Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!! + In My Mailbox~4

Hey guys!! Hope you're doing well! Happy New Year!! I hope you had a great 2011 and will have an even better 2012!

How was your New Years' Eve? Mine went great! Last time I celebrated with my friends. We had a party and all. But this time I went out with my mom. My brothers went to spend some time with our cousins so me and my mom went out and had a mother-daughter New Years Eve =) We drove around and shopped. She even took me to my favorite book shop! And I wished for the thousandth time that I could live over there! I wanted to buy everything! But since I couldn't, I got these books:


There were many new (awesome!) books but they were waaayyy too expensive. So I settled for the above. And with this here's my IMM:

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

Bought:
1. The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty


Summary (from Goodreads): A dazzling debut in the tradition of Jane Hamilton and Mona Simpson. 
In Laura Moriarty's extraordinary first novel, a young girl tries to make sense of an unruly world spinning around her. Growing up with a single mother who is chronically out of work and dating a married man, 10-year old Evelyn Bucknow learns early how to fend for herself.
Offering an affecting portrayal of a troubled mother/daughter relationship, one in which the daughter is very often expected to play the role of the adult, the novel also gives readers a searing rendering of the claustrophobia of small town midwestern life, as seen through the eyes of a teenage girl. Evelyn must come to terms with the heartbreaking lesson of first love -- that not all loves are meant to be -- and determine who she is and who she wants to be. Stuck in the middle of Kansas, between best friends, and in the midst of her mother's love, Evelyn finds herself . . . inThe Center of Everything.
2. Vienna Blood by Adrian Mathews
Summary (from Goodreads): Sharkey is a Viennese newspaper columnist who finds himself spending time with a drunken computer nerd. When his acquaintance dies in mysterious circumstances, he is contacted by the surprisingly glamorous widow, convinced he has been passed vital information. This sets Sharkey on a terrifying and complex search through the cyber highways for an equation which turns out to be a very dangerous secret for those who know it.
Summary (from Goodreads): Sasha is baby-sitting twins who are about to have a horrifying accident. June is a snoopy baby-sitter who's dug up something deadly. These and 13 more chilling tales will delight even the hardest horror fan.
4. Sealed with a Diss (The Clique #8) by 
Massie Block: Stands at the threshold of the most ah-mazing secret room at OCD. But to prove the Pretty Committee is worthy of the honor, the girls need dates to Skye Hamilton's "famous couples" costume party. On top of all that, Massie has to convince her old crush, Chris Abeley, to be Skye's date . . . or else they can kiss the room-and their popularity-goodbye. How will she ever get her girls suitable dates and melt Chris's heart? She'd need to be a mind reader! Luckily for the PC, alpha status just happens to come with ESP . . . not the actual superpower, but a secret weapon that shows them exactly how boy brains work.

Kristen Gregory: Loves supersensitive guys, and thanks to ESP, has her eye on a boy who loves The Notebook as much as she does. So why on earth is she going to Skye's party as the Bride of Chucky?

Alicia Rivera: Diss-missed her crush, Josh Hotz, for having a bizarrely clean room. Then ESP tells her Josh's sister is actually the neat freak, and suddenly hawt Hotz looks hawter than ever.

Dylan Marvil: When ESP clues her in to the fact that guys-plural- like a girl who's not afraid to eat, it's all mozzarella sticks for this former Jenny Craig groupie. Will gaining six pounds make her regret trusting her sixth sense?

Claire Lyons: As the only Pretty Committee girl with a real boyfriend, the date-mission should be a breeze. But when her newfound Claire-voyance tells her Cam's hiding a huh-yuge secret from her, his gifts of gummies leave a stale taste in her mouth. ESP? Extra Sucky Problem is more like it.

The Clique...The only thing harder than getting in is staying in.


Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret 

No one ever told Margaret Simon that eleven-going-on- twelve would be such a hard age.  When her family moves to New Jersey, she has to adjust to life in the suburbs, a different school, and a whole new group of friends.  Margaret knows she needs someone to talk to about growing up-and it's not long before she's found a solution.

Are you there God?  It's me, Margaret. I can't wait until two o'clock God.  That's when our dance starts.  Do you think I'll get Philip Leroy for a partner?  It's not so much that I like him as a person God, but as a boy he's very handsome.  And I'd love to dance with him... just once or twice.  Thank you God.


6. Danger (Undercover Girl, #4) by 
Jesse's new assignment is no game--it's dead serious.

Jesse Sharpe, child prodigy and secret agent, must find a bomb in a crowded railway station...before the unthinkable happens. Time is running out. Thousands of people could die, and Jesse is the only one who can save them. But the situation is even more deadly than Jesse realizes...


ARCs (from NetGalley):

I've got a lot of ARCs and I almost feel guilty about requesting them because I just cannot take time out to read them (which sucks!). They are e-books so I have to read them on my computer which I don't really like much. But I promise that I will try to read them and don't leave them to catch cyber-dust. Here are the ARCs that I got from such generous publishers:

1. The Stuttering Tattoo by Greg Logsted


Summary (from the Publisher): Steven Bishop is extraordinarily ordinary. He goes to school. He rides his motorcycle. He stutters. His best friend is a former Colombian cartel hit man turned cook/construction worker. You know, ordinary. All that changes the day Becky Moore walks into his classroom. Becky is dazzling, enigmatic.
One day Steven gives Becky a ride home on his motorcycle. There, they discover a severed arm, one of the fingers of which still has an unusual ring attached: a circle, in the middle of which is a heart, at the center of which is a bold number 37. While comforting Becky, Steven discovers a tattoo at the base of her neck: it is the same symbol. And so begins a thrilling descent into a world of crime and murder, a ride wilder than any Steven has taken before.

2. Tool Belt Defender by Carla Cassidy


Summary (from the Publisher): It's Party Time...
That’s the “invitation” shoved under her door. It’s got Brittany Grayson fearing for her life…and her sanity. She’s sure the monster who once held her captive for months is dead, so why his chilling words in the note? His menacing face in the window? And why won’t anyone —even her lawmen brothers—believe that somehow he’s after her again?
Brittany just wants a normal, independent life in Black Rock. Romance is out of the question… although she’s okay as friends-with-benefits with Alex Crawford, her hunky, marriage-phobic contractor. Alex, a single dad, has his own good reasons not to fall for Brittany. But none of them matter when the race is on to find the killer who’s kidnapped her!



Summary (from the Publisher): Jac L'Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances--and of her mother's suicide--she moved to America. 
Now, fourteen years later she and her brother have inherited the company along with it's financial problems. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing--leaving a dead body in his wake--Jac is plunged into a world she thought she'd left behind.
 Back in Paris to investigate her brother's disappearance, Jac becomes haunted by the legend the House of L'Etoile has been espousing since 1799. Is there a scent that can unlock the mystery of reincarnation - or is it just another dream infused perfume?
 The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra's Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet's battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac's quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.

4. Carrie Goes Off The Map by Phillipa Ashley


Summary (from the Publisher): Carrie Brownhill lets her best friend talk her into a scenic European road trip as the perfect getaway from a nasty breakup with her fiancé. Unexpectedly along for the ride is the gorgeous and intriguing Matt Landor, MD, who sorely tests Carrie’s determination to give up men altogether. Careening through the English countryside in a VW camper van, these two mismatched but perfectly attuned lonely hearts find themselves in hot pursuit of adventure and in uncharted territory altogether…

Phillipa Ashley, a travel writer in a former life, wanted to add as much authenticity as possible to her latest novel, so she dragged her husband along for a research road trip across England! Ashley studied English language and literature at Wadham College, Oxford before working as a freelance copywriter and journalist. Her first novel, Decent Exposure, won the 2007 RNA New Writers’ Award and became a Lifetime TV movie. She lives with her husband and daughter in Staffordshire.

5. Caller ID by Rachelle J. Christensen


Summary (from the Publisher): When twenty-three-year-old Courtney Beckham is abducted near her home, the search turns up more than just a kidnapping crime. FBI agent Jason Edwards investigates the ten-million-dollar ransom and stumbles upon something he wasn’t meant to find. And when Courtney catches a glimpse of the caller ID in her kidnapper’s home, what she sees turns her world upside down.

6. Secrets by Freya North


Summary (from the Publisher): The most successful novel from a UK author with more than ten bestselling novels to her credit, Secrets will tug at your heart and whisper in your ear.
Joe has a beautiful house, a great job, no commitments– and he likes it that way. All he needs is a quiet house-sitter for his rambling old place by the sea. When Tess turns up, he's not sure she's right for the job. Where has she come from in such a hurry? Her past is blank and she's a bit of an enigma. But we all have our secrets. It's just that some are bigger than others.

7. Hushed by Kelly York


Summary (from the Publisher): Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.
Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is. But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.



Summary (from the Publisher): Ages 12 and up
In honor of the release of Melissa Kantor’s The Darlings in Love (book 2 in The Darlings), we’re pleased to share a Hyperion staff favorite, If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?
Wicked stepmother? Check. Evil stepsisters? Check. Miserable life? Check.

Lucy Norton's life has all the makings of a Cinderella story. Her dad's always away on business, leaving Lucy with her cruel stepmother and bratty stepsisters. She's burdened with chores, and has a hard time fitting in at her new school. So when she sees Connor Pearson, the star player on the varsity basketball team, Lucy hopes her destiny has finally changed. With everything else going on in her life, doesn't she at least deserve to get the handsome prince?

Melissa Kantor's enchanting novel proves that sometimes the happy ending isn't quite the one you'd expect. Lucy's about to discover the truth about finding her real Prince Charming... and finding herself.

Note: The names of the books are linked to their Goodreads pages.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2012!


Cruisin' thru the Cozies is a reading challenge hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews. I love a good mystery and it's the genre that actually got me into reading. My mother and I are big fans of mysteries! But lately I've stopped reading mysteries and moved onto other genres. I want to bring back my love of mysteries and this challenge will be the best way to do it! To know what a cozy mystery is and for a list of books which fall into that category visit http://cozy-mystery.com. I'll be doing Level 1 that is 6 books. The challenge runs from January 1, 2012 and ends December 31, 2012. I haven't decided which books I'm going to read but I'll tell you as soon as I do. For more info on the challenge click here.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

2012 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge!


Reading with Tequila is hosting a reading challenge in which Book Bloggers Recommended their favorite books which were then compiled into a list and now the participants will choose books that they want to read from that list. The challenge will run from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. I'll be doing Level 1 that is 5 books. I'm really glad to be participating in this challenge because the list contains many books that I've been wanting to read, and some that I even own, but never got around to doing it. I haven't chosen the books that I'll have on my list as yet but I'll let you know as soon as I decide. You can see the list (top 25) below:
  1.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 
  2. Divergent by Veroncia Roth 
  3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 
  4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 
  5. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare 
  6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore 
  7. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare 
  8. The Stand by Stephen King 
  9. Delirium by Lauren Oliver 
  10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling 
  11. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
  12. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini 
  13. The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco 
  14. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 
  15. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal 
  16. The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle 
  17. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 
  18. Enclave by Ann Aguirre 
  19. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson 
  20. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead 
  21. Poison Study by Maria V.Snyder 
  22. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
  23. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater 
  24. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward 
  25. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Click here to see the entire 2011 Book Blogger Recommendation List.

Click here for more info on the challenge and to sign up if you want to participate.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

WWW Wednesdays~2

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Q1. What are you currently reading?
Ans. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and Alias Dragonfly by Jane Singer (ARC).


Q2. What did you recently finish reading?
Ans. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks.


Q3. What do you think you'll read next?
Ans. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday~1

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Brooke and the Bookish.

This week's topic: The Top Ten books you read in 2011





3. The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot








7. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot






10. Donato and Daughter by Jack Early


Teaser Tuesday~3


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.


Title: A Thousand Splendid Suns
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Page #: 232
Teaser: "This, Laila had known, would be the first risky part, finding a man suitable to pose with them as a family member. The freedoms and opportunities that women had enjoyed between 1978 and 1992 were a thing of the past now-Laila could still remember Babi saying of those years of communist rule, It's a good time to be a wman in Afghanistan, Laila."

Tune in Tuesday~3


Tune in Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by GReads.

I discovered a new band this week, The Script. And I have fallen in love with their songs!! They're awesome! Take a listen below to a few of my favorite songs by them:

Science & Faith

I'm Yours

This is Love

Walk Away

The Man Who Can't Be Moved

Talk You Down

Monday, December 26, 2011

Book Review~Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Dear John
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Sphere
Publish Date: November 29th 2007 (first published October 30th 2006)
ISBN: 9780751539264 (ISBN13: 9780751539264)
Pages: 338
Links: Goodreads ~ Amazon


Summary: When John meets Savannah, he realizes he is ready to make some changes. Always the angry rebel at school, he has enlisted in the army, not knowing what else to do with his life. Now he's ready to turn over a new leaf for the woman who has captured his heart.

What neither realizes is that the events of 9/11 will change everything. John feels compelled to re-enlist and fulfill his duty to his country. But the lovers and their separation is long. Can they survive the distance?

Rating:  9/10

My thoughts: I want to go to Nicholas Sparks, give him a big hug and thank him for writing such beautiful books! I loved it! The story, the characters, everything! I love Nicholas' writing style. The way he describes scenes and feelings. I love his characters because you just really connect with his characters. When they're happy, you're happy. When they're sad, you're sad. They're not perfect, they make mistakes and they are human beings too. You can really relate to them. All the characters were likable. There wasn't any 'evil' character in the book. Yeah there was Randy but he wasn't much of an "evil" character if you know what I mean. I liked Tim too. He was sweet, and I imagine he would be a really great friend.

His books never fail to make me cry. I was crying like a baby in the end. The ending was great! I loved it! But I'm a sucker for happy endings. And since this wasn't the case, after I finished reading I was like, "Why? Why?!! Why Nicholas? WHY??!!"

Let me tell you, I watched the movie before reading the book. And the book is so much better! I know they usually are but the movies (based on books) that I've seen usually do good. I loved the movie when I first saw it. But after reading the book, the movie was just okay. Not great, just okay. 

The plot was awesome! The twists were great! The ending, as I said before, was fabulous. It was definitely unexpected. And I think that's the thing that really makes a book great! Unexpected endings that work. And this ending definitely worked! It just made John and Savannah's love look more stronger. The story was believable. And after reading Nick's books I can't help but wish that I would find true love someday too..... ;P

The dialogues were great. They made the story more beautiful. I really enjoyed the witty dialogues of John and Savannah. I loved John's and his fathers relationship. It was touchy, and emotional and so beautiful! I just wish I hadn't watched the movie before so that the twist about his father (and about Tim & Alan) would've come to me as a surprise. All in all it was a great book and I highly recommend it if you are in for an emotional read.

I know this isn't a great review but I cannot write anything more without giving out spoilers. Anyway, here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

""I love you," I whispered. I had always imagined the words would be hard to say, but they weren't. In all my life, I'd never been as sure of anything, and as much as I hoped to one day hear Savannah say these words to me, what mattered most was knowing that love was mine to give, without strings or expectations." 

"My dad held out his hand; I hugged him instead. His body was rigid, but I didn't care. "Love you, Dad." "I love you, too, John." "Find some good coins, okay?" I added, pulling back. "I want to hear all about them." He glanced at the floor. "I like Savannah," he said. "She's a nice girl." It came out of the blue, but somehow it was exactly what I wanted to hear."

" For the first time in years, my love for Savannah felt somehow...wrong. Love should bring joy, it should grant a person peace, but here and now, it was bringing only pain."

"Tim had told me-and shown me-that love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be."

Sunday, December 25, 2011

My Memories Suite Giveaway!!


Hey guys! I'm hosting the first ever giveaway on Views & Reviews! It's not book related but it is blogging related...well sort of. =P Well you see, I love digital scrapbooking! I discovered it when I stepped into the blogging world and I fell in love with it! I bought photoshop and I used to sit for hours trying out different things. I downloaded free scrapbooking kits from sites like Kevin & Amanda and Shabby Princess. I made things for my blog. I even used to deign cards and such for my friends and family. But everyone who has used photoshop knows that it is kind of complicated and hard to use. So I spent a great amount of time struggling with a lot of things.

So one day Liz, who works for a company called My Memories, emailed me and asked me if I would be interested in hosting a giveaway on my blog. She told me that My Memories Suite is an award winning digital scrapbook software that is extremely easy and fun to use. My Memories Suite is rated #1 by Amazon and TopTen Reviews. Using this software, anyone can create digital scrapbooks, photobooks, cards, calendars and gifts without having to buy expensive and complicated software programs. I got to try it for free and I simply loved it! It's so simple and fun to use! I felt like I could do it all day! I made a photobook with pictures of me and my friends. I even made a video with pictures of some of my favorite celebrities! And it only took 10-15 minutes! Take a look below:


 

So you see it's not only used for making digital scrapbooks and photobooks but also for making cards, calenders and even videos (with audio)! And guess what! Other than the giveaway, Liz gave me a code to share with you guys. Using this code you will get a fabulous deal of $10 off the software and $10 in free merchandise! That means that you will save $20! How awesome is that?! Here is the code:

STMMMS47642

Go to My Memories Suite website and use this code while ordering the software and while ordering something from the My Memories store.


Now on how to enter the giveaway. Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. There are 5 ways to enter!
  • Go to  http://www.mymemories.com/ and choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout. Then tell me in the Rafflecopter form about which one you chose. (This is mandatory)
  • Follow this blog. You can find different ways to follow by going here. Once you have followed tell me in the form of the method you used (e.g. GFC, Facebook etc). (This is mandatory)
  • Like My Memories on Facebook.
  • Follow My Memories Suite on Twitter.
  • Tweet about the giveaway.
Rules:
  • The giveaway is international.
  • It will end on 15th January, 2012.
  • You can only enter once.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly.
  • Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours or new winner will be chosen.

Friday, December 23, 2011

I'm back! + My reading list for Off The Shelf reading challenge! + Taylor Swift & The Hunger Games = Awesomeness!!


Hey guys! These two weeks have been the longest weeks of my life!! I thought that they were never going to end! But they finally did and I'm glad it's over!! My mid-terms went pretty good (Thank God!). And now I have holidays for a week! So first of all Happy Holidays to all you guys!!



Next, I compiled a list of books I'll read in 2012 for the Off The Shelf challenge. Here is the list:
  1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
  2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
  3. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
  4. The Vampire Diaries-The Hunters-Phantom
  5. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
I'll post my reviews as I read the books. And I may not read in the above sequence. It just depends on my mood.

I came online after a long time and when I logged into twitter the first tweet I read was about Taylor Swift's new song Safe & Sound. I'm a die hard Taylor fan and I love her!! So I went to youtube and searched for the song. I was surprised to see that the song was from The Hunger Games soundtrack!! I've not read the books but I've heard a lot of good stuff about them I plan on reading them. Plus I heart Liam Hemsworth (*sigh* He's so hot!!) and he's in the movie...so yeah...I was excited to see Taylor Swift's song on the movie. The song is very different from her usual songs! But I love it! Listen to it below and tell me what you think!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Remembrance Cover Contest Final Voting!!


Hey guys! What's up? My exams officially started from today! =( But that's not what this post is about. I took out some time from all my studying to ask you guys to please please please vote for my entry in the Remembrance Cover Contest final voting!! Here are the steps:

  1. Follow this link---> CLICK HERE
  2. Scroll down till the end of the post. Here you'll see a form.
  3. Vote for the 2nd entry which is mine (if you want to that is =P but please do!!). To do that just click on the circle besides the number 2 (in the form).
  4. Then you'll see a box under it. Write your name in that box.
  5. In the box after that write your email address.
  6. Then press SUBMIT.
And you're done! =) Please guys, please please vote for me!! I really want to win this! Thank you!! =D

Love~Hira~XOXO

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Off The Shelf 2012 Reading Challenge!



Hello folks! This year I decided to participate in a reading challenge. It's my first =) The challenge is called "Off The Shelf" and it's hosted by Bookish Ardour. For more info on the challenge visit the site here.

I have A LOT of books on my TBR pile. But I don't get much time to read. I hope this challenge will help me read all those books lying on my TBR pile lined with dust. I'll start with the first level i.e Tempted. If I get through this (which I hopefully will) then I'll move on to the next level and so on.

Wish me luck! ;)


Friday, December 2, 2011

Remembrance Cover Contest!! Like my entry!


Above is my entry for the Remembrance Cover Contest. Michelle has uploaded all the entries on the Remembrance Facebook Page and you guys can go there and like your favorite entries.

Click here to vote for mine. Please like the picture so that I have the most likes! And then my entry will enter the finals in which you guys will vote again for your favorite entry and the winner will get a Remembrance prize pack!

It'll only take a second so please visit this link and like the picture! Voting is open till 10th December. And the final voting will take place on 11th December. And my mid-terms start from 12th December! =P

So please vote for my entry and make me the winner! That way I'll be happy so I'll have a good result too! ;P

Thank you!!

Love Hira <3
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