Being Friends with Boys

Being Friends with Boys

Author: Terra Elan McVoy
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Pages: 368
Source: Finished copy received for blog tour


About the Book: Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl's perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys' band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free...until it isn't any more.

When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl...and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char...being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.

My Thoughts: As soon as I heard the title of this book I knew I wanted to know more. All through high school and college some of my closest friends were guys. I love a story that has close friendships between guys and girls that are not romantic. I mean, I love me the romantic ones too, but it's refreshing to have platonic friendships as well.


However, the "friends with boys" aspect of this book didn't end up being my favorite part (That doesn't mean I didn't like it! I loved it!) What I really enjoyed most was watching Charlotte gain some confidence and come in to her own. In the beginning of the book she is pretty dependent on her friends and family. It seems she is kind of in the background. As the story progresses she really starts to figure out what she wants and that it's okay to be who you are and not "play second fiddle" to everyone else. I liked her a lot better at the end!


I also really liked the music in the book. I have absolutely no musical ability. None. Less than zero. So, I always like reading about people who are musical. Having a book centered around a group of teens who have formed a band is perfect for me! There is the music, of course, but there is also drama and romance and it's all just so perfect! 


Being Friends with Boys was a fun contemporary read that really hit the spot!

Dreamless

Dreamless

Author: Josephine Angelini
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: May 29, 2012
Pages: 487
Series: Starcrossed, book two
Source: ARC from a friend
Buy it from Anderson's Bookshop (I don't get anything for this. I just really like them!)


About the Book: Can true love be forgotten?

As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out--a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini's compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling "Starcrossed" delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds all expectations.

My Thoughts: Oh man. Oh. Man. This book. I just.... oh man. I love, love, love retellings or continuations of myths in a modern day setting. Josie Angelini's Starcrossed series is one of my very favorites. I am just so captivated by the world she has created for her scions. The whole idea of the Houses and the blood debts and the reincarnations of figures from ancient Greek stories. It just all works together to create a book that I could not put down. 


In Dreamless Helen is forced to live through horrendous ordeals night after night as she descends to Hades. These nightly journeys were so vivid I found myself shuddering when reading them. Let's just say that I hope I never find myself hanging by my fingertips from a brick ledge. Spoiler alert: I'd be dead.


Fans of Greek mythology who are looking for a new and engaging spin cannot miss the Starcrossed series! Dreamless is a solid follow up that gave me just enough information to be satisfied but still has me begging for more!

Team Human

Team Human

Authors: Sarah Rees Brennan and Justine Larbalestier
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: July 3, 2012
Pages: 344
Series: Team Human, book one
Source: ARC from a friend
Buy it from Anderson's Bookshop
(I don't get anything from this. I just really like them!)


About the Book: Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn't mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally. They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity

On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching.

Acclaimed authors Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan team up to create a witty and poignant story of cool vampires, warm friendships, and the changes that test the bonds of love.

My Thoughts: It didn't take me long to realize that I was going to love this book. In fact, I had my first inkling before I even started chapter one. I mean, there were chapter titles!!! I love chapter titles!! And the title of chapter one? "Two Girls and a Hazmat Suit." (read it here!) Clearly this book was made for me. This didn't come as much of a surprise considering it was written by Sarah Rees Brennan (one of my all time favorites!) and Justine Larbalestier (also pretty awesome.) These ladies had me laughing so much! Basically the entirety of my notes consists of phrases and one-liners that had me giggling in the beginning of the book. Then I got too engrossed in the story and stopped taking any notes. It was just so much fun! 


I liked the idea that vampires were a fact of life in New Whitby but they stayed in their part of town and humans stayed in their part.They live together but not really. Of course there are exceptions. For example, humans work as "vampire psychologists" helping vampires adjust to their lives and changes in their world. How clever is that?!? One of my favorite parts? There is a human boy who has been raised by vampires. I can't go in to too much detail but I loved this addition and all the issues it creates! 


Mel was a great character. She knows who she is, what she believes, and what is best for herself and those around her... or at least she thinks she does. I enjoyed her as a narrator. She is funny and loyal and imperfect in all the best ways. 


This book is made of the kind of awesome that can only be achieved when you don't take yourself too seriously and you just plain have fun! Sarah Rees Brennan and Justine Larbalestier were the perfect authors to do this. I am eagerly awaiting the companion novel!

The Immortal Rules

The Immortal Rules

Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
Pages: 485
Series: Blood of Eden, book one
Source: ARC received from publisher
Buy this book from Anderson's Bookshop (I don't get anything from the purchase. I just like them a whole lot!)


About the Book: "In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity." Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for. (goodreads)

My Thoughts: Hallelujah. A fresh and intriguing take on vampiers! Thank you Julie Kagawa! I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, this is the woman who took what is fatal to faeries and used it to create a whole new type of fey. Obviously she isn't just going to regurgitate the same old vampire stories we've heard before. 


I have to admit. I was a bit daunted by the size of The Immortal Rules. It's nearly 500 pages long! However, once I started reading it seemed to just fly by. I think it helps that the book is broken up in to four sections. These sections don't break up the flow of the story but rather give each section more of a focus. It worked really well.


I was really interested in the world of The Immortal Rules. I wanted to know more about how vampires got control and how the different divisions of vampires and remaining humans worked. Basically I just wanted to know everything I could about this new and fascinating world Julie Kagawa introduced me to!


If you're looking for a vampire story that stands out from the rest I highly suggest giving this one a try! It's one series I'll be keeping up with!


Giveaway:
Thanks to Harlequin Teen I have on finished copy of The Immortal Rules to give away! Simply enter using the rafflecopter widget. US and Canada only. Must be 13 or older to win.
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Bookish Vacations

My co-worker Becky and I have sort of started to do this thing. Every other summer we've decided to go somewhere bookish. She is an eighth grade literature and language teacher (Well, was I guess. She retired this year. But for real. Once a teacher, always a teacher!) Her love of books and authors rivals my own. Our first trip was two summers ago. We traveld to Prince Edward Island to do all things Anne of Green Gables and L.M. Montgomery related. It was so much fun! This year we're staying a little closer to home since we plan to go out east to visit places related to Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, and anyone else we can think of on our next trip. But back to this trip... we are leaving today to do a mini road trip through.... Indiana! So exciting, right ;) But seriously. It's going to be great. I thought I'd share some of our trip agenda with you guys :)

First things first... what's a road trip without snacks and entertainment?!?!

We'll be listening to the audiobook of The Hobbit since we're visiting the desk it was written and illustrated on. Also, we both need a re-read before the movie is released!

Planned Stops:

Illinois:

Marion E. Wade Center Museum - This building is part of Wheaton College. Among other artifacts, it contains the wardrobe from C.S. Lewis' childhood and the desk that J.R.R. Tolkien used to write and illustrate The Hobbit.

Indiana:

James Whitcomb Riley Home - James Whitcomb Riley was a contemporary of Mark Twain. He was a poet and orator. There are a couple different houses/museums we're going to tour.

Sites mentioned in The Fault in our Stars by John Green - Duh. You know I'm a total John Green fangirl. Obviously I have to stop by the ruins at Holliday Park and Funky Bones!

The Limberlost - And now we come to the real reason Becky and I picked Indiana. We are huge Gene Stratton-Porter fans. We both fell in love with the Limberlost while reading books like Freckles and A Girl of the Limberlost. I've always wanted to visit her cabin and see the work being done to restore the swamplands. I'm pretty freaking excited to finally be going!

I'm sure we'll have some free time so if you have any ideas of fun/interesting things to do around Indianapolis and/or Fort Wayne let me know in the comments! Also, have you ever gone on any bookish adventures? Becky and I need some more ideas!

In My Mailbox (63)

In My Mailbox

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.

So, pretty much iMovie and youtube have conspired together and they hate me. I cannot get last week's video to upload no matter what I do and this week's video keeps importing without sound. I got a number of really awesome books so I'm just going to list them and be done with it!

Fierce Reads Tour:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

On loan from Erica:

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

False Memory by Dan Krokos

Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

The Darkest Mind by Alexandra Bracken

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Thank you Simon Pulse:

Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy

Thank you Macmillan:

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Crewel by Gennifer Albin
Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier
Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin
The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski

Reunited Tour: Author This or That

 

And I'm back with another post for the Reunited blog tour! You can check out my review here. Today I have a "This or That"  post with author Hilary Weisman Graham. 
Here's a bit about Hilary:

Hilary Weisman Graham is an award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and novelist.  She lives in rural New Hampshire with her husband and son, roughly thirty minutes away from the nearest grocery store. 

Hilary's Links: 

Website

Blog

Facebook

Goodreads

Twitter

Book trailer

Level3’s website

Author This or That with Hilary Weisman Graham:

Turtle or Hare:  Hare! 

Chaos or Order:  Order.  But lots of chaos to create the order. ;)

The Beatles or The Rolling Stones:  Beatles

Driver or Navigator: Driver (even from the back seat)

Trick or Treat: Treat

Half empty or Half full:  Half full

Original or Remake:  ORIGINAL!

Pancakes or Waffles:  Waffles (preferably from my waffle maker and always with real maple syrup)

Coke or Pepsi: Coke

Abridged or Unabridged: Unabridged

Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla

Villan or Superhero: Superhero

Talk or Listen: TALK!!!

Early to Rise or Late Sleeper: Early to Rise

Sun or Moon:  Sun

Mountain or Valley: Mountain

Lake or Swimming Pool: Lake


I have to agree with a number of these... especially Coke :) Clearly that was the only correct way to answer that question!


Check out the rest of the tour stops here!

1 Concert.  2,000 Miles.  3 Ex-Best Friends. Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are ex-best friends.  Back in middle school, the three girls were inseparable. They were also the number one fans of the rock band Level3.  But when the band broke up, so did their friendship.  Summer ran with the popular crowd, Tiernan was a rebellious wild-child, and Alice spent high school with her nose buried in books.  Now, just as the girls are about to graduate, Level3 announces a one-time-only reunion show.  Even though the concert’s 2000 miles away, Alice buys three tickets on impulse.  And as it turns out, Summer and Tiernan have their own reasons for wanting to get out of town.  But on the long drive cross-country, the girls hit more than a few bumps in the road. Will their friendship get an encore or is the show really over?

Simon and Schuester graciously provided an ARC for me to giveaway to one lucky reader. If you're looking for a great summer read you cannot go wrong with Reunited! US only. Must be 13 years or older to enter. 

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Audiobooks: Best. Things. EVER

I think I've mentioned a time or two that I adore audiobooks. I listen to them on the drive to work (or really anywhere else I'm driving.) A co-worker and I are taking a road trip next week so of course I've already planned our listening entertainment (The Hobbit for those interested!) I really just love the way an audiobook can bring a story to life for me.  I know they're not for everyone but I HIGHLY SUGGEST that you give them a try if you never have before. 


My friend Anna from Anna Reads just posted today about her newfound love of audiobooks. She asked for recommendations and as I began to leave a novel in her comments I decided to just write up a post highlighting some of my favorites. April from Good Books and Good Wine is a great source of audiobook recommendations as well. She is way more well read (and well.... listened?!?) than I am!

The True Meaning os Smekday by Adam rex. Read by Bahni Turpin. My review. 

I'm not gonna lie. The summary for this book didn't have me sold. The audiobook won the Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production in 2011 so I decided to pick it up. It. was. amazing. Like, so incredibly good. One of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to, hands down. You should totally listen to it before Dreamworks releases the movie in 2014!

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Read by Nick Podehl. My Review. 

This was a book I kept meaning to read but never got around to. Some friends were raving about the audio so I looked in to it. Once I saw that it was read by Nick Podehl (my very favorite audiobook narrator) I was sold. The story and the audio production are incredible. I was drawn to the story and did not want to stop listening. Book two, The Ask and The Answer was just as well done (Angela Dawes joins in for the narration.) I've been too emotional about the books to finish the series but when I do it will certainly be by listening! It's read by Nick Podehl, Angela Dawes and MacLeod Andrews... three awesome narrators!

Chime by Franny Billingsley. Read by Susan Duerden. My Review. 

As I said in my review, this book was made to be read aloud. It is so beautiful and lyrical. When I tried to read the book I couldn't get in to the rhythm but the audiobook had me right away. Seriously. It was incredible. Susan Deurden is a fabulous narrator. She really captured the story. I listened to this one months ago but bits of it still run through my head. 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. Read by Nick Podehl amd MacLeod Andrews. My review. 

(Not a review of the audio. Also, one of the first reviews I wrote so keep that in mind!)This one was an Odyssey honor the year The True Meaning of Smekday won. It's a book by two of my favorite authors read by two of my favorite narrators. Basically, it was made for me! The audio made me love the book even more! I don't recommend listening at work or around little ones as there are lots of F bombs :)

White Cat by Holly Black. Read by Jesse Eisenberg. Apparently I never reviewed this one. I fail. It's stellar. 

 I am a total Holly Black fangirl. The Curse Workers series is one of my all time favorites. The world building and storyline are both just incredible. And the audiobook? Read by Jesse Eisenberg. So. Good. All three audiobooks are super well done and you really just need to read these or listen to them ASAP.

The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan. Read by Tara Sands. My Review. 

This is book two in a triology but the only one I listened to on audio. It's my favorite of the three and I still can't decide if it's because I like the story best or because I was so in love with the narration. Either way, these are the only zombie books I've ever made it through! Carrie Ryan is pretty much amazing. 

The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan. Read by James Langton. Another one I didn't review. You can see my photo review of book one though :) It's embarrassing. 

Sarah Rees Brennan is one of my all time favorite authors. I've read all of her books and every short story I can get my hands on. This is another situation where I read books one and three but listened to book two. 

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. Read by Lynde Houck. My Review.  

I had to pull off the road while listening to this one because I was sobbing so hard. It's an incredible book. Listening to it made it even more personal. I really can't even express to you how much it touched me. It's one of those books that I want everyone to read. A.S. King is real and honest and just amazing. 

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima. Read by Carol Monda. My Review. 

Yeah. Pretty much the best thing ever. Lovers of high fantasy need to read this series. Cinda Williams Chima is a master storyteller. This audiobook was fantastic and really set the stage for the series. I like listening to fantasy on audio because then I know how to pronounce the names :)

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. Read by Jennifer Ehle. My Review.  

Did you see who read this one? Lizzie Bennet from the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice!?!?! Total win. I just adore this series by Cassandra Clare. I love the steampunk elements, the place, the time period... all of it. The audiobook was the perfect way to experience it! 

Others audiobooks that I've enjoyed:
Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury. Read by Elissa Steele. 
Heist  Society and Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter. Read by Angela Dawe.
A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Copper. Read by Emma Bering.
The Ranger's Apprentice books by John Flanagan. Read by John Keating.
The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge. Read by Katie MacNichol.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Read by Rebecca Soler.
Mastiff by Tamora Pierce. Read by Susan Denaker.
Legend by Marie Lu. Read by Mariel Stern and Steven Kaplan
Changeling by Phillipa Gregory. Read by Charlie Cox (AKA the guy who plays Tristan in Stardust!!!!!!!!!!)
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. Read by Alan Cummings.


For those of you wanting to give audiobooks a try but don't want to spend the money or wait on library hold lines I suggest checking out Sync. They give away two free YA audiobooks a week during the summer. One is a newer title and the other is a classic. I cannot wait until Daughter of Smoke and Bone goes up as I've heard great things about the audio version. That book was one of my very favorites last year :) I also really want to listen to Beauty Queens by Libba Bray and Fire by Kristen Cashore!


So what about you? Which audiobooks have you loved? Where do you listen to them? Which are you dying to listen to?

Such a Rush

Such a Rush

Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: MTV Books
Publication Date: July 10, 2012
Pages: 320
Source: requested ARC from publisher


About the Book: A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.     

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business — until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers — and the consequences could be deadly.

My Thoughts: I tried to wait until closer to the release date to talk about this book but my love could not be contained. Seriously. I just could not wait to tell you how much I adored Such a Rush. It had me swooning like no other. Basically I just wanted to sing this song over and over (Okay, I did sing it.... but only where no one could hear me!)

I am not ashamed to admit that I have a never ending song of love for Such a Rush. As soon as I finished it I just felt so content and wonderful. I was already anticipating re-reading it and experiencing it all over again. I mean, any book that introduces me to a boy in aviators and a straw cowboy hat within the first three pages has me sold! 

Jennifer Echols did a fabulous job of setting the stage. I mean this both in regards to the physical setting (even if I didn't know what a washateria was!) and the relationships between the characters. I was drawn in by each and every one. I wanted to know more and more and more about them and really cared what happened to them. It's a rare book that has me this interested in so many different characters. 

Such a Rush is a swoon worthy romance that touches on many themes. Among them are family, friendships, love, expectations, redemption and the dangers of judging people without knowing them. Even with all these themes it doesn't feel like an "issue book." The story and the characters are what stuck with me long after closing the covers. They are the reason I'm singing my never ending song of love to Such a Rush. 

I have never been disappointed by a Jennifer Echols book. Whether it's her romantic comedies or romantic dramas she consistently writes book I know will capture me. If I'm ever in a reading slump I know I can pick up any of her books and I'll be sucked in to the story and the characters' lives. I highly recommend her, especially for summer reading!

The False Princess

The False Princess

Author: Eilis O'Neal
Publisher: Egmont USA
Publication Date: January 25, 2011
Pages: 319
Source: Purchased and checked out audiobook from my LMC
Audiobook Publisher: Listening Library
Audiobook Reader: Mandy Williams


About the Book: Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court.  But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection.  Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks.  But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

My Thoughts: I have to admit... this book was a bit of a slow start for me. I just really could not get behind Sinda as a character. However, as the story progressed I grew to like her more and became more invested in her story. I think the main thing holding me back was the pacing. I loved the idea of a princess who finds out she isn't actually a princess but then finds out she has magic! In my opinion that is a totally awesome exchange. I would so rather have magic! It just took a bit long to get there in the story. Once Sinda figured out she could have some control over her future and didn't need to just sit back and let life happen to her the book really picked up. The mystery, action, and romance I was promised finally showed up!


The audiobook was very well done. Mandy Williams was a great choice as a reader for the story. Her pacing and expression really made the story work for me. Even before I was invested in the story I was enjoying the audio.


The False Princess is a great read for fans of fantasy with romance and adventure. I will certainly be recommending it to my middle school students next year! 

Being Friends With Boys Blog Tour

Welcome to the second stop on the blog tour for for Terra Elan McVoy's Being Friends with Boys! We'll continue with the top ten differences between being friends with boys and being friends with girls in a moment. First, lets look at a bit more about the book:

Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl's perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys' band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free...until it isn't any more.
When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl...and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char...being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated. 

Check it out on Goodreads

Stop by Terra's Website

Follow Terra on Twitter

Order the book from Anderson's Bookshop

Check out all the tour stops

Lit Logistics

And now another way being friends with boys is different than being friends with girls from Terra...

Differences Between Being Friends With Boys, and Being Friends with Girls

Ever since my novel, Being Friends With Boys was released, I’ve been asked a lot about friendships between guys and girls. Is it possible, for one thing (duh, yes), and how is being friends with boys different than being friends with girls. I happen to be very lucky to have had friendships with both guys and girls all through middle- and high school, and continue to have fantastic friendships with men (and women) to this day. Though I think the value and intensity of guy/girl friendships and girl/girl friendships are definitely equal, there certainly are some differences. Follow my blog tour to read a few of my thoughts on how being friends with boys isn’t quite the same as being friends with girls!

2. Conversation topics are different. Of course I talk to my guy friends about how things are with them (their relationships, family, what’s going on with their friends, etc.) but the amount of time we spend covering these topics versus, say, a new superhero movie, or some interesting article we read, or a project we’re working on is much, much less. There is also a lot more joking and teasing than with girlfriends. (Though not necessarily any more laughing.) Same quality talking, just different issues. 

Thanks so much for stopping by Terra! Make sure to check out the rest of the tour stops to see all ten differences!  One lucky reader has the chance to win a finished copy of the book! Just enter using the rafflecopter widget below. US only. Must be 13 years old or older. 

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Monument 14

Monument 14

Author: Emmy Laybourne
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Pages: 294
Series: Monument 14, book one
Source: Purchased hardcover


About the Book: Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.

Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.
But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.
Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. 

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

My Thoughts: This is another book I picked up because of the Fierce Reads tour. I don't know that I would have read it otherwise. I just have so many books and so little time! I'm glad that the tour stop gave me the incentive to read it. I was pleasantly surprised! I got caught up in the story and the pages seemed to fly by.


Monument 14 reminded me of a modern day Lord of the Flies meets the end of the world. We have a group of 14 children, from kindergarten to high school, stuck together and fighting to survive while the world as they know it falls apart. There are questions of leadership and who should "run things" among the older teens. The younger kids are scared and don't really understand the situation. I was interested in the ways the author explored how the different characters coped with what was happening and the different dynamics between them. The various disasters occurring in the "outside world" added to tension and moved the story along.


The physical book itself is also laid out in a way that captured me. The endpapers give the reader a map of the store and the modifications the kids made to it. It looks really cool and gives the reader an idea of the physical space in which the book takes place. Also, in the bottom right hand corner of each page there is printed a record of what day it is (from day 1 to day 12.) Each chapter is given a title. I always feel like I'm getting something extra when chapters are titled :)


Monument 14 was not what I was expecting. It was better! Great for fans of survival stories and stories in which natural disasters change the course of life as we know it! 

Struck

Struck

Author: Jennifer Bosworth
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux BYR
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Pages: 373
Series: Struck, book one
Source: Purchased


About the Book: Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything. (goodreads)

My Thoughts: I picked up this book simply because it is part of the Fierce Reads tour. (I'll be attending the stop in Naperville tomorrow and cannot wait!) Once I read the summary I was struck (ha ha ha ha ha. Clever, clever me!) with how unique it sounded. A lightning addict? Like, someone who actually craves getting struck? Clearly I needed to know more. 


Struck is set in a very near future L.A. Like, it could be next year kind of thing. The US has been struck by a number of natural disasters and is involved in multiple wars. After a huge earthquake devastates L.A. the situation is ripe for the rise of cults, secret societies, and prophets. As the book summary says, Mia is caught between two opposing cults. Both believe that she is crucial to their cause and they aren't opposed to manipulating her to get what they want. She isn't really sure what or who to believe. This really adds to the desperation of her situation. It makes the pace of the story almost frantic. From the get go we know that there are only three days until the storm. Mia is running out of time and options.


The other aspect of the book that had me really interested was the ways in which Mia and others were affected by the lightning strikes. Their abilities were  intriguing to read about. I was particularly interested in Mia's history and what had happened before L.A. 


Struck is a fast paced read great for those interested in something a little different. The ending leaves the reader satisfied yet is open enough for readers looking for more. It certainly is a Fierce Read!

The Season

The Season

Author: Sarah MacLean
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: March 1, 2009
Pages: 343
Source: Purchased 
About the Book: Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued — in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet.

When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins!

My Thoughts: This book. Oh, this book. It's basically all the things I love rolled up in one delightful package. I first read it a couple years ago after purchasing it for my middle school library. The Regency London setting caught my eye and the synopsis drew me in. Let me just take a moment to highlight some of the things I couldn't wait to read more about:
*Regency London (a favorite setting!)
*Strong-willed female main character
*Trio of friends
*Mysterious death
*Espionage!
*"Brooding and devilishly handsom Gavin" (Let's be honest... this is what really caught me!)
*The London season
*ROMANCE!!!
Clearly this book was made for me! After re-reading it again last night I realized that, yes, I did indeed love it as much as I remembered :)


Alexandra is such a fun main character. I loved that she is the youngest with three very protective older brothers. Their interactions and teasing were just so much fun. I also loved the friendship between Alex, Ella and Vivi. It's nice to see girls who support one another rather than seeing each other as competition (this is especially true in books that take place during a London season!) Of course I cannot forget Gavin! Suddenly Alex is seeing the new Earl of Blackmoor in a different light. I enjoyed seeing how their childhood friendship grew and changed. 


Alex and her friends are experiencing their first season "out" among the ton. However, these are not your typical ladies of the day. They have no desire to "land" just any rich and titled husband. The girls long for more. They each have families that have allowed them more freedom than most young ladies of that time period. This comes in handy when they find themselves in the middle of a mystery they long to solve. Adventure draws them in and keeps the story moving at a fast pace.Danger! Intrigue! Romance! Who could ask for more?


Basically you just need to read this book. If you've never read anything set in Regency England The Season is a great introduction. It's a smart and fun read... a great mix of mystery and romance set against the glittering whirlwind of the London season.