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Ghost Files - The Collected Cases from Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits

The synopsis:What did a paranormal investigation uncover at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, the hotel built in 1903 that inspired Stephen King’s The Shining?
 
What is the chilling history behind the Rolling Hills Asylum in Batavia, New York?
 
What happened when a man was overcome by an evil entity as Jason and Grant surveyed his home?
 
How can a Connecticut woman seem to exist in two places at once?
 
In this hair-raising omnibus, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, founders of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (T.A.P.S.), reveal the memorable and spine-tingling cases featured in their smash-hit collections, Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits. From their never-seen-on-television adventures as budding paranormal investigators to the behind-the-scenes accounts of heart-pounding supernatural encounters featured on their popular show, these fascinating and frightening real life tales will keep you up at night!

My thoughts:  I am obsessed with ghosts, so I was super excited to read this even though I've never watched Ghost Hunters.  I was somewhat disappointed when I read that they approach everything as it being untrue, until that can be disproven, but in the end, that made it even more enthralling when it was a case where there was no way that the events happening could be explained away.  Some of the stories was fantastic and had me wishing that the details weren't so sparse.

Posted by Ashley
Wherever You Go

The synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. But she has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, trying to get close to Holly—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. As their uncertain new relationship progresses, the past comes back to haunt Holly and Jason. Her Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?

My thoughts: I loved this book for a bunch of different reasons.  There's a lot of intensity in many, many different facets of Holly's life, starting with the fact that she's essentially the caregiver of her little sister, her mom, and now her grandfather.  And she's wrestling with coming to terms of the loss of her boyfriend, in an accident she was in with him, on both an immature - and mature - level.  The fact that it's also written from the perspective of Rob - which provided a completely different story than I've read before- and Jason, who was not only falling for Holly but was Rob's best friend and realizing that Rob was the glue that held a lot of things together, and dealing with the fallout of seeing things in a different light without Rob holding it together.  It could have been a great story from that alone, but adding in not only the grandfather, and then the grandfather and Rob's relationship?  One of the most unique, and best, stories of this year.

Posted by Ashley
Jane Jones. Worst.Vampire.Ever

The synopsis: For Jane Jones, being a vampire is nothing like you read about in books. In fact, it kind of sucks. She's not beautiful, she's not rich, and she doesn't "sparkle." She's just an average, slightly nerdy girl from an ordinary suburban family (who happens to be vampires.) Jane's from the wrong side of the tracks (not to mention stuck in the world's longest awkward phase), so she doesn't fit in with the cool vampire kids at school or with the humans kids. To top it all off, she's battling an overprotective mom, a clique of high school mean girls (the kind who really do have fangs), and the most embarrassing allergy in the history of the undead, she's blood intolerant. So no one's more surprised than Jane when for the first time in her life, things start to heat up (as much as they can for a walking corpse, anyway) with not one, but two boys. Eli's a geeky, but cute real-live boy in her history class, and Timothy is a beautiful, brooding bloodsucker, who might just hold the key to a possible "cure" for vampirism. Facing an eternity of high school pressure, fumbling first dates, or a mere lifetime together with Timothy, what's a 90-something year-old teen vampire to do? 

My thoughts:   So, there are so many reasons I grabbed this book, the first of which was that it was featured by Bravo Andy on WWHL (The Real Housewives are my crack, I make no apologies).  The author works on WWHL!  Second - the cover pops.  Everything about it.  Third - the title.  I mean, really.  And honestly?  The book was all kinds of hilarious from beginning to middle to almost near the end.  But the ending fell really flat for me.  I'm thinking hoping that there is a sequel because the ending pretty much lined one up, and this one had so.much.potential.

Posted by Ashley
The Christmas Wedding

The synopsis:

The tree is decorated, the cookies are baked, and the packages are wrapped, but the biggest celebration this Christmas is Gaby Summerhill's wedding. Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's four children have drifted apart, each consumed by the turbulence of their own lives. They haven't celebrated Christmas together since their father's death, but when Gaby announces that she's getting married—and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day—she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays.
But the wedding isn't Gaby's only surprise—she has one more gift for her children, and it could change all their lives forever.

My thoughts: Nicholas Sparks (whose books are a guilty pleasure of mine) has nothing on DiLallo and Patterson.  I gobbled up this book in less than two hours.  Romance is a huge part, but the overwhelming theme is the testament of love and family, and what better way to tell that story without the fear of it being labeled cheesy/corny than to tell it at Christmas?  I'm not one to find these stories cheesy or corny, but rather endearing and enduring.  And as much buzz as Jason Wright's books have gotten for their message, I hope this story finds its way into the hands of the same buzzers.  As famous as Patterson is, his stories vary dramatically based on who his underwriter is.  And DiLallo certainly fleshed out an amazing, upbeat, funny tale that really embodies what Christmas is about.

Posted by Ashley
Don't Expect Magic

The synopsis:  Delaney Collins doesn't believe in fairy tales. And why should she? Her mom is dead, her best friend is across the country, and she's stuck in California with "Dr. Hank," her famous life-coach father—a man she barely knows. Happily ever after? Yeah, right.
Then Dr. Hank tells her an outrageous secret: he's a fairy godmother—an f.g.—and he can prove it. And by the way? The f.g. gene is hereditary. Meaning there's a good chance that New Jersey tough girl Delaney is someone's fairy godmother.
But what happens when a fairy godmother needs a wish of her own?
My thoughts: Love the cover, love the premise, love the potential.  Unfortunately, Delaney was so hard to get into with all of her walls up (believe me, I know they were necessary), but she was  completely unlikeable until the last 50 pages for me.  A light read, this had some sensitive topics briefly touched on, but I just didn't connect with the book sadly enough.

Posted by Ashley
Epic Fail

The synopsis: In this latest contemporary update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the four Benton sisters are uprooted from their life in Massachusetts to sunny Los Angeles, where everyone they meet at Coral Tree Prep has rich and famous parents. The oldest girls, high school junior and senior Elise and Juliana, are appropriately spunky and sweet-natured stand-ins for Elizabeth and Jane, appearing along with the rest of Austen's cast. Darcy becomes Derek, the handsome but prickly son of Brangelina-level celebrities; Wickam is Webster, who charms his way into the middle of Elise and Derek's budding romance; and Bingley becomes Chase, who is immediately taken with Juliana and destined to end up with her, too. (I stole this one from Publisher's Weekly).

Will Elise’'s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?
At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:
As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.
When Elise'’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

My thoughts:  Love.  LOVE.  LOVE!  Seriously, I know I sound like a broken record, but I prefer to think of myself as loyal.  I've kind of gone away from romances because they seem so predictable, even the pithiness of the characters as of late, but as I said in Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts, I won't quit Claire LaZebnik.  As soon as I saw her name, it was in my cart.  Finding nothing else of interest on my shelf that night, I took this with me for my soak after working out.  I was a prune by the time I was finished.  I regret nothing.  I could not get enough of the characters (except the third sister. do not love.), the dialogue, the story.  It was all perfect.



Posted by Ashley
Other Words for Love

The synopsis: When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York—and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn't think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship. Ari's family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future. 
When misfortune befalls Blake's family, he pulls away, and Ari's world drains of color. As she struggles to get over the breakup, Ari must finally ask herself: were their feelings true love . . . or something else?

My thoughts: Once again, I bought this only for the title and cover, at the Borders Going Out of Business sales.  Something about the cover just seems incredibly raw to me.  The fragility of Ari is obvious immediately, but to confuse fragility with weakness, which all around her seem to do, would be a bad idea for the reader.  As the story unfolds, you see the many dimensions of Ari and watching her grow into herself is fantastic.  On one hand, the ending killed the book for me, but I can see why the author chose the outcome she did.  I just wish she hadn't.  An intriguing novel from start to finish, this is great for those who want a slightly more mature YA novel.  Although disappointed in the ending, I felt satisfied with a story well read upon closing the book.

Posted by Ashley
Love Inc.

The synopsis:
Zahra, Kali, and Syd would never have met if their parents' marriages hadn't fallen apart. But when the three girls collide in group counseling, they discover they have something else in common: they've each been triple-timed by the same nefarious charmer, Eric, aka Rico, aka Rick. Talk about eye-opening therapy.

Cheerful, diplomatic Zahra is devastated. Rico had been her rock and sole confidant. How could she have missed the signs? Free-spirited, flirtatious Kali feels almost as bad. She and Rick hadn't been together long, but they'd felt so promising. Hardened vintage-vixen Syd is beyond tears. She and Eric had real history... Or so she'd thought. Now all three girls have one mission: to show that cheater the folly of his ways.

Project Payback is such a success, the girls soon have clients lining up for their consulting services. Is your boyfriend acting shady? Are you dying to know if your crush is into you? If you need a little help to make-up, break-up or meet someone new, look no further than Love, Inc.

My thoughts:  First of all, can we talk about how cute this cover is?  Seriously, I love it.  Second - the main characters.  I love how different they all are, and how damaged.  This isn't to say I'm revelling in their damagedness but I like how open and exposed to their flaws we are from the beginning.  It's new.  And somehow, seeing them that way makes them much more likable to me.  While the book wasn't a hard hitter, it was a fun romp with a very nice ending on a high note for all involved, and their loved ones.  How can you not close the book with a smile that way?

Posted by Ashley
Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts

The synopsis: Despite her name, Keats Sedlak is the sanest person in her large, nutty family of brilliant eccentrics. Her parents, both brainy academics, are barely capable of looking after themselves, let alone anyone else, and her two uber-intelligent siblings live on their own planets.

At least she can count on one person in her life, her devoted boyfriend Tom. Down-to-earth and loving, he's the one thing that's kept Keats grounded for the last decade. But when Keats's mother makes a surprise announcement, the entire family is sent into a tailspin. For the first time, Keats can't pick up the pieces by herself. Now she must reevaluate everything she's ever assumed about herself and her family-and make the biggest decision of her life.


My thoughts:  I can't get enough of Claire LaZebnik.  Cannot.  There's no formula for her work except that it's got her special flair thrown in which is sure to make the story that much more fun.  Lots of authors can feel very formulaic but her stuff is always fresh and fun.  That's the only thing you can be assured of with a novel of hers.  On the book itself:  had anyone else written this and I read the description I might have put it down because it sounds..done.  So I bought it based on cover and author recognition only.  And I was not disappointed at all.  Zany characters abound and Keats struggles so hard to be normal in a family of eccentrics, but when she lets go, she flourishes and realizes normal's not all it's cracked up to be. 

Posted by Ashley
Lola and the Boy Next Door

The synopsis: In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think                                                          
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit - more sparkly, more fun, more wild - the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket - a gifted inventor - steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door

My thoughts:  Ok, so I didn't love this one as much as Anna and the French Kiss, but I think that had I not read this as a follow up, but as a stand alone - I would have enjoyed it much more.  Does that make sense?  Lola was just toooooo much for me, whereas I loved Anna from the beginning to end.  Lola grew on me, absolutely but she wasn't as endearing as Anna.  Cricket though - I love Cricket.  Seriously, while I adore Etienne, Cricket is much more the guy I fall for.  Etienne has that je ne sais quoi, but I adore the awkward, tall, shy guy.  I can't wait for what's behind door #3.  Why oh why do we have to wait a whole year?  So not nice.

Posted by Ashley
How to Ditch Your Fairy

The synopsis: 

Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy, like a specialized good luck charm, is vital to success. And in the case of the students at New Avalon Sports High, it might just determine whether you make the team, pass a class, or find that perfect outfit. But for 14-year-old Charlie, having a Parking Fairy is worse than having nothing at all—especially when the school bully carts her around like his own personal parking pass. Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with arch-enemy Fiorenza (who has an All-The-Boys-Like-You Fairy) seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her heart’s desire, it isn’t at all what she thought it would be like, and she’ll have resort to extraordinary measures to ditch her fairy. The question is: will Charlie herself survive the fairy ditching experiment?


My thoughts:  This book was so  weird.  And I loved every second of it.  I love that there is a new language inside of it, I love that there's a character who calls out the weirdness of the place that they're in since he's a new comer, I love that the main character's dad doesn't believe in fairies, but seeks out help for his daughter regarding her fairy, and I love that there was a dictionary in the back to let people learn this new language.  I really hope Larbalestier writes more like this, because it was completely fresh and unique.  And I want more.

Posted by Ashley
Giving Up the Ghost

The synopsis:

Cass McKenna much prefers ghosts over “breathers.” Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody…and Cass loves dirt. She’s on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.
But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass’s whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.
As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim’s life, she’s surprised to realize he’s not so bad—and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it’s time to give the living another chance….


My thoughts:  I think this was more middle grade than YA, but the storyline was incredibly moving and kept me riveted (and did more than a little tugging at my heartstrings).  With Cass trying so hard to be what her mother wants, when she feels like what her mother wants is her older sister to come back - if even in place of Cass, is heartbreaking.  And Tim's heartache and sorrow over the loss of his mom is palpable.  A really great book for a quick read that resonates.

Posted by Ashley
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

The synopsis:
Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?”

Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!

In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.
My thoughts: Holy hell, I really can't review this without giving one of the half compliments she talks about in the book (akin to "I initially thought you were ugly, but then you walked closer to me and I realized you were pretty'"-Page 122), but I mean it in the best possible way.  I don't watch The Office, and as a result, don't really know Mindy Kaling, although the cover appeals to me.  This whole last sentence?  Totally my loss - because if this book is any indication, I have been missing out like whoa (yes I did say that, and I apologize but I really couldn't think of anything else that would convey exactly how much I've been missing out on).  Seriously, my face was either in pain from laughing so much or because my mouth was hanging open in amazement at her deadpan hilariousness, and *amazing insight* (not a joke) in some of her essays.  Seriously, I kind of love that my role of best friend has been recently vacated because I want a Mindy Kaling type as my next best friend.  Target has this on sale for $17 right now and honestly?  The inside sleeve of the book jacket, the Introduction, and the Alternate Titles For This Book alone had me laughing so much more than many other humor compilations of essays/memoirs and is worth the cost alone.  I'd like to thank ONTD's recent YA post commentors' for urging the rest of us to go out and purchase this book.  I'd like to urge others to do the same.

Posted by Ashley
The Goddess Test

The synopsis: Every girl who has taken the test has failed.

Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails...

My thoughts:  So obviously even though I swore the ghostly stuff didn't do it for me, YA proved me wrong on that.  I've always been fascinated by ghosts and I found a great quenching in the YA genre.  Another thing I've always been intrigued by is Greek mythology.  Seriously, I used to sit in front of WGN on Saturdays to watch Xena and Hercules (I'm not proud of this).  So this one intrigued me right off the bat, especially with this gorgeous cover.  Talk about a new spin.  What could have gone seriously wrong was brilliantly written and navigated by Aimee Carter.  Nothing about this was predictable for me, and while there were a couple of parts I felt were a little too loose-ended, when I found out it was the first in a series, I was super amped.  Goddess Interrupted will be released in March.

Posted by Ashley
Queen of the Dead

The synopsis: After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare–former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead–finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this, ugh, “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like. 
Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello?! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess. 

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately signs her name in the “clearly not” column. But Will is, ahem, willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.


My thoughts:  How cute are these covers?! So now the chemistry has heated up and now there's a ghostly romance simmering between Alona and Will.  If only Will could have calmed her high maintenance routine when she was alive *sigh*.  But we've gotten to see now a much fleshier picture of each of the two characters, and honestly I'm a little in love with both of them.  Do NOT like this Mina girl at all though.  The cliffhanger is a doozy and leaves me eagerly awaiting the conclusion of The Ghost and the Goth (even though I wish the publishers would jump on this and make it a full fledged series).

Posted by Ashley
Anna and the French Kiss

The synopsis: Anna can't wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?


My thoughts: I'm a total judge a book by it's cover kind of gal, and while I think this is a stupid cute cover, I would have and did totally pass this book over for months, until the reviews popped up on all my favorite book blogs, so I went to the bookstore and grabbed it, read the book jacket, and was sold when I saw the author's picture and read her bio details.  She's fun!  She's whimsical!  She's funny!   You know what?  Anna is one of the most likable, relatable characters in a book that I've seen in a very long time.  And Etienne?  Well, I swooned.  Several times.  Even with his dumbness over his status, it was all well-intentioned and he truly seemed pained to hurt anybody.  Their love was one for the books (pun not intended, I swear), and I only wish I could find something that leaps out as so right and perfect some day.  I'm totally into the this trilogy.

Posted by Ashley
First Grave On the Right

The synopsis: A debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.
Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

My thoughts: SQUEEEE sums it up pretty nicely.  My review on this is lonnnnnnnnnnng overdue, but as soon as I read this, I went out and picked up the follow up (seriously, do yourselves a favor and try out this series.) and wanted to read that immediately also.  Alas, this was right at moving time and Second Grave has been hidden in the shuffle of my book closet.  Which is actually a good thing because the third installment comes out soon and then I'll just have to start from scratch and again.  More time with Charley is not something you'd have to force me to endure.  Seriously here's all the info needed:  1) Look at that cover.  2) Sassy, heroine full of spunk and wit who also sees ghosts?  3) Hot men abound.  Seriously, there's a detective she both loathes and lusts after, and there's her dream lover.  Except her dream lover is not a dream, he might be a nightmare -  He's either a ghost or a demon.  Trouble on the love front, but from two drool worthy men?  I'm so in.

Posted by Ashley
Catching Jordan

The synopsis: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

My thoughts:  First off, how cute is this cover? Second - this book description caught my eye and reminded me of the Dairy Queen series which always grabs my attention at the bookstore but for some reason or another, I never follow through.  Between this and Shut Out (which I have on my wish list too), I knew I needed to read one of these and boy am I glad I got Catching Jordan first.  Light and fluffy without being frivolous, this was the perfect starting point and whetter of my appetite for more bada$$ girls starting on their respective school teams and having the wit and wherewithal to not need constant validation through any other means than proving themselves.  Jordan was an awesome character and Ty/Henry made me swoon throughout.  Bonus?  While there was the element of girl proving herself and making some/many eat crow, the romance element in Catching Jordan was to die and the real grabber of my attention.  I love that the expected outcome wasn't a sure thing in any part of the novel.  Looking forward to a) adding Miranda Kenneally to my to be watched list and b) immediately continuing to devour this trend/type with Shut Out.  Grab this book, set aside two (three max)hours for yourself sometime this holiday season, and enjoy.

Posted by Ashley
Choose your team!

ONE FOR THE MONEY facebookers! Team Morelli and Team Ranger are taking it to the next level– Join a team if you haven't already, and participate in some of our new team challenges to help your team win! Click here to begin

Posted by Holly
Stephanie Plum Recipe Contest


What if Stephanie Plum was coming over for the Holidays? You have until 12/21 to prepare the perfect meal. Creativity is essential, and the winner will be someone who knows well what Miss Plum craves most! Prizes include being featured on the OFTM page, prize packs, and a gift card to Walmart! Submit your entries now here.

Posted by Holly
The Ghost and the Goth

The synopsis: Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star…and newly dead. 
I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.
I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

My thoughts:  I'm so bummed that this is a trilogy and not a full on series.  It's that much fun.  While Alona may be of the Mean Girl variety, she's definitely of the entertaining sort also.  And the chemistry between Will and Alona?  Fantastic and never boring.  When Alona appoints herself Will's spirit guide to help him navigate dealing with all the dead who make him (seem) crazy, things take a turn for the kooky.  A light, fluffy romp - I'd recommend this one to just about any fans of supernatural who want a fun distraction for a couple of hours.

 

Posted by Ashley
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