Review: Daughters Join the party

Emma, the last to know anything in her family, learns that her father will be running for President - on the day she gets kicked out of her boarding school. She was attending a summer session, but now her parents are scrambling to find her a school for the fall.

Her parents force her to attend the same school as her overachiever perfect brother - Remington. He's the golden boy of the family and the school.

Emma feels out of place next to him. Her family views her as a screw-up. She can't seem to do anything right. Luckily at school, she hangs out with Lizzie who introduces her to Hudson and Carina.

The three girls welcome Emma with open arms. Can Emma change people's opinion of her?

My Thoughts: I LOVED this series and I'm sad that this is the last book. I loved Emma's story. I loved her spunk, her outspokenness, and her daring attitude. I loved her determination and her spirit. I loved the romance, drama, and strong friendships in this series. I can't wait to read what Joanna Philbin writes next!

Cover Thoughts: Adorable - I love these covers and how they pop.

Source: My Library

Joanna Philbin came to RJ Julia's - a great independent bookstore not too far in CT. Here we are:


And here's the READ poster I made:

Debut Author Challenge 2012

This is my second year participating in this challenge.

Here are some of the books I'm looking forward to reading:

Born Wicked : great cover - I love stories about witches. Plus there's banned books, tea parties, and a forbidden romance.
Gathering Storm: great cover with glittering balls, raising the dead, and a the choice between two boys.
Queen of Glass: No cover yet on goodreads and not much description - but a key word of assassin
Ditched: I really like prom books and this one look very different
Spies and Prejudice: the combination of Veronica Mars and Jane Austen sounds awesome
Pretty Crooked: Modern day Robin Hood with romance
What She Left Behind: family drama, a missing mom, and a big mystery
Seeing Cinderella: Magic glasses change the way Callie looks at the world
Cross my Heart: The death of her sister forces Laura into a different life - where things aren't what they seem.
Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters: Looks awesome! Kelsey 's starting high school and she's determined to have a lucky year - however things don't go according to plan.
The Selection: America wins the chance to capture the Prince's heart - even though she has a secret boyfriend back home.
Reunited: Love the road trip idea with three girls who used to be best friend

Tween Tuesday Review: Stonekeeper

Emily and her family move to her grandfather's house after her father dies. She's never met her grandfather and his house has been long neglected.

They need to work on getting it ready to live in. While cleaning, Emily finds an amulet necklace. She immediately puts it on.

One night, they hear noises. When their mother goes to inspect the noise, she disappears through a door in the basement.

Emily and her brother don't want to lose her too, so they both enter the door...and are transported to a strange world. How far will Emily and her brother go to rescue their mother?

My Thoughts: An interesting and entertaining start to a graphic novel series. I kept seeing this book pop up on various blogs and wanted to see what the fuss was all about. It was a fun read with great illustrations. It leaves you hanging for the next book. I know several tweens who will gobble it up.

Cover Thoughts: I like it - it's mysterious!

Source: My library

2011 Debut Challenge: Wrap- Up

For the first time, I joined the debut author challenge.

Here are the books I've read from debut YA authors this year:

Faerie Ring
Liar Society
Bunheads
Hourglass
Goddess Test
Enclave
Divergent
Clarity
Paranormalcy
Vixen
Kat, Incorrigible
Die For Me

I might have read more and I know I didn't read all the ones I listed for the challenge. Still, participating in the challenge made me more aware of debut authors, which was great!

If You Like....Stepfamily stories

If You Like… is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love. This week’s post includes recommendations for stories about stepfamilies.

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Check out these stories, you might like…

Review: Faerie Ring

Tiki and her family of orphans have been living in a secret room near Charing Cross Station. They make their living picking pockets in Victorian England. Lately their luck hasn't been too good.

Tiki has a bit of luck one night when she arrives at a mansion. After stealing a bit of food from the kitchen, she ventures into the library by mistake. There she finds a ring set in gold with a large ruby. The ruby flickers and almost calls to her.

Tiki takes the ring and hides it.

Little does she realize that the ring is actually a symbol between the Queen and the fey. As long as the ring is protected, the truce remains between them remains. However, if something happens to the ring, all bets are off.

The fey don't want to the ring to resurface while Tiki wants nothing more to get of the ring, once she collects the reward. She can't think of anything except a better life for her and her family. But will her greed create havoc for humans?

My Thoughts: I Loved this book! I loved the setting, the magic, the twists, and the romance. I loved the parts with the royals. I loved the street setting and the glittering ballgowns. I love Rieker. A wonderful debut novel and I'm so happy it's the start of a new series. I can't wait to read more about Tiki.

Cover Thoughts: I love the focus on the ring

Source: My Library

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you and your family and Happy and Health Thanksgiving. May it be filled with good food, family and friends, love, and a good book to read