Musings of a YA Reader

Review: Demons at Deadnight by A&E Kirk

2012-02-27T00:00:00.004-05:00

From Back Cover: Aurora has the crappiest superpower on the planet. And it’s just unleashed a hit squad from hell. Demons are on the hunt, salivating to carve her carcass into confetti. The Hex Boys - mysterious, hunky, and notorious for their trails of destruction - have the answers Aurora needs to survive. But their overload of deadly secrets and suspicious motives makes trusting them a potentially fatal move. The battle to save her family, herself, and stop demonic domination may cost Aurora everything worth living for, and force her to reveal her own dark secrets. But no worries. She needs the Hex Boys to pull this off, and, chances are, teaming up with these guys will get her killed anyway.

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Hilarious and engaging, Demons at Deadnight by A&E Kirk sucked me into the plot right away since I didn’t have to wait long for the action to start. With Aurora facing off against a demon and meeting two of the Hex Boys by page 15, A&E Kirk provide instant gratification, and then keep readers hooked with confrontations against demons, detailed characterization, witty dialogue and the possibility of a romance blooming between Aurora and one of the Hex Boys.

As a main character, Aurora was someone who I really liked because she was snarky, loyal and brave. Oh, and she was close with her family! Sure Aurora may not tell her parents and siblings everything, but it was nice to see the Laheys act like a normal family – having conversations at the dinner table, taking an interest in Aurora’s well-being, and yes, even embarrassing her.

Aurora wasn’t without her faults however. For one thing, I thought she refused to let herself feel emotions too intensely and often used humour as a coping mechanism. When combined with the (sometimes too) fast pace of the novel, it made me feel as if I knew her – just not as deeply as I would have liked to. Another thing that annoyed me about Aurora was that she was incredibly stubborn, refusing to listen to the Hex Boys and/or trusting them even after being told to do so by her guardian angel, Gloria. (Then again, the Hex Boys’ abilities in keeping Aurora safe from demons didn’t inspire much confidence and made me question the credibility of Gloria’s advice.)

I was a little worried when I found out that there were six Hex Boys because I thought that was a bit much. I figured that I’d only get to know a couple and the rest would just remain gorgeous faces to be admired from afar. Or worse, Aurora wouldn’t be able to resist two of them and wreck the group’s dynamics. Kudos to A&E Kirk for letting neither of those things happen in Demons at Deadnight! Although I thought that it was strange to have five hot guys in a small town coincidentally be best friends before they became demon hunters, each one of the Hex Boys was developed solidly and felt like a distinct character by the end. (My favourites were Tristan and Jayden.) As well, I loved that A&E Kirk managed to create sizzling (hehe) chemistry between Aurora and one of the Hex Boys without resorting to a love triangle to create romantic tension.

A wonderful start to what promises to be a fun, action-filled series; Demons at Deadnight will leave you craving its sequel, especially because it ends kind of randomly with the appearance of another good-looking guy. Not that I mind, but seriously … where are all the normal guys?

Demons at Deadnight was released in January 2012.

Comments About the Cover: Ooo, it’s creepy with all those demonic hands rising from the flames, trying to get a piece of Aurora as she falls.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the authors for free.

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For those of you interested in reading Demons at Deadnight, A&E Kirk have generously offered to give away a paperback copy to US readers or an e-copy to international readers.

So, read the rules below and then fill out this FORM:

You do not have to be a follower to enter.
You must be over the age of 13.
This giveaway will end on Monday, March 19 at 11:59 PM.
Make sure your entries are tallied correctly (or else you won't win).

To enter to win the Kindle Fire you need to know the secret phrase given out one word at a time by each blog tour host. Put the words together in sequential order and you'll eventually have the secret phrase! Right now you can Tweet and Follow on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page to get points but starting March 9 (at the end of the tour) you can enter the complete phrase on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page and earn BIG entry points! Your Kindle Fire will also include your choice of a DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT Skin. Either from the cover, or a Hex Boy group shot or individual "Team" skin of your favorite Hex Hunk!

My secret word is: SURPRISE

Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

2012-02-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

From Goodreads: Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin - whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her - that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Although I’m not hugely familiar with the story of Robin Hood, I was aware of its basic gist thanks to having watched the Disney version when I was little. You know wasn’t present in that version? Yep, that would be Will Scarlet. So for me, A.C. Gaughen’s Scarlet was an introduction to the character of Will in the form of a female and seeing how that affected her relationship with the Merry Men.

Scarlet was a really complex character; and the more I got to know her, the more I liked her. She’s independent, smart, and knows how to wield knives (which I think is awesome) but is also impulsive, secretive – I kind of guessed her secret pretty early on – and prickly. Though she keeps threatening to walk away from Robin and the Merry Men, she’s totally loyal to the core. I thought Gaughen did a fantastic job of creating Scarlet’s first person voice as I could easily imagine her talking like a medieval peasant in my head.

As for the other characters, I thought Much was interesting but wasn’t too fond of Little John or Robin Hood. I didn’t like how controlling John was with Scarlet once he decided he was interested in her or how Robin only blamed Scarlet for messing the dynamics of their group just because he was jealous of her and John. As well, I thought the later portion of the book featured too much of the drama surrounding the love triangle and would have instead preferred more of the fantasy and action.

The other thing that I didn’t enjoy was the ending since it felt far too open-ended. After finishing Scarlet, I immediately went on Goodreads to see if it was the first book in a series but at this point, it's still listed as a standalone.

Scarlet was released on February 14, 2012 by Walker Childrens.

Comments About the Cover: I love the design, and Scarlet is dressed exactly like how I’d picture a female Merry Man to look like.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Walker Books for Young Readers) for free via NetGalley.

Review: Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin

2012-02-21T00:00:00.001-05:00

From Back Cover: Jennie feels the tingling presence of something unnatural in the house now that Will is dead. Her heart aches without him, and she still doesn't know how he really died. It seems that everywhere she turns, someone is hiding yet another clue. As Jennie seeks the truth, she finds herself drawn even deeper into a series of tricks and lies, secrets and betrayals, and begins to wonder if she had ever really known Will at all.

My Rating: 5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: When I got Adele Griffin's Picture the Dead in the mail, I couldn’t help flipping through the pages and admiring the gorgeous illustrations within. Days later, I read the book and was thrilled to find that the gothic ghost story and mystery is just as good.

The main character, Jennie, is an orphan in a precarious living situation: her twin brother Tobias and cousin/fiancé Will are both dead, her uncle doesn’t really care about her, and her aunt is vile. This immediately made her a narrator I could sympathize with; but at the same time, I didn’t fully trust her because she also had a tendency to steal things (albeit for her scrapbook).

Faced with the prospect of possibly being thrown out, Jennie tries to make herself indispensable to the household by caring for her cousin Quinn (who has returned injured from the battlefield whilst fighting for the Union Army) and taking on other chores, essentially turning into a servant. In the process of nursing Quinn back to health, Jennie realizes that he’s keeping a secret about Will, and becomes determined to find out what it is since it's affecting their blossoming relationship and she's being haunted by Will’s ghost.

I found Picture the Dead’s pacing to be perfect for enjoying Lisa Brown’s artwork, the historical background of the setting, and the mystery. Set while the Civil War is occurring and the Spiritualist movement just beginning, the story was full of twists and turns, and the way it all came together at the end was completely unexpected! Though I thought that this would be a scarier read, I had no problem that Griffin didn’t leave me wondering whether I should turn off the lights at night. I avoid horror at all costs so if you’re as big a chicken as I am but want to read a slightly spooky story, Picture the Dead is the book for you.

Utterly delightful in both content and appearance, Picture the Dead was first released in May 2010 by Sourcebooks Fire. The pretty paperback version I have was released on February 1, 2012.

Comments About the Cover: The colours and clean, simple design of Picture the Dead will make it easily stand out in a shelf full of covers featuring girls in dresses that I wish I had. The photo of Jennie and Tobias at the front also gives you a good idea of how Brown’s illustrations look.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks Fire) for free.

Mini Hiatus

2012-02-10T20:25:00.000-05:00

Hey, everybody! With four midterms coming up next week (three of which will be within a span of 50 hours), I'm trying to catch up on lectures and readings - hence the lack of posts and being behind on commenting. So, I'll officially be taking a week long break and should rejoin the blogosphere sometime around February 20. See you all then!

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In other news, the winner of the e-copy of Sherry Gammon's Unlovable was roro from Roro is Reading and the winner of the paperback copy of Unlovable was Michelle from Book Briefs. Congratulations, Roro and Michelle!

Also, if you live in or near Burnaby, B.C., Marissa Meyer, the author of Cinder, will be at Chapters Metrotown (4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, B.C.) tomorrow (Saturday, February 11) at 2:00 PM!

Follower Love Giveaway Hop

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

The Follower Love Giveaway Hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rachael Renee Anderson.

For the hop, I'll be giving away any book of your choice worth up to $10 CDN from The Book Depository.

To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form.

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Mini Reviews: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe and Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

2012-02-06T00:00:00.001-05:00

From Goodreads: It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in. And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island - no one can leave, and no one can come back. Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest. Because how will she go on if there isn't?

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe is a book that imagines would happen if a relatively isolated community were to suffer an outbreak of a new and unknown virus. How would the government react? How would members of the community deal with the situation? What’s nice about the novel is that because the story is set on an island, quarantining people actually becomes a plausible solution. When that happens of course, emotions get heightened and the best and worst in people are brought out.

Although Crewe escalates the situation gradually to increase tension, I never felt a sense of urgency to turn the pages as quickly as possible. Part of this was because of the slow pacing and part of it was because the book was narrated in the form of diary entries to Leo, Kaelyn’s ex-best friend who we learn a little about but only appears right before the abrupt ending. The entries were written obviously after things already happened so it felt a little like I was reading about Kaelyn’s past. This sort of made it hard to completely connect with the characters, and made me feel as if I was watching the action from a distance.

The Way We Fall was released by Disney-Hyperion in January 2012.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Disney-Hyperion) for free via NetGalley.

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From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly onesided. The object of her obsession - ahem, affection - is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie's feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett's constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to '80s indie rock - all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder - until he calls to say he's fallen in love. With some other girl! A heartbroken Sadie realizes that she's finally had enough. It's time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized selfhelp guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love.

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: When reading Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald, expect a book that’s slow and doesn’t have much romance since McDonald’s latest book is more about self-discovery as Sadie attempts to find out who she is without the influence of Garrett.

Garrett was around a little bit in the beginning part of the novel, but because he soon leaves for camp, I didn’t get as annoyed at Sadie for obsessing over Garrett as I would have normally. I mean, she falls in love with him pretty much instantly after she spots him for the first time, and immediately thinks they’re fated to be together just because she’s sitting next to the only free table in the room. Two years later, Garrett – who didn’t really leave a good first impression on me – still has no clue his best friend is in love with him because Sadie is too chicken, I guess, to tell him that she’d like to be more than friends. Once Sadie realizes that she needs to get over Garrett though, I liked her much more. It was fun seeing her twelve steps to detoxify herself of Garrett and hang out with new people who had such different personalities and backstories from each other and him.

Getting Over Garrett Delaney was released in January 2012 by Candlewick Press 2012.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Candlewick Press) for free via NetGalley.

Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

2012-02-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

From Goodreads: They call me 'New Girl' ... Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed - because of her. Becca Normandy - that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault. Except for Max Holloway - the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be. And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

My Rating: 1.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: New Girl by Paige Harbison is based on Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, a fact I didn’t know before I requested it. Since I’ve never read the classic, I have no idea how Harbison’s adaptation compares to the original. As a standalone in and of itself though, New Girl was a book that I had several issues with.

The novel begins with the unrealistic premise of the main character (whose name isn’t revealed until the end) being shipped off to boarding school in her senior year because after falling in love with Harry Potter in Grade 8, she begged her parents to let her go to a boarding school. Though she has forgotten all about wanting to go to Manderly Academy by now, her parents for some reason still believe that their daughter is desperate to attend the school and have been applying every year on her behalf ever since.

Once at Manderly Academy, 'New Girl' is the new girl who nobody wants around because she has taken the spot of Becca, a popular girl who has gone missing. The mystery surrounding Becca’s disappearance was the only thing that I found remotely interesting about New Girl. Nobody knows what happened to Becca, but there are rumours that she may have run away, died and/or gotten pregnant. With everyone missing Becca, constantly talking about her, and wishing that she would come back; it’s not surprising that 'New Girl' soon feels envious of Becca. So, she whines a lot about not being happy being under the shadow of Becca.

Becca is actually the other narrator in New Girl; and you see things that happened last year from her perspective. I found the switches in perspective disrupted the flow of the story because they were never smooth. Anyway, getting back to Becca: Harbison excels at writing mean girls! In her debut novel Here Lies Bridget, I hated the character of Bridget. Here, Harbison tops that because I hated Becca even more! This girl has managed to charm the entire school into liking her, but is a horrible person who lies and manipulates people into doing what she wants. By the time there’s an attempt to add a little complexity to her character later in the book, it was too late for me to even feel a little pity or sympathy for her.

I was also not a fan of the love triangle situation – first between Becca and two boys, and then between those same boys and 'New Girl' – since it seemed like the sole purpose of it was to create drama. As well, I couldn’t figure out why one of the guys was willing to go along with Becca and pretend to be her boyfriend when he didn’t want to if she was already having sex with him.

Other things I disliked about New Girl were the filler parts of the story (which pretty much seemed like it consisted of teens having parties, getting drunk and/or having sex) and the attempt to add a little paranormal element to a contemporary novel that would have been just fine without it.

In the end, I kind of felt similar to one of the Manderly Academy seniors at graduation – happy to be moving on and looking forward to the future (or in my case, the next good book I’ll be reading).

Comments About the Cover: I like its simplicity, and the slogan “What if nobody knew your name?” would definitely make me curious enough to check out the book.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

Charming Canucks: Interview and Giveaway with Eileen Cook

2012-01-30T00:05:00.001-05:00

I sometimes feel as if Canadian YA authors aren’t as well known as their American counterparts. Charming Canucks therefore is a new feature I’ve created that will be posted every other month in an effort to spotlight more Canadian YA authors and their books. I’d love it if you could leave some comments on these posts, and hope you enjoy the upcoming interviews and giveaways.

Today, I'd like to welcome Eileen Cook, the first author to be featured as part of Charming Canucks.

A bit about Eileen (as found on Goodreads): Eileen Cook spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. You can read more about her, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at www.eileencook.com. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

Unraveling Isobel, your latest book, was released on January 3 by Simon Pulse. Give three reasons why everyone should read it.

1) It's a fun mix of creepy and funny

2) Who doesn't love a ghost story?

3) My mom says it is awesome and you wouldn't call my mom a liar would you?

If you had to pick one character from among all those you have created, which one would be your favourite? (I know I'm being evil ;) My personal favourite is Hailey because she's so neurotic).

Oh evil question. I'm glad you like neurotic, I think all my heroines are a bit bent in that direction (this may say a lot about me). Of course I love all my characters for different reasons, but I tend to be most in love with one that is in the book I am currently writing. I think it is because I am in her head at the time, it's like being in a really intense love relationship. At the moment I'm finishing up a book with a character named Sadie. She's a teen age con artist. I adore her.

You’re known for writing light-hearted, humorous YA contemporaries. Is there another genre you’d love to try your hand at someday? Is there a genre you could never see yourself writing?

If you saw my bookshelves you would think I must have reader ADD. I read everything, historicals, thrillers, mysteries, non-fiction, science fiction, paranormal, YA, adult... you name it and there is likely something on my shelf that fits. I would love to try writing in every genre, the problem I have is that I have a hard time not being funny. Even when I'm trying really hard to be serious, it can come out as funny so my chances of writing a very serious literary novel are slim. I'd try writing any genre, I really enjoy the storytelling process, which is a good thing because writing 300 or so pages takes a lot of time.

What is your writing process like? Are you a pantser or a planner?

I am a panster by nature, but have developed plotting skills. I have about a zillion books about writing. I am fascinated by all the different ways writers approach their craft. I really enjoy a book called Save the Cat. It is about how to write screenplays, but is really helpful for organizing a book. Now when I start a book I use the structure in that book to lay out the key story points. However, my panster nature is still there - I leave lots of room for things to develop as the story comes along.

Describe your writing space. (What's there? What do you always need? Is it messy or neat?)

My office used to be the sun porch and it has been closed in. I have lots of windows so I can look out into the back yard (this lets me keep an eye on my dogs who are doing their best to dig as many holes as possible). I have a couple chairs in the office so I have space to sit and read (or knit ). One of my favorite things in my office is the old typewriter that used to belong to my grandfather. When I was a kid I would play writer in his office when visiting. The typewriter is from the late 1920's and weighs at least fifty pounds. I need to keep my desk fairly clean when I am writing or else I can be easily distracted.

Do you have any writing projects currently planned? If so, can you give a hint of what to expect.

I do! Right now I'm calling the book Shady Sadie, but I'm leaving myself open to changing the title. It's the story of Sadie, a teenage con artist, who when she discovers that she looks like the age enhanced photo of a missing child, decides to pull the ultimate con … until she begins to suspect she might actually be the missing kid.

This book is scheduled to come out in December.

Quick Questions:

What's the best thing about living in Vancouver?

The ocean. I love being around water.

You go on a cross-country trip across Canada. What is the one place you have to visit and why?

Just one place? I want to go to Montreal, I've never been.

What's your favourite book by a Canadian author and why?

One of the best things about being a writer is I sometimes get a sneak peek at books that aren't out yet. There are two new YA's coming in 2012 by Canadian writers that I give a big thumbs up to – The Right and the Real by Joelle Anthony and Never Enough by Denise Jaden.

A huge thank you to Eileen for taking the time to answer my questions!

Eileen can be found on: [her blog] [her website] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]

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Click here to find out more about Eileen's books!

For this giveaway, one person will get the chance to win one copy of any of Eileen's YA books. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

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Review: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

From Goodreads: St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue. An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines - and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources ... including two young men - George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn. The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

My Rating: 2.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges was just such an odd mixture of history, fantasy and paranormal! Set in Russia during the rule of Alexander III, Bridges captures the lifestyle of the rich, but then enmeshes the historical reality with creatures like faeries, vampires, revenants and more. These fantasy and paranormal creatures seem to be discussed randomly early on in mini info dumps. Later in the book, they more or less took precedence – I’m still not fully sure what they were all doing because nothing was really explained; it was so very vague – and the story simply became a blend of fantasy and paranormal that just happened to be set in a historical setting. This was kind of disappointing because I expected something with more “historical” to it. (Although maybe that’s a good thing because as a member of the aristocracy, Katerina wouldn’t be doing much then other than attending balls …)

The romance was also disappointing. It’s not a love triangle like the summary suggests so that was good, but I don’t know … I just wasn’t feeling it. Part of that I think can be attributed to the time period – since there wasn’t a huge amount of private, personal interaction, the switch in feelings from dislike to like from both parties felt kind of sudden.

As well, most of the characters felt very flat. Just as how there were way too many paranormal creatures – none of whom were explored in depth, there were also too many secondary characters. I know there were a lot of aristrocrats, but all the same/similar names and finding out how Katerina was related to everybody just confused me!

Katerina herself was nothing special. While I did like that she was proactive and wanted to be a doctor rather than just aiming to get married, I found her situation a little unbelievable. Assuming you’re a duchess in 1888, why in the world would want to give up your easy, luxurious life to have the unglamorous job of a doctor?

A story that I found weird, but one that didn’t completely bore me; The Gathering Storm was released by Delacorte Books for Young Readers on January 10, 2012.

Comments About the Cover: The clothes the model is wearing immediately tells you that the book is set in Russia, which was one of the reasons why I requested The Gathering Storm.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Random House) for free via NetGalley.

Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

2012-01-24T00:00:00.001-05:00

From Goodreads: Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction. As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions. They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Veronica Rossi’s Under the Never Sky was a story that I thought started slowly because it put me smack into the middle of a world I barely comprehended, and used terms which I didn’t understand. As the story progressed however and I started to grasp everything, I ended up getting sucked into the book and falling in love with it.

Basically, the Dwellers have taken shelter permanently from the Aether storms in domed buildings and have become very technologically advanced. Never being able to venture outside I suppose has its perks: the Dwellers have managed to eradicate disease so that they can live up to over a hundred, figured out how to create designer babies, and built virtual environments to avoid boredom.

On the other hand, you have the Outsiders who have learned to live with the Aether storms and developed mutations in the process. Seers have better vision than most; Audiles have sensitive hearing, and Scires have a heightened sense of smell. It all sounds kind of sci-fi-ish, but the Marked’s (i.e. those who have enhanced senses) powers also have a fantasy element to them. Furthermore, Rossi doesn’t go into a huge amount of explanation about her world – so for example, I still don’t know what the Aether is. Still, she makes it work; and over time, I sort of forgot that Under the Never Sky was inconsistent on the science-y details.

I really liked both Aria and Perry, and so it was nice that Under the Never Sky alternated between their perspectives to provide more insight into their character. When Aria is thrown out of Reverie, she has no idea what will become of her. Luckily, Perry has been seeking the Dweller he saved to help him find his nephew. He needs Aria, and she’s smart enough to understand that she needs him to learn how to survive on her own. Theirs is a mutually beneficial arrangement that gradually and unexpectedly blossoms into a romance as the two learn to see beyond their prejudices about ‘Moles’ and ‘Savages’ to the actual person underneath. (Seriously though, what was up with Perry smelling violets? As much as I liked the romance, that part grossed me out.)

The secondary characters were also great; and I’m looking forward to seeing more of Roar and Cinder in the sequel. As well, I’m hoping that Olivia will grace us with her presence in it since I’d like to see how she interacts with Perry, Aria and Roar.

Under the Never Sky was released by HarperTeen on January 3, 2012.

Comments About the Cover: If there are Aether storms, why does the outside world look very serene? Why is Aria confidently out walking, dressed in leather? If you haven’t figured it out, the cover doesn’t match the story at all.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) for free via NetGalley.

Strange Chemistry's First Two Titles

2012-01-23T00:10:00.002-05:00

Strange Chemistry - the YA imprint of Angry Robot - has finally revealed its first two titles!

Shift by Kim Curran, the first of two books in a new YA SF thriller series, is about an average, 16-year-old loser, Scott Tyler, meeting the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones and learning that he's not quite so average after all. He's a 'Shifter'. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he's ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world quickly starts to unravel around him he realizes that each time uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings is about Julie, an apprentice witch – or so she believes. When a dark power comes stalking out of the past to haunt her and her mother, Julie learns that she is far more than just a witch. With the help of her best friend Marcus and a rather unusual Great Dane, Julie has to race against time to ensure she can defeat the bad guy, save her mother and avoid being grounded – again!

More information can be found at strangechemistrybooks.com and angryrobotbooks.com.

Angry Robot is a genre publisher that brings readers the best in new SF, F and WTF?! Strange Chemistry is Angry Robot’s YA imprint. All titles are released as paperbacks and in all major eBook formats. Distribution is through Random House (North America) and GBS (UK). Angry Robot is part of the Osprey Group.

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How awesome do those books sound?! I can't wait to see what decisions Scott decides to undo in Shift since everyone has thought about making a different choice at some point in their lives. Sean Cummings is a Canadian author so Poltergeeks is perfect because I'm trying to read and review more books by Canadian authors this year.

Review: Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

From Goodreads: Flipped is a romance told in two voices. The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time Bryce saw Juli, he ran. That’s pretty much the pattern for these two neighbors until the eighth grade, when, just as Juli is realizing Bryce isn’t as wonderful as she thought, Bryce is starting to see that Juli is pretty amazing. How these two teens manage to see beyond the surface of things and come together makes for a comic and poignant romance.

My Rating: 5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen was first recommended to me by Small Review, and after reading Rummanah’s review (she blogs over at Books in the Spotlight), I bumped it up in my TBR pile. I’m so glad I did because I absolutely adored it!

Told in a “he said, she said” style, I loved Bryce’s and Juli’s voices. Beginning with the perspective of Bryce, I immediately agreed with him because Juli seemed kind of loud and annoying. When you read the story through her eyes however, you realize that Juli is actually really smart and thoughtful and not at all how Bryce portrays her. It’s funny how the same event or thing can be interpreted so differently by different people.

A heartwarming tale about growing up, Flipped encourages you to look beyond surface appearances. This may even be the first time you cry over a tree …

Flipped was released in December 2008 by Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Comments About the Cover: Even though the chick is cute, the cover doesn’t make me want to pick the book up.

Character Interview: Daisy Brooks (and Giveaway)

2012-01-17T01:12:00.000-05:00

Today, I'd like to welcome Daisy Brooks, the main character from Danielle Weiler's Friendship on Fire to my blog.

Daisy Brooks’s senior year is not off to a great start. Her first assembly as school captain is slightly ruined by her new bright orange hairdo – thanks to her father’s inability to choose correct permanent hair dye. The local Blonde Brigade is already giving her a hard time (and affectionately dubbed her ‘ranga’) and her teachers have done the unthinkable and handed out assignments on the first day back. The one bright spot in Daisy’s first day back is the appearance of a private school boy hottie. Oh, and her best friend and vice-captain, Roman, who she can count on to hold her temper and have her back. But the winds of change are sweeping through Daisy’s small town of Twin Rocks. Turns out the private school hottie is new in town and fast friends with her brothers. His name is Nate and he turns Daisy’s legs to jelly. But her totally platonic best friend, always reliable Roman, is starting to act strange. This is Daisy’s senior year. She’ll learn hard truths and lose small battles on the path to adulthood . . . but, hey, nobody said it was going to be easy.

You're very close with your family, but as the youngest of four kids, you get teased a lot by your older brothers. Now it's your turn to reciprocate; tell me something about Josh, Treston and Shane that they'd be embarrassed by if others were to find out.

Treston used to have giant posters of all his favourite soccer stars on his wall – Ronaldinho, Beckham, Rooney … that is, until Josh told him he was gay. Shane once spat in a burger of a girl who cheated on him in high school. If you ask him outright, he’d deny it. But I saw it. Josh dated the same girl twice and didn’t recognise her the second time. She was pretty mad at him, but she soon forgave him …

You managed to get your driver's license in spite of the fact that you're not a great driver. Has your driving gotten any better or are you still getting into mishaps?

Hey, hey, hey, I am a good driver! I just don’t do well on big hills and poorly placed letterboxes, OK? Look, I’ve been doing really well. I avoid reverse parking like the plague but other than that I’ve only kissed the back of someone’s car once. And it was Roman’s. And he wasn’t happy.

In class, you're frequently daydreaming about going to the beach. Assuming you're not allowed to live in Australia, where would you like to live and why? Where can you never see yourself living and why?

Well I’d visit Hawaii and see if it’s really as sunny and beachy as everyone says it is and if it does live up to its reputation, I might consider moving there. But I do love Europe and all of its history, too. I’d never live in the Middle East: too much sand and not enough water to show for it!

You have a diary in which you write down your thoughts and poems. When (and why) did you start keeping a diary and can you share one of your early poems with us?

I started a diary when I was 7 years old. I was given one with a giant clown on it by my dad – I think to keep me out of mischief on a family holiday – and I’ve been writing them ever since. I think I’m onto my 9th but I haven’t written in a while (busy uni life. Blame Roman!)

Sure I can share something from when I was younger … I think I was 14 at the time.

Beach Man

I sit on the beach

Watching the sunset

I spot a man

Whom I’ve never met

His shoulders hunched

Eyes lapping the air

His face is jagged

With rough, wild hair

He picks up a stick

And throws it hard

The ocean moans

Its waters scarred

He takes a seat

In the soft cream sand

His loyal dog

Softly licks his hand

The man’s small dog

Feels his sorrow

I might come back

Again tomorrow

So I turn and leave

The pair of them

They are special friends

A heart and a gem.

Now that Year Twelve is over and you're going off to university, what do you think you'll miss most about high school?

Having school as a safety net. It really is. It protects you from the big bad world. But at the same time, I’m glad to be leaving because of, you know, all that stuff. So the change won’t be so hard anymore. I want to learn about stuff I am interested in. YAY no more maths. And I get to hang out with my favourite person still.

Thanks, Daisy, for taking the time to answer my questions!

Friendship on Fire can be bought from: [Amazon] [The Book Depository]

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For those of you interested in reading Friendship on Fire, Danielle has generously offered to give away two e-copies to readers.

So, read the rules below and then fill out this FORM:

You do not have to be a follower to enter.
You must be over the age of 13.
This giveaway will end on Tuesday, January 31 at 11:59 PM.
Make sure your entries are tallied correctly (or else you won't win).

Review: Friendship on Fire by Danielle Weiler

2012-01-16T12:32:00.000-05:00

From Goodreads: Daisy Brooks's senior year is not off to a great start. Her first assembly as school captain is slightly ruined by her new bright orange hairdo – thanks to her father’s inability to choose correct permanent hair dye. The local Blonde Brigade is already giving her a hard time (and affectionately dubbed her ‘ranga’) and her teachers have done the unthinkable and handed out assignments on the first day back. The one bright spot in Daisy’s first day back is the appearance of a private school boy hottie. Oh, and her best friend and vice-captain, Roman, who she can count on to hold her temper and have her back. But the winds of change are sweeping through Daisy’s small town of Twin Rocks. Turns out the private school hottie is new in town and fast friends with her brothers. His name is Nate and he turns Daisy’s legs to jelly. But her totally platonic best friend, always reliable Roman, is starting to act strange. This is Daisy’s senior year. She’ll learn hard truths and lose small battles on the path to adulthood ... but, hey, nobody said it was going to be easy.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Friendship on Fire by Danielle Weiler is like the Aussie version of Miranda Kenneally's Catching Jordan, minus the football. Although Weiler’s book was released earlier, since I read Catching Jordan first and just before reading Friendship on Fire, it was hard not to notice the similarities in plot.

However, while Catching Jordan has Jordan slowly counting down the days until her trip to Alabama, Friendship on Fire really has no goal per se because it’s just a story chronicling Daisy’s Year 12. What makes Friendship on Fire meaningful is that it reminds the reader of their own high school years. Most of us had/have very boring, ordinary lives, and the drama in high school came from arguing with friends, falling in love, sucking at driving lessons, etc. These events wouldn’t be particularly memorable to others but they’re important to us, and I think that’s what Friendship on Fire emphasizes.

Just as I found the story to be realistic, I also thought that Daisy acted like a typical teen. Sometimes she acted wise, but at other times she was sort of naïve and immature. There were times when I liked her, and there were times when I wanted to strangle her because she refused to listen to anybody.

Although I sometimes questioned Daisy’s parents’ decisions, I liked that rather than trying to control their daughter, they allowed her the freedom to make her own choices and mistakes. At the same time, it wasn’t as if there was no parental (or sibling) involvement at all; Daisy actually had a very close family that spent time with each other, and her parents and older brothers were there for her when she needed them to be.

A story that teens and adults can easily relate to, Friendship on Fire was released in March 2011 by Sid Harta Publishers.

Comments About the Cover: In my mind, Daisy’s hair would be more orange – sort of like Anne of Green Gables'.

Author Interview: Sherry Gammon (and Giveaway)

2012-01-13T00:00:00.006-05:00

Today, I'd like to welcome Sherry Gammon, the author of Unlovable to my blog.

A bit about Sherry (as found on Goodreads): Sherry has been writing for several years. Her work has been in several newspapers, and an educational magazine. She and her husband, along with their children and a couple of crazy dogs, call Upstate New York home.

How did you come up with the idea of Unlovable?

Unlovable was first written as a fantasy story, with shape-shifters and Changelings. Me and my awesome instincts … NOT … decided that the fantasy novel was dying off so I converted Unlovable into a contemporary novel.

Which character from Unlovable are you most like?

None really. Each main character has some of me in them. I found that if I gave the characters some of my traits, I could relate to them better and “get inside their head” easier. Poor Maggie got my hair!!!

You get to go on a date with either Seth, Cole or Booker. Who do you pick and why?
Booker! I love tall, dark, and handsome (my Hubby is all of these) and I LOVE funny! Plus I love his protective/vulnerable side.

If there's one thing that you hope readers take away from Unlovable, what would it be?
NEVER EVER give up. Life is hard at times, but you will never be given more than you can handle, although some days it feels like it. Just hang on, or make the changes that will make it better.

I know the next book in the series (Unbelievable) is going to involve Cole, but can you tell us a little more about what to expect from it?

Cole gets pulled into the Dreser world in a big way when Delilah, the Dreser brother’s sister, comes into town to get revenge for the family. Cole also finds love in a very unexpected woman. Booker's over-protective nature goes into overdrive…and there just may be a wedding!

A huge thank you to Sherry for taking the time to answer my questions!

Sherry can be found on: [her website] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]

Unlovable can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [The Book Depository]

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For those of you interested in reading Unlovable, Sherry has generously offered to give away a paperback copy to US readers and an e-copy for international readers.

So, read the rules below and then fill out the US FORM if you have a US mailing address and the INTERNATIONAL FORM if you live anywhere else.

You do not have to be a follower to enter.
You must be over the age of 13.
This giveaway will end on Friday, January 27 at 11:59 PM.
Make sure your entries are tallied correctly (or else you won't win).

Review: Unlovable by Sherry Gammon

2012-01-12T00:00:00.001-05:00

From Goodreads: Port Fare, New York, has fallen into the clutches of true evil. The Dreser brothers have arrived with a scheme to increase drug sales in the area by whatever means possible. Seth Prescott is part of MET (Mobile Enforcement Teams) a branch of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). He's been assigned to work undercover at Port Fare High, and things aren't going very well, until senior Maggie Brown enters the equation. He's harbored a secret crush on her from day one, and now that she is in the center of the case, he's trying to stay clear and objective while walking the line between business and unrequited love. Maggie is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes, but is she an addict, or is there another reason for her appearance? She struggles with her feelings for Seth, fearing he is just another person who will eventually let her down, as everyone in her life has done thus far. Maggie has spent her life caring for her alcoholic mother. A task that has left her heavily burdened and alone. Before long, her mother's health takes a turn for the worst, sending Maggie's life into a tale-spin. While Seth works relentlessly to inject fear into the dealers and flush them out into the open, Maggie fights to stay alive as the hunt turns deadly.

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Unlovable by Sherry Gammon was a book that started off slowly. But, I soon found myself captivated by the story because although the plot is kind of a little too perfect, Unlovable has characters that are easy to care about and is well-written.

The main character, Maggie, has grown up in relative poverty with an alcoholic and verbally abusive mother. Despite this, Maggie remains a generous and caring person. She even continues to care for her mother in the hopes that her mother will reward her with some attention and affection! Still, Mrs. Brown’s horrible words do have an effect on Maggie, making her believe that she is unworthy of being loved when she catches the interest of Seth.

There are also some occasional chapters from the perspective of Seth and the villains in the story. Bill was bad, but he was nothing compared to his brother whose behaviour suggests that he has antisocial personality disorder. Normally, I don’t find villains very terrifying but Alan scared me because there are actually people like him out and about in the world. Hopefully, we never have to encounter them!

My favourite part of Unlovable was the romance. I thought it was realistically portrayed and found it sweet how Seth got Maggie to open up and let him into her life. Unlike Maggie, you know that Seth is an undercover cop and so as you’re waiting for things to blow up in his face, you can only hope that Maggie’s trust in Seth and their love is strong enough to withstand the doubts and obstacles.

The first in a trilogy, I was pleasantly surprised by how good Gammon’s Unlovable was. What’s nice for older YA readers is that Seth is twenty-one so it doesn’t feel as inappropriate to crush on him (not that age would stop me anyway) :) Even better, the next two books in the series are told from Seth’s friends’ POVs; and I know Cole and Booker are older than him. The two were well-developed secondary characters in Unlovable so I’m looking forward to reading their stories in Unbelievable and Unbearable.

Unlovable was released in January 2011 by Wordpainting Unlimited Inc.

Comments About the Cover: I think the cover is very pretty; and I like how the colours, the background and the pose of the girl all help to contribute to a feeling of loneliness, which goes nicely with the title.

This ebook was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Introducing My Reading Buddy: Stephanie

2012-01-10T00:05:00.000-05:00

Last year, I managed to read slightly over 100 books so one of my reading goals this year is to reach that target again. Well, who better to motivate me than a reading buddy?

Stephanie (aka StephTheBookworm) was recently looking for someone to help motivate her to reach her goal of reading 100 books and so we’ve partnered up to engage in a little friendly competition. Basically, we’ll be sending weekly emails to each other, letting the other person know how many books and how many pages we’ve read during the week and in total. The loser at the end of the year buys the winner a book.

Anyway, I thought it’d be nice to learn a little more about Steph and so we created a questionnaire together. My answers can be found on her blog and you can check out her answers below:

What is your work/school situation?

I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in English Literature in May, and now I'm in graduate school pursuing my Master's degree in Library Science. I currently work at my local library as a library clerk, which I love, but am just waiting to get my degree so I can be an actual librarian!

What do you like to do outside of reading?
Most of my time is spent reading, but there also some TV shows I really love, like Dexter, American Horror Story, Revenge, Glee, Desperate Housewives, Once Upon a Time, New Girl, and others, so I love DVRing those and watching them every week! I also like spending time with my friends and family, my boyfriend, Charles, who I live with, and our adopted dog, Dakota! My friends and I love playing a lot of board and card games and having random dance parties.

How long have you been book blogging?
I started in September 2009.

What's been your most exciting or rewarding blogging moment or experience?
My most exciting experience was going to BEA in May. I finally got to meet some of my blogger friends in real life, and some amazing authors, like Chuck Palahniuk and Beth Hoffman, who I had dinner with! It was so cool to be around so many book lovers, and all in one place! The most rewarding is definitely when an author e-mails me after I review their book and expresses gratitude and excitement. I've loved getting to know so many authors and have learned that they are some of the most compassionate and gracious people around. The same actually goes for book bloggers as well - what a passionate and kind community of people, one that I am so proud to be a part of!

How would your friends describe you? How would you describe yourself?

I just have a really small group of three friends who I spend a lot of time with, and they would describe me as a goof. I'll do anything to make them laugh, and we have tons of fun together. I would describe myself as a complete introvert, though. When I'm not with my friends, I'm extremely quiet and shy, somewhat awkward, but always observing everything around me.

What genre do you normally read?
I read basically everything! I am a very eclectic reader, reading both YA and adult, suspense, chick-lit, contemporary, mysteries ... pretty much everything! This means my TBR list is absolutely insane because I want to read every and any thing!

What one book are you most looking forward to in 2012?
I haven't been able to find any information about this, but I am really hoping my favorite author, Jen Lancaster, comes out with a new book this year!

Who is your favorite author? What is your favorite book?

I have so many favorites. To name a few authors: Jen Lancaster, Chuck Palahniuk, Meg Cabot, Beth Hoffman, Kristina Riggle. To name a few books: The Ramona series by Beverly Cleary, Bitter is the New Black, by Jen Lancaster, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman, the Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty... both lists could go on and on!

If you got to pick one guy to be your fictional boyfriend, who would it be?

Marcus Flutie, hands down! (from the Jessica Darling series)

If you got to pick one fictional girl to be your best friend, who would it be?

I think I'd go with Mia from the Princess Diaries, another one of my favorite series of all time! She's so witty and incredibly down to earth, especially considering she's a princess!

Review: My Royal Pain Quest by Laura Lond

2012-01-09T00:00:00.002-05:00

From Goodreads: How far would a villain go to help a friend? Lord Arkus of Blackriver Castle thinks doing three heroic deeds is a bit too far. Not only it’s plain detestable, it can ruin his reputation and get him in trouble with the Villains League. On the other hand, it’s not like he’s got friends to spare. And losing the League’s membership isn’t the end of the world, one can always work independently.

My Rating: 4.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: In My Royal Pain Quest, the sequel to My Sparkling Misfortune, Lord Arkus is back, determined to find a way to awaken Jarvi. A book of fables may provide the answer, but is Arkus willing to spend the time and effort to go on a quest that might just prove to be entirely useless?

In My Sparkling Misfortune, Arkus was a proud villain who slowly became more heroic/less villainous (depending on how you want to see it) thanks to the efforts of Jarvi. Here, Jarvi’s presence is initially noticeably absent, but it’s quickly filled up by the additions of Cassandra, a girl who’s more than she seems to be - I guessed her secret halfway through the book but keep in mind that the book’s target audience is MG readers - and the Swirg named Reggie. It’s not all new characters though; Prince Kellemar also appears in My Royal Pain Quest – and perhaps will be seen by Arkus in a new light.

An amusing sequel to one of my favourite books I read last year, My Royal Pain Quest was published in November 2011.

Comments About the Cover: It’s nice that the covers for the series match. For some reason though, my copy has the cover of My Sparkling Misfortune but with the title saying “My Royal Pain Quest.”

This ebook was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Nightshade by Maryrose Wood

2012-01-06T00:00:00.002-05:00

From Back Cover: Sixteen-year-old Jessamine Luxton is heartbroken. Her true love, Weed, the strange and intriguing young man who came into her life so suddenly, has disappeared. Jessamine suspects that her own father, Thomas, may have been involved. Thomas was obsessed with poisons and discovering Weed's secret understanding of dangerous plants. This suspicion and her own growing expertise with poisons have changed her. She is no longer innocent. So when Jessamine learns that Weed is alive and in danger, she will do whatever it takes to be reunited with him, including killing whoever gets in her way.

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Maryrose Wood's Nightshade, the second book in The Poison Diaries series, picks up where The Poison Diaries leaves off. As a result, Jessamine and Weed barely have much page time together. It’s not that I think their romance is epic or anything, but I feel like things are more interesting when they’re together than apart.

In Nightshade, Jessamine discovers the truth about what her father has been up to and asks Oleander to reunite her with Weed. In exchange, she makes a promise to him to avenge her mother’s death. When Jessamine is forced to go on the run, she therefore becomes even more open to Oleander’s influence. This, when combined with the courage laudanum gives her, causes her to commit more terrible acts. In the meantime, (the sometimes awkward) transitions to Weed’s narrative allows the reader to learn that he is doing his best to find Jessamine.

Like The Poison Diaries, Nightshade places a large emphasis on plants, and it’s for this reason that I’ll probably read the final book in the trilogy. I didn’t like the darker, gloomy feel of Nightshade, but the idea of plants being able to communicate with Weed and what they have to say to him remains appealing to me. Wood clearly knows much about plants; and in this installment, she chooses to focus more on those that heal rather than harm.

Nightshade was released by HarperCollins in October 2011.

Comments About the Cover: I’m ambivalent about it, but I love the look of the title because tiny plants are either making up the letters or coming out of them.

This book was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) in exchange for an honest review.

Giveaway: Audiobook of Marissa Meyer's Cinder

2012-01-05T00:00:00.064-05:00

I reviewed Cinder by Marissa Meyer recently and thought it was a really creative re-telling of Cinderella. Today, I've got an audiobook copy of it up for grabs thanks to Esther from Macmillan Audio!

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl ...

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

Here's a sample clip from the audiobook!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Busting the Newbie Blues (2)

2012-01-04T03:42:00.001-05:00

Small Review is once again hosting Bustingthe Newbie Blues, an event meant to help put new YA book bloggers on the radar and get old and new bloggers to interact and share their experiences about what it's like or was like to be a new blogger. I participated in it last year and many of the blogs that I follow and comment on regularly are ones that I found through Busting the Newbie Blues. After blogging for over a year, I’m really excited to be filling out the Established Blogger Questionnaire, and am looking forward to discovering some new blogs. The event is running during the entire month of January, and you can find more the information here.

When did you start your blog?
I started my blog near the end of August 2010.

Do you ever still feel like a newbie?

Yes! This usually occurs when I’d like to request an ARC or am sending an email asking an author for an interview/guest post.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? Did you make any mistakes new bloggers can learn from?

The biggest challenge that I’ve faced so far is finding the time to post. When I have school, sometimes even finding the time to read can be challenging; and when I’m on holiday, procrastination kicks in and books that have been read but are waiting to be reviewed kind of pile up. I have no idea how bloggers schedule posts! Someone needs to teach me their tricks.

I still post whenever I want but try to do so now on a regular basis. As a newbie blogger, that's something I didn't do.

What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger? How did you deal with this?

I think the most discouraging thing about being a new blogger was the lack of comments on my posts. When I started blogging, I kind of dove into it and had no clue what I was doing or how big the YA blogging community was. I just really wanted to share my thoughts on books I’d read and naively figured I’d get a lot of people telling me what they thought about it too.

I continued to post semi-regularly however and left comments on other people’s blogs and soon enough, people started leaving comments back on my blog.

What do you find most encouraging?

How welcoming the YA blogging community is! Whenever I have a question, I’ve always been able to find someone who’s willing to take the time to offer an answer.

If you could go back in time and speak with your newbie self, what five bits of wisdom would you tell yourself?

1) Comment, comment, comment! It’s a great way to get people to stop by your blog and start following it.

2) You don’t have to post everyday but do it regularly.

3) If you need advice, it’s okay to ask. Established book bloggers don’t bite and are more than happy to help.

4) Don’t feel like you have to review every book you read. Read books occasionally for fun.

5) Use social media like Twitter to connect with authors, publishers and other bloggers.

What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?

I love blogs that are funny, post insightful reviews and/or generate discussion. I don’t think I’m really funny and would need to find time to write a post that’s discussion-worthy, but I do my best to post honest, thoughtful reviews.

What do you dislike about blogs you’ve seen? Do you try to avoid this?

One thing I really dislike on a blog are captcha codes and so I don’t have them on mine. I don’t have a huge amount of time for commenting but when I see an interesting post on my Google Reader, I’ll sometimes try to leave a comment. If there’s a captcha code and I don’t know about it, my comment doesn’t get published because I’ve closed the tab on my browser and moved onto another blog.

How did you bring your blog to the attention of so many people?

I tried to find bloggers that had similar tastes in books as me, followed them, and left meaningful comments on their blogs. They would then usually reciprocate.

Another way to get publicity for your blog is through contests. This can become expensive though and doesn’t really translate into people actively following your blog.

When and how did you get your first ARC (or first few ARCs)?

I got my first few ARCs by winning contests held by bloggers and through Goodreads’ First Reads.

Review: My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin

2012-01-03T00:00:00.014-05:00

From Inside Jacket: Ashlyn Baptiste is falling. One moment she was nothing - no memories, no self - and then suddenly, she's plummeting through a sea of stars. Is she in a coma? She doesn't remember dying, and she has no memories of the life she left behind. All she knows is that she's trapped in a consciousness without a body and she's spending every moment watching a stranger. Breckon Cody's on the edge. He's being ripped apart by grief so intense it literally hurts to breathe. On the surface, Breckon is trying to hold it together for his family and his girlfriend, but underneath he's barely hanging on. Even though she didn't know him in life, Ashlyn sees Breckon's pain, and she's determined to find a way help him. As her own distressing memories emerge from the darkness, she struggles to communicate with the boy who can't see her, but whose life is suddenly intertwined with hers.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I’ve read a few novels dealing with the themes of grief and loss, but C.K. Kelly Martin’s My Beating Teenage Heart stands out for its lovely prose and way of getting the reader engaged into the story.

The book opens with a nameless being who simply exists among the stars before she's sucked back to the world of the living. Who is she? What has happened to her? Those answers will be revealed in time since Ashlyn is just as lost in the dark as the reader. Not a ghost but more like a consciousness, she’s also unable to help Breckon, the boy she has become connected to somehow.

Breckon’s past is perhaps only slightly less mysterious than Ashlyn’s. His alternating point of view informs the reader that he blames himself for his sister’s death – how she dies is unknown at first – and shows that he’s clearly in deep pain and suffering. Martin does a great job of contrasting Breckon with Ashlyn – one would do anything to live again and the other couldn’t care less.

Much like Ashlyn, the reader can only be a helpless bystander as Breckon rejects the emotional support offered by those close to him (even as they try to come to terms with Skylar’s death) and attempts to forget about reality through a variety of means. However, this in a way also distances Breckon from the reader who may have never experienced such a tragic loss.

Although the ending was a little disappointing because it was kind of neat and the reason for the connection between Breckon and Ashlyn wasn’t as significant as I thought it would be; I liked where Martin chose to end My Beating Teenage Heart. It seems like a logical point at which to conclude Breckon’s and Ashlyn’s story lines, but still leaves the reader with hope that the main characters will be okay.

A book that takes a profound look at life and death, My Beating Teenage Heart was released in September 2011 by Random House Books for Young Readers.

Comments About the Cover: I like it. The colours that are used match the sombre tone of the novel, and the faint outline of a girl in the background indicates the presence of a ghost (even though Ashlyn isn’t technically one). Since the book is told from two POVs, it's also nice that you can't tell whether the hands making the heart belong to the girl or to someone else.

This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

2011-12-31T00:27:00.002-05:00

From Goodreads: Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother. But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling - her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Since I haven’t been in the mood to write a review in the past few days, I’ll be doing a pros and cons list for Eileen Cook’s Unraveling Isobel.

Pros:

The book is guaranteed to make you laugh!
It’s a standalone novel, which means things are wrapped up neatly and there are no cliffhanger endings.
Isobel has a great sense of humour and is easy to like.
Nate, the love interest, is someone who does his own thing and doesn’t just follow the crowd.
Since Isobel’s father is a schizophrenic, Cook does a good job of making the reader wonder whether Isobel is having delusions or whether something more sinister is going on.

Cons:

The secondary characters could have more depth.
While the romance was sweet, it didn’t seem to take Isobel and her stepbrother very long to get together; and once they hooked up, the two never really thought about the strangeness of their relationship.
Even though Isobel sees a psychologist to come to terms with her dad’s condition and acknowledges how common mental disorders are, I thought the topic of schizophrenia was handled a little too lightly. As a result, it kind of felt more like a plot device to me.

A good choice to pick up if you want a fun contemporary with a bit of paranormal and mystery; Unraveling Isobel will be released by Simon Pulse on January 3, 2012.

Comments About the Cover: I think the cover’s cheeriness fits the overall tone of the novel, and I like how it incorporates Isobel’s artistic ability by having the model pose so that it looks like she’s painting the cover.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Galley Grab.

Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012

2011-12-30T03:00:00.008-05:00

Today, for the Top 10 of 2011 Blog Event, we're picking our top ten books we're looking forward to in 2012. I've decided to make a list of books by authors I've never heard of and a separate list for books that are part of a series.

Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To By Authors I Haven't Heard Of

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

This one kind of reminds me of Erin McCahan's I Now Pronounce You Someone Else.

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

I love fairytale re-tellings! This one is based on The Frog Prince.

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

I've only read one book based on mermaids and this looks like a great choice for the second.

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

This one has political intrigue and an assassin who needs to kill the man she loves.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

This one is a re-telling of Robin Hood.

The Fine Art of Truth and Dare by Melissa Jensen

This one has been compared to Anna and the French Kiss. Hope it lives up to that billing!

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

The cover has a blurb by Lauren Oliver - that's good enough for me.

The Clockwork Key by Kristin Welker

I love steampunk novels!

Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

This one has a girl stumbling into a Grimm fairytale world and discovering she's Sleeping Beauty.

Queen of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

It's another story involving an assassin.

Top ~~Ten~~ Eleven Books I'm Looking Forward To That Are Either Companions or Part of a Series

Happy New Year Giveaway Hop

2011-12-30T00:00:00.002-05:00

The Happy New Year Giveaway Hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Babs Book Bistro.

For the hop, I'll be giving away any book of your choice worth up to $10 CDN from The Book Depository.

To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mini Reviews: Settling by Shelley Workinger and Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

2011-12-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

From Goodreads: At the beginning of the summer, Clio Kaid was one of a hundred teens brought to a secret Army installation. But it was no ordinary camp and they weren’t ordinary kids ... Picking up where “Solid” left off, Clio and her friends realize that they aren’t ready to go home; they’re determined to stay on campus and continue their journey of self- discovery. But someone doesn’t feel the same way and will do anything to drive them away – even kill. Friendships will be tested, abilities will evolve, and more secrets will come out as the teens race to stop the killer before he sets his sights on one of them ...

My Rating: 2.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Shelley Workinger’s Settling, the sequel to Solid, was really hard to get into. I thought the pacing was extremely slow (though it did pick up a little near the end), and found the ending to be kind of abrupt. Also, it continues to be hard to get emotionally attached to the characters, and this was especially the case with the main character, Clio, who was moody and kept pushing away her friends. Even though there was a reason for this (and it was nice to learn a little more about Clio’s abilities), it made the plot sort of drag along. Moreover, the book still only gives you a rough idea of what Clio and her friends are capable of doing. Ultimately, Settling has the same issues that I found with Solid – and this time the story just wasn’t as interesting.

Settling was released in July 2011 by CreateSpace.

Comments About the Cover: It’s not as nice as Solid’s, but I like that it hints at the climax of the book.

This ebook was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

..........................................................................................................................

From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late. Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen. But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario. Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

My Rating: 1 heart

Thoughts on the Novel: After reading Shattered Dreams by Ellie James, my main thought was, “Why the heck did I finish this book?!” Although the novel starts off promisingly with a group of teenagers sneaking into an abandoned house to play Truth or Dare and Trinity, the protagonist, getting a few terrifying visions, the plot soon fell apart. I had literally no idea what was going on the entire time, and much like Trinity, couldn’t tell the difference between what was a vision/dream and what was reality – a feeling I very much disliked. As well, the ending was pretty much impossible to guess – it’s unpredictable even in hindsight – and no motive at all is provided for the person doing what he did.

On top of that, the characters were hard to like or care about – I read the book yesterday and had to look up the main character’s name in order to write this review – and the same can be said about the romance. Oh, and the latter half of the book suggests that there might be a possible love triangle in the future.

Shattered Dreams was released by St. Martin’s Griffin on December 6, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: The cover doesn’t exactly match the darker feel of the story.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (St. Martin's Griffin) for free via NetGalley.

Top 10 Characters in 2011

2011-12-29T00:00:00.002-05:00

Today, for the Top 10 of 2011 Blog Event, we're picking our top ten characters of 2011. Here are some of my favourite (in no particular order) from the books I've read this year:

Eugenides from The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia (Books 2 and 3 of The Queen's Thief series) by Megan Whalen Turner
Katniss from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Damien from The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell
Lord Arkus from My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond
Rose from Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Adam from Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Sophie from Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Cassel from Red Glove by Holly Black
Evie from Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Jordan and Sam from Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Honourable Mentions: Tris from Divergent by Veronica Roth, Seth from The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker, Lochan from Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, Gabi from the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren, Ariel from Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev, Day from Legend by Marie Lu and Alex from Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Top 10 Book Boyfriends in 2011

2011-12-28T00:00:00.004-05:00

Today, for the Top 10 of 2011 Blog Event, we're picking our top ten book boyfriends of 2011. Here are my fictional crushes (in order from one to ten - this required a lot of thought) from books I've read this year:

He shifts my hand away and starts scratching out letters on his skin. "I worked out a tattoo - if I had one."
I look at what he's done. He's got the outline of my hand over his heart and in it he's written, Her.
I want to tell him that he's blown me away, but I think he knows. ~ Carly on Ryan (pg. 212) [my review]

"You dumb-ass," I crooned, kissing her on the forehead. "You don’t share me. You own me." ~ Adam (pg. 250-251)

"Forgive me, I cannot help myself. I want you. Want you for my own. Be my wife. Be mine. ~ Lord Greco (pg. 162) [my review]

"You were amazing when we first met, and somehow, inexplicably, you've come even farther. You've always been pure, raw energy, and now you control it. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met ... " ~ Dimitri (pg. 481)

Things I Want to Remember
Sailing on Lake Union with Holly
The way Holly's eyes light up when she smiles
Tomatoes in the greenhouse with Aldo
Fish and chips on the beach with Holly
Kissing Holly in the moonlight
Holding Holly in my arms
To be continued ...

Jason's own list. Handwritten. All about me. All about us. ~ Holly on Jason (pg. 301) [my review]

"I have something to tell you," he says.
I run my fingers along the tendons in his hand and look back at him.
"I might be in love with you." He smiles a little. "I'm waiting until I'm sure to tell you, though." ~ Four (pg. 486) [my review]

"You don't have anything to worry about, Alex. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." ~ Aiden (pg. 199)

"The only life I want is one with you. I don't understand this gap you see between us, but can't you meet me somewhere in the middle?" ~ Lend (pg. 336) [my review]

The boy speaks up. When he does, there’s such a tender quality to his voice that I can’t help looking up at him. "I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you this," he begins. He doesn’t blush, and his eyes don’t dart away. Instead I find myself staring into a pair of oceans - one perfect, the other blemished by that tiny ripple. "You’re very attractive." ~ Day (Part 1) [my review]

"Being the young, dashing artist, Jules, I'm sure you have lots of girls just beating down your door."
"Yeah, we dead guys really score with the chicks." He let go of my hand and sat back in his chair, wearing a cocky expression. "Actually, since you have so adamantly refused my attentions, I feel free to tell you that I have several girlfriends that I see on rotation, just to make sure nothing gets too serious."
"Is one of them the barely dressed model I saw in your studio that day?"
"That is purely a professional relationship. Unlike what ours would be if you would just give me a chance." He puckered his lips in a sexy kiss. ~ Jules (Chapter 25) [my review]

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2011-12-27T06:00:00.003-05:00

From Goodreads: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl ... Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Rating: 4.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Wholly unique, Marissa Meyer’s Cinder is a re-telling of Cinderella with sci-fi elements. Set in New Beijing at a time when androids and cyborgs are common, a plague known as letumosis is decimating the global population, and the leaders of Earth are more or less united against the threat of the Lunars – a race led by a devious queen (who I found really fascinating); Meyer does a good job striking a balance between describing the world in Cinder and allowing it to unfold in the reader’s imagination.

To be honest, I was never a huge fan of Disney's Cinderella because it seemed like she got everything due to her fairy godmother. That’s thankfully not the case in Cinder – Linh Cinder remains hard-working but is a much more strong-willed and independent character. I also really liked that Meyer made Cinder a mechanic, which is a career you don’t see too many females in.

Although I guessed the major twists early on, it was fun to see how Meyer made this re-telling of Cinderella truly her own. For example, Cinder meets the charismatic and attractive Prince Kai way before she actually goes to the ball; and so by the time the ball arrives, the two are already friends. Thus, there’s a gradual development of attraction and both remain aware that Kai is a prince who is responsible for running the Eastern Commonwealth.

A spellbinding story that will have you craving the next book in the series, Meyer’s debut is not to be missed!

Cinder will be released on January 3, 2012 by Feiwel & Friends.

Comments About the Cover: I think the red shoe is really eye-catching and like how the cover subtly hints that Cinder is a cyborg. Cinder’s shoe also kind of looks like the glass slipper and so it instantly makes you think of Cinderella.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Feiwel & Friends) for free via NetGalley.

Top 10 Book Covers of 2011

2011-12-27T00:00:00.002-05:00

Today, for the Top 10 of 2011 Blog Event, we're picking our top ten book covers of 2011. Here are just some of the book covers I fell in love with this year:

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres

So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Guest Posting at Esther's Ever After

2011-12-26T21:32:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note: I've been invited to guest post today for Brenna's Christmas at Esther's Ever After event. So head on over to Esther's Ever After and check out my interview with Jordan from Miranda Kenneally's Catching Jordan, Gabi from Lisa T. Bergren's River of Time series and Carmen from Jessica Martinez's Virtuosity to see how they celebrate the holidays. Click here to check out the post!

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011

2011-12-26T00:00:00.001-05:00

This week, Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound by Books, Rachel from Fiktshun and Jaime and Patricia from Two Chicks on Books are hosting the Top 10 of 2011 Blog Event.

Today, we're picking the top ten books we've read in 2011. Here's my list (in no particular order):

The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia (Books 2 and 3 of The Queen's Thief series) by Megan Whalen Turner
Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond
Die For Me by Amy Plum

Honourable Mentions: Legend by Marie Lu, The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross, Wherever You Go by Heather Davis, Supernaturally by Kiersten White and Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

News About Rock God: The Legend of BJ Levine

2011-12-24T21:28:00.000-05:00

Sourcebooks will be releasing Rock God: The Legend of BJ Levine by Barnabas Miller soon. So if you haven't heard about the book, here's a little more information about it.

Title: Rock God: The Legend of BJ Levine
Author: Barnabas Miller
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Date of Release: January 1, 2012

Goodreads Description: B.J. Levine, a mild-mannered, 13-year-old boy voted most likely to become a tax accountant, moves to New York City and discovers his true purpose: he must transform himself into the most almighty rocker since Jon Bon Jovi. B.J. battles his father's disappointment, his mother's disapproval, his lack of apparent talent, and a secret society of middle-aged bikers as he gathers a ragtag band and embarks on a real life rock Odyssey.

To promote the book, B.J. Levine has written and performed a song called “Three Notes” which can be found on www.facebook.com/rockgodbjlevine and is connecting with his fans on Twitter as @bjrockgod.

As well, Barnabas Miller, the author, is the drummer for Tiger Beat which is a New York City-based YA-only writers band that also includes Libba Bray, Natalie Standiford and Dan Ehrenhaft. Barnabas and his bandmates will be launching Rock God in New York City at the Barnes and Noble on the Upper East Side at 7 PM on Thursday, January 19th. If you're going to be in the area, don't forget to stop by because Libba, Natalie, Dan and Barnabas will be signing books and performing "Three Notes" and other songs!

Wrapping Up 2011 Readathon

2011-12-22T01:57:00.007-05:00

Jessie from Remarkable Reads is hosting a readathon from December 22 to January 1. There will be giveaways and mini challenges so if you'd like to participate, head on over to her blog and sign up.

I'm not sure how much reading I'll get done but here's what I'm hoping to read over the holidays:

~~Friendship on Fire by Danielle Weiler~~

~~Shattered Dreams by Ellie James~~

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

~~Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout~~

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

~~Unlovable by Sherry Gammon~~

Added:

~~Heartbreak River by Tricia Mills~~
~~All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin~~
~~Nightshade by Maryrose Wood~~
~~Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen~~
~~Indigo Blues by Danielle Joseph~~

Updated on 12/31/11

Review: Legend by Marie Lu

2011-12-19T00:00:00.003-05:00

From Goodreads: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

My Rating: 4.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: With my last dystopian read being Veronica Roth’s amazing Divergent a few months ago, and me not being a huge fan of the dystopian genre, Marie Lu’s Legend had some pretty shoes to follow up on. And, oh my gosh, did it ever! While the plot is a little predictable, Legend kept me hooked enough that I stayed up late and finished reading it within a day.

The story is narrated through the alternating perspectives of June and Day who are a little on the younger side – they’re only fifteen – to be living by themselves. I’m willing to let that slide a bit though because June is a prodigy and Day is smart and has exceptional (and totally unrealistic) physical abilities.

June originally comes off as slightly standoffish, but she slowly becomes more likeable over the course of the novel. Despite living a sheltered life and now becoming an agent for the Republic, I liked that June was willing to question things even if they came from the mouth of a known criminal. She could have easily ignored whatever Day said and been a perfect soldier who believed everything that the Republic taught her.

Day was even more interesting to me. I loved his confidence and the fact that it was impossible to break his spirit even after he landed in the Republic’s jail. If I ever get thrown into a dystopian world, I’d want Katniss and Day by my side!

The worldbuilding is a little vague because it’s not clear how the US broke down into the Republic and the Colonies nor is much told about the Republic’s history. Since Legend is the first in a series however, I expect that Lu will reveal more in the books that will follow. For now, all I can say is that the Republic may not be so perfect, and what it does sounds hypothetically plausible.

Rather than a huge focus on romance, Legend instead focuses more on the familial bond. June has grown up under the care of her brother because her parents died in a car crash when she was young and the two have a very close relationship. It’s too bad then that Metias has to die early in the novel, but I enjoyed getting to know him through June’s memories (even if her sadness at his death sometimes felt more like a case of telling than showing). Similarly, the reader learns about Day’s family through his memories because circumstances have made it so that he’s unable to live with them and instead must survive on the streets. Personally, it was somewhat harder to care about them than Metias (except when John did what he did), but it’s obvious that they’re Day’s greatest weakness because he loves them so much.

There is some romance though; and I liked that it wasn’t something that took over the entire book. There’s clearly attraction between June and Day but there’s also a nicely developing friendship, which made me like their relationship a lot more. Lu deserves bonus points for not having her characters make declarations of love when they haven’t known each other for very long. Moreover, June and Day in my mind were greater together than each individually so I can’t wait to see what will happen to them in the sequel.

A highly recommended book for fans of the dystopian genre, Legend was released by Putnam Juvenile in November 2011.

Comments About the Cover: I like its simplicity, and the gold embossing stands out nicely against the silver background.

Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

2011-12-16T00:00:00.002-05:00

From Goodreads: 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 on 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 starring position on the team ... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: When I requested Miranda Kenneally’s Catching Jordan, I thought I’d be getting a nice, light read based on the synopsis and the cover. What I got instead was a book with a surprising amount of depth – one that highlights going after what you want regardless of the obstacles while also providing the expected dose of romance.

As the quarterback of her football team, Jordan has faced a lot of discrimination because she’s a female; but that’s never stopped her from playing the game. Now, she's determined to attend the University of Alabama and play for their football team. This sometimes comes across as if Jordan has tunnel vision because she doesn’t even think about other universities’ football programs as a possibility, but it’s impossible to not admire her perseverance.

Since team camaraderie is such a big part of sports, I was really happy that Kenneally also emphasized this in Catching Jordan. Rather than Jordan’s team being a mass of nameless and unknown players, there were important secondary characters on it. I grew so comfortable with these characters as well that I felt as if JJ, Henry and Carter were my own friends. I think a huge reason for this was because Kenneally excelled at the dialogue, which therefore made Jordan and her friends feel like actual teens.

The romance in Catching Jordan was a little angstier than I expected but my main issue was the casual sex. Yes, teens do it; but it seemed like there was no one (except for maybe Carter) not having sex. Maybe it’s just the crowd Jordan hangs out with – cheerleaders and football players – but considering that the book is a bit about breaking stereotypes, it would have been nice to have more characters being in steady relationships and not hooking up just for sex. I also thought that Jordan lost her virginity a little too quickly, especially since she's never even had a boyfriend or been kissed before.

As well, the book summary doesn’t hint that a love triangle will develop, although that’s what ends up happening. It’s a well-developed love triangle however and not just a case of you know, two hot guys liking the main character just because. One of the guys interested in Jordan is Ty whose appeal I could see but who also annoyed me since he was controlling. The other guy also annoyed me but only because I wanted him to grow some balls and go after Jordan instead of not wanting to change things between them. I was obviously Team Henry as soon as I began to suspect that he might like Jordan because he was my favourite character in the book.

In addition to the romance, Jordan’s relationship with her family also gets a large focus in the book. Jordan’s brother, Mike, is someone she can talk to not just about football but also about other things. For instance, when Jordan thinks that she might like Ty, Mike is the first person she tells. It was a little strange for me because if I had an older brother, I’d probably not be talking to him about my love life but it works for Jordan because she’s surrounded by and grown up with guys.

Kenneally also makes Jordan’s relationship with her parents pretty realistic. It’s obvious they love her, but like any parent, they have their own wishes for Jordan. I think what’s important in the end though is that your parents support you and accept you for who you are, and Jordan’s parents definitely do that.

Whether you’re a football fan or not, if you love contemporary YA, you'll want to check out Catching Jordan!

Catching Jordan was released by Sourcebooks Fire on December 1, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: Don’t be fooled by the cover! Even if I think it’s cute, the cover gives off the vibe that Catching Jordan is a fluffy read. That’s so not true!

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks) for free via NetGalley.

Author Interview: Karen Amanda Hooper

2011-12-14T02:37:00.003-05:00

Today, I'd like to welcome Karen Amanda Hooper, the author of Tangled Tides to my blog.

A bit about Karen (as found on Goodreads): Karen was born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple of years and is currently sunning and splashing around Florida with her two sweet and adorable dogs. She is addicted to coffee, chocolate and complicated happily-ever-afters.

What was the inspiration behind Tangled Tides?

I've loved mermaids since I was a toddler, and I've always been drawn to the ocean, so it was a given that I'd create a story about what kind of fantastical creatures could be lurking beneath the surface.

In addition to the more common paranormal YA creatures, there are some mythological ones in Tangled Tides. How much research did you do to find out more and create your own lore about them?

I had to research Medusa's sisters because I didn't know much about them, but Clash of the Titans was one of my favorite movies as a child (I know, I'm a bit odd) so I've always had an odd fascination with Medusa. However, when Perseus kills her in Clash of the Titans, it always made me sad. I gave her a much happier ending in my twist on her lore.

There are a couple of Disney references scattered here and there throughout Tangled Tides. What is your favourite Disney film and why?

Oh, there are so many. Obviously I'm a big fan of The Little Mermaid, but I think my absolute favorite is Peter Pan. I love the idea of Neverland, and there's so much magic and adventure in the story. Peter Pan's flight is my favorite ride at Disney World. My boyfriend even calls me Tink, and I call him Peter Pan. And, of course, I love the mermaids in Peter Pan too.

Which of the characters from Tangled Tides do you like most and why?

Unfair question! I love all of my characters! That's like asking a mother to choose her favorite child. You can't make me choose! lol.

Which character from Tangled Tides are you most like?

As far as who I'm most like ... hmmm ... I guess I'd have to say Nixie. Minus the dressing slutty factor, and the soul stealing ability. Nixie is forced to act confident and always appear strong and in control, but deep down she's always doubting herself and worrying if she really fits in anywhere. Plus, she has a huge heart.

Do you have any writing projects planned for the future? If so, could you please tell us a little more about them?

I'm currently writing book 2 of The Sea Monster Memoirs, and I also have a YA supernatural story that is reincarnation based. I wrote that one way before Tangled Tides, but I think it needs some revising before I send it out into the world. I also have 2 other projects that I started, but they will just have to wait their turn.

A big thanks to Karen for taking the time to answer my questions!

Karen can be found on: [her website] [her blog] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]

Tangled Tides can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [The Book Depository]

Review: Tangled Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper

2011-12-13T03:00:00.009-05:00

From Goodreads: When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious. Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people - until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process - or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Despite The Little Mermaid being one of my favourite Disney movies – The Lion King being the other; Tangled Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper is the first mermaid book I’ve ever read. Told from the perspectives of Yara, the merman Treygan and the selkie Rownan, Tangled Tides had an original plot and made me laugh often. In spite of the story being told by three characters however, I was still often left in the dark about what was to come because they were so good at not revealing their secrets and plans.

Yara was a fairly realistic character who initially goes into denial about being turned into a mermaid and attempts to get back home. After accepting her situation though and understanding her role in the struggle between the selkies and the mermaids, I liked that she was determined to make her own choices rather than be subject to others’ whims. As for the male leads, neither of them were particularly appealing to me. I didn’t really care about or like Rownan until the end (when he redeems himself) and didn’t find Treygan as interesting as his friends. Pango was definitely my favourite merman.

Hooper’s worldbuilding is solid and detailed, and I liked the idea of merfolk and selkies being enemies of each other. There are also sirens and gorgons present in Tangled Tides so it was interesting how Hooper made all the creatures connect using the myth of Poseidon and Medusa as her foundation. As each new species was introduced, I didn’t think that it would be possible for Hooper to juggle all these creatures together without overwhelming me; but she was able to for the most part. Things only became confusing when the characters starting discussing conversions and intermarriages and how they affected the plot.

A nice mix of paranormal and mythology, Tangled Tides was released in November 2011 by Rhemelda Publishing.

Comments About the Cover: I love the colours used – the tail is especially awesome – and how it looks like the mermaid is bursting out of the water during a storm.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Rhemalda Publishing) for free.

Review: Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren

2011-12-11T15:46:00.000-05:00

From Back Cover: Gabriella and Evangelia Betarrini are just two normal American teenagers. Normal - except for the fact that they time travel to fourteenth-century Italy, where they've lived in castles, become swept up in historic battles, and fallen in love with handsome knights willing to do anything to keep them alive. They've returned with their mother to the present to save their father before his tragic death, and now the family travels back to the place that holds the girls' hearts: medieval Italy. But remaining there means facing great risk as the battle for territory wages on and the Black Plague looms. Will the Betarrinis truly be willing to risk it all? Or in facing death head on, will they discover life as it was always meant to be lived?

My Rating: 5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I originally planned to read Lisa T. Bergren’s Torrent over the winter holidays; but after reading some okay and slightly better than okay books, I needed a book that I knew I was guaranteed to love.

Torrent picks up where Cascade leaves off and brings back the action and adventure that has characterized the previous two novels in the series – this time with another Betarrini thrown into the mix. This of course changes things between some of the characters, but Bergren continues to make the importance of family and love a priority. I love how close the Betarrinis are and the fact that they consider each other before making huge decisions that will impact everybody in their family.

In my reviews of Waterfall and Cascade, I gushed about how awesome Bergren’s guys are so I obviously have to address them in this review. I was sad to see what happened to Fortino but it was hard to dwell on him for too long because other things kept happening – like Gabi being taken away by Lord Greco and the Fiorentini.

Lord Greco managed to capture my heart in Cascade so I was thrilled to see more of him in Torrent. Normally, I’m not a fan of love triangles, but Bergren managed to keep this one appealing because it wasn’t something that became serious. Rather, Lord Greco’s role really makes it clear to Gabi just how much she loves Marcello, and made me ridiculously happy because it led to something poor Marcello had been waiting a couple of years for. (The last few pages of Chapter 26 and the entire twenty-seventh chapter were my favourite part from the entire series.) And, it also freed up Lord Greco for me :)

Torrent was released by David C. Cook in September 2011.

Comments About the Cover: I like that the covers of the series sort of match, but they need to be more visually appealing. I think Torrent’s cover does a better job though of showing the fantasy aspect of the series because knights and weapons are often associated with fantasies.

Review: Dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzman

2011-12-09T00:00:00.002-05:00

From Goodreads: A friend posted a video of me dancing online and now I'm now longer Alicia Ruffino. I'm dancergirl - and suddenly it's like me against the world - everyone's got opinions. My admirers want more, the haters hate, my best friend Jacy - even he's acting weird. And some stranger isn't content to just watch anymore. Ali, dancergirl. Whatever you know me as, however you've seen me online, I've trained my whole life to be the best dancer I can be. But if someone watching has their way, I could lose more than just my love of dancing. I could lose my life.

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Based on the tone of the novel, the characters’ actions and the important message of being careful of what you post online, Dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzman is a book that I think is better suited to teens on the younger side. As Ali, the main character, can attest, anything that gets put online becomes open to public opinion. Tanzman however chooses to forego dwelling on cyber-bullying, and instead gives Ali a mysterious stalker as the biggest consequence of having a friend post an online video of her dancing.

While the ending felt rushed and things were resolved a little too easily for my liking, the identity of the stalker kept me guessing and left me surprised in the end. Tanzman did a really good job of showing how increasingly terrified and suspicious Ali became as the situation escalated, and I’m sure I would have reacted exactly the same if I was in her position.

The biggest reason why I didn’t like Dancergirl more though was because of the characters. Besides the fact that a lot of them felt one-dimensional, I found it really hard to care about Ali and her friends. It didn’t help that they were prone to being occasionally immature (e.g. refusing to tell a parent that you’re being stalked because you’re worried about being grounded) and that I didn’t understand a lot of the technical dance terms.

Dancergirl was released by Harlequin Teen in November 2011.

Comments About the Cover: I think it would have better if it wasn’t just a facial shot but a girl dancing blurrily. This would show that there’s quite a bit of dance in the book and also kind of represent the video of Ali dancing.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

Cover Reveal: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

2011-12-08T15:00:00.002-05:00

A series which I've been waiting for patiently to be released in the US is Jessica Shirvington's The Violet Eden Chapters, which I first heard about from Aussie bloggers like Cass from Words on Paper and Nic from Irresistible Reads. Today, I'm helping Sourcebooks Fire finally reveal the cover of Embrace, the first book in the series.

But first, here's what's on the jacket flap:

It starts with a whisper.
“It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Strange dreams leave her with very real injuries and there’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms. The guy she thought she could fall in love with just told her he’s only half-human - oh, and same goes for her. And she keeps hearing a distant fluttering of wings.

Violet Eden is having a very bad 17th birthday.

But if angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden …

Doesn't that sound interesting? If you want to know more about the series or get a fuller description of Embrace, you can check out www.embracetheseries.com.

Now without further ado, here's the cover of Embrace:

Pretty, right? Purple is my favourite colour so I obviously love the background; and since Violet is half-human, I like that the cover designer has chosen to focus on that, but hints at her angelic side by creating some ethereal looking wings. I also love how the font matches Violet's wings, and the falling black feathers kind of suggests that there's going to be a battle between light and dark, good and evil.

I've also included the behind-the-scenes cover shoot video. It's always fascinating to me seeing how publishers come up with the cover of a book.

Embrace Cover Shoot from Sourcebooks Inc on Vimeo.

So, what do you guys think of the cover and video?

Blogging Break

2011-11-27T16:42:00.000-05:00

Hey, everybody! I'll be super busy next week and so will be disconnecting from the blogosphere from now until about December 10th. See you all when I get back!

Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

2011-11-25T00:34:00.002-05:00

From Goodreads: New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing ... Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Set in New York City, Leanna Renee Hieber’s Darker Still is a slow-paced but seductive novel that draws the reader into a world full of magic that’s centred on beliefs about spiritualism – a subject I’m not at all familiar with but liked learning about.

Although the setting and the overall atmosphere of the book was what I loved most about Darker Still, I also liked that Hieber chose to create a unique protagonist. Since Natalie is a mute, the book is narrated through her journal entries and so allows the reader to forge a deeper connection with her. Smart and witty, I loved that Natalie refuses to be a damsel in distress and doesn’t hesitate to create her own opportunities while also appreciating all the things that she’s been given.

The relationship between Natalie and the charming Lord Denbury in Darker Still starts off deliciously tense. I kept waiting for them to just kiss already! After that first kiss though, the romance lost a tiny bit of its appeal because it progressed faster than I would have liked, especially considering that the story is set during the Victorian era. Still, it was definitely passionate.

A great beginning to what I’m sure will be an enchanting series; Darker Still was released by Sourcebooks Fire on November 8, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: I like that you can tell that Natalie is starting to go into the painting. Where is the handsome Lord Denbury though?

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks) for free via NetGalley.

2011-11-25T00:22:00.000-05:00

Since November is NaNoWriMo and some of you have been hard at work writing/typing up a potential novel, why not enter the Young Adult Novel Discovery Competition before it ends?

Serendipity Literary Agency, in collaboration with Gotham Writers' Workshop, is hosting its Third Annual Young Adult Novel Discovery Competition for a chance to win a one-on-one consultation with one of New York's leading YA literary agents!

If you've written a novel for young adults—or have an idea for one that you would like to write—we invite you to enter our contest. Simply submit only an enticing title along with the first 250 words from the opening of your original YA novel. http://bit.ly/YAContest

GREAT PRIZES
The Grand Prize Winner will have the opportunity to submit an entire manuscript to YA literary agent Regina Brooks and receive a free, 10-week writing course, courtesy of Gotham Writers' Workshop, plus a collection of gourmet teas from Possibiliteas.co.

The Top Five Entrants (including the Grand Prize winner) will receive a 15-minute, one-on-one pitch session with Regina Brooks, one of New York’s premier literary agents for young adult books. They will also receive commentary on their submissions by editors at Scholastic, Disney, Harlequin Teen, Random House, Viking, Roaring Brook Press, Sourcebooks, and Kimani Tru and receive a one-year subscription to The Writer magazine.

The First 50 Entrants will receive a copy of Writing Great Books for Young Adults by Regina Brooks.

Enter to win at http://bit.ly/YAContest

Hurry contest ends November 30, 2011!

Review: Crave by Melissa Darnell

2011-11-23T00:00:00.003-05:00

From Goodreads: Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail. For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back ... different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences ...

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Crave by Melissa Darnell begins with a really intense prologue. The actual story then shows how Savannah and her boyfriend, Tristan, got to the point in the prologue and continues it from there. The problem: getting to the actual scene in the prologue takes a really long time! I thought a lot of unnecessary mundane stuff like going to school and finding a way to sneak in a makeout session could have definitely been cut in order to let readers reach the dramatic parts of the story faster.

The characters themselves aren’t really memorable. It’s been a couple of weeks since I read Crave, and all I can remember is that Savannah and Tristan seemed like the typical paranormal YA teens – you know, they fall in love fast and don’t take too long to accept that they’re more than human. I did like Savannah’s best friend, Anne, however. She was smart, snarky, and just an overall awesome friend.

Crave was a decent start to The Clann series and the way it ended made me at least a little curious to see what’s going to happen next to Savannah and Tristan. Hopefully its sequel, Covet, will have plenty of action and be more exciting right from the beginning.

Crave was released in October 2011 by Harlequin Teen.

Comments About the Cover: I have no clue how the cover relates to the plot of the story, but the model's dress is pretty.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

Review: The Predicteds

2011-11-19T02:07:00.002-05:00

From Back Cover: The whole school is freaking out about Profile, an experimental program that can predict students' future behaviour. But the only question Daphne wants answered is whether Jesse will ask her out. He's definite boyfriend potential and Daphne is falling hard, but there's something about his past he's not telling her. When the Profile results are revealed, Daphne is devastated: Jesse is a Predicted, destined to commit an act of severe violence. She's torn between two choices: Follow her heart which tells her he's innocent. Or go with her head, which says she'd better run ... before it's too late.

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: The Predicteds by Christine Seifert raises the question of whether we are products of nature or nurture. Do we act the way we do because of our biological makeup or can we change who we’re supposed to become?

In The Predicteds, scientists have created a program called Profile which can determine whether you’re going to “commit a crime, engage in addictive behaviours and/or behave in socially problematic ways in the future.” As someone who is majoring in neuroscience, I thought the premise was interesting, particularly since it was explored in the aftermath of a school shooting.

For students who experienced something so traumatic, the kids at Quiet High appear to recover relatively quickly. When a girl is found beaten by a baseball bat though and Profile scores are released publicly by the school, – whatever happened to personal privacy? – the reaction of the town is extreme (which in a way makes sense because they’ve gone through a school shooting and a child being beaten). Predicted students are immediately segregated to a different part of the school and ostracized.

In general, the characters in The Predicteds were hard for me to relate to. Daphne for example seems smart, but hangs out with a group of people that she clearly can’t stand and that I found completely annoying. I also couldn’t really feel the connection that Daphne had with Jesse. He wants her to trust him but is constantly hanging out with/attempting to save another girl, and starts acting weird once he realizes his Profile results are going to be made public.

Unfortunately, rather than focusing on Profile, Seifert made it like a side plot. Still, The Predicteds does bring up some interesting ethical questions like: If we know that someone is going to commit a crime only based on personality, IQ and neuroscience tests, should we treat them any differently? Also, by telling someone that they’re destined to commit a crime or become addicted to something, are we not in a way giving them the go-ahead signal to do whatever it is they’re supposed to do, and indicating that they’re not capable of changing who they are? Note that the brain is malleable; and although it affects the way you experience things, your experiences also alter the brain.

I was really curious about the science behind Profile as well, but The Predicteds never really gets into it that much. If a program like Profile is ever developed in real life, I’d be very concerned about who was coming up with these arbitrary cutoff scores and who stands to gain from the program. As Seifert shows, being wealthy can enable someone to get their name off the Predicteds list.

The Predicteds was released by Sourcebooks Fire in September 2011.

Comments About the Cover: The cover didn’t really make sense to me until I figured out it was supposed to be a pixellated face. I like it more now because I think it fits really well with the premise of the story and the slogan “Your future is not your own.”

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks) for free via NetGalley.

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FYI:

Statistically, 1 person out of every 100 people is a psychopath.
Although fMRI or MRI data cannot be used as evidence in a court of law, you can detect psychopaths pretty accurately using brain imaging techniques.

Review: Wherever You Go by Heather Davis

2011-11-12T17:38:00.002-05:00

From Goodreads: Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather doesn’t help. But Holly 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, reach out to help Holly with her grandfather - but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend really falling for his girlfriend? As Holly wonders whether to open her heart to Jason, the past comes back to haunt her. Her 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 Rating: 4.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Told from the perspective of three teenagers, Heather Davis’ Wherever You Go is a novel about love, loss, hope, family and friendship. Although there is a paranormal element in that one of the leads is a ghost, the spotlight isn’t on him and so the book feels like a contemporary for the most part.

Holly Mullen, the first person narrator, is a very mature and likeable character. Faced with the task of managing the household and taking care of her little sister and grandfather because her single mom has two jobs and is rarely home, Holly accepts her responsibilities and handles them with grace rather than whining and complaining about the unfairness of life.

I actually felt like the Mullen family was real based on the way that Davis portrayed them. Too often, YA novels feature dysfunctional families; but in Wherever You Go, I sensed genuine love and a strong sense of loyalty to each other. Like any family though, the Mullens aren’t perfect. Holly, for example, gets annoyed at her mother for questioning her decisions about the way she’s running things since she’s been the one doing it all along.

Rob’s point-of-view felt a little strange because it was narrated from the second person, but this didn’t stop me from being able to relate to him. It’s easy to understand his avoidance of the memories surrounding his accident and confusion at wondering why he’s still stuck on earth. By making Rob a ghost, Davis enables him to see how his death affected those close to him and yet realize that life continues to go on. This is probably best exemplified in the romance that develops between Jason and Holly based on attempt at friendship.

Told from a third person narration, Jason’s perspective allows the reader to not only be aware of how Holly feels about him (from her narration) but also know how he feels about her. Despite the fact that both Holly and Jason are still trying to get over Rob’s death and that Holly has doubts about him (since Rob’s friends weren’t very nice to her while he was alive), Jason isn’t afraid to fight for their relationship. I thought it was really sweet that unlike a lot of guys in high school, Jason was willing to spend time with Grandpa Aldo and Lena because he understood that they were important to Holly and that she was in charge of taking care of them.

Aside from the great cast of characters and the emphasis on family, I liked that Davis chose to deal honestly with the subject of mental and neurological disorders. I cried when Grandpa Aldo showed Holly the list of things he never wants to forget because I can’t even imagine what it’s like to slowly be robbed of your most meaningful memories. Watching his condition worsen later was pretty tough too. Davis successfully demonstrates that having something like depression or Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) isn’t just hard on the person suffering from it but also on those close to them, and not seeking help can be disastrous.

A realistic novel that turned out to be much better than I was expecting, Wherever You Go will be released on November 14, 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books.

Comments About the Cover: The faded look of the cover kind of hints at memories slowly disappearing, which would make sense in terms of the plot because Grandpa Aldo has AD and Holly begins to create new memories with Jason. The title also has significance since wherever Rob goes, he’ll never truly be forgotten by his family and friends. So while it looks like Holly is thinking about him, I’d much rather have Rob – even if he’s not the main character – on the cover because he needs to go somewhere and is also being replaced in Holly’s life.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) for free via NetGalley.

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Relevant statistics:

The lifetime prevalence of depression in men is about 5-10% and about 10-20% for women.
Close to half of those who commit suicide are depressed when they do it.
The most common form of dementia, AD affects 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 and about half of those over the age of 85.

Waiting on Wednesday: Winterling and Everneath

2011-11-09T00:59:00.001-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine to feature upcoming books that we can't wait to get our hands on.

Title: Winterling

Author: Sarah Prineas
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date of Release: January 3, 2012

Goodreads Description: With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature - he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land. Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the Mor rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter. Sarah Prineas captivates in this fantasy-adventure about a girl who must find within herself the power to set right a terrible evil.

Why am I waiting? I don't normally read MG, but this one has magic and is a fantasy. Plus, I really like the cover.

Title: Everneath

Author: Brodi Ashton
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Date of Release: January 24, 2011

Goodreads Description: Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned - to her old life, her family, her friends - before being banished back to the underworld ... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back - this time as his queen. As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's ...

Why am I waiting? It seems like there might be a love triangle situation that'll develop in this one, and while I'm not usually a fan of those, the premise and the world of Everneath sound pretty interesting. Judging from the one review I've read, it also looks like there's a nice focus on character development.

Poison Diaries Competition: Win a Signed Copy of Nightshade

2011-11-08T00:57:00.001-05:00

From Goodreads: A dark, gothic tale of romance ... and murder.

Our heroine, Jessamine, has lost her faith in the men she loved, and her innocence as well. She turns to the dark side and plots to kill her father, using his own poisons, before becoming an assassin, a poisoner for hire. Can she recover from her heartache and reunite with her true love, Weed? Find out in this thrilling story where poisons, darkness and horror are a part of everyday life, and love is the only cure.

Nightshade, the second book in the Poison Diaries series, was recently released in the US and Canada by HarperCollins on October 25. To help celebrate, the Poison Diaries team is giving away one signed copy of Nightshade to a lucky winner. To enter before November 15, all you need to do is interact with them on Twitter, Facebook and the Poison Diaries website by clicking the pictures and following the instructions below.

For Twitter: Follow @poisondiaries and send a tweet to them with the words 'win a copy of Nightshade by Maryrose Wood' and 'Musings of a YA Reader.' So a sample tweet could be: @poisondiaries I want to win a signed copy of Nightshade by Maryrose Wood via Musings of a YA Reader.

For Facebook: Like the Poison Diaries Facebook fan page and post something similar to 'I want to win a signed copy of Nightshade by Maryrose Wood via Musings of a YA Reader.'

For the website: Enter the Poison Diaries website, find the plant Arum Maculstum and add it to the 'my poison diary.' Then, share it through Twitter with @poisondiaries and include the name of this blog (Musings of a YA Reader).

Review: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

2011-11-06T00:00:00.002-04:00

From Goodreads: In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before ... and her secret is almost exposed. Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

My Rating: 2 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: I rarely get excited about reading dystopian novels before they’ve garnered a lot of positive reviews, but I instantly put The Pledge on my wishlist back when I first heard about it because it was going to be written by Kimberly Derting, the author of The Body Finder series. After reading The Pledge though, it’s hard for me to believe that it’s written by the same author because the worldbuilding was weak, the characters were flat and the romance … *shakes head*

While I thought it was really interesting to segregate people based on language and it’s not hard to imagine a dystopian world being created when the use of language is governed, Derting’s eventual explanation for why Charlie has the ability to speak and understand any language is pretty sketchy and didn’t sit well with my scientific mind because babies actually have the potential to learn every single language (if they’re exposed to them all on a regular basis). The reason given by Derting for Charlie’s ability therefore isn’t based on anything rational and simply makes the book veer towards fantasy than dystopian. Moreover, this made it hard for me to realistically consider Charlie’s powers (unlike her sister Angelina’s) to be something worthwhile to have.

I also couldn’t really connect with Charlie nor did she particularly fascinate me, especially once Max entered the picture and she began obsessing about him. The romance was blatantly an insta-love situation and I saw no reason for why Max would be interested in Charlie other than because of who she is. I actually scoffed and rolled my eyes when Max told Charlie that he would have found a way to be with her even if she was a servant’s daughter because given who he is, it would have been pretty much impossible for her to catch his eye if she was just a normal girl.

In terms of the ending, The Pledge has no cliffhanger and concludes with a satisfying (but predictable) epilogue. Since the book is part of a series though, I’m wondering where Derting plans to go from here because The Pledge’s plot and the way it ends seems much more appropriate for a standalone novel.

The Pledge will be released by Margaret K. McElederry on November 15, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: Charlie is constantly trying to keep a low profile so I feel like the cover represents that well.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Galley Grab.

Trailer: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers

2011-11-04T03:00:00.006-04:00

One of my WoW picks for this week was Lynn Weingarten's The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers. Later on Wednesday then, Lynn sent me a link to the book's recently created trailer and so I figured I'd share it with everybody. Enjoy!

Title: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbeakers
Author: Lynn Weingarten
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Date of Release: December 27, 2011

Goodreads Description: When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the first day of sophomore year, Lucy has no idea how she’s going to make it through homeroom, let alone the rest of her life. Enter three stunning girls with a magical offer Lucy can’t refuse. All she has to do is get a guy to fall in love with her in the next seven days, and then ... break his heart and collect one of his brokenhearted tears. As the girls teach Lucy how to hook a guy (with the help of a little magic), she quickly discovers how far she is willing to go - and who she is willing to cross - to get what she wants.

Fans of Lauren Myracle, Jodi Lynn Anderson, and Meg Cabot will love this tale of breakups, friendship, new crushes, and magic. Told with wit and charm, The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is sure to be one of this winter’s most irresistible reads!

Waiting on Wednesday: Destined and The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers

2011-11-02T00:00:00.001-04:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine to feature upcoming books that we can't wait to get our hands on.

Title: Destined

Author: Jessie Harrell
Publisher: Mae Day Publishing
Date of Release: November 17, 2011

Goodreads Description: When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear. As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Why am I waiting? I love, love Greek mythology and this one is based on the Cupid and Psyche myth.

Title: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers

Author: Lynn Weingarten
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Date of Release: December 27, 2011

Goodreads Description: When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the first day of sophomore year, Lucy has no idea how she’s going to make it through homeroom, let alone the rest of her life. Enter three stunning girls with a magical offer Lucy can’t refuse. All she has to do is get a guy to fall in love with her in the next seven days, and then ... break his heart and collect one of his brokenhearted tears. As the girls teach Lucy how to hook a guy (with the help of a little magic), she quickly discovers how far she is willing to go - and who she is willing to cross - to get what she wants. Fans of Lauren Myracle, Jodi Lynn Anderson, and Meg Cabot will love this tale of breakups, friendship, new crushes, and magic. Told with wit and charm, The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is sure to be one of this winter’s most irresistible reads!

Why am I waiting? The premise of this one sounds so fun, and I like that rather than a guy going around and breaking hearts, this time it's a girl. Also, the summary says that this one will appeal to fans of Meg Cabot and I love Meg's writing.

Mini Reviews: If I Tell by Janet Gurtler and The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

2011-11-01T20:12:00.004-04:00

From Goodreads: Jasmine Evans knows one thing for sure ... people make mistakes. After all, she is one. Jaz is the result of a onenight stand between a black football player and a blonde princess. Having a young mother who didn't raise her, a father who wants nothing to do with her and living in a small-minded town where she's never fit in hasn't been easy. But she's been surviving. Until she sees her mom's new boyfriend making out with her own best friend. When do you forgive people for being human or give up on them forever?

My Rating: 2.5 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Janet Gurtler’s If I Tell was okay enough for me to keep reading despite the fact that pretty much every character in the book had a missing or dead parent and the author chose to explore a multitude of issues, including racism, drugs and postpartum depression. Though Gurtler managed to make it all come together somehow; in the end, I thought the book suffered because there was just too much going on.

As well, I found it really hard to connect with Jaz. I get that she’s biracial and has trouble fitting in, but she stressed it so often that I felt like I was being beaten over the head with it. Moreover, in struggling with her identity, Jaz pushes away the people that care about her, which made it even harder to like her. Oh, and let’s not forget that Jaz also lashes out at her mother (e.g. by calling her “the worst mother in the world”) which kind of negates the fact that she’s trying to protect her from a horrible secret because Jaz’s mom is still getting hurt to a certain degree.

If I Tell was released in October 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks) for free via NetGalley.

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From Goodreads: The year is 1856, and orphan Abigail Tamper lives below stairs in Greave Hall, a crumbling manor house in London. Lord Greave is plagued by madness, and with his son Samuel away fighting in the Crimea, the running of Greave Hall is left to Mrs Cotton, the tyrannical housekeeper. The only solace for the beleaguered staff is to frighten Mrs Cotton by pretending the house is haunted. So when a real ghost makes an appearance - that of her beloved mother - no one is more surprised than Abi. But the spirit has a revelation that threatens to destroy Abi’s already fragile existence: she was murdered, and by someone under their very own roof. With Samuel returned to England badly wounded, it’s up to Abi to nurse him back to health, while trying to discover the identity of the killer in their midst. As the chilling truth dawns, Abi’s world is turned upside down.

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Set in Victorian England, The Poisoned House by Michael Ford is a ghost story/murder mystery. Ford does a good job making the setting feel as realistic as possible in terms of the time period, especially considering that most of the story takes place in Greave Hall. Since Abi is a maid however, there’s a lot of description of her chores and not much action. The mundane day-to-day stuff is disrupted by the occasional appearance of Abi’s mother’s ghost who will rest only after her murderer is discovered. Though it was hard to figure out who the murderer was because there weren’t that many clues in the novel, the story ends satisfactorily with all loose ends being tied up neatly.

The Poisoned House was released by Albert Whitman & Company in August 2011.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Albert Whitman & Company) for free via NetGalley.

Review: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

2011-10-29T17:40:00.001-04:00

From Inside Jacket: Ariadne is destined to become a goddess of the moon. She leads a lonely life, filled with hours of rigorous training by stern priestesses. Her former friends no longer dare to look at her, much less speak to her. All that she has left are her mother and her beloved, misshapen brother Asterion, who must be held captive below the palace for his own safety. So when a ship arrives one spring day, bearing a tribute of slaves from Athens, Ariadne sneaks out to meet it. These newcomers don’t know the ways of Krete; perhaps they won’t be afraid of a girl who will someday be a powerful goddess. And indeed she meets Theseus, the son of the king of Athens. Ariadne finds herself drawn to the newcomer, and soon they form a friendship - one that could perhaps become something more. Yet Theseus is doomed to die as an offering to the Minotaur, that monster beneath the palace - unless he can kill the beast first. And that "monster" is Ariadne’s brother ...

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett is a re-telling of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. As a huge lover of Greek mythology and having taken Classics courses, I debated whether to read Dark of the Moon because I was a little worried about the Minotaur now becoming a boy with a childlike mind rather than the fearsome creature that’s part bull and part man from the original myth. Thankfully, Barrett’s version works and managed to pleasantly surprise me.

Dark of the Moon’s strength is in its impeccable world building. I really felt as if I had been transplanted to Crete and yet as a modern reader, the setting also retained an element of fantasy because of people’s belief in the divine realm. I’ll admit to feeling a little lost when I first started the novel, but things slowly became clearer once the Athenians arrived on Crete because you begin to see how the Athenian and Cretan religions differ (though there is some overlap). Also, I found it interesting that the Athenians held some false assumptions about Crete because they didn’t know much about the Cretans.

The story is told through the eyes of two narrators: Ariadne and Theseus. Since not much is known about Ariadne in the original myth other than that she helps Theseus kill the Minotaur and is abandoned by him on the island of Naxos where she later marries the god Dionysus, Barrett was free to do whatever she wanted with Ariadne. Thus, in Dark of the Moon, Ariadne becomes a regular girl who loves her older brother Asterion and is rather lonely because as She-Who-Will-Be-Goddess, she commands a lot of respect and fear. It’s not surprising then that Ariadne delights in the company of Prokris and Theseus (who have their own plans for her).

Whereas you see the strength in Ariadne in that once things go wrong, she’s able to make fast decisions and isn’t afraid to do the hard thing; Theseus never really came into his own. His POV starts around the time that his mother tells him that his father left something for him under a boulder (but after Ariadne has already met him), so the transition to his story was abrupt and unexpected. Nevertheless, you soon experience his uneventful journey from Troizena to Athens and then onwards to Crete.

If you’re looking for a re-telling which incorporates Theseus having all sorts of adventures and fighting monsters, you won’t find it in Dark of the Moon. Rather, Barrett uses the well-known myths about Theseus – for example, he also encounters the Crommyonian sow and Procrustes in the book – to show how myths and legends develop and gain a life of their own.

A thoughtful, original and convincing re-telling, Dark of the Moon was released in September 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books.

Comments About the Cover: It’s really hard to make out the shape of the Minotaur on the glossy cover. So, people might not realize that Dark of the Moon is based on the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Thomas Allen & Son) for free.

Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

2011-10-23T01:29:00.002-04:00

From Goodreads: Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot ... what if Jeremy is better? Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her - and riles her up - like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected. Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall ....

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Jessica Martinez’s Virtuosity draws the reader into the world of classical music and one girl’s attempt to rediscover her passion for it. As someone who doesn’t know much about music and has absolutely no musical talent whatsoever, I tend to shy away from YA contemporaries dealing with the subject since I don’t know whether I’ll be interested. Fortunately, Martinez managed to captivate me with her plot and characters.

I found Carmen to be appealing and very relatable. Despite having a Grammy and being a successful musician, she has horrible stage fright and is so anxious about performing that she’s become addicted psychologically to Inderal. Now with the Guarneri coming up, she can’t help but obsess over it and her competition.

With her world completely revolving around music, it’s not surprising that Carmen does whatever her (horrid) mother Diana tells her. Rather than being a supportive mom, Diana is a control freak who keeps Carmen on a short leash and lives vicariously through her daughter since her own singing career was cut short. It’s only when Carmen meets Jeremy and the two spend time together that you start to see Carmen questioning her life and becoming more assertive.

Is it wrong that I loved the character of Jeremy – what’s not to like about a hot, confident and snarky guy with a British accent – even while I kept waiting for him to break Carmen’s heart and thus prove Diana right? The romance was a little too fast for me to consider that Carmen and Jeremy were in love – I’m very cynical if you haven’t figured this out by now – but I can believe that they really liked each other because as famous musicians, they understood each other’s life unlike the average person.

My favourite aspect of the book though was the climax and the prelude to it. Martinez managed to totally surprise me with how the Guarneri played out and the decision that Carmen chose. I love and admire Carmen for staying strong and doing something that a lot of people probably wouldn’t do in her situation.

With a fantastic debut like Virtuosity, I can’t wait to see what Martinez comes up with next!

Virtuosity was released by Simon Pulse on October 18, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: I like that it looks like the girl is trying to break free; and since I always think pink and black look good together, it’s not a surprise that I also like the colour combination.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Galley Grab.

Author Interview: Katrina Kittle

2011-10-18T00:00:00.015-04:00

Today, I'd like to welcome Katrina Kittle, the author of Reasons to Be Happy to my blog.

A bit about Katrina (as found on her website): Katrina was born in Illinois but has lived in the Dayton area since first grade, (except for her Year as a Gypsy). She attended Ohio University and was Outstanding Graduating Senior for both the English and Education departments. She taught high school English and theatre at Centerville High School for five years, and she taught middle school English and theatre at the Miami Valley School for six. She has also worked as a house cleaner, a veterinary assistant, a children’s theatre director, a costumer, and as case management support for the AIDS Resource Center (formerly AIDS Foundation Miami Valley). When not writing, Katrina enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling, acting, and time spent in the presence of animals (especially horses and a particular goat named Humphrey).

One of the things I love finding out about is the story behind the story. What inspired you to write Reasons to Be Happy?

As a middle school teacher of several years, I grew so disheartened by a particular phenomenon I saw unfold over and over again: bright, bold, curious girls - strong and confident in their abilities - would hit the wall of self-doubt in sixth or seventh grade. They’d lose all sense of their own unique identity, stop taking any risks, and retreat into approval-seeking behaviors that made them all seem like watered-down clones of each other. Because I taught where the high school was on the same campus, I’d get to see my former students as they grew up and evolved, so I knew that mid-high school, most girls came through this on the other side, regaining their “personhood” and courage. But why did they have to go through it at all? Why were a few exceptional girls strong enough to withstand this challenge while others (who seemed equally exceptional) were not? And why was body image still such a huge part of this identity crisis? Instead of improving the situation with our awareness and understanding of body image and eating disorders, body image issues seem more pervasive than ever before - 40% of 9-year-olds have already dieted!
All of my novels begin with social issue that I’m passionate about, and one day I realized this concern and obsession I had with “keeping girls brave and confident” was my new story. I began to seek the cast of characters who could inhabit this story, and Hannah Anne Carlisle came into existence.

How much research did you do so that Hannah's experience with bulimia is depicted accurately?

     I'd studied classical ballet very seriously when I was younger, so I'd seen firsthand some varying levels of eating disorders. Then, when I was teaching middle school and high school, I had the experience of working with therapists and parents when my students fell into such behavior as well. I've long been fascinated with all kinds of addiction, and, really, an eating disorder is a kind of addiction. Like all addictions, the only way to stop it is to truly examine and explore why it began and what the person is getting from it. Until you recognize the source, or the need it fills, treatment will be very ineffective. It's necessary to find something else to fill that same need … but that's not possible until you know what it is. Eating disorders are just that: disorders. It's very complicated psychology. So, while I say I'm fascinated with addictions, I think I'm mostly fascinated by stories of human resilience. I think all my books share that theme. I'm interested in stories about the way people have been broken, but then become stronger at those broken places. I was inspired to capture the resilience of students I'd seen come through an eating disorder on the other side (which can take years and years), and possibly stop further girls from having to go through that horror at all.

Although you have published books for adults, Reasons to Be Happy is the first novel you've written for tweens. How was your writing process for this book similar to and different from writing for adults?
     I've written four novels for adults, but Reasons to Be Happy is my very first venture into writing for a younger audience. I tried not to change my approach or process too much. All of my stories have begun with a social issue I care deeply about (and because I'm such a sucker for comeback stories, second chance stories, and phoenix stories, those issues tend to be tough ones). I've written about AIDS, addiction, divorce, child abuse, and now, with Reasons, body image and eating disorders. Although the issue is always my seed for a story, I then work to create a cast who would populate a story about that issue, because a novel must be a story above all else - it can't just be a public service announcement! This felt even more crucial for a tween audience than for my adult audiences. No one wants to be lectured, after all, and because I was a middle school teacher for several years, I know that middle schoolers in particular have a built-in resistance to stories “with a lesson” for them. If you're patronizing them, they can smell it a mile away.
     It's more satisfying for the reader if any discoveries and revelations come through the character, not from me. I hoped readers, young women especially, would identify with Hannah's doubts, fears and struggles, and maybe think about Hannah's mistakes (and then, a writer's dream - to apply that knowledge to their own lives). My goal is always to invite the reader to think about the issue, but not necessarily tell them what to think about the issue. One of the greatest joys, for readers of any age, is to have something to discuss at the end of a book. Discussion isn't possible if everything is too black-and-white with no room interpretations and perspectives.
     In early drafts, I made the mistake of “watering down” and playing it too safe. A wonderful editor encouraged me to “forget your audience.” That sounds crazy, right? But she said, “I picture you picturing this room full of middle school girls. Forget them. Just write the novel you'd always write. The only difference is that all the protagonists happen to be in middle school.” This advice really spoke to me and allowed me stop trying to “filter” for the tween audience. Those attempts to filter will always show and will inevitably be insulting.
     Don't get me wrong. Of course there is a difference in presenting tough subject matter for a tween audience and an adult audience. But for me the key was my protagonist. Especially since Hannah tells the story in first-person, the only “filter” I needed was her. She tells the story with her perspective and understanding of events, not mine. That became important in revision: I would comb through looking for lines or passages that were colored by my own, more experienced viewpoint. When I found them, they had to go. Hannah could only know what she would know as an eighth grader with her own life experience so far.
    The overall hope for any story, though, is the same no matter what age you're writing for. Above all else, I sincerely hope readers are entertained by the journey. Another quote I love (I heard it in a writing lecture once, but have no idea who to attribute it to!): “A novel is not a message clamped to a passenger pigeon's leg. It should be the experience of watching that pigeon fly from A to B.”

With hobbies like traveling and acting, you seem to have a very busy life. How do you balance writing with all the other things you do?
     I keep a very disciplined writing schedule. I taught for many years, so I keep the “school day” schedule as my writing day - at the desk working by 7:45 AM and sticking to it until 4:00 PM. I can't write new material all day - my brain just doesn't work that way - but I usually give the work in progress the first, best morning hours. After lunch, there's research, editing, correspondence, marketing, etc. I allow myself a certain number of “personal” and “vacation” days a year, just like any other job, and I really hold myself accountable. I even keep a “time card” to track my time on email and Facebook! (I know myself too well).
Wow, there’s no way I could ever be so disciplined!

In Reasons to Be Happy, Hannah keeps a notebook of all the things that make her happy. What are five things that make you happy?
It's so hard to pick just 5! :-)

My amazing tribe of family and friends
My very odd, very dysfunctional, very sweet cat named Joey
Books
Movies (I love stories, in any form! And I have a special spot in my heart for zombie apocalypse stories)
Dark chocolate

Feeling the pressure to be perfect and dealing with a lot of changes, Hannah copes by trying to control her weight. What advice do you have for young girls who think that being thinner or controlling how much they eat will make them feel better about themselves or solve some of their problems?

I think it's important to encourage young girls to focus more on how they feel than on how they look (I know, I know, easier said than done). Just as Aunt Izzy encourages Hannah to “divert” the binges with something else Hannah loves - like running - young women can be encouraged to focus on activities that make them feel strong and empowered (and in control) in other ways. I also love Aunt Izzy's advice that “when you eat, just eat. Don't do anything else.” Really focus on the food and your eating, instead of zoning out with television or a book. Savor your food. Honor your appetites by giving them full attention.

A big thanks to Katrina for taking the time to give such detailed answers to my questions!

Katrina can be found on: [her website] [her blog] [Twitter] [Facebook] [Goodreads]
Reasons to Be Happy can be bought from: [Amazon] [Barnes and Noble] [The Book Depository]

Review: Reasons to Be Happy by Katrina Kittle

2011-10-16T21:23:00.003-04:00

From Goodreads: Hannah's parents are glamorous Hollywood royalty, and sometimes she feels like the ugly duckling in a family of swans. After her mother's tragic death, Hannah's grief is compounded by her desperate need to live up to her mother's image. She tries to control her weight through bulimia, and her devastated father is too distracted to notice. The secret of her eating disorder weighs heavily on Hannah, but the new eighth grade Beverly Hills clique she's befriended only reinforces her desire to be beautiful. The only one who seems to notice, or care, that something is wrong is Jasper, the quirky misfit.

My Rating: 4 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Katrina Kittle’s Reasons to Be Happy is a book that explores the overarching theme of beauty. Juxtaposing Hannah’s North American life with the time she spends in Ghana, Kittle allows Hannah to realize that inner beauty and learning to accept oneself are much more important than outer beauty; and in the process, enables Hannah to see the little joys in life once again.

Hannah is a girl that anyone can relate to, especially tweens – the intended target of Reasons to Be Happy. Feeling like you don’t belong, wanting to be prettier and trying to please your parents are all things most people experience growing up, and Reasons to Be Happy definitely made me remember those times. To make herself better and regain some control over her life, Hannah however resorts to binging and purging.

Kittle’s portrayal of eating disorders is very realistic and her vivid description of Hannah gorging on food – frequently stolen – and then trying to vomit it up sometimes made me nauseous. It’s often harder for people to notice bulimia because unlike anorexics, bulimics usually tend to be normal in weight or be overweight. Thus, nobody notices that Hannah seems to have a problem even as she desperately wants somebody to help stop her.

A novel that will resonate with readers and leave them thinking about their own reasons to be happy, Reasons to Be Happy was released by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky on October 1, 2011.

Comments About the Cover: The cover doesn’t really show that the book is about bulimia, and it’s kind of got a cheerful vibe as opposed to the book which has a more serious tone.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Sourcebooks) for free.

Review: Without Tess by Marcella Pixley

2011-10-12T00:24:00.001-04:00

From Goodreads: Tess and Lizzie are sisters, sisters as close as can be, who share a secret world filled with selkies, flying horses, and a girl who can transform into a wolf in the middle of the night. But when Lizzie is ready to grow up, Tess clings to their fantasies. As Tess sinks deeper and deeper into her delusions, she decides that she can’t live in the real world any longer and leaves Lizzie and her family forever. Now, years later, Lizzie is in high school and struggling to understand what happened to her sister. With the help of a school psychologist and Tess’s battered journal, Lizzie searches for a way to finally let Tess go.

My Rating: 3 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: Without Tess by Marcella Pixley is a book that explores the bond between sisters while attempting to determine the line between child play and mental disorder. For psychologists and psychiatrists, diagnosing a mental disorder like childhood psychosis can be really tough because children tend to naturally be imaginative.

Although the reader doesn’t know the circumstances around her death, it’s established right from the start that Tess is dead and has been for a while. Thus, other than the insight provided by Tess’ Pegasus Journal full of creepy sketches and poems, the reader can never see things from her perspective. Instead, you see and learn about Tess through her sister Lizzie’s memories.

The young Tess appears to be fine, if not a little too creative. However, as the girls get older, Tess begins to get stranger. For example, Tess claims to be a selkie when she’s at the beach with Lizzie and refuses to believe otherwise. Insistent on proving that she’s right, – and not an ordinary human like Lizzie – the two girls lie still on the cold water and let it wash over them. As the tide gets higher and the waves get bigger, Lizzie soon freaks out (unlike Tess) and ends up bashing her head on a rock, not the first time she suffers because of Tess’ wild imagination.

When a new family eventually moves in and the sisters begin to drift apart due to Lizzie’s friendship with Isabella, a jealous Tess tells Lizzie on the night of a full moon that she might turn into a wolf and murder Isabella. Scary and confusing, Pixley makes it completely clear that Tess needs help. As an aside, I also began to question Lizzie’s sanity during this part of the story – did she delude herself into thinking that Tess had changed into a wolf or was she aware that Tess was a girl?

Since Tess was so interesting and there was such a strong focus on her, I thought the character of Lizzie kind of fell by the wayside. It’s obvious that Lizzie idolized her older sister before starting to resent the attention Tess tended to receive from others, but other than that I felt like I barely knew her. In particular, I felt really closed off from Lizzie in the present because she refuses to interact with others (since she feels guilty about her sister’s death).

When Lizzie finally does begin to open herself up to someone other than her therapist, I couldn’t buy it. Having seen Niccolo interact with both Tess and Lizzie from Lizzie’s childhood memories, knowing that he was better friends with Tess, and the fact that Lizzie doesn’t hang out with anybody, the attraction between him and Lizzie just felt forced. Their spontaneous makeout session was totally unexpected and to me, it seemed like Niccolo was transferring his possible childhood feelings for Tess (after having read her Pegasus Journal) onto Lizzie.

A book that’s probably best suited for those interested in psychological issues and who don’t mind a slow-paced, character-driven novel, Without Tess was released yesterday by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Comments About the Cover: Since grief plays an important part of the storyline in Without Tess, I think it’s appropriate that the cover show a funeral lily and feature the first two lines in the book: “I know I never said goodbye; I couldn’t bear to see you cry.”

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Margaret Ferguson Books) for free via NetGalley.

Review: The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees

2011-10-04T16:13:00.001-04:00

From Goodreads: I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it - even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part. I didn't get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren't any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I'd cast the next best - a Fame spell. Good idea, right? Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William's younger brother. Good thing he's sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play...and - ahem - maybe a little bit hot. But he's from the past. Way past. Cars amaze him - cars! And cell phones? Ugh. Still, there's something about him that's making my eyes go star-crossed ....

My Rating: 2 hearts

Thoughts on the Novel: The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees was a quick and easy read, two reasons why I continued reading rather than abandoning it.

First off, I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, and with the exception of Drew (whose possible explanation about how Edmund time traveled was way too hard for my brain to grasp), nor did I like any of them. I thought they were too trusting, too forgiving … well, you get the idea. Here are two examples to illustrate my point:

Miranda’s mother doesn’t even blink an eye after being told by her daughter that there’s a guy sleeping in their guest bedroom, and she continues to let Edmund stay with them even after learning Miranda likes him. Sure, nothing happened, but why put the temptation there?
Though Mr. Hoberman left to “develop as an individual” and didn’t pay child support while he was gone, Miranda and her mother still welcome him back with open arms once he decides that he’s ready to come home. WTH? Where did all the grovelling go?

Also, besides the fact that Miranda and her friends didn’t really talk like the teens I know, I found it really confusing as to why they often lapsed into Edmund’s way of talking. Shouldn’t Edmund be the one trying to assimilate instead?

Another thing that bugged me was the romance. I kept waiting for Miranda to figure out that Drew liked her, but instead she fell for Edmund. I knew the two of them were “destined” to be together the minute Miranda got the tingles from holding Edmund’s hand. (Ironically, it also just happened to be the day she summoned him). Yep, Miranda got the tingles the first day she met Edmund and wanted to be his Juliet by the next. *groan*

It’s not all bad though. Edmund’s reactions to modern things is pretty funny, and I liked that when Shakespeare is brought into the present, it changes the present. As well, I thought the ending was fitting even if it felt very rushed.

The Juliet Spell was released in September 2011 by Harlequin Teen.

Comments About the Cover: I think it’s cute. The black and white gives the cover a vintage feel whereas the splash of fuschia allows the title and sneakers to stand out and emphasize that the setting is modern.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) for free via NetGalley.

Guest Posting at The Unread Reader

2011-09-29T14:20:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note: I've been invited to guest post today for Missie's When I'm Not Reading feature. So head on over to The Unread Reader and check out what I do when I'm not reading.