Early Review: What Color Is Monday by Carrie Cariello

What Color Is Monday? by Carrie Cariello
Publisher: Riddle Brook Publishing
Publication Date: April 22, 2013
Book Format: ARC
Number of Pages: 219
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Synopsis: One day last fall Jack asked me, “What color do you see for Monday?” as I heaved a chicken into the oven. “What?” I said distractedly, turning from the oven to slice some potatoes at the counter. It was late afternoon, and I was preparing dinner while also managing the demands of homework and tired toddlers. “Do you see days as colors?”


Raising five children would be challenge enough for most parents, but when one of them has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the adventures become even more fascinating. In this moving--and often funny--memoir, author Carrie Cariello invites us to take a peek into exactly what it takes to get through each day with four boys and one girl, and shows us the beauty and wonder of a child who views the world through a different lens.

My Review: I received What Color Is Monday? by Carrie Cariello from the publisher for my honest opinion.

Lately I have been reading many different kinds of books with autism in the story line, and I have to say its caught my interest quite a bit. I am not sure why but reading about kids or teens with Autism intrigues me I love to read about there challenges and how they overcome them. Which is What Color Is Monday? is all about we learn about the Cariello family and their struggle to deal with their young sound Jack’s autism.

Something that really inspires me is that the author Carrie Cariello, who is also a mother of 5 and a wife is able to share her families story with us. During the book while reading about all the struggles they have been through and how much time taking care of 5 kids takes up especially when one is autistic I was very surprised that she was able to put together a book. But I have to say I am glad she did because I loved reading about this families story.

I can’t imagine going through what this family did and still being able to like go on a cruise or go out to dinner with the whole family as much as they did. My family which consists of my parents me, and my younger brother rarely go out to dinner but I wish we did because it seems to bring the Cariello family together quite a bit.

As I am writing this review, I am sitting here picking my brain trying to think of something that I did not like about the book. I can honestly say that there was not one thing that I did not like. I loved it from the first page to the last. Seeing everyone in the family grow from what they were before, seeing different but loving personalities and seeing one family stick together no matter what was all so inspiring.

Overall the book definitely gets a 5 out of 5 stars. There were times when I giggled at things little Henry said and there were times when I was sad because of the things Jack was going through. I hope everyone gets a chance to read this families story and just feel inspired by it, and love it as much as I did.


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Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday was created and is hosted over at Breaking The Spine, it is a weekly bookish meme were we show our followers what book(s) we're anxiously anticipating!


What i'm waiting for:

OCD Love Story by Cory Ann Haydu

Synopsis: When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he's her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again. 

But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can't stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic... and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a ton about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she's obsessed. 

Bea tells herself she's got it all under control, but this isn't a choice, it's a compulsion. The truth is, she's breaking down... and she might end up breaking her own heart.

Why can't I wait for this? The title totally caught my eye when I first saw it. I'm extremely OCD so I think this will be fun to read :) Don't forget to leave me links to your WoW's in the comments so I can check out what your waiting for, maybe I'll find something I like. 

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday was created and is hosted over at Should Be Reading, it is a weekly bookish meme where we give our followers a little tease of what we're currently reading :) Anyone can join in but there are a few simple rules!

Rules: 
1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on that page
4. DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS
5. Share the Title and Author so we can add it to our TBR if we like it :)

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis: They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

My Teaser: 

"Finally he gives in. I take his arms and wind them around my body. He kisses my nose and then my forehead, then traces his way to my ear with his lips." (100) 

I hope you'll forgive me that was a little over two sentences but I couldn't resist :) Make sure to leave links below so I can come and check out your teasers! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? was created and hosted over at Book Journey, and it is a weekly bookish meme where we show/tell our followers what books we've finished, what we're currently reading and what we plan/hope to read next! So here is my Monday wrap up of books!

Finished: (Since March 18, 2013 also click on the title for my review if I reviewed it) 
The Legend of Mickey Tussler by Frank Nappi 
Too Soon For Jeff by Marilyn Reynolds (For School)
A Trick Of Light by Lois Metzger
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan 
Next Summer by Hailey Abbott
What Color Is Monday? by Carrie Cariello (Review to come sometime this week)

Currently Reading: 

The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding
Synopsis: Things I know about Reece Malcolm:

1. She graduated from New York University.
2. She lives in or near Los Angeles.
3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week.
4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon.
5. She’s my mother.

Devan knows very little about Reece Malcolm, until the day her father dies and she’s shipped off to live with the mother she’s never met. All she has is a list of notebook entries that doesn’t add up to much.

L.A. offers a whole new world to Devan—a performing arts school allows her to pursue her passion for show choir and musicals, a new circle of friends helps to draw her out of her shell, and an intriguing boy opens up possibilities for her first love.

But then the Reece Malcolm list gets a surprising new entry. Now that Devan is so close to having it all, can she handle the possibility of losing everything?

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis: They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Up Next: (As usual I have no clue whats next but here is a possibility) 

Lethal Inheritance by Tahlia Newland

Synopsis: If last night was real, Ariel should be dead. She’s not, but her mother has disappeared, there are bruises on her neck and the hideous beast in the photo looks frighteningly familiar.

You can’t send police into a tunnel that doesn’t exist after a villain they can’t see, so when shadow demons kidnap her mother, Ariel has to mount the rescue mission herself. Hot on the trail, she enters a hidden layer of reality only to find that the demons are hunting her, and they feed on fear. Ariel must defeat them before they kill her and enslave her mother. But how do you kill terrifying demons when your fear makes them stronger?

A quirky old guide teaches her how to locate and unleash her inner power, and while battling hallucinogenic mist, treacherous terrain, murderous earth spirits and self-doubt, she falls in love with Nick, a Warrior whose power is more than either of them can handle. 

Ariel’s journey challenges her perception, tests her awareness and takes her deep into her heart and mind to confront, and ultimately transcend, her fear and anger.


Don't forget to leave me links to your Monday posts so I can come visit and see what your up too! :)

Review: Next Summer by Hailey Abbott

Next Summer by Hailey Abbott
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Publication Date: June 1, 2005
Book Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 230
Series: Summer Boys Saga #2
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Synopsis: Things are heating up again. Can you handle it?

The SUMMER BOYS girls are back for another dose of sizzling drama. Will soul mates Beth and George be able to maintain their long-distance love affair, even while another boy is catching Beth's eye? Will reformed bad girl Ella REALLY be able to suppress her wild ways? And can shy, smart Kelsi open herself up to love again, even after she's had her heart broken? And what's happening with Jamie on her summer writing program? Find out all this--and much more--in this sexy sequel.I bought Next Summer by Hailey Abbott and I am writing an honest review.


My Review: Next Summer is the second in the Summer Boys saga by Hailey Abbott, and since it is the second book I am not going to tell you what the book is about because there were a lot of spoilers. I will tell you about the characters though.

All of the characters are obviously returning characters, the main characters are sisters Ella, and Kelsi, and then their cousin Beth. The sub characters are George (I can’t tell you his role in the story because it’s a major spoiler!) Adam, Tim, and Jeremy (whom are new characters except for George)

Lets start off will Ella when we meet Ella in the first book she is labeled as basically a slut I guess you would say nobody calls her this to her face it’s just an accepted fact. She’s always fawning over guys and she can’t go a day without having one which of course causes problems for her. The sub character associated with Ella is the life guard Jeremy whom she meets through her cousin Beth. Jeremy is definitely not her type he’s completely shy and he likes to get to know a girl before he does “things” if you know what I mean so it is fun to watch how thins between these two fan out.

Next we have Ella’s older sister Kelsi who is single and trying to not be such a bore which she is according to her sister. I like Kelsi though the way she is normally she’s her own person very smart and she knows how to handle herself in certain situations but the only thing that sucks is that she is taken advantage of very easily because she’s so nice and easy going. The character associated with her is Tim. They meet at the annual beginning of the summer bon fire but they don’t exactly hit it off which makes their story interesting to read about as well.

Lastly, there is the cousin Beth. Now It’s going to be a little tough to talk about Beth and the guys associated with her without giving away spoilers so I’m going to try my hardest to say very little about all three of them. Beth is a sweet girl but she is very naive, she doesn't seem to see the good she has right in front of her which you’ll see if you read the book. The two guys associated with her are George who we meet in book one I happen to love George he is so adorable and funny and just all around amazing so it is sad that we don’t get to see a lot of him in the book but you know I’ll get over it. The second guy is Adam whom Beth meets on the beach while surfing because she accidentally gets ahead of herself and lets the tide pull her out to far, so yes this means that Adam is also a lifeguard and came to Beth’s rescue. Adam is a new character in this book so there was some getting used to. But I have to say for reasons I didn’t really enjoy the parts of the book he was in so I can’t say much about him.

Overall the book gets a 5 out of 5 stars because the crazy drama in the book had me turning pages non stop! I don’t know what it was but I could not put the book down not even in class which was not good but ya know a girls got to get her reading in.


View all my reviews

In My Mailbox e-book edition #15 + Weekly Wrap Up

In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme created and hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where we show off all the books we get each week. 

All From Net Galley

The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding 

Synopsis: Things I know about Reece Malcolm:

1. She graduated from New York University.

2. She lives in or near Los Angeles.

3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week.

4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon.

5. She’s my mother.

Devan knows very little about Reece Malcolm, until the day her father dies and she’s shipped off to live with the mother she’s never met. All she has is a list of notebook entries that doesn’t add up to much.

L.A. offers a whole new world to Devan—a performing arts school allows her to pursue her passion for show choir and musicals, a new circle of friends helps to draw her out of her shell, and an intriguing boy opens up possibilities for her first love.

But then the Reece Malcolm list gets a surprising new entry. Now that Devan is so close to having it all, can she handle the possibility of losing everything?

Keep No Secrets by Julie Compton

Synopsis: After the ultimate betrayal, which is more important: trust or forgiveness?

In KEEP NO SECRETS, the controversial follow-up to Compton's debut legal thriller TELL NO LIES, a district attorney struggles to redeem himself after a one-night stand damaged his marriage and professional reputation.

After surviving the private and public fallout from a one-night stand four years before, St. Louis DA Jack Hilliard wants nothing more than to be trusted again by his wife, Claire, and to earn back the respect of the community he serves. Since the day Claire accepted him back into the family, he's vowed to be true to these goals, and so far he's succeeded.

But all of Jack's efforts begin to crumble when the woman involved in his earlier downfall, Jenny Dodson, returns to town claiming threats on her life and asking for his help, and resurrecting for Jack long-buried emotions and questions of her guilt for the murder of a client. Just when he thinks the pressure can't get any worse, his son's girlfriend, Celeste, accuses him of sexual assault, and he suddenly finds himself on the wrong end of a criminal case, battling for his freedom.

Can Jack trust his freedom to the legal system on which he built his career? Or will the ghost of his one-night stand four years before come back to haunt him, causing him to be convicted on the mistakes of his past?

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

Synopsis: A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

The Look by Sohpia Bennett 

Synopsis: Ted doesn't think of herself as glamorous. But her gorgeous sister Ava is. So when it's Ted who spotted by a model agency, at the same time that Ava is diagnosed with cancer, things have clearly gone very wrong. Ted isn't interested in modelling but Ava wants her to give it a try. Just how far will Ted go to please her sister? And what sacrifices will she have to make?

Weekly Wrap Up:

Reviews:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Posts/Memes:

Blog Tours/Hops:

The Morning Star Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

Giveaways: 

The Morning Star Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

The Morning Star Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway

The Morning Star by Tania Penn
Synopsis: Being the daughter of Lucifer keeps seventeen year old Dawn Belial busy. For almost her entire lifetime, she has been trying to think of a way to free her Archangel mother, Michaela, whom her father has held captive for centuries. She's also attending high school - balancing trigonometry, history, and recruiting souls for her father along with her wicked half-sister, Venus.

There has been no time for love until she meets mysterious Gabriel, a British exchange student. As they fall in love against their will, she discovers a startling secret about him, and a shocking connection to her mother that changes everything.

Meet The Author: 

Author of debut young adult novel, The Morning Star. Currently working on the sequel, Equinox, as well as a chick-lit, rom-com, slightly sleazy and funny story with a twist, Catching Frogs. And, because I'm loco in the roco, I've got about 12 more on the back burner. When I'm not writing I can be found kayaking, hiking, ninja-training, traveling, and taking a ferry over to the San Juan Islands to search for the elusive creature known as the "Orca." I also am constantly adding ridiculous wants, needs, must-see's and do's to my ever expanding bucket book. 

I covet a delicious malbec with a rare steak and make a killer salsa.

Guest Post: The Importance of a good cover. 

There’s that old adage - “Never judge a book by it’s cover.” But we do anyway, right? Whether it be in relation to a person, a restaurant, a destination or an actual book cover, we still do. I’ve usually not been one to pay much attention, until I started writing myself, to the importance of having a good book cover. It should be all about the story, right? Granted, my eye has always gravitated to certain ones — black and red especially catch my attention, inanimate objects, bold lettering, etc. Once I started writing, I really began paying attention. And what did I see?

That for all the thousands upon thousands of books out there, exists some exceptional, and unfortunately, some exceptionally bad (in my humble opinion) covers. Now, being married to an artist, I tend to be a little bit biased on what is good, beautifully laid out, compositionally pleasing and attention grabbing. My husband has a very trained eye, he gets paid to do that, and after a while, that rubbed off on me. I used to be one who before, would have wanted to put every single thing I possibly could on the cover to get the point of the story across. A few years ago, the cover of The Morning Star would have been something like having a hot looking stud portraying Lucifer, a couple of teenage girls, one unruly and one looking innocent, maybe a serpent to represent Hell , a cross to represent Heaven, and a pair of angel wings. I would have made it completely literal. But nowadays, I prefer simplicity to get the point across. Symbolism, striking and bold colors. What would make the story come across just with the cover? My husband came up with the concept in ten minutes when I told him the meaning of what The Morning Star was. To me, it was very simple, but brilliant. Ten minutes, the font, the color the bright flash. Done. But then again, I am biased!

Still, even if there is something I am interested in reading, I don’t dismiss it simply because of the cover. If what I read on the back doesn’t turn me on, then it isn’t happening for me! And even then, in some cases, I will skim through the first chapter to see if maybe, just maybe there is a little hope to continue on. It’s only fair, right? But I think for most people, if the cover doesn’t catch their eye, you are prone to possibly losing some readers, no matter how phenomenal your story may be. Call it human nature, law of attraction, beauty being in the eye of the beholder. (Or depending, beer holder!) So bottom line, it is important. You’ve put all that effort into writing potentially what may be your Magnum Opus, your Great American Novel, pouring your heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, alcohol, more tears, alcohol and heart into it. Don’t you owe it to yourself, your story, your potential readers to have the most awesome sauce deluxe topped with bacon and a side of badassery cover you can possibly have? Okay, so that may be a bit over the top. To most likely (mis) quote a line from the movie “Oz” that I saw recently, “Don’t be great, be good.”

Bottom line? Yes, a good cover is important! 

I hope you all enjoyed that awesome guest post! Now before you jump into the giveaway make sure you check out the tour page here to see the other stops on this tour :) 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway