Bout of Books 6.0 Wrap Up

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books 6.0 team

This whole thing would have gone a lot better if I hadn't gotten sick during half of it. I did have a lot of fun when I could participate and the highlight for me was the Twitter chat I joined in with on Wednesday.

My total status are a bit sad but here they are:
Total pages: 276
Books finished: 1 (Beautiful Creatures)
Goals reached: 0

I'm okay with these stats since I was able to finished Beautiful Creatures and because I was sick most of the time. Usually when I'm sick, I don't read at all so getting even some reading in is an accomplishment for me.

Hope you all did better than I did and thanks for all the wishes to get better! I think I'm finally on the mend!

Happily Ever Endings... Tempest by Julie Cross

Happily Ever Endings... was born out of sheer frustration. You know how when you read a series and you love it but the last book takes a little while to come out and then you sort of forget parts of the novel? That's what these posts are going to serve to remedy. Happily Ever Ending... is a short summary of a series novel so that you are ready for the next in the series!

Tempest by Julie Cross

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun. 

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. 

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities. 

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him. 

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Click "Read more" to read the ending of Tempest so you'll be ready for the next installment of the series! 

In My Mailbox 105

In my mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren that encourages other book bloggers to share what they bought, won, begged for or borrowed. It is usually held on Sundays!

From Amazon.com:

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9: V 8 by Joss Whedon

From Books-A-Million:

• Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
• Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
• Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum
• Shadowlands by Kate Brian

That's it for me this week. I'm really hoping my bookstore has Through the Ever Night in on their newest shipment.

What did you get this week?

Divergent Movie Casting and News!

Perhaps some of you might have heard of that book above? Perhaps some of you might have read it? Maybe a few less of you read my review on in it in which I freaked out about how much I loved it and how last year it's sequel was my favorite book and the year before, it was my favorite book. Well, it's coming to the big screen and the casting rumors have just begun.

First thing you need to know is it will start filming in April in Chicago. According to the Examiner.com, it's going to have a $40 million budget.

Second thing you need to know is that Tris has been cast. It's final so that's it. The person they cast is...

Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager, The Descendants)

This was announced about a month ago and Roth said she was okay with the choice. The reason being is that Roth wanted someone slight of frame, somebody with nothing on their bones because that is where Tris's power comes from. People underestimate her. I was a little worried about this choice but I've decided to watch The Descendants before I pout. I've heard she is really good in that and that is ultimately what I want to see the actress playing Tris as...a really good actress.

Now, the last thing you need to know is they haven't cast Four yet. There were rumored to be four actors reading but it looks like they've narrowed it down to three. Here are the men in the front line to play Four. They all had readings with Woodley:

Lucas Till (X-Men First Class)

He happens to be my favorite of the three purely on looks. I think he's about the right age and would work really well for Four's part. I haven't seen him in a lot so I can't really say if he's a good actor but I think he'd do well. He was in the running for Peeta too and I thought he'd be most excellent in that role as well.

Jeremy Irvine (War Horse, Great Expectations)

He's really not a bad option either. Definitely looks the part and though I haven't seen any of his movies, I haven't heard that he's a poor actor. I'd be happy if he was chosen as well.

Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four, Magic Mike)

Pettyfer's been rumored to have read twice for this part so there is a strong chance it could go to him. While he's been in the most movies I've seen and done well in them, I'm just not too crazy on him being cast. Maybe it's because he seems like the obvious choice or maybe because so many people wanted him for Jace from The Mortal Instruments and he was just not interested. If he is cast, I won't be unhappy, I just think he might be a little old for the part.

Do you guys have a favorite for Four? I'm just not really sure but if I had to choose, I think I'd prefer to see it go to either Till or Irvine. Can't wait to hear what you think!

Cover Alerts- The Retribution of Mara Dyer & More!

There are several covers that appeared on the interwebs which you have just got to know about. Sit on down and check them out! Hold all questions and comments until the end please. =P

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Retribution of Mara Dyer is the last book in the Mara Dyer Trilogy. 

It will be out Fall 2013

Retribution is out 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

That lights kind of dim really low and the chorus of angels hits all their best notes every time I look at this cover. I've always loved the Mara Dyer covers but this one blows the other two out of the water. I love that they have progressively gotten lighter and this one draws my eye all over the place. Just yes please.

Also, I can has yesterday because really Michelle, that ending slapped my face and it is still stinging.

Mistwalker by Saundra Mitchell

When Willa Dixon’s brother dies on the family lobster boat, her father forbids Willa from stepping foot on the deck again. With her family suffering, she’ll do anything to help out—even visiting the Grey Man. 

Everyone in her small Maine town knows of this legendary spirit who haunts the lighthouse, controlling the fog and the fate of any vessel within his reach. But what Willa finds in the lighthouse isn’t a spirit at all, but a young man trapped inside until he collects one thousand souls. 

Desperate to escape his cursed existence, Grey tries to seduce Willa to take his place. With her life on land in shambles, will she sacrifice herself?

Mistwalker is out February 4th 2014 by Harcourt Children's Books.

I love that this cover captures the sort of dreamy, dreary feel of summary and the small Maine town while also managing to look a bit magical. At first I thought the girl's pose might be weird but I like that it looks like she stopped mid-walk and noticed the lighthouse. I'm digging this one.

Control by Lydia Kang

After the violent death of her father, 17 year-old Zelia loses her younger sister, Dylia, during an abduction at a foster care agency. It turns out her sister Dylia isn’t just pretty and sweet – she’s illegal. In the year 2150, DNA must be pure by law, and anyone with enhanced genes face death. Zelia’s only allies are the freak-show inhabitants of her new, underground foster home. Along with the unexpected love of a very strange boy, she will need her flaws and their illicit traits to save the only family she has left.

Control is out December 19th 2013 by Dial Books for Young Readers.

Sadly, I think this cover is pretty awful. I guess it's boy friendly but it doesn't exactly jump out of me as something I have to have. Luckily, the summary does and the fact that Mary Lindsey (Shattered Souls) is excited about the release. Yay!

What do you guys think about these covers?

A Call for Happily Ever Ending Helpers!

I've noticed lately that Happily Ever Endings are getting a lot more comments. As the year went by, more releases have come out and that has caused people to search for the ending summaries of some of their favorite released last year. As a result,  Happily Ever Endings have been getting a lot more attention (and we even got a new helper Angela from Reading Angel).

I thought it was time to do a quick post to ask for more helpers. Some of my previous helpers have opted out which is fine because I understand it takes effort to write reviews and ending summaries for books you read. I appreciated their contribution and the retired helpers have been added to the bottom of the master list. But that means I need some new helpers!

So here is what being a helper would entail:

• E-mailing me weekly with the books you plan on writing HEEs for (whether you've just finished them or are going to start them). This will be so two people don't write one for the same book.
• Writing up the HEEs
• Let me know when they are posting so I can add them to my Happily Ever Endings side bar
• Spreading the word about this feature
• Optional: Adding a link with the Happily Ever Endings posts to your sidebar

Here is what a Happily Ever Ending post entails:

• Add the logo above to the post
• Explain what Happily Ever Endings is using this short intro: Happily Ever Endings was created by Amber from Down the Rabbit Hole and is a synopsis of the ending of a novel that is part of a series. It is so that you can refresh yourself as to what happened in the last book so that you can be ready to read the next in the series! 
• Include the book title, author, cover and summary in the post
• Use a page break after the above information for the summary (so people who haven't read the book don't accidentally read spoilers)
• Summarize about the last 100 pages. Be as specific as you can!

I'd love to get a bunch of helpers all working on books so we could really expand the selection and help even more people. If this is something you'd like to do, please email me or comment below.

Also, if you are interested in helping but love this idea, grab a button on the right sidebar and do a blog post to spread the word. I'd really appreciate it!

Bout of Books 6.0- Day 4

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. -From the Bout of Books 6.0 team

I finished Beautiful Creatures last night which really feels like an accomplishment since I've been sick. Hopefully I'll start Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes today but I'm not too sure.

Thursday

Pages read today: 115
Total number of pages read: 263
Total number of books I've read: 1
Books: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl