2012 Reading Challenges: How did I do?

Alright so Let's see how I did in all my reading challenges this year.  I'm so excited to say that I hit all my goals and sometime even going over! YAY!

First off let's look at my Goodreads Challenge.  

Review: Monarch Beach by Anita Hughes

Review: Monarch Beach by Anita Hughes 

IN A GLANCE: I loved reading this book!! Amazing.

Title: Monarch Beach
Author: Anita Hughes
Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288 pages
ISBN #:  0312643047

Anita Hughes' Monarch Beach is an absorbing debut novel about one woman’s journey back to happiness after an affair splinters her perfect marriage and life—what it means to be loved, betrayed and to love again. When Amanda Blick, a young mother and kindhearted San Francisco heiress, finds her gorgeous French chef husband wrapped around his sous-chef, she knows she must flee her life in order to rebuild it. The opportunity falls into her lap when her (very lovable) mother suggests Amanda and her young son, Max, spend the summer with her at the St. Regis Resort in Laguna Beach. With the waves right outside her windows and nothing more to worry about than finding the next relaxing thing to do, Amanda should be having the time of her life—and escaping the drama. But instead, she finds herself faced with a kind, older divorcee who showers her with attention… and she discovers that the road to healing is never simple. This is the sometimes funny, sometimes bitter, but always moving story about the mistakes and discoveries a woman makes when her perfect world is turned upside down.

Review: Crown Phoenix: Night Watchman Express by Alison DeLuca

Review: Crown Phoenix: Night Watchman Express by Alison DeLuca

IN A GLANCE: Amazing and very visual!

Title: Night Watchman Express 
Author: Alison DeLuca 
Publisher: Myrddin Publishing
Format: Paperback
Pages:  279 pages
ISBN #:  1939296153

An underground factory, a terrifying laboratory, and the eerie whistle of the Night Watchman Express… Miriam has only her guardians' son for company, and she and Simon dislike each other from the start. But they must find a way to trust each other, or they will end up on the sinister Night Watchman Express. Full of danger, suspense, betrayal, and a hint of romance, this steampunk adventure is for readers of all ages.

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

IN A GLANCE: I will never be able to forget this book.

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Publisher: Razorbill
Format: Hardback
Pages: 304 pages
ISBN #:  1595141715

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

2013 Ali Talks Live: Schedule Revealed

Alright, as I promised I am going to reveal the 2013 Ali Talks Live Chit Chat edition schedule.  I'm very excited to introduce this new part of the show to you all and hope you all will join me for the shows and hopefully we can get some great discussions going about blogging and have some fun.  

It's Monday...What are you reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Book Journey!

Alright I know I haven't posted one of these in a long time.  So I thought this would be the perfect day to be the last one for this year!

Last Week I Read... 

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

 

Today I'm Reading...

 Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

So that is what I'm reading.  What about you?

Saying Goodbye to 2012 and Hello to 2013

So its that time again, can you believe this whole year is gone? I sure can't.  It's been a crazy year here at Ali's Bookshelf.  So much has happened. From a new design to the blog to creating Ali Talks Live its been one amazing year.  Below I would like to share some of my favorite memories of this year and then talk about what I have planned for 2013! 

2013 Challenge: 2013 Audio Book Challenge

Another great challenge I am going to do this year.  I plan on listening to a Audio Book every month so I thought why not sign up for this one as well.  Should be fun! 

So I have decided I'll shoot for 5 to 10 audio books this year! Ear Worm (Narrator's voice gets stuck in your head) 5-10 audios

 I will post which ones I listen to right here on this post and link it back to my review as well.  

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Happy Reading or should I say Listening!!! 

2013 Challenge: Dystopia 2013 Reading Challenge

I have decided to be part of this challenge as well.  I love Dystopian books and have read tons this past year and plan on reading tons this year.  So why not try out a Dystopian challenge lol. 


Below is the list of books I plan on reading, I might change them or add to the list but I plan on reading at least 10 of them!

1. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins 
2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
3. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
4. Matched by Ally Condie 
5. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
6. The Death Cure by James Dashner
7. The Kill Order by James Dashner 
8. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons 
9. Reading Player One by Ernest Cline 
10. Enclave by Ann Aguerre 

I have a few more that I would like to read but lets start with these!

If you would like to join me in this challenge check out this post! 

2013 Challenge: 100 Books in 2013

I have decided to do this challenge this year, seeing as I did read over 100 books last year and I plan on doing the same thing in 2013!  So this is one of the challenges I have chose to do this upcoming year.  

I will be listing these books as I go right here on this post.  So here we go: I will start on Jan 1st.  Ill start off with 20 spots then Ill add more as I go! If you would like to join me in this challenge, check out this post and the blog hosting this challenge.

Ali's Week at A Glance: Showcase Sunday

Alright, this is the last week of the year.  Crazy huh! This year went by so freaking fast.  I still have so much to do on the blog before the end of tomorrow, but I wanted to get this posted for everyone.  

I have been thinking of some changes I want to happen here on the blog this year and this post is one of them.  Ali's Week at a Glance will now also feature Showcase Sunday all in the same post.  So let's get to it! 

THIS WEEK ON ALI'S BOOKSHELF

So this week, like I said, I've been making small changes to the blog and today I have made a lot of changes to the sidebar and I'm still not finished.  

This week I finished reading 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher and will be posting a review shortly.  That book will stay with me for the rest of my life.  I haven't been around much lately mainly due to the holidays, but I have posted a lot of reviews over the past two weeks.  I hope you all had a great week.  

~Ali~ 

Review: Maelstrom by J.D. Watts

Review: Maelstrom by J.D. Watts

IN A GLANCE: It keeps getting better and better!

Title: Maelstrom
Author: J.D. Watts
Publisher: The Writers Coffee Shop
Format: Ebook ARC (given to me by Netgalley)
Pages: 142 pages
ISBN #: 1612131115

Daniella Rossi, prophesied Convergence and child of all three races of creation, now faces her destiny with a full gambit of knowledge and abilities at her disposal, but will they be enough? Two years in hiding…Two years of training and preparing. Two years of falling in love and finding herself surrounded by a family she never dreamed she would have. They’ve all been a blessing, keeping her tranquil in their Caribbean island hideaway, but the darkness of the Fallen ones is closing in and the time for hiding has come to an end. Separated from her Guardian husband Nate, and alone in New York City with an infant to protect, Dani must find the strength within her to survive and help those that need her. New acquaintances become allies, helping her hide until she is strong enough to search for her loved ones. Can she reunite with her family and protect this innocent little baby who deserves a safe and happy future, or will they be thwarted by evil forces? Dani has worked hard to prepare for confronting the ultimate evil. Will she emerge victorious, or will she fail in her final quest to follow the Master’s will? Join Dani in the final chapter of this epic tale as she struggles to resist the evil that seeks to claim her, body and soul.

Review: Induction by J.D. Watts

Review: Induction by J.D. Watts

IN A GLANCE: The Second is even better than the first.

Title: Induction
Author: J.D. Watts
Publisher: The Writers Coffee Shop
Format: Ebook (Given to me by publisher for honest review)  
Pages: 208 pages
ISBN #: 1612130623

This is the second novel in the Children of Creation series. Daniella Rossi has had a tough year. She’d always felt she was different from those around her, and within a matter of months, she discovered her life and that all she believed was true was nothing more than a farce. As a child of three different races of creation, Dani truly fits in with none. As she waits out the winter in hiding with her two most trusted friends, her Guardians Nate and Ana, Dani struggles with the evolution of her romantic relationship with Nate, while being haunted most nights by dreams of a little boy begging for help. She doesn’t know where he is or what is wrong, but she has an overwhelming need to help him. Forced to move on with the advent of spring, they search for answers while Dani completes her induction into the world of the unseen. She learns many things about love, life, and herself, as well as the true depth and nature of the strength within her along the way.

Review: Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker

Review: Unbreak My Heart by Melissa C. Walker

IN A GLANCE: A really sweet story. I really enjoyed reading it, but somethings kind of got on my nerves.

Title: Unbreak my Heart
Author: Melissa Walker
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Format: Ebook from Netgalley
Pages:  240 pages
ISBN #: 1599905280

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.

I owe J.D. Watts a huge Apology! I'm sooo sorry

Alright, I messed up somehow and got this tour confused with another one.  I can't believe I did this and for that I am very sorry.  But, I am going to get this posted because I feel so bad for missing it and J.D Watts took time out of her busy schedule to write this beautiful guest post for me and I didn't post it.  But here it is now! J. D I am soooo sorry! I feel so bad.  

      I have to make an open admission…I owe a lot to Twilight and Stephenie Meyer. Now hold on, don’t freak out just yet. There are two basic reactions to this statement…1) you go all fangirl/boy and don’t make it past the first line, or 2) you don’t want to read anymore because you’re in a Twilight coma between the insanity over the books and movies, etc…but just hear me out.

Review: Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham

Review: Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham

IN A GLANCE: Strong girl power story! LOVE IT!!!

Title: Reunited
Author: Hilary Weisman Graham
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Format: Paperback ARC
Pages: 325 pages
ISBN #:  144243984X

1 Concert 2000 Miles 3 Ex-Best Friends Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are ex-best friends. Back in middle school, the three girls were inseparable. They were also the number one fans of the rock band Level3. But when the band broke up, so did their friendship. Summer ran with the popular crowd, Tiernan was a rebellious wild-child, and Alice spent high school with her nose buried in books. Now, just as the girls are about to graduate, Level3 announces a one-time-only reunion show. Even though the concert’s 2000 miles away, Alice buys three tickets on impulse. And as it turns out, Summer and Tiernan have their own reasons for wanting to get out of town. Good thing Alice’s graduation gift (a pea-green 1976 VW camper van known as the Pea Pod) is just the vehicle to get them there. But on the long drive cross-country, the girls hit more than a few bumps in the road. Will their friendship get an encore or is the show really over?