Book Blog Hops!

The question for this week is:

How long have you been book blogging??

I've only blogging on this particular blog for about a month or so.  I'm still trying to get the hang of how I want things around here on this particular blog.

The question for this week is: "Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"

I'm thankful for this great blogging community.  I sometimes do a lot of bitching here on The Book Junkie's Bookshelf when I don't understand something about our community and there are always bloggers out there who are willing to put their perspective out there for me to read.

Family wise....I'm thankful that my brother's wedding went off with out any problems. We have a few people in our family who are "Wild Cards" and we were a little bit worried.  I'm not really sure what the plan holds for the actual Thanksgiving Day but I know there's TONS of yumminess headed my way!

What I've been up to on the blog:

The 2011 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge - hosted by the lovely Book Vixen
Cover Love - Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

Review - The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

2011 YA of the 80's and 90's Reading Challenge - hosted by the lovely Book Vixen

2011 YA Romance Challenge - hosted by ME

2011 Paranormal YA Reading Challenge - hosted by ME

Discussion Post - "Sharing The Wealth"

READING CHALLENGE: Outdo Yourself Challenge 2011

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
hosted by The Book Vixen

Details:

• Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011(books read prior to 1/1/11 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. You can sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2011 than you did in 2010. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine.
• You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. It is not required that you review the books you read for this challenge but feel free to do so.
• Post this reading challenge on your blog so you can keep a list of the books you’ve read for this challenge. Please include a link back to this post so readers can join the challenge too.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate. You can keep tabs on books you’ve read for this challenge on Goodreads or LibraryThing if you’d like (maybe make a shelf for “Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge”). If you are not on either of those sites then you can list the books you read for this challenge in the comments on my wrap-up post, which will be up at the end of 2011.

Levels:
     Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
     Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
     Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
     I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books

MY LEVEL - I'm On Fire!

1. The DUFF
2. Intrinsical
3. Seduced by Destiny
4. Highland Master
5. Falke's Peak
6. Pegasus
7. Shelter Mountain (Virgin River #2)
8. Virgin River (Virgin River #1)
9. Whispering Rock (Virgin River #3)
10. A Virgin River Christmas (Virgin River #4)
11. Matched (review attempt #1)
12. A Dead Man's Debt
13. Where I Belong 
14. Empire of the Summer Moon
15. Blood Knot
16. Mercy Kill
17. No Mercy
18. A Creed In Stone Creek
19.

Cover Love: Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

I WANT IT NOW!  May is entirely WAY to FAR AWAY!

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Title: The Dark Divine

Author: Bree Despain

Series: The Dark Divine #1

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Release Date: 2009, December 22

Format: Hardcover, 372 pages

Source: Purchased with own money many moons ago

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

A Prodigal Son

A Dangerous Love

A Deadly Secret

Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

Review:

OMG!  I have NO idea why I waited this long to read this book!  Once I got started reading it was the fastest 372 pages EVER!  I could not put this book down.  I had to constantly know what was going on and what was going to happen next.  When I originally purchased this book I was totally drawn to the cover.  It's kinda creepy and mysterious and I just love it!

Grace Divine is the local preacher's daughter and she's always been drawn to the boy next door, Daniel.  Now Daniel at one point was even considered a member of the Divine family, but then there was an incident and he disappeared.

Fast forward 3 years and Daniel is back in town.  Grace always knew that there was something not right about the circumstances in which Daniel just picked up, packed up and disappeared on them.  But no one EVER talks about what actually happened.  Now that Daniel is back in town, almost unrecognizable with his unkempt shaggy, dyed black hair Gracie's crush gets thrown yet again into high gear.

Then a whole bunch of REALLY mysterious things start happening and Grace is determined to get to the bottom of it all.  Whether her family and Daniel like it or not.

What I really liked was that you're a good chunk of the way into the book before you actually figure out what Daniel really is.  I think it would have detracted from the story if you knew right off what he really is.  But that's just my opinion.

Another thing that I really liked was how Bree constantly let you know where (like day, place, and even time wise) the characters were.  I thought that it helped the story flow much easier for me personally.  

 I also liked how the main character Grace Divine grew throughout the book.  In the beginning of the book I thought that Grace was kind of a follower and as more defecation hit the rotary oscillator (AKA Shit hitting the fan) she went more the other way and grew into leader type.  I also really liked how Grace spent a good chunk of the book trying to figure out who and what the monster(s) really were.

Overall, I really liked the story as a whole.  I can hardly wait until December when book 2 comes out!  Is it December yet?!

2011 YA of the 80's and 90's

YA of the 80s and 90s Reading Challenge
hosted by The Book Vixen

• Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011 (books read prior to 1/1/11 do not count). You can join at anytime. You can sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
• Read as many YA books that were originally published in the 80s and 90s as your heart desires. The only requirement is that the book(s) have to have been first published sometime between 1980 – 1999.
• Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
• Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine.
• You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. It is not required that you review the books you read for this challenge but feel free to do so.
• Post this reading challenge on your blog so you can keep a list of the books you’ve read for this challenge. Please include a link back to this post so readers can join the challenge too.
• You do not have to be a book blogger to participate. You can keep tabs on books you’ve read for this challenge on Goodreads or LibraryThing if you’d like (maybe make a shelf for “YA of the 80s and 90s Reading Challenge”). If you are not on either of those sites then you can list the books you read for this challenge in the comments on my wrap-up post, which will be up at the end of 2011.

My List:

2011 YA Romance Challenge

The Rules:

1. Create a post for the challenge using the image above and link back to this post.

--Non-Bloggers: You are welcome to join too. Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. Sign up with the Mr. Linky.

--Link to your challenge post when you sign up please.

3. The goal of this challenge is to read AT LEAST 12 YA "Romance" novels between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.  Books read before January 1, 2011 do NOT count towards the challenge.

4. Audio, eBooks, paper all count. Re-reads are ok but try to keep them to a minimum.  Cross overs from other challenges are ok.

5. There is no need to create your list now.  Please feel free to use your challenge post to keep track of your titles if you so desire.








MY TITLES:

The DUFF

2011 Paranormal YA Reading Challenge

The Rules:

1. Create a post for the challenge using the image above and link back to this post.

--Non-Bloggers: You are welcome to join too. Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. Sign up with the Mr. Linky.

--Link to your challenge post when you sign up please.

3. The goal of this challenge is to read AT LEAST 12 Paranormal YA novels between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.  Books read before January 1, 2011 do NOT count towards the challenge.

4. Audio, eBooks, paper all count. Re-reads are ok but try to keep them to a minimum.  Cross over's with other challenges are ok.

5. There is no need to create your list now.  Please feel free to use your challenge post to keep track of your titles if you so desire.