Jessica's books

The One and Only Ivan
Pollyanna
Revolutionary War on Wednesday
Leprechaun in Late Winter
Ella Enchanted
The Courage of Sarah Noble
Plain Murder
Gone-Away Lake
Circling the Sun
Maggie and Max
The Haunting of Sunshine Girl
The Night Sister
Tuck Everlasting
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Bedknob and Broomstick
Mister Monday
Alice Through the Looking Glass
The Birchbark House
The Hobbit
The Witch's Daughter


Jessica's favorite books »

Thursday, May 31, 2012

My Favorite Reads Giveaway Hop!


Time for another giveaway hop!  This one is put on by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rachelle's Writing Spot

For this giveaway I have to give away one of my favorite reads.  So, I am going to give away a hardback copy of Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.  You can read my review here.  I loved this book and read it in one day.  It was funny and full of adventure.  Definitely one of my all time favorite YA books!  So, fill out the Rafflecopter below and enter to win this fabulous book!


Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Now hop on over to the next blogs participating in the hop!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles, #1)  "He hoped he could hold on to her trust.  He hoped he could help her, because the thought of what she might become if he could not was simply too horrifying to entertain."  ~page 230 of The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: Diva by Jillian Larkin

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My teaser is from Diva (Flappers #3) by Jillian Larkin:

Diva (Flappers, #3)
 
"The music began to swell, and even though a million thoughts were running through her mind-thoughts about Jerome, Forrest and Ruby, Hank-there was nothing she could do now except what she'd been born to do.
     Sing.
 
    ~Page 104 of Diva by Jillian Larkin

 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, May 19, 2012

And the winner is....

I want to thank everyone for entering my LDS Authors giveaway!  I am happy to announce that the winner is...

Joy Flynn!


The winner has been confirmed.  Congratulations again to Joy and thank you to everyone who entered.  Stay tuned for the next giveaway coming up soon!












Thursday, May 17, 2012

Book Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily

**I received this book from Around the World ARC Tours for review**
Summary (from Goodreads):  Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

My Thoughts:  This book wasn't really what I was expecting it to be but it was still a really good book!  It was not a happy, light read but was actually pretty sad.  It was really a whole new side to Peter Pan.

I loved how it was told from Tinkerbell's point of view.  As a fairy, Tink can't speak but she can "read" people.  Tink likes Tiger Lily and hangs around her the most.  This way, we get told of Tiger Lily's life.

Tiger Lily is 15 and has not led an easy life.  She was abandoned as a child and found by the Shaman, Tic Tok.  Tic Tok keeps her as his own but the people in the village torment Tiger Lily.  After a couple of events involving crows, the villagers come to believe that Tiger Lily is cursed.  No one wants to be around Tiger Lily except for Pine Sap, another boy who is shunned due to his physical disabilities.  When Tiger Lily takes care of an Englander who was shipwrecked, the villagers become afraid that she has the "age" disease.  You see, no one ages in Neverland and they want to keep it that way.  

  While taking care of the Englander, Tiger Lily draws the attention of the pirates and Peter Pan.  The pirates, including Captain Hook, are looking for the Lost Boys and Peter Pan.  When Peter captures Tiger Lily, he is scary and dark.  He has some serious issues and is not the carefree boy in the Disney movie. 

I really enjoyed the relationship between Tiger Lily and Peter Pan.  There was some serious chemistry there.  Tiger Lily is engaged to Giant (a villager), however, so there is that underlying problem for her.  She keeps it all a secret from Pan and she keeps her relationship with Pan a secret from all the villagers.  You are warned from the very beginning that there are no happy endings in Neverland though. 

Wendy was horrible!  She was selfish and mean and just ruined the whole thing.  She didn't care about anything and I just really didn't like her at all! 

The ending is horribly sad and will leave you in tears.  You will definitley remember this story though.  It will stick with you for a long time.  While it doesn't have a happy ending, it has a realistic ending and it is a very enjoyable story!


Saturday, May 12, 2012

Winner of the Spring Fling Giveaway


Rafflecopter chose the winner of my Spring Fling Giveaway!  Congratulations to....

Teressa O.!

Teressa has been contacted and has responded with her choice (The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer).

A big thanks to all who entered and welcome to my new followers!  Before you leave, head on over to my LDS Author Giveaway!  Stay tuned for more giveaways in the next couple months!


Thursday, May 10, 2012

LDS Authors Giveaway


This hop is hosted by The Book Bug and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

This hop features books written by LDS authors!  Do you know how many authors are LDS?  I had no clue!  Some of these authors include:
Stephenie Meyers, Kiersten White, Becca Fitzgerald, Bree Despain, Aprilynne Pike, Heather Dixon and so many more!

So, I am giving away a hardback copy of The Host by Stephenie Meyer!  

The Host (The Host, #1)(click picture to be taken to Goodreads synopsis)

All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below and then hop onto the other fabulous blogs that have joined this hop!  Good luck!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Book Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
**I received this book from Around the World ARC Tours**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

My Thoughts:  By far one of my favorite books of this year!  It will definitely be on my top 10 for 2012 but I'm guessing it will be among my top 3!  It was so refreshing to read and I was so sad to finish it.  It is one of those books that you really can't put down but on the other hand, you want to read it slowly so it never ends. 

The story starts with a young Samantha (around 8 years old).  She's outside with her mom and her older sister when they notice a moving van pull in next door.  Enter the Garrett family...a mom, dad, and 5 kids!  Sam's mother is immediately critical and makes it clear to her children that the Garrett family (who will never mow their lawn and leave toys all over and breastfeed on the front porch....gasp!) are not welcome.  Samantha spends the next years secretly watching the Garrets interact with each other and wishing her family life was like the Garrets.

Then one night, Samantha is sitting on her roof spying on the Garret children when Jase Garrett climbs up to sit with Samantha.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Samantha finds herself drawn to Jase and his family, including his little brother.  She ends up babysitting for them and becoming close to the family. 

When tragedy strikes, Sam must decide how to handle it.  The decision she made was not what I expected which made it so much better! 
I must admit that I have been extremely emotional this week as my grandfather just passed away so I don't know if that played any part in this factor but I actually cried while reading this book!  Yep...cried!  I NEVER cry when reading a book...never! 

I loved Samantha, Jase and his whole family and Sam's best friend Nan and her twin brother, Tim.  They were very well developed and so easy to connect too.  As a mom, I found myself connecting to Mrs. Garrett and laughing at some of the things she said and went through.  I loved how the Garret's interacted as a family and how easily they allowed Samantha to enter their lives and become a part of their family. 

I enjoyed Sam and Jase's romance.  It has none of the annoying drama or petty issues that a lot of teen romances have.  They were very grown up in their relationship and their decisions. 

This is a must read book this June!  It will have you laughing and crying and make you want to be with the characters.  You will want to read it slowly to draw the story out and once you finish it, you will want to start all over on page 1 and reread the whole thing again!  I will not only be buying this book in June, I will be preordering it now!