140 -- The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall

Day 156 -- Book 140
The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall -- Mary Downing Hahn

Florence has just arrived to Crutchfield Hall from an orphanage to live with her great aunt, uncle, and cousin James. 

Immediately, she is confused with her dead cousin Sophia. She is not allowed to see her sickly cousin James.

Florence begins hearing voices and seeing Sophia. Sophia wants revenge on James for her death and is willing to use Florence as a pawn.

139 -- Between Here and Forever

Day 155 -- Book 139
Between Here and Forever -- Elizabeth Scott

Abby's sister, Tess, is in a coma after a car accident.

Abby already knows that she could never live up to Tess' perfection. There's no way she could live up to the memories of Tess if she never comes out of it.

Abby has a plan. Enter Eli. Abby is determined that Eli is the perfect guy for Tess. She brings him up to her room with the hopes that the thought of him will wake Tess up.

Things get complicated when Abby falls for Eli. Things get more complicated when she discovers Tess' secret.

My Mailbox -- Week of May 22

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that is hosted by The Story Siren. Check out the post to see what others received in their mailboxes this week!

  

Between Here and Forever -- Elizabeth Scott
My Life Undecided (ARC) -- Jessica Brody
No Room for Dessert (ARC from Publisher) -- Hallie Durand

   

 Huntress -- Malinda Lo
Ash -- Malinda Lo
The Ivy -- Lauren Kunze

So Much Closer -- Susane Colasanti

138 -- The Throne of Fire

Day 153 -- Book 138
The Throne of Fire -- Rick Riordan

Sadie and Carter Kane are back with new friends. Still trying to prevent the end of the world. Apophis, the god of chaos, is rising.

The Kanes must find the three pieces of the Book of Ra.  Once they find the pieces and put them back together, they must find a way to use it.



Oh, and they only have four days to do all this.

So far behind!!

Time for an update on why I'm so far behind...First, let's call them what they really are...excuses.

1. I am involved in a ministry called Kairos Outside. Our weekend was May 13 - 15. For the crew, this involves getting up before 5am and going to bed after 11pm. I enjoy working the weekends, but they leave me no time for anything but sleep.

2. Number 1 requires recoop time.

3. Can't school just end already? Inventory. Stalking 6th, 7th, and 8th graders for their overdue books. Threatening them to get fine money. No money = No school dance (The Horror!!)

4. Scholastic Warehouse Sale - If you haven't been to one...GO! Books in a warehouse. It's like a library with a little less organization. Most books are 80% off!
(The closest warehouse to me is 3 hours away. We make a day of it. This year's trip involved my family and a trip to Cabella's for my husband. He went to the warehouse with me...)


Never fear...I will catch up! Summer is just around the corner. Tomorrow is the last day of school!

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

"Waiting on" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about. (Created by Jill at Breaking the Spine)

Twisted -- Sara Shepard
Book #9 in the Pretty Little Liars series

It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The Pretty Little Liars have more secrets than ever - twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild.

Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little too cozy with her soon-to-be-stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate campaign. And Emily will do anything to get a swim scholarship.

Worst of all: Last spring break in Jamaica, they did something unforgivable. The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know better than anyone that all secrets wash ashore … eventually.

Release date: July 5, 2011

137 -- Level Up

Day 149 -- Book 137
Level Up -- Gene Luen Yang

Dennis Ouyang was not allowed to have video games when he was younger. It wasn't until college when that he first played...after his father died.

Video games took over his life. He was forced to drop out of school because of academic probation. With no where to turn, he is visited by four angels who help him complete his destiny. They say he is destined to become a doctor.

Dennis sells his video games, gets his grades up, and is accepted into medical school. He's not happy. How can your destiny involve something that doesn't make you happy?

136 -- The Lucky Kind

Day 148 -- Book 136
The Lucky Kind -- Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Nick Brandt is living the ordinary life of a high school junior. He just wants to get the girl. Eden. Her name is everything that it implies.

Life is going good until a mysterious phone call changes everything. His attitude changes after the phone call from Sam Roth.

Nick feels that he can no longer trust his parents. Without realizing it he tries to punish them for their actions when they were younger. His he following in his dad's footsteps?

My Mailbox -- Week of May 15

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that is hosted by The Story Siren. Check out the post to see what others received in their mailboxes this week!

One Hundred Candles -- Mara Purnhagen
Divergent -- Veronica Roth
The Lucky Kind -- Alyssa B. Sheinmel (Autographed -- Thanks @RandomBuzzers)

The Sweetest Thing -- Christina Mandelski (Thanks Pamela)

135 -- The Sweetest Thing

Day 148 -- Book 135
The Sweetest Thing -- Christina Mandelski

Sheridan, aka Cake Girl, is content with her life and the way things are. She is known in town as the go to person for cakes. Her father owns a restaurant.

Things change when the ExtremeCooking crew shows up and offers her dad a reality show.

New "friends" come out of no where, including Ethan, a wanna be chef hoping to get her father's attention.

Jack, her long time friend, is making her feel things that she doesn't expect.

Throughout all this, she longs to find her mother who ran out on them when she was young.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

"Waiting on" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about. (Created by Jill at Breaking the Spine)

The Name of the Star -- Maureen Johnson

From Goodreads

"The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities."

Release Date: September 20, 2011

A Need So Beautiful Trailer

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

"Waiting on" Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that everyone's excited about. (Created by Jill at Breaking the Spine)

From Goodreads:

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Release date: September 27, 2011

Giveaway @ Locket Stories

May Showers Giveaway

134 -- Chasing Brooklyn

Day 138 -- Book 134
Chasing Brooklyn -- Lisa Schroeder

Companion to I Heart You, You Haunt Me

It's been a year since Lucca died. Brooklyn is still haunted by his memory. Nico, Lucca's brother is haunted by Lucca. He keeps telling Nico to look out for her, to save her.

Nico and Brooklyn end up spending time together while training for a marathon. They start to wonder if they can really move forward with their lives...together.

What would Lucca think?

133 -- I Heart You, You Haunt Me

Day 137 -- Book 133
I Heart You, You Haunt Me -- Lisa Schroeder

Jackson is gone. Ava is left to cope with his passing. She also feels responsible for his death.

After Jackson's funeral, Ava returns home. She begins sensing him in the house. She can smell him. His face appears in the mirror. When no one is around, the CD player starts playing songs that meant something to their relationship.

Ava doesn't want to leave the house. She feels obligated to stay and be around Jackson's ghost.

Ava must come to terms with Jackson's death. She must also learn how to live her life again.

My Mailbox -- Week of May 1

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that is hosted by The Story Siren. Check out the post to see what others received in their mailboxes this week! 

  

Anya's Ghost -- Vera Brosgol
Blank Confession -- Pete Hautman
The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had to -- DC Pierson

           

Clarity -- Kim Harrington

Crossing the Tracks -- Barbara Stuber

Dark Game: True Spy Stories -- Paul Janeczko

       

Darkness Becomes Her -- Kelly Keaton

Eon -- Alison Goodman

Eona --Alison Goodman

     

Enclave -- Ann Aguirre

The Goddess Test -- Aimee Carter

Horton Halfpott -- Tom Angleberger

     

Human.4 -- Mike E. Lancaster

Invincible -- Sherrilyn Kenyon

The Last Little Blue Envelope -- Maureen Johnson

     

Once a Witch -- Carolyn MacCullough

Red Moon Rising -- Peter Moore

Plague -- Michael Grant

      

Scars -- Cheryl Rainfield

The Liar Society -- Lisa & Laura Roecker

The Vespertine -- Saundra Mitchell

    

Through Her Eyes -- Jennifer Archer

The Throne of Fire -- Rick Riordan

The Vanishing of Katharina Linden -- Helen Grant

    

Spoiled (ARC) -- Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

Sweetly (ARC) -- Jackson Pearce

132 -- Blank Confession

Day 136 -- Book 132
Blank Confession -- Pete Hautman

Shayne Blank walked into the police station and confessed to Detective Rawls that he killed someone. (Detective Rawls is used to talking to juveniles.)

Shayne shares his story of Mikey.

Mikey is a friend who was asked to hold on to Jon's, his sister's boyfriend, brown paper bag. Not really knowing what was in the bag, he threw it away when the drug dogs showed up for a routine check.  Jon threatens Mikey with bodily harm if he doesn't pay him $500, the cost of the drugs.

Jon also targets Shayne because he defends Mikey and Mikey's girlfriend has an obvious crush on Shayne.

Eventually, everything comes to an end in a surprising showdown.

131 -- Horton Halfpott

Day 134 -- Book 131
Horton Halfpott -- Tom Angleberger

It all started when M'Lady Luggertuck loosened her corset. It had never been done before. The results of her action...everyone in Smugwick Manor became less strict. The rules to which they were expected to abide became less lax.

She's planning a ball for her nephew when the family's prized possesion, the Luggertuck Lump, goes missing. Poor Horton Halfpot, the quiet mannered kitchen boy is to blame. Then again, it could be any one of the forty-five characters (one for each chapter) associated with the Luggertuck family.