Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Format: Paperback
Pages: 238
Publisher: Razorbill

Summary From Goodreads:
To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips…conks her head…and wakes up in the year 1815!
There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily’s family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily’s cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant.

But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex’s heart, before her time in the past is up?

More Cabot than Ibbotson, Prada and Prejudice is a high-concept romantic comedy about finding friendship and love in the past in order to have happiness in the present.


Plot Opinion: I usually always like remakes of awesome classics. I have read and watched this plot many times and each time enjoyed it differently. This story will be well remembered because of its subtle unique quirks. In writing or with authors, it amazes me how you can read the same thing over and over again and it gets even better as it evolves with time.

Character Opinion: I liked each character in this book. Callie/Rebecca was so very likable in that she reminds me of myself with her meek, but feisty personality. I did find it strange that she didn't freak out more over her transportation. I found her to be inspiring and humorous. I was envious of her trip and excited when she stood up to Victoria and Alex when she couldn't in her own time.
Next is Emily. She is what is called a supporting character and she played her part well. I can always appreciate a wonderful loyal friend in a book. Emily fits the definition exactly and due to her time period, she is naive to the point of laughter. I find it noble of her to follow blindly through Callie's plans.
Last, but not least, gorgeous, pompous Alex. I love stories where the stuck-up boy softens for the girl he loves. It seems so intimate and sweet. Alex is very arrogant and aggravating in the beginning. I was experiencing Callie's annoyance with his hotness and attitude. After a few heated staring contests and Callie's weird comments, Alex finally starts to show interest and opens up.

Overview: I read another review that said she didn't like the story because there was no explanation to Callie's time travel, which caused me to fear not liking the book. My fear lessened as I read a totally expected ending, yet I still giggled wildly as I read. Although repetitive, It reminds me of Grandma's cookies, the same but wonderful each time.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What are you Reading is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through the World of Books.

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Delirium by Lauren Oliver

 Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Format: Hardback
Pages: 441
Publisher: Harper Teen

Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.
Lauren Oliver astonished readers with her stunning debut, Before I Fall. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it "raw, emotional, and, at times, beautiful. An end as brave as it is heartbreaking." Her much-awaited second novel fulfills her promise as an exceptionally talented and versatile writer.


     I don't know what to say..... I mean, honestly, speechless. My journey with Delirium began with all the awesome reviews about it, but I never imagined that it could really be so good. I started Delirium a week ago and it took me a bit of time to get into it. I thought that it would be the first book that I actually didn't finish. I am so glad that I decided to persevere on. I am just breathless.
There are so many characteristics to this book that make it legendary. The extra little things that catch you attention can make you smile so big. Lena was just the perfect main character and she had the most wonderful personality to fully experience the heart-throbbing pain that is love. She seem to annoy me in the beginning because she was such a follower. Until the mid-beginning and I realized that she hadn't had any type of knowledge to go on and that she was scared. Scared of the tingles and the goosebumps. She steadily grows in our eyes to learn with the help of Alex, that love, real love, is worth fighting for.
     Alex, what can I say about him? I think that he may be the sweetest, most wonderful man I've ever read about and he is definitely competing with Edward in my heart. I love seeing him through Lena's eyes, the way that she describes him with such adoration. He is indescribable and if I tried it would turn into a horrible ramble filled with breath sighs and wistful looks.
     The most important thing that probably would have ruined the whole book was that if Lauren didn't get the environment correct. In Lena and Alex's world, love is a disease and without the cure, you could be fatally infected. The world is so incredulous because love is what makes everything else worth living and a place without it is hard to imagine. The plot captured my attention because it made me actually face my horrible fear of the best thing being fatal and a sickness. Lauren shows us the worst thing and then she shows us that love, being as wonderful as it is, can't be pushed down for long and will eventually rise again and beat out everything.
I have never been in love or even dated or kissed or anything of that matter, but when I do get that lucky, I want it to be like Lena and Alex's. It doesn't necessarily have to be filled with flying bullets and regulators, but I want to be something that makes life worth living and something that I would die for. So intensely good and great, that it can't help but be beautiful. Lauren has instantly become one of my favorite authors. Delirium makes you think and for some people, it could be the thing that shows you what you have coming or what you could be missing out on, take this advice to heart...don't miss out on this book. It will change your life.

First Line: "It has been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected a cure."

Favorite Line: "I love you. Remember. They cannot take it."

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What are you Reading is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through the World of Books.

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In My Mailbox (4/17/11)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren and this week I bought......

Scholastic Book Of World Records 2011 by Georgian Bay and The Best of the Hardy Boys Classic Collection Vol 1 by Franklin W. Dixon

The Host (The Host, #1) by Stephenie Meyer and The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide by Stephenie Meyer

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

That's it for me. I bought the first two in my school's first ever book fair. Gradual progress from the thousand year old books, thank God.

What's in your mailbox?

Follow Friday & Blogger Hop!

It's Follow Friday!



This is my Follow Friday post, a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee!

This week's question:
Q.Do you have anyone you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about them.
Answer: I do talk minutely to my best friends about books because that is one of the big things that we have in common, but they are in no way as obsessed as I am. They are more into television and I haven't seen one in forever! They don't even know about my blog because I am afraid of what they would say.


It is also time for the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Crazy-For-Books!



Today's Book Blogger Question:
Coming Soon!

Captivating Thursday (1)

Captivating Thursday is a meme hosted by In Which A Girl Reads that showcases beautiful things--whether it be photos, quotes, poetry, music, videos, or anything else that I happen upon.


Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye."
— Jim Henson


There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment."
— Sarah Dessen (The Truth about Forever)


"I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love."
— Marilyn Monroe



Cover Release: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
Harlequin Teen


Novel Novice Book of the Month: Wither HERE!
Inspired Desktop Backgrounds


2nd Annual Birthday Phenomenon @ Cleverly Inked HERE!


Novel Novice: Water for Elephants Inspired Desktop Backgrounds HERE!


Cover Release: Unravelling Isobel by Eileen Cook HERE!


Cover Release: The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney HERE!


Source

"Why are you limping like that?' Nicholas demanded.
I'm swaggering,' I informed him.
You look like you're wearing a diaper.'
Charming. And I had a crush on this guy.
Wait. I had a crush on this guy?
Now what?' he asked. 'You're making weird faces.'
Nothing,' I said quickly. "Never mind."
— Alyxandra Harvey (My Love Lies Bleeding)


Source

I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You by Pablo Neruda HERE

I do not love you except because I love you;
I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it's you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

Waiting On Wednesday: The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

This week's WoW is
The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger
It was published on September 7th, 2010.
Summary from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Why I'm Waiting: I have read a lot awesome reviews praising the DUFF and its wonderful, quirky characters. It sounds like a fairly new concept to me and I would love to see how to goes.

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles


Format: Paperback
Pages: 303
Publisher: Flux

Summary From Goodreads:
Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.



Why I Read This: This is the second book of Simone's that I've read. They never turn out the way I expect and I wanted to read something that surprised me.

Plot: Maggie Armstrong and Caleb Becker are tied together by bad circumstances. One night, Caleb hit Maggie while driving drunk and ruined Maggie's life. Caleb's back, though, after being released from juvie and Maggie's planning a trip to Spain despite her limp. When Caleb and Maggie meet again, Maggie hates him more than ever. The plans for Maggie's trip fall through, and she must work with Caleb in order to earn money to go. Working together and gaining a mutual friend, they both become the only people they can trust and the only person the other shall love.

My Opinion: I was left breathless after reading Leaving Paradise and after reading Perfect Chemistry I didn't expect anything less. I rarely read books with dual points of views, but when I do, I relish the experience. I love being able to feel and read their love developing from both minds.
Simone has a talent for writing soft-hearted bad boys and with Caleb, she hit the nail on the head. Caleb has been to jail and roomed with gang members, but falls apart like a little boy with Maggie. Maggie is another truly admirable and inspirational character. She, being hit by a car, is left with irreversible scars and a limp. She hates Caleb in the beginning and in the end loves Caleb more than life itself, a true model that love can overcome the most revolting feeling.
The thing that I love about Simone's books is that she never does as I expect and the ending of Leaving Paradise left tears stinging my eyes until I saw the sequel notice. I laughed hysterically, earning looks from everyone on my school bus. Closing the shiny back cover of the book, all I could thing was, "Man, I can't wait to read the next one."

Teaser Tuesday: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

"Maybe I'm not going to be the one beating up Kay after all. "Yeah," says Jeffrey, his mouth turning up in the hint of a smile. "Kimber Lane. She's my girlfriend."
~Page 197, Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own “Teaser Tuesdays” post, or share your “teaser” in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading is hosted by One Persons Journey through a world of Books. Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Finished

Currently Reading

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What Are You Reading?

Follow Friday and Blog Hop

It's Follow Friday!



This is my Follow Friday post, a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee!

This week's question:
Q. DO YOU JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER?
Answer: Yes and no. If I hear about a book or read its summary before I see the cover I read it without concern for the cover. If I am browsing online, I will only click if its cover catches my eye.


It is also time for the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Crazy-For-Books!




Today's Book Blogger Question:






What about you?

Mission Impossible: Chime by Franny Billingsley

Summary from Goodreads:
Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

Where I Stopped: Page 134

Why I Stopped: There was nothing to inspire me to continue to read this book. Briony was insane and the dialect is so confusing to understand. She acts as if she hates the world and shows no sense of having a heart and when there was a hint of happiness from her, I was tired of reading. I have read many complimenting reviews about this book and may be inspired to try it again.

Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Format: Paperback
Pages: 513
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: 2009

Can love last beyond the grave?
Sylvie Davis is a ballerina who can’t dance. A broken leg ended her career, but Sylvie’s pain runs deeper. What broke her heart was her father’s death, and what’s breaking her spirit is her mother’s remarriage—a union that’s only driven an even deeper wedge into their already tenuous relationship.

Uprooting her from her Manhattan apartment and shipping her to Alabama is her mother’s solution for Sylvie’s unhappiness. Her father’s cousin is restoring a family home in a town rich with her family’s history. And that’s where things start to get shady. As it turns out, her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys that she can’t stop thinking about. Shawn Maddox, the resident golden boy, seems to be perfect in every way. But Rhys—a handsome, mysterious foreign guest of her cousin’s—has a hold on her that she doesn’t quite understand.
Then she starts seeing things. Sylvie’s lost nearly everything—is she starting to lose her mind as well?


Plot: A horrible tragedy has befallen Sylvie Davis. Her ballet career has come to an end after she breaks her leg. She takes a Vicodin and chases it some champagne and passes out. Her new shrink step-dad suggests that she goes to visit her cousin in Alabama. Arriving at the airport, she is instantly met with brown-haired, green-eyed foreigner, Rhys. Her cousin, Paula is just as sunshiny as she was over the phone and she doesn't like Sylvie's dog, Gigi. At the huge house, Sylvie meets southern charmer Shawn and is caught between some triangle troubles. When Sylvie discovers a mystery surrounding her house and family and when strange things start appearing, she doesn't know who to trust. She soon realizes that one of her boys isn't as trustworthy person.


Characters: I absolutely loved Sylvie as a narrator. It was her tone and story-telling that made the action and romance so flowing. She is a bit unappreciative and grumpy, but it is expected considering her situation. I enjoyed her relationship and interactions with Rhys. I guess I like her with Shawn, but I instantly knew something was up with him. I can admit that I seriously underestimated this book. I expected it to just be a regular old mystery, but was very surprise about the paranormal attributes.

Overview: This book was like a sigh of relief after carrying the world. The action was wonderfully depicted and the history beautifully weaved. With a headstrong heroine and two beautiful male specimens, Rosemary has awakened the historian in me.