Top Ten Tuesday on Wednesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish. This week is the Top Ten Books I Just had to buy but are still sitting patiently on my shelf waiting for me to read it.

1. 3 Willows by Ann Brashares- Loved the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book and this keeps the sisterhood going. I had to to put it on my Christmas list one year and I had to have it, yet it is waiting for me patiently to read it.
2. Size 12 is NOT Fat by Meg Cabot- I bought this because I loved the title. At the time I was a size 12, I thought it would help me feel better about myself now I know that it is a mystery book, which I love and it should make me want to read it even more.
3. Skinny Dipping by Melissa de la Cruz- This is the sequel to the Au Pairs which I really enjoyed reading one summer. I wanted this book so bad that I had to get it in hard cover. Now I realize I could have waited to match the first book since I haven’t read it yet.
4. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen- My sister and I saw this book in Marshalls one day and I hadn’t brought my wallet with me so my sister bought it for me as an early birthday present. I am hoping to read it this year (key word=hoping)
5. Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella- I  keep putting this one off because I want to get reacquainted with the other books before I read it, but then I find more and more books to read...
6. the Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus- I read the Nanny Diaries back in college after my sister had bought this and I loved it (I am a nanny during the summer so it was a great fit) When I went to St. Martin this past summer I saw this book in a store (and it was $3 cheaper than the states) so I had to have it, but the store was closed and we were leaving the next day. Then I saw it in the airport and I bought it without a second thought. My sister read it, I just haven’t yet.
7. the first 3 books of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan- Saw the movie and had to go buy the books, I bought them as a set and they are still nicely wrapped.
8. first 3 books of Harry Potter by J.K Rowling- same as the Percy Jackson books, but I have plans to read it this summer with the kids I babysit =)
9. the Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner- I loved all the other books I read by this author so when I saw this book I had to have it (like all the others)
10. Sleeping Arrangements by Madeleine Wickham- Even though my sister’s friend owns this book I had to get it for myself since I love Sophie Kinsella.

I think I might have a problem, I have a bunch more books that I could have chosen, some of them are hiding in my closet afraid to be taken out and shown to family because I really do have a problem. Oh well, I’m not alone right?

"Never trust a shiny surface. They hide a multitude of flaws."

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Synopsis:

Schuyler Van Alen wants an explanation for the mysterious deaths of young vampires. With her best friend, Oliver, Schuyler travels to Italy in the hope of finding the one man who can help- her grandfather. Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly under way for the Four Hundred Ball, an exclusive gala hosted by the city’s wealthy, powerful, and unhuman- a true Blue Blood Affair.

But it’s at the after-party, a masquerade ball thrown by the cunning Mimi Force, that the real danger lurks. Hidden behind the masks is a revelation that will forever change the course of a young vampire’s destiny.

Rich with glamour, attitude, and vampire lore, this second installment in the Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsting for more.

Review:

I actually really enjoyed this book. It took a little while to get back into the story. I think the beginning could have been a little better, but everything else I believe fell into place nicely. 

I really started getting into the book at the Masquerade Ball. I really enjoy reading about Schuyler and Bliss and I find myself getting angry when i read about Mimi. I just think she is such a spoiled brat and she needs to get taken off of the pedestal, badly. The problem is, Mimi Force is centuries old, so being taken off the pedestal is basically impossible. I think Melissa de la Cruz did a great job with her characters. I mean, Mimi Force is beautiful and popular, and she knows it. I hate that, I have always hated people like that, thinking they are better than everyone else. Melissa de la Cruz did a great job portraying the spoiled brat who knows she is great. 

The best part is the ending. It really does leave you wanting more. Unfortunately I have about 5 more books on my nightstand before I can go to the library and pick up the 3rd book. 

Cover: 10/10

Beginning:   3/5

Ending:        5/5

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Satisfaction: 10/10

Grade:      Publish Post   48/50 = A

Top Ten Tuesday:Top Ten Book to Movie Adaptations

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish. This week is the Top Ten Books that became Movies. This was hard for me at first basically because I either watched the movie but never read the book or I read the book but haven’t seen the movie yet. So here is the list I was finally able to come up with.

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney- I read this book last summer when I was babysitting one day. It was so cute, I finished it in the few hours that I was there. On my way back from vacation a couple weeks later, I was able to see the movie and I was laughing so hard that people were staring at me. 
2. Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison- I think this book ends up on all of my lists, but I love it. When I heard about the movie on Nickelodeon, I taped it and I watched it over and over again (I may be 24 in reality but my mind is like 14) If I were to make the movie, I might have done a few things differently, but it was still good...and now I am wishing I still had it taped so I can watch it again.
3. Chronicles of Narnia the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis- I read this book when I was younger and it was one of my favorite series (Boxcar children was the other) I just love how when you read it you can’t help but let your imagination run wild. When the movie came out I was so excited, my mom and I went on a day that I was home from college and kids were in school, it was so much fun. I loved everything about the movie, I think they did such a great job with it. 
4. Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian & Voyage of the Dawn Treader- yes I am making these both number 4, I feel the same way about them as the first novel.
5. In her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner- This is the book that made me fall in love with Jennifer Weiner. I own both the book and the movie because I loved them both so much. I think the casting director did a great job with casting the movie. (I also think this book helped add my shoe addiction)
6. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson- I read this book for my Young Adult Lit class and ironically enough one day before class I saw the movie on Lifetime (had to tape the rest so I wouldn’t be late to class) I think the movie probably could have been better, but every time its on TV I watch it. 
7. Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer- I watched the first movie before I read the book and the movie was good enough to make me want to read the book. I think that the casting could have been better for both Bella and Edward, but that's just me. 
8. Ramona and Beezus by Beverly Cleary- It feels like I read this book forever ago, but I saw the movie this past summer with Anna (the 9 year old I babysit and my own personal Ramona) and I of course loved it. When I was younger I couldn’t help but think that I was Ramona and my older sister was Beezus. But now I have my “younger” sister Anna who is not blood related but the best little sister I could have asked for. Sometimes she drives me crazy like Ramona did to Beezus, but in the end I still love her to death. 
9. P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern- Can I just say that I love Gerard Butler. My sister made me read this book and told me “don’t forget to have tissues around when you read it.” I scoffed, I mean I don’t cry while reading books. Well I was wrong, I swear this book ruined my life when it came to crying during books/movies. I still think that it was a great story, but I don’t know if I would ever read it again...I went through a lot of tissues.
10. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares- I have read this book multiple times, I bought the movie right when it came out on DVD. I watch it every time it is on TV. I enjoy the first movie better than the second but I enjoy all of the books. 

So what's on your list...

"If that was life, then it was twisted..."

     Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Grade:         48/50 = A

Synopsis:

Everybody told him to be a man.

Nobody told him how.

High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background. But since he got busted for doing graffiti on the school, and spent the summer working outdoors to pay for it, he stands out like you wouldn’t believe. His new physique attracts the attention of queen bee Bethany Milbury, who just so happens to be his father’s boss’s daughter, the sister of his biggest enemy-and Tyler’s secret crush. Soon his life is a roller coaster, with fantastic highs, devastating lows, and no seat belt to protect him. he has no choice. He’ll have to ride it out...

Review:

So the beginning started off slow for me. I didn’t feel like I couldn’t put it down, like I have with other books. I felt like it didn’t matter if I kept reading or not. But then I got really into the book and Tyler’s story. I mean his life is definitely twisted, like the title suggests. I really like Tyler, I think he is genuinely a good person who is just trying to find who he is. After years of abuse, whether physical or verbal, from his dad and his peers, he took a stand. Not a smart one, but a stand. After the incident, he got arrested and spent the summer working with the school janitors and working for a landscaping company. Over the summer, he changed from a dorky boy to a grown man. 

We meet Tyler at the end of summer and we follow him on this journey to finding himself. While we go on this journey with him, we see him playing a game called Tophet a lot. The moral of the game is to get to the last level of hell and Tyler has no idea what happens when he beats the game. 

I really like how this book was written. It was crazy, and like it says before you actually start reading “This book is not for children.” Laurie Halse Anderson did a great job describing her characters. I felt like I could have been in my own high school when she was talking about the popular kids. The popular girls in my school mostly played basketball and soccer instead of tennis though. I think she did a great job with Tyler’s sister as well. We see her in the beginning as this little frosh and even though she stays the kid sister, she definitely has times where she sounds like a grown up. And here I must give an example, because I love this quote and I wish I heard it back when i really needed to... “The popular kids aren’t really popular. They’re obnoxiously loud, good-looking, and rich. Nobody likes them, but they rule the place.”

Ok so I need to add that towards the middle of the book, I found myself starting to get angry at a lot of the other characters. I got really angry at Tyler’s dad who just seems like a complete ass. I just felt like a father should really try to see what his kid is actually going through instead of blaming him for everything. I feel like his dad thought he ruined his life, and I feel like if you aren’t going to try to be a good parent, then why bother having kids. 

I am really happy I finished the book. The ending was amazing, the last line was amazing. I was moved with this book, just like I was with Speak. But I guess I shouldn’t have though otherwise with a great author huh?

Cover: 10/10

Beginning: 4/5

Ending:         5/5

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Satisfaction: 10/10

Top Ten Favorite love Stories

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish. This week is your Top Ten Favorite Love Stories.

1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore- I don't know if this would be considered as a love story, but it was for me. I love Katsa and Po together. I love that Po loves Katsa so much that he will let her be herself and will not force her into marriage. 

2. the Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison: So throughout the series Georgia goes between a couple of guys. But she keeps going back to Dave. I love the relationship between Georgia and Dave. I love their friendship and I loved how hard Georgia fought to fall for other guys. (I know that sounds really strange)

3. Inkheart, Inkspell, Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke: Other books that I don't know if they actually count as love stories. I feel like I can't even explain all I loved about Meggie and Farid. 

4. Rosie Dunne by Cecelia Ahern: It's really a story about best friends and how the time is never right for their love to blossom. It's just a beautiful story and it  makes me believe that some friendships really can last a lifetime.

5. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen: I don't remember all of this book, I read it quite a few years ago, but I remember feeling hopeful at the end of it. Hopeful that Remy and Dexter would stay together and that she could believe in love after all.

1. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella: The book version is much better than the movie. I love Rebecca and Luke. He loves her with all her faults, he deals with her shopping problems, it’s a perfect couple. At least in my eyes.

Ok so I could only come up with 6. I think I need help in remembering the books I read more. So what are your top ten?

"I've heard you have one eye green as the Middluns grasses, and the other eye blue as the sky."

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Synopsis:

In a world where people born with an extreme skill- called a Grace- are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him. 

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po’s friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace- or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Review:

First and foremost...I loved this book. I think this story is better than Romeo and Juliet (which I have loved forever and it has now been passed over for Graceling.) I loved the adventure of this book, I loved the love story, I loved the fear that I felt when reading this. I have to say, I have probably experienced every emotion possible while reading this story. I laughed, I cried, I wished I was living in this world. I wondered what my Grace might be if I had one...then I decided I probably wouldn’t have had one. But how cool would it be to have two different colored eyes?

So back to the review. This book is a complete fairy tale, set in a different world with kingdoms and royalty and special abilities. It had the love story that all disney princesses get, but it had the adventure of a James Bond film. It was just a complete story that seemed very real. I read this book and kept thinking that if they made this into a movie, who would play who? Could a movie really portray the beauty of Lienid? I don’t think my imagination could even see all the beauty of this world, as much as I wanted too (maybe on the second read?) 

I loved the beginning of the book where we learn mostly about Katsa and her life as a killer. I loved the ending of the book, I think Kristin Cashore did an amazing job with a last sentence. Even though I really didn’t want the book to end, I just wanted to keep going and read more about Katsa and Po and where their lives would now take them. I really enjoyed how the story unraveled and I loved the thought process I put into trying to figure out what was really going on along with Katsa and Po. Kristin Cashore did an amazing job with her characters. She must have one crazy imagination that I wish I had as well. 

I feel as though Graceling would be a book that both boys and girls, adults and teenagers, would thoroughly enjoy. I think it had something for everyone and it was just very well rounded. I was so satisfied with this book that I feel I feel I must thank the author for writing something so brilliant and I cannot wait to pick up Fire (once I read the other 10 books on my nightstand.)

Cover: 10/10

Beginning: 5/5

Ending: 5/5

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Satisfaction: 10/10

Grade: 50/50 = A+

Thursday's Top Ten: Top 10 Things You Love/Hate about V-day

Thursday's Top Ten is a weekly meme you can find here. This week is the Top 10 Things you Love/Hate about Valentine’s day.

Love:

1. Candy...I love sweets, this is the one good thing about Valentine’s day...but even better is the sale on the candy after Valentine’s day...
2. Colors...I love the color red, especially with black. They were my school colors for both my high school and college
3. Elementary school Valentine’s Day “mail” boxes made out of shoe boxes...I still find this adorable, and I think now, they make everyone give a card to everyone if they are giving cards (make sense?) So now no one feels bad for not getting a valentine from the “popular” kindergartner.
4. the movie, Valentine’s Day... I really liked this movie. I think parts of it are hysterical. 
5. The real Valentines... There was a priest named Valentine who was put in prison because of his teachings. He was beheaded on the 14th. Supposedly he performed a miracle for the jailer’s daughter. He cured her of her blindness and left her a note stating “From Your Valentine.” Now this would be a good tradition on V-day. Doing something nice for someone without needing credit for it. The other Valentine was an Italian bishop who was imprisoned for marring couples in secret. Now that is sweet. He believed in love and helped people who loved each other get married (let’s hope he wasn’t the one who marred Romeo and Juliet since we all know the ending of that story.”

Hate:

1. The actual day...Why should there be one day where you celebrate your love for someone? Why should there be just 1 day where you should buy your loved one a gift? There is no spontaneity in this. My dad used to randomly come home from work with a rose for my mom, sometimes for my sister and me as well. Now that is love.
2. the Candy...or should I say gaining weight from eating too much candy. I wish I had a fast metabolism, and I wish I enjoyed fruits and veggies, but my love belongs to things that include sugar as one of the first ingredients.
3. When people feel bad for you when you do not have a Valentine. Back when I was like 12, my best friend (who I am still friends with now) felt bad for me because she had a Valentine and I didn’t. Why on Earth would someone feel bad for me. I don’t need a Valentine, I am perfectly capable of going and buying myself whatever I please (well within my budget which back then was pretty small but still...) Maybe some people don’t want a Valentine...like me.
4. the expectations that some people have...Back in high school and college around this time my friends would talk about what they wanted to Valentine’s day, what they were going to do, and how great it was going to be. But guys don’t think this way (or do they?) I guess I just don’t understand why this day matters so much. (anyone want to give me a hint.)
5. How Cupid is a baby with a bow and arrow or a grown man in a diaper (depends where you look I guess.) Who came up with this symbol for this day? First of all, who would give a baby a bow and arrow? Babies can barely hold a fork by themselves and now you want them to help people find love? That’s what match.com is for. And if you go the grown man route, why is he in a diaper? What happened to pants and a nice shirt? (do you see about the expectations thing?)

So this is my insane list. I might have gone a little crazy, but I am not feeling so well and took a bunch of medicine in hopes that it would help. Ok maybe we can’t blame it all on the medicine. We can probably blame some of it on the students in my school who only care about what gifts that will be getting on Monday. Thank goodness I am taking off. Have a great day everyone!

In My Mailbox:

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren. I actually got a bunch of books this week (all from the library...yay free books) So here is what I got.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Envy by Robin Wasserman

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

  

Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conra

Jemima J by Jane Green

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham

"You're okay for a bloodsucker..."

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Synopsis:

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of bad luck. First, her coworker is murdered and no one seems to care. Then, she’s face- to- face with a beastly creature that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing.  Enter the vampires, who graciously such the poison from her veins (like they didn’t enjoy it).

Point is, they saved her life. So when one of the blood-suckers asks for a favor, she complies. And soon, Sookie’s in Dallas using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She’s supposed to interview certain humans involved. There’s just one condition: The vampires must promise to behave- and let the humans go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly...

Review:

I am really enjoying this series. I like that Sookie Stackhouse isn’t portrayed as a normal main character that I read about. Basically, I like that she isn’t extremely skinny. She is voluptuous and pretty, and I found out in this book a size 8. As much as I enjoy books that include the stereotypical main female character that is a size 2 and gorgeous, I really really like when authors bring in average females into the mix.

Other than Sookie’s supposed looks, I like how she thinks. While I read this book, I was trying to decide if I would have made the same decisions as Sookie made. I like how Charlaine Harris makes you think. I like that in this book, there were 2 mysteries. Who killed Lafayette and who had taken Farrell. You get so involved with what happened to the missing vampire in the middle of the book, that you seem to forget about who killed the cook (sounds like clue doesn’t it?) Charlaine Harris makes you think a little. As much as I enjoy easy reads (which are great when I am actually teaching and my brain hurts to think so much), these are the books that I enjoy when my brain doesn’t hurt. These are the books that won’t turn my brain to mush when I read too many of them because they keep me thinking. 

So in my rating, I said the cover was a 10 out of 10. I think I should explain this. At first glance the cover is confusing. Sookie is on a coffin flying above a city. I didn’t understand until I read the book, and then I thought it was a genius idea. 

Cover: 10/10 Beginning: 5/5

Ending:          5/5         Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10 Satisfaction: 10/10

                                     Grade: 50/50 = A+

"Welcome to Hollywood"

LA Candy by Lauren Conrad

Synopsis:

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life:

hot clubs, cute guys, designer...everything. Nineteen year old Jane Roberts can’t wait to start living it up. She may be in LA for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join the fun. 

When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a “reality version of Sex and the City,” they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!

Soon Jane is TV’s hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara- free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres- and she’s lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane’s spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it’s not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be. 

Review:

I had been wanting to check out this book since I first heard about it, what seems like forever ago. I loved watching Lauren Conrad on Laguna Beach and the Hills (which totally went downhill when she left.) I think she did a pretty good job writing this book. It completely comes from experience which I am sure made it easier, but I think she has a knack for writing. I loved the beginning, I thought it was creative, and it gave us a sense of what the main characters were like before the cameras. I liked how the chapters went back and forth between Jane and Scarlett with a few other random characters thrown in once in awhile. 

While reading this, I found myself wondering if Jane and Scarlett’s friendship was like Lauren’s and Heidi’s friendship, and if the girls would last as friends throughout the series. I also found myself wondering if MTV helped Lauren get her apartment, like in the book. I guess I couldn’t help wondering if the fiction was truly fiction, or if everything happened to Lauren the same way. Maybe this is why I enjoyed the book so much, I thought I was getting an inside look at the Hills. However, I will be checking out the next book, and I hope it will be as enjoyable as this one was. 

I think this book would be good for anyone who wants an easy, beach type read. It didn’t include much mystery, so it didn’t involve as much thinking as say a Dan Brown book might. 

Cover: 10/10 Beginning: 5/5

Ending:           5/5         Plot: 9/10

Characters: 10/10 Satisfaction: 9/10

                                    Grade: 48/50 = A

"Nothing says love like a cookie"

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

Synopsis:

And that’s when I realized: I wanted to be her.

Not her in the sense that I wish I had to fight saber-toothed hyenas just to get a decent meal, but her in looks. I want- and I know this sounds incredibly shallow, but science requires the truth- I wouldn’t mind for once in my life seeing what it’s like to actually look...good. Or at least better than I do right now. Maybe even pretty, if that’s possible. When I wake up in the morning, it’s like I’m wearing this giant fat suit, and if only I could find the zipper, I could step out of it and finally go start living my real life.

Review:

I had heard about this book through other blogs. I saw a couple reviews, and when I saw it at the library on the New Books shelf, I figured “why not?” Well I am glad I picked it up. I’m so  insanely happy that I picked it up. This book was absolutely the best book that I have read in awhile. I loved everything about it, the characters, the plot, the descriptions of how Cat felt with Greg. I cannot express how much I loved it just by writing (I guess I need to work on that?)

At first when I started reading it, I just thought it was about a girl who wanted to be skinny and got the chance to achieve that goal in a very weird way. But as I read more, I learned a lot, about Cat, about life, about friends, and about myself. That is what makes this book so great. I feel like any girl, no matter how old, can learn something from reading this. They might not relate to the main character as much as I do, or as much as others, but I think the book has something to give to everyone. I really think Robin Brande did a great job writing this book. She did a great job explaining the characters, she did a wonderful job expressing Cat’s feelings for things. And I really like how we didn’t find out what exactly happened between Cat and Matt until almost the very end. So even though my review might not be that great (but hey I’m still learning) I think that this book would be a great read for anyone at any age. I mean, it must be good if I want to start reading it again as soon as possible right?

Cover: 10/10

Beginning: 5/5

Ending: 5/5

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Satisfaction: 10/10

Grade: 50/50 = A+

Ramblings:

This is where I am going to put up some awesome, funny, possibly creepy things that has happened to me in the past 24 hours (at least today). So here it goes:

• On Monday I received my Clarisonic Mia and I finally got to use it last night. I am amazed. My acne has not started to clear up yet (but I mean after 1 night c'mon.) but my skin is so much smoother. My make up went on so nicely this morning, I was actually happy with it when I left for work. 
• Today we had a delayed opening because of all the ice. So many teachers called out, everyone had to cover extra classes (not just the 4 subs that were there either, teachers were covering for teachers) it was a madhouse. 
• At 2 pm, while I was subbing for honors language arts (7th grade) we watched the clock go from the 12 to the 3 in about 30 seconds. Is that creepy or what?
• And lastly, I got some caramel hot chocolate from Dunkin Donuts this afternoon on my way home from work. I think I am in love. 

I hope everyone has a great night. 

Top Ten Favorite Debuts

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme by the Broke and the Bookish. This week is the Top Ten Bookish Resolutions which means anything book related, reading related, writing related, or book related.

This week is my favorite Debut books. And like usual, they aren't really in order, just when I think of them. 

1. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer- It took me awhile to read this, my roommate at college read it because all of her students were reading it, then she made me watch the movie which made me really want to read it. Usually I do the movie/book thing the other way around, but this way it worked. Go figure
2. Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison- No matter how old I am, I will always love this book and how much it makes me laugh. 
3. Decked by Carol Higgins Clark- Great series in all, this book came out when I was about 4, but even 20 years later its great.
4. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard- Another great series, this one got me hooked. Sara Shepard is a great author.
5. Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie- Who knew psychics were so interesting. Picking this book up by accident has been one great adventure. Best suspense books I have read in awhile.
6. One Child by Torey Hayden- Amazing book about a teacher and a little girl with behavior issues.
7. Night Swimming by Robin Schwarz- I honestly think Last Holiday starring Queen Latifah was based off of this book. The story lines are very similar. At least at the beginning. I read this book a long time ago, but I remember how great I thought it was.
8. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner- I love the stories Jennifer Weiner comes up with. I think all of them are great, but this was her first and I think it’s good enough for my list. If you haven’t read it, or any of her books, and you like chick lit, you should definitely pick it up.
9. A Little Help From Above by Saralee Rosenberg- This wasn’t her first book exactly, but it was her first fiction book, so I am counting it. My sister bought this book for me and I loved it. 
10. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella- This was her first book under her real name, so I am counting this one also. I love the whole series, I relate to Rebecca in the sense that I am a shopaholic (which is bad when you don’t have a real job.) I just think this book is really cute and fun.

What are your Top Ten Debut Books, I would love to hear them.

Book Review: Sookie Stackhouse book 1

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Synopsis:

Sookie Stackhouse is a small time cocktail waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana. She’s quite, keeps to herself, and doesn’t get out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. It’s just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability.” She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too datable. Then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome - and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life...

But Bill has a disability of his own: he’s a vampire with a bad reputation. But he is an interesting addition to the town, and Sookie can’t help but listen to what everyone else thinks about Bill...especially since she’s starting to fall for the buff bloodsucker. But when a string of murders hits town - along with a gang of truly nasty vampires looking for Bill - Sookie wonders if having an undead boyfriend is such a bright idea.

And when one of her coworkers is killed. Sookie realizes that Bill and his friends may have some special plans for a woman who can read minds...

Review:

The summer of 2009 was when I first heard about Sookie Stackhouse. I was watching TV with my parents and my mom turned on True Blood. I stayed for a little, and then decided that it bit off Twilight and left to watch TV in my room. Well, I am happy to say, I was wrong. Maybe if I started watching the series at the beginning, or if I heard of the books before the series came on, I would have felt different. Yes both Twilight and Dead Until Dark deal with vampires, but Charlaine Harris took the normal approach to vampires. What I mean by this is that she went with vampires not being able to be out in the day, and how vampires can be killed with a silver stake and so forth. But what I think makes this book good, is that Sookie is special. I think her “disability” gives this book something that most vampire books don’t have. I just feel like there is something more magical about it, and yet there are no wizards or witches involved, go figure.

So what I really liked about the book was the conversations about Sookie and Bill. Reading them I thought it was so easy going, I felt like Sookie was comfortable around Bill in the normal human way, but nervous in the girl liking guy way (does that make sense to any of you?) I just thought it was sweet. I also really liked how Sookie felt like she needed to protect Bill from the people in her town and yet Bill thought he was protecting Sookie. I just really felt like this book was a great read. I think Charlaine Harris did a great job writing it, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. 

Cover: 9/10

Beginning: 5/5

Ending:         5/5

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Satisfaction: 10/10

Grade:          49/50 = A+