UPDATE!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am around but I got wicked busy last month and it's taken me a long time to get back into things. But I will start updating this blog again so please stick around! Thanks :)

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

Published:September 13th 2011

Pages: 662
Format: Hardcover (New)
Stars: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

In this riveting and startling companion to "Impulse," northern Nevada teenagers Cara, Kendra, Sean, and Andre, tell in their own voices of their very different paths toward perfection and how their goals change when tragedy strikes.

I've been a fan of Hopkins' books since early last year when I read the Crank Series by her. She is able to make tough situations come to life in her books and a lot of the situations are common problems in people's lives. I love how she also doesn't sugar coat anything and make everything magically better at the end of her books.

In her newest novel Perfect, we follow four different lives that are all linked together somehow. Cara is the twin sister of Conner who tried to kill himself, Kendra is the girl who is determined to be skinny and who is still obsessed with her short relationship with Conner, Sean is Cara's ex boyfriend who becomes obsessed with her after finding out Cara's deep secret and Andre just wants to be accepted by Kendra's sister (who he's in love with)

Apart (yet somehow still together), these four teens are going to find out what it really means to have a "perfect" life and how to accept that life isn't always happy endings.

If you are a fan of Hopkins Books, Perfect will not disappoint.

Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar

Published: 2007
Pages: 558
Format: Paperback (New)
Stars: ★ ★ ★ ★ 


While teenage werewolf Kalix MacRinnalch is being pursued through the streets of London by murderous hunters, her sister, the Werewolf Enchantress, is busy designing clothes for the Fire Queen. 


Meanwhile, in the Scottish Highlands, the MacRinnalch Clan is plotting and feuding after the head of the clan suddenly dies intestate. As the court intrigue threatens to blow up into all-out civil war, the competing factions determine that Kalix is the swing vote necessary to assume leadership of the clan. 


Unfortunately, Kalix isn’t really into clan politics — laudanum’s more her thing. Even more unfortunately, Kalix is the reason the head of the clan ended up dead, which is why she’s now on the lam in London. . . This expansive tale of werewolves in the modern world — friendly werewolves, fashionista werewolves, troubled teenage werewolves, cross-dressing werewolves, werewolves of every sort — is hard-edged, hilarious, and utterly believable.

I found this novel while hunting through Sci-fi/Fantasy at my local bookstore (This book is ADULT not YA) trying to find any book that featured a female werewolf that wasn't Young Adult (just because I currently have so many YA books to read) and I picked out Lonely Werewolf Girl.

Lonely Werewolf Girl is a very amusing story and I love the characters but if you are looking for something that is high Fantasy or super epic, I wouldn't say that this book fits the bill 100%. It was a little dry and I felt that Millar was trying to write a parody then an actual supernatural werewolf tale. BUT it was still something that I was able to enjoy because of the silly characters and a goofy plot line.

I feel if you go into Lonely Werewolf Girl knowing this, that you'll like it but if you expect some epic thrilling werewolf book, you might be a bit disappointed. Either way, I would say at least give Millar a chance if nothing else.

The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn

Published: May 19th 2009
Pages: 1,088
Format: Paperback (New)
Stars: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Introducing the first eight volumes of the fan-favorite, New York Times Best Seller series collected into one massive paperback collection Collects The Walking Dead #1-48. This is the perfect collection for any fan of the Emmy Award-winning television series on AMC: over one thousand pages chronicling the beginning of Robert Kirkman''s Eisner Award-winning continuing story of survival horror- from Rick Grimes'' waking up alone in a hospital, to him and his family seeking solace on Hershel''s farm, and the controversial introduction of Woodbury despot: The Governor. In a world ruled by the dead, we are finally forced to finally start living.


I'll be the first to admit that I am very picky when it comes to what graphic novels I read but I actually picked up the first issue in a Barnes and Noble store about two years ago and sit down to read it. After that, I always meant to actually buy then issues but totally forgot about it. Then the show came out and I had to stop myself from watching it because I still wanted to read the graphic novels first. So FINALLY I was lucky enough to receive this amazing collection as a gift from a family member.

Now it's NO secret to people that actually know me personally that I am a HUGE fan of horror and all things zombies. I have to tell you, Kirkman knew what he was doing when he came up with the story for these comics. The Walking Dead is one of the best Zombie stories I have EVER read. Along with the amazing pictures, I was in heaven. I was able to tackle this monster of a graphic novel (1,088 pages!) in two days and yet, I still want more. So you can bet your bottom that I will be getting the rest of the volumes as soon as possible.

But enough fangirling....okay who I am kidding? I can't do a review on this without just praising it. Great Story, wonderful pictures, a lot of action, tons of drama and amazing characters. This Graphic series has it all.

If you are a fan of zombies and have wanted to read the graphic novels, go pick this up. You will NOT regret it.

One Book - Twelve Readers: Info Post

Hello Readers and Bookworms! I came up with this idea randomly last night and I figured I would post about it on here to see what kind of feedback I would get and to see how many people would be interested. The Project is called One Book, Twelve Readers. Which is basically exactly what the project is. The idea is to past on (via snail mail) one book to 12 different readers. I think the easiest way to explain this is step by step:

- All 12 readers would list 1-2 books that they are interested in reading.
- After the suggestion time is up, all 12 readers would vote on ONE book. That book would be the book that would go to all 12 readers.
- The first reader (which would be myself) would get the book, read it, keep a journal with my thoughts, drawings..or anything I felt like putting in the journal that would relate to my feelings toward the book.
- After I completed the book and my part of the journal, I would mail the book AND journal to the second person.
- The 2nd person would read the book, do their part of the journal and then mail both items to the third person.
- The steps would repeat until all 12 people have read the book and did their part of the journal.

The idea of this is to a.) read an amazing book and b.) to become close with other bookworms.

Thoughts? Suggestions? You can either comment below or email me at staycalmandreadon@gmail.com.

I will be opening a sign up post in a few days along with more information.

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

Published: July 12th 2011
Pages: 273
Format: Hardcover (New)
Stars: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

In the summer of 1991 I was a normal kid. I did normal things. I had friends and a mother who loved me. I was just like you. Until the day my life was stolen. For eighteen years I was a prisoner. I was an object for someone to use and abuse.

For eighteen years I was not allowed to speak my own name. I became a mother and was forced to be a sister. For eighteen years I survived an impossible situation.

On August 26, 2009, I took my name back. My name is Jaycee Lee Dugard. I don’t think of myself as a victim. I survived.

A Stolen Life is my story—in my own words, in my own way, exactly as I remember it.

A Stolen Life follows the real life story of Jaycee Dugard who was kidnapped at the young age of only 11 by a crazy man and his wife while Jaycee was on her way to school one day. This book was written by Jaycee in hopes of not only letting others know her story, but to maybe save other people who are kidnapped and too scared to speak up if their lucky enough to get away.

Jaycee was kidnapped and held a prisoner for over 18 years. During that time, she would be abused, stuck between two small shacks outside and even harder, she would give birth two children whom belong to her abductor.

But even with that, Jaycee stayed strong and was able to escape the man at the age of 29.

A Stolen Life will remind all of us how lucky we truly are to have the life we live and even when things go so so badly, there is always hope. I was really moved by her story and I know she is a very strong woman. If you would like for her to share her story with you, I recommend picking up a copy of this book.

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Published: February 8th 2011
Pages: 352
Format: Kindle E-book
Stars: ★ ★ ★ ★

Happily ever after gets turned upside down in Cloaked, a fantasy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Flinn that combines several classic fairy tales and spins them with a modern twist! Bonus content includes a sneak peek at the upcoming Bewitching. Kendra Hilferty, the witch that curses Kyle Kingsbury in Beastly, tells about her immortal existence—how she discovered she was a witch and the various ways she has used her powers to help people (unfortunately her attempts have often backfired!).

Cloaked welcomes readers to sunny South Beach, Florida. Too bad Johnny is stuck in the Coral Reef Grand repairing shoes. At least he can spend some time designing his own. But nothing ever happens at the Coral Reef Grand! That is, until the beautiful Princess Victoriana comes to stay. Johnny gets more than just a little eye candy when Victoriana invites him to her suite—he gets dragged into a quest for frog prince! Set loose in the Florida Keys with a magical cloak and earpiece, Johnny enlists the help of a fox named Todd. But will spells—and giants—deter his search for the frog prince? And will Johnny even want Victoriana’s promised reward?

I LOVE LOVE Modern Fairy Tale Retellings and I really enjoyed Beastly by Flinn. Now a lot of hype is going around in the book world about Cloaked so I wanted to check it out. Now while I didn't like it as much, I did enjoy it. My main problem with the book was that it was all pretty predictable but I had to keep in mind that a lot of Fairy Tales are. I also wouldn't say the Modern fairy tales beat the originals because they most certainty do not. But for anyone that is a fan of Fairy Tales, I would recommend giving a Flinn book I chance. I really enjoy them.