Where have I been?

Wow - I didn't mean to but I let the blog slide. I will be back though starting next week hopefully. I'm still reading and writing reviews that I will post through time. It's just been busy around here. My youngest turned 4, the oldest is playing baseball and I have a chronic health problem plaguing me on top of the new diagnosis of something wrong with my C6/C7 vertebrae. Fun stuff and lots of doctor's appointments. Work is also crazy so forgive me for the moment.

And thanks to everyone for the blog awards. I will post them in the next few days. I just wanted to say I haven't given up and I'm not ignoring anyone, but life interferes from time-to-time.

Take care all and have a wonderful weekend.

Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar

From the book:

Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep--sometimes with each other.
S is back from boarding school, and if we aren't careful, she's going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, steal our boyfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I'll be watching closely...
You know you love me,
gossip girl

Wow - young adult books have changed a lot since I was a young adult (don't ask how many years that has been). Or maybe there just weren't too many young adult books and I moved on to adult books. Either way I think that it's wonderful that there are so many young adult books out there for adults and teenagers to choose from. So - I heard about this series and wanted to read it. The first one was definitely interesting. It seems so different from how it was when I was a teenager, but then again I didn't live in New York or have extremely wealthy parents, so these kids are different from me. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading about them. Remove the fast and rich lifestyle and they have the same problems as any other teenager, plus there own set of problems. This book does not glamorize the life of the rich, but shows how these kids are like other kids. They are insecure, they do dumb things, they fall in love, make tough decisions and decide on the path their life will take them. They have trouble with friends and with boyfriends, they pick on other kids, sometimes they are picked on. Their parents fight, divorce, date, sometimes act like parents and embarass them.

So I really enjoyed reading about Blair, Nate, Serena and the other characters. The book centers around gossip that is reported and how it can be expounded upon and everyone seems to believe it. Thankfully as the reader you have a little more insight into the characters and you can see that the gossip hurts. But it sucks you in. I flew through this book and have the second one on the way so I can learn more about this crowd. It's a worthwhile, fun read and I can't wait to read more about them.

Rating: 4/5
Reading level: Young Adult
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 224 pages
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: April 1, 2002
ISBN-10: 0316910333

Winner: Threshold by Bonnie Kozek

From Random.org, the winner is:

1. Wendy

Thanks to everyone who entered! I should have a new contest up this week or next.

What are You Reading Monday - April 20

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see J.Kaye's Book Blog and join in!

Books Completed Last Week:
Betrayed by P.C. and Kristin Cast - Young Adult Paranormal - House of Night Book 2 - Great book - I read through it really quickly and couldn't wait to start the next one - review here
There Goes the Bride by Lori Wilde - Contemporary Romance - Wedding Veil Wishes Book 1 - I haven't read a lot of contemporary romance lately and this book shows me what I have been missing, hoping to start Once Smitten, Twice Shy this week. Review here.
Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar - Young Adult - Gossip Girl Book 1 - Had to read it since I seem to be addicted to young adult books at the moment. It was a good book and I look forward to reading more in the series. Review should post today I hope.
The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart - Young Adult - Ruby Oliver Book 1 - Another good young adult read. I really enjoyed this one and could relate to a lot of what Ruby went through. Review coming soon.

Reading Now:

Chosen by P.C. and Kristin Cast - Young Adult Paranormal - House of Night Book 3 - I'm halfway through and loving this - each one seems to get better.
Nine-to-Five Bride by Jennie Adams - Harlequin Romance - I started this but couldn't get into it while on the Cub Scout campout, will try again in a few days when I have less distractions
At the Edge by Cait London - Romantic Suspense - good book - I have to get back to this - it was a great book, but I kept changing around.
Where the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall - Fiction - I'm only a few pages in, but enjoying it so far. This is my current car book.

Next:
Seven up by Janet Evanovich - Mystery
Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood - Young Adult paranormal
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson - Young Adult
Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Lori Wilde - Contemporary Romance

This past week wasn't as crazy as the last few so I finished 4 books. This week should be pretty easy with just baseball practice and one game. So hopefully it will be another great reading week. I also need to read several review books that have arrived so I will be busy!

There Goes the Bride by Lori Wilde

From Amazon.com:

Legend claims this antique Irish wedding veil can grant your heart's deepest desire. But be careful what you wish for...

The moment Texas socialite Delaney Cartwright touches the veil, she knows she can't go through with her wedding. And it's not just because she envisions a stranger's dark eyes and irresistible lips the second her fingers hit lace. But she can't simply call the whole thing off. The nuptials to her nice, predictable childhood friend are the social event of the season (not to mention that her mother would freak). To fan the flames of this dying ember, Delaney abducts her fiance for a night of passion...and grabs the wrong guy! It isn't her fault that Detective Nick Vinetti of the oddly familiar eyes and lips has crossed her path--and looks game for all kinds of sexy fun.

Now Delaney hatches an outrageous plan to get out of marrying: she'll hire her own kidnapper. With an altar to avoid and a cop to dream of, this runaway bride is hoping a little Irish magic will unveil the true destiny of her heart.

A very fun and entertaining romance. I love both Delaney and Nick. Delaney is such a people pleaser (and I understand her, I am similar) and she is marrying because she can't bear to hurt her fiance or her mother. She's already postponed the wedding twice and when she meets Nick and feels the sparks fly (the whammy, I love that term), she knows she shouldn't be getting married.

Nick has been left by his wife on his honeymoon and he's currently off of his undercover detective job due to a knee injury. When his grandmother and her friend Trudie conspire to bring him together with Delaney, they had no idea the passion that would ignite. But is Nick ready for this after being jilted as he was and does he want another man to be jilted the way he was?

The characters in this book felt very real to me and I liked that they never took the completely easy way out. There is also another subplot going on that lends a light suspense to the storyline, but the romance is what shines through here. This was such a feel-good book for me. I loved Nick's family and the stories of his grandmother and grandfather being struck by "the whammy". So much goes into this book and I was actually sad when it ended (not over the ending), but I wanted more of Nick and Delaney and their families. A wonderful start to a series that centers around a "magical" wedding veil - the series is named "Wedding Veil Wishes". I am about to delve into Once Smitten, Twice Shy next and can't wait to get more of Delaney's friends.

Rating: 4/5
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: March 1, 2007
ISBN-10: 0446618454

Friday Finds - April 17

Friday Finds is hosted over on Should Be Reading. It's all about what great books you have heard about/discovered in the past week. Here is my entry, and head over to the Should Be Reading Blog to read others and find books to add to your TBR pile!

The first two are older books that I found while perusing the CBD website and buying books. The next four were found at various blogs over the past two weeks. All have links to amazon to learn more about them.

I'm off to see what everyone else has found this week and then I'm off this afternoon on a cub scout weekend campout - should be a beautiful weekend and I'm hoping to relax some and read!

Betrayed by P.C. and Kristin Cast

From Amazon.com:

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

This was another great journey into the lives of the teenagers at the House of Night. I am in total love with this world. The school is amazing, the characters witty and strong and the second installment in this series I believe is stronger than the first (and I really liked the first one as well!) Come along and learn more about Zoey, Stevie Rae, Erin, Shaunee, Damien, Erik and Aphrodite, along with some other new faces. The friendships are strong still and honor is important among the group of friends, they watch out for each other and others they deem important (which is most everyone but Aphrodite). More comes to light in this book about the House of Night and the characters, but I don't want to say too much and give something away. Just know if you enjoyed the first one, you will enjoy this one. I kind of knew where the whole thing was going, but didn't expect the way it got there, so it was a fun and interesting read. It kept me reading and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Now I can't wait to see what happens in Chosen.

If you enjoy a strong teen heroine who still has some self-doubt (as we all do) then you will enjoy this series and this book. The Casts make a great team for these books and I can see why they are such a hit!

Rating: 4/5
Reading level: Young Adult
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: October 2, 2007
ISBN-10: 0312360282