Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have), by Sarah Mlynowski

Title: Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release: June 7, 2011
Buy from R.J. Julia: Click here

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have. If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them. In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

Around the time Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) came out, I  remember not really being interested in it. A lot of people were buzzing about it, saying how much they loved Sarah Mlynowski and how excited they were to read her newest, but I was just sort of indifferent to it all. But when I finally did decide to give Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) a chance, I was so disappointed in myself for shrugging it off earlier!


Above all else, Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) is pure fun. It’s a book that you can sit down if you’re stressed or if you’re just looking for a pleasure read and it will completely take you away for a while, which I think is exactly what I needed when I read it. The story is a bit far-fetched, but I was having such a good time reading it I really didn’t care. 


Now I see what the big deal was about Sarah Mlynowski! After reading Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) I am so eager to go pick up more of her books. If they’re anything at all like this one, I’m sure to have a good time ahead of me when I’m reading them! Mlynowski is a talented author that not only writes entertainingly, but well. 


April and her friends and foes were all very likeable. Thinking back, I can’t remember a single character that I didn’t like or connect to in some way. They’re all written with dimension and character. There are a lot of characters, but they all stand out and help make Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) the best it could be.


Though it does have its few flaws, they are minute when it comes to the big picture. Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) is a fun, humorous book that will have you flipping pages and forgetting about everything else in your life. Treat yourself and pick up Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have). You won’t regret it.

Future Favorites #93

Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature here at Electrifying Reviews. Each time I do one of these, I post about a few books that are yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read! 

●Heaven (Halo, #3) by Alexandra Adornetto (Feiwel & Friends: August 21, 2012)●

●The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress (Dial: December 6, 2012)●

●Blackwood by Gwenda Bond (Strange Chemistry: September 4, 2012)●

●Shift by Kim Curran (Strange Chemistry: September 4, 2012)●

●Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles, #1) by Gena Showalter (Harlequin Teen: September 25, 2012)●

●Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Stories by Various Authors (Month9Books: October 16, 2012)●

Which of these looks the best to you? What are some books you're looking forward to? Comment below and let me know!

30 Days of Daemon Blog Tour: Onyx Excerpt

Starting over sucks.When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.And then he opened his mouth.Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me.You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is.

As part of the 30 Days of Daemon Blog Tour, I have an exclusive excerpt of Onyx, the second Lux novel by Jennifer L. Armentrout, to share with you all...

I scooted out of the laundry room and skipped down the hallway, arms flaying around my head like one of the hot pink puppets from the movie Labyrinth. “A scent and a sound, I’m lost and I’m found. And I’m hungry like the wolf. Something on a line, it’s discord and rhyme—whatever, whatever, la la la—Mouth is alive, all running inside, and I’m hungry like the—” Warmth spread down my neck.

“It’s actually, ‘I howl and I whine. I’m after you,’ and not blah or whatever.”

Startled by the deep voice, I shrieked and whipped around. My foot slipped on a section of well-cleaned wood and my butt smacked on the floor.

“Holy crap,” I gasped, clutching my chest. “I think I’m having a heart attack.”

“And I think you broke your butt.” Laughter filled Daemon’s voice.

I remained sprawled across the narrow hallway, trying to catch my breath. “What the hell? Do you just walk into people’s houses?”

“And listen to girls absolutely destroy a song in a matter of seconds? Well, yes, I make a habit out of it. Actually, I knocked several times, but I heard your…singing, and your door was unlocked.” He shrugged. 

“So I just let myself in.”

“I can see that.” I stood, wincing. “Oh, man, maybe I did break my butt.”

“I hope not. I’m kind of partial to your butt.” He flashed a smile. “Your face is pretty red. You sure you didn’t smack that on the way down?”

I groaned. “I hate you.”

Obsidian (#1) and Shadows (prequel novella) are both out now, and Onyx (#2) comes this August, all from Entangled Teen.

Giveaway: Goddess Interrupted

WARNING! SPOILERS BELOW FOR THE GODDESS TEST! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED AND MAY PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK...

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 

Henry's first wife, Persephone.

The Prize: One copy of Goddess Interrupted

Who Can Win: USA & Canada

Enter By: June 3

How to Enter: Fill out the form below

* Follow Aimée Carter on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/aimee_carter

* Like Aimée Carter on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aim%C3%A9e-Carter/179011832122566?sk=wall

* Join Aimée Carter on her blog: http://juliekagawa.blogspot.ca/

* Check out The Goddess Test Novels website: http://www.goddesstesttrilogy.com/

* Like Harlequin TEEN on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarlequinTEEN

* Follow Harlequin TEEN on Twitter: http://twitter.com/harlequinteen

My Newest Novels (5)

My Newest Novels is a book haul feature here on Electrifying Reviews, in which I showcase the books I come to possess each week. That's really all there is to it! Here's what I got this week...

The Broken Universe (Universe, #2) by Paul Melko (hardcover)

Thanks to Tor

The Miles by Robert Lennon (paperback)

Thanks to Kensington

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1) by Julie Kagawa (signed hardcover + sweatshirt)

Thanks to Harlequin Teen

Glow (Sky Chasers, #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan (audiobook)

Thanks to Macmillan

All These Things I’ve Done (Birthright, #1) by Gabrielle Zevin (audiobook)

Thanks to Macmillan

eBooks

Undead by Kirsty McKay (eARC)

Thanks to The Chicken House, via NetGalley

Claws by Michael Grinti and Rachek Grinti (eARC)

Thanks to The Chicken House, via NetGalley

Swipe by Evan Angler (ebook)

Thanks to Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley

Sleepers (The Swarm, #1) by Megg Jensen (ebook)

Free on Kindle

Insight by Jamie Magee (ebook)

Free on Kindle

Frey by Melissa Wright (ebook)

Free on Kindle

Week in Review...

Sunday

The Clique, by Lisi Harrison

Monday

Giveaway: Scorched Skies

Tuesday

Author Interview: Brigid Kemmerer (Storm)

Wednesday

Future Favorites #92

Thursday

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares

Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Author: Ann Brashares
Publisher: Delacorte
Release: September 11, 2001
Buy from R.J. Julia: Click here

Carmen got the jeans at a thrift shop. They didn’t look all that great; they were worn, dirty, and speckled with bleach. On the night before she and her friends part for the summer, Carmen decides to toss them. But Tibby says they’re great. She’d love to have them. Lena and Bridget also think they’re fabulous. Lena decides they should all try them on. Whoever they fit best will get them. Nobody knows why, but the pants fit everyone perfectly. Even Carmen (who never thinks she looks good in anything), thinks she looks good in the pants. Over a few bags of cheese puffs they decide to form a sisterhood, and take the vow of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants . . . the next morning, they say good-bye. And now the journey of the pants–and the most memorable summer of their lives–begins.

When I picked up The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants at the library, I honestly thought I would just listen to it as a joke. I wasn’t expecting much out of it, because, well, it’s called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and there were a pair of ugly jeans on the cover. But when I started listening to it, for real, I fell in love. I had no idea I would love this book so much.

True fact: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants isn’t really about pants. Mind blowing, right? It’s actually a really emotional and fun contemporary novel about for best friends and their first summer spent apart since they were just babies. Their unique journeys were so fantastic and heartwarming, and I loved hearing about how each of their summers affected them and what they went through over the few short months.

Ann Brashares has a writing style that’s simple, and easily readable. Of course, I listened to this on audio, but from what I could tell by my listening Ann Brashares is a great writer and I would have no problem picking up one of her books to read instead of listening to. She nailed the voices on each of the characters, and made the book seem so real.

The four main characters—Carmen, Lena, Bridget (B), and Tibby were all unique despite being so close. Their personalities stood out and I can honestly say that I liked them all equally. There wasn’t a girl whose story I preferred to listen to over the others, and I actually liked them all as characters. I wish I could join the sisterhood!

Even though I wasn’t expecting much, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants blew me away. It’s fun, heartwarming, heartbreaking, funny, sad, and about a million other things, but most of all it’s a great book. I’ve already listened to the second and third books in the series, and hope to get my hands on numbers four, five, and the spinoff book as soon as possible.

Audio: I listened to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on audio, and it really enhanced the experience and I’m pretty sure made me like the book that much more. The narrator was great from what I recall, and I would totally recommend listening to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants if audiobooks are your thing.

Future Favorites #92

Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature here at Electrifying Reviews. Each time I do one of these, I post about a few books that are yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read! 

●Velveteen by Daniel Marks (Delacorte: October 9, 2012)●

●Poison Princess (Arcana Chronicles, #1) by Kresley Cole (Simon & Schuster: October 2, 2012)●

●Crewel by Gennifer Albin (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux: October 16, 2012)●

●Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian (Simon & Schuster: September 18, 2012)●

●Envy (Fury, #2) by Elizabeth Miles (Simon Pulse: September 4, 2012)●

●Ask the Passengers by A.S. King (Little, Brown: October 23, 2012)●

Which of these looks the best to you? What are some books you're looking forward to? Comment below and let me know!