
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Vampire Kisses Blood Relatives Volume 2 by Ellen Schreiber

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sun Kissed by Melissa De La Cruz

Be careful or you'll get burned.
The three hottest au pairs in history are back, and this time they're ready to rule the Hamptons. Mara has all the VIPs in the hottest clubs hanging on her every word. Eliza's family is back from financial ruin; and she's got the platinum charge cards to prove it. Jacqui is newly single and ready for some steamy summer hook-ups. The girls seem to have it all this summer...but looks, as we all know, can be deceiving.
I really enjoyed reading the first two Au Pairs novels and Sun Kissed was very enjoyable too.
It was good to see all three girls back together again for a summer of adventure, fun and of course drama. It was also good to see all my old favourite characters back for another fun book.
While this is a totally fun, light and breezy book I have to admit there was a couple of parts that had me tearing in the eyes. I also had a good laugh and I also got angry. Melissa de la Cruz did an awesome job at capturing emotions and putting them on paper.
The storyline was good. It wasn't hugely heavy and I have to say that some parts of it I found to be incredibly relatable.
Sun Kissed is the perfect book to read in the summer time. If you haven't read the first two books in the series I suggest you do before starting on this one as they do relate. So if you're looking for a great book this summer I guarantee that Sun Kissed and the rest of the Au Pairs books will fill your need of a highly entertaining but light and summery read.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Making a List on Monday
Sunday, September 27, 2009
In My Mailbox (25)
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Reading Challenges
2009
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge
'09 Debut Authors Challenge
Georgia Nicolson Reading Challenge
Meg Cabot Reading
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Review Policy
Review Policy
I review every book that I read. I will always be honest in my reviews about the books that I read. I read a number of different types of books. More information on my reviewing policy of each type is listed below.
Fiction
I mostly review fiction. I will read and review children’s, young adults and adults fiction. I am not bothered by genre of any sort of fiction as I am very open to many genres. For my reviews of fiction I look at character development, story line, interest levels, how well written the book is, and things I liked about the book and things I didn’t like.
Non-Fiction
I will read and review non-fiction books. I try to read and review two non-fiction books per month. I read many different types of non-fiction. When reviewing non-fiction I look at the information contained in it and whether it is an interesting read.
Graphic Novels
On occasion I will review graphic novels. When reviewing a graphic novel I will base my reviews on the illustrations, the story line and the character development.
There are a number of sources where I get my books for review. These are:
The Library
I read and review a large number of library books. These are given priority over books I own as they have due dates.
My own Collection
I will review books from my own collection when I do not have any other reading material that has a due date etc.
Borrowed Books
Any books that I borrow from other people will be read and reviewed according to when the person wants them back.
E-Books and Audiobooks
I definitely do read and review e-books and audiobooks. It may take me a little while longer than usual to read and review e-books due to the fact that it is quite difficult to read from the computer screen for extended amounts of time.
Review Copies
I do accept books for review. I have accepted several e-book and a couple of book review requests. When I am presented with a book for review I seek to review it as soon as possible. If there is a specific date for the review to be posted I will try my hardest to ensure that I review the book that day.
If you wish to contact me about reviewing a book email me at everythingtodowithbooks@gmail.com Also be aware that I am from New Zealand
Monday, September 21, 2009
Love you to Death by Meg Cabot

There's a hot guy in Susannah Simon's bedroom. Too bad he's a ghost.
Suze is a mediator-a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.
But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy. There's a ghost with revenge on her mind.and Suze happens to be in the way.
Love you to Death was a very interesting read. When I read the first chapter I thought, this is kind of boring. Fortunately for me Love you to Death was a book that got more and more interesting after each chapter. So of course the further I got into the book the less I could put it down.
I thought that Suze was such a cool character, she's tough, and she doesn't care what other people think about her. I don't think I've ever come across a character quite like Suze. Later on in the book I did find myself having a bit of a soft spot for Doc AKA Dave. I really liked Dave he was a cool kid.
The story line itself was definitely a very cool story line. Once again Meg Cabot surprises me with some of the serious issues she brings up in her books.
This is the third book by Meg that I have read and I am impressed. I love how Meg can make a fun and light read but have some serious issues in it.
The ending of this book was quite good. It provided a really good opening for a sequel and I know that I will definitely be going to find the next book in the series to join Suze on some more adventures.
So would I recommend you read this book? Definitely. If you haven't already read this book then pick up a copy next time you see it.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
In My Mailbox (24)
Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.
Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

They're talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, turnovers at headquarters, downturns in the housing market, upswings in global warming. The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word terror. Fear, it seems, has taken up a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, fear herds us into a prison of unlocked doors. Wouldn't it be great to walk out?
Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.
Can you imagine your life without fear?
I was really surprised to get this in the mail because I already read and reviewed it in e-book form. But it's always a nice surprise to get books in the mail.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The post with Harley and a question
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
1001 Ways to get in Shape by Susannah Marriott
Getting fit can be daunting task, but it doesn't need to take over your life. 1,001 Ways to Get in Shape gives you loads of little tips that you can work into your normal lifestyle, so you won't have to find time to sweat it out at the gym every day. This book is not bossy or demanding or hard to maintain as many fitness regimes can be. The emphasis is on fun, and it contains an eclectic mix of ideas from everyday situations such as brushing teeth to avoiding the urge to snack or using a pedometer to track your activity level.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Winners
The winner of The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran and the authentic Roman coin is
2. Sascha
The winner of Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran is
12. Arya
My Life As Books
Try not to repeat a book title.
Describe Yourself: Jinx by Meg Cabot
How do you feel: Untamed by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast
Describe where you currently live: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Your favorite form of transport: House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
Your best friend is: Gothic Lolita by Dakota Lane
What's the weather like: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Favourite time of day: Midnight Predator by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
What is life to you: My Life is a Girdle by Gretel Killeen
Your fear: A Fate Totally Worse Than Death by Paul Fleischman
What is the best advice you have to give: Stop in the Name of Pants by Louise Rennison
Thought for the Day: Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schrieber
How I would like to die: Hunted by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast
My soul's present condition: Huge by Sasha Paley
Sunday, September 13, 2009
In My Mailbox (23)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Saturday: The Day I Talk About Non-Fiction
Friday, September 11, 2009
Jinx by Meg Cabot

Does Jinx have bad luck - or special powers?
Misfortune has followed Jean Honeychurch all her life - which is how she earned the nickname Jinx. And now her parents have shipped her off to New York City to stay with relatives - including her sophisticated cousin Tory - until the trouble she's caused back home dies down.
Could she even be . . . a WITCH?
Tory is far too cool to bother with Jinx - until Jinx's chronic bad luck wreaks havoc in Tory's perfect life--including causing Tory's crush, Zack, to start paying way too much attention to her red-headed cousin from Iowa. Only then does Jinx discover that beneath Tory's big-city glamour lies a world of hatred and revenge. Now it seems that the jinx that's driven Jean crazy may just be the only thing that can save her life . . .
I really liked reading Jinx. It was a short book so it didn't take me very long to get through but every chapter was enjoyable.
I quite liked most of the characters except for Tory and some of her friends. I did like Zack and Jinx though, they were both really cool, down-to-earth people.
Throughout most of the book I kept wondering what exactly Jinx was hiding from everyone but I had kept making guesses.
One memorable scene for me would be the dance scene. I knew Tory was up to something and so I was expecting some kind of Carrie scene so what actually happened surprised me a bit.
Overall, Jinx is a really fun, light and entertaining read. It is excellently written and I definitely recommend this book to everyone.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Book Releases for September and October


Splendor or Splendour the final in The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen comes out October 27 in the US and November in the UK.

Fire the companion to Graceling by Kristin Cashore is being released in the UK 24 September and in the US 5 October.


Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Fearless by Max Lucado

Each sunrise seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.
They're talking layoffs at work, slowdowns in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East, turnovers at headquarters, downturns in the housing market, upswings in global warming. The plague of our day, terrorism, begins with the word terror. Fear, it seems, has taken up a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop. Oversized and rude, fear herds us into a prison of unlocked doors. Wouldn't it be great to walk out?
Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.
Can you imagine your life without fear?