What Are You Reading Monday - February 15

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 Sheila at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and join in!

Books Completed Last Week:

Reading Now:

• Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens
• Swinging on a Star by Janice Thompson 
• Evernight by Claudia Gray (Kindle)
• Absolute Power by David Baldacci (audiobook)

 

Next:

• A Note From an Old Acquaintance by Bill Walker
• Mom's Ultimate Book of List: 100+ Lists to save you Time Money and Sanity by Michelle LaRowe 
• Listen by Rene Gutteridge
•  One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
• Sleep No More by Susan Crandall
• The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

Reviews Completed this week:

•  The Marriage Project by Kathi Lipp
• Dreams that Won't Let Go by Stacy Hawkins Adams
• Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale
• Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
• Love and War: Finding the Marriage you've Dreamed of by John and Stasi Eldredge
• Oracle of Dating by Allison van Diepen
  

Reviews to do:

• Don't You Forget About Me by Cecily von Ziegesar
• Let Them Eat Fruitcake by Melody Carlson
• Smash Cut by Sandra Brown
• Invitation Only by Kate Brian
• Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris (audiobook)  
• Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb (audiobook)

Summary -


Busy week again and not as much reading.  Doing well with the reviews, but need to do some catch-up.  I am going to try and spend this week reading and getting caught up.

Review: Oracle of Dating by Allison van Diepen

The Oracle of Dating by Allison van Diepen

My rating: 8.5/10.0

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publish Date: May 1, 2010
Paperback, 192 pages
Genre: Young Adult


My Review:

An adorable read. It took me back to the best moments of high school, made me feel the romance and just took me out of life for awhile.

Kayla is a typical teenage girl, in fact her and her group reminds me more of my crowd in high school - the ones in the middle, neither popular or unpopular, friends with everyone. So that made this a winner in the first place. It made it really easy to relate with her and her friends. I think all girls will find it easy no matter what their popularity is.

There are all types in the book. The focus however, is on Kayla. I enjoyed getting to know Kayla as a character. She can come off a little judgmental at times, but you realize she has everyone's best interest at heart. Also as you read more about her you understand more why she is that way. I loved the aspect of the dating oracle. Her website and articles were cute and helpful for the dating scene. I like the way Kayla grows and develops through the book and look forward to where further books in this series will take her (the next is due out in November 2010).

I also enjoyed the character of Jared. He sounds amazing and just perfect for Kayla. I like the way he's described as being handsome to her. You never feel like he's the hottest guy at school, but you know that he's the hottest to Kayla and that tells a lot to me. The romance aspect was great. It's well written and has great tension. You never know if the two will get together or not, but you are cheering for them the whole time.

Overall this is a fun book to spend time with. The plot and characters are well-done and it makes a great young adult read.

Rating Breakdown:
Characterization:    1.5/2.0
Plot:                      1.5/2.0
Writing:                 1.5/2.0
Attention-holding:   1.0/1.0
Ending:                  1.0/1.0
Believable:             1.0/1.0
Genre:                  1.0/1.0    
Rating:                8.5/10.0

About the Book:

No one at Kayla’s school knows she’s the famous Oracle of Dating—the anonymous queen of dating advice, given through her own Web site. Kayla doesn’t even have a boyfriend. Two relationship disasters were enough to make her focus on everyone else’s love life. But then her advice backfires on her own best friend. And Kayla starts to seriously obsess about Jared Stewart—the very cute, very mysterious new guy in school. Suddenly, the teen queen of advice needs her own oracle of dating--and she knows just where to find one... 

FCC Disclamiers:

I received this book through NetGalley for review purposes.

All links through Amazon do not result in any commission for me, I live in NC and we aren't allowed to receive commission (I'm not sure why, but it doesn't matter), so I don't make any money - but the authors do so feel free to buy their works :)

Weekend Wondering and Giveaway - Romance is in the air

First up the winner of last week's weekend wondering is:

Between The Lines and More 

please contact me with your address and your book choice (see the choices here.) 

She will get her choice of one of six books. The rest of the books will go back into the pot for the next weekend wondering.


Thanks so much to all who participated. I really enjoyed reading your responses. So many of you mentioned books and authors I had forgot about, so it was really great. Please know I read each and every response.

So onto this weekend. We all know it the magical/hated (depends on your view) Valentine's Day. For me it really isn't a big deal. I'm married and I tend to celebrate our anniversary more, but DH and I will be childless for the evening and I look forward to going out to eat with him. But cards and flowers aren't expected. And I will freely admit I am looking more forward to Daytona on Valentine's Day anyway. I'm a huge racing fan and look forward to the start of the new season. Anyone else a fan?

Okay on to the bookish things - Romance.

I started reading romance as a teenager. Silhouette use to have a line of romance for teenagers in the late 80s - something like Silhouette first romance. I read every one of those I could get my hands on. I don't remember anything about them now, but I did read them.

I think I got away from the romance genre in college and headed more towards thrillers/suspense/horror. Then I came back to my first love after I got married and my sister-in-law introduced me to Nora Roberts. Yes I had heard of her, but I had not read her yet. My SIL gave me Carolina Moon to read and I was in total love. Here was an author who mixed romance and suspense - it couldn't get any better than that.

Then I found the internet and found out how many other great authors are out there. Linda Howard, Sandra Brown, Susan Mallery, Robin Carr, Sheryl Woods and so many more. I read all I could get my hands on. I even found I loved Harlequin Blaze books and had a subscription for awhile.

I loved romance in any form I could get it and I still do. I don't read as much of it as I use to but I fit it in from time-to-time and every time I come back to it I remember how much I love it. I have very rarely been disappointed with a romance book, but then again I freely admit I am not horribly picky with my books.

Themes - this is my question for the week - what themes/plots do you like best in your romances? Do you like friends to lovers, hidden pregnancy, tortured heroes, paranormal, romantic suspense, take this one anywhere you want. Just tell me what kind of romance book you like to read if you like to read them and one of your all-time favorites. If you don't read them, tell me why, I'm interested.

As for me, I think I have learned I really like the friends into lovers books. One of my favorites that comes to mind was Kristin Higgins' Just One of the Guys - an excellent romance in my opinion.

So for Valentine's Day this year try to fit in a romance - you may love it, it may make you happy, just try it out. :)

***** Giveaway  *****

Comment and answer my question from above on what kind of romance you like and your all-time favorite romance read and you can have a shot at winning any two of the books shown below. Open to US/Canada only. Giveaway runs through 2/19/10 and I will post the winner in the next weekend wondering post.  Additional entries for tweeting and getting the word out about this giveaway (blog posts/sidebar work too). Also note if you are a follower and how you follow and there will be extra entries for that as well - I'm still trying to work my way to 200 blogger followers.

Please note books have been read - they are in good shape, but they are not brand new.