Total Books Read for 2008

Well, as 2008 draws to an end, I find myself once again totaling the number of books (and pages) I read for the year. I started recording the books I read in a notebook/journal a little over two years ago, mainly for fun and to push myself to beat my total for last year. Both years, I did manage to beat my previous total, but this year, not so much! It's understandable, because of how busy I was this year, but I can't help but feel a bit upset. I can't help it-- I love a good challenge, even if the challenge is only for myself. So I'm a bit dramatic about my book totals- WHO CARES! :D So, here are my numbers for 2008, from Jan 3rd (that was when I finished my first book for '08) to December 31st: Books Finished: 200 Pages: 70, 892 Average Number of Books Read Per Month: 17 Highest Number of Books Read in a Month: 30 (That was this month-- I picked it up a notch so I could hit 200 at least) Average Number of Pages in Each Book: 354 Highest Number of Pages in One Book: 870 All in all, it wasn't too bad of a year, and I realize that for some, finishing 200 in a year is amazing. Personally, a great year for me is hitting around 275-320 books in a year, so this year was a bit of a let down. Everyone has their own speed, and not everyone has as much time on their hands for relaxing and reading like I sometimes do. I don't care about competing against others, so please don't think that I am trying to rub my achievment into anyone's face, because I'm not! In my book *No Pun Intended, of Course! ;-)* if a person finishs even a few books in a year, that's something to be proud of because really, most people either do not wish to stop and pick up a book or they don't have the time. I know some people personally who might read 10 books in FIFTEEN OR TWENTY YEARS! Seriously! They have the time, but they despise reading. So finishing say, 50 books in a year is pretty damn good, considering! As long as you enjoy what you are reading, it shouldn't matter if you read more or less than another person. Just read! Okay, enough about that for now. Here is a run down of the books I read this year. If I had the time, I'd add a small pic of each cover on here, but that would take a lot longer than just typing, so if you find a book that sounds interesting, you can either ask me about it or take the time and find it on Barnes and Nobles (whose link is listed at the bottom of my blog, hint hint!). Hope you enjoy and I haven't just bored you COMPLETELY to death! Oh, and feel free to comment, maybe tell your totals or some of your favorites that you read this year, etc. Have a great New Year's, everyone!

January:

1. The Education of Mrs. Brimley by Donna MacMeans

2. Just Wicked Enough by Lorraine Heath

3. A Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

4. The Lost Queen by Frewin Jones

5. The Scottish Companion by Karen Ranney

6. Birth of the Pack by Petru Popescu

7. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

8. Ninteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

9. Sleepless at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro

10. The Curse of the Romanovs by Staton Rabin

11. Elijah by Jacquelyn Frank

12. The Darkangel by Meredith Ann Pierce

Febuary:

13. A Gthering of Gargoyles by Meredith Ann Pierce

14. The Black Dragon by Allyson james

15. The Pearl of the Soul of the World by Meredith Ann Pierce

16. Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

17. The Devilish Pleasures of a Duke by Jillian Hunter

18. Wicked Deeds on a Wicked Nighty by Kresley Cole

19. Midnight Awakening by Lara Adrian

20. Hot Spells by Emma Holly, Lora Leigh, Shiloh Walker, and Meljean Brook

21. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare **RE-READ**

22. Demon Angel by Meljean Brook

23. The Panther and the Pyramid by Bonnie Vanak

March:

24. The Cobra and the Concubine by Bonnie Vanak

25. Vampire Diaires: The Fury and Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith

26. Chosen by P.C and Kristin Cast

27. Predatory Game by Christine Feehan

28. The Wounded (The Wereling) by Stephen Cole

29. The Sorcecer's King by Frewin Jones

30. The Odyssey by Homer (Translated by W.H.D Rouse)

31. Dark Seduction by Brenda Joyce

32. Blacklisted by Gena Showalter

33. Red Handed by Gena Showalter

34. The Dark Rival by Brenda Joyce

35. Maximum Ride: The Final Warning by James Patterson

36. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

37. Prey (The Wereling) by Stephen Cole

38. Evermore by Lynn Viehl

April:

39. Resurrection (The Wereling) by Stephen Cole

40. My True Love by Cheryl Holt

41. Madame's Deception by Renee Bernard

42. Frostbite by Richelle Mead

43. The Glass House by Rachel Caine

44. The Song by Jean Johnson

45. The Dead Girl's Dance by Rachel Caine

46. Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine

47. Uninvited by Amanda Marrone

48. Beyond the Dark by Angela Knight, Diane Whiteside, Emma Holly, and Lora Leigh

49. Fairyville by Emma Holly

50. Warlord by Angela Knight

51. Bloodline by Kate Cary

52. The Man Within by Lora Leigh

May:

53. Dawn's Awakening by Lora Leigh

54. Bloodline: The Reckoning by Kate Cary

55. Harmony's Way by Lora Leigh

56. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

57. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

58. Megan's Mark by Lora Leigh

59. Jumper by Steven Gould

60. Killer Secrets by Lora Leigh

61. Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole

June:

62. Dark Desires after Dusk by Kresley Cole

63. Highlander Ever After by Jennifer Ashley

64. Highlander Untamed by Monica McCarty

65. Bond of Blood by Diane Whiteside

66. My Immortal by Erin McCarthy

67. Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward

68. Highland Guardian by Melissa Mayhue

69. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

70. In Darkness Reborn by Alexis Morgan

71. Prince of Swords by Linda Winstead Jones

72. Sucks to Be Me... by Kimberly Pauley

73. Wedding Bargain by Victoria Alexander

74. Beast in Him by Shelly Laurenston

75. Heat of the Night by Sylvia Day

July:

76. How to Engage An Earl by Kathryn Caskie

77. The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus

78. Summer of the Eagle by Susan Edwards

79. Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

80. The Maclean Groom by Kathleen Harrington

81. Only for You by Hannah Howell

82. Let Sleeping Rouges Lie by Sabrina Jeffries

83. To Catch a Highlander by Karen Hawkins

84. Scent of Darkness by Christina Dodd

85. Touch of Darkness by Christina Dodd

86. Into the Shadow by Christina Dodd

87. A New Dawn by Ellen Hopkins & Various Authors

88. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

89. To Pleasure a Lady by Nicole Jordan

90. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer **RE-READ**

91. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer **RE-READ**

92. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer **RE-READ**

93. To Bed a Beauty by Nicole Jordan

94. To Seduce a Bride by Nicole Jordan

95. Over the Moon by Angela Knight, Virgina Kantra, MaryJanice Davidson & Sunny

96. Midnight Rising by Lara Adrian

August:

97. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

98. Night World Volume 1 by L.J. Smith

99. Damien by Jacquelyn Frank

100. Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

101. Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh

102. Shifter by Angela Knight, Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day & Virgina Kantra

103. The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount by Julia London

104. The Naked Marquis by Sally MacKenzie

105. The Naked Earl by Sally MacKenzie

106. The Perfect Bride by Victoria Alexander

107. Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

108. My Shadow Warrior by Jen Holling

109. Taken by Storm by Donna Fletcher

110. Prey by Lurlene McDaniel

111. A Warrior's Taking by Margo Maguire

112. Evernight by Claudia Gray

113. The Secret Circle Volume 1 by L.J. Smith

114. King of Sword and Sky by C.L. Wilson

September:

115. The Marriage Spell by Mary Jo Putney

116. Jumper: Griffin's Story by Steven Gould

117. Full Moon by Rebecca York

118. Dark Curse by Christine Feehan

119. A Separate Peace by John Knowles

120. The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson

121. Noah by Jacquelyn Frank

122. Highland Vampire by Hannah Howell, Adrienne Basso, & Deborah Raleigh

123. Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland

124. The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter

125.Untamed by P.C. & Kristin Cast

126. The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter

127. Into the Flame by Christina Dodd

October:

128. The Divide by Nicholas Evans

129. Demon Fire by Emma Holly

130. The Lord of the Deep by Dawn Thompson

131. Rumors by Anna Godberson

132. Marked by Moonlight by Sharie Kohler

133. A Taste of Darkness by Nina Bangs

134. One Bite Stand by Nina Bangs

135. The Pirate Hunter by Jennifer Ashley

136. Mercury's War by Lora Leigh

137. The Care and Feeding of the Pirates by Jennifer Ashley

138. Dark Embrace by Breanda Joyce

139. Blue Bloods by Melissa de La Cruz **RE-READ**

140. Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat by Viki Myron

141. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

142. Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

143. Shadow Magic by Cheyenne McCray

144. Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

145. Kissing Coffins by Ellen Schreiber

146. The Twilight Companion by Lois Gresh

147. Vampire Kisses 3 by Ellen Schreiber

148. Moving Target by Cheyenne McCray

149. Vampire Kisses 4 by Ellen Schreiber

November:

150. Revelations by Melissa de La Cruz

151. In Her Bed by Deborah MacGillivray

152. Mistress of Scandal by Sara Bennett

153. Vampire Kisses 5 by Ellen Schreiber

154. The Devil's Temptation by Kimberley Logan

155. Revealers by Amanda Marrone

156. Be Still My Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks

157. The Bride by Julie Garwood

158. Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz

159. White Nights by Susan Edwards

160. White is for Magic by Laurie Stolarz

161. White Flame by Susan Edwards

162. Silver is for Secrets by Laurie Stolarz

163. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer **RE-READ**

164. Red is for Remembrance by Laurie Stolarz

165. White Dove by Susan Edwards

166. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead **RE-READ**

167. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

168. White Dawn by Susan Edwards

169. White Dusk by Susan Edwards

170. The Scorpion & the Seducer by Bonnie Vanak

December:

171. So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld

172. Shadowland by Meg Cabot

173. Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes **RE-READ**

174. The Ninth Key by Meg Cabot

175. Let the Night Begin by Kathryn Smith

176. Evermore by Alyson Noel

177. Wake by Lisa McMann

178. Reunion by Meg Cabot

179. The Darkest Hour by Meg Cabot

180. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

181. Haunted by Meg Cabot

182. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

183. To Tempt a Scotsman by Victoria Dahl

184. The Magician by Michael Scott

185. Snitch by Allison van Diepen

186. Twilight (Mediator Series) by Meg Cabot

187. Fangs for the Memories by Kathy Love

188. The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

189. Twilight Falls by Lynn Viehl

190. Mysterious by Nora Roberts

191. Time Quartet by Medeleine L' Engle

192. Mythology by Edith Hamilton

193. A Muggle's Guide to the Wizarding World by Fionna Boyle

194. Your Kitten's First Year by Don Harper

195. The Encyclopedia of the Cat by Michael Pollard

196. How to Live with a Neurotic Cat by Stephen Baker

197. Savor me Slowly by Gena Showalter

198. The Princess by Jude Deveraux

199. The Heiress by Jude Deveraux

200. Knight and Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

Wow. Now I have hand cramps. LOL. I'm not typing any more today. I'm going to go and relax, read, and get a jump start on 2009 Finished Books. :D

~TBQ~

"The Princess" by Jude Deveraux

Synopsis From B&N.com:

Her name was Aria...a beautiful, arrogant princess from a small European kingdom. Stranded in a storm of intrigue near the Florida Keys, she is swept ashore and into the arms of dashing J.T. Montgomery, an officer of the American Navy. Disdainful at first, Aria is secretly tantalized by the handsome Lieutenant's brash independence...and beneath her proud reserve, J.T. discovers a woman of sensuous fire. To escape her enemies, they return to her royal domain -- with Aria posing as an American bride. But if their daring charade succeeds, Aria must choose -- between the kingdom she was born to rule, and the man she was destined to love!

I picked up The Princess spur of the moment earlier this year, when the library was discarding a lot of the older books for mere pennies. I had heard of the author before and I thought 'What the heck, I'll give her a try'. The worst that could happen would be I hated it, and there went a day or reading and 25 cents, right? But on the other hand, I could end up loving it, and then I have not only a new book to add to my favorite's list, but also a whole new author to check out. Not bad outcomes, either way. But I'm very glad that I took the 'chance' and grabbed this book, along with a few others by Deveraux!

I will admit that at the beginning of the book, I was kind of hesitant and feared that I wouldn't end up liking the characters. The story line was interesting enough, even from page one, and the plot flowed at a nice, brisk speed. But the characters' actions and personalities seemed annoying, weak, and rude, and in my opinion, no matter how amazing the rest of the book is, it won't float my boat if I can't relate to the main characters.

At first, Jarl and Aria were constantly bickering, and Aria was dead set on keeping her cold 'I'm-the-Princess-and-I'm-too-good-for-anything-but-the-absolute-best' attitude, which annoyed me to no end! Now, I'm okay with the hero and heroine having their arguments, I think it's needed at times, and no one is perfect, especially not a working relationship, even in a fiction novel. Heck, it can even be highly entertaining at times! But their fights were almost boring, and I was tempted to just skip over the pages until they got past their problems. Luckily, I stuck it out, and I found that as the story moved on and the plot thickened, the characters also changed, growing more dynamic and 3-D, becoming someone that I could stand and actually wanted to learn more about. I was happy, and I settled back in for the ride, which I assure you was riddled with twists and turns and ups and downs!

For the most part, the beginning character flaws were the only problems I had with this book at all. The rest of it was enjoyable, humorous, sexy, and sweet, all in all, a great romance, even if it was written 21 years ago! As they say, a good book, a good classic, can be enjoyed by others years later.

Watching how Jarel slowly falls in love with Aria, and how he changes her attitude from snobby and cold to passionate and kind was wonderful. More than once I found myself sighing in pleasure after reading one of their conversations or giggling *Giggling, can you imagine it?!* after watching her stubbornness and innocence for the American way of life flare up yet again. And in between all of that, along with the mystery of who is trying to kill her, the love scenes were pretty warm, not boiling, but not written by a nun either! And what they lacked in steaminess they made up for in romance and tender moments.

4.5/5 STARS! A glorious love story that shows you that sometimes choosing between the two things you love is not the easiest thing to do. Touching romance, decent sex scenes, plenty of wit and charm, and yes, even a bit of mystery. In other words, a perfect read! I can't wait to find more books by this captivating author!

~TBQ~

The Story Siren's Contest!

It's drawing near to the end of the year, and the wonderful Story Siren has decided to host another contest *As if she doesn't have enough of them over the year!* as a 'thank you' for all the readers, etc. She has a great list of choices (mostly teen fiction, but there are some interesting ones there and even four 'adult' romances to choose from too!), and to enter, leave a comment with your four choices and two alternates plus contact info. There are also more ways to enter and get more entries in the contest. For more information, check out the post: http://www.thestorysiren.com/2008/12/i-havent-had-contest-in-while-so-how.html Good luck to all who enter! And remember to keep checking back on her blog for more contests and fun reviews. TBQ

2009 Reads

Wow-- it's hard to believe that we are less than a month away from 2009-- this year has gone by so fast! In order to prepare us for next year, I thought I'd put together a list of books (Both YA and adult romances, with a few other genres thrown in) that come out next year. For the most part, they will be books that I am looking forward to reading, and I hope that I am not the only one! Hope you enjoy, and if you think of any more that I have not listed, please comment and tell me. Or if you find a mistake (If so, I'm sorry, I tried to make everything as accurate as I could.)

January 2009:

(Jan 1st) The Prize by Brenda Joyce

(Jan 6th) Lords of Misrule: The Morganville Vampires, Book 5 by Rachel Caine

(Jan 6th) Goddess of the Rose by PC Cast

(Jan 6th) Mortal Temptations by Allyson James

(Jan 20th) Kiss of a Demon King (The Immortals After Dark, Book 6) by Kresley Cole

(Jan 27th) Night Life: Vamps Series, Book 2 by Nancy A. Collins

(Jan 27th) Envy: A Luxe Novel, Book 3 by Anna Godbersen

(Jan 27th) Warrior Princess by Frewin Jones

(Jan 27th) The Serpient Awakens: The Faerire Path Series by Frewin Jones

(Jan 27th) The Seventh Daughter: The Faerie Path Series by Frewin Jones

(Jan 27th) Darkness Unknown by Alexis Morgan

(Jan 27th) A Highlander of her Own by Melissa Mayhue

(Jan 27th) Night Rising: Vampre Babylon Series, Book 1 by Chris Marie Green

Feburary 2009:

(Feb 1st) Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

(Feb 1st) Night after Night by Kathryne Smith

(Feb 1st) The Dust of 100 Dogs by AS King

(Feb 1st) When a Stranger Loves Me by Julianne MacLean

(Feb 3rd) Coyote's Mate (Coyote Breeds, Book 2) by Lora Leigh

(Feb 3rd) Kiss of Fate by Deborah Cook

(Feb 3rd) The First Sin by Cheyenne McCray

(Feb 10th) Fade by Lisa McMann

(Feb 10th) Raven by Allison van Diepen

(Feb 10th) Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

(Feb 10th) Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

(Feb 24th) The Return (Volume 1): The Vampire Diaries Series by L.J Smith

(Feb 24th) Highland Outlaw by Monica McCarty

(Feb 24th) To Romance a Charming Rogue by Nicole Jordan

(Feb 24th) The Reckoning: The Immortals by Jennifer Ashley

March 2009:

(March 1st) The Vampire's Bride (The Atlantis Series) by Gena Showalter

(March 1st) Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione

(March 3rd) A Vampire's Claim by Joey W. Hill

(March 3rd) Maverick (Elite Ops Series) by Lora Leigh

(March 3rd) Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh

(March 3rd) Bride by Command by Linda Winstead Jones

(March 10th) Hunted: House of Night Series, Book 5 by PC and Kristin Cast

(March 24th) City of Glass: The Mortal Instruments Series, Book 3 by Cassandra Clare

(March 24th) Stargazer: The Bianca Olivier Series, Book 2 by Claudia Gray

(March 24th) Highland Scoundrel by Monica McCarty

April 2009:

(April 1st) Pleasure Unleashed by Larissa Ione (April 7th) The Mage (The Sons of Destiny Series, Book 8) by Jean Johnson (April 13th) The Mammother Book of Paranormal Romance by Various Authors (April 21st) Night World 3 by L.J. Smith (April 21st) Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (April 21st) Highland Scandal by Julia London (April 28th) The Awakening: Darkest Power, Book 2 by Kelley Armstrong (April 28th) Lover Avenged (The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series) by J.R. Ward (April 28th) Burning Wild by Christine Feehan

May 2009:

(May 1st) To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt

(May 1st) Wild Highland Magic by Kendra Castle

(May 5th) Guardian by Angela Knight

(May 19th) Royal Blood: Vampire Kisses Series, Book 6 by Ellen Schreiber

(May 26th) Vacations from Hell by Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Claudia Gray, and Maureen Johnson

(May 26th) Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle

(May 26th) Hunger: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant

June 2009:

(June 2nd) Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

(June 2nd) The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

(June 2nd) Atlantis Unleashed (Warriors of Poseidon, Book 3) by Alyssa Day

August 2009:

(August 4th) Beloved Vampre by Joey W. Hill

(August 4th) Highland Obsession by Dawn Halliday

(August 20th) *Untitled* Vampire Academy Book 4 by Rachelle Mead

September 2009:

(Sept 8th) Devoured by Amanda Marrone

So far, that's all I have listed. I'll try to add more as I find other ones. I know that I'm missing a lot of books that I have been waiting months for, but it's getting late and my eyes are getting tired from looking at the screen for so long! LOL. If you know of any that I do not have posted, then plese feel free to comment and tell me so.

Contest!

Looking for a new contest to enter? Look no further than Bookluver-Carol's Review blog! She is having a contest, which runs through Dec. 15th, and allows you to choice the books you'd want to win that have to equal 30 dollars or less-- any books you want, as many as you want as long as it adds up to that amount. Interested? Then head on over to her blog and leave a comment, and/or enter by posting on your blog, Myspace, etc, and linking it back to your comment on her site. Good luck and enjoy! Here's the link: http://bookluver-carol.blogspot.com/2008/11/have-happy-thanksgiving.html ~TBQ~

"Evermore"

Synopsis From B&N.com:

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.




Compared to amazing teen fantasy authors such as the acclaimed Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr, Evermore manages to snag the readers attention from the very beginning and pull you head long into the story! Get ready for a wild ride that is filled with twisting paths and mystery, love and fantasy.

Ever's *Interesting name, I must say...* story starts out fairly normal: she and her family were involved in a car crash, and she was the only one that walked away from it alive. She lives with her aunt, after moving from Oregon to California, and now besides dealing with the grief and feeling like it was her fault that her parents and sister died, she also has to deal with moving far away, starting over fresh, and trying to fit in at school. As if that's not hard enough, now add in the fact that since the accident, Ever has had some..unusual gifts: she can see ghost, talk to them, and she can read people's thoughts. Life for Ever is anything but easy and perfect, and once Damen, the new *And very hot!* student, moves to town, her life is once again changed- forever.

Despite her unique abilities, which she sees as more of a curse than a gift, Ever doesn't know or understand everything. She doesn't know why her sister, Riley, is still lingering around and she can talk to her while her parents, and almost all other ghosts, are invisible to her. Even her own abilities sometimes remain a mystery to her. The fun thing about this is that whenever you discover some new twist or finding in the plot, Ever does to, so the reader is kept in the dark as much as the actual characters, allowing you to connect a bit more with the story and people themselves, trying to find out what's going on just like they are. And as you get farther into the book, you realize that nothing is always as it first seems...

Now Ever has to help her sister continue on to the other side; spend more time with her aunt; find out why her best friend is suddenly following around the mysterious new woman in town like she's some type of God; figure out who--and what-- Damen is, along with why he's paying so much attention to her; learn to control her abilities, and, oh yeah, deal with day to day teenage things. Life is anything but simple! Because of these complications and mysteries, Evermore is filled with action, suspense, romance, drama, and fantasy... All in all, a perfect read for anyone who enjoys any or all of those things.

5/5 STARS! Evermore is a thrilling read for teen readers and yes, even a few adults too. The writing style, story, and characters are a bit like Meyer and Marr's popular books, but written with a new twist and voice so as not to seem like a cheap remake. And after reading the book, you too will probably want your own Damen, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice. ;) After all-- Immortality is like the apple in the garden of Eve: forbidden fruit that tempts and always tastes sweeter.

~TBQ~

"So Yesterday"

Synopsis From B&N.com:

We are all around you.You don’t think about us much, because we are invisible. Well, not exactly invisible. A lot of us have hair dyed in four colors, or wear five-inch platform sneakers, or carry enough metal in our skin that it’s a hassle getting on an airplane. Quite visible, actually, come to think of it.

But we don’t wear signs saying what we are. After all, if you knew what we were up to, we couldn’t work our magic. We have to observe carefully, and push and prompt you in ways you don’t notice. Like good teachers, we let you think you’ve discovered the truth on your own.

And you need us. Someone has to guide you, to mold you, to make sure that today turns into yesterday on schedule. Because frankly, without us to monitor the situation, who knows what would get crammed down your throats? It’s not like you can just start making your own decisions, after all.

Ever wonder who was the first kid to keep a wallet on a big chunky chain, or wear way-too-big-pants on purpose? What about the mythical first guy who wore his baseball cap backwards? These are the Innovators, the people at the peak of the cool pyramid.

Seventeen-year-old Hunter Braque is a Trend setter, on the second level of the pyramid. His job: find the newest, coolest thing for the retail market. His MO: observe, don’t get involved. But from the moment he meets Innovator Jen James, he can’t help getting involved in a big way.

Part love story, part mystery, part stinging satire, Scott Westerfeld’s spellbinding new novel will make you question everything you’ve ever believed about how to be cool.

I've read all of Scott Westerfeld's other teen fiction books, and I enjoyed them a lot-- especially his Ugly series and Peeps (which was kind of a vampire book). So when I finally found this one at the library, after being told that I just HAD to read it because it was the best book he's ever wrote, I was expecting something major, something powerful, a story that would reach right out and not just grab me but hit me--hard. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed in the end.

The story is very different, and it does cover both mystery, a bit of teenage romance, and proves a point, but other than that, I felt that the over all book was only so-so. The characters were kind of flat, and even though the story was told in first person, from Hunter's point of view, it wasn't very captivating, like a good 1st POV should be. Then again, my dislike of it could have also been because it was a guy that was the main character, a guy that did all the talking, and in the books that I read, I'm use to it being a girl. Maybe if we could have heard more about Hunter instead of listening to him go on and on about his job and figuring out the 'great mystery', I would have enjoyed it more.

Hunter's world isn't really that different from our world today-- they may use different words, etc, then us *Trendsetter, Lagger to name a few*, but that's about it. We've become a society that relies on technology and new products-- we always want the newest, the coolest, the best item on the market. Some of us more than others, true, but as a whole, that's usually how it works. The companies know this, and they use it to get more money out of us. You see it all over-- on TV, in magazines, newspapers, every where you look, they have an ad for their new product, trying to sell it to the consumer anyway that they can. It could very well be our down fall one day, who knows. The point is, Westerfeld wrote about this fairly well in So Yesterday, and I'll admit that before reading it, I never quite gave it that much thought, but that was just about the only thing that this book had going for it. The mystery element was only so-so, the suspense and action was barely there, and the 'romance' between Jen and Hunter sounded more like the usual 'crush' in most highschool students-- nothing extraordinary, nothing really touching or special, and it showed in the story.

Usually, I like reading Westerfeld's work-- he's writing is always different from most of the other books out there at the time, and he knows how to keep the story at the perfect level -- not too heavy, but not too light either. This is probably why his books are popular among the teens he writes for: it's what they are looking for in a book. And in his other books, that's usually what I like about his books too, even though I am older. This one was different somehow-- more rambling and random, not very comical or intense. Don't get me wrong-- it had it's moments, but there were not enough of them to raise my over-all review of So Yesterday.

3/5 STARS! If you love his work, you might still want to give So Yesterday a try. But if you have never read his work before, or if you didn't enjoy them, then I probably wouldn't recommend this book to you-- at least, not as one of my top picks. It's not terrible, but it's not amazing like I was told by friends. It's at a happy medium between the two.

~TBQ~

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Until Next Time,
*TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!