"In My Mailbox" 7 and another update

In the Mail:

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry
A Season of Eden by J.M. Warwick

Bought:
Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz

And, here's the latest scoop on Ashley:

I just started Spring quarter today, and I'm not very happy. First off, I'm taking English 102, Public Speaking, and History 148. Secondly, my English class starts at 7:30 in the frickin' morning. I wanted the same teacher I had last quarter and her only class was that early. I'm totally crazy. And therefore, totally exhausted right now. And, you know, I am very shy. So, I am pretty much scared to death for taking Public Speaking, but I need to take it. Crapola. And even better, I get to go to work in a few hours! Ugh. Bad day back to school. The only good thing is that I'm done with school before noon. So, for the lack of posts I feel coming, I blame it all on my schoolwork. Ugh!

Oh, and some of you were curious to what I got for my birthday! It wasn't much, and I knew all but one thing that I was getting. I got a B&N giftcard, big cd case, Big on dvd, and an Edward Cullen poster. I found that funny, since my mom hates me having stuff on my walls. Maybe I will post some pictures of my room/bookshelves to show you, if you're interested! :]

In other news, I texted this boy I met a little while ago last night and said we should hang out, and he said he's down! I can't believe I actually did it, and it is just amazing. hehe :)

it's my birthday :)

That is right. It is my birthday! I am now 19 years old. Can you believe it?! I can't! I feel soooo much older than you young ones around the blogosphere! I guess I will just tell you all about myself.

My name is Ashley, but I'm prettttty sure you all know that by now. I live in Tacoma, Washington. Right now I attend Tacoma Community College where I intend on getting my Associates in Elementary Education. From there I will transfer to a university!

I loooove to read. Duh! Young adult fiction has always been a favorite. My mom is always telling me to broaden my mind in reading, by branching out. Sometimes I do, but I just love YA so incredibly much because I can relate.

I really enjoy writing. I actually have been working on a few "books" of my own, though none are any where near being finished. It is a goal of my to become a published author. When that happens, I will hold a contest. ;)

I loooove music. Soooo much. I listen to everthing--though I'm not big on country. I was a band geek, since 5th grade. I played the flute and piccolo. I play some guitar, but I'm not that good at it. I need to keep practicing!

My room is never clean. I always start it, but it never gets finished. I get distracted easily, and tend to find lost things.

I am a total Norwegian geek. It is now 10 years ago that I started attending Norwegian camp as a kid. I went for 7 years, and just this past summer I came back as a counselor. I loved it, and it helped me decide to be an elementary school teacher. I love all things Norwegian!

Lately I have been trying all sorts of energy drinks. It is quite interesting. Most of them taste the same. Haha

Well, if you want to know anything about me, I'd be happy to share! Just email me!

Thanks!

I got some awards. Again! I'm sooo happy you guys love my blog enough to award me. I feel sooo special! :)


I have received I <3 Your Blog Award from Polo.Pony


Annnnnnd






The Zombie Chicken Award from Jill




I really have no idea who to nominate. I hope no one minds if I don't award anyone yet. I need to think of people! :) Thanks again for the awards!

Waiting on Wednesday 14

Slept Away
by Julie Kraut

Pub. Date: May 26, 2009

from amazon.com

Laney Parker is a city girl through and through. For her, summertime means stepping out of her itchy gray school uniform and into a season of tanning at rooftop swimming pools, brunching at sidewalk cafes, and—as soon as the parents leave for the Hamptons—partying at her classmates’ apartments.But this summer Laney’s mother has other plans for Laney.

It’s called Camp Timber Trails and rustic doesn’t even begin to describe the un-air-conditioned log cabin nightmare. Laney is way out of her element—the in-crowd is anything but cool, popularity seems to be determined by swimming skills, and the activities seem more like boot camp than summer camp. Splattered with tie dye fall out, stripped of her cell, and going through Diet Coke withdrawal, Laney is barely hanging on. Being declared the biggest loser of the bunk is one thing, but when she realizes her summer crush is untouchably uncrushable in the real world, she starts to wonder, can camp cool possibly translate to cool cool? Summer camp might just turn this city girl’s world upside down!

I think...
Another camp book! I think the one I did last week sounds a little better, but I will be picking this one up when it comes out. I love camp and I love books. What could be better than a camp book?! :)

Shrinking Violet

Shrinking Violet (ARC)
by Danielle Joseph

Teresa Adams, aka, Tere is painfully shy. Just the thought of speaking to people feels like a glob of peanut butter is stuck in her throat. The only time she is totally comfortable is in the privacy of her own room, her iPod pumping in her ears, and doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station--SLAM--which also just happens to be owned by her stepfather.

Tere surprises herself when a slot opens up at the station and tells Rob, her stepfather, that she could help out. Suddenly she is the new intern. Her confident on-air persona is Sweet T. Everyone loves her. Even Gavin, her crush that she can actually talk to, raves about how great the show is.

To get more listeners on the station, the station decides to hold a contest to win a date to prom with Sweet T. Tere is less than thrilled. But maybe she will meet her knight in shining armor, and in the process, find her voice.

Grade: A

This book was a fun and cute read. I'm pretty shy myself; not nearly as shy as Tere, but it was fun to read about a girl that is super shy. At the beginning it was hard to get into. But, after a few chapters, it was hard to put down! I know how she felt in class when she got called on--it's scary for me too! There were made up band names too, which were interesting. In fact, Shrinking Violet was one of the names. I didn't understand the title until I read the band name, and there is a cute meaning behind it, actually. I really liked Gavin's character. He seems so cute! The only bad thing about this ARC was the fact that I got a plain lime and purple cover, instead of the cover I have on here. Oh well. I'm glad I read this, and you should pick it up once it comes out!

*reviewed for teensreadtoo.com
released on May 5, 2009

Across the Pond

Across the Pond
by Storyheart

Fred's parents won a trip to Australia--too bad it didn't come with three tickets. Fred gets the choice to go stay with his grandparents in Scotland, or to visit his parents' friend Phil in the United States. He chose the latter, not knowing what to expect of Phil, his wife Julie, and their daughter Brittney.

As he and Brit's relationship blossoms into something more, he learns about her secret involving Steve Harris. Fred decides he will give him what he deserves before he leaves the states and goes back to England.

Fred's trip the the states is one he will never forget. He catches Chipper Evan's 500th homerun ball at his first baseball game, and Fred learns that some people will do whatever it takes to get that ball. He and Harris have multiple run-ins. The relationship between Fred and Brit may have a sad ending, since Fred will soon be heading back across the pond to England.

Grade: B+

It was nice of Storyheart to email me and ask for me to review his book. I had a great time reading it. For his first YA novel, it was a fun, quick read. I really enjoyed Fred as a character. He was caring, strong, and sometimes very confused by the language difference. I liked how Brit says "cool beans"...I say it too. :) The only thing I'm not too sure about is the relationship between Fred and Brit. Maybe it was love at first sight, but to me, it seemed somewhat unrealistic. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. And I learned some British terms. :)

Update!

Welllllllll. I just finished up my last final (math 99, yuck!) and it is now
SPRING BREAK!!!
I won't be doing much of anything, so I have plenty of time to read!

I wish I was there! --------->
I live in Washington, if you didn't know. So, it is all rain over here. And I'm sick of it! I can't wait for summer!!!!

I will let you in on my TBR pile as well. I'm currently finishing up Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph. Next on the list is:

Across the Pond by Storyheart
The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley
Waiting for You by Susanne Colasanti
The Private Series by Kate Brian
The A-List by Zoey Dean
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
That Summer by Sarah Dessen
The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir
Troll Blood by Katherine Langrish

And these are just the recent ones. I still have a bunch that I've bought and not read yet! Some of these aren't YA novels, so there probably won't be a review for them, unless you want me to. :)

Oh, P.S.! I went to Borders after my final, because I had a coupon. Little did I know that all these AMAZING books came out today and I didn't see any of them!!! :( So I got Troll Blood, which I've been wanting for a while--yeah, I'm a Scandinavian fool! :)

Waiting on Wednesday 13

Sleepaway Girls
by Jen Calonita

Pub. Date: May 1, 2009

from amazon.com

When Sam's best friend gets her first boyfriend, she's not ready to spend the summer listening to the two of them call each other "pookie."

Sick of being a third wheel, Sam applies to be a counselor-in-training at Whispering Pines camp in the New York Catskills. But what she doesn't realize is that it's not going to be all Kumbaya sing-alongs and gooey s'mores. If Ashley, the alpha queen of Whispering Pines, doesn't ruin Sam's summer, then her raging crush on the surfer-blond and flirtatious Hunter just might. At least she has playful Cole, who's always teasing her, but is oh-so-comfortable to hang out with, and the singular gang of girls that become fast friends with Sam-they call themselves the Sleepaway Girls.

I think...
First off, the cover is super cute. :) I love covers! I was a camp counselor last summer, and it was a blast! So, I would love to read about camp. I love camp! :)

The Season

The Season
by Sarah MacLean

Seventeen-year-old Lady Alexandra Stafford is being introduced into Regency London this season. Too bad she doesn't fit in with her sharp tongue and her hating dress fittings. The last thing Alex wants is to marry, which is why her mother, the Duchess, is so thrilled it is finally her season.

While Alex attends lavish balls and extravagant dinner parties with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, she also manages to uncover an important secret involving Gavin Blackmoor, a family friend. His father, the Earl, was killed, and Alex wants to help Gavin find the murderer. In the process of growing closer to Gavin, she finds her feelings changing, and realizes that maybe marriage and love aren't as bad as she thought them to be.

Grade: A

I was so excited when I got this book. And I was not disappointed. Sarah MacLean wrote an amazing debut novel that was hard to put down. I loooove historical fiction, and this is one of my new favorites in that genre. I loved Alex's character. She was witty and fun. She definitely seemed like someone I would be friends with. Blackmoor just seemed so handsome when I read about his features. I want to meet him! :) Anyways! This novel was amazing, and I look forward to more of Sarah's writing! You should all read it!

*reviewed for teensreadtoo.com

Waiting on Wednesday 12

It's Not You, It's Me
by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann

Pub. Date: June 9, 2009

from amazon.com
Zoe loves Henry.

Henry dumps Zoe.

Zoe wants Henry back—at any cost.

Zoe’s two best friends come up with a plan to help Zoe get what she thinks she wants.

The plan: make Henry jealous.

But the plan takes a surprising turn. . . .

Spanning thirty-one days in the cycle of a breakup, Kerry Cohen Hoffmann’s humorous and poignant novel depicts a girl whose single-minded focus on her ex-boyfriend has pulled her far from the person she most needs to win back—herself.

I think...
This sounds super good. And look at that cute cover! It's plain and simple and yet adorable! I love stories about love! :)

Wow. Another?!

Oh. Em. Gee. I cannot believe I got another I <3 Your Blog Award!
Thank you soooo much Katie at KD's Library!

The Rules:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4)Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

It's so hard to pick my nominees. I try to pick new ones every time. There are so many great ones out there!

1. Steph Su
2. Amanda
3. Stephanie
4. Laina
5. Lauren
6. Kelsey
7. Bookworm

I'm currently reading The Season, just to let you all know. I expect to be done within a few days. But I can't promise you anything, because it is the end of the quarter, and I have essays to write, quizzes/finals to prepare for, and I am just exhausted by mid-day! Enough ranting. Now I have to get to work on this essay. Wish me luck! :)

Contest Winners!

I would say my very first contest was a success! I was surprised by all the entries!

There's my hat with all your names in it. :)

The Luxe winner is:
Paradox!

How to be Popular winner is:
Janssen!

And the Perfect You winner is:
Mandy!

I have just emailed you all. If you don't reply with your address within 2 days, I will have to pick another winner. Congrats!

"In My Mail Box" 6

I got two books this past week!:

Across the Pond by Storyheart (signed!)
Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti

Okay, so my contest ended at midnight. When I get home from school tomorrow, before noon, I will start counting entries and put names in a hat. :) So, I'll have that up tomorrow for you!

Meet Me at the Boardwalk

Meet Me at the Boardwalk

by Erin Haft

Seashell Point is the home of three best friends: Jade, Megan, and Miles. It is a resort town, and almost the start of the season. The three friends are not looking forward to being surrounded by tourists.

This summer Jade gets the house to herself, but her sister is coming to stay with her. Miles has his eye on a tourist that Megan befriended. Megan tries to hide her secret crush on Miles.

When the threesome finds out about the plan to tear down the boardwalk, they are completely against it. And they come up with a plan to stop it.

Grade: C

This book was pretty average. I admit that I was drawn to it by the cover and title. I mean, that cover is just gorgeous, and I love all things beachy. There wasn't really anything special I noticed while reading this. I liked the relationship between the three friends. So, I wouldn't really suggest this for you, but hey, you may enjoy it more than I did.

Check her out!

Soooo, one of my very best friends, Krysten, decided to start her own review blog. You should check it out, and welcome her! :]

There we are last year at school when it decided to snow! :]

Krysten's Library: I LOVE to ReaD

"In My Mailbox" 5

I just got these books in the mail today!:



Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph
The Season by Sarah MacLean
The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley


I'm excited to read all of these! So, look out for the reviews! I'm about to jump into one of them!

Cracked Up to Be

Cracked Up to Be
by Courtney Summers

Parker Fadley isn't so perfect anymore. She starts drinking at school and fails all her classes. No one knows why the cheerleading captain quit or why she broke up with the most popular guy in school.

Parker just wants to be left alone. But everyone keeps bugging her. Her ex is still in love with her, her parents eventually make her see a shrink, and she's forced to see the school counselor weekly. The New Kid, Jake, wants to date her, and she's starting to feel things she doesn't want to feel.

Nobody knows what happened. And she won't tell. She can't. It was too horrible. And it was all her fault.

Grade: A

I was sooo incredibly excited to read this one. After seeing all the amazing reviews for it, I just needed my own copy. I had to drive over half an hour to go to a B&N that had copies. But it was so worth it. I had high hopes for this novel, and I was not disappointed. I loved Parker's sarcasm. She was super fun, but it bothered me the way she treated the people that cared about her. The only thing wrong with the book was the ending, for me. I want to know more! I want to know what happens! Like all the other reviewers last comment, you should FOR SURE pick up a copy of this. It was sooo great, and you won't be disappointed. I hope Courtney writes more novels for me to devour! :]