Ellie

The youngest grand duchess of the imperial family comes of age during the revolution. Her family is imprisoned, conditions become worse and worse. But Anastasia has a secret that she keeps from her family, a love that endures through the horrors of war and the privation of imprisonment and deprivation. Will her love save her from the fate her family seems destined for? Or is she a creation of a rarefied atmosphere, unable to survive without her loved ones?

Released March 2nd 2010

My take: This book looks really, really good. I love reading about royal families, especially the Romanovs. It comes out two days before my birthday, so maybe I can get it as a gift!
Ellie
I'm featured here at Starry Night talking about 52 Books and 52 Weeks. It was super nice of Nadine-Stella to interview me, and I really appreciate her doing so! If everyone could go check it out and leave a comment, that would be awesome! Thanks so much Nadine!

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In other news, I finished Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors. It was awesome. I'm going to start Willow by Julia Hoban next.
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School starts Thursday! Eeek!
Ellie


This week, I got Willow by Julia Hoban from my library. I have heard AWESOME things about Willow, so I'm very excited to read it.


Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow’s parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain
 by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy —one sensitive, soulful boy—discovers Willow’s secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down.
It sounds fabulous, and I'm very much looking forward to reading it.





I also got Girl, Overboard by Justina Chen Headley. It sounds really good too, and I love the cover. I'm

 waiting for North of Beautiful at the library, and I thought it'd be nice to check out another book of Justina's while I wait.
The worst thing about having it all is having to deal with it all-the good, the bad, and the just plain weird. Like seeing more of my dad when he's on the cover of Business Weekthan I do in person. Like the surgeon whose schedule was too jammed with professional ballplayers to deal with my busted up knee...until he heard who my parents were and miraculously his calendar was wide open. Like the pseudo boyfriend who was more in love with my last name than with me.
Everybody thinks Syrah is the golden girl. After all, her father is Ethan Cheng, billionaire, and she has everything any kid could possibly desire, right down to a waterfront mansion, jet plane, and custom-designed snowboards. But most of what glitters in her life is fool's gold. Her half-siblings hate her, her best friend Adrian's girlfriend is ruining their friendship, and her own so-called boyfriend is after her for her father's name. When her broken heart results in a snowboarding accident that exiles her from the mountains--the one place where she feels free and accepted for who she is, not what she has--Syrah must rehab both her busted-up knee, and her broken heart, and learn that she's worth her weight in real gold. 
Ellie
I'm planning on making some (or many) improvements to the blog this week before I go back to school Thursday. I'm looking for ideas and suggestions that you might have. Do you want me to start a new feature? Change something? Should I be doing more of something? Less of something?

If you have anything to say at all, please do! This is your chance to speak your mind and tell me what you, as a reader, want to see here on 52 Books and 52 Weeks. What can I do to make the blog and the reading experience better?

Please let me know, and thanks so much!
Ellie
(Accurate as of September 5, 2009)

I love to read. I love everything about it. I love the feel of a book, the smell, the way it looks. I also love to blog. I love being able to connect with people who love the same things as I do,

Publishers/Authors:
First of all, thanks for taking the time to look at my blog. I really appreciate it. If you're here reading my review policy, I can only guess that you're considering sending me a book. I'm definitely accepting books for review, and if you think I might be interested in the book, or just have questions, please email me at 52booksand52weeks@gmail.com. I hope you'll continue to read about the types of books I like, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Criteria of Books I'll Gladly Acept:
- Young Adult
- (Some) Middle Grade
- Adult
- Fantasy
- Science Fiction
- Chick-lit
- Historical Fiction
- Satire
- Romance
I will accept any young adult book, with rare exceptions. I read mainly YA but the other genres are genres I enjoy and love to read as well.

Time it takes for reviews:
I will do my best to review the book shortly before it goes on sale, to generate buzz for your book. If it is an already published book, it will take a little longer. That being said, unless I tell you otherwise, I have the intention of reviewing all books within 2 months of my receiving them. If there is going to be a delay, I will email you and let you know. I will do my best to get your book reviewed within that timeframe, but sometimes real life issues arise and there may be delays, for which I apologize.

Statistics:
I have 72 Blogger followers and 89 subscribers on Google Reader. I started blogging in November 2008, but in April of 2009 was forced to go on a hiatus. I returned in August 2009, and plan to continue blogging! I only installed a visitor counter recently, so I do not yet have statistics on my visitors.

A Word on Reviews:
I will do my absolute best to review every book I receive. If I get the book and it turns out I don't think it's for me, I will email you and then, if you allow, pass it onto someone I think it is better suited for. I can't, however, guarantee that every review I post will be positive. It will be honest, and I won't ever bash a book, but there are just some books that I don't like.

About My Reviews:
As of September 2009, all my reviews include cover art, a summary, my honest and original thoughts, publication details, and a rating.

Interviews/Guest Blogs/Contests:
I love all three! If you want me to feature you in an interview or guest blog, please just send me an email at 52booksand52weeks@gmail.com and we will set something up as soon as possible!
I haven't yet held a contest, but plan to soon. I would prefer for the publisher or author to end the book to the winner, because that cuts down on shipping costs for everyone. However, if this isn't feasible, please let me know and we will work something out.

I think that's it! If you want to know more about me, please visit this page.
Ellie
Megan Smith, a poor, struggling college graduate $750,00 in debt, moves to New York City with her dream: to work for an established, respectable magazine. Instead, she's working for a crappy tabloid magazine - who then turns around and fires her. However, they do give her one leg up: the editor in chief has recommended her for a job as a tutor to twins, rich teenage heiresses, in Palm Beach, Florida.

Sage and Rose Baker, the heiresses, are well known in the socialite circuit for their bratty activities and their massive amounts of cash. However, one thing they're not known for is their brain power. Their grandmother hires Megan to tutor them for the SATs. If Megan can get them both into Duke, their grandmother will pay off Megan's college loans. However, Megan's in for a rough time.

Zoey Dean has written a light, funny novel, around which the (now cancelled) TV show Privileged is based. It's definitely mind candy, but I enjoyed it. I love the cover, and it reflects the book really well. The characters are well developed, and it's actually possible to tell the twins apart when reading, a rare occurrence in this type of novel. Readers will definitely sympathize with Megan as she struggles to get the twins to like her.

Grade: B
Ellie
Suspicion by Kate Brian
Book 10 in the Private Series

Forbidden fruit...

Reed, Noelle, and former Billings Girls Kiran and Taylor have been living it up on St. Barths over winter break. The tropical sun has melted away all the tensions of last semester, and for the first time in months, Reed is happy. She's got her best friends by her side, she has a palatial suite with an ocean view, and she's landed Upton, the most sought-after guy on the island.

Reed is falling in love.

But dating Upton makes Reed St. Barths' highest-profile guest -- and not in a good way. Upton has a dark past, and he's broken a lot of hearts. One of his exes still wants him. And she'll do whatever it takes to get Reed out of the picture.

Released September 8, 2009 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 
ISBN: 1416958851