about a potential forged Gauguin and the other is to track down a rather large bronze statue.

My Thoughts: I love this series. This is the 4th one and has a very different look to it. I'm a huge fan of art from the Renaissance and Impressionism, so I love reading about restoring art or forging works of the Old Masters. I love the love triangle and the quirky side characters, especially those in the art world. There several encounters with dodgy characters. I love that Annie's own past is somewhat murky. I love the depth of the secrets, especially with the old boys club. All in all, there's plenty of twists, danger, and action to make this a fast paced read. I'm eager for the next book in the series.

Cover Thoughts: Love how it connects to the book, but misses the old cover style

Source: Inter-Library Loan

Fun Fact: Hailey Lind is the pseudonym of two sisters: Carolyn J Lawes and Julia Goodson-Lawes (a historian and an artist) Julia also writes mysteries under Juliet Blackwell

10 Things: Book Quotes

When I was in college, I had a professor talk about book quotes. So I started writing down lines from my favorite books. I'm very out of practice because it takes so much time while reading. But here's a few of my favorite quotes from books read years ago. These are coming in order of books read.

1. Princess Diaries: "Why is it that the only time I can tell the truth is when it's guaranteed to get me into trouble. "

2. Book of Three: "In some cases," he said, "We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself."

3. Black Cauldron: "I'm not speaking to you!" she cried to Taran. "The way you acted, it's like asking someone to a feast, then making them wash the dishes! But - farewell, anyway. That," she added, "doesn't count as speaking."

4. The Important of Being Earnest: "I am sick to death of cleverness. Everyone is clever nowadays. You can't go anywhere without meeting clever people. The thing has become am absolute nuisance. I wish to goodness we had a few fools left."

5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: "She seemed to be taking the library's lack of useful information on the subject as a personal insult; it had never failed her before."

6. Mates, Dates, and Inflatable Bras: "The seeds of today are the fruits of tomorrow. The thoughts of today are the actions of tomorrow."

7. So You Want to Be a Wizard: "reading one book is like eating one potato chip."

8. Paper Towns: "But then again, if you don't imagine, nothing ever happens at all.

9. 3 Willows: "Polly was pretty good at dieting, all right, but she was beginning to wonder whether you ever lost the parts of yourself you wanted to lose."

10. Map of the Known World: "That someday I'll reach a point where all the wishing and dreaming and hoping finishes in something grand."

Review: Rhymes with Cupid

Elyse hates Valentine's Day ever since last year when her ex-boyfriend broke her heart and stole her best friend. Unfortunately for her, she works at a mall gift card complete with Valentine cards, chocolates, and singing cupid dolls.

When a cute boy comes into the shop, she encourages her best friend to flirt with him. Belong long, she realizes that the boy in question is her next door neighbor and he has a crush…on her.

Elyse isn’t interested in him or any boy.

The more she pushes Dina and Patrick together, the more she notices that something isn’t right. Could she be giving love a second chance?

My Thoughts: Rhymes with Cupid is a cute read and perfect for this time of year. I love the banter between Elyse and Patrick. Patrick is always getting things wrong, awkward at talking to girls, smart, and very sweet. Elyse is still overcoming her grief, blunders her way through several situations, but just wants the best for her friend. A sweet read.

Cover Thoughts: Sweet

Source: my library

Review Bloody Valentine

Three short stories:

Oliver finds himself longing for Schuyler. He knows that she's gone possibly forever and yet...he's in so much pain. He can't get her out of his head. Then he meets Freya. She might have the power to break the bond between Oliver and Schuyler.

Allegra doesn't feel right after what happened in Florence. At the moment, Charles is her twin brother. In this world, a twin brother with a crush on you doesn't fit in. Allegra cares for Charles, but she feels no longer worthy of his love. Instead, out of guilt and anger she pushes him away. Matters don't improve when she starts spending time with Ben.

Schuyler and Jack have been waiting for their bonding - waiting for the time when they will truly belong to each other. Schuyler wants everything to be perfect. She searches for the right dress to make the occasion perfect. There's one thing missing from her big day: her friends. Jack goes to great lengths to reach out to her friends in hopes they will join the couple. But Schuyler's great wish could also be her downfall.

My Thoughts: I love this series and seeing more from my favorite characters made me happy. I enjoy the merging of the past and present which leads to understand more of the present. The three stories made this for a very quick, but satisfying read.

Cover Thoughts: Very bright and intriguing

Source: my library

Next Up: A adult novel with some Blue Bloods cross over characters: Very creepy eyes on the cover. Actually both covers look a bit similar to me. I wonder if Freya will be one of the witch characters... Looking forward to this read.

Review: Time Riders

Three teens, all from different time periods, have the same man visit them asking them the same question: Do you want to die, or do you want to live a strange but helpful life?

Each choose to live.

They come together as Time Riders, a group of people who live days over and over again looking for any significant changes in the world. Liam, Maddy, Sal, and their robot, Bob, are responsible for watching the world on September 11, 2001. They're not allowed to do anything, as it will change the entire history of the world.

When they notice something amiss, Liam and Sal travel back in time for a reconnaissance mission. While their time is informative, they miss the window of opportunity to return. Stuck in the past, they need to learn everything they can to change the future and set the world back to normal. Back in the present day, Maddy is dealing with her own troubles. Liam and Sal's travels to the past changed their world, creating grave danger. Can the team set the world to rights?

My Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I'm not a huge lover of time travel. The changes in both time and perspective intensify the situations in TIME RIDERS, creating a fast-paced read you won't want to put down. This story provides lots of action, lots of danger, and lots of plot twists.

Cover Thoughts: I really like it, especially the wheels near the tittle and the dates popping up.

Source: reviewed for www.teensreadtoo.com

Review: Ice Claw

Max Gordon and his friend, Sayid, are in the French Alps where Max participates in an Xtreme sports challenge. While practicing for the event, Max crosses paths with a monk who dies before his eyes. The monk screams out a clue with his last dying breath after saving Max's life. Max can't forget the monk.

He needs to know who murdered the man and why. With dangerous men after him, he needs help. Luckily, one of the boys he competed against lends him a hand. Max doesn't give him the full story. He's not sure who to trust.

He and Sayid, who is hurt, do their best to unravel the mystery. They can't do much because Max's face is plastered all over the news as a murder suspect. Can Max clear his name by revealing the true murderers - before those responsible come after everyone in his life?

My Thoughts: The sequel to THE DEVIL'S BREATH, ICE CLAW contains the same fast pace, danger, action, and adrenaline rushes as the first book. Again, Max fights against nature, his better judgment, and bad guys to stay alive. He's persistent, smart, determined, good-hearted, and lucky. The first chapter sucked me in and I was hooked for the entire wild ride. I can't wait for the next DANGER ZONE novel!

Cover Thoughts: I love this cover for it's simplicity and yet it conveys the danger of the wilderness and of Max as a target

Source: My library - also reviewed for www.teensreadtoo.com where I gave it a:

Mysterious Saturday Review: False Impressions

April can't understand the family dynamics of one of her Stamping Sisters. She can't fathom not claiming the ashes of a loved one.

Mary-Lou doesn't want to talk about her brother. April can't get it out of her mind. She simply doesn't understand. When Mary-Lou's daughter calls out of the blue, April learns more than she wanted to know.

J.B. isn't dead, he's in hiding. He's not proud of his past.

Not much later, April discovers his body left out in the cold. Someone wanted to shut him up for good.

April digs into his past to uncover what he knows and who wanted him dead.

My Thoughts: I couldn't put this one down - it was so engrossing. I never saw the ending coming. I really love the bits about the stamping circle. There's also one stamping project in the back of the book. The only part that doesn't ring true to me is the friendships of the stamping circle. April seems to be often on the outside of the circle.

Cover Thoughts: I really like it. I love the stamping products all over the ice.

Source: Inter-Library-Loan

Cover Reveal: Liar Society

I've been super excited to read this book - their blog ROCKS! And I've read the first chapter and am completely hooked! I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

It's super sassy and intriguing! I love her hair and her attitude and those pearls over the tie!
I have a feeling this one will fly off the shelves!

Thoughts?

Cover Reveal: Trial by Fire

I LOVED the cover for Raised by Wolves
Here's the cover for the sequel Trial by Fire coming out this June (I can't Wait!!!!)

It looks very similar and ties in nicely to the first book - which I LOVED. It was one of my favorite reads last year.

Thoughts?

10 Things: Fantasy Books

I'm an avid fantasy reader. I'm going to attempt to keep my list down to my 10 favorite reads but I AM going to cheat a bit and use series. Otherwise it would be a very boring list.

1. Song of Ice and Fire (starting with Game of the Thrones) - possibly the BEST books I've ever read - great characters, lots of plot twists, lots of double crossings

2. Harry Potter: An amazing series that sparked a world to read again!

and now in random order:

3. Chronicles of Prydain: great cast of characters, epic quest, funny, charming, lots of action and danger, romance, and it's based on Welsh folklore

4. Graceling: I love the main character for her strength and courage.

5. Eon: Another awesome female character that defies a nation


6. Dealing with Dragons: I love the twist on the Princess story

7. Artemis Fowl: awesome characters, smart nerdy boy, fairy world, technology, and word wars make for a great series


8. Sweep: Addicting read, not only for the witchy powers but also for the relationships within the story



9. Song of the Lioness: I love the boldness, determination, and loyalty. I love that Alanna takes her brother's place as a knight and keeps her identity hidden.



10. Percy Jackson: I love the blend of the modern world with mythology, the action, the danger, and modernized Gods and Goddesses

Review: Vixen

Three girls in Chicago look to make their dreams come true, against all odds.

Clara isn't the good girl she's pretending to be. Her past includes herself as a Flapper in New York City. She's desperately wanting to let out her true self when she first enters the famed speakeasy the Green Mill. However, if she wants to keep her life, she must remain seemingly innocent.

Gloria feels trapped - she's engage to the most eligible bachelor in Chicago who has all the right connections, but she feels bored with life. On a whim, she bobs her hair and finds herself drawn to the speakeasy and to one man in particular.

Lorraine wants one boy in particular, if she can just get him to look at her in that way, everything would be perfect. Too bad she can't see that she's throwing herself at him and he's not interested. Lorraine also doesn't understand why her best friend is pulling away. She longs for the days when it used to be the two of them and they knew each other's secrets. Now she has one gigantic secret from Gloria and it's killing her.


My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this read. I loved watching Clara evolve and change - struggling with her past and with her new feelings. I liked the relationships between the three girls and how they tried to be daring and succeeded in someways. I loved reading about the glitzy parties and the gorgeous clothes.

Cover Thoughts: I really like it - the hairstyle, the lace, and the gilded furniture.

Source: my Library

Similar Read: Bright Young Things

Up Next: Ingenue in August:
Challenge: YA Historical Fiction
2011 Debut Author

Review: Ghost Huntress: The Reason

Kendall isn't sure about her life's direction anymore. Two months ago, she had a dream of her death. She isn't sure what to do or who to confide in. She doesn't want to worry her friends or her family, but its hard getting this secret locked inside.

Is she over-obsessing?

Luckily, she has a new ghost hunting case. The mayor of Radisson is having body aches. As Kendall passes the house one day, she notices a ghost peering down from the window.

Kendall and her team check it out and discover this spirit isn't friendly. She's actually quite dangerous. Is Kendall in over her head? Will her dreams become a reality?



My Thoughts: A unique series about taking power into your own hands. I love the ghost hunting aspect of this series. This is the third book in the series filled with danger, ghosts, forging friendships, romance, and family drama. Kendall discovers more about herself in this book that turns the series upside down. The hint of danger kept me turning the pages, loving the excitement.

Cover Thoughts: These are very unique covers. One aspect I love is the dreamy feel and seeing how the objects tie into the story.

Source: From the publishers: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Red Carpet Book Display

I took my post of my favorite books and turned it into a fun display for the teen area:

These books are flying off the shelf!

Cover Reveal: Ingenue

The 2nd book in The Flapper series following Vixen!

I LOVE the cover!
It's elegant. I like the gloves and the dress, but the HAT, the hat seals it for me.

I just finished Vixen over the weekend (review coming next week). So I'm looking forward to reading this one when it comes out in August!

How about you?

Review: Last Sacrifice

Rose is in jail, awaiting her trial for the murder of Queen Tatiana. Rose isn't good at being patient and away from the action. She can't stand being locked up. It's driving her crazy.

Then her father lawyer comes for a visit telling her the trial date has been moved up. Now, instead of having a month, they might have two weeks. Rose knows that's not going to be enough time to uncover the real murderer.

She doesn't have much time to worry because on the date of the funeral, her friends break her out of prison. Now she's on the run and supposed to go into hiding.

But Rose never does anything the easy way. She also has a secret to uncover from the late Queen. Can she clear her name and put the kingdom back to rights or will she be forever on the outside?

My Thoughts: Perfect ending for an amazing series. I'm not going to say too much, because reading something on twitter spoiled the ending for me, but just rest assured that it's the best ending ever.

I'm SO looking forward to the spin-off series. I can't wait to find out what happens.

Cover Thoughts: Love it! I love how the gate ties all of them together.

Source: My Library

Review: Winter Longing

Winter has two best friends - Lindsay and Spencer. She's been in love with Spencer for years. She finally finds the courage to ask him to the winter formal dance. He says yes. The share an amazing kiss.

The next day, he goes up in the skies for his pilot's license. His plane crashes and he instantaneously dies.

Winter collapses into a deep dark depression. She's not sure she can bare his loss. Everything reminds her of him.

Her neighbor Jesse attempts to draw her out her shell. There are days when he succeeds. She believes that she can escape this melancholy stage. Then there are moments when something happens to spend her back into a tail spin.

Can Winter pick up the pieces of her life and start living again without feeling as though she's betraying Spencer?

My Thoughts: When I picked this up, I thought it was a light-hearted winter romance. I was partially right. I enjoyed the story. I like how it explored death. Winter went through stages of grief while Lindsay dealt with hers and moved on. I liked the tug and pull of Winter's relationship with Jesse. I liked how something ordinary could make her think of Spencer. They seemed to have a great friendship. I liked Winter's self discovery. I loved the ending of the novel, but the experience built up the tension, the emotions, and the drama.

Cover Thoughts: A little misleading, but very attractive

Source: Inter Library Loan

Similar Reads: Twenty Boy Summer or Lurlene McDaniel

Mysterious Saturday Review: Diva Cooks a Goose

Sophie's ready to have a very Merry Christmas with her family, until someone in her sister's neighborhood steals all the presents. Sophie's recently separated sister-in-law's father brings another woman to dinner leaving everyone feeling uncomfortable.

Unfortunately this woman is familiar to the family. They're attending her Boxing Day party the next day. There the woman makes another scene, angering Sophie's family. It's not long before she turns up dead. The murder weapon appears to be a present re-gifted many times over.

Amidst many suspects and many family issues, Sophie needs to unravel the murder before it's pinned on one of her family members.

My Thoughts: I really love this series. I love the quirky characters, the decorating tips, and the cozy neighborhood. This is the 4th book in the series and just as enjoyable as always. I loved reading the Christmas mystery. There were plot twists, budding romances, crazy family members, and lots of food.

Cover Thoughts: Cozy and inviting.

Source: my Library

Ten Things: Bookish Anticipations for 2011

Now that we've rung in the New Year - let's talk about the amazing bookish year 2011 promises to be. It's really hard to pick just ten, but I'm going to attempt it.

1. Game of Thrones on HBO- I'm seriously debating add this to my cable - just for this show. It's actually based on one of my ALL TIME favorite series
2. Eona - seriously LOVED Eon - have been waiting AGES for this book
3. Lola & the Boy Next Door - adored Anna and the French Kiss, can't wait for more by Perkins.
4. Liar Society - read the 1st chapter- HOOKED
5.Outside In - Love Maria V. Snyder, can't wait to see what's in store for Trella
6. What Happened to Goodbye - adore Sarah Dessen's books.
7. Trial by Fire - adored Raised by Wolves, one of my favorite werewolf reads. Plus the author is awesome!
8. Sweet Valley Confidential: 10 years later (I devoured these books in my teen years and I'm beyond curious.)
9. Medusa Girls - I LOVE Tera Lynn Childs and can't wait to read the start of this darker read with girls kicking butt.
10. Abandon - LOVE Meg Cabot

What books are you most looking forward to reading this year?

Blue Bloods Trailer

Historical Fiction Challenge

Are you up for the challenge? I sure am. I really love historical fiction novels.
I'm choosing to read 15.

Level 1: 5 YA HF books in 2011

Level 2: 10 YA HF books in 2011

Level 3: 15 YA HF books in 2011 ***

I'm not sure which books I will be reading, but I here are several I've been wanting to read

1. Revolution
2. Sphinx's Queen
3. Vespertine
4. Annie Between the States
5. Vixen
6. Forge
7. Healer's Apprentice
8. Queen's Daughter
9. Wicked Girls
10. Wildthorn
11. Faithful
12. Midnight Tunnel
13. Bloody Jack
14. Kat, Incorrigible

15. Orphan of Destiny