Special Thank You

I want to say thank you to author Holly Schindler who sent me a lovely Christmas surprise.

I received it in the mail and was super happy. It's a note, a Playing Hurt button and a signed bookmark. EEP!

The Vampire Diaires (The Awakening) by L.J. Smith

Vampire Diaries (The Awakening)
Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.

Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.

Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.

Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them

At First Sight:
This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't seen the show, to be honest. But ever since I started watching it, I was intrigued to know more. So I've been wanting to get this one for a while and finally, I read the first book.

My Thoughts:
So I went into this both knowing that I had a pre-formed idea of the show and that it was very different from the show. Of course, I tried to separate myself from the show as much as possible because I didn't want my feelings for the show to influence my feelings for the literature itself.

Thankfully, the most resemblance to the book that the show has is the first episode, and not even that.

Elena at first is not very likable. She's the queen-bee-gotta-have-it-all girl that not many people like. But then you begin to enter into this character and you discover somethings that make her more...human and likable.

And then there's Stefan, dark and brooding. He's a gentleman in all senses possible and he truly does love Elena and Elena, inexplicably, loves him.

My favorite character (in the book) so far is Matt. Matt is the boy next door who is really nice and sweet. We kind of start feeling a bit sorry for him and although some may argue that he's not right for Elena, he really cares and loves her enough to respect the fact that they don't belong together anymore.

And of course, I LOVE DAMON! We really don't 'get to know him' in this first installment but I was trying to pick up some clues for the future and although I spoiled have to book to myself, I really hope that, in the end, she ends up with Damon.

I just love guys who are so messed up, what's wrong with me? Psychopath with no redeemable qualities? MY GUY!

Oh, and then I have to talk about the plot, naturally. Well, let me tell you, it's a pretty quick-paced book. I read it in about two days and I found it was pretty fun to read so I will definitely be reading the rest of the series. It has enough mystery to keep everyone intrigued for a long time.

In one sentence:
"DAMON! But that doesn't really count, right? I mean he doesn't 'appear' that much in this book." (That was more than one sentence, sorry!)

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Books for Christmas

So, of course, it was natural for me to get a bunch of books this Christmas, because, hello, right? So, I haven't taken pictures but here's the list of the books I got (between being actual gifts, or books that I bought with the gift cards).

01. Style by Lauren Conrad (I know, don't say anything, please? I love Lauren and her sense of fashion is amazing. I'm a fashion girl, what can I say?)
02. The Vampire Diaires Volume 1 by L.J. Smith (I'm obsessed with the show and I HAD to have this)
03. Envy (Luxe #3) by Anne Godbersen (I haven't finished the series but it's just scandalous so I had to buy this.
04. Under The Dome by Stephen King (Now, I haven't read a Stephen King book ever but this one has been in the back of my mind for a while so I took the chance. You know, because reading 1000+ pages to start out with an author isn't a big deal--whish me luck!)
05. L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad (So I know, two Conrad books, right? But I like Lauren and I've been debating this one for a while and I couldn't put it off until much later.)

So you see, I'm finally reading the books that've been sitting in my TBR list for a while and hoping to dwindle those down. Of course, I have a bunch more that I'm dying to get but I'll keep you updated.

What did you get?

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

I bought this book

At First Sight
I fell in love with this cover, even if the blurb didn't grip me right away, the cover is just absolutely fantastic. I literally couldn't get it off my mind for days. And then, when my daddy told me I could buy a book in my Kindle, there was no other choice but this one.

My Thoughts
If I was apprehensive of this book at first, that went away as fast as I can blink. The prose is so poetic, painful, and beautiful, almost like a drug, completely addictive. Andi was a hard character to sympathize with but once you get to know her, she's the sweetest most mature person ever. She has a hard time dealing with her brother's death and that's completely understandable.

Now, if you don't fall in love with Virgil, you have a cold heart. He was funny, artistic, poetic, and so real. The relationship between Andi and Virgil develops in a very natural way, unraveling itself as if it was meant to be.

I loved reading Alex's diary along with Andi. I felt the same thrill and curiosity every time the entries were narrated. Andi is a lot like me, very ambitious, a bit selfish, but she has her heart set on saving the boy who she loved, and that, is real loyalty.

The end has a great and amazing plot twist and I honestly won't spoil it for you but it was amazing.

In one sentence:
"Breathtakingly beautiful."

Plot: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 5
Characters: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5

Elixir by Hilary Duff

Elixir

Clea Raymond lives an extraordinary life. The daughter of renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington DC figure, she has been in the spotlight her entire life. Followed by the paparazzi, she resents the attention that is lavished on her for her looks alone because she has so much more to offer.p

Clea Raymond has a unique gift. A proficient photographer, in all her pictures, there is little something extra, and it's not just a result of her talented eye. There is always an extra photo that she didn't take. And, as she discovered at a young age, those photos always lead to a place where some tragedy is about to occur that Clea can prevent.p

Two years ago, her father disappeared while on a humanitarian mission and is presumed dead, but that doesn't stop Clea and her mother from continuing to do good throughout the world. On one such trip to Columbia, she meets Race, the guide for the trip. She feels a connection to him but cannot explain why. Was it something in their past or possibly in their past lives? Whatever has brought them together is threatning to tear them apart forever. As the mystery of her father's disappearance unravels, Clea discover that she has powers that are bigger than anything she could have anticipated.

At First Sight:
ANOTHER celebrity book? Are you kidding me? *looks at the back cover* Hm... It seems interesting enough but I wouldn't...I couldn't...Maybe...

My Thoughts:
So I did.

It was amazing how this book had a good plot line that didn't seem to base itself on the fabulous life of young starlets. Clea is a well-rounded character and the rest of this cast is so amazingly believable. My first thought was, "She couldn't have written THIS."

But whether or not Hilary Duff wrote the book, the person who did deserves good props. The book is well written and has a great mix of suspense, mystery, and romance. My favorite part? The historical 'flashbacks' and the paranormal hint of it. It was a unique plot and I like how the book just ended with a cliff hanger.

The least that I could say is that it caught me off guard and surprised me.

The most I could say?

It was amazing and I can't wait to read the next book. When is it coming out, anyways?

I usually read the acknowledgment page to get a good feel of the author and this one looked pretty legit and down to earth so I hope that Hilary Duff wrote this because if she did, she has a greater talent than singing and acting (and in my honest opinion, she seems like a nice person but not convincing in neither singing or acting).

I'll be getting the next book for sure.

Overall, I know I didn't say much about this book but it has some great plot twists that I don't want to give away. It's paranormal enough for paranormal fans and romantic enough for romance fans. I really liked it.

In one sentence:
"Surprisingly good!"

Plot: 5
Writing: 4
Characters: 5
Cover: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 4.8 stars