Winners of Order of Darkness

JenBax and Vicky have each won a copy of the book. Congrats!!!!

Tween Tuesday Review: Pandora the Curious

* Goddess Girls Series #9*

**Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens. Join the fun! **   

Pandora's always been curious. As a mortal attending Mount Olympus Academy, she feels out of place. Her need to ask questions helps her feel more grounded.

When Epimetheus  carries a box down the hallway, it sparks interested. Most of the interest comes from the godboys bullying him with a game of keepaway, but for Pandora, seeing the box brings up lots of questions.

She wants to know what's inside. Pandora itches to have her hands on the box. Before long, it flies into her hand. It takes her seconds to open the locked box. Inside rests various color bubbles, which escape before Pandora can close the lid.

No one else notices the bubbles, but as they begin to pop, Pandora notices her friends acting strange. Could she have accidentally caused it?

My Thoughts:  Another fun installment of this adorable series. I felt bad for Pandora as she strives to fit in at school. White asking questions helps her, it doesn't endear her to the other students. It wasn't my favorite book of the series, however I was happy to read more about my favorite characters and to see the school from other perspective. 

I felt like Pandora should have made the connection between the bubbles and the strange behavior long before she did.  I liked how different her friends acted under the bubble's spells, especially Artemis. 

Cover Thoughts: Great - it really captures the book.
Source: Inter-Library Loan

Top Ten Tuesdays

 Top Ten Favorite Romances-  working with teen romances today, but this is going to be a tough list to create. There are too many great romances, you know how I love romances....

meme from The Broke and the Bookish

So in no particular order....here are some of my favorites! 

Princess Diaries and Ransom My Heart
Anna and the French Kiss / Lola and the Boy Next Door
Graceling
This is What Happy Looks Like
Truth about Forever 
Countess Below Stairs
Hourglass
Agency series
Waiting for You
Vampire Academy series

What are some of your favorites?

Review: One Times Square

A historical look at One Times Square - from farm land to a legendary landmark.

My Thoughts: I don't normally read nonfiction, unless the subject catches my eye. It's a genre I struggle with at times. I read a great review of this in PW and put it on my to-read list.

This nonfiction read is perfect for tween readers. I loved learning about this space as it changed from farm land to a place for hotels and newspapers to billboards and New Year's Eve celebrations. Subways, World War II ending, and baseball scores played a part in the history. 

I loved the maps of buildings incorporated into the illustrations and how Joe McKendry showed the changes of various buildings - how they were torn down and rebuilt over the years. The illustrations are fantastic.  The text and the illustrations are so rich, it makes this book fascinating and easy to read.

Cover Thoughts: Great
Source: My Library

Book Character Outfit: Eleanor Swift

I'm in the middle of Killer Crust and loving it.

It might be why I'm craving pizza all of a sudden (not that I need an excuse, I adore pizza). Here's what I picture Eleanor wearing while she works at Slice of Delight - her pizza shop.

The pin will also go up on my Library Pinterest Board

Mysterious Saturday Review: Capture the Flag

Three teens find themselves at a party with their parents at the Smithsonian. One amuses himself with a video game, one with a Harry Potter book, and one tries to interview some of the more important guests at the party.

The next day they all find themselves in the airport - each heading for Vermont. A blizzard hits, trapping them in the airport with all flights delayed.

Then the news hits - the flag that inspired "The Star Spangle Banner" has been stolen. It happened either during the party or just afterwards. Anna has a crazy idea that the flag just might be stuck in the airport with them. She convinces the two boys to help her look around the airport. Will they be able to uncover something that the police have missed?

My Thoughts: Half National Treasure - half Die Hard 2 - this awesome book happens in the course of 24 hours - complete with humor, mystery, action, and plenty of danger. I'm intrigued by the secret society and can't wait to see how that develops more in future books. 

I loved how the teens escaped into the off limits area of the airport, the baggage area was my favorite part of the book. I enjoyed Jose's love for Harry Potter and how he carried the books around with him. I liked how Anna wasn't afraid to ask questions, trying to get an interview. I like how Henry used his video game knowledge in real life. I loved how the teens were strangers in the beginning, but how the day pulled them together as friends. Sinan and his dog, Hammurabi added comic relief.  I wasn't surprised by the ending, but I enjoyed watching the trio uncover evidence. 

Cover Thoughts: Love It!
Source: ILL
Up Next: Hide and Seek - out in April

Snowmageddon

A blizzard is approaching New England today, I gathered all the books I have out from the library and made a fort - thanks to a suggestion on Twitter. (Have I mentioned that I'm addicted to Twitter?). I'm also addicted to the library. I check out library books for various reasons: an author I'm hoping to meet, because the book looks awesome, because  I'm addicted to the series or author already, or because someone recommended it to me.

I'm a high library user - I have been even before I started working at a one. I've been working at a library at one time for another since I was about 16.  I love finding new books to read and I love talking about them, which is why I love blogging! 

I thought I'd share my books:

Here's Cabot checking out the books. He loves smelling books and sometimes he licks then. He's not so much a fan of new books. He likes the older books -the ones who have more smells.