Amazing contest at Mrs. Magoo Reads!

Sophie over at Mrs. Magoo Reads blog, is giving one very lucky winner the chance to win 10 books!

-Hardcover of Ice -Hardcover of Year of the Horse -Hardcover of Melonhead (gently used) -Paperback of Curse of the Shamra (used) -ARC of Geektastic -ARC of Captivate -ARC of Fat Cat (gently used) -ARC of Going Bovine (used) -ARC of Savvy Girl (gently used) -ARC of Give Up the Ghost (gently used)

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

GLBT Mini Challenge for January

The January mini-challenge at the Challenge That Dare Not Speak Its Name is to write a paragraph or so about why the GLBT challenge/or issue is important to you.

WHY the GLBT challenge is important to me: I have always been a very open minded person. I do not care one bit if you are gay, straight, bi, transgendered or whatever. The world is filled with so many problems and I hate that people think that being gay is one of them; it definitely isn't.

Last year, my freshmen year of HS, I joined the GSA club, which is Gay Straight Alliance. It was such a different experience from what I'm used to. There weren't many regular members only around 10. Sometime in February we hosted an event where other high school students that were members of GSA or whatever came. Although, I'm sure I was one of the few straight people there, it was a pretty awesome experience. There were workshops like Gays in history, a senator of Missouri (Kansas City) who is openly gay came, and lots of other cool things. This year, I'm not in GSA. Mainly because I have sports and theatre and stuff. I have absolutely no time for it. Also, ever since the woman who sponsored us last year went to another school and someone else took over, I don't think anyone really goes to it anymore.

I think it is wicked important that GLBT in literature. There aren't that many books out there that include GLBT characters. You love who you love and you are who you are. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

*If you want to check out what books I'll be reading for the GLBT Challenge.

In My Mailbox (17)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi.

For English 10 Honors class:

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

"The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes.

The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional--but is it more true?"

For Review:

Dream Life by Lauren Mechling

"Claire Voyante's first semester at Henry Hudson High School was eventful, to say the least. As she heads into her second semester, things are calming down a bit. But Claire has a few secrets that are getting harder to keep. Her biggest secret of all? The onyx and ivory cameo necklace her grandmother gave her for her 15th birthday. Ever since she started wearing it, her dreams have been coming to her in black and white and turning out to be oddly prophetic.

Becca’s been hanging out with her old prep school friends and never seems to have time for Claire anymore. And soon, Claire discovers why—there’s a secret group of society girls with a mysterious identity. And, turns out, a mysterious enemy who’s out to get them. The second she sniffs out trouble, Claire jumps on the case. But is it someone close to Claire who’s in danger again—or could it be Claire herself whose life is at stake?"

A friend also gave me Magyk by Angie Sage.

"Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, disappears the night he is born, pronounced dead by the midwife. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across an abandoned child in the snow -- a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take her into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?"

I know absolutely nothing about Magyk. But my friend had an extra copy so I'm going to read it once I've read my TBR pile.

The Body Finder Book Trailer!

Vania at VCL Productions has made a fantastic trailer for Kimberly Derting's debut YA novel, The Body Finder.

Kimberly Derting is also hosting a contest that includes an ARC of The Body Finder, gift card to an online bookseller and a swag pack!! Click HERE.

I can not wait for this book!

Friday Fill Ins (2)

1. The lesson I learned yesterday was Shakespeare owned a house called The New House. I learned that in Theatre Arts. 2. Parties are where friends and family meet. 3. All these years I still hate cleaning my room. 4. I was a 2 minutes late to school when I arrived. 5. The truth is I don't even see why I actually need to take all of this math! 6. The Red Sox winning the World Series is what I remember most from that day. 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to EATING, tomorrow my plans include a swimming invitational and Sunday, I want to watch the Being Erica marathon on SoapNet!

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting.

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: March 16, 2010

"A serial killer on the loose. A girl with a morbid ability. And the boy who would never let anything happen to her. Violet Ambrose can find the dead. Or at least, those who have been murdered. She can sense the echoes they leave behind... and the imprints they leave on their killers. As if that weren't enough to deal with during junior year, she also has a sudden, inexplicable, and consuming crush on her best friend since childhood, Jay Heaton. Now a serial killer has begun terrorizing Violet's small town... and she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him."

Reasons why I want this:

a. Its by a debut author!

b. the plot sounds really amazing...

c. ....i happen to like studying things on crimes and killers and such.

d. the cover is wonderful!

*Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine

Interview with Cheryl Renee Herbsman

Short BIO: Cheryl Renee Herbsman was born in New York City and raised in Durham, North Caraolina. She is the middle child of five kids with three brothers and one sister. She got her undergraduate degree from Duke University and a master's degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. Her debut novel, Breathing, came out in 2009. (Taken from her biography page)

Here is my review of Breathing.

1. Describe Breathing in 6 words. – romantic summer story about following dreams

2. I liked the interesting names for your characters (especially the story behind Savannah and Dog's name,) how did you come up with them? – these names just came to me. I closed my eyes and imagined the mom trying to come up with their names and the scenarios just appeared. I imagined her turning on the radio when Savannah was born and the idea of a tornado heading for Savannah, Georgia popped into my mind. Then I imagined Dog being born and Porsha being too afraid to turn on the radio, looking out her window instead. I imagined the trees in NC and remembered how beautiful the dogwoods are when they’re blooming, and then Dog had a name!

3. In what ways are you NOT like Savannah? – I hope she’s more stubborn and insistent than I am :)

4. Breathing is a great summer book. Do you have any favorite summer books? I love summer stories, especially when they have romance in them. Sarah Dessen has some good ones.

5. What is your favorite summer memory? – Summer was always my favorite time of year, mostly because I was so happy to go to my sleep-away camp or in later years to visit my long-distance boyfriend.

6. Can you remember the moment you decided to write this novel? Yep, it started in a writing group exercise. I wrote a scene from the first chapter. And as soon as I read it out to the group, I knew there was a kind of energy behind this character I had to follow.

7. What character was hardest for you to write? I think the mom’s boyfriend, DC.

8. How was it writing about Savannah's breathing/asthma? Did/do you have any personal experiences? My personal experience with asthma comes from two areas: working in a pediatric hospital unit in college and then seeing my husband and daughter struggle with mild asthma. Luckily, we’ve never had any extreme experiences like Savannah’s. But I researched it a lot and tried to imagine what it would feel like for her.

9. Are you good at art, like Jackson is, in the book? No :( But I so wish I was! That’s the great thing about writing – you get to pretend :D

10. What are your next book plans? I’m working on a new book. It’s very different from Breathing, but carries over the same hopeful feeling.

11. What is your favorite clothing store? Ambiance in San Francisco.

12. Mexican or Chinese food? Thai. But since that’s not an option I’ll go with Mexican.

13. What is your favorite 'feel good' song? I don’t know if I could limit it to one favorite. But 1,2,3,4 by the Plain White Tees is a fun “feel good” song.

14. Chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies? Definitely chocolate chip!

15. What was the last movie you watched? Avatar

Thanks so much for having me, Bianca!

Thank you, Cheryl, for the awesome interview!

You can order Breathing HERE. To check out her cool site go HERE.

The 10 in '10 Chick Lit Challenge

The 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge! Co-hosted by teen book blogger Jessica (www.chicklitteens.com) and YA author Kay Cassidy (www.kaycassidy.com), the 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge is your chance to read some fabulous teen chick lit books with other chick lit fans. The challenge runs from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

To check out the challenge CLICK HERE!

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

For Keeps by Natasha Friend

Gossip Girl #1 by Cecily Von Ziegesar

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Rules of Attractions by Simone Elkeles

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

Scones and Sensibility by Lindsey Eland

The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick

Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick

Publisher: Simon Pulse (October 20, 2009)

Hardcover: 224 pages

Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary: "When Holly loses her virginity to Paul, a guy she barely knows, she assumes their encounter is a one-night stand. After all, Paul is too popular to even be speaking to Holly...and he happens to have a long-term girlfriend, Saskia. But ever since Holly's mom died six months ago, Holly has been numb to the world, and she's getting desperate to feel something, anything--so when Paul keeps pursuing her, Holly relents. Paul's kisses are a welcome diversion...and it's nice to feel like the kind of girl that a guy like Paul would choose.

But things aren't so simple with Saskia around. Paul's real girlfriend is willowy and perfect... and nothing like Holly. To make matters worse, she and Holly are becoming friends. Suddenly the consequences of Holly's choices are all too real, and Holly stands to lose more than she ever realized she had."

Review: Nothing Like You is a short book, around 200 pages of reading but it certainly is able to cover a lot of stuff and was easy to get into.

This book was filled with angst well, actually I'm not sure if that's the right word...but it definitely was able to make me feel bad for some characters, especially Holly. She and Paul Bennett are having some sort of relationship that is basically only sex. Meanwhile, Paul is dating Saskia who becomes good friends with Holly. Then, there is Holly's best friend, Nils. I absolutely loved reading about their friendship.

I loved the parts with Holly and her father, Jeff. Holly's mother died a six months before and they are trying to deal with it the best way they can. I liked the scenes with Holly and her theatre teacher. Lauren Strasnick does a fantastic job making the book realistic and there are a lot of things that people can relate to.

The ending was bittersweet but I thought it was a good way to end the book. Can't wait to read more books by Lauren!

*Oh and I liked to mention that this book wasn't graphic with sex at all. So if you're worried about that, don't be.

Rating:

Characters: 9/10

Originality: 9/10

Ending: 9/10

Writing: 10/10

Voice: 10/10

Plot: 8/10

Favorite character(s): Nils, Holly, and Saskia were among my favorites. I don't know how to explain why, since they had their faults but I thought they were pretty nice. My least favorite was Paul. Ugh!

Cover: A. Very pretty cover.

Overall: Great book on teenage angst, loss and love. 4 stars.

(to find out more on the Rating System)

*Won this HC book from Tina at Fantastic Book Reviews!

In My Mailbox (16)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception

Maggie Stifvater

"Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . ."

Only 1 book this week, but it's cool. Won this from Kristen at Bookworming in the 21st century! I haven't heard much about this Maggie Stifvater book, but it looks interesting. I haven't really read any books with faerie's but I'll give it a try once by TBR gets slimmer.

Viola In Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

Viola In Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

Publisher: HarperTeen (September 1, 2009)

Hardcover: 288 pages

Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary: "I'm marooned.

Abandoned.

Left to rot in boarding school . . .

Viola doesn't want to go to boarding school, but somehow she ends up at an all-girls school in South Bend, Indiana, far, far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York. Now Viola is stuck for a whole year in the sherbet-colored sweater capital of the world.

Ick.

There's no way Viola's going to survive the year—especially since she has to replace her best friend Andrew with three new roommates who, disturbingly, actually seem to like it there. She resorts to viewing the world (and hiding) behind the lens of her video camera.

Boarding school, though, and her roommates and even the Midwest are nothing like she thought they would be, and soon Viola realizes she may be in for the most incredible year of her life.

But first she has to put the camera down and let the world in."

Review: Viola In Reel Life is a book is a wonderful, fast-paced read. It's original and isn't the usual cliché boarding school book.

I knew that this book would be about a girl and her love for filming, but I hadn't thought it would talk so much about theatre. I absolutely love theatre and this book has mentions of Buster Keaton and other silent film actors, Arsenic and Old Lace..It was very interesting to read about.

Adriana Trigiani does a great job with the characters. Viola with her filming and sarcastic remarks learns to appreciate Prefects Academy along with her roommates. There's Suzanne, the pretty and tall blonde. Romy is the sportive one and Marisol is the Latina who is the one Viola goes to since she is non-judgmental. I loved this group of girls. They were always there for each other and supported each other.

Even though Viola goes to an all girls school, Trigiani is still able to throw guys into the mix. Andrew, her BFFAA from back home, continues to text and videoconference with her. I thought they had some chemistry, but they were just best friends. Then there is Jared, who Viola meets at a school dance. They share an interest in filming and both enter a video competition. I loved reading about Viola's short film and the story behind it.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes filming or theatre or stories about boarding schools. This was a great read!

Rating:

Characters: 8/10

Originality: 8/10

Ending: 7/10

Writing: 10/10

Voice: 10/10

Plot: 8/10

Favorite character(s): So many good characters. I thought Trish, Viola and her roommates RA, was a great character! I liked her personality.

Cover: B. The cover really fits the story line! The shoes look how they are described in the book.

Overall: An innocent and sweet novel! 4 stars.

(check out my Rating System to learn more about my ratings.)

*won this ARC from Bites blog!

Rating System

I tried putting this on my sidebar, but I've had great difficulty putting it up with a sidebar.....

Overall Rating

0 stars = most likely didn't finish

0.5 stars = what did i just read?!

1 star = don't waste your time

1.5 stars = eh

2 stars = fine

2.5 stars = okay

3 stars = good

3.5 stars = awesome

4 stars = great

4.5 stars = fantastic

5 stars = excellent, wicked good!!

When describing book out of 6:

5 = excellent

4 = great

3 = okay

2 = fine

1 = didn't like it

**As of 3/16/10

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Publisher: Dial

Release Date: March 9, 2010

"Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding."

Reasons why I WoWed this book:

The plot just sounds amazing. I like that the main character is into band/music.

Its by a debut author.

The cover is really pretty.

I WANT THIS.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking The Spine

Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (December 23, 2008)

Paperback: 224 pages

Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary: "Perfect Parker Fadley isn’t so perfect anymore. She’s quit the cheerleading squad, she’s dumped her perfect boyfriend, and she’s failing school. Her parents are on a constant suicide watch and her counselors think she’s playing games…but what they don’t know, the real reason for this whole mess, isn’t something she can say out loud. It isn’t even something she can say to herself. A horrible thing has happened and it just might be her fault. If she can just remove herself from everybody--be totally alone--then everything will be okay...The problem is, nobody will let her."

Review: After seeing countless of reviews, claiming that Cracked Up To Be was pretty amazing, I couldn't help but order this! I wasn't planning on reading this until after I finished my other books, but I couldn't resist it any longer!

Cracked Up To Be is a fast-paced story that will keep you up reading all night. I'm almost at a lost of words for this book. The voice of Parker Fadley is incredible. She used to an A+ student, captain of the cheerleading squad, had a great boyfriend, and was popular. Something happened to Parker that changed her and everyone around her is trying to figure out what went wrong.

I really enjoyed Jake's character, the new kid in school, who tries to figure out Parker. Like she is with everyone, Parker is rude and sarcastic towards him. I liked reading about their partnership with an art project they have to do. All of the characters were nicely done. It was easy to envision each of them as I read.

Courtney Summers does an amazing job writing the flashbacks scenes throughout the book. These scenes are intriguing and you'll want to find out what happened to Parker.

Cracked Up To Be is excellent and such a realistic story! I could not have read a better book to read for the start of 2010!

Rating:

Characters: 10/10

Originality: 9/10

Ending: 9/10

Writing: 10/10

Voice: 10/10

Plot: 9/10

Favorite character(s): Parker. I couldn't get enough her story. Jake comes in a close second.

Another thing I enjoyed: I didn't exactly know where to put this in the review; I really enjoyed reading the scenes with Parker's dog that she gets in the story. Those scenes are innocent and you kind of see a different side to her when she's with her dog.

Cover: B. I think the cover is quite nice.

Overall: Incredible book! If you haven't already, go get it! Its actually on Amazon for less than $4! CLICK HERE. Must get Courtney Summers' Some Girls Are!!! I'm dying to read it.

4.5 stars

In My Mailbox (15)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

BOUGHT:

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert

"Kara hasn't been back to Oak Park since the end of junior year, when a heroin overdose nearly killed her and sirens heralded her exit. Four years later, she returns to face the music. Her life changed forever back in high school: her family disintegrated, she ran around with a whole new crowd of friends, she partied a little too hard, and she fell in love with gorgeous bad-boy Adrian, who left her to die that day in Scoville Park....

Amid the music, the booze, the drugs, and the drama, her friends filled a notebook with heartbreakingly honest confessions of the moments that defined and shattered their young lives. Now, finally, Kara is ready to write her own."

Very Excited to read this!!!

Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season by Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King.

"Early in 2004, two writers and Red Sox fans, Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King, decided to chronicle the upcoming season, one of the most hotly anticipated in baseball history. They would sit together at Fenway. They would exchange emails. They would write about the games. And, as it happened, they would witness the greatest comeback ever in sports, and the first Red Sox championship in eighty-six years. What began as a Sox-filled summer like any other is now a fan's notes for the ages."

Probably won't interest most people; however, I'm a die-hard Red Sox fan!

WON:

Cane and Able by Stephen Cheeck

"Do you remember how you felt when you were learning to drive? You were nervous. You were scared. Your heart was racing and your mouth was dry. You were so frightened by failure that you wanted to call it quits...except that you were more trilled by the chance to experience something that could lead to freedom. Justin Cane, a Mississippi farmer's young boy in the summer of 1959, feels the same way as he learns about driving and about life. Justin's mentor is his father's trusted black farmhand, Able. Able comes across as an incredibly strong man, both physical and spiritually. As Justin and Able take a road trip together through the low lands of the Mississippi Delta, the boy learns not only to drive on the open road but, more important, about the wonder and cruelty of life."

Thanks you Stephen!!

Night World: The Ultimate Fan Guide

"You loved Secret Vampire and are counting down to the Strange Fate apocalypse. But who was the first made vampire? How do you properly greet a witch? And why are shapeshifters and werewolves rivals? Prepare to test your Night World knowledge with trivia questions from all nine books; get the inside information about the clans, the soulmate principle, Circle Daybreak, and the four Wild Powers; and take two quizzes to find out how you fit into the Night World. Best of all, L.J. Smith shares her inspiration for the series, answers the questions you've been asking, and even reveals fun facts about herself in this official guide. Plus, look for the sneak peek at the dramatic conclusion to the series,Strange Fate!"

Thank you Kristi!!

2010 Challenges

• Summer Break Reading Challenge

• GLBT Challenge

• Debut Author Challenge

• POC Challenge

• Gilmore Girls Challenge

• 3 4 5 Reading Challenge

• Hogwarts Reading Challenge

• Graphic Novels Challenge

• 100+ Challenge

• 10 in '10 Chick Lit Challenge

Review of LET IT SNOW

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Publisher: Speak (October 2, 2008)

Paperback: 352 pages

Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary: "Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks. Thanks to three of today’s bestselling teen authors—John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle—the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses."

Review: Make yourself a nice cup of hot cocoa and get a warm blanket and then, prepare yourself for a nice holiday story.

Since it's the holidays, I really wanted to read some kind of Christmas-y book. So, I texted my friend/swimming buddy and asked to borrow this book. I'm so glad that I got to read this one. It is written by some pretty amazing authors: Maureen Johnson, John Green and Lauren Myracle and each their stories are unique and different.

The first part of the book, The Jubilee Express, Maureen Johnson's part of the book sets up the story for the book. We meet Jubilee, who is named after a piece from the Flobie Santa Village -a series of collectable ceramic holiday pieces. After her parents get thrown in jail, which had to do with those same Flobie pieces, Jubilee takes a train to go to her grandparents for Christmas and she hates that she has to leave her boyfriend behind. The train gets delayed in Gracetown because of the blizzard. She meets a guy named Jeb, who has relationship problems of his own and on the train there are a bunch of cheerleaders which Jubilee can not stand so she heads to The Waffle House. From there thats when the story really takes off. She meets a guy and over the next 24 hours or so, she makes some decisions regarding her boyfriend. The ending was cute!

My favorite story to read was the second part of the book. A Cheertastic Christmas is John Green's part of the book and it is incredibly funny! Tobin, JP, and the Duke (Angie) are enjoying a James Bond movie marathon until they get a call from their friend telling them to come to The Waffle House. The guys are all for it, as there are bunch of cheerleaders stuck there for the night and the Duke tags along as well. Due to the fact that there happened to be a blizzard outside, it took a little longer than expected. I absolutely loved reading about their adventure. It was a bit predictable with what was going to happen with the characters, but I enjoyed it a lot.

I was quite surprised by the last story in the book, The Patron Saints of Pigs, which is written by Lauren Myracle. Addie feels that her boyfriend Jeb is great and all, but doesn't pay her enough attention and wants him to change. Then, one night at a party, Addie finds herself kissing another guy and immediately regrets it. Jeb and her sort of go through a breakup and Addie tries to find away to get him back. I loved that this story was about Addie realizing that she needed to change her ways and stop being so self-absorbed. Addie works at Starbucks and one of her regular costumers helps her out unexpectedly and Addie is able to stop thinking only of herself.

I loved how all the stories came together. I thought that was pretty clever. It was really interesting seeing the POV from the main character from each story and seeing them interact with the characters from the other stories. I expected the romances to be fluffy and cutesy. However, all 3 of the romances are realistic as the couples go through breakups and a lot of other things.

Rating:

Characters: 8/10

Originality: 7/10

Ending: 9/10

Writing: 10/10

Voice: 10/10

Plot: 7/10

Favorite character(s): the Duke from A Cheertastic Christmas. I liked the character and her personality. My favorite scene with her was when they were trying to get the car to work on the snow. Hilarious!

Cover: B. I think the cover is pretty and wintry! Perfect for the book. I also like the other cover, too!

Overall: A great book to read during the holidays! 3.5 stars.