USA Today's Top 150 Bestselling Books as of 05.29.2011

Thursday, June 2, 2011: According to USA TODAY, the following list contains the top 25 best selling books (out of 150) - based on sales through Sunday, 05/29/2011.  For the complete list of 150 books for the week or just to check out more information - plus reviews, book news and a searchable archive of USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list - visit their website.


Note of the week:  Finally something new to the list this week: The Warlock by Michael Scott, debuting at #13. Otherwise, we're looking at the same reads that have coveted the top 25 list for quite awhile now. 


After checking all 150 books for the week, I'm still surprised to NOT see Divergent by Veronica Roth making the list. What is being pitched as a futuristic 'Fight Club' for teens, this title is well worthy of the top 10, but maybe it's just taking a while to get out there? I just finished it (in 2 days) and posted my review below this blog post - and by all means, it's a definite must read...right up there with The Hunger Games for me!


Legend:

Position This Week, Last Week, Title, Author (Publisher), Price

 

1 1 Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson), $16.99
2 2 Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen (Algonquin), $7.99
3 6 The Help, Kathryn Stockett (Berkley), $16.00
4 0 The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic), $14.99
5 3 Something Borrowed, Emily Giffin (St. Martin's Press), $7.99

My Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent (Divergent, #1)Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue — Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is — she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are — and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves...or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

My Review:

Hands down, best book I've read in 2011 (and I don't say that lightly, considering how much I REALLY liked I Am Number Four!). Not since The Hunger Games, have I been compelled to turn the pages so fast, yet not want a book to come to an end.

My Review: DEAD UNTIL DARK by Charlaine Harris

Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out....

Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.

My Review:

So, this was my third attempt at reading this book - and I promised myself, I'd finish it this time.

And why so many attempts, you might ask? It's simple.

First Page Made Of Awesome Contest

Shelley Walters over at Is It Hot In Here, Or Is It This Book? is hosting a fabulous first page contest of awesomeness.
The quick gist of it? Post the first 250 words of your manuscript for a chance to win a 10-page critique! For all in-depth details of what you need to do, please check out Shelly's website, but believe me, it's easy-peasy!
And the guest agent? Judith Engracia of Liza Dawson and Associates. Judith is currently building her client list and looking for all types of fiction, especially middle grade, young adult, urban fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal romance.
Now I will say, I tend to shy away from posting my actual writing on my site, but the contest sounded too good to pass up. So without further ado, here's my 250-word submit. I'd love to hear all comments, but just remember, I know where you live. :)

Friday Fives: Five Biggest Distractions On The Internet

Oh, this one is a fabulous topic for me, indeed!
When it comes to internet distractions, I'm worse than Dug the Dog in the movie, UP! when he sees the Squirrel!
One of my absolute favorite scenes:
Dug: Hi there. 
Carl Fredricksen, Russell: [surprised exclamations] 
Carl Fredricksen: Did that dog just say "Hi there"? 
Dug: Oh yes. 
Carl Fredricksen: Whaa! 
Dug: My name is Dug. I have just met you, and I love you. 
[he jumps up on Carl] 
Carl Fredricksen: Wha... 
Dug: My master made me this collar. He is a good and smart master and he made me this collar so that I may speak. Squirrel! 
[looks to distance for a few seconds]
And in case you need to see it live, here's the clip on YouTube:

As fellow professional procrastinators writers, we want to know what are FIVE of your most distracting (procrastination-worthy) things (habits, websites, etc.) on the internet?

1. Email: This rings especially true, when I'm in the query process. There simply aren't enough minutes in an hour, where I can refresh my in-box to see if I've received some type of response to my recent queries. Only to step away for a second, then run back to my keyboard with my hair on fire, and refresh again. No OCD here at all. (I hit refresh 14,369 times since I started typing this blog - amazing, huh?).

UsA Today's Top 150 Bestselling Books as of 05.22.2011

Thursday, May 26, 2011: According to USA TODAY, the following list contains the top 25 best selling books (out of 150) - based on sales through Sunday, 05/15/2011.  For the complete list of 150 books for the week or just to check out more information - plus reviews, book news and a searchable archive of USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list - visit their website.
Note of the week:  Same ole', same ole' children's / YA books in the top 25, including the annual appearance of Dr. Seuss's, Oh The Places You'll Go, just in time for graduation. 

Legend:

Position This Week, Last Week, Title, Author (Publisher), Price

1 2 Heaven Is for Real, Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson), $16.99

2 1 Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen (Algonquin), $7.99

3 7 Something Borrowed, Emily Giffin (St. Martin's Press), $7.99

4 3 The Throne of Fire, Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion), $18.99

5 0 10th Anniversary, James Patterson, Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown), $14.99