Review: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

From Goodreads: Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

I'm pretty sure that words can't begin to describe how much I love this series. From the second I picked up Paranormalcy, I was hooked. It's only been some serious budget issues that have prevented me from running downtown and buying my own copies. (which, rest assured, I WILL do as soon as the afore mentioned budget issues are resolved-I simply MUST own these books.)

I suppose there's always the worry that the second book in a series will be the Empire Strikes Back of the bunch. No worries here. Supernaturally delivers another slam dunk for Kiersten White. (Also, I love Empire Strikes Back. Don't get me wrong there.) It's seriously awesome.

Let's talk characters:

Evie: still supercool, still a girly tomboy (which my pal Yume said, so she gets credit for that), still carries Tasey around (though not as frequently as she did while working for IPCA), and she's still madly in love with Lend, who totally remains hot. Evie is the kind of girl that I'd hang out with in real life.

She finally gets some answers in this book, and while she may not like what she hears, at least she knows, right? The cool thing is what she does with those answers. Because really, it's not what I expected.

Lend: a little more absent in this one, as he's off studying at Georgetown. Still extremely hot, even in his real form, still the ideal boyfriend (where can I get me one of those?), and still totally charming. Even when he's upset, he's charming. I still love him. A lot.

Jack: new character introduced. For him, **&^&%^%$#@@#%$@!#$%^^&&**()(*&^%$@!!@#$%^&*())(*&^%$#@!@#$%^&&^%$##$. Take that, Jack. Didn't like him. Not ever. (not the way he was written, just HIM. If he was a real guy, I'd totally hate on him. He was brilliantly written.)

White is still rocking the plotlines, still poking fun of the paranormal formula (In Which Evie Gets A Locker!!!), and doing it brilliantly. Also, I think I've said brilliantly quite a lot. It's just the best word I can think of right now for this book.

I love Kiersten White's writing style. Her wit literally leaps off the page at you. There were moments when I laughed out loud. I love that she substitutes 'bleep' for swear words. I love that she writes like normal people talk. Really, these are some of the best books I've ever read.

Plus: COVER LOVE. A lot of it. Seriously a lot of it.

All of that combines to make me completely Incoherent!

Add another reading challenge...

Yes, I'm nuts. I'm adding another reading challenge for next year. It's all okay though, because they all work together.

I'll be doing the Just Contemporary challenge, hosted by Ashley at Basically Amazing Books.

If you'd like to participate as well, just click on the picture and it'll take you right to the post.

Because I've gotten into contemp in 2011, I'll be signing up for option 2, which is to read different types of contemp. My goal is to read 12 of them next year.

Who's with me?

Review: Treasure Me by Christine Nolfi

*Received review copy from the author*

From Goodreads: Petty thief Birdie Kaminsky has arrived in Liberty, Ohio to steal a treasure hidden since the Civil War. She’s in possession of a charming clue passed down in her family for generations: Liberty safeguards the cherished heart.

The beautiful thief wants to go straight. She secretly admires the clue’s author, freedwoman Justice Postell, who rose above the horrors of slavery to build a new life in Ohio. According to family lore, Justice left South Carolina at the dawn of the Civil War. Heavy with child, she carried untold riches on her journey north. As Birdie searches for the treasure, she begins to believe a questionable part of the story: a tale of love between Justice and Lucas Postell, the French plantation owner who was Birdie’s ancestor.

If the stories are true, Justice bore a child with Lucas. Some of those black relatives might still live in town. Birdie can’t help but wonder if she’s found one—Liberty’s feisty matriarch, Theodora Hendricks, who packs a pistol and heartwarming stories about Justice. Birdie doesn’t know that an investigative reporter who has arrived in town will trip her up—as will her conscience when she begins to wonder if it’s possible to start a new life with stolen riches. Yet with each new clue she unearths, Birdie begins to discover a family history more precious than gems, a tradition of love richer than she could imagine.

I've had this one for awhile, after Ms. Nolfi approached me about reading and reviewing. After finishing it, I wish I'd read it sooner. It was a fun read, and one that will strike a nerve with a lot of people.

Birdie started out (for me) like any other heroine I've read about this year. I started yawning. But then something happened that I wasn't expecting: she suddenly developed depth and became more than just a thief who wanted to make good. I ended up relating to her in a way that I never dreamed possible.

Hugh, on the other hand, I never really liked. I just didn't get him and after awhile, I stopped trying. Maybe I just didn't like him as a reported. I'm not totally sure.

Some of the supporting characters were a little tough to figure out (there were a lot of them), but it wasn't enough to make me want to stop. I was too interested in the plot and figure out where things were going. I wanted so badly for things to work out for Birdie and I wanted to see where she'd end up.

The story twists, it turns, and it flows. It sucked me in and helped me to overlook the couple of things that I didn't care for (see above). I can definitely see fans of chick lit and romance loving this one. Hefty dose of the romance without ever descending into trash. I appreciated that.

Overall, because I liked a lot more than I didn't, I'm giving this a 'Drool Worthy' rating.

In Which Ems Reads Contemporary (and *shhhh* likes it)

*Originally posted at Basically Amazing Books as a guest post. Reposted here for any who missed it. You can click on the sidebar picture to go visit the Just Contemporary November event for great reviews, interviews, and giveaways!*

In the past, I’ve shied away magnificently from anything contemporary that’s heavier than a Ramona book. I really had no urge whatsoever to read about suicide, cutting, alcoholism, drug abuse, bad relationships, etc. Because that’s what YA contemp was in my book. And besides, wasn’t there enough of that in the real world? Why should I clutter my precious reading time with it? I’d stick with Beverly Cleary, thank you very much, when I wanted a dose of reality.

And then a little bird started talking to me *coughAshleycough* about how amazing and wonderful contemp was. I didn’t even bother trying to play along. Nah, I’d stick to my fabulous paranormal/fantasy/sci-fi and be perfectly happy with werewolf maulings, ghost hauntings, vampire bitings, etc. THAT was the reality I wanted in my reading life.

But this little bird WOULDN’T BE QUIET. Finally, in an attempt to, ahem, quiet this bird, I decided to read A contemp. That was going to be all. I picked up Dreamland by Sarah Dessen. And HAH! I was right!! Contemp was all about bad relationships and abuse. I’ve had bad relationships and NO THANK YOU. I definitely didn’t want to put the time in on those in literature. I didn’t like the book and thought I’d given contemp a shot, so I was happily going to be done with it FOREVER. (insert Sandlot ‘forevers’ here, because that’s totally how I was saying it in my mind. Maybe out loud too, but I’ll never admit to that.)

Well, then I was convinced to try one more book because after all, one book with a bad relationship wasn’t exactly a fair representation. So then I read The Truth About Forever, also by Sarah Dessen.

You guys.

I loved it. Seriously, truly loved it. Yes, there was drama. Yes, there were sad elements of real life. And yes, I loved it. It was SO well done. It examined these topics maturely and didn’t shy away from the dirty bits and try to gloss over them. I was floored. This was a contemp novel! I wasn’t supposed to like it even a little bit. I was sure it was an anomaly.

I was almost proven right too, when I read Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, also on the suggestion of Ashley. I didn’t just dislike that book, I pretty much hated it. I couldn’t get into it and I couldn’t relate to a single thing (although, considering that I’m a huge paranormal fan, you wouldn’t think that would be a problem…). I just didn’t like it at all. I was convinced that TTAB was a fluke. Then I read Shine, by Lauren Myracle and was blown away by it’s awesomeness. (And speaking of Shine, can I just say that Ms. Myracle is a rock star and I’m so impressed by her graciousness in the light of the recent scandal?) Shine dealt with some seriously disturbing topics…hate crimes against gays, attempted murder, death, assault, rape, you name it and it’s pretty much there. And I couldn’t put it down.

Then I picked up If I Stay by Gayle Forman. Big mistake on my part, where I intended to lay contemp down into an early grave. I loved it even more than I loved TTAB, and then, I loved Where She Went ever more than that. I even gave WSW an ‘incoherent’ rating on my blog, which is my highest honor. It’s reserved for books that are so good, they leave me feeling incoherent and unable to string a sentence together.

AND I GAVE IT TO A CONTEMP.

Where She Went was the first contemp to earn this honor, and you know what? I hope it’s not the last.

Yes, you heard that right. I am not giving up my newfound enjoyment of contemp. I’ve found that I actually really enjoy it, given the right book. I’m not a fan of all contemp, but I’m definitely a fan of more than I thought possible. I’ll keep reading the genre and find more books (hopefully) to add to my ‘incoherent’ shelf. I know they’re out there and I’m actually excited to plow through contemp in an effort to find them.

Surprised a bit? I know I was. The moral of the story? Give every genre a chance because you never know what you'll end up loving!

Hi.

My name is Ems, and I like contemp.

Happy Thanksgiving, readers!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! I hope you're all having a marvelous day and are eating delicious food wherever you may be.

In honor of the holiday, here are a few book-related things I'm thankful for:

Books

Generous authors and publishers

Awesome authors

Fellow book bloggers

Plenty of time to read

A way nicer library than we used to have

Librarians who actually order books you request

The chance to write a book of my own

The feel of a book in my hands

The smell of books

Gorgeous cover art

Anticipation when starting a new book

What are you thankful for?

Review: Possession by Elana Johnson

From Goodreads: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even thinkabout kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn. This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

I've been wanting to read this one for a long time, ever since I read a review praising it up and down. I wish I could remember where that was, because I'd totally give that blogger a shout-out.

I'm really starting to think that dystopia might be my new favorite genre. I'd abandoned it a long time ago, after such high school gems as Animal Farm, Brave New World, and 1984. (I'm going to go back and revisit those, by the way, now that I'm a mature adult.)

In Possession, Elana Johnson creates a Society dominated by the Thinkers, who control the populace. In the Goodlands, you can get arrested for something as simple as walking with a boy. If you're out after curfew, well, you might not like the consequences. Everywhere you go, there are sensors that read your iris patterns (which are as distinct as fingerprints, did you know that? I didn't until just recently.) and Mechs that read bar codes. If you happen to have been tagged, you're pretty much fodder for the scanners.

Violet, of course, is a rule breaker. She's even gone as far as chopping off her hair into a sweet spiky do, and then dyed it jet black. Nice! Violet is my kind of girl, I tell you. I'm pretty sure that at some point in the future, I'll have that haircut too...

Besides the fact that she has awesome hair, Violet rocks. She's STRONG. And she's strong without needing a guy to come to the rescue. She does just fine on her own, though she does prefer the company of one certain young man. Not that I blame her even a little bit. He's HOT. And by hot, I mean WHOA. I'd totally date him.

Plot-wise, loved it. The Society is so brilliantly crafted that it made me a little bit afraid of my cell phone. Seriously. I had to stare at it for a minute because I started wondering if it was going to randomly tase me or something. You never know with technology. Tech is at the forefront of the battle being fought between the Association and the Resistance. It's amazing, the types of things that Johnson has created here. I'd like her on my invention team.

The creativity displayed here blows my mind in a lot of ways. Sure, some of the tech has been seen before in the likes of Star Trek, but it's used fantastically here. Didn't feel like a cop-out, even a little bit.

You know what? I'm seriously about to drop some major spoilers, so I'll quit while I'm ahead and just tell y'all to GO READ THIS BOOK. It's SO worth it.

It gets a 'Pick Me' rating for sheer awesomeness.

Special for Sundays, Favorite Author Edition: James Herriot

One of my all-time favorite authors is James Herriot. My dad introduced me to his books when I was young. He would tell me stories from the books and then later, he'd let me borrow his copies. I treasure those memories for two reasons: first, it meant more time with my dad. When we were growing up, he was a coach and had to spend a lot of time away from home on athletic trips. We took turns going on the trips with him, but always missed him when it wasn't our turn. Second, it's always a reminder of some of my very most favorite moments as a kid. Mention James Herriot to me and you'll get a big grin in response and probably a favorite story. I could tell them backwards and forwards then, and probably still could.

Herriot quickly became one of my favorite authors and I still read his books often. They bring me to tears, they make me laugh, they make me want to be a better human being, and they definitely make me want to have lots and lots of pets. :)

Herriot has a way of telling a story that inserts the reader right into it. I swear, I've spent more time on the Yorkshire moors in a cow pen than most people. I could probably birth a cow, just from reading these books. Okay, probably not, but I'd sure put in a good effort. And I'd probably fake a Yorkshire accent while at it.

Anyway, I just love James Herriot. He's someone I'd love to sit down with, share high tea, and talk for hours. I'd absolutely love to get these stories firsthand. I'd love to hear him tell me himself about Cedric the farting Boxer and the sheep that healed after being put down. Turns out, all it needed was a nice, long nap.

I hope that maybe someone, somewhere will decide to pick up a James Herriot book because of this. It would make me incredibly happy! I'd suggest starting with All Things Bright and Beautiful.

And you guessed it, James Herriot's books are So Good They Make Me Incoherent. Love them!

Here's a list of his books, and then a biography from his website.

All Things Bright & Beautiful

All Creatures Great & Small

All Things Wise & Wonderful

The Lord God Made Them All

James Herriot's Yorkshire

James Herriot's Dog Stories

James Herriot's Cat Stories

Every Living Thing

James Herriot's Treasury for Children: Warm and Joyful Tales

Moses the Kitten

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet

If Only They Could Talk

Let Sleeping Vets Lie

James Herriot's Animal Stories

The Christmas Day Kitten

Vets Might Fly

Only One Woof

The Best of James Herriot

Vet in a Spin

Vet in a Harness

Bonny's Big Day

The Market Square Dog

James Herriot's Yorkshire Revisited

Oscar, Cat-About-Town

Blossom Comes Home

Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb

Biography, from James Herriot's website: James Herriot is the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight, an English veterinary surgeon and writer. Wight is best known for his semi-autobiographical stories, often referred to collectively as All Creatures Great and Small, a title used in some editions and in film and television adaptations. In 1939, at the age of 23, he qualified as a veterinary surgeon with Glasgow Veterinary College. In January 1940, he took a brief job at a veterinary practice in Sunderland, but moved in July to work in a rural practice based in the town of Thirsk, Yorkshire, close to the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, where he was to remain for the rest of his life. The original practice is now a museum, "The World of James Herriot". Wight intended for years to write a book, but with most of his time consumed by veterinary practice and family, his writing ambition went nowhere. Challenged by his wife, in 1966 (at the age of 50), he began writing. In 1969 Wight wrote If Only They Could Talk, the first of the now-famous series based on his life working as a vet and his training in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Owing in part to professional etiquette which at that time frowned on veterinary surgeons and other professionals from advertising their services, he took a pen name, choosing "James Herriot". If Only They Could Talk was published in the United Kingdom in 1970 by Michael Joseph Ltd, but sales were slow until Thomas McCormack, of St. Martin's Press in New York City, received a copy and arranged to have the first two books published as a single volume in the United States. The resulting book, titled All Creatures Great and Small, was an overnight success, spawning numerous sequels, movies, and a successful television adaptation. In his books, Wight calls the town where he lives and works Darrowby, which he based largely on the towns of Thirsk and Sowerby. He also renamed Donald Sinclair and his brother Brian Sinclair as Siegfried and Tristan Farnon, respectively. Wight's books are only partially autobiographical. Many of the stories are only loosely based on real events or people, and thus can be considered primarily fiction.

The Herriot books are often described as "animal stories" (Wight himself was known to refer to them as his "little cat-and-dog stories"), and given that they are about the life of a country veterinarian, animals certainly play a significant role in most of the stories. Yet animals play a lesser, sometimes even a negligible role in many of Wight's tales: the overall theme of his stories is Yorkshire country life, with its people and their animals primary elements that provide its distinct character. Further, it is Wight's shrewd observations of persons, animals, and their close inter-relationship, which give his writing much of its savour. Wight was just as interested in their owners as he was in his patients, and his writing is, at root, an amiable but keen comment on the human condition. The Yorkshire animals provide the element of pain and drama; the role of their owners is to feel and express joy, sadness, sometimes triumph. The animal characters also prevent Wight's stories from becoming twee or melodramatic — animals, unlike some humans, do not pretend to be ailing, nor have they imaginary complaints and needless fears. Their ill-health is real, not the result of flaws in their character which they avoid mending. In an age of social uncertainties, when there seem to be no remedies for anything, Wight's stories of resolute grappling with mysterious bacterial foes or

severe injuries have an almost heroic quality, giving the reader a sense of assurance, even hope. Best of all, James Herriot has an abundant humour about himself and his difficulties. He never feels superior to any living thing, and is ever eager to learn — about animal doctoring, and about his fellow human creature.

I'm squeeing a little bit over this giveaway...

Okay, so click on the picture to be taken to the GIVEAWAY OF ALL GIVEAWAYS. Seriously. Or don't, and increase my chances of winning. The caveat here is that I need to talk about the book I'm most thankful for right now. Yeesh. Could it BE any harder to pick?! Right now, I'm thinking that probably I'm the most thankful for Tuesdays at the Castle. It's the last book I finished, and it's absolutely fantastic. It made me giggle and made me want to live in Castle Glower. And I just got my copy signed. Woo! Seriously though, I really am thankful for it because it made me happy in a period of time that's been incredibly difficult for a lot of reasons. It made me laugh when I needed it most, so I'm very thankful for it. So readers, if you're interested in winning the best prize pack EVER, go to Beth Revis' website and enter. And don't forget to be thankful for books!

Review: The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

*Received ARC via NetGalley*

From Goodreads: The year is 1856, and orphan Abigail Tamper lives below stairs in Greave Hall, a crumbling manor house in London. Lord Greave is plagued by madness, and with his son Samuel away fighting in the Crimea, the running of Greave Hall is left to Mrs Cotton, the tyrannical housekeeper. The only solace for the beleaguered staff is to frighten Mrs Cotton by pretending the house is haunted.

So when a real ghost makes an appearance - that of her beloved mother - no one is more surprised than Abi. But the spirit has a revelation that threatens to destroy Abi’s already fragile existence: she was murdered, and by someone under their very own roof. With Samuel returned to England badly wounded, it’s up to Abi to nurse him back to health, while trying to discover the identity of the killer in their midst. As the chilling truth dawns, Abi’s world is turned upside down.

I really enjoy a good historical fiction and when you toss in a paranormal element, so much the better! This one deals with ghosts, and I thought it was well done.

Abi was one of those characters that I liked from page one. She was always trying to get things done and trying to do them the best she could without endangering any of her friends. She was one of those girls who has a pretty rotten lot in life, but tries to do the best she can while simultaneously trying to better her situation. Gotta respect that.

As for other characters, I absolutely despised Mrs. Cotton. Holy cow, she was a baddie. She reminded me of the awful people at the Lowood School in Jane Eyre. She probably kicks puppies for fun too.

The plot was pretty cool. I kept thinking I had it all figured out, but nope. Didn't. I liked the twists and I liked the way the story flowed. It kept me on my toes and kept me interested. If this was part of a series, I'd definitely be on pins & needles waiting for another book. As a stand-alone (which, thank you for not making me wait for another book to have any resolution!), it really works. I definitely would read it again.

I'll give this one a 'Drool Worthy' rating for being pretty sweet!

Review: Witch Song by Amber Argyle

*ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review*

From Goodreads: The world is changing.

Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons, but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. Now the traitor is coming for Brusenna, and ever her guardian can't protect her. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. If Brusenna fails, there won't be anything left to save.

Ooh, another gorgeous cover to drool over! It's what first attracted me to the story. (That, and the blurb on Goodreads totally reminds me of the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring movie when Galadriel is saying her bit about the world changing.) Plus, I met the author at another signing event and she's hilarious and so nice in real life.

I was expecting a lot from this book, because I really liked the premise. I liked the idea of witches who used song and seeds for their magic. I thought the songs were well-written. I tried to compose music for them in my head as I was reading. I wasn't terribly successful, I'll have you know.

I didn't particularly like Senna though. I thought she was kind of whiny and weak, even at the end when she'd accomplished so much. I was kind of thinking, 'get over it already and just stop your crying!' Even when people would tell her she'd done a fantastic job, she'd fall all over herself in an attempt to deny it. It bugged me. I didn't think she was a strong character at all and I didn't really care about her.

I liked Joshen just fine, and I ended up really liking Desni, Captain Parknel, and Reden. They didn't really have much to do, but I thought they were well-written. It always delights me when a fringe character comes to life for me. I can totally picture those three in my head and I think I'd be friends with them too. Reden had a depth that I really wasn't expecting at all.

Plot-wise, I enjoyed the story. There were a few things that kind of made me go 'huh', but overall, I liked it fine. It was a nice story, which I've been looking for in YA quite a lot. It did pretty much follow the formula (see THIS post for my feelings on "the formula"), but not in a bad way that felt overdone. And anyway, I'm kind of resigned to that by now. It was an easy read and one that went relatively quickly (I say relatively because I have a PDF version and it's harder to get through those at my normal rate. If I'd had a hard copy, it would have been a two day read, max).

Overall, I liked it fine, but I didn't absolutely love it. I'll give it a drool-worthy rating. It's one that I'd continue on with a series for sure, because I can see loads of potential for it.

Review: Mistwood by Leah Cypess

From Goodreads: The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes. Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have. Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat.

Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can't help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court... until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them. Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart... and everything she thought she knew.

I've had this one on my list for awhile, and found it in the library the other day. Yay! (Although, not that I needed another book to read, considering that I have a full tote bag of library books as it is...)

From the beginning, I was hooked. I loved that Isabel was this incredibly powerful creature, but remained vulnerable. That's explained later on (which I totally didn't see coming) and it made sense. I liked that she wavered throughout the story, both with her feelings towards Rokan and her sense of what she should be doing. She wasn't ever really sure (and it makes sense later on). In some cases, that would annoy me, but this was just so well done that it didn't. I thought she was a fantastic character.

And Rokan was pretty cool too. He was determined to see the best in people, even when all signs pointed the other way. He was strong and vulnerable, just like Isabel. I was rooting for them from the beginning, even though this wasn't really a love story. Not in the typical YA way, at least.

Plot-wise, very cool. Leah Cypess does a fantastic job of weaving her tale, giving tidbits here and there that all add up in the end. Really, it was one of those books that could be a stand-alone. But I'm selfish and I want more. I'd love to see another book in this series, and it looks like I'll get my wish! It's listed on Goodreads as Mistwood #1.

I was really pleased with this book. I read it in a matter of hours because I couldn't put it down. I'd actually like to own a copy, which is becoming more rare these days as I become more budget conscious. It's a really great book, and I'm giving it a 'Pick Me' rating.

Reading challenges for 2012

I've decided to participate in 3 reading challenges for 2012.

First, the Debut Author Challenge, hosted by The Story Siren. I'm going to try for 12 debut authors in 2012, and I have some great ones that I can hopefully get a copy of. It'll depend on budgets, libraries, and winnings. :)

Click on the sidebar button to join the challenge!

Then, the Outdo Yourself challenge, hosted by The Book Vixen. I did this one during 2011 and I've loved it. It really pushed me to read, read, read. Not that I wouldn't anyway, but I've read way more. This year, I'm going to try and BEAT my 2011 score. Since that's not finalized yet, we'll see what I'm aiming for in 2012. I'm going to try for ON FIRE again, which means 16+ books more than I read in 2011. It'll be tough, but I'm a reading athlete!

You can click the button in my sidebar to go to the sign up post. (Make sure you click on the 2012 link. I have the 2011 one still up.)

Finally, the TBR Pile Reading challenge, hosted by Evie Bookish (and a bunch of others, list to follow). In this one, I will be reading 41-50 books (the married with children level) published in 2011 or earlier that I've had on my TBR list. No problem there. I've got shelves of them waiting for me.

You can click the button in my sidebar to go to the challenge sign ups. Bloggers only.

Here are the details to sign up for the TBR challenge, from Evie:

Welcome to 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge!!!

We all have those books. We buy them, win them, they're gifted to us.. Then we put them up on a bookshelf and there they stay, collecting dust, waiting for the time when we'll finally decide to pick them up..

Join us on a quest to dust off your TBR Pile and read all the books you've been telling yourself you'll read next time you'll get a chance.. This is your chance! And we've got PRIZES!!! :D

Challenge guidelines:

1. This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.
2. As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!
3. Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!
4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
5. When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge (You need to include the info + host list + challenge button. You can also grab the button code and add it to your sidebar!)
6. You can move up levels, but no moving down.
7. Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
8. At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it'sunique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. For participating in the mini-challenge you will get +1 entry.
9. If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)
10. December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.
11. You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!

Levels: 1-10 - A Firm Handshake 11-20 - A Friendly Hug 21-30 - A Sweet Kiss 31-40 - Love At First Sight 41-50 - Married With Children Hosts: Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions Wrap-up POST Schedule: January - Donna (Theme: Let It Snow + Book Cover Challenge) February - Nicole (Theme: Un-requited Love/Love Gone Wrong + Advice Column Challenge) March - Rie (Theme: Green or Pinched + Green Cover Challenge) April - Bonnie (Theme: Easter + Mini Challenge) May - Christa (Theme: MayDay - Disaster Books! + Cover Disaster Challenge) June - Jenna ( Theme: Camping + Sentence Challenge) July - Rie (Theme: International Day + Cover Comparison Challenge) August - Angel (Theme: Summer Memories + Send Your Fav Character On Vacation Challenge) September - Nicole (Theme: Life Changing Books + Mini Challenge) October - Caitlin (Theme: Thanksgiving Theme + Share-A-Book Challenge) November - Vicky (Theme: Spooky Halloween + Book Puzzle Challenge) December - Evie (Theme: Xmas Bliss + Book Bachelor Challenge)

ANOTHER giveaway...

So my pal Lisa, at Read. Breathe. Relax. is giving away a copy of Inheritance, the fourth and final book in the Inheritance cycle by Christopher Paolini. You may have heard about the series...Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr...

Anyway, I'm super excited about this one and can't wait to get my hands on a copy!!

Head on over to Read.Breathe.Relax. to enter for your chance to win! (Or maybe don't so that I can win... :D)

Review: The Actor & the Housewife by Shannon Hale

From Goodreads: A very different kind of fantasy from New York Timesbestselling author Shannon Hale.

What if you were to meet the number-one person on your laminated list—you know, that list you joke about with your significant other about which five celebrities you’d be allowed to run off with if ever given the chance? And of course since it’ll never happen it doesn’t matter…

Mormon housewife Becky Jack is seven months pregnant with her fourth child when she meets celebrity hearththrob Felix Callahan. Twelve hours, one elevator ride, and one alcohol-free dinner later, something has happened…though nothing has happened. It isn’t sexual. It isn’t even quite love. But a month later Felix shows up in Salt Lake City to visit and before they know what’s hit them, Felix and Becky are best friends. Really. Becky’s husband is pretty cool about it. Her children roll their eyes. Her neighbors gossip endlessly.

But Felix and Becky have something special…something unusual, something completely impossible to sustain. Or is it? A magical story, The Actor and the Housewife explores what could happen when your not-so-secret celebrity crush walks right into real life and changes everything.

I wasn't supposed to like this book. I wasn't even supposed to read it. I generally steer clear of religious fiction period, no matter the religion. I usually find it pedantic and awful. It's just a hard genre to write fiction in. I know I'd never give writing it a shot, because I know I couldn't do it right.

This, however, is done right. Maybe it's because Hale is one of my very most favorite authors ever or maybe it's because it was just a darn good book. I don't know. Whatever the case, it rocked.

It was witty, it was fast-paced, it made me laugh out loud and then sob. Reading this was seriously like hanging out with Shannon (I know, because I've been lucky enough to meet her and talk with her, and this is just exactly like her).

I think what I liked the most was that she took the parts of our religion (we're both Mormons) that should be poked fun at and poked fun at them with gusto. She took the parts that should be taken seriously and took them seriously. And she was brilliant about it.

It really is a fantasy-Mormon housewife selling screenplays, becoming besties with a famous (and very hot) actor, etc etc etc. Who hasn't dreamed of their Number One walking into their life in some serendipitous fashion? I know I have. It could descend into cheese, but it doesn't. It's fun. It's not at all campy, at least I didn't think so.

Now, don't get me wrong. Though this book DOES touch quite a lot on the Mormon faith, it is in no way a preaching tool or soapbox and it doesn't set out to convert the world. It's a fun (hilariously fun) look at an often misunderstood religion without the religion being the main focus. I think that's where it won me over. I could look at the little anecdotes like a ward potluck and laugh out loud because I KNOW THOSE PEOPLE! I've HAD that punch!

All in all, I really enjoyed it. I think anyone would really, regardless of their religious beliefs. I'm giving it a 'Pick Me' rating for being the first book in a long time that has made me laugh out loud!

Plus, THIS: