Guest Post by Patty Blount

Stay or Go?

Things change. For some of these changes, we’ll camp out and line up a day in advance just for the chance to say we got it (iPhone, anybody?). And others die a lonely little death and we hardly notice. Here’s my list of the things that should stay and the things I wish would just go.

Stay!

• Social networking – My social activities not only planted the seed for a book idea, but connected me to many brilliant people – authors, agents, publishers, editors, celebrities, moms, PEOPLE. That’s the key – it exposed me to different opinions, different belief systems, different lifestyles and opened my mind in the process.

• Flat Screen TVs – Oh, how much do I love being able to hang a TV on a wall?

• The surge in popularity of YA fiction – Rowling, Meyer, Collins – It warms my heart to see adults reading young adult fiction and I hope my own book will add to the ranks.

• GPS – For someone like me who gets lost in a bathtub, the GPS is the most significant technological advancement of my lifetime.

• On Demand, HBO2Go, and DVR -- I work a nine or ten hour day and then come home and write novels. There is no time for TV. That’s why these VCR-less wonders that let me watch what I want when I want are the BEST.

• eReaders -- Writers love books. My eReader lets me carry hundreds with me at all times. Plus, it’s a lot easier to turn pages on an eReader when you’re pedaling an elliptical machine than a real book. That encourages me to actually go to the gym.

Go!

• Pants that expose boxers, pants with the crotch down by your knees, baggy pants that hang off your body instead of emphasizing it. I don’t know anybody who finds this sexy so stop. Just stop. Please. I’m begging.

• Logos on butts – Juicy? Pink? Ladies, guys don’t need another reason to stare at your butt. Really.

• Fake reality TV shows – please, Dear God, MAKE IT STOP.

• Teens who sit low in their cars so that it looks like the car is driving itself as they go by.

• Text slang in spoken conversation.

• Tebowing – I get that you feel blessed and that’s great. But put it in perspective. I find it kind of insulting that God answered your prayers to score that extra point in a game but ignored the prayers of millions of other people praying for things like cures for terminal illnesses, a place to live or a meal to eat.

What do you think? What fads are you crazy about? What fads are on your Can’t Wait Until They’re Gone list?

Hey! I'm Katie!

Hey everybody!

This is my first post, so I'm kinda really excited about it!

Anyway, about me. I'm nineteen and I'm currently at college, majoring in Public Relations. I just switched over from Nursing, so I'm super pumped to finally be getting into something that I really like. I am a super nerd. I love Pokemon (Squirtle and Pikachu are my favorites), Naruto, and Team Starkid. I have a ridiculous obsession with eyeliner. And I have a super bubbly personality!

I love to read! Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be part of this. I'm one of Briana's sorority sisters (and I love her to death<3) I can't wait to actually get to write a review! I'm reading a ton of books right now, so be prepared! I don't have a favorite book or series for that matter, so I'm open to reading anything.

I hope I can meet some awesome new blogging friends. So... just talk to me. Email me. Whatevs. Haha. But no, really. Let me know if there's anything you'd like me to review, or if you just want to say hi, that's cool too!

Back in Action!

Hey guys! :D

So as you can tell from the title, I'm back! No more school for me... at least for a few months :P. Thank you to everyone that stuck with BAM Book Reviews during the dreadful school year, we really appreciate it! For the summer: I'll be reading all of the books in my review pile plus a few that I've bought over the past few years.

Also, in a few weeks I'll be in NYC for BEA! :) SO excited. Leave a comment telling me if you'll be there so we can meet up and take pictures! I'll be rooming with the lovely Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic and the also lovely Lexie from Poisoned Rationality. I'll be taking a ton of pictures and will try my best to get as many books to giveaway to you guys!

Other things I'll be doing this summer:

• Going on vacation to Mexico. I am super pumped for this, especially for the plane! I've never been on one and I love heights so I'm assuming I'm going to enjoy it. Oh yeah, Mexico will be fun, too.
• Moving into my very own apartment! No more dorm rooms, hallelujah! I'll make sure to post pictures, not like anyone cares, but it'll be pretty cool to document such a sweet experience.
• Also, like I said above, I'll be going to BEA. This is probably the most exciting experience of my life. I've never been to BEA and I do plan on moving to NYC after college so it'll be pretty amazing to see what it's like to live there for a week.

I think that's all I really have to say as of now but I am super excited to get back in the habit of reading and also checking my favorite blogs!

Update from Briana!

Hello my lovely readers/fellow bloggers! I'm so sorry that I haven't been posting anything lately, not ONE review since I left for school. It's been unbelievably busy and I rarely find the chance to get on Blogger. I have been reading though. So far I've read Frankenstein, Dracula, Paradise Lost, parts of The Holy Bible, and Heart of Darkness. As of right now I'm in the process of reading The Medic by Leo Litwak (History course), I am Legend by Richard Matheson (Monster Literature), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (to review for the upcoming movie!), and Mockingjay. Yes, Mockingjay. I STILL haven't read it. I'm so disapointed. But I did get people on my floor to start reading The Hunger Games! :) Oh, and I also got people to start reading Salvaged by Stefne Miller! I love recommending books to friends lol!

Anyway, that's about it for me. I will definitely be reading during the holidays and posting as many review as possible!

CSN Bedspread Review

It's been way too long since I've been on here! Sorry about that :( School is kicking my butt and I haven't been able to get ANY reading done. I've been reading books for school, but that's it. I haven't even gotten to read MOCKINGJAY yet!!! Anyways, a few weeks ago I got asked to review something from CSN stores. If you guys don't remember or don't know, I reviewed an amazing bookshelf for my dorm room which you can read here.


I chose to improve my dorm room once again, so I decided to get a new bedspread! I was supposed to have a roommate but since she didn't come back to school this semester, I have a room all to myself with two twin beds. I decided to push my two beds together and make one huge king size bed!


So... here's the before picture.







& here's the after!

Let me just say that I am much more than pleased with this bedspread. It's absolutely gorgeous and makes my room feel so much more homey. My room doesn't even feel like a dorm room anymore! The shipping was pretty fast, about 3-4 days, and it's just as pretty in real life as it was online. Thank you CSN for this amazing opportunity!

PS... If anyone has sent me a book for review and I haven't gotten the chance to review it yet, I apologize! I plan on getting to it as soon as possible!

Another Amazing CSN Opportunity!

Hello my lovely readers! I'm oh so excited because I got asked to review a product from CSN, or give away a gift card. Since I'm giving away a gift card already, I figured I'd review something! I'm pretty sure that I want a new comforter for my dorm, so I think I'll go with that. I was supposed to have a roommate this year, but it turns out she transferred, so now I have two twin beds which equals a king size! I'm going to push the two of them together and have one amazing big bed! Nice right? Anyway, when I was looking at comforters I also came across platform beds. These beds are so awesome!

Aren't they awesome?! I especially love the bed with the drawers. I have so many clothes and that would definitely come in handy! Anyways, I'm very much looking forward to reviewing a product and I'll be picking out a winner for the gift card tonight! Good luck! :)

CSN Preview

Hello lovelies! CSN offered to let me host a giveaway on their behalf for a $60 gift card for any of their stores, and they have A LOT!

As a college student, I really try to make my dorm feel like home and with a modern chair the room really has a cool feeling to it. I'd love to get this chair even though it doesn't match anything in my room!








Anyways, check out all they have to offer at http://www.csn.com/ and I'm sure there's at least 20 things you'll have your eye on by the time you're done looking.

CSN Review Teaser!

Hello my lovely readers! :) So as some of you may know, I went on a cruise this summer to the bahamas and a few other places. The only thing that really bugged me is when I picked up my luggage right after leaving the ship, it was so hard to find! All of the luggage looked the same and I wish I had a different pattern or color to make it stand out. Well, I couldn't find any cute luggage in the department stores I went to... but CSN has tons of different kinds of luggage that I wish I knew about.

They have AMAZINGLY cute luggage that I want to get my hands on! Like this adorable pink one...

Or this fierce giraffe print one!

So go ahead and take a peak at what CSN has to offer! They have over 200 stores to choose from also!

Me? I'll be reviewing a bookcase since I have no more room left for my precious books :(

Business Vs. Pleasure Books Poll

Hello my lovely readers! :) So this upcoming Fall... I'll be reading some awesome books for school, at least I hope they're awesome! These books include Dracula, I am Legend, World War Z, and even The Holy Bible: King James Version. So I'm going to make a poll that I'd really appreciate you to participate in. I won't be getting tons of YA reading done, so I was wondering if you'd like me to post reviews of the books I'll be reading in school, mainly novels and sometimes poetry. I'll give you the list below of the books I'll be reading and I'll put the poll in the right sidebar. So please, please participate! I would love your opinion on this.

Intro to Literature:

The Holy Bible: King James Version

Paradise Lost by John Milton

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley


Monster Literature:

Beowulf by Seamus Heaney (Translator)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (again)

Dracula by Bram Stoker

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

World War Z by Max Brooks

Layout Change!

Hey everyone! If you haven't noticed... the blog has been under quite a bit of construction over the past few days. I just wanted to give a big jumbo credit to the lovely girls that did it for me! Cara from Chasing Words!!! As you can tell, she did an amazing, fabulous, incredible job! I love how the layout looks, very neat and clean. If there was ever any tweaking that I needed, she did it happily. I adore this girl for making my blog look professional and amazing... for FREE.

& second, the lovely girl who did my beautiful header is Katie from Sophistikatied Reviews. She made 3 absolutely incredible headers and I chose the one above. What do you guys think? I love it and will probably keep it forever!

Besides their sweet talent for HTML... they both have great book blogs that I love reading! Check them both out! :D

Under Construction!

BAM Book Reviews is going under construction so please just bear with us! :)

Two Questions: (Nora Roberts & Blog Layouts)

Hello my lovely readers! I could really use your suggestions, help, and advice on two things I've been thinking about for quite a while.

So first...

Nora Roberts. I hear she is quite an amazing writer. I would love to try out one of her books and see how I like it. There's a teeny, weeny little problem though. She has written well over what, 150 books? Is there ANY suggestions to what books of hers I should read? What's one of YOUR favorites so far?

& Second!

I've been looking for a new layout for the blog and I really don't want to spend $100 dollars on one, even though they're absolutely fabulous. So my question is, is there anyone out there that can suggest a cheap/free layout site? Or even better, is there anyone out there that's good with HTML and would be a doll and help me make one?

I would really appreciate your feedback guys! :)

Back in Action!

Hey guys!

I'm back from my marvelous vacation and I'm ready to get back into my reading routine. I did get some reading done while sitting by the pool, you know, getting my tan on. I FINALLY finished reading Uglies! I'm so proud of myself for finishing it and I honestly didn't hate it like I thought I would.

Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my charger for my camera, so I don't have tons of amazing pictures to share. My mom bought some disposables thought so hopefully I can find someone's scanner to use so I can show you the pictures of me holding a stingray! By the way, they're incredible creatures, so gentle and sweet.

This is a beautiful little part of Nassau that I found that I just needed to take a picture of.

This is a monkey made of towels that the staff put together, hanging near our TV.




I took this picture of the beautiful view from my balcony on the ship. Waking up to that... is unexplainable.

Anyways, I'm back in action and ready to roll. Bring on the books :)

M.I.A.

Hey guys :) On Saturday at 9 AM I'll be heading to New York to get on a big boat. :D I'll be going to Florida, the Bahamas and a few other private islands. I'm so excited and I will be reading at night when I can, but I'll have no internet service available to post. The boat actually has a library and I'll definitely be checking it out. My mom looked at me like I was a nutcase when I said that. She said, "You're going to be on a wonderful cruise, going to amazing beaches and you'll be in the library? It's obvious that you're meant to be an English major."

Anyway, I'll miss you guys dearly! To anyone that's holding a contest, if I happen to win it while you're gone... if you wouldn't mind waiting until next Saturday that'd be great. But if you'd like to give it to the next person that's okay too.

-Briana

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Hi all!

Long time since I have been on the blog, and for awhile now I have been thinking about leaving the blog altogether, but I have yet to decide completely on what I will do. But on another note, this post is focused on The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

The reason I decided to write a post veered towards these books is because my younger sister is currently reading them after I have been telling her for months and months to read them. At first, she resisted and said she didnt think they would be very good books; but, now that she has finished the first one she is very much in love with them - as am I (and I am sure many of you are as well).

These books are first and foremost excellent young adult books. They are full of excitement, pain, love, friendship, shock-and-awe scenarios, and much much more. They have readers captured from the first page, and will leave them wanting more every page they turn.

This post in dedicated to the wonderful work of Suzanne Collins. But her work isnt over yet. After the first two installments of The Hunger Games, there is still a third Hunger Games book yet to be released.

The third, and final book, of the Hunger Games Trilogy is called Mockingjay which comes out on August 24, 2010 (a little over two months away!!). The synopsis from BN.com is as follows: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

Not only am I excited to read this book, but I am also sad that it will be the final book. I feel like these books can be read by young adults but also by adults. Everyone will find something in these books that they like.

I am also pleased to say that they will be creating a Hunger Games movie that is supposed to come out in 2011, but I really dont know how well that isnt going. But I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will in fact have a movie, because I think it could be a really great one if they work hard at it! Here is a post by Marisa about the Hunger Games movie.

For those of you that have no idea what The Hunger Games or Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins are, I recommend reading these books as soon as you can! And if you need further proof that these books are awesome you can read reviews by Briana (here for Catching Fire), and by me (here for a dual review of The Hunger Games) & (here for Catching Fire).

I know this has been a long post, but I really just wanted to reiterate the fact that YOU need to read these books! They are truly amazing and will leave you craving more of Katniss and Peeta!

-Arielle

P.S. Hopefully I will be able to do some more stuff with the blog now that it is finally summer, and I do have some time to read if I am not working!

Update!

Hey you guys!

I am not sure if you guys remember me since I have been gone for quite some time. Ha. And I will probably be gone for a while, but hopefully I will be able to make some appearances on the blog here and there. I just wanted to give you a update on whats going on with me! Lately, I havent been able to read..but yesterday I got a book in the mail called Cat the Vamp by Christina Martine and that has gotten my full attention! I will hopefully be finishing it within the next couple a days and I will then be reviewing it for you guys! It has been forever since I have reviewed a book!

Here is the synopsis for Cat the Vamp and its front cover.

They never imagined the temptations of power, love and blood...

As a child, Catherine Taylor never understood why her parents were so secretive and distant. After the death of her grandmother, Cat’s parents take her to a mysterious castle called Blacklune. They explain to her that they, and she, are vampires, part of a hidden community co-existing with humans. Now that she’s of age, Cat will be initiated into the community and undergo a period of training in its methods and morals, along with several other vampire students her own age.

At Blacklune, Cat meets a young man who had appeared to her in dreams, Morgan. She and Morgan form an instant bond, but success with their vampire lessons doesn’t come so easily. Tempted by the lure of blood and the powers they now have, Cat and Morgan push the limits over and over, ignoring the concerns of their classmates and the scolding of their teacher, River. As they become ever more reckless, Cat and Morgan risk going too far. It’s only when serious harm comes to someone else that they realize they have to control themselves--and it may be too late.

You can check out the website for the book HERE.

I miss you all!

-Arielle

Reading Challenges??

Okay, so lately I haven't really been part of the book blogging world thanks to school, family, and other obligations, but I still check out the "Dashboard" from time to time to see what is happening. And lately I have been seeing 2010 Reading Challenges. I have always wanted to do a reading challenge, but for some reason..I don't do them. I think that I am kind of scared that I wont finish it, or forget about it, and etc. But for 2010 I feel like I NEED to do one. Dont ask me why, because I dont really know why, but they seem fun, and I am finally up for the challenge. lol.

So with that, I am curious to see who is planning on doing a 2010 Reading Challenge, and if so, which one are you doing?

I know there are many out there, and there will probably be more coming into the book blogging light over the next few weeks as 2009 turns into 2010 (crazy, I know!). I have just seen a good hand-full of them lately, but if you could post a comment about if you are doing one, why you are doing one, and which one..that would be greatly appreciated.

I am just wondering who is up for a Reading Challenge. I am hoping to sign up for one, but I want to find the one that is right for me..so if you guys could help me out and point me in the direction of some good ones, or the one you are doing, that would be fantastic!

Thanks :)

-Arielle

THE GREAT KINDLE GIVEAWAY

Guys! Who wouldnt love a Kindle?

Well there is a great chance that you could win one yourself!

This is a huge contest at Bibliofreak!

So go enter, HERE!!!!

-Arielle

Friendly Reminder

Hey guys!

This is a friendly reminder that our 200 follower's contest ends THIS FRIDAY (11.13.09) at Midnight (Central Time).

So if you haven't entered already, go enter here!

Thank you to our follower's for making the contest a success so far!!

-Arielle.

Lock & Key *Re-post*

In the past few months I have read some good but also iffy reviews about Lock & Key. Sure it isnt my favorite book by Sarah Dessen, but I still enjoyed it. So I thought I would share my review with you, in case you didnt get the chance to read it before.

______________________________________________________

Sarah Dessen

Published: 2008

422 pages

Rating: A

Synopsis:

“Ruby, where is your mother?”

With that question from the social worker, Ruby knows the game is up.

She’s been living alone in the old yellow house, waiting out the months until she turns eighteen and can finally be on her own legally. It certainly wasn’t in her plan to be reunited with Cora, the sister who left ten years before, and brought to live with Cora and her wealthy entrepreneur husband.

Suddenly life is transformed: a luxurious house, private school, new clothes, and even the change of a future Ruby couldn’t have dreamed of. So why is she wary, unable to be grateful, incapable of letting anyone close? Her old life has been left behind, but where does she fit in this new life? Only Nate, the genial, popular boy next door, seems to understand, perhaps he’s hiding some secrets of his own.

(from front of jacket flap)

This book is like any other from Sarah Dessen, absolutely amazing. Maybe I am just bias since I love all of her other books, but this book just has it all, all in perfect balance…deception, hate, sadness, love, scandal, friendship and a wonderful story. Not to mention an ending that doesn’t get me worked up.

Sarah Dessen has a way of connecting with the reader. Whether its because the story is close to your own personal one, or because her words just fill you with such emotion you don’t know whether to break down in tears or jump up and dance. The way she writes makes you feel you are in the story and experiencing what the main character is experiencing. When I read, I make “mini-movies” in my head based on the story, and with Dessen’s style of writing it is so easy to do that, and you almost wish the movie would never end.

The main character, Ruby, has had a tough life ever since she was young. Her parents got a divorce when she was only five and after that, she rarely saw her father. Her mother became distant from Ruby and her sister, and she started to drink more and more. The only positive thing left in Ruby’s life was her older sister, Cora. Cora is ten years older than Ruby and has always been there for her, Cora was her ‘mother’ after her actual mother stopped caring for her. But ever since Cora went off to college, she hasn’t been around much either. But that changes when Ruby is forced to live with Cora and her husband, Jamie. Ruby had been spending the past couple months living on her own ever since her mother left without notice, but now Ruby is reunited with her older sister who hasn’t been in her life for the past ten years.

Their relationship isn’t what is used to be and Ruby isn’t quite certain she ever wants it that way again. But when it turns out Ruby isn’t as put together as she once thought, their worlds collide and they both find once again that they depend on one another, and their sisterhood is challenged with Ruby’s independent attitude and Cora’s knack to repay Ruby for not being there.

Not only is this a great story about a troubled teen fighting for freedom, but it is a beautiful story of two sisters trying to make it work between them after so many years being apart. And oh yeah, I forgot to mention…the hot, popular guy at Ruby’s new high school, Perkins Day. His name is Nate, and not only is he charming, gorgeous, a great guy and loved by all that know him; he also has a past that he is hiding.

Ruby’s story is a captivating one and definitely something you should read.

(I didn’t talk about the title and its meaning, mainly because I have a slight issue with it. Its not a big problem, but the symbolism behind it I’m still processing, and kind of wishing Dessen went further into detail about it. But maybe it’s a good thing she didn’t. haha)

-A.