YA bibliophile

Perception

2012-02-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

Perception

Author: Kim Harrington
Publisher: Point (Scholastic)
Publication Date: March 1, 2012
Pages: 288
Series: Clarity, book two
Source: unsolicited ARC from publisher

May contain spoilers for book one

About the Book: When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

My Thoughts: I was so very excited when I opened a surprise box from Scholastic and found this book among the titles. Clarity was one of the first ARCs I ever received and a book I reviewed when I first really started blogging. I loved it and could not wait for book two! Perception was worth the wait.

I was hooked from chapter one. It's very short yet mysterious. Chapter two takes the reader back 16 days so you don't know how the events of chapter one carry out until the end of the book. I loved this. It kept me guessing throughout the story.

The progression of the story and the growth of the characters and their relationships since book one were really well done. Clare's involvement in the case from Clarity has given her a new found popularity that she doesn't trust nor want. It has also sparked a desire to use her gift for more than entertaining tourists. It was interesting to see how she changed. I also loved seeing how her relationships with Justin and Gabriel played out. The regular "high school drama" fit seamlessly with the drama surrounding the missing girl. It just worked so well!

If you enjoy mysteries with a dash of romance and a paranormal twist Perception is for you! I read it in one sitting!

Waiting on Wednesday (46)

2012-02-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly meme to talk about what upcoming book we're most looking forward to reading

Waiting on Wednesday

The Crimson Crown

by Cinda Williams Chima

Release Date: October 23, 2012

Published by: Hyperion

A thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed— Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love.
     Now, once again, the queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana’Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible. Tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch. With surrounding kingdoms seeking to prey on the Fells’ inner turmoil, Raisa’s best hope is to unite her people against a common enemy. But that enemy might be the person with whom she’s falling in love.
      Navigating the cutthroat world of blueblood politics has never been more dangerous, and former streetlord Han Alister seems to inspire hostility among Clan and wizards alike. His only ally is the queen, and despite the perils involved, Han finds it impossible to ignore his feelings for Raisa. Before long, Han finds himself in possession of a secret believed to be lost to history, a discovery powerful enough to unite the people of the Fells. But will the secret die with him before he can use it?
      A simple, devastating truth concealed by a thousand-year-old lie at last comes to light in this stunning conclusion to the Seven Realms series.

Ohmystars. I need this book in my life! Cinda Williams Chima writes some of the most amazing fantasy out there! Her world building is truly incredible. I just love, love, love this series to pieces. Han, Raisa, Dancer... so many characters to care about! This is one of my most anticipated reads of the year!

Allegiance

2012-02-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

Allegiance

Author: Cayla Kluver
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Pages: 490
Series: Legacy, book two
Source: e-galley from Netgalley for review

Warning! Spoilers for book one ahead!

About the Book: Only I saw Narian for who he truly was: a young man with courage and an independent mind, and made to pay for what was outside his control. He couldn't help his past any more than he could help the way those intense, deep-blue eyes pierced me and held me captive.

An eighteen-year-old queen in love with the enemy as their countries pass the point of no return...

Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn't truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica-until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge.

Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn....
My Thoughts: Allegiance is a book I have been waiting a long time to read. I first read Legacy back in early 2010. When I finished the book I wanted more immediately. Two years later I finally got to see what happened next! And oh my! Now I need Sacrifice!

As we begin the prologue of Allegaince Narian (***dreamy sigh***) is back in The Overlord's hands. The Overlord (Boo! Hiss!) has in his possession something to blackmail Narian in to doing his bidding. (Cue dramatic music!) And that is all we see of Narian until his story meets up with Alera's again.

Chapter one begins with the pomp and circumstance of Steldor's (another ***dreamy sigh***) coronation. Since Steldor and Alera are now married this is also Alera's ascent to queen. I really enjoyed all of the descriptions this entailed. As a reader you really get a feel for the importance of the occasion. It also paints a detailed picture for the reader. Having this happen right away made it easier for me to picture later events without needing as much description. I found it very helpful.

As you can imagine (if you've read Legacy. If you haven't I would just like to point out that I did warn you about spoilers!) Alera and Steldor's marriage is not off to a fabulous start. Alera is still in love with Narian and so not in love with Steldor. Steldor is losing patience with her. Now they have the added stress of running the kingdom. This is not a recipe for success.

At the beginning of the book I was a bit frustrated with Alera. I understand that she did not want anything to do with Steldor and she didn't feel ready to wed, much less be queen. Still, I really felt that she saw fault in everyone else but herself. She didn't seem to think about her actions or take responsibility for them. As the book progresses Alera really grows and I came to like her a lot more. I was really glad to see this change. Alera is eighteen. So much has been thrown at her in such a short amount of time. To top it all off she is heartbroken. I can forgive her for being a bit self indulgent at the start!

I think London is still my favorite character. I really just love him. I was thrilled that we got to learn more about his past in Allegiance. He is such an interesting character.

Overall I really enjoyed Allegiance. I love the world that Cayla Kluver has created for us. The action and the heartbreak are both stepped up from Legacy. I honestly could not put the book down! I need you all to read it so I can discuss more without spoiling events in Allegiance!

Allegiance Tournament Kick-off!

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

I am oh so very excited to be kicking off the blog tour for Allegiance by Cayla Kluver. I read Legacy when it was first released a couple years ago and was dying for the sequel. You can imagine how thrilled I was to hear that Harlequin Teen had picked the series up! As an added bonus? Cayla is a Wisconsin girl like me and an absolutely delightful person!

Now on to the tour! This is a tour like no other I've ever been on. It's a tournament between Lord Steldor and Lord Narian, Hytanica and Cokyri. How fun is that? Plus, there are daily giveaways as well as an awesomesauce grand prize!

Here at YA Bibliophile I am starting things off right with the champion of Hytanica, Lord Steldor!!

CHAMPION STATISTICS:

Lord Steldor

Son of Cannan, the Captain of the Guard, Steldor comes from a long line of prestigious military men and represents the epitome of youth, strength, and skill in the Kingdom of Hytanica. He is intelligent, witty, bold, and always has the last word in an argument (even when he’s wrong). He charms all those around him, except, it seems, for Alera, the woman to whom he is married. Side by side, Steldor and Alera are crowned King and Queen of Hytanica, and given responsibilities usually shouldered by men and women twice their age.

At 21, Steldor is, in fact, the youngest king Hytanica has ever crowned. He also made history by being the youngest graduate of the Military Academy, and then was quickly promoted to leading troops in battle. His abilities with a sword and with his fists are known kingdoms over. His confidence, shrewdness, good looks, and temper are legendary, as are his sense of duty and steadfast loyalty to his friends and kingdom.

Nearly black hair and deep brown eyes give Steldor a dangerous and alluring look. He stands at six-foot-one, and his build is that of a warrior – broad-shouldered and muscular, with arms that almost any girl in the Recorah River Valley would happily have wrapped around her. Needless to say, he boasted quite a reputation as a lady’s man prior to his betrothal to Alera. His general approach with women is to captivate them or command them, but rarely to listen to them.

He has been called egotistical and conceited, but as his father points out, he is still young. There is much time for Steldor to grow and mature, and once he has, he could easily make history once more – as the greatest king Hytanica has ever known.

Series Information:
Book 1: Legacy (July 2011)
Book 2: Allegiance (March 2012)
Book 3: Sacrifice (November 2012)

About Allegiance -

Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Indiebound
AN EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD QUEEN IN LOVE WITH THE ENEMY AS THEIR COUNTRIES PASS THE POINT OF NO RETURN…

Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn’t truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica—until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge.

Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn….

About Cayla Kluver - website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
Cayla Kluver was born on October 2, 1992, in Wisconsin. She has cats, dogs and horses, and watches more crime shows than is probably healthy. Her office is filled with twinkly lights, candles and fun colors. She loves Robert Louis Stevenson and the Beatles, and you can follow her on Twitter @CaylaKL, as well as join her fan page on Facebook

Don't worry! I didn't forget about the prizes! Allegiance is on tour with daily give-aways of Allegiance and a grand prize give-away of a Kindle Touch skinned in the sumptuous Allegiance cover art.

To win the Grand Prize of the Kindle Touch you will be able enter at the end of the Tour by guessing which Champion won The Tournament! Be sure to check out all the tour stops!

Monday, February 20th - YA Bibliophile
Wednesday, February 22nd - For Those About To Read
Friday, February 24th - Books With Bite
Monday, February 27th - Harlequin Blog
Tuesday, February 28th (Book Birthday!!) - Hippies Beauty & Books
Wednesday, February 29th - Starting The Next Chapter
Friday, March 2nd - A Cupcake and A Latte
Monday, March 5th - Electrifying Reviews
Wednesday, March 7th - Kindle Fever
Friday, March 9th - Unabridged Andrea

Daily entries for the copy of Allegiance are managed through the Rafflecopter widget below.

Open US/Canada. See full contest rules here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In My Mailbox (49)

2012-02-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

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.

Yes, I am in my pjs!

Bought:

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Gifted:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Thanks Jillian!

For a Blog Tour:

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Thanks to Kensington:

Awkward by Marni Bates

Thanks to Scholastic:

Choke by Diana Lopez

Grim by Anna Waggener

Border Town: Crossing the Line by Malin Alegria

Devine Intervention by Martha Brockenbrough

Cardboard by Doug Tennapel

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland

How to Survive Anything! Boys Only written by Oliver Martin, illustrated by Simon Ecob

The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford

1nf1n1ty by Rachel Ward

Sleuth or Dare: Partners in Crime by Kim Harrington

Game Changers by Mike Lupica

Goosebumps: Wanted: The Haunted Mask by R.L.Stein

Invisible World by Suzanne Weyn

Whatever After: Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski

Zac and the Dream Stealers by Ross MacKenzie

Lucky Stars: Wish Upon a Friend by Phoebe Bright

The Big Something by Patricia Reilly Giff

Bird & Squirrel: On the Run by James Burks

I am Sacagawea written by Grace Norwich, illustrated by Anthony VanArsdale

The Letter Q edited by Sarah Moon

The Chronicles of Avantia: Chasing Evil by Adam Blade

The Loser List: Revenge of the Loser by H.N. Kowitt

The Pack: Dogs of Drowned City by Dayna Lorentz

Gold Metal Summer by Donna Freitas

Graveyard Shift by Chris Westwood

Thanks to the lovely Tara for this darling card and journal. It's perfect for taking notes for reviews!

A Wrinkle in Time Blog Tour

2012-02-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

I am so very excited to be a part of the 50 Years 50 Days 50 Blogs tour for the 50th anniversary of A Wrinkle in Time. If you've been following the tour you know that this is the Reading A Wrinkle in Time for the first time leg of the tour. Young me had absolutely no desire to read this book. Until I was in college I was convinced that I did not like fantasy/sci-fi/anything that could not really happen. I remember being in late elementary or early middle school and a friend tried to get me to read this book:

Friend: Oh my goodness. You have to read this book!!!
Me: Yay! Another book! What's it called?
Friend: A Wrinkle in Time and it is so so so so so good!
Me: Ummm, a what in time? Sounds kinda, ummm, well.... What's it about?
Friend: Well there's this girl and she has glasses and braces and she's really kind of awkward and doesn't really fit in. You'd like her. You're a lot alike!
Me: o_O Thanks? Also, I don't wear glasses. Or braces.
Friend: Okay but you need braces. Anyway, her dad is missing and there is this boy with red hair and then there are these ladies and they're like really odd and stuff. One is actually a horse/man/rainbow thing with wings. Oh, and her brother is this super smart little kid and I don't understand him and they have a dog! I love dogs.
Me: Oooookkkaaayyyyy. Do they, you know, do anything or are they just kinda there?
Friend: They go all these crazy places and are rescuing the dad from IT but it's like in space so they wrinkle time to get there. Get it? Wrinkle. Time. A Wrinkle in Time???
Me: Ummm, I think I'll stick with The Babysitters Club.

This description put me off the book for approximately twenty years. When the 50th anniversary of the book rolled around I jumped at the chance to be a part of the celebration. So all in all I guess it's a good thing my friend was really bad at describing the book!

Macmillan has done some really cool things for the 50th Anniversary edition of the book, First, you can check out their facebook page. Then there is this very cool book trailer:

The 50^th Anniversary edition of the book includes:

• Frontispiece photo*†

• Photo scrapbook with approximately 10 photos*†

• Manuscript pages*†

• Letter from 1963 Caldecott winner, Ezra Jack Keats*†

• New introduction by Katherine Paterson, US National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature †

• New afterword by Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter Charlotte Voiklis including six never-before-seen photos †

• Murry-O’Keefe family tree with new artwork †

• Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery acceptance speech

* Unique to this edition † never previously published

Okay, on to what I am really supposed to be posting, my thoughts as a first time reader of A Wrinkle in Time:

You have to love a book that starts, "It was a dark and stormy night." Classic. It sets the tone perfectly. And then we meet Meg. Poor Meg. She is the epitome of awkward young teen... glasses, braces, crazy hair. She feels alone and somehow fundamentally wrong. She doesn't fit in at school and though she loves her family she doesn't feel she fits with them either. It's easy to see why so many teen readers identify with her (still, it was not cool of my "friend" to point out my similarities!)

Charles Wallace was an interesting character. I adored the fact that he had two names. I also loved how loyal he and Meg were to each other. I did have a really hard time with how well spoken and intelligent he was. I know he's unique but there has to be more. Maybe it's explained more in the other books?

And Calvin. Oh, dear, sweet Calvin. He is so proper and darling. He is polite to Mrs. Murry and kind to Charles Wallace. He holds Meg's hand and tells her she is the nicest thing to happen to him in a long time. I approve of him as a crush for tween/teen readers!

As far as the story itself goes... there was a lot going on! Meg is swept up in a whirlwind adventure to save her father and perhaps all of humanity. The book touches on so many themes and ideas. It was a lot to absorb in one reading. A Wrinkle in Time is the kind of book I could read over and over and still find new ideas. Clearly a book that stands throughout time!

Random things I think I noticed as an adult reading the book for the first time that I probably wouldn't have cared about as a younger reader:

*I really wanted the kitten to have a name. WHY DOESN'T THE KITTEN HAVE A NAME?!?

*Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who, and Mrs Which. Why don't they have periods after the abbreviation of Mrs?!? This threw me off every time.

*Charles Wallace. I know he is supposed to be this super smart yet odd five year old but it really creeped me out. I have a 5 year old nephew. He talks about super heroes and movie characters and poop.

*Calvin is a 14 year old popular junior on the basketball team? Does not compute.

*There is a line about the moonlight flashing across Meg's braces. Followed by the use of the phrase "dreamboat eyes."

*Calvin and Meg hardly know or talk to each other. At all. Through the whole book. The do hold hands quite a bit though.

Cinder

2012-02-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

Cinder

Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: Jan. 3, 2012
Pages: 387
Series: Lunar Chronicles, book one
Source: Audiobook for review from Macmillan Audio

About the Book: 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 Thoughts: As I mentioned yesterday I have always had a bit of an aversion to sci-fi books. When I first heard about Cinder I was interested in the fairy tale retelling aspect but the cyborg bit scared me a little. I just wasn't sure that I could do it. Oh my stars* was I wrong! I was immediately caught up in the story. I wanted to know more about Cinder and the world she lived in. The experience was nothing like what I anticipated.

Everything about Cinder's world captivated me. I found the technology fascinating... androids, cyborgs, communication devices, medical advances, hovers, basically everything! And the political situation! I loved learning about how the world was structured post World War Four AND considering life on the moon. When I say "political situation" it sounds kind of boring but trust me... it wasn't!

There were parts of the story that I felt were pretty predictable. I figured some major things out early on and I was feeling pretty smug. Then I remembered... this is a retelling of Cinderella. Of course I figured some stuff out. I've only been reading/watching/hearing variations of the story since I can remember! What impressed me about this was that I forgot. The story was so unique and interesting that I got caught up in everything new. I didn't feel like it was Cinderella recycled. This totally impressed me.

Cinder is a fabulous addition to fairy tale re-tellings. I loved this new twist on such a classic tale.

NOTE: The cover of this book freaks me out. It is painful. I mean, literally painful. I look at it and my ankle twitches. Also, it doesn't really fit the book. It's well done and everything but the shoe and the skin over the cyborg bit... not in the story!

*I cannot even tell you how much I loved the fact the the characters used, "Stars!" and "Oh my stars!" as exclamations. I say, "Oh my stars." all the time and it was neat to see it somewhere else :)

Audiobook Notes: Rebecca Soler did a wonderful job with this audio. Her expressions and vocal variety really added to the story for me. The audiobook was eight discs but it seemed to just fly by! Listen to an excerpt here.

Giveaway:
Since Macmillan was so kind as to send me the audiobook I am passing it on to one lucky winner! Use the rafflecopter widget to enter. 13 years or older. US only. Ends 3/2/12

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Across The Universe

2012-02-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

Across the Universe

Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Dates: Jan. 11, 2011
Pages: 398
Series: Across the Universe, book one
Source: Purchased

About the Book: Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

My Thoughts: Before I started blogging I would have laughed at you if you said I would rush right out and buy a book that takes place in space on it's release day. But that's exactly what I did with Across the Universe. I don't know why I thought I didn't like space or sci-fi books. I mean, I love Star Wars, Doctor Who, Stargate and such. I am so glad that the bloggers I followed raved about this book and convinced me to break out of the little reading box I had put myself in! I loved Across the Universe!

I was fascinated with the ways the people onboard Godspeed had changed and adapted to "suit" their environment and lifestyle. Some things we obvious changes that made sense. Other "adaptations" just seemed wrong to me. As Amy wakes and begins to learn about Godspeed and it's inhabitants the reader sees that there is a reason for this. I was caught up in the secrets and lies all the characters had. I couldn't get enough!

This book caught my interest from page one. After the first couple chapters I could not put it down. I cleared my schedule for the night and just read, read, read. I highly recommend Across the Universe to fans of all genres. Don't be afraid of the "sci-fi" or "space" aspect. It's and amazing story that contains danger and mystery amidst romance and the everyday occurrences of life and coming of age.

Born Wicked

2012-02-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

Born Wicked

Author: Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: Putnam Juvenille
Publication Date: Feb. 7, 2012
Pages: 326
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles, book one
Source: ARC from NCTE

About the Book: "Blessed with a gift..."cursed" with a secret."
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship - or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood - not even from each other.

My Thoughts: Oh how I love books set in an alternate history! I just love finding all the nuances that make the fictional world different. Born Wicked is set in an alternate New England circa the 1890s. This is a time period and setting I love to read about. Add Jessica Spotswood's fabulous world building to the already rich history and you have a book I cannot resist! (Think my reaction to The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell!) I mean, there are witches and this crazy strict "Brotherhood" that seemingly has all the power but of course there is resistance and a prophecy and oh my stars I just loved it. The author did a wonderful job of weaving the history and her changes together in a way that appears natural. The details that make the setting "alternate" do not jar the reader from the flow of the story but rather enhance it.

I was immediately caught up in Cate's world. Due to her promise to her mother Cate feels responsible for her sisters and their safety. She is always worried about them and does all she can to curb there use of magic. Still, at heart she seems to be a bit of a wild girl herself. She was so young to take that responsibility. She loves her sisters so deeply but her actions (born of both her love of and her fear for them) often seem to push them away. It was heart breaking to watch play out.

Two aspects of the story that I really enjoyed were the magic and the romance. Both were so well done. They just swept me up in the story and made it so I couldn't put the book down. I loved the way new information was revealed as Cate breaks out of the confines she has assigned herself. I wanted more and more and more!

Born Wicked is a delightful mix of historical fiction, magic, mystery, and romance. It's a tale that manages to be lush and beautiful yet chilling. I loved everything about it.

In My Mailbox (48)

2012-02-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

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.

I feel particularly awkward in this video. Fitting when you consider the first book!

For Review:

Awkward by Marni Bates

From the Library:

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness (Book and audio)

Purchased:

Legend by Marie Lu

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Graceling

2012-02-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Graceling

Author: Kristen Cashore
Publisher:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Brilliance Audio
Publication Date: October 1, 2008
Pages: 471
Series: The Seven Kingdoms, book one
Source: Purchased book, audio from library

About the Book: Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.
When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

My Thoughts: I read this book when it came out and was blown away. I hadn't read anything that impressed me so much in a really long time. (Sidenote: A couple weeks later I read The Hunger Games when it was released and could not believe I had found two amazingly awesome books so close together! It was a good month!) I told everyone I knew all about it and how awesome it was. You should have seen me trying to explain gracelings and acting scenes out. It was pretty ridiculous but I just couldn't help myself!

Fast forward to the end of 2011 and I am dying to read Bitterblue, the third and final Seven Kingdoms book (note: I have now read it and it is so worth the wait!) In anticipation of Bitterblue I decided to listen to the audiobook of Graceling. Everyone kept telling my how amazing it was and I am always up for a good audiobook! It's a full cast audio which was pretty amazing to listen to. Still, it was hard for me because I had read the book so many times I had very specific ideas of how each character sounded. It's not that the narrators were bad. They just weren't my voices for the characters. If you've never read the book (or just don't have the very strong attachment I have to it) the audio is a great way to experience it.

Graceling remains one of my all time favorite reads. It's such a wonderful fantasy. I love the world that Cashore created. The descriptions of the Seven Kingdoms and their rulers, the landscapes, the political tension, and the characters. Ohmygoodness the characters. Katsa is so physically strong but really just finding out who she is beyond her grace and the king's use for her. I was so interested in seeing her grow and change. Po, dear Po. Katsa can beat him at any physical test but his inner strength is so much greater. I don't want to say too much about him for fear of spoiling the story. I could go on and on about all the characters... even the secondary and tertiary ones! I still remember them all vividly. They are that memorable.

If you've never read this book I highly suggest you fix that. You then need to read Fire. It's a prequel and I usually don't like prequels. In this case however I may have loved it even more than Graceling. These books are the rare kind that I could read every couple of months and not grow tired of them.

Note: If you plan on reading Bitterblue I can't stress how much more you'll get out of it if you've read both Graceling and Fire beforehand.

River of Time Blog Tour: Cascade Review

2012-02-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome back for another stop on The River of Time Series blog tour. Today you get my review if Cascade, book two in the series.

Cascade

Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren
Publisher: David C. Cook
Publication Date: June 1, 2011
Pages: 399
Series: The River of Time, book two
Source: e-ARC for blog tour

Spoilers for book one ahead! No spoilers for book two though :)

About the Book: Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

My Thoughts: This book picks up right where Waterfall left off. (So make sure you read book one!) Gabi and Lia have just returned to the present day. They are found in the tomb (where they should not be!) and brought to their mom. Eventually Gabi, Lia and Mom return to the tomb and travel back to fourteenth century Italy. I won't spoil the events that unfold from there!

I really love the history in these books. Everything works together to make such a great atmosphere. I love the descriptions of the clothes, the land, the meals, the buildings, the cities... heck, even the weapons used! I felt immersed in the setting.

Gabi and Lia are tough ladies! They know how to hold their own when faced with danger. They didn't sit back and wait to be saved by the male characters. A total plus for the story!!!

The one thing that held me back a little was the language. Some of the slang that Gabi used felt a bit off and jolted me from the story a few times. I know that she is a modern day girl in the fourteenth century. Obviously she would not be thinking the same way as everyone else. Still, the slang that was used wasn't anything any of my students would ever use. This could totally be a regional thing. Who knows. You may not even notice it :)

This book will have you wishing you could visit the places mentioned. Gabi's story weaves the history and politics of the place in time in without being boring. A solid follow up to Waterfall!

Waiting on Wednesday (45)

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly meme to talk about what upcoming book we're most looking forward to reading

Waiting on Wednesday

Insurgent

by Veronica Roth

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Published by: Harper Teen

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Wait. What? Hold up! How have I not already featured this one?!? At this point I'd say this is my most anticipated release of 2012 (Well, also Clockwork Princess but that one is so far away!) Divergent ended in a way that left me screaming for what happens next. Tris is an intriguing character and I cannot wait to find out more about her world. The fact that the series is set in future Chicago is just icing on the cake. I need this book in my life!

The Ask and The Answer

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

The Ask and The Answer

Author: Patrick Ness
Publisher: Candlewick (book), Brilliance (audio)
Publication Date: September 8, 2009
Pages: 519
Series: Chaos Walking, book two
Source: Audiobook from library

No spoilers for book two but don't read on if you've never read book one and don't want to know major events!

About the Book: Reaching the end of their tense and desperate flight in THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO, Todd and Viola did not find healing and hope in Haven. They found instead their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss, waiting to welcome them to New Prentisstown. There they are forced into separate lives: Todd to prison, and Viola to a house of healing where her wounds are treated. Soon Viola is swept into the ruthless activities of the Answer, aimed at overthrowing the tyrannical government. Todd, meanwhile, faces impossible choices when forced to join the mayor’s oppressive new regime. In alternating narratives — Todd’s gritty and volatile; Viola’s calmer but equally stubborn — the two struggle to reconcile their own dubious actions with their deepest beliefs. Torn by confusion and compromise, suspicion and betrayal, can their trust in each other possibly survive?

My Thoughts: I feel so emotionally invested in these books. Like, ridiculously invested. Just ask Lisa (when she is not busy nerding.) She got a number of emails and DMs on Twitter full of CAPITAL LETTERS and lots and lots of italics. They didn't really make sense and were usually just full of me freaking out. She was very wise and gracious, virtually patting my back and drying my tears with an, "I know, Heidi. I know." or a "Let it out, my friend. I'm here to hear it all." (Note: You cannot have her. I need her to get me through Monsters of Men.) It got to the point where I had to stop listening to the audiobook for about a week. I just couldn't handle it. Even when I wasn't listening to it I was thinking about it. The Ask and The Answer just got to me on a level few books have. Patrick Ness has crafted a truly amazing world. The Chaos Walking books are fast becoming some of my very favorites.

Okay. As far as the actual story goes... this book picks up right where book one left off. Todd and Viola have finally managed to reach Haven only to discover Mayor Prentiss (who is crafty and categorically evil, in my opinion anyway) got there first. Viola is near death so she is sent to a house of healing. Todd, on the other hand, is kept close to the mayor. Thus begins my pain. Todd and Viola both have to fight to survive in "New Prentisstown." Since they are kept apart their fights are different. And oh my stars there is so much I want to say here but it is all so spoilery.

What I can say: My heart broke again and again for Todd and Viola (and a host of other characters, some that surprised me!) Todd and Viola just seem so young, so alone, so in over their heads! Yet the don't give up. They are fiercely loyal. They survive. I respect and admire them. At the same time I just want to shake them. Or take them in my arms and comfort them. Gah! These books are maddeningly wonderful.

Audiobook Notes:
I am certain that one of the reasons I am so affected by these books is the quality of the narration. If you read my review of The Knife of Never Letting Go you know I love Nick Podehl as a narrator. Add Angela Dawe to the mix and you have one stellar audiobook experience. Nick Podehl and Angela Dawe really brought the characters to life for me. There were times when I was driving in my car yelling at the characters in my horrible imitation of Nick Podehl's voice for Todd or Angela Dawe's voice for Viola. Objectively I knew that the characters couldn't hear me and would not respond. Still, I just felt the need to interact. I couldn't just sit back and watch. I was invested.

In My Mailbox (47)

2012-02-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

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.

Holy awesome book week Batman! I talk really fast this week because I had a lot to get through :)

Bought:

Tithe by Holly Black

Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, ... Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out by Various Authors

For Review:

Picture The Dead by Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown (Thanks Sourcebooks!)

Plunked by Michael Northrop (Thanks Scholastic!)

Vietnam Book Two: Sharpshooter by Chris Lynch (Thanks Scholastic!)

The Moon Over High Street by Natalie Babbitt (Thanks Scholastic!)

The Crowfield Demon by Pat Walsh (Thanks Scholastic!)

Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday (Thanks Harper Teen!)

Destined by Aprilynne Pike (Thanks Harper Teen!)

Thumped by Megan McCafferty (Thanks Harper Teen!)

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock (Thanks Harper Teen!)

Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler (Thanks Simon & Schuster!)

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley (Thanks Simon & Schuster!)

Gifted:

In One Person by John Irving

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan

Belles by Jen Calonita

THANK YOU to Britney, Ginger and HD!

Every Other Day

2012-02-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

Every Other Day

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publisher: Egmont
Publication Date: December 27, 2011
Pages: 352
Source: purchased hardcover

About the Book: Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

My Thoughts: Three reasons I knew I would love this book within the first three pages:
1. The word asinine is used in the first sentence. Even better, it's in conjunction with hellhounds.
2. Kali gets hunt-lust... "the need to hunt, to kill, to win." She is a tough girl who is not afraid of a little violence!
3. There is science! And it's written by an author with a background in science which is awesome!
That is a very promising start! And the action! This book has it non-stop! Every time I tried to put it down to get some work done it would call to me! Finally I realized I could not be productive until I finished Kali's story.

Kali's world is basically our world with one crucial difference. Darwin's journeys resulted in the discovery of preternatural beings. You know... hellhounds, zombies, krakens, that kind of thing. Rather than trying to kill the dangerous creatures the government decided to attempt to study them. Enter Kali. Normal girl one day, preternatural killing machine the next. She has no idea why she is the way she is. It's something she cannot control. When she's in preternatural exterminator mode she heals quickly and doesn't feel the pain. On her human days she feels the effects of the events of her previous day. Oh my stars. Why are still reading my thoughts and not rushing to get this book? For real. I'll give you one more reason: The word bedazzler is used as an expletive (as in, "Why the bedazzler haven't you read this book yet!?!)

Jennifer Lynn Barnes has written another fast paced and addictive read. I loved everything about this book. The characters, the premises, the twists and turns, the science, the fact that being in a romantic relationship is not the end goal (even though this leads to a dearth of kissing!)... all the things! Again, why are you still reading this? Go pick up Every Other Day.

Unraveling Isobel

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-06:00

Unraveling Isobel

Author: Eileen Cook
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Pages: 304
Source: ARC from publisher

About the Book: "Thrilling and creepy, super sexy, and so very hilarious." --Lisa McMann, bestselling author of the Wake trilogy

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 Thoughts: A few months ago I tweeted that I was looking for some book recommendations. The ever fabulous Lisa McMann responded saying that I should read Eileen Cook's books. A couple weeks later an ARC of Unraveling Isobel showed up from the publisher. Obviously the universe was saying I had to read this book!

Unraveling Isobel captured my interest from page one. Eileen Cook does a wonderful job of creating the atmosphere for the story. I'm not sure how she worked the creepy factor and the humor together so well but it was perfect. Any story that can creep me out and make me laugh is a winner in my book.

I was totally engrossed in the characters and what was going on. The story is told in a way that I thought I knew what is going to happen but I could never be sure. Something would always surprise me and make me doubt my prediction. I love a book that can keep me guessing. I just loved all the mystery and secrets surrounding Isobel's new life.

Isobel's dad has schizophrenia. When all the creepy stuff starts going down Isobel wonders if maybe she is just going crazy like her dad. There is quite a bit of discussion surrounding mental illness in the book. Isobel is reluctant to talk about her dad, she doesn't want to go see a therapist, etc... I thought that Eileen Cook handled it in a way that was authentic, respectful, and promoted discussion.

Unraveling Isobel was my first taste of Eileen Cook's writing. It certainly will not be the last! If you're looking for contemporary fiction with a twist this book is for you. Be warned... after reading it you might want to sleep with the lights on!

Top Ten Books I Think Would Make Great Book Club Picks

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature run by the lovely crew at The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Books I Think Would Make Great Book Club Picks

1.The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: I know you're all surprised I have this one first, right? My being a huge John Green fangirl aside, I really need to talk with people who have read this book! Thankfully it's the first book the YA book club I am a part of chose! We'll be discussing it in a few weeks. I fear I'm going to start crying again!

2. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King: This is the audiobook that had me pulling over while listening in my car because I was crying so hard. I actually recommended it to my cousin and her book club is reading it :) It's a book club made up of adults but they read all different genres. It made me so happy that they picked Vera!!

3. Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King: There were so many things I wanted to talk about when I finished this book! You could have really good discussion about a number of different issues as well as the general awesome that is the story and A.S. King's writing.

4. Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr: I read this book quite some time ago but I vividly remember wishing I knew someone else who had read it. It was one of the first book I read when I was just getting in to YA and it blew me away. I had never read anything as real and honest. I loved it!

5. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: Yeah. I freaked out after reading this one. I would want to read it for book club just so I'd have an excuse to spend a few hours fangirling. The writing is so beautiful. I loved the setting, the characters, the mythology. All of it. It also really made me think about what makes a "monster."

6. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian or anything else by Sherman Alexie: We use this book in literature circles with my eighth graders. It is one of my favorite lit circles to sit in on. It's a hilarious book with so, so much to discuss! I am always impressed with the depth of understanding my teens walk away with. Anything the man writes is great for discussion.

7. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray: Bring on the snark! I loved this book and think it would be so much fun to discuss. I am sure I didn't pick up on all the jokes/puns/social commentary. It'd be interesting to see what stuck out to others.

8. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson: I can't really explain why without spoiling the book so just trust me... lots of moral questions and right versus wrong type things!

9. Deadline or anything else by Chris Crutcher: I put off reading his books for so long because I thought they were "sports books" and that is not a huge interest of mine. I was so, so wrong! Yes, sports play a large part of the characters lives but the books are about so much more. Crutcher spent 25 years as a child and family therapist specializing in abuse and neglect (his bio on his website.) This is reflected in his novels. I don't think I've ever made it through one without tearing up. Also, he is one of the most challenged authors. That makes for awesome discussion

10. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving: This is one of my all time favorite books. I love it and want everybody to read it. Obviously this makes it a great book club choice. :)

The Gathering Storm

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

The Gathering Storm

Author: Robin Bridges
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Pages: 389
Series: The Katerina Trilogy, book one
Source: ARC from NCTE, e-galley from Netgalley

About the Book: 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 Thoughts: I honestly don't even know where to begin with this book! There were so many factors I loved in the description alone. Nineteenth century Russia? Aristocratic society? Boarding school? Magic? Mystery? Intrigue? Yes, please! Sign me up. I mean, I was hooked by the informational paragraph about Russian names before the book even started!

Now, obviously with all the afore mentioned awesome in one book I had some pretty high expectations. The Gathering Storm did not disappoint. I was engrossed in the history and the different myths and supernatural beings. I sighed over the ball gowns, parties, and outings the characters attended. Katerina's desire to be more than just an aristocratic wife, to be a doctor, had me rooting for her through it all.

The Gathering Storm is a wonderful example of historical fiction with a paranormal twist. Robin Bridges kept me guessing through the whole story! I loved that the characters and plot twists surprised me. I could not put it down! This is the first in a trilogy so not everything is wrapped up neatly. Still, the story didn't leave any loose ends or dropped plot lines. You will be dying to know what happens next in the best possible way. This is certainly a series I will be continuing with.

In My Mailbox (46)

2012-01-29T00:00:00.000-06:00

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.

From the lovely Michelle:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

HANKLERFISHED!!!!!

For Review:

Until I Die by Amy Plum

Thank you Harper Teen!

Curveball: The Year I Lost my Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

Thank you Scholastic!

Cleopatra's Moon by Vicky Alvear Shecter

Thank you Vicky Alvear Shecter!

Letter Writing

2012-01-28T15:03:00.000-06:00

I love getting mail of the non-junk variety. It totally makes my day. So when Jaime retweeted this link today I got really excited. YES! The lost art of letter writing! So true! I followed the link to Mary Robinette Kowal's "The Month of Letters Challenge."

When I was in college my nana wrote me letters at least once a week. I cherish them. She is the reason I wanted to become a teacher. Nana passed away before I finished my degree. I never imagined that she wouldn't be there to help me through my first year of teaching. Thanks to her letters she was there. I would go back and reread them when I was having a rough day. Some days it was only her faith in me that gave me the boost I needed to keep going. Even though she wasn't there I had her letters to remind me. She was a life long letter writer. My parents have a box of love letters she and my grandfather exchanged during the year early on in their relationship that they had to live apart. They are so dear. I doubt that years from now my theoretical grandchildren will ever cherish an email or facebook message the way I cherish those letters.

So, all that to say I am so in! I can't wait to find fun things to send! The problem? I need more people to send things to! If you want a letter/postcard/random thing I find to send fill out the form here! Also, I highly encourage you to participate to some extent! SEND MORE LETTERS!

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River of Time Blog Tour: Author Book Picks

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today I have Lisa Tawn Bergren here for The River of Time Series blog tour! She is sharing with us some book picks from 2011 as well as books she hopes to get to in 2012!

Also, check out the awesome scavenger hunt she is hosting to go along with this tour. She's giving away TWENTY books and THREE Kindle readers!

Okay, on to the books! Here's Lisa...

I don’t read as much as you’d think, since I find it hard to read while I’m writing,
which is pretty much all year long. I’m inherently lazy, so if I have a good book
calling to me, it’s hard for me to focus on my own story. This year has been all
about YA, so that’s what’s dominating my shelves.

Here's a pic of some of what I read in 2011:

My favorite reads of 2011 were THE HELP, DIVERGENT, RUBY RED,

UNEARTHLY and THE GIRL OF FIRE & THORNS.

Here's a pic of what remains in my TBR pile:

The ones calling the loudest are: MARA DYER, DARK DIVINE, and DAUGHTER

OF SMOKE AND BONE. Hope to get to them in January/February! But first I’m

reading AWKWARD and GRACELING on my Kindle.

Thanks to Lisa for sharing her book picks. I always love seeing what others are reading or have on their TBR pile. Graceling is one of my all time favorites ever and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Unearthly, and Divergent were among my favorites of 2011.

Don't forget to check out the awesome scavenger hunt!

Other Info:

Lisa is releasing an e-novella in February, called BOURNE, which is River of Time Series #3.1. It picks up directly where TORRENT left off. It will be on Kindle first, and hopefully in other formats (Nook, etc.) afterward.

Lisa's website: www.LisaBergren.com

River of Time site: www.RiverofTime.mobi

Lisa on Twitter: @LisaTBergren

Lisa on Facebook: “River of Time Series”: https://www.facebook.com/riveroftimeseries

Bittersweet

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

Bittersweet

Author: Sarah Ockler
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Pages: 384
Source: ARC from publisher

About the Book: Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last….
My Thoughts: Do I dare admit that this was my first time reading a book by Sarah Ockler? I know, I know. Shame on me! I do own a copy of Twenty Boy Summer, if that restores your faith in me. After reading Bittersweet it has moved WAY up on Mt. TBR. What the heck was I waiting for?!?!?

Bittersweet starts with a defining moment in Hudson's life. She was 14 and her world changed in a night. The rest of the book takes place three years later. I liked that there was this seperation. Hudson has had some time to move on but her life is still affected by "the night." She is now 17 and looking toward another change (college.) This really makes her think about her life before. She has to decide how she is going to proceed with her life and where her priorities are. Like any teen (really, like any person!) she makes mistakes and goes through some trial and error. I found the whole situation to be incredibly authentic and relatable.

Now on to the things that I just have to mention:
*Bug: I LOVE that Hudson calls her little brother this! Also, he is totally adorable.

*Chatper "titles": Each chapter begins with a cupcake name and description. I was hungry the whole time I read this book!

Josh: I LOVES him! Check out the This or That post he did for the blog tour!

I cannot wait to read more from Sarah Ockler. She does a fabulous job of balancing humor and tension as well as telling a great story. I could not put this book down. Don't be a fool like me. Read her books ASAP!

Waiting on Wednesday (44)

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly meme to talk about what upcoming book we're most looking forward to reading

Waiting on Wednesday

January 25, 2011

The Selection

by Kiera Cass

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Published by: Harper Teen

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Initially the cover of this one caught my attention. After reading the summary it sounds like something I'd enjoy. It reminds me a bit of a modern Princess Academy. Since I adored that book I can't wait to check this one out!

Sidenote: When I was little I always wanted a "doll cake." My sister had one and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I never got one... until this year! Yes, for my 30th birthday my mom made me a doll cake. Why bring this up? A number of people have pointed out that it looks a bit like this cover! What do you think?

Top Ten Freebie

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today's top ten list is a freebie. I missed a topic I totally wanted to do a couple weeks ago so this is my chance! I bring you...

Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012

Well, The Fault in Our Stars, Bitterblue, and Black Heart would have been tied for first place but I have read all three so I took them off the list to make room for more! Also, Daughter of Smoke and Bone two, The Name of the Star two and whatever Carrie Ryan is coming out with this year aren't on the list since I don't have titles. Yes, I am cheater! Also, these are not in any order. I want them ALL!

1. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare: Yeah, so The Clockwork Prince broke me. Cassandra Clare has a way of ending her books so that I would do pretty much anything to get my hands on the next one!

2. Endlessly by Kiersten White: I adore these books. I adore the author. What's not to love?? I need more Tasey! (And Evie and Lend too!)

3. Insurgent by Veronica Roth: Divergent surprised me with how much I loved it. I need to know what happens next!

4. Hidden by Sophie Jordan: Draki! I love them!!!!! Ms. Jordan has me all up in knots over the love triangle in this series.

5. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins: Could these stories be any more delightful? That's a trick question. The answer is no! Love, love, love, love, love!

6. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan: Yeah. SRB. Enough said.

7. Until I Die by Amy Plum: I adored Die for Me and cannot wait to see where we go next!

8. Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready: This series is all kinds of awesome. There are musicians and kilts and romance and do I really need to go on?

9. Ask the Passangers by A.S. King: All I know about this book is that it's by A.S. King. Frankly, that's enough for me to know I need to read it.

10. Underworld by Meg Cabot: Meg Cabot + Persephone myth = WIN! I think Meg is basically amazing and I still fan girl about meeting her at the kick-off This is Teen event. I really enjoyed Abandon so I can't wait to see what's in store for the characters.

Wings of the Wicked

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

Wings of the Wicked

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: January 31, 2012
Pages: 528
Series: Angelfire, book two
Source: ARC from Pageturners Blog for blog tour, ARC picked up at NCTE

About the Book: Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

My Thoughts: When I first got this ARC I was a bit daunted by the size. Five hundred pages is a lot of book. Once I started reading I quickly remembered how much I enjoyed book one and the story flew by. The action starts on page one. This sucked me in immediately and kept me breathless until the end. We're also introduced to some new characters right away. This was helpful to me because it took me a bit to remember what happened in book one. Adding the new characters worked in some reminders from book one without a boring recap.

One of the things I really appreciate about these books is the way the author works in humor. Every time something good happens or things start to look up disaster follows. This has the potential to be quite depressing. Thankfully Ellie and company are fluent in sarcasm and joke around with one another. I mean, high school is hard enough. Throw in a little thing like saving humanity and you need a little humor!

Wings of the Wicked brings up the good versus evil issue as well. Are things/people/decisions/whatever inherently good or inherently evil? Is there gray area? Can there be good in evil or evil in good? These are all questions that I found my self pondering while reading Ellie's story. I appreciate a book that entertains me and gets me thinking.

This book is more than a great follow up to Angelfire. Yes, there is another cliff hanger ending but Wings of the Wicked isn't just filler between books one and three. There is a lot going on in the book without being overwhelming. My major questions from book one were answered. I got more of Caden and Will (I'm more torn between the two than ever!) Ellie still kicks butt. Basically it had everything I hoped for and more. I'll certainly be picking up book three as soon as I can! If you were so-so about Angelfire you need to give Wings of the Wicked a chance!

In My Mailbox (45)

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

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.

No vlog this week since I only got one book. I did get a couple geeky things I ordered off etsy so I thought I'd show you those too!

50th Anniversary Edition of A Wrinkle in Time! I've never read this book. I KNOW! Please don't stone me! I'm the A Wrinkle in Time:50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Blogs tour! Super excited to share my experience of reading this book for the first time!

On to the geekery:

How cool is this? This etsy vendor prints all kinds of images on old dictionary pages. Obviously I need the police box. I mean, who doesn't need a framed TARDIS on their wall?!? Now I just have to buy the frame!

Yes, my Star Wars geek is showing. I saw these pins and knew I had to have them. There are nine to choose from but seriously, who thinks Greedo shot first? (Ordered from this vendor on etsy.)

The Knife of Never Letting Go

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

The Knife of Never Letting Go

Author: Patrick Ness
Publisher: Candlewick, audiobook by Brilliance Audio
Publication Date: Sept. 9, 2008
Pages: 479
Series: Chaos Walking, book one
Source: Audiobook from library

About the Book: A dystopian thriller follows a boy and girl on the run from a town where all thoughts can be heard — and the passage to manhood embodies a horrible secret.

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him — something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

My Thoughts: Why did I wait so long to read this book?!? Seriously. I've wasted years of fangirling! For shame! The one good thing to come from waiting is that now I have all three books at my disposal. No waiting for the next one to be released! Because seriously. If I had to wait a year between books one and two I might have snapped!

As I mentioned above, I listened to this title on audiobook. I was debating between reading or listening but then I saw that Nick Podehl was the narrator. As in, Nick Podehl my very favoritest audiobook narrator ever! (Yes, I have a favorite.) Clearly I had to check out the audiobook. I am glad I did. In the world where the Chaos Walking trilogy takes place there is "Noise." The thoughts of men and animals are broadcast for all to hear. I liked having it read to me. I think listening to it really enhanced the "reading experience" and gave me a better understanding of what Todd was going through.

Now, the book itself. So. Much. Love. I was drawn in from page one, line one. (Sidenote: My students love it because it says the word "poo" about eight times within the first two pages.) The voice and language used really build in to the story. Todd has a distinctive dialect. Nick Podehl did a wonderful job giving voice to this in the audiobook but you will be missing out if you don't read at least part of the story. I was really impressed with the way Patrick Ness structured it and the ways he used the text/spelling/word choice/capitalization/ etc.. to build it up. You can read the first 20 or so pages through google book preview or listen to an excerpt here.

I felt totally immersed in what was going on in the book. I was invested in what happened to Todd, Viola and even Manchee (the dog.) The characters and their struggles felt so real to me. I feel like I've been saying this a lot lately but I don't want to give many more details. I fear taking away from your reading/listening experience. I think it's really important and powerful for the reader to know only what Todd knows.

Patrick Ness is basically amazing. I say this even after he ripped my heart out, stomped on it, and then LEFT ME HANGING! Oh Patrick Patrick, Patrick... how could you?!? I am listening to book two now so I don't know if I completely forgive him yet. Just know this, dear reader, you'd best have a box of kleenex and book two handy!

If you're looking for a read that is unique and powerful The Knife of Never Letting Go is the book for you.

Bonus: There is a song from Todd's childhood that is mentioned in the story. Nick Podehl sings a bit of it in the audiobook and I had it stuck in my head for days after listening. This version is sung by the artist Patrick Ness had in mind when writing it (per twitter response):

The Fault in Our Stars

2012-01-19T00:01:00.000-06:00

The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Pages: 313
Source: Purchased (In like, three formats!)

About the Book: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

My Thoughts: This book... I just... I can't even. Thinking about it now, a week after reading it, I am still all flustered. I don't know that any other book has affected me as much as this one. The only one that comes close is The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta (my thoughts here.)

This is not going to be a typical review. I don't want to go in to detail about anything that happened in the book because I think that would take away from the reading experience. That is the last thing I want to do. I considered not writing a review at all but I loved this book so much that I just couldn’t pass it up. What kind of John Green fangirl would that make me?!?! So... here are a few of my reactions that are not spoilery!

*The first sentence is also the first paragraph. I'm not sure why this tickled me so much, but it did!

*I liked the way John Green used capitalization to make things stand out. For example, "Regular Doctor Jim" and "Support Group."

*Hazel's voice... it was fabulous. I loved her as a narrator.

*I really appreciated the descriptions of the characters. No gleaming bronze hair or eyes the color of spring's first dew (what the heck is that supposed to mean anyway?!?!)

*The language and vocbulary. I am such a word nerd so any book that uses terms like "hamartia" automatically becomes awesome.

*Chicago gets a mention!

*Things I recognized from the vlogbrother videos (like goat soap!)

*"Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost gets a mention! I adore this poem.

*There were so many passages I marked! Obviously I'm not sharing them here because I
want you to read them in context but trust me... have a pen handy for marking down parts you love!

*From about page 210 until the end I was crying. At first I was sobbing so much I had to stop reading for about ten minutes to get myself under control. Then it was just tears streaming down my face until John Green would throw in some one line observation that would set me off again. I used nearly a box of kleenex. An hour later I was lying in bed still doing the thing where you're okay and then randomly your breath hitches and your off again. The Fault in Our Stars profoundly affected me.

*Even though this book broke me in a way I wasn't prepared for I was so incredibly satisfied with it. The end didn't leave me grasping for the pieces. I didn't feel cheated out of an ending. Did it end how I ideally wanted it to? No. Was the ending more authentic/appropriate than what I wanted? Yes. Honestly, had the book progressed any other way I think I would have been disappointed.

So, there you have it. Some general and non-spoilery thoughts. If you read one book this year let it be The Fault in Our Stars. And I'm not just saying that because John Green is my favorite ;)

Stop SOPA

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-06:00

http://protestsopa.org/

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend to Someone Who Doesn't Read YA

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature run by the lovely crew at The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend to Someone Who Doesn't Read YA

1. Anything by John Green but particularly his newest The Fault in Our Stars: If you've been to my blog before or follow me on Twitter this probably comes as no surprise to you. He is my very favorite author. His writing is clever and all around awesome. I love his plot lines and characters and word choice. I love the ideas that his books make me consider and the fact that he doesn't talk down to his readers. Yeah, I just love his books.

2. The Curse Workers series by Holly Black: Again, I am a total Holly Black fangirl. Her Curse Workers series is incredible. I think adults will appreciate the noir feel to these books. The mafia style curse working families are sure to be a hit!

3. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie: This is Alexie's only YA title. I certainly think fans of his short stories and novels will love it. I also think that any adult who works with teens will be able to connect. The book is honest, smart, hilarious, and heartbreaking.

4. Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness: I am listening to book two of this trilogy and oh. my. stars. I love it! The ideas and situations that Ness addresses have universal appeal. His writing style and voice are just amazing. I would also recommend his newest, A Monster Calls.

5. Chime by Fanny Billingsley: I raved about the beauty of the language in my review of this book. I stand by that and think that adults would really love it. I highly suggest giving the audiobook a try.

6. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray: Oh the snark. So much lovely, lovely snark! I think adults may appreciate some of the subtle (and not so subtle) references more than teens!

7. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King: No matter what your age this book will speak to you (as will King's other titles Dust of 100 Dogs and Everybody Sees the Ants.) My cousin's book club (made up of adult women) is actually reading this one on my recommendation. I am so excited to hear what they think!

8. The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta: Like The Fault in Our Stars this book broke me. Like, hit me so hard I was a sobbing mess. Marchetta writes incredibly authentic and incredibly broken characters in this book. It was so honest and intense. I loved it.

9. Anything by Sarah Dessen: This one is for my chick lit loving friends! I suggest her books to all the adults I know who love books by Jennifer Weiner and Emily Griffin.

10. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: This may have been my favorite book of last year. I recommend it to teens and adults alike.

Hallowed Blog Tour: Review

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

Hallowed

Author:Cynthia Hand
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: January 17, 2012
Pages: 416
Series: Unearthly, book two
Source: ARC from NCTE conference

About the Book: For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

My Thoughts: I loved this book like... whoa. For real. As I mentioned in my review of Unearthly I was a little hesitant to read it because I thought the whole angel thing wasn't for me. Turns out I'm not a fan of the fallen angel romance deal but LOVE the part angel type stories... for example, this series :) With both books I was impressed by the writing, the pace, the characters... all of it was so well done and engrossing. Cynthia Hand = rockstar!!!

Hallowed is a "book two." This had me a little worried. I mean, was this going to be one of those books that spent half the time trying to refresh me on book one and the other half setting me up for book three? I hate that (note: that doesn't stop me from reading second books! I am a glutton for bookish pain!!) After reading Unearthly, I should have known better. Hand does a wonderful job of hooking the reader with the prologue and then working the major points from book one into the story without breaking the flow of book two. I was impressed by how flawlessly the book read. Obviously there are events and issues that lead up to the next book but there was still a lot of action and things occurring and being resolved in the now. Hallowed is one of the best middle of the series books I've read.

As far as events, I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling someone else's reading experience. I don't even feel comfortable talking too much about the characters. I will point a few things out:

* One of my favorite lines ever occurs in this book, "...admittedly creepy in an Edward Cullen kind of way." I was thinking exactly this before she said it. Thank you Cynthia Hand for acknowledging that!!!

*I found my heart breaking in ways I didn't anticipate.

*I have never been so undecided on so many issues in a book. I know what I think I want but then I also see the other side. I empathize so much with Clara and the whole "what I want versus what is best" dilema

*Having made the above statement, I still love Tucker.

I have more notes... a lot more notes. I made many predictions (most of which were right!) and I have many ideas for book three. I cannot share any of that here because it is all spoilery. Just know that I will be eagerly anticipating the next release! I highly recommend checking this series out so we can talk about it!!! I need someone to discuss it with!

Check out the entire tour:

10th- Eve's Fan Garden, excerpt

11th- The Story Siren, interview & giveaway

12th- The Reading Teen, review

13th- I Read Banned Books, guest post & giveaway

14th- Books Complete Me, excerpt

15th- no post

16th- YA Bibliophile, review

17th- Mundie Moms, character interview & giveaway

18th- Novel Novice, guest post

19th- Anna Reads, interview & giveaway

20th- Fire & Ice, review

21st- Page Turners Blog, author interview & giveaway

22nd- no post

23rd- GReads, review

24th- Once Upon A Twilight, guest post

25th- Hypable- interview

* Giveaways include a swag prize pack along with either a Team Christian Ski cap or a Team Tucker cowboy hat. Each blog that's hosting a giveaway will have one of these hats to giveaway, along with the swag prize pack.

Pre-Order/Purchase from: Harper Teen | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Follow Cynthia on her Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

In My Mailbox (44)

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

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.

Balloon from my friend Sue :)

It's my birthday today! I'm 30!!! When did that happen?!?! Shouldn't I feel like an adult by now? Oh well :) Hope you enjoy my IMM this week.

For Review:

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

The Hugo Movie Companion

Purchased:

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart
The Boy Book by E. Lockhart
The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart
Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart
Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols (bind up)
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (book)
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (limited edition audiobook)

Dragonswood

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

Dragonswood

Author: Janet Lee Carey
Publisher: Dial
Publication Date: Jan. 5, 2012
Pages: 416
Source: ARC received for blog tour

About the Book: Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

My Thoughts: If you're a fan of high fantasy (or even just considering giving it a try!) this is a book you don't want to miss. It has it all... kings and dragons and faeries and enchanted forests and quests and all kinds of awesome. I liked Janet Lee Carey's Dragon's Keep but this one just blew me away.

I loved the world that Janet Lee Carey creates in her stories. Wilde Island and Dragonswood need to be real places so I can visit them! The descriptions were just right... you got a feel for the setting without being overwhelmed with too much detail. The author stirs your imagination but then lets you run with it.

Tess was someone I wanted to know more about. Her life has been so bleak. Now the bright spots of her friendships are being threatened as well. Seeing Tess become stronger and trying to break free of the oppression she's lived with was engrossing. The more minor characters captured me as well. I cared about what happened to all of them! This kept the story moving and me invested in what was happening.

Dragonswood was quiet simply one of the best books I've read in some time. I will be purchasing multiple copies for me, my library, and to loan to friends. It was that good.

Bittersweet Blog Tour

2012-01-11T00:01:00.000-06:00

Today on the Bittersweet blog tour: Character This or That with Josh

About the Book: Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last….

Judging from Josh's responses to This or That he's the kind of guy I'd Like to get to know! What do you think?

Sugar or Spice? Sugar with a bit of spice hidden on the inside.

Spring or Fall? Winter. I can’t skate in spring or fall!

Call or Text? Hang out in person.

Lethal Virus or Nuclear Explosion? Morbid! I’ll take the virus. There’s always a chance of finding a cure. Ever the optimist!

Pancakes or Waffles? Waffles smothered in real maple syrup and butter.

Books or Movies? Books. I like a little left to the imagination.

Noon or Midnight? Midnight. Ever seen a full moon over the ice? Amazing.

Half Full or Half Empty? Half neutral. Depends on the situation. I mean, if you just poured a half cup of coffee, it’s half full. If you just drank it down to that level, it’s half empty. Hmm. Is this like a psych test or something? When do I get to look at the shapes and tell you what I see? ;-)

Early to Rise or Sleep In? I’d love to sleep in, but I’m up early every day to practice. It’s the only time I can get on the ice alone.

Literal or Figurative? I knew it! This IS a psych test! In that case, I see cupcakes.

Save or Spend? Spend. Why save if that virus is coming to knock us all out?

Tell or Keep Secret? Secrets are sexy.

Love or Money? Ha! Next. (Okay, it’s love. Don’t tell the guys.)

Super Smart or Super Strength? Super smarts. You can always work out, right? But some people just can’t wise up!

Fly or Read Minds? Fly. Like I said, I need things left to the imagination. Reading minds would get melodramatic and crazy and overwhelming. But the real answer here is… yes, I still see cupcakes!

Waiting on Wednesday (43)

2012-01-11T00:00:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly meme to talk about what upcoming book we're most looking forward to reading

Waiting on Wednesday

January 11, 2011

Out of Sight, Out of Time

by Ally Carter

Release Date: March 13, 2012

Published by: Hyperion

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

I adore the Gallagher Girls series. It is so much fun! More Cammie! More Zach! More Bex! More awesome! My students are super excited too :)

Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a feature run by the lovely crew at The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book

JK Rowling: Do I even need to explain this? It doesn't have to be in the Harry Potter world. It just has to be as awesome as HP. No pressure, right?

Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all time favorite books.

John Green: Wait, What? He has a book out TODAY you say? So. I want moar!!!! I am a greedy, greedy fangirl.

Kristen Cashore: Yes, Bitterblue is finally being released. I've even read it. It's awesome. I am so in love with her books. I cannot wait to see what else she has in store.

Tamora Pierce: Again, I know she just had a book come out in November. I had been waiting for it for what seemed like forever. I need more from her ASAP.

Sherwood Smith: She is one of those authors who deserves more recognition. If you like high fantasy (I'm looking at you Erica!) You cannot miss her books. I would love to read some new YA from her.

Patrick Ness: I'w been listening to the Chaos Walking books on audio and I know that I am going to be crying when they are done. I will want more Patrick Ness books ASAP!

Carrie Ryan: Carrie is such a truely delightful person. Love her. Love her books. I know he has some in the works but as you've probably notices waiting is not my strong suit!

Sherman Alexie: The man is a genius. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is incredible. I need more YA books from him!

Suzanne Collins: Duh. I've read The Hunger Games and Gregor the Overlander. More please.

Don't be Hateful

2012-01-09T11:15:00.000-06:00

Recently there have been a number of "run ins" between authors and bloggers stemming from negative reviews. This is nothing new. It's happened before, it will happen again. These interactions make me really sad. I hate the feeling they create among the bookish community. So this is me throwing my two cents in. Obviously it is all my opinion and you are free to disagree.

To start... negative reviews. Personally I don't respond to books I didn't enjoy on my blog. I have two main reasons for that. First, the driving goal behind my blog is promoting young adult literature and reading. Second, I am not comfortable posting negative reviews due to my job. I am a middle school librarian. More than once I've read a book and not liked it at all. However, I have students come up to me raving about how amazing the book was and asking me for more books to read. Some of my students read my blog. If I had written a negative review and that student had read it they may not have read that book. May it never be said that I discouraged a child from picking up a book they fall in love with. Seriously. I would be sick over it.

I am in no way saying that no one should write negative reviews. I find them extremely helpful when deciding what books to buy for the LMC or my personal reading. There is definitely a place for them if they are well done. I have an issue with negative reviews when they go from discussing things the reviewer didn't like to making fun of the author or the book. Regardless of what you think about a book the author has invested time and effort in to creating it. They care about it and will likely take criticism to heart. Remember, the author is a real person. They have feelings and can be hurt. I imagine a negative review is going to hurt no matter what. The least the reviewer can do is to make it thoughtful.

My guidelines for writing reviews of books you didn't like:

Don't Mock: Anyone can mock a book. Heck, I could write a mocking review of a book I loved. It may get you some laughs but it is taking the easy way out. It's not nice and it's not hard to do. Don't waste my time.

Support Your Reasons: Don't just tell me a character is unbelievable. Tell me why something didn't work for you. Going off on a rant saying the book sucked is useless.

Don't Make it Personal: I'll say it again, authors are people. When you go from saying you didn't like a book to saying the author it talentless/stupid/whatever you've crossed the line and have become a bully. Keep it classy.

Leave it up to the Reader: Do not tell me what to think. So you didn't like a book. Fine. Tell me why but don't try and tell me what I have to do. I am smart enough to make an informed decision. Saying things like, "You won't like this book if you have a brain" or "Anyone with an IQ higher than a sponge will find this book drivel" is insulting to those reading your review. (I made these up but they aren't far off things I've seen!)

Authors also need to be careful in how they respond to negative reviews. I understand the desire to call people out or vent about a bad review. I have read some incredibly rude and just plain mean reviews. Some people seem to live to write mean reviews. Is it fair that an author cannot respond to that? No. Is it the way things are? Yes. Sorry. I have never seen a situation where engaging with the reviewer of a negative review (whether thoughtful or mean-spirited) has ended well. I strongly advise authors to avoid this!

My guidelines for authors dealing with a negative review:

DO NOT ENGAGE: I cannot stress this enough. As I said before, I have never seen this end well. Typically it just brings that negative review more attention. I know it sucks to sit back and let people say mean things about something you've worked so hard on. But seriously, you will likely be the one who ends up looking bad if you engage the reviewer. Also, if you write a blog post about it remember anyone can read that. Just because someone is visiting your blog it does not mean that they are a fan. Be very, very careful!

Consider the Source: Some people are mean. Period. End of story. I have seen a number of reviewers on goodreads that only write scathing reviews. It seems they hate everything they read. Take their thoughts with a grain of salt. Keep a file with good reviews/tweets/emails/whatever that you can look back on when you come across these people.

Remember the Teens: If you have a YA book published you likely have teens following you on twitter or reading your blog. When I book talk a book I point my students to the authors blog (if they have one I know is quality.) If you post/tweet something in response to a review and you are negative your teens see that. You are a role model. Don't forget that. Also, some of those bad reviews? They may have been written by teens who don't quite understand the effect they have. Don't forget that either.

Don't Make it Personal: As I mentioned in my guidelines to reviewers...Keep it classy. Don't bully or name call. You might call up a friend and vent but it is never okay to do it publicly. Be the bigger person and keep your integrity. I think Rudyard Kipling's poem If sums this up well.

Basically, whether you are a reviewer or an author, it all comes down to having integrity. Again, these are just my thoughts. Feel free to tell me what you think in comments. But remember, keep it classy!

John Green Week: ONE MORE DAY!

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

Gah!! The Fault in our Stars comes out tomorrow!!!!! I have never been so tempted to take off work to read a book. Instead I'll be in my library surrounded by awesome books that are not the one that I want. The Fault in our Stars will be waiting for me at home on my nook. Poor, poor me ;) I have cleared my schedule for the night so you know what I'll be doing!

For those of you who haven't read anything by John Green you are in luck! Penguin has published a free ebook sampler containing the first few chapters from Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and the first two chapters of The Fault in Our Stars. How cool is that?!? They are all great but I LOVE the beginning of An Abundance of Katherines. It is laugh out loud funny every time you read it. It never gets old :)

About the sampler and links:

The John Green Free eBook Sampler is the ultimate introduction to bestselling, award-winning author John Green. Featuring excerpts from Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and his newest novel, The Fault in Our Stars, this free eBook preview gives an unforgettable sample of Green’s brilliant—and brilliantly funny—books.

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Google Books

So yeah. You need to go download that. It's free and it's awesome.

John Green Week: Vlogs

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

John Green week would not be complete if I didn't highlight some of my favorite of his vlogs!

Let's start things off right with an intro to being a nerdfighter (if you're not one already you obviously want to be!)

Why being called a nerd is not an insult

This one contains my favorite vlogbrithers vlog quotation (the one about the venn diagram!)

Dude. It's just awesome.

I AM IN THIS VIDEO!!! That's me at about 12 seconds :)Of course I was sitting in the front row for his session!

John Green Week: Quotations

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today I thought I'd highlight some of my very favorite quotations from John Green's books. I limited myself to four from each book (originally it was three but I just couldn't parse it down anymore!)

"Maybe our favorite quotations say more about us than about the stories and people we're quoting."

- John Green -

Looking For Alaska:

When adults say, "Teenagers think they are invincible" with that sly, stupid smile on their faces, they don't know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken. We think that we are invincible because we are. We cannot be born, and we cannot die. Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations. They forget that when they get old. They get scared of losing and failing. But that part of us greater than the sum of our parts cannot begin and cannot end, and so it cannot fail.

The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.

So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane.

It always shocked me when I realized that I wasn’t the only person in the world who thought and felt such strange and awful things.

An Abundance of Katherines:

Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.

What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable?

You don't remember what happened. What you remember becomes what happened.

What matters to you defines your mattering.

Paper Towns:

I'm not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is.

What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person.

Talking to a drunk person was like talking to an extremely happy, severely brain-damaged three-year-old.

It is easy to forget how full the world is of people, full to bursting, and each of them imaginable and consistently misimagined.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson:

You like someone who can't like you back because unrequited love can be survived in a way that once-requited love cannot.

Maybe there's something you're afraid to say, or someone you're afraid to love, or somewhere you're afraid to go. It's gonna hurt. It's gonna hurt because it matters.

When things break, it's not the actual breaking that prevents them from getting back together again. It's because a little piece gets lost - the two remaining ends couldn't fit together even if they wanted to. The whole shape has changed.

Tiny Cooper is not the world's gayest person, and he is not the world's largest person, but I believe he may be the world's largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large.

Don't Breathe A Word Tour Stop

2012-01-06T00:43:00.000-06:00

Welcome back to the Don't Breathe A Word blog tour. I posted my review earlier as part of the tour so you won't be hearing from me today. Holly Cupala is here today with book picks from Joy, the main character in Don't Breathe a Word!

Hello to Heidi, and thank you for inviting me to visit YA Bibliophile! I hope all of you have been enjoying the Don’t Breathe a Word tour created by Teen Book Scene.

Don’t Breathe a Word is a book close to my heart, both because it deals with secret abuse in relationships (I wrote about my own experience in Dear Bully) as well as homeless teens dealing with secrets of their own—I feel like I know the characters, and I hope you love them! Find out more at www.dontbreatheaword.com.

Heidi has invited Joy, the main character in Don’t Breathe a Word, to share her favorite books. So without further ado, here are just a few:

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: The idea in Joy’s story is that Words Have Power—Joy must find her voice to save her own life, and Melinda in Speak is just such a girl. Her story is one of courage.

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen: Joy understands the powerful undertow of abusive relationships and the dreamlike state in its wake. And, like Caitlin, she knows the hope on the other side.

Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going: Both a gritty story about teen homelessness and despair, and an incredibly hopeful novel of triumph and friendship—this book reminds Joy of Santos, May, and Creed.

The Clearing by Heather Davis: At heart, Joy is a romantic—she loves stories about damaged lovers who find each other despite all obstacles…kind of like her and Creed.

Some other great books about girls recovering from abuse that I think Joy would love: But I Love Him by Amanda Grace; Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe; Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Wolf.

Thank you, Heidi, for inviting me to your blog, and don’t forget the Words Have Power video contest—details here! Plus there are lots of other chances to win books and prizes throughout the tour. Readers, I hope you enjoy Don’t Breathe a Word!

As Holly said there are lots of chances to win! She is giving away one book per day (US) and one book per week (international.) How cool is that?!? To enter fill out the form here.

Joy Delamere is suffocating...
From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.
Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far.
Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.
Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

John Green Week: TSWGO

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today I want to highlight the This Star Won't Go Out charity. This charity was started in memory of Esther Earl, "an avid Nerdfighter and passionate Harry Potter Alliance fan." She passed away at 16 from cancer. The Fault in Our Stars is dedicated to her. When asked in the EW Shelf Life interview if Hazel (the main character in The Fault in Our Stars) was based on Esther John said:

Well, Hazel and Esther are very different people, and Esther has died and has no ability to defend herself. It would be very important to her that people not think she likes America’s Next Top Model, which Hazel loves. [Laughs] Even while Hazel and Esther are very different people, I never could have written the book without knowing Esther.

According to their website the This Star Won't Go Out foundation exists, "to financially assist families struggling through the journey of a child living with cancer." There are two main ways you can support their mission. You can donate money directly. You can also purchase a this star won't go out bracelet from DFTBA Records for $5.00. All proceeds (minus shipping fees) go to the foundation.

image from http://tswgo.org/index.html

If you donate to the foundation or buy a bracelet be sure to claim your extra entries in my John Green Week giveaway! To support This Star Won't Go Out I recently bought 5 bracelets. If you'd like to enter to win one please fill out the form below. Contest ends 1/14/12.

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Drangonswood Tour Stop

2012-01-05T00:01:00.000-06:00

Today I have the privilege of being the next stop on the Dragonswood blog tour. If you're a fan of fantasy books you cannot miss this one! I was able to submit a few questions for the characters to answer AND we have a giveaway! How great is that?!? First, the questions (Thanks to Janet Lee Carey for transcribing the interview with her characters ;))

1. Wilde Island is in a bit of a rough spot. What do you think the best way to deal with it is? How would you recommend bringing peace?

Tess: I don’t understand why folk can’t leave Dragonswood alone. It’s a wild place set aside for Dragons and Fairies, a place full of magic. The dragons and fey have not attacked us or harmed us. For the most part they leave us alone, though the fairies steal milk and food now and then. What’s to be done about the land war I don’t know. I cannot see a way to bring about peace the way things are now.

2. Your thoughts on the issues between the dragons, faeries, and humans?

Tess: My father the blacksmith says, “I’d kill all the fey and the dragons if I could. The forest should be ours. A man needs his meat and good timber for his fire. And I’m not the only one who thinks so!”

I argued with him and he smacked me hard. The man won’t see sense. Where would the dragons and the fey go without the sanctuary? They had nearly died out before good Queen Rosalind set aside Dragonswood for them. I would not want to live in a world without any magic in it. A new king is about to be crowned. I am afraid now because he does not seem to care about the promise Queen Rosalind made. He might well break down the boundary walls and let men in to pillage. The fey have their magic, the dragons their fire. If the walls go down, I know what side I will fight on.

3. You have one whole day to do as you please... no limits, no responsibilities, no consequences. What do you do?

Prince Bion Pendragon: I would spend the day on Dragon’s Keep with my little sister who is just four years old. She was shunned by my family on the day she was born. When they saw the dragon scales on her face and her golden dragon eyes they sent her away. But I love her. I would teach her to ride dragonback and together we would fly over Dragon’s Keep. There is a place high in the mountains there where you can see the wild coastline and view the island surrounded by the sea. I would build a fire up there as night came on and watch the stars come out.

4. If you could change one thing about your life as it is what would you want to change?

Tess: At one time I would have said I wished only for freedom to live alone just as I please. I would stay near Dragonswood so I could watch the dragons and the magical fey folk. I would live without the help of any man and make my living as a painter. But now I have met Garth Huntsman that dream is all askew! Secretly I long to be with him, and that frightens me. I am not sure he wants the same.

5. If you could make the people of Wilde Island understand one truth what would you want it to be?

Tess: I would have the people honor life in its many forms and be glad Wilde Island offers a woodland sanctuary to the endangered dragons and the fey. Our island is magical.

A bit about Dragonswood:

In a dark time when girls with powers are called witches, Tess escapes the witch hunter and hides with a mysterious huntsman until magical voices draw her deeper into Dragonswood where she learns the secret of her birth. Caught between love and loyalty, Tess chooses the hardest path of all – her own. ~

Painful, cathartic and cautiously hopeful; a fairy tale for those who have given up on believing in them, but still yearn for happily ever after. -- Kirkus starred review

And now for the giveaway! I have a signed copy of Dragonswood as well as a signed paperback of Dragon's Keep (set in the same world as Dragonswood but years earlier.) Both books will go to one winner. US only. Must be 13 years or older to enter. Ends 1/11/12. To enter fill out the form below. Since I am not running the tour myself I need all your information in the form so I can forward your address on ASAP. I will not save or share any of the information.

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John Green Week: Day Three

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

Today I thought I'd round up some of the previews of John Green's newest book The Fault in Our Stars (released 1/10/12).

Last night EW's Shelf Life published an interview with John Green about The Fault in Our Stars as well as the exclusive release of the book trailer. See it all here. I've watched the trailer approximately 1,348,540 times already ;)

UPDATE: BookPage has a fabulous article about John Green and The Fault in Our Stars here. I love it!

You can read the first two chapters here!

Listen to the first five minutes of the Brilliance Audiobook in this video:

Watch John read chapters one and two!

There you have it! If that doesn't have you excited for it's release I don't know what will! Don't forget to enter my giveaway for books signed by John Green!

John Green Week: Giving Back and Giving Away

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

It's day two of John Green Week! ***happy dance*** Can you tell that I am SO hyped to be promoting John Green and his books?!? I so much love his writing and vlogs (Hank is pretty awesome too!) I want to take today to focus on one of my favorite aspects of the Vlogbrothers and Nerdfighteria... the community. More specifically the ways in which Nerdfighters everywhere are working to decrease world suck. I appreciate the fact that John, Hank, and their fellow Nerdfighters don't just talk about making the world better. They come up with ideas to enact change and carry them through. Whenever I think of Nerdfighters this quotation comes to mind:

John has a video that explains one way Nerdfighters do this... through The Bank of Nerdfighteria.

These are just two super easy ways to decrease world suck! That's the "giving back" portion of this post... on to the "giving away!" I have signed paperback copies of An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson as well as a signed chapter sampler of The Fault in Out Stars for one lucky winner! The contest is open internationally. You must be 13 or older to enter. There is one free entry and you can earn extra entries by giving back! More info in the rafflecopter widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here are some examples of screenshots that I'll accept for entries (as mentioned in the rafflecopter widget)
From PayPal (DFTBA Records and Fight Worldsuck):

(Bracelets are only $5 each. I bought 5 but you only need to purchase 1 to get the entries.)

From Kiva:

(You don't have to make the $3.75 donation. Just help fund a loan!)

John Green Week Kick-off

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

John Green Week is here! You know what that means? In one week I'll be curled up with my very own copy of The Fault in Our Stars! I cannot wait. I think I've mentioned once or twice (or perhaps every day!) that John Green is my very favorite author. I was so excited when the lovely ladies over at i. eat. words. set this week up! Thanks ladies! I'll be posting throughout the week. I thought I'd kick things off in fangirl style! I decided I wanted to be able to say I was a card carrying John Green fangirl so.... behold, The John Green Fangirl ID card:

As if that didn't show my true colors enough I made a video for you in which I tell an embarrassing story about meeting John Green:

Check back throughout the week for more John Green awesomeness (including a giveaway!)

Don't Breathe A Word Tour Stop: Review

2012-01-02T00:40:00.000-06:00

Don't Breath a Word

Author: Holly Cupala
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: Jan. 3, 2011
Pages: 320
Source: ARC received for Teen Book Scene blog tour

About the Book: Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his cruel words until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe…if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the hurt of bullying, the meaning of family, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.
My Thoughts: I have to admit... I was kind of confused at the beginning of this book. I kept thinking, "What's going on? What happened? Who?" Once I got a bit further in everything made more sense and I was able to get past the confusion and get in to this amazing story.

Holly's choices and struggles really got me thinking. It's a very gritty story. Holly is not in a good place (physically or mentally.) She mentions that as long as she is angry she doesn't have to be afraid. The fact that those were the only two options she felt were available to her made me so sad. When she left her life behind for the streets I had to wonder... homelessness is preferable to _____________? What? What would be so bad that I would rather live on the streets? I could not even imagine how trapped Holly must have felt to go that far.

Don't Breathe a Word highlights the fact that abuse and hurt are not just physical. It is a story of running and of growing, of learning and of becoming stronger. I may not have agreed with all of Holly's choices but I admire the courage that she found and the strength that kept her hanging on.

A word from our sponsor

2011-12-29T12:01:00.000-06:00

Just a quick video to say I hope your holiday season was delightful and that I appreciate you!

Also, because you rock and because Macmillan Audio is generous I'm giving away the audiobook of Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan . Note: I listened to this once so it is opened. One entry per person. US only. 13 years or older.

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25 Days of Jubilation Winner

2011-12-27T10:48:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a merry time! Happy holidays to all.

Rafflecopter picked the winner for my 25 Days of Jubilation contest! Congratulations go to

Mandy R.

I've sent her an email. Hope you enjoy the books and such Mandy!! Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered to win :)

In My Mailbox (43)

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-06:00

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.

Merry Christmas! I hope you are having a delightful holiday season so far! I will be posting sporadically over the next couple weeks as a juggle family time, a wedding to attend in Texas, and getting ready for school in the new year. Never fear, I will be back to posting regularly soon :)

For Review:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Thank you Macmillan Audio)

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler (Thank you Simon Pulse)

Irises by Francisco X Stork (Thank you Scholastic)

Gifted:

Major Crush by Jennifer Echols - Thank you Erica at The Book Cellar

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally - Thank you Shanyn at Chick Loves Lit

On Loan:

Bitterblue by Kristen Cashore - BITTERBLUE!!!!!!!! My bookish Christmas wish come true! Thank you Michelle from Hooked to Books.

2011 End of the Year Book Survey

2011-12-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

I was talking with a couple people on twitter about how I didn't think I could fill out this survey. The people who do it totally impress me! I just have a hard time thinking about what I've read within the parameters of a calendar year. Still, Jamie has some really great questions. I decided to pick a few out and answer just those. Props to everyone who completed the whole thing! You are way cooler than me ;)

Best Books You Read in 2011 (No way was I limiting this to one book!)
*The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta
*Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
*Please Ignore Vera Dietz and Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
*Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
*The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
*Divergent by Veronica Roth
*Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
*The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell

Best Audiobooks Listened to in 2011 (I added this one since I am obsessed!)
*Chime by Franny Billingsly
*The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
*The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did
I am a huge fan of retellings of Jane Austen novels so I was super excited to read Sass & Serendipity. I ended up not liking it as much as I hoped. I think I was expecting it to be more like the original. I probably would have liked it more if I didn't think of it in relation to Sense & Sensibility. It just wasn't for me.

Most Surprising (in a good way!) Book of 2011
I had heard a lot of mixed and frankly weird things about The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. When I finally read it I really enjoyed it. I don't typically do creepy well so that says a lot! Also, Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver was delightful. It's very different from her other books so I wasn't sure what to expect.

Book you Recommended to People Most in 2011
Anything by John Green! I am always trying to get people to read his books! He is my all time favorite author. I also recommended Sarah Rees Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon books a lot. It's a series I think deserves a wider readership. I even bought five copies and sent them out to bloggers who were interested. SRB is one of my very favorite authors and a delightful person :)

Book Series You Discovered in 2011
I am late to the game but the Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima. It's one of the best fantasy series I've ever read. Chima does an amazing job with world building and character development! The Demon King was a contender for one of the best books but that list was so long I decided to just fangirl about it here :)

Favorite New Authors You Discovered in 2011
STEPHANIE PERKINS AND LAINI TAYLOR!!!!!!!!! Ohmystars. Love. Love, love, love, love, love! If I'm having a bad day or just in a reading slump I can pick up their books, flip to any page, and get lost. I love it. Also, how adorable are they with their fun hair and general awesomeness?!? Two very talented ladies!

Best Book That Was Out of Your Comfort Zone or Was a New Genre for You
I have not read much magical realism since reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez in high school Spanish class but that's the best way I can think of to describe A.S. King's Please Ignore Vera Dietz and Everybody Sees the Ants. Well, magical realism and AMAZING! These are powerful and hard hitting books. I literally had to pull off the road because the audiobook of Please Ignore Vera Dietz had me sobbing. You must read her books!

Books You Most Anticipated in 2011
The two books I've been anticipating for years are Mastiff by Tamora Pierce and Bitterblu by Kristen Cashore. Mastiff was released (and awesome) and Bitterblue has an honest to goodness release date in 2012. Three other books I was highly anticipating: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (love her books!), Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (Infernal Devices is my favorite!), and The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson (more Jenna Fox!!!!!!) None of them disappointed!

Most Beautifully Written Book Read in 2011
Without a doubt it's Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. I could gush and gush and gush about this book and Laini's writing. And, although it doesn't come out until 2012, The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell is beautiful. Saundra's turn of phrase always gets to me.

Alright, I'm going to stop there. I would basically just keep repeating the books I've mentioned for all the other questions :)

My Book Club Rocks

2011-12-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

One of the things I've loved most about being a YA book blogger is the opportunities it's given me to meet people as ~~crazy~~ bookish as me! Many of them are spread across the country but a good many live close by too! A group of us bookish Wisconsin ladies have decided to get together and start our own book club.

That's Jillian's picture on the computer I'm holding :)

We met all together for the very first time on Monday. It was so much fun! I won't be posting about every meeting but this first one deserves a shout out! The fabulous Liza hosted and made us an amazing meal that I just had to share. She made foods that she found in some of our favorite YA novels. How awesome is that?!?!? The menu looked like this:

Can you say, "deliciousness"!?!? Everything was homemade. It was so yummers. Just look at the appetizers:

The conversation was just as amazing as the food. For our first meeting we decided not to read a book. Since it was in December I thought it'd be fun to discuss the books we read in 2011 or just our favorites in general. To keep us on track (we are all very chatty ladies!) I printed off the questions from Jamie's end of the year book survey. We only made it through a few but SO MANY awesome books were chatted up. My favorite discussion centered around books we felt deserved more recognition. I of course mentioned Saundra Mitchell and Sarah Rees Brennan. I just love their books so much! I got so into the hatting that I forgot to take pics of the yummy dinner and dessert. Here is a pic of the table after we demolished the food! That's Chicken Tiki Masala in the forefront. I ate so much of it.

You can see Liza's post here. There is a link to all the recipes at the end. I seriously cannot express how much fun it was. Thanks to Liza, Jillian, Rani, Sasha, Erica, and Maggie for being made of awesome! No joke. Best book club EVER! I mean, the first book we're reading is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. These are my people!

Waiting on Wednesday (42)

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly meme to talk about what upcoming book we're most looking forward to reading

Waiting on Wednesday

December 21, 2011

Underworld

by Meg Cabot

Release Date: May 28, 2012

Published by: Point (Scholastic)

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, the dark reimagining of the Persephone myth begun in ABANDON continues ... into the Underworld.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance . . . on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there . . . and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

I had you at "Meg Cabot" didn't I? Meg Cabot + reimagining of Persephone? WIN! I liked the way Meg made the story her own in Abandon so I am really looking forward to seeing where she goes in this one. May seems oh so far away!!!