Top Ten Tuesday: Non-Bookish Sites

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where you post the 'top ten' for each week.

This week, the top ten was: Top Ten Websites/Blogs that you visit that aren't about books! Most of these are just in my bookmark toolbar at the top of my Firefox, and I gave a little biography on each one!

1. Facebook
I have to admit it: I'm a Facebook addict. But I have reasons! I SWEAR! I'm one of the only teenagers at my school that is so deprived and does not have a cell phone. This means I have little to no means of communications with my friends, thus Facebook. I only use it for chatting with people, and I'm not one of those ridiculous people that posts statuses every hour. I'm lucky if I post one a week.

2. Twitter
Well, this kind of has to do with books since it's the reason I use it. I just like to keep track of my friends, other bloggers, and authors! 

3. Yahoo! Mail
I'm constantly checking this email, since it correlates with my blog. And it's all nice and organized because I don't like seeing all these things in my inbox. I like seeing it empty, so all my special emails are kept in folders!

4. Gmail
I use Gmail for my personal email, and I actually prefer it very much over Yahoo, but I'm too lazy to go through all my blog accounts and change everything to Gmail. Much like my Yahoo, this email has folders to organized my emails.

5. Formspring
Formspring is fun! I love answer questions, even though most of the time they're about books. I love stalking other bloggers and authors on there! ;) All the really witty authors/bloggers have a Formspring and they always have hilarious answers to some of the questions. 


6.  Google Drive/Google Docs
I used to DESPISE Google Docs, but now I really love it. I type up all my documents in there, but I got so frustrated when they would still be on my mail Google Docs page and wouldn't just show up in the collections. Now with Google Drive, I can create folders/collections much like in my email!


7. PowerSchool
Some of you may not know what this is, but this is the website that my school uses to keep track of grades and GPA. Each student has a username and password they use so they can access their grades to see what they have in each class and what they received on each test or assignment. Also, it keeps your lunch balance and your tardies/lates/absents from class. I'm a bit of a nerd, and I probably check my grades at least 3 times a day, just to see if they changed at all!


8. Stay Positive (staypositive.me)

This is a really awesome site that I found through Tumblr when I was obsessed with it a few months ago. It's just got lots of awesome quotes about romance and life. I'm always looking at it for inspiration!


9. Love Gives Me Hope (love.givesmehope.com)
Who doesn't love a good love story!? People post their real life love story in one small paragraph! If you go through these, you'll be saying 'AWWWW' every few seconds.



10. College Board
Even though I'm only a sophomore in high school, I'm really worried about college so I'm looking for all the help I can get. This website helps plan for the journey to college and it's really supporting and helpful!

Review: Immortal City by Scott Speer

Title: Immortal City
Author: Scott Speer
Edition: ARC paperback

Series: Immortal City #1

Released Date: April 3rd, 2012

Publisher: Razorbill

Goodreads / Amazon 

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them.

He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery.

Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.

Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat & and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.

I really didn't think I would like this very much, to be honest. I actually didn't think I would like this one ounce, but I was pleasantly surprised! I thought this was going to be something where the characters were prissy and thought they were top notch. I mean, some of the characters were like that, but they actually gave some comic relief to some of the other serious parts in the second part of the novel. To be honest, this novel got AWESOME in the second half. The characters were growing, there were twists and turns after every page, and there were new revelations that had you gasping!

The characters in this annoyed me in the beginning. Like a lot. Jackson is a prick, but he's a celebrity so it's understandable. I really loved how much he grew in this novel and came to terms with himself. Maddy also grew out of her shell, as she used to be isolated and wanted to stay as far away from angels as possible. Towards the end, she became more comfortable with the idea of angels, and it wasn't just because she was falling in love with one - she had other reasons for it!

If you don't like pop culture references, then I wouldn't really recommend this book. If you hate the celebrity life, I wouldn't read this unless you really liked angels and wanted to read every young adult angel book out there. This book is filled with so many products, new designers and crazy things like that. In the beginning, every few pages makes a reference to some sort of celebrity angel blog, new types of clothing, or the latest in the angel life. 

Personally, I liked the cover that I got with my ARC compared to this new cover. The shinyness and the bare-chested angel was really enticing! That original cover did mislead me though - I thought this was going to be a really intense romance and deep scenes type of book. Instead this was a bit more childish (not in a bad way!), and it didn't have the intensity I thought it would. After reading this, I now think that the new cover fits the book better.

I was just looking through a Seventeen magazine and saw a picture of Ashley Tisdale with a dude name Scott Speer, so I was like: "WAIT. I READ HIS BOOK." Of course I had to go do research, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the author is a producer and a director at such a young age! After learning that about him, it made me kind of appreciate this novel even more!

I wouldn't say that this is a favorite novel, no matter how much I'm gushing about it. The reason I'm only giving it a four stars is because of how it was in the beginning of the novel. There was too much stuff about the celebrities and I wanted to learn more about Maddy and her lifestyle. 

Review: Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

  

  

Title: Anna Dressed In Blood
Author: Kendare Blake
Edition: hardcover

Series: Anna #1

Released Date: August 30th, 2011

Publisher: Tor Teen

Goodreads / Amazon 

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

Cas has spent his life chasing after the one thing that took his father away: ghosts. With a handy-dandy knife, his annoying cat, and caring mother, Cas ventures to find a ghost that's killed more than 20 teenagers. Anna Dressed in Blood is the one ghost you don't want to mess with, but with a few sidekicks, Cas starts to gets an insight on what Anna's life was like and begins to feel sorry for her.

First off, I love ghosts and horror stories. I've had my fair share of scary things, but nothing compared to to some of the movies I watch and books I've read. I was definitely interested in Anna Dressed In Blood when I heard about it's creepiness and it's plot revolving around ghosts. I was hoping it was going to be a bit more scary, but I was pleasantly surprised with the ghosts and gore it included!

As a protagonist, I look for a character that's witty and sarcastic; yet endearing. Most of the time when I think of characters like this, female protagonists pop into my head. After reading Anna, Cas may end up being the one character that I always picture - and he's a boy! Cas's character was very well developed and I found myself lusting after him a bit, just because of how well I felt I could connect with him, even though I've never hunted ghosts or lost a parent before!

What I loved the most about this novel, was the fact that Kendare Blake wrote from a guy's perspective so flawlessly! Almost all the time I read a novel from a male's POV, I have to remind myself throughout the novel: "wait, I forgot this guy is supposed to be a guy!" Cas was written like a guy should be written, and he wasn't just basic either. He was flawless!

I really enjoyed the supporting characters as well. Carmel became a good friend to Cas, and at first I thought she was going to be a total b-word, but I love how well she fit in with Cas and the ghost hunting and wasn't the stereotype popular girl. Also, Thomas was pretty cute because of his awkwardness. I hope he gets a girl, *cough cough, Carmel.*

Anna, Anna, Anna. I felt so bad for her since the beginning of the book. The way she spoke and she held herself through the novel made me feel sorrowful. I'm glad she was able to connect with Cas by the end of the novel! Their friendship continued to grow until they both figured out what they felt for each other.

The creepiness of this novel kept me on my toes, and I loved how it progressed. It wasn't as scary as I was hoping, but it still had it's freaky moments!

As you can tell, I loved pretty much everything out of this novel. This book pretty much defied all odds and Kendare Blake wasn't afraid to try something that wasn't popular in YA. She nailed the male POV, she created a suspenseful scary story that captivated audiences, and created an adorable romance that sparked at the end of the novel. If you pick this one up, you definitely won't be disappointed!

Stacking the Shelves #2

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves was inspired by the In My Mailbox posts over at the Story Siren. Due to current issues, I've decided to switch over to Showcase Sunday! Here's the books and swag that I've recently received!

ARCs
Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell
-thank you, Hannah!


Finished Copies
The Hunger Games Tie-In Movie Edition by Suzanne Collins
The World of Panem by Kate Egan
-thank you, Lauren!

(Signed) Last Rite by Lauren Desrochers


Library 
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Swag
Amulet Mouse Pad

(3) Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe bookmarks

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe pen

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe postcard + necklace

-thank you, Hannah!

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian Chapter Sampler

(Signed) Touching the Surface bookmark

Touching the Surface mini-bookmark

(5) Mockingjay tattoos

 -thank you, Ashley!

(2 Signed) Last Rite bookmarks

-thank you, Lauren Desrochers!

Waiting on Wednesday #31

Waiting on Wednesday is a feature used to tell everyone about the books you're waiting to be released! This feature is hosted by Breaking the Spine. Every week I choose three different novels that I'm anxiously waiting to read and be released! Leave your link in the comments and I'll check yours out as well!

 

BREATHE by Sarah Crossan
Released Date: October 2nd, 2012

Publisher: Greenwillow

Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . .

The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

ALINA
has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.

QUINN
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

BEA
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

 
 TEN by Gretchen McNeil
Released Date: September 18th, 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

       




34 PIECES OF YOU by Carmen Rodrigues

Released Date: September 4th, 2012

Publisher: Simon Pulse

There was something about Ellie... Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch.

Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are 34 clues she left behind. 34 strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. 34 secrets of a brief and painful life.

Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they begin to confront the darkest truths about themselves, they will also find out what Ellie herself had been hiding all along....

Review: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

  

Title: Grave Mercy
Author: R.L. LaFevers
Edition: ARC paperback

Series: His Fair Assassin #1

Released Date: April 3rd, 2012

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Goodreads / Amazon 

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Recently released from a marriage, Ismae runs off to a convent where she serves under Mortain. Anyone who bears the marque of Mortain is destined to be killed, no matter what. Ismae travels to Brittany, where the core of her assignment is, and she grows close to some of the members there. Betrayals run high and violence is in the mixture, and Ismae may have to kill the one person she thought cared for her the most. 

Ismae, the nun-assassin, was a fantastic heroine for this novel! She brought forth a spunk and spice that was expected of a handmaiden of Death, but she brought it in a way that wanted you to get to know her, but never be on her bad side. She was wicked with her mind and with her weapons, and I loved having an insight in her mind. Okay, and maybe I was a little bit jealous of her at times as she got to learn and use all these cool weapons. 

The relationship between Ismae is Duval was a typical relationship - but at the same time, it wasn't. I always enjoy reading the novels where the characters despise each other in the beginning, but then grow to love one another. This is the case for Ismae and Duval and I believe that it makes each of them stronger people. As the novel progressed, it was clear to see Ismae's growing love for Duval, but she knew she wasn't supposed to. It was almost a forbidden love type of thing - she was supposed to be working, not falling in love. Nonetheless, I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow.

The medieval essence confused me at times, but otherwise I loved it! I enjoyed the different language and for some reason I found it so intriguing when they would say "mayhap" instead of "maybe!" Also, the weaponry and different plants/potions were very cool! I think this novel would be totally different if it was set in any other time period, so I'm glad R.L. chose this one!

There's so much action in this one - it's crazy! Sometimes it was slow, but it would quickly pick up as you learned of new betrayals, new identities, and with the hinting at violence. These slow parts weren't that long, but for some reason it almost pained me to have to read them. Immediately after I'd get through them though, it would pick right up and I'd be in another round of action!

Medieval setting + nun-assassins + romance + wicked violence + great characters = Grave Mercy. It was a great novel, but the slow parts kind of set me off. I'll definitely be waiting for the sequel to this great novel! Also, I've got some bookmarks from R.L. LaFevers, so if you'd like one, just shoot me a message!

Stacking the Shelves #1

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves was inspired by the In My Mailbox posts over at the Story Siren. Due to current issues, I've decided to switch over to Showcase Sunday! Here's the books and swag that I've recently received!

Library 
When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle
It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Net Galley
Otherkin by Nina Berry

Amazon
The Changeling by Elle Casey
Haven by A.R. Ivanovich
Legion of Bats by Shadow Stephens
Awakening by Karice Bolton
Insight by Jamie Magee
Cheyenne by Lisa Wiedmeier
Cold Summer Nights by Sean Thomas Fisher
Paradox by Patti Roberts

Swag
(3 Signed) Hemlock bookmarks
(2) Hemlock bookmarks
Hemlock postcard
(2) Hemlock bookplates