The Probability of Miracles

Title ~ The Probability of Miracles
Author ~ Wendy Wunder
Release Date ~ Dec 8, 2011
Format ~ ARC
Publisher ~ Razorbill
Source ~ Around the World ARC Tours
Rating ~ 4.5/5
Summary: Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

My Review: This book isn't what I usually read. Or the usual book in YA for that matter. This book isn't different in a bad way though,it was witty, always entertaining, and uplifting.

     At the start, I didn't like Cam too much. She was too sarcastic for my tastes. Don't get me wrong, sarcasm is something I live by, just ask my family. But I don't do it 24/7, which Cam did. It's hard to feel sorry for a girl who just spews out negativity. Of course that sets up a very good opportunity for a transformation...Though I have to admit her sarcasm (though overused) was very complex and clever!
    The romance in this book was so sweet (and it also didn't involve a love triangle, score!). From the moment Cam walked in to the Lobster Pound asking the waiter, Asher, if she could adopt a lobster, you knew this romance was going to heartfelt, meaningful, and uplifting!
   I'm not sure which genre to place The Probability of Miracles in, though I guess there was a tinsy, tiny, little bit of fantasy about the town of Promise (everlasting sunsets, purple dandelions, wild flamingos in MAINE, ect). It was more a story and love and hope, so if you're a reader looking for a contemporary book with a drop of fantasy on the side, this book is for you! 
  Wendy Wunder's story really kept the pages turning for me, there wasn't a single dull moment. It kept me interested in the plot even though like I said "(t)his book isn't what I usually read". This book would interest a wide range of readers, and is something I think both genders could enjoy!
4.5/5
Cover Comments: Nice colors, I love the simplicity.

And the book trailer...

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at  Break the Spine.

Title ~ Incarnate (New Soul, Book One)

Author ~ Jodi Medows

Release Date ~ January 31, 2012

Publisher ~ HarperTeen

NEWSOUL 
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why. 

NOSOUL 
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame? 

HEART 
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? 
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life
OMG THIS BOOK LOOKS AWESOME! THAT'S IT!!!

Eric Delabarre Signing Recap

First, a little bit about Saltwater Taffy, Eric Delabarre's book!
"Endorsed by Teachers of the Year around the country, Eric DelaBarre’s Saltwater Taffy follows the lives of five friends as they uncover a treasure map that once belonged to the ruthless New Orleans pirate, Jean Lafitte. The discovery thrusts them from one treasure hunting adventure to the next as they try to out-wit, out-think and out-maneuver everyone from the one-legged junk-yard man and an overbearing town bully, to the creepy old man living at the top of the hill. Saltwater Taffy is a raceto-the-finish adventure that grabs the reader and never lets go."

This signing wasn't like most signings. There was no presentation, no author talk, just one big signing line. I havn't read Saltwater Taffy yet but it looked good so I was still excited about the signing. When I walked in, he had already started signing books so I didn't get a chance to ask him any questions :'-(

The event was located at Elevated Ice Cream, my local, "old fashioned" candy shop! They did quite a good job with it, and gave everyone a bag of homemade saltwater taffy to nibble on in the signing line.

Eric Delabarre sounded like a pretty cool guy. He was really nice to me for the 30 seconds I got to chat with him, and he gave me loads of swag!

Of course, signings aren't perfect in less you have a fellow blogger there with you! Good thing my classmate, best friend EVEN before we started blogging, Ben of Awesome Lego Stuff and Awesome Lego Castles! We topped the evening off with a good ol' elevated ice cream cone (courtesy of Ben) and then did a quick stop by the candy shop ;-)

In my Mailbox (30)

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

For review:

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

A tale of a girl with cancer who needs a miracle. Will she find one in Promise, Maine?

Legend by Marie Lu

Avenge, sacrifice, and love. Can't wait to read it!

Everneath by Brodi Aston

A race against the clock novel about a girl trying to escape death!

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

A 2012 dystopian debut about a girl's survival on the outside of her corrupted society.

Bought:

Saltwater Taffy by Eric Delabarre (signed) X2

A middle grade novel about pirates and buried treasure that takes place in MY hometown: Port Townsend, Washington! I went to Eric Deabarre's signing yesterday and will do a signing recap soon! For now, here's a pic of my signed book:

And some Saltwater Taffy Swag!

Saweet!

Holiday Readathon!

I will be using this page to make my updates to the Holiday Readathon!

Books read: 2

Pages Read: 641

Here is my reading list for the event, I will cross books off as I read them:

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder 

Legend by Marie Lu

Under the Never Sky by Veronia Rossi

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Update One: I have read roughly 100 pages so far of The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder! That's one food item to my local food bank!

Update Two: I just finished The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder. That's 3 items to my local food bank! Starting Legend by Marie Lu

Update Three: I was very tired last night so I only got 50 pages of Legend read... will try to read more now!

Update Four: Finished Legend, did not like it at all :'-( 

Cinder

Title ~ Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, Book One)
Author ~ Marissa Meyer
Release Date ~ January 3, 2012
Publisher ~ Feiwel and Friends
Source ~ Around the World ARC Tours
Summary: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. 

My Review: Psst... let me tell you a secret! I hate the story of Cinderella. It is with out a doubt horrible! Think about it... Cinderella goes around her whole life letting her horrid excuse for a family boss her around and acts like a real "doormat," as my father would say. The story teaches us that even if you don't stand up for yourself you'll still get a "happily ever after," when that is not the case in real life.

   You'd think that since I hate the story this book is based on, I'd probably hate this book. That, my friend, is simply not the truth. I loved Cinder to death! Unlike Cinderella, Cinder did not bow down to her family's every whim. She did what they asked, but there was always a rebel in her, waiting for the right moment to break free of her stepmother's tyrant! And when that chance shows up in the form of the pretty flipping awesome Prince Kai, she's ready. 

    The dystopian world in this book is one of the best I've read. It felt a little bit like Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence because it was a world where humans and robot (or robot like beings) coexist... mostly peacefully, but there are a few A.I. haters who are mean to Cinder for something she had no control over. The mythology surrounding the alien Lunar people was quite 

    I think the romance in this is nice and sweet. I admired how Cinder wanted to be with him from the start, but chose not to in honor of her sick sister dying of the plague. I don't think many other heroines in YA have the self restraint to do that!

   Meyer's writing style was very beautiful, I found it very hard to believe that this is her debut novel. She crafted a story that few out of many could, and I really enjoyed it!

   Cinder has become a new favorite of mine, and I can't wait for book two! You MUST, hear me MUST read this book! 

5/5

Cover Comments: This book cover combines the classic and the new. I like it! 

   

Book Lover's Giveaway Hop

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Kid Lit Frenzy

The Holidays are here again, and whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, there is one thing we all celebrate: new books! So why not try and win another?

 HOW ABOUT A SIGNED, COLLECTOR'S FIRST EDITION OF CLOCKWORK PRINCE BY CASSANDRA CLARE!?!?

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Just a few quick "rules":

• Must be a follower to enter
• Ends December 6, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST
• Open Internationally!
• There are three ways to get extra entries
• Have fun!

I know you want it! I can see you drooling from here. Enter after the page break.