Polly's summer is sure to be dramatic. She's sworn off boys since her junior was horrible when it came to romance.

It'll be bad enough working with ex #3, Sawyer, at a water park for kids. It seemed like a good idea at the time, just like learning all about cars for Kurt, going hiking over spring break with Gareth, or running for student council for Hayden. However, the near constant presence of her suddenly hot neighbor at the water park makes it hard for her to keep up her resolve.

Swoon at Your Own Risk is a quick, amusing read. Watching Polly weave in and out of a number of problems was quite entertaining.

She has boys on her mind a rather large majority of the time, even though she's sworn off romance. It's hard to get a guy off your mind if you he keeps showing up everywhere! It's obvious that all of her romances thus far have ended badly, and I definitely couldn't blame her for wanting to throw in the towel.

My favorite character in this book was Xander. He was a guy that Polly had known for forever, yet seemingly overnight he’d grown hot. She remembers him from when he used to lick desks. I can relate to this! There are a few guys I can think of that have gone through a seemingly instant metamorphis and had me wondering what happened to the awkward kid I knew in elementary school.

Polly spends a large amount of time trying to be perfect for everyone else, and dealing with the important issue of being your true self lends this book a bit of seriousness that made me like it even more. Sometimes I wanted to shake Polly, and tell her to just be herself, but that's a lot easier said than done.

Swoon at Your Own Risk is definitely worth a read.

This book was reviewed as part of the One ARC Tours. Post contains amazon affiliate links.

Posted by Melanie at 1:55 PM View Comments    

Labels: book review

I wrote this review right after the movie came out, stuck it in my review folder, then managed to promptly forget it existed. I found it a few days ago and thought now would be a good time to post it with the upcoming DVD release. Spoilers if you haven't read/watched Twilight.

The trailer:


I'm a fan of the Twilight Saga. Not a raving mad fan, but a fan, nonetheless. And I'm happy to say that I liked this movie. A lot.

New Moon made me laugh often, in a good way. There were plenty of moments stuck here and there that kept the movie from being all doom and despair and angst. It surprised me with how close it stuck to the novel. Of course, not everything was the same, but it was very close to the book.

This movie wasn't completely perfect for me, though. There was a couple times during the movie where the cinematography made me dizzy, and there were also a few moments when I was rolling my eyes. Thankfully those didn't occur too often.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. Getting to know the pack on screen was awesome, as was seeing everyone else again. And since it's probably my favorite book in the saga, it was great to see it translated so well onto screen.
~~~

The New Moon DVD is available for pre-order on Amazon.

This post contains amazon affiliate links.

Posted by Melanie at 8:00 AM View Comments    

Labels: movie review

This past weekend, I went to the local Movie Gallery and picked up
(500) Days of Summer after hearing how much Meg and Alea
loved it on Twitter. And I just wanted to say....

It is brilliant.

Posted by Melanie at 9:55 AM View Comments    

Sarah has liked Ryan for a long time. Years, in fact. But that doesn't matter anymore. He's now her best friend's boyfriend. And it's torture. Then, one night, things happen between Ryan and Sarah. It's bliss, but it might not be worth the damage that follows. Will it?

Elizabeth Scott has delivered another awesome book. The Unwritten Rule is smart, heartbreaking, and greatly realistic. While I, quite thankfully, have never been caught in Sarah's predicament, it is certainly one I've seen acted out to one degree or another within the relationships of teenagers around me. It's not pretty.

Before I read the book, I have to admit that I was predisposed to Brianna's (Sarah's best friend) side of things. After all, she did get him first, and no matter what Sarah's feelings may be, rules must be followed. Especially ones like keeping away from people's boyfriends. However, within a couple chapters, I was on Sarah's side almost one hundred percent. By the end of the book, I don't think anything could have gotten me off of her side.

With the suspense tied into this book, I couldn't put it down. And all too soon, within just a few hours, I had finished the book. I couldn't get enough and soon found myself flipping through my favorite passages a couple more times. This is one of those books that is a complete blast to read! I heartily recommend.

This book was reviewed as part of One ARC Tours.

The Unwritten Rule release date isn't until March 16, but it's available for pre-order on Amazon now.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Posted by Melanie at 8:00 AM View Comments    

Labels: book review, Elizabeth Scott

Fiction lovers don’t need to budget to travel this spring break with Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group’s six full-length novels by beloved Christian authors (WaterBrook, February 16, 2010). At the low cost of only $5.99, these well-read “get-aways” provide quality entertainment at a price that any reader can afford.

Beneath a Southern Sky by Deborah Raney

Daria Camfield is expecting her first child when her husband Nate is reported dead on the mission field. Devastated, she returns to the States and soon marries again. But two years later Nate is found alive in the jungle. How can Daria possibly choose between he two men who love her?

I finished this book just a couple days ago, and it was definitely one of the most suspenseful books I've read in a while. A very captivating read.

Faithful Heart by Al Lacy

The adventures of certified medical nurse and dedicated Christian Breanna Baylor continue as she travels by wagon train to visit her sister, Dottie, in California. Little does she know that her most dangerous encounter might be with Jerrod, her brother-in-law, who’s suffering from dementia caused by combat fatigue.

I just started this book, and it's very intriguing thus far! I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the book.

Full reviews of these two titles will be coming soon!

Other Value Fiction titles:

Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn
The Golden Cross by Angela Elwell Hunt
Deep Harbor by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Yesterday’s Promise by Linda Lee Chaikin

Posted by Melanie at 9:03 AM View Comments    

Labels: blog tour

Hear No Evil: My Story of Innocence, Music, and the Holy Ghost is a compilation of stories from Matthew Paul Turner on the influence music, particularly Christian music, has had in his life. And it is hilarious. Definitely one of the funniest books I've read in quite a while.

The greatest thing about this book, is the amount of stories that are easily relatable. Like this:

That is so true.

The first part of the book, the stories of Turner's upbringing in an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church was by far my favorite part of the book and contained the stories that I could relate to the most. But the book goes further than that, reaching intoTurner's adulthood. And while I, as a teenager, obviously couldn't relate to as much of it, the writing and stories were still a lot of fun, though sometimes with a bit more serious tone.

This book is a perfect read for people who are willing to laugh at the ridiculousness that is sometimes encompassed in Christianity. And a great read for all music lovers, Christian or not.

Hear No Evil is a grand read and has me very interested in picking up another book by this author, Churched.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Giveaway!

I have a copy of this book to giveaway. To enter, simply tell me who your favorite musician is, and if you'd like an extra entry, link to the contest somewhere and leave me the link.

Contest open internationally, ends March 1st.

You can find Matthew Paul Turner on his blog, Jesus Needs New PR and also on Twitter, @JesusNeedsNewPR.

Posted by Melanie at 5:29 PM View Comments    

Labels: book review, Matthew Paul Turner

Though haunted by memories of his father's arrest in Pinochet's Chile, Daniel Aguilar has made a new life for himself in the United States--far from politics. But when his father is released, Daniel sees what years of prison and torture have done. Trying to reach his father, Daniel, along wth his "gringa" girlfriend, finds himself in the democracy struggle of the country he thought he left behind.

Posted by Melanie at 1:04 PM View Comments