Josie Griffin is Not a Vampire by Heather Swain

Summary:
A hilarious take on the paranormal trend--Twilight meets The Breakfast Club!

When former good girl turned rebel Josie Griffin gets busted for what was in her mind perfectly acceptable revenge on her cheating dog of a boyfriend, she lands herself in anger management therapy. It could be worse: it could be juvie, or she could be a zombie cheerleader like the rest of her former friends. But there's something strange about therapy--these are not normal kids. There's the wannabe ladies man with a weird accent, Johann; the blindingly gorgeous Helios; Avis with his wild dreads; and Tarren, the sprite of a girl with a wicked temper. And all of them keep talking about "powers." Josie knows that has to be impossible, but strange things start happening, and nothing weird ever happens in Indiana. After all, there're no such things as vampires, werewolves, Greek gods, or fairies . . . right? (from GoodReads)

Review:
I thought that Josie Griffin is Not a Vampire was a cute read, though I'm not sure I would categorize it as "Twilight meets The Breakfast Club." In the beginning, it was actually really funny. Josie had some great one-liners and I was excited to keep reading. As the book continued there weren't as many funny moments, which was a little sad.

I did like Josie as a character. She starts out angry and upset because her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend, while her other friend kept it a secret. How awful is that! So Josie doesn't have any friends anymore until she starts her anger management therapy. What she is surprised to find is that she is in a group for paranormal creatures! No one knows she's human so she pretends she's a vampire/werewolf hybrid (sounds like The Vampire Diaries) without powers.

In addition to group therapy, Josie has to participate in community service. She gets placed at a home for runaway girls, but she finds that something sinister is going on there. The girls are disappearing one by one, and she's sure it is paranormal in nature. It was fun seeing Josie trying to figure out what was going on and I liked that she cared so much about the girls that she decided to help them.

What I thought was hilarious is that Josie's ex-boyfriend fancies himself a demon hunter and drives around in an Impala... pretty sure the author is a fan of Supernatural.

Overall, Josie Griffin in Not a Vampire wasn't anything spectacular but it was a cute read. If you're looking for something super light and quick, this is definitely a good choice.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: sent by publisher

2012/Speak/272 pages.

Giveaway: The Farm by Emily McKay

I'm so glad to be hosting another contest, this one for the 2012 YA debut The Farm!! I've already read it and it was amazing! So please enter the contest because The Farm is seriously worth reading. The book will be released Dec 4 so this is your opportunity to get a free copy!!!

For those who don't know what it's about, here's a synopsis:

Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race... (from GoodReads)

Contest Rules:
Ends December 5 at 8 pm EST.
Open to US residents only.
Extra entries are available.

Waiting on Wednesday - 113

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to get excited about upcoming books.

Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of lovable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting - or stealing - whatever they want.

No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir - this time, Hale might be the mark.

Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she’s willing to save her boyfriend’s company if it means losing the boy. (from GoodReads)

I absolutely adore the Heist Society series so I'm super excited to see what happens next! Perfect Scoundrels will be released February 5, 2013.

Top Ten Tuesday - 59

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten Books I'm Pining For in 2013

1. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
I am seriously dying to know how this trilogy turns out. I think I even like it more than The Mortal Instruments!!

2. Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton
Another conclusion to a fantasy series and I want to know if Ellie is able to save Will!

3. Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter
I absolutely adored the first two books in this series so I hope the author continues to write. I can't get enough of teenage art thiefs and con artists.

4. Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans
I'm so excited to read this book by fellow blogger Lenore! I'm sure it's amazing.

5. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
These books are always so cute and Stephanie Perkins really knows how to write romance!

6. Requiem by Lauren Oliver
So many trilogies are ending in 2013. Pandemonium left off on such a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see how it is resolved.

7. My Suicide Playlist by Leila Sales
Leila Sales is a hilarious writer and I can't wait to see how funny this is! Unfortunately there is no definite release date or cover yet.

8. Dualed by Elsie Chapman
I just heard of this today, but it takes place in the future where everyone has a twin raised separately and you have to fight to the death to see who gets to live. That sounds like an awesome plot.

9. How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Summer, romance and a road trip? Sign me up!

10. Slated by Teri Terry
In Slated if you are deemed a criminal your memory is erased. That sounds awful but it makes for a good story!

Waiting on Wednesday - 112

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to get excited about upcoming books.

Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown

Ashleigh's boyfriend, Kaleb, is about to leave for college, and Ashleigh is worried that he'll forget about her while he's away. So at a legendary end-of-summer pool party, Ashleigh's friends suggest she text him a picture of herself -- sans swimsuit -- to take with him. Before she can talk herself out of it, Ashleigh strides off to the bathroom, snaps a photo in the full-length mirror, and hits "send."

But when Kaleb and Ashleigh go through a bad breakup, Kaleb takes revenge by forwarding the text to his baseball team. Soon the photo has gone viral, attracting the attention of the school board, the local police, and the media. As her friends and family try to distance themselves from the scandal, Ashleigh feels completely alone -- until she meets Mack while serving her court-ordered community service. Not only does Mack offer a fresh chance at friendship, but he's the one person in town who received the text of Ashleigh's photo -- and didn't look.

Acclaimed author Jennifer Brown brings readers a gripping novel about honesty and betrayal, redemption and friendship, attraction and integrity, as Ashleigh finds that while a picture may be worth a thousand words . . . it doesn't always tell the whole story. (from GoodReads)

I think Thousand Words sounds really interesting. There are always stories in the news about these viral texts ... I think one even went around my high school. Sometimes people don't realize how damaging they can be and I'm curious to see what happens in this book! Thousand Words will be released May 21, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday - 58

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten Books & Authors I'm Thankful For

1. J.K. Rowling
For writing the one of the most amazing book series that defined my childhood. Thanks for giving me something to look forward to every few years (books and movies)!!!!

2. Cassandra Clare
I absolutely adore her novels but I love her tumblr too. I love how she reaches out to her readers daily and is always providing snippets of her books and answering questions! She has such a great relationship with her fans.

3. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
I'm thankful that Uglies was the first to really get me into dystopian literature. Now it's my favorite genre!

4. The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver was one of the first books to make me think! That's the most important part of reading.

5. Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales
This book is hilarious and I still laugh every time I read it. I know I can pick it up if I'm having a bad day.

6. Suzanne Collins
I'm glad she wrote an awesome book series that got a lot of people into reading and that entertained those who already love to read.

7. John Green
Like Cassandra, he also has a wonderful relationship with his fans. We need more authors like him! Plus his books are amazing as well.

8. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Thank you for writing a book about sexual abuse for girls to turn to. I'm sure it helped a lot of young adults.

9. The Babysitter's Club Series by Ann M. Martin
For inspiring me to become a babysitter! They make good money hahah.

10. Any author on the Banned Books List
 Thank you for writing thought-provoking books and for continuing to write!

Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita

Summary:
What if... Your picture was taped inside teenage boys' lockers across America, your closets were bursting with never-worn designer clothing, and the tabloids constantly asked whether you were losing your "good girl" status?

It's a glamorous life, but sixteen-year-old Kaitlin Burke, costar of one of the hottest shows on TV, is exhausted from the pressures of fame. Then she hits on an outrageously daring solution, one that has to remain top secret or it will jeopardize everything she's ever worked for. (from GoodReads)

Review:
So Secrets of My Hollywood Life has been on my bookshelf for almost four years now. I finally got around to reading it! I'm kinda mad I waited this long because it was actually really good but now I'm so behind in the series.

Many people have wondered what it's like being famous, and in Secrets of My Hollywood Life we get a taste of that. The way Jen Calonita portrayed Kaitlin and the life of a teen star seemed pretty realistic. She has to deal with crazy parents, overbearing manager and a hectic schedule but she also gets perks such as free clothes and invites to all the premieres. However, Kaitlin (like most people) wants what she doesn't have and decides to enroll at a high school and be a normal girl.

I knew all this going into the book, but I had no idea that she actually wore a disguise! That seemed a little over the top but I love She's the Man, so I went along with it. The fact that Kaitlin is pretending to be someone else is hilarious and adds a few laughs to the story. This book is a few years old and it was so funny hearing Kaitlin rave about the Sidekick. I remember when those were big! Now she'd have the iPhone 5.

Secrets of My Hollywood Life was pretty light and fun, but I really enjoyed it. I didn't think I'd want to continue the series at first, but now I'm looking forward to reading the next book. I better get started - this series has 6!

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: birthday gift.

2007/Poppy/256 pages.