Chapter Chicks

Rainbow Reads (1)

2012-01-20T05:08:00.000-08:00

Rainbow Reads is a new segment where we pick upcoming books to highlight from each color of the rainbow.

Books mentioned in this video:
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne
The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Fracture by Megan Miranda
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris
Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe
Above by Leah Bobet
Bewitching by Alex Flinn
When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen
Hollow by Richard Denney

Legend by Marie Lu

2012-01-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

Legend by Marie Lu
Released: November 29th, 2011
Published by: Putnam Juvenile
Series: Legend, Book One
Page Amount: 305 pages, US hardcover
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

REVIEW:

I really enjoyed Legend. When I first picked it up, I was a little hesitant, because dystopian novels are quickly becoming the over-used trend in Y.A. literature, but since they can be done so well I knew I had to give this one a shot.

At first, it was right on track with your typical trendy novel and I was pretty disappointed and found myself reluctant to pick it up again, and when I did I would only read about twenty pages or so, and then put it back down. But after doing this a few times and getting about 100 pages in, I found myself really enjoying it. An event happens that really makes me get into it and start getting into the characters.

My absolute favorite thing about this book was the point behind it. After you get further into the book you really get to see a lot about how the government of the Republic works and how much control it has, and then it makes you think, how much control does our government have over us? Stacy and I are constantly discussing how our nation has become complacent to anything that happens. We take it at face value and instead of trying to change what we don't like about the world, we try to change our world to fit what the government and the media says without fighting it.

It takes a while, but I really started liking the characters towards the end. They develop real personalities that aren't absolutely amazing, but you can see the where the sequel is going to be a lot better if Lu does it the right way.

All in all, I cannot wait to get more out of this series and I recommend this book to fans of dystopia novels and people who are into government issues.

FIRST LINE:

"My mother thinks I'm dead."

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 17/20
Characters: 17/20
Writing: 16/20
Creativity: 17/20
Ending: 10/10
The 'It' Factor: 9/10
=86/100, B ()

PARENTAL SUGGESTION:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild~~/Excessive~~ Cursing
Mild/Excessive Sexual Content
Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

2012-01-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
Released: January 26th, 2010
Published by: Dial
Series: Incarceron, Book One
Page Amount: 442 pages, US hardback
Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells, but also metal forests, dilapidated cities, and vast wilderness. Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, has no memory of his childhood and is sure that he came from Outside Incarceron. Very few prisoners believe that there is an Outside, however, which makes escape seems impossible.

And then Finn finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with a girl named Claudia. She claims to live Outside - she is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, and doomed to an arranged marriage. Finn is determined to escape the prison and Claudia believes she can help him. But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye, and escape will take their greatest courage and cost more than they know. Because Incarceron is alive.

REVIEW:

In some ways, I really enjoyed this book but in others I felt it was lacking a little something. It definitely has all the plot needed, and it has some mystery and character development, but at points it seemed a little immature. Now when I say that, I don't want you to think the characters acted immaturely or that the plot was silly, because this wasn't the case. There was just something about it as a whole that wasn't as developed as I usually like to see.

Now, with that being said, I really enjoyed this book besides that little issue. It wasn't life changing or something I'm going to spend weeks thinking about, but it was well worth the read and it was a really great set up for the series. I am thinking Sapphique (the sequel) is going to be a lot better since some of the questions are answered in Incarceron and now we're left with only consequences.

There were some characters I really liked in this story, and characters I really didn't like as well. It is basically told from two perspectives: Claudia and Finn. I really like Claudia's story better, but I liked the supporting characters in Finn's story better than Claudia's. This book is really more of a plot book than a character book, so not all of the characters were as developed or realistic as I would like them to be.

FIRST LINE:

"Finn had been flung on his face and chained to the stone slabs of the transitway."

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 15/20
Characters: 14/20
Writing: 14/20
Creativity: 16/20
Ending: 14/20
The 'It' Factor: 6/10
=79/100, C ()

PARENTAL SUGGESTION:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild/Excessive Cursing
Mild/Excessive Sexual Content
Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Jessica's 2011 Wrap-Up

2012-01-07T07:14:00.000-08:00

So 2011 was a great year for me! I got so much accomplished with Chapter Chicks like finally getting quoted in a book (Falling Under by Gwen Hayes) and reading a ton of amazing books. I got married in December. And I left the year off with big promises for the future! I unfortunately did not meet my 2011 reading challenge, I had tried to read 100 books, but when I planned the wedding I decided to quit it because it was just too much. Here is a list of the 65 books that I did read!

Number of Books Read in 2011: 65

January:
1. The Devouring by Simon Holt
2. The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
3. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
4. The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine
5. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
6. Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
7. Wish by Alexandra Bullen
8. Wishful Thinking by Alexandra Bullen

February
1. Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble
2. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
3. Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
4. Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
5. Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman

March
1. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
2. The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
3. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
4. Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
5. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

April
1. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
2. Perfect by Sara Shepard
3. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

May
1. Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson
2. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

June
1. Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
2. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
3. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
4. Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine
5. Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

July
1. Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
2. Gatekeepers by Robert Liparulo
3. Divergent by Veronica Roth
4. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
5. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
6. Red Glove by Holly Black
7. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
8. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
9. Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker
10. A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
11. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
12. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

August
1. Mistwood by Leah Cypess
2. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
3. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
4. Changeling by Cate Tiernan
5. Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
6. Solid by Shelley Workinger
7. Gone by Michael Grant
8. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
9. The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
10. Soulstice by Simon Holt
11. Fearscape by Simon Holt

September
1. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
2. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
3. Timescape by Robert Liparulo
4. The Kin of Ata Are Waiting For You by Dorothy Bryant
5. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
6. Timescape by Robert Liparulo
7. Unbelievable by Sara Shepard
8. Both Sides of Time by Caroline B. Cooney
9. Frenzy by Robert Liparulo
10. Between by Jessica Warman
11. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

December
1. Hunger by Michael Grant
2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
3. Betrayal by Lee Nichols

Betrayal by Lee Nichols

2011-12-24T01:00:00.000-08:00

Betrayal by Lee Nichols
Released: March 1st, 2011
Published by: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Series: Haunting Emma Novel, Book Two
Page Amount: 304 pages, US paperback

This is the second book in the Haunting Emma series. Although we do not post intentional spoilers in our reviews, please do not continue reading unless you have read Deception by Lee Nichols.

"Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive-one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar-Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good."
Information from Goodreads.com

REVIEW:

When I first read Deception, I fell head-over-heels in love with this series. Unfortunately, for me, this sequel was missing a little something that I can't quite put my finger on.

I really have no idea why I couldn't dive right into this series. The characters are still great, the plot is still just as thick as before, but there was just no oomph to what I was reading. The dramatic climaxes and emotional heartbreaks didn't feel so climactic or heartbreaking.

I didn't feel like there was enough of a recap in the book to remind me of what happened in the first book. So on top of trying to keep up with what was currently happening, I was desperately trying to remember what happened prior. I knew enough to be caught up in the book, but not enough to make me really remember how things went down and who I cared about and why, and I think that may have been one of my problems.

With all of that being said, this book is still well worth the read. I think the major problem was this book being a stepping stone to get to the third book, rather than a book all its own. This series could have done well as a two-book series instead of a trilogy. So if you want to experience what I think will be a great series, you have to read this mediocre book.

FIRST LINE:

"It's not easy watching a friend get buried, especially when you were responsible for his death."

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 16/20
Characters: 16/20
Writing: 15/20
Creativity: 15/20
Ending: 6/10
The 'It' Factor: 6/10
=74/100, C ()

PARENTAL SUGGESTION:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild~~/Excessive~~ Cursing
Mild/~~Excessive~~ Sexual Content
~~Drug/~~Alcohol Abuse

Author Spotlight - L.J. Smith

2011-12-23T06:27:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of The Vampire Diaries? Have you heard of the Secret Circle? What about Night World? Have you ever wondered who was behind these amazing series and television shows? Have you ever found yourself confused on the many bind-ups of the Vampire Diaries series? Check out our spotlight on author L.J. Smith to learn more about the series we love and the woman who created them all.

Check out our YouTube page for more videos on books, authors, and the interworkings of novels.

Remarkable Releases

2011-12-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

Week of December 19th, 2011

Blood Wolf by Steve Feasey
• Published by Feiwel & Friends on December 20th
• Available in Paperback
This is the third book in the Wereling series, to avoid spoiling we will give the synopsis for Wereling the first book.
Fourteen-year-old Trey Laporte is not a kid anymore. Not after the day he wakes up in agony—retina-splitting, vomit-inducing agony. His clothes are torn. His room is trashed.
Enter Lucien Charron, the mysterious, long-lost “uncle” with freakish fire-flecked eyes and skin that blisters in the sun. Suddenly, Trey finds himself living in a luxury penthouse at the heart of a strange and sinister empire built on the powers of the Netherworld—vampires, demons, sorcerers, and djinn.
And there is a girl—Alexa Charron—who is half vampire, half human, and insanely pretty, with powers all of her own. Trey is falling for her.
Trey is training night and day to control the newly discovered power lurking inside him. Now, demons are closing in on every side, and the most psychopathic bloodsucker to rock the Netherworld wants to destroy him. Above all, he must face one terrifying question:
Is he a boy . . . or is he a beast?

On a Dark Wing by Jordan Dane
• Published by Harlequin Teen on December 20th
• Available in Paperback
Five years ago Abbey Chandler cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but her lucky break came at the expense of her mother’s life and changed everything. After she crossed paths with Death—by taking the hand of an ethereal boy made of clouds and sky—she would never be normal again.
Now she’s the target of Death’s Ravens and an innocent boy’s life is on the line. When Nate Holden—Abbey’s secret crush—starts to climb Alaska’s Denali, the Angel of Death is with him because of her.
Abbey finds out the hard way that Death never forgets.

Out in Paperback This Week

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

2011-12-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Released: September 27th, 2011
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Series: Mara Dyer, Book One
Page Amount: 452 pages, US hardcover
"Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong."

REVIEW:

I didn't get anything out of reading Mara Dyer that I had expected from it. For some reason, perhaps it is the very vague synopsis, I was very turned off by this book despite the good things I had been hearing about it. Boy, am I sorry I didn't pick this book up sooner.

Like most reviewers, I don't even really know how to explain how I felt about The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. There were times where I was gushing over the romance, pulling my hair out over the mystery, confused when things didn't go as I had guessed... but there was never a single time I wasn't enjoying this book. From line one, you are pulled into the story and every line after that has you sinking deeper and deeper into the plot and characters until you look up and realize 3 hours has passed in what felt like twenty minutes.

There were so many things I liked about this book, but it was all of them rolled into one beautiful book that made it sensational. The characters were so easy to fall in love with and to hate at the same time. After mere moments of knowing them I felt deeply invested in their lives and was cheering for them the whole book. The romance of this book, which for some reason I didn't expect, blew my mind. I hate comparing things to Twilight, but I have rarely felt this giddy about a male character since, although some people may find the romance a little much (but for me I was squealing like a 13-year-old girl at a Bieber concert). The plot was thick and constantly left me wondering what was happening to Mara and to everyone else. And the writing style was brilliant. It is very rare that I can't really put my finger on what is happening extremely early on in the book, so the fact that I was never sure in this one only intrigued me more.

All in all, you're crazy if you don't pick this book up. As a YA lover, as a romance lover, as a mystery reader... or just someone who loves reading new things, this book is for you.

FIRST LINE:

"My name is not Mara Dyer, but my lawyer told me I had to choose something."

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 19/20
Characters: 19/20
Writing: 19/20
Creativity: 20/20
Ending: 10/10
The 'It' Factor: 10/10
=97/100, A ()

PARENTAL SUGGESTION:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild/~~Excessive~~ Cursing
Mild/~~Excessive~~ Sexual Content
~~Drug/Alcohol Abuse~~

Hunger by Michael Grant

2011-12-14T06:34:00.000-08:00

Hunger by Michael Grant
Released: May 26th, 2009
Published by: HarperTeen
Series: Gone, Book Two
Page Amount: 590 pages, US paperback

This is the second book in the Gone series. Although we do not post intentional spoilers in our reviews, please do not continue reading unless you have read Gone by Michael Grant.

"It's been three months since everyone under the age of fifteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ.

Three months since all the adults disappeared. GONE.

Food ran out weeks ago. Everyone is starving, but no one wants to figure out a solution. And each day, more and more kids are evolving, developing supernatural abilities that set them apart from the kids without powers. Tension rises and chaos is descending upon the town. It's the normal kids against the mutants. Each kid is out for himself, and even the good ones turn murderous.

But a larger problem looms. The Darkness, a sinister creature that has lived buried deep in the hills, begins calling to some of the teens in the FAYZ. Calling to them, guiding them, manipulating them.

The Darkness has awakened. And it is hungry."
Information from Goodreads.com

REVIEW:

If you felt that Gone left you with a little bit of an incomplete ending, you do not need to worry because Hunger picks up right where it left off. From the very first page you are thrown into a world of despair, anger, confusion, trying to hang on to hope, children being forced to grow up and finally (and most importantly) hunger.

As easily predicted in Gone, the children did not plan for preserving and keeping a large amount of food in case they were stuck there for an extended period of time. It was infuriating to me to watch this happen, but in the first book Albert was one of my favorite characters because he was the only one thinking about the future in the FAYZ. However, in this book Albert really kind of drove me crazy. He started out worrying about everyone else, but in this book he seemed to have a more self-preserving mind.

This book is such a character driven book, so for those of you that consider this the most important aspect in a novel, this series is really made for you. It switches perspectives among every single character in the book, and it makes it all seem more real because you don't just see one person's side of the story. It makes everything wrap together in this pretty little present for you to open.

What is even better about this strongly character driven novel is that there is a lot of plot backing it up as well for all you plot lovers. There is so much mystery surrounding the FAYZ and so much tension between the characters that even when it is focused on the characters you are dying to know what is happening because something always is. This book almost feels like it has two climaxes, because the book is building up to this huge event that happens about 2-300 pages in and then that event leads to something even bigger. So it is nice to not have 575 pages leading up to one big event because at that point you're just pretty burnt out on waiting.

Pretty much, this book series is amazing and is very quickly making its way to my favorites shelf. Don't hesitate to pick this series up because I can almost guarantee you'll enjoy it. And while you're at it, go ahead and pick up Lies for me, because I am dying to devour it.

FIRST LINE:

"Sam Temple was on his board."

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 19/20
Characters: 19/20
Writing: 19/20
Creativity: 19/20
Ending: 10/10
The 'It' Factor: 10/10
=96/100, A ()

PARENTAL SUGGESTION:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild~~/Excessive~~ Cursing
~~Mild/Excessive Sexual Content~~
Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Hi Guys!

2011-12-10T08:14:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a while since you have heard from us over here at Chapter Chicks! Well, if you follow our YouTube channel, then you know that we have been extremely busy planning a wedding! I got married on December 2nd, and now that the wedding and all the strenuous time-consuming planning is over, we are planning on continuing things as before we had left.

As you know the blog had a sporadic amount of posting, but we have things in the works to change that. However, since nothing is finalized, we won't be starting that or announcing it yet. But, for those of you who follow us on YouTube, the schedule will be:

Monday: A Video From Stacy

Wednesday: A Video From Jessica

Friday: A Group Video (Either a tag, a novel notion, a humorous video, or our book of the month video.)

I can't wait to get started with more Chapter Chicks stuff again, Stacy and I have been very busy figuring out things to make our channel even better. Thanks so much for being patient with us during our huge break and we hope to see more of you soon!

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

2011-10-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
Released: October 25th, 2011
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Series: The Iron Fey, Book Four
Page Amount: 386 pages, US paperback
This is the fourth book in the Iron Fey series. Although we do not post intentional spoilers in our reviews, please do not continue reading unless you have read The Iron King, The Iron Daughter and The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa.

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.

I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.

My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

2011-09-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

It is time for another books to save for! This meme highlights books that are coming out next month that are worth saving your money for. If you would like to see more information about the book you can click the image and it will send you to the goodreads page of the novel which gives you exact release date, author, page amount, publisher, synopsis and a lot more information. If the book is not the first book, you are still safe to click the link because I set sequels and beyond to go to the first novel in the series. Note: These are not nearly all of the books that are coming out this month, these are just some of the ones we decided to feature.

Week of October 3rd

Week of October 10th

Week of October 17th

Week of October 24th

Blog FAQs (1)

This book is nothing like I expected it to be. I devoured it and loved every minute of it. I was reluctant to pick this up at first because the cover and title of it really turned me off. It is so much deeper of a novel than it seems. I feel like the cover made it seem like a light teeny novel, and it wasn't at all.

I love Lucius. He is one of my new favorite vampire men now. Everything about him makes the book seem perfect. He is temperamental, judgmental, and SUCH a gentleman. The chemistry between him and Jessica comes right off the page and flows through your veins so intensely you wouldn't even need to be a vampire to be able to notice it. Jessica is also a great character. I think that she handled everything wonderfully, although I would have been a bit quicker to believe than she was. I was constantly wanting to shake her and make her wake up.

The plot goes in a lot of different directions I didn't expect. I really never knew where the book was going to go, and it definitely goes a lot further than any other first book in a series I've ever read. The end is absolutely amazing. It leaves you with a complete jaw-dropping cliffhanger but at the same time I still felt like everything was wrapped up in a bow.

Beth Fantaskey's writing was... fantastic. (I wonder how many times a reviewer has said that?) There is so much chemistry flowing through the plot and the characters and it is all in the writing. I will read anything that she has written now and hope that it has the same sticky sweet goodness that DotDS did. Definitely pick this book up and bump it to the top of your to-read list.

FIRST LINE:

"The first time I saw him, a heavy, gray fog clung to the cornfields, tails of mist slithering between the dying stalks."

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 19/20
Characters: 20/20
Writing: 19/20
Creativity: 20/20
Ending: 10/10
The 'It' Factor: 10/10
=98/100 A+ ()

PARENTAL SUGGESTION:

~~Violence~~
Mild~~/Excessive~~ Sexual Content
Mild/Excessive Cursing
Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Novel Notion (2)-Vampires

2011-08-07T08:24:00.001-07:00

If you would like to do a follow up to this Novel Notion simply post your link in the comments below.

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

2011-08-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Released: December 1st, 2000
Published by: Scholastic Press
Series: A Series of Unforunate Events, Book One
Page Amount: 162 pages, US Hardcover
"Dear Reader,
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune. In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast. It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket"
-Information from Goodreads.com

REVIEW:

This was such a cute read and I can finally understand why it was such a popular children's book. I plan on picking up every single book in this Series of Unfortunate Events.

It starts off in such a strange way, Lemony Snicket warns you right on the first few pages to put the book down, which naturally makes you want to read more. It is a very fun read that took literally no time at all. The plot and characters all work together very well and it seems to move very quickly.

The writing is what really makes this book so funny and great, despite all the terrible things that happen. Whenever the author talks about Sunny speaking I would crack up because he would actually quote Sunny(the baby) as saying "Oompha." And then he would go on to explain that what Sunny was actually meaning. And every time a large word was used Snicket would say what it meant in that circumstance.

All in all, I thought this was a really great read that everyone could enjoy if they want to read something funny and quick.

FIRST LINE:

"If you are interested in happy endings, you are better off reading some other book."

RATING:

Plot: 17/20
Characters: 17/20
Writing: 18/20
Creativity: 17/20
Ending: 8/10
The 'It' Factor: 10/10
=87/10, B ()
*Note, this is a middle grades novel so I tried to judge it from how I would feel at that age.

PARENTAL SUGGESTION:

This is a children's novel and is meant for a young audience therefore there is no offensive behavior or speech. Unless you count Count Olaf's ickiness.

Between Shades of Gray Book Tour

Okay, wow. I didn't expect what I just devoured. People have been saying that this book was good, and I generally believed them. But it was good in a way that I didn't really expect the kind of good it was. I wish I could express into words how it was. It wasn't like Oh My God, girl squeal good. It kind of reminded me of the Hunger Games without the whole star=crossed lovers thing. But don't get me wrong, it has plenty of hotty hot hot scenes to keep us romance nuts going.

The main thing about this book that I loved was the characters. Tris really reminded me of Katniss in a lot of ways. She was strong but didn't really realize it and she had a hard time letting the right people in. Four was OHMIGOD hot. And as the story went on his character developed fantastically. The supporting characters where developed really well without them taking over the story. Pretty much the characters were what made this story really great for me.

But don't let that make you think that was all that was good about Divergent. Because the plot was intricate and fully developed. You could tell there was a lot of thought behind the history and culture. Roth did not just sit down and start writing, there was thought behind it.

So pretty much, as I'm sure you've already heard, read this book.... Now.

FIRST LINE:

"There is one mirror in my house."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 20/20
Characters: 20/20
Writing: 19/20
Creativity: 20/20
Ending: 10/10
Cover: 4/5
The 'It' Factor: 5/5
=98/100 A+ ()

PARENTAL CORNER:

This book contains the following:
Violence
~~Mild/Excessive Sexual Content~~
Mild/~~Excessive~~ Cursing
~~Drug/Alcohol Abuse~~

Gatekeepers by Robert Liparulo

2011-07-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

Gatekeepers by Robert Liparulo
Released: December 30th, 2008
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Series: The Dreamhouse Kings, Book 3
Page Amount: 304 pages
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon
This is the third book in the Dreamhouse Kings series. You should not continue reading this synopsis or review until you have read The House of Dark Shadows and Watcher in the Woods by Robert Liparulo.
The Kings have been in the creepy old place, their new home, for only a few days, but they've experienced enough terror to last a lifetime. And the mystery is growing even more baffling. Shadowy and shifting, the big house conceals doors into other worlds that blur the line between memories and dreams-and the slightest misstep can change history forever. At least, that's if they believe the trembling old man who shows up claiming to know them. "There's a reason you're in the house," he tells them. "As gatekeepers, we must make sure only those events that are supposed to happen get through to the future." The problem is that horrors beyond description wait on the other side of those gates. As if that weren't enough, the Kings are also menaced by sinister forces on this side-like the dark, ancient stranger Taksidian, who wants them out now. Xander, David, and Toria must venture beyond the gates to save their missing mother-and discover how truly high the stakes have become."

QUICK OVERVIEW:

As always, Robert Liparulo's fantastic story lines, good writing, and lovable characters combine to make another great book in the Dreamhouse King series.

REVIEW:

I have read and loved the first two books in Liparulo's series. Unfortunately I have also reviewed them, and I don't want to sound repetitive. But that leads me to say the first thing about this book, it is not repetitive.

I had said in my last review that the second book raised more questions than it answered and it was kind of frustrating. Well that isn't a problem in this book. Gatekeepers gives you hints of answers but still leaves plenty of mystery for you to ponder.

It literally took me three hours to devour this book while my boyfriend was snoozing. I wanted to put the book down, but for some reason I just couldn't. I sat there and read the whole thing in one sitting, and I think that was because of how quick the plot was moving. I just wanted to figure out more answers and see what would be happening next.

Also in my last review, I mentioned the perspective switch. This time around, I really liked hearing from David. I think the events that took place have given him a more mature outlook and his voice was a lot of fun to read.

Pretty much if you're looking for an easy fun read that is full of mystery, you need to look no further than The Dreamhouse Kings series.

FIRST LINE:

"Xander's words struck David like a musket ball."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 18/20
Characters: 18/20
Writing: 19/20
Creativity: 19/20
Ending: 10/10
Cover: 4/5
The 'It' Factor: 5/5
=93/100, A ()

PARENTAL CORNER:

This book contains the following:
Violence
~~Mild/Excessive Cursing~~
~~Mild/Excessive Sexual Content~~
~~Drug/Alcohol Abuse~~

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

2011-07-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
Released: June 21st, 2011
Published by: Walker Children's
Page Amount: 352 pages, US/hardcover
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon
Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?
Information on Goodreads.com

QUICK OVERVIEW:

Looking for a book filled with mystery, drama, excitement, and horror? Well Haunting Violet is exactly what you're looking for. It was a little slower at first and the characters were a bit confusing, but all in all it was worth the read. Plus, check out that gorgeous cover!

REVIEW:

I haven't read an Alyxandra Harvey book before, but I will definitely be picking up her other books after reading Haunting Violet.

It wasn't a perfect book but it was thoroughly enjoyable and I couldn't stop myself from thinking about what would be next on the pages even when I wasn't reading.

I really liked some of the characters in this book. But I also really didn't care for some of them and there were so many that were key players in the mystery but didn't really get enough of a role for me to remember so it was kind of confusing. They would have a brief introduction and then a few chapters later they were a key suspect and I got all the names confused sometimes. And books like that really get to me because I always feel like I could solve the mystery if I could just remember everyone's names!

This book moved at a pretty quick pace, I don't ever remember finding myself bored but it wasn't until the end that the excitement was at an ultimate high.

All in all this was a pretty good book and well worth the read but I wouldn't put it ahead of some leading YA titles on your to-be-read list.

FIRST LINE:

"I was nine years old when my mother decided it was time I took part in the family business."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 15/20
Characters: 15/20
Writing: 16/20
Creativity: 16/20
Ending: 9/10
Cover: 5/5
The 'It' Factor: 3/5
=79/100 C ()

PARENTAL SUGGESTION:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild/Excessive Cursing
Mild/Excessive Sexual Content
Drug/Alcohol Abuse

July Books to Save For

2011-06-28T16:40:00.000-07:00

Supernaturally by Kiersten White
• Released: July 26th, 2011 by HarperTeen
Paranormalcy (Book One) Synopsis: Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours. But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. So much for normal.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
• Released: July 26th, 2010 by Philomel
Nightshade (Book One) Synopsis: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Small Town Sinners by Melissa C. Walker
• Released: July 19th, 2011 by Bloomsbury
The story of Lacey Anne Byers, a small town girl who is excited to star in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, until a childhood friend reappears and makes her question her faith.

Undercurrent by Tricia Rayburn
• Released: July 12th, 2011 by EgmontUSA
Siren (Book One) Synopsis: Vacationing in Winter Harbor, Maine, is a tradition for Vanessa and Justine Sands, and that means spending time with the Carmichael boys. This summer, Vanessa is determined to channel some of her older sister’s boldness, get over her fear of the ocean, and maybe turn her friendship with Simon Carmichael into something much more. But when Justine goes cliff-diving after a big family argument, and her body washes ashore the next day, Vanessa is sure that it was more than an accident. She is more certain of this, when she discovers that her sister was keeping some big secrets and Caleb Carmichael’s gone missing. Suddenly, the entire oceanfront town is abuzz when a series of grim, water-related accidents occur, with the male victims washed ashore grinning from ear to ear. Vanessa and Simon team up to figure out if these creepy deaths have anything to do with Justine and Caleb. But will what Vanessa discovers mean the end of her summer romance, or even life as she knows it?

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
• Released: July 12th, 2011 by Scholastic Press
Shiver (Book One) synopsis: the cold. Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why. the heat. Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now. the shiver. For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

Bad Taste In Boys by Carrie Harris
• Released: July 12th, 2011 by Delacorte Press
Someone's been a very bad zombie. Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

2011-06-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a great chance for all of us book bloggers to share what we got to read.

For Review:
Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Purchased:
Gone by Michael Grant
Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters
Betrayal by Lee Nichols
The Secret Circle Bind-up, The Captive Part II and The Power by L.J. Smith
Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
The Vampire Dairies Bind-up, The Awakening and The Struggle by L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries Bind-up, The Fury and The Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund
Starlighter by Bryan Davis
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Babe In Boyland Winner

2011-06-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

You wanna win this? Huh, huh? Do ya? It's a signed copy of Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman!

Well, too bad. You can't because Triona from Ireland won.

Congrats to Triona and thanks to Jody for supplying the prize!

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

2011-06-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Released: May 18th, 2010
Published by: Penguin/Razorbill
Series: Vampire Academy, Book 5
Page Amount: 489 pages, US hardcover
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon
This is the fifth book in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. If you haven't read Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kissed, and Blood Promise then you shouldn't read this review. Though we don't intentionally give spoilers, this review may contain potential spoilers to certain people. Also, due to the spoilerific ways of Vampire Academy's synopsis, we won't be posting it on the site. You can however go to the Goodreads page if you're interested. Be warned though, it will spoil previous books for you.

QUICK OVERVIEW:

Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod. Did that seriously just happen? Richelle Mead tops herself with every addition to the Vampire Academy series. This is something that should be on every YA readers 'already read' list. If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for?

REVIEW:

Like I said in the quick overview... OHMIGOD! People told me that the series got better as it went on, but I didn't expect it to reach such high magnitudes in my mind. It was an almost perfect novel.

The plot was fantastical. My only complaint about it was that I was a little bored in the beginning. With all the stuff going on in the past books, it seemed like it was taking it from a pretty calm moment. But it starts increasing speed very quickly, and once it starts it never slows down. This book may be lengthy in page numbers, but once I hit a certain point it only took me a small amount of hours to devour it to the end.

The characters were at their finest in this installment as well. Rose has reached a level in respect in my mind that equals Elizabeth Bennett and Hermione Granger. Something Bella Swan has never been able to accomplish. (Am I saying VA is better than Twilight? In every way, except for my darling Edward Cullen, although I do love me some VA men too!)

As I say in every review, and will of course reaffirm in this one, if you're tired of vamps, STILL READ THIS SERIES. It is nothing like the vampires you knew before. I wouldn't even really consider this a book about vampires.. I would call them people with blood for a diet (if they're Moroi or Strigoi.) Don't know what I'm talking about? Well find out for yourself!

I don't want to say much more, because odds are, if you're reading this review, you already know for yourself. If you don't, then you ignored the warning and are probably spoiled, and should go read the series. If you're on a book blog, you obviously have an interest in reading, and you should be interested in this series!

That, is all.

FIRST LINE:

"There is a big difference between death threats and love letters- even if the person writing the death threats still claims to actually love you."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 19/20
Characters: 20/20
Writing: 20/20
Creativity: 20/20
Ending: 10/10
The 'It' Factor: 5/5
Cover: 4/5
=98/100 A+ ()

PARENTAL SUGGESTIONS:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild/~~Excessive~~ Cursing
Mild/~~Excessive~~ Sexual Content
~~Drug/Alcohol Abuse~~

Opinions; Ultimate Guides

2011-06-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

My Opinion on Ultimate Guides
I first got the idea for this post after reading a Waiting on Wednesday post over at Once Upon A Quote. Definitely check that blog out! :)
This is my opinion based on what I know, it is possible that I don't know some critical piece of information that would completely change my opinion. This is for starting discussion, not criticism.

So one of the new hypes in the young adult book world is "Ultimate Guides"; "Encyclopedia's"; and/or "handbooks."

As far as I know, this trend starting with The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. There was so much to her story that we easily could have missed, there are spells, enchantments, locations and history we don't understand just by reading the story. She has written quite a few miniature series to help clear up some confusion (Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them; Quidditch Through the Ages; and The Tales of Beetle the Bard are the most popular). It only made sense that when the series was over she would create something that explained everything we missed when reading it. And even though it hasn't come out yet, I think it started a trend in the marketplace.

Since then, guides have been popping up in every finished popular series. And I don't like it. Will I buy them for collection purposes? Yes. But will I actually read them? Probably not.

My feelings are that just because they can come up with enough back content to fill a handbook, doesn't mean that it needs to be done. If you aren't done with the series and want to give people more information, pull a Cassandra Clare and go back and write another series about it (referring to the Clockwork series that is a prequel to The Mortal Instruments.)

I think this is just another way for publishers to milk fans for what they're worth. Young adult fans are very dedicated to their series and will buy anything they can to support the author and the books. And I will too. But I think we need to cool it with the ultimate guides.

Now, that isn't all ultimate guides, mind you. Like the Harry Potter one, there are some that I really do want to read because the series is so extensive.

What do you guys think?

Retired Reads (3)

2011-06-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

We all have memes' where we discuss upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on. Well, I don't know about you, but 50% of my purchases are books that have been out for quite some time. It seems like with so many bloggers out there and only so many new releases, we are all discussing the same things. But there are also so many good books that have already been released! So I am going to compile a few books that are on my wish list that have been published in 2010 or earlier.

Ruined by Paula Morris • August 1st, 2009 by Scholastic
(Haven't Read) I bought this book a while back and don't know why I haven't picked it up yet! It has all the elements of a good YA book. Mysterious setting, hot unattainable guy who shows interest in the main character, and ghostly best friends!

The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade • September 22nd, 2009 by Wendy Lamb Books
(Haven't Read) So this is a book about basically spies mixed in with The Hunchback of Notre Dame? Wicked cool. Gotta check it out.

Fractured; Happily Never After? by Joanna Karaplis • November 1st, 2010 by McKellar & Martin Publishing
(Haven't Read) Okay, so this is basically the grimm fairy tales in today's society. The Little Mermaid on youtube? Would Cinderella still need a godmother? Oh gosh, I'm dying to find out.

Sea Change by Aimee Friedman • June 1st, 2009 by Point
(Haven't Read) A girl who is majorly into science moves to Selkie Island and meets a mysterious boy who she thinks is hiding something. What could a hotty hot hot boy hide on Selkie Island? I think I know but I'm dying to read about it!

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade • June 29th, 2010 by Disney Hyperion
(Haven't Read) A book about a snotty popular girl who dies and can only be heard by a goth kid that's pretty much invisible in high school? This has good YA book written all over it.

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson • May 1st, 2008 by Point
(Haven't Read) This one is about a girl who lives in a hotel and falls in love with a famous resident. Cutesy, girly, suite life of Zach and Cody?

A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan • April 1st, 2004 by Little, Brown Readers
(Have Read) This book is so cute. And odds are, if you haven't heard of the book, you've heard of the movie, which is also cute. It is a great story that every early young adult should check into.

Tithe by Holly Black • March 23rd, 2004 by Simon Pulse
(Haven't Read) Okay, first of all, Holly Black is awesome. She cracks me up, and I read her other book, White Cat and loved it. So do I wanna check out her story about faries? Yes. Does it sound even better when the synopsis says she is in the middle of the battle between fairy worlds? Yes. I'm reading it soon for sure.

The Fallen; Volume 1 by Thomas E. Sniegoski • March 9th, 2010 by Simon Pulse
(Haven't Read) Doesn't that look like Paul Wesley on the cover? Whoo, is he sexy. And if the main character in this book is an angel that looks like Paul Wesley, you don't even have to tell me what this is about. I'm interested. ;) But when I hear it is about a boy who is the son of a mortal and an angel, and a hell-bent evil force is after him, I'm even more interested. Yummy.

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

2011-06-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Released: May 6th, 2008
Published by: Disney Hyperion
Series: Generation Dead, Book One
Page Amount: 392 pages, US paperback
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He’s strong and silent…and dead.

All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn’t want them.
The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the “differently biotic." But the students don’t want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn’t breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the “living impaired” from the people who want them to disappear—for good.
When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?
Information from Goodreads.com

QUICK OVERVIEW:

Generation Dead gives us a very realistic point of view as to what the world would probably be like if kids just started waking up from the grave. A YA novel that every true reader should consider picking up.

REVIEW:

Generation Dead was a pretty fun read. I definitely think that it could have been better if it took a more paranormal turn. (I know what you're thinking, more paranormal than American Teenage zombies?) But like I said in the quick overview, it was very realistic. Which was an awesome way to write it, but I kept waiting for something crazy to happen. And while there were some high pressure moments, it was nothing like I kept anticipating.

One of the things I liked about this book, was the amount put into writing it. Not a single part of it felt forced or not thought out. There was a decent amount of back story put into the book, and it was delivered in a way that let you know what you needed to without making you remember you are reading a story.

The characters were easy to like and had a little bit of depth to them. The plot, like I said, was realistic but didn't leave me too bored once I realized what to expect. The writing was definitely something I enjoyed. All in all this was a decent book that I definitely plan on picking up the sequel to.

FIRST LINE:

"Phoebe and her friend held their breath as the dead girl in the plaid skirt walked past their table in the lunchroom."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 15/20
Characters: 15/20
Writing: 16/20
Creativity: 16/20
Ending: 9/10
Cover: 8/10
=79/100 C ()

PARENTAL CORNER:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild/Excessive Cursing
Mild/Excessive Sexual Content
Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

2011-05-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
Released: May 10th, 2011
Published by: Walker Books for Young Readers
Page Amount: 352 pages, US hardcover
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon
Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance."
Information from Goodreads.com

QUICK OVERVIEW:

2011-04-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a great chance for all of us book bloggers to share what we got to read.

Purchased:
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare [Goodreads|Buy It]

For Review:
ARC: Flawless by Lara Chapman [Goodreads|Buy It]
ARC: Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs [Goodreads|Buy It]
FC: Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? by Sloane Tanen [Goodreads|Buy It]

Timeless Winner

2011-04-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Gaby R. age 15 from IL!

I hope you enjoy Timeless!

Perfect by Sara Shepard

2011-04-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

Perfect by Sara Shepard
Released: September 1st, 2008
Published by: HarperCollins
Series: Pretty Little Liars, Book 3
Page Amount: 303 pages, U.S/paperback

This is the third book in the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard. Though we do not intentionally post spoilers in our reviews, the following text could contain spoilers to the previous books Pretty Little Liars and Flawless. So please do not continue reading unless you have read up to this installment.

"In a town where gossip thrives like the ivy that clings to its mansions, where mysteries lie behind manicured hedges and skeletons hide in every walk-in closet, four perfect-looking girls aren't nearly as perfect as they seem.

Three years ago, Spencer, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and their best friend Alison were the girls at Rosewood Day School. They clicked through the halls in their Miu Miu flats, tanned in their matching Pucci bikinis, and laughed behind their freshly manicured fingernails. They were the girls everyone loved but secretly hated—especially Alison.

So when Alison mysteriously vanished one night, Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna's grief was tinged with . . . relief. And when Alison's body was later discovered in her own backyard, the girls were forced to unearth some ugly memories of their old friend, too. Could there be more to Alison's death than anyone realizes?

Now someone named A, someone who seems to know everything, is pointing the finger at one of them for Ali's murder. As their secrets get darker and their scandals turn deadly, A is poised to ruin their perfect little lives forever."
Information from Goodreads.com

QUICK OVERVIEW:

2011-03-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

So yesterday, Stacy and I were lucky enough to get to meet Carrie Ryan. She was at a bookstore near us discussing her latest book The Dark and Hollow Places. She was awesome to listen to, and really took time to talk to each of us. She was even kind enough to give us some extra swag to giveaway with the book we purchased for you.

So all together, you end up with:
A signed copy of The Forest of Hands and Teeth
A signed The Forest of Hands and Teeth button
A signed postcard
Carrie Ryan's business card

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In My Mailbox (22)

2011-03-27T06:04:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a great chance for all of us book bloggers to share what we got to read.

Purchased:
Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald [Buy It]
The Morganville Vampires Volume 3 by Rachel Caine [Buy It]

For Review:
Ravenwild by Peter J. Plasse [Buy It]
Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson [Buy It]
Walk the Wild Road by Nigel Hinton [Buy It]

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

2011-03-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
Released: March 1st, 2011
Published by: Bloomsbury USA
Page Amount: 288 pages, U.S./Hardcover
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon

"According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object—an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas—it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking—er, focusing on—Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own."
Information from Goodreads.com

QUICK OVERVIEW:

Sean Griswold's Head is a great emotional read that leaves you crying and laughing without needing the influence of vampire or werewolves. Well, sort of. I was taken back by how genuine this book was.

REVIEW:

Okay, you definitely need to go to your local bookstore, and pick Sean Griswold's Head up. Not the head itself, but the book. I had so much fun reading every single page, and I think you will too.

The plot is great. It moved so realistically and quickly. I wasn't ever bored, even in the very beginning. Could that be because it starts off talking about day planners, and day planners rock my socks off? Possibly. But either way this book had my attention from line one and kept it throughout the entire book.

I really like Leavitt's writing style. She knew how to be serious and funny. She knew how to put me into Payton's head and let me really know what she was feeling without getting too descriptive. I plan on picking up anything Leavitt writes in the future.

Sean is also a great character. I wish high school boys like him really existed. And I think it was too sweet how he was around Payton. I won't get into it too much, but my heart totally went out to these characters. They will be in my heart for some time to come. I wish there would be a sequel, even if it has no climax or story whatsoever, I'd love to know more about their lives.

This isn't your typical book about coping with illness, so don't be put off if you don't like that type of book. Because usually I have to be in the mood for those books. But this book is different and I feel like it is a book you can read in any mood. So definitely check it out for yourself.

FIRST LINE:

"Nothing creates a buzz like an Executive Deluxe day planner."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 19/20
Characters: 19/20
Creativity: 18/20
Writing: 19/20
Cover: 8/10
Ending: 8/10
=91/100, A ()

PARENTAL CORNER:

This book contains the following:
~~Violence~~
~~Mild/Excessive Cursing~~
~~Mild/Excessive Sexual Content~~
~~Drug/Alcohol Abuse~~

EDIT:

Also, this book really makes you appreciate the things you have. It also makes you want to take a closer look at the things you take for granted each day.

Retired Reads (2)

2011-03-23T06:39:00.000-07:00

We all have memes' where we discuss upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on. Well, I don't know about you, but 50% of my purchases are books that have been out for quite some time. It seems like with so many bloggers out there and only so many new releases, we are all discussing the same things. But there are also so many good books that have already been released! So I am going to compile a few books that are on my wish list that have been published in 2010 or earlier.

House of Dark Shadows by Robert Liparulo • May 6th, 2008 by Thomas Nelson Publishers
(Read) If you haven't read this book, you should! It has a lot of mystery, humor and excitement. A creepy house is basically taking over this family's life, and it has rooms that transport you to different worlds!

The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith • August 1st, 2008 by HarperTeen
(Read) First of all, L.J. is well known for her awesome Vampire Diaries books, but I can assure you, this series is as good, if not better! Plus, this is also being brought to film so you should read it before you watch it.

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King • February 1st, 2009 by Flux
(Haven't Read) So, I haven't read this one, but a book about a pirate who was cursed to live 100 lifetimes as a dog and is finally a human again searching for her treasure? Sounds pretty great, plus, A.S. King is the bomb.

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos • March 24th, 2010 by Obsidian Mountain Publishing
(Haven't Read) So, a book about a girl whose peers and family keeps getting mysteriously murdered sounds pretty good. To make it even better, it sounds like Julia is next! Intrigue!

The Glass Demon by Helen Grant • June 22nd, 2010 by Puffin UK
(Haven't Read) This is one of those ones that will have to be ordered on Amazon, but it still looks great! It's about a girl who keeps having bodies turn up around her, each death more sinister. I'm sensing a theme. :|

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford • August 2nd, 2010 by Bloomsbury
(Haven't Read) So this one is set in the 1850's. With wounded soldiers and motherly ghosties, this book should be a definite page-turner.

Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri • August 25th, 2009 by Candlewick Press
(Haven't Read) So one night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party, and guess what, they all basically have superpowers. Sounds like my kind of story.

Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes • January 9th, 2007 by Delacorte Books
(Haven't Read) So, someone is out to kill kids in the main character's school. Luckily her and her friends just got temporary tattoos that they discover, gives them superpowers. Eh? eh? I can't wait to pick this up.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman • July 8th, 2010 by Putnam Juvenile
(Haven't Read) Okay, so this one struck my fancy so much I just ordered it off Amazon. It's about a girl who gets a job at a library and discovers they have a secret room that houses all the Grimm artifacts (Snow White's mirror, a feast producing table) and they start to go missing. So the girl has to solve the problem. How unique is that?

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

2011-03-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
Released: March 29th, 2011
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Series: Shadow Falls, Book One
Page Amount: 416 pages, U.S./Paperback
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon

"Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…"
Information from Goodreads.com

QUICK OVERVIEW:

This was a great first novel that set up a fun series. It contained everything a Y.A. novel should have and it left me eager for the sequel.

REVIEW:

Born at Midnight was a very fun read. It didn't take hardly any effort to get into and stay into. Every time I picked it up I was immediately transported back into the story.

The characters were like most young adult characters. But they didn't feel overused or stolen from other books. They were all easy lovable.

The plot was very intriguing. The mystery begins very early on in the book, and continues through most of the book. But you get enough answers that you aren't completely baffled, but Hunter leaves enough in question that leaves you thinking about it when you put the book down. Also, the book flowed very evenly. I didn't feel as though anything was forced or like Hunter ran out of things to say.

There isn't anything crazy specific to say about this book, just that you should definitely pick it up when you can. Hunter has created a wonderful world that I cannot wait to revisit.

FIRST LINE:

"This isn't funny!" Her father yelled."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 17/20
Characters: 17/20
Creativity: 15/20
Writing: 18/20
Ending: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
=82/100, B ()

PARENTAL CORNER:

This book contains the following:
Slight Violence
Mild/Excessive Sexual Content
Mild/Excessive Cursing
Drug/Alcohol Abuse

In My Mailbox (21)

2011-03-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a great chance for all of us book bloggers to share what we got to read.

For Review:
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
Solid by Shelley Workinger
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Percival's Angel by Anne Eliot Crompton

What's the Deal With ARC's?

2011-03-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've been hosting a how to segment. You may have seen it. You may not have cared. Or you could be one of the lovely people who keep it alive with your questions (and I really appreciate them and am happy to help!)

One of the main questions I have though, is 'how do I get an ARC?' or 'Why do publishers and authors send you free books, how can I get them to send me some?' OR 'How do you get books before they come out?' Well, I am going to just do a whole how to post dedicated to this topic. Kristi from The Story Siren pretty much did the exact same thing, which is why I hadn't planned on doing this, but I have been getting the question a lot and it would be nice to have something to refer to. I'd also like to refer to her post though, because she is the know-all on the situation. So go here to check out Kristi's post about ARC's.

The infamous ARC.

What is an ARC? The simple statement is, an advanced readers copy. So you can pretty much break that down for an even deeper definition. Advanced: early, before release. Readers: Code for bloggers or fans who can create early buzz. Copy: A print that is different than the final product. So, all together: An early print-out of a book specifically for bloggers or fans who will get word out.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "OOO! That sounds like fun. How do I get one?" Which brings me to my next point.

How can I get an ARC?

Easy answer: unless you're an established blogger, you pretty much can't. Unfair, but true. Some publishing companies used to have teen outreach programs where you could get some to give your opinions on, but when Stacy and I looked into them, we got nothing in return.

The only way I know to get an ARC is to be an established blogger, or win/get them from one. We have given away ARCs in contests before, and I have been given some by a fellow reviewer, but that is the only way I know how to go about getting them.

Now, I know what you're thinking again.

"I'm going to start a blog to get free books."

My answer? Hahahahahahahaha. Now, I don't mean to be rude, but that just won't work. You can't just make an account with blogger, say you're going to review books, open your arms to the sky and have it start raining advanced readers copies. Although, it would be pretty cool.

You have to be an established blogger to get books for review. ARC's are actually more expensive to make than the final copy, and publishers only make a handful of copies. So they don't want to give them to every Jane Doe and her podunk blog with two reviews from the last month that are mostly talking about how dreamy the hunk on the cover is. They want to give them to bloggers who have put a lot of time into their blog and a lot of thought into their reviews. They also want to see people who have been dedicated to their blog for a long period of time. They also want to see a blog with a substantial following, but this is the least important of the three. I've seen blogs with 50 followers get ARCs before blogs with 300 just because of quality content.

Another answer I have for you is: it is way too much work to run a blog, unless you love doing it. Blogging and maintaining a youtube channel, is a lot of hard work. I have probably logged hundreds of hours into it, and I still am lucky if I get a book a week. Sometimes I get more, sometimes I get nothing. At times, it is very stressful and taxing. Being a reviewer, also changes everything you thought you knew about books. When you are nit-picking every detail, constantly thinking about what you'll say in the review, thinking about how you need to finish it to review it soon, and what you'll be reading next makes things a little different. A lot of times, I can't just go stand at my bookshelf and pick what I feel like reading. It is now, "Didn't I just review a vampire book?", "Well, now that someone was kind enough to send me this book I should review it before I review what I just bought.", or "This comes out this month and I HAVE to review it." So, if I didn't love blogging and reviewing, all this would have made me quit ages ago, long before I got an ARC.

Also, it's unfair to your readers, other bloggers, authors, and publishers if you start a blog just for free books. So please, don't insult us and don't start a blog for that reason.

How many followers do I need before I can get an ARC?

There is no magic number unfortunately. Like I said before, it all depends on the content of your blog. A good following helps, but it is nothing if you don't post quality content. I've seen bloggers with 50 get ARCs before bloggers with 300. Which this sucks, but what can ya do?

How do I go about getting an ARC?

Well you can either ask, or be asked.

I asked for most of my first ARCs and occasionally I will still ask. You simply contact the publisher via e-mail and ask, very politely to be considered for an ARC of a specific book. I would always make sure to include my name, all of my stats, a link to my blog, some reviews I did of books from the same publishing house or maybe the same author and my address.

However, I started getting asked to review books a little while back. It never starts off as big name books either, but I was still excited, maybe even a little more excited that they weren't big name because I really got to spread the word about books that needed it. Gradually, as publishers begin to trust you with their product, you'll be asked more and more.

I have an ARC. Now what?

I get asked this a lot. And I completely understand the question. You just went from reviewing whatever you want to actually accepting a request and responsibility to review this book. It can be pretty scary. My biggest piece of advice for you is: be honest. Just because you accepted a book doesn't mean you have to like it. Your readers deserve your honest opinion and when you started a book review blog you promised to give it to them. Publishers and authors understand that they are not going to please everyone and will respect your honest opinion. Don't think that if you hate the first book you get they'll never send you another, because they will.

My next piece of advice is, get an organized system, and stick to it. I have my ARCs set up on a bookshelf in order from release because our review policy states it will be reviewed during the month of release. I also have things written down in a planner, press releases organized, and I found it still hasn't been enough so with each book I receive I add it to a to do list so I don't forget anything. If you don't keep it organized, you'll end up forgetting some important stuff, I know I have.

So that's it.

I hope this answered some of your questions about ARCs. If you have more, please fill out this form below.

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The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

2011-03-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Released: March 7th, 2011
Published by: Harcourt Children's Books
Series: Vespertine, Book One
Pages: 293 pages, U.S. Hardcover
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon

"It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause."
Information from Goodreads.com

QUICK OVERVIEW:

This book is proof that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The mysterious girl running in fear of something leads you to believe this book will be filled with mystery and action, and I have to disagree. Though this book wasn't the worst thing I've read, it certainly wasn't the best. However, while I could see how some people might find it enjoyable, it simply wasn't for me.

REVIEW:

I hate when I don't like a book. I honestly try to like every book I read. I was just never excited to read The Vespertine. In fact, when I would normally read, I thought to myself, "Self, you should probably go read..." Pause. "But wait, you're reading the Vespertine, that sounds boring, so I'll just go do something else instead."

The only thing that saved this book for me, was Nathaniel. I do love me some bad boy. But while the connection between the main character and smokin hot Nathaniel was strong, I felt all of the other characters, including the main, were dull. I felt a small string of attachment while I was reading, but it was easily forgotten when I set the book down.

The plot was also nothing like I expected. I felt that a girl in that time period having visions would be much more exciting. I don't want to be spoilery so I won't say more than I thought the plot was pretty bland. The last fifty pages of this book were the only thing that really gave this book any points because that is where all the action was at. However, it was such a great idea. The way things played out made things pretty interesting.

So. Would I read a sequel to The Vespertine? Possibly. Would I read something by Saundra Mitchell again? Sure. Would I put The Vespertine at the top of my 'To-Read'/'To-Buy' pile? Nope.

FIRST LINE:

"I woke in Oakhaven, entirely ruined."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 13/20
Characters: 14/20
Writing: 15/20
Creativity: 12/20
Cover: 7/10
Ending: 8/10
=69/100, D ()

PARENTAL CORNER:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild/Excessive Cursing
Mild/Excessive Sexual Content
Drug/Alcohol Abuse

Winner of Nocturne

2011-03-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Natalie B. from Canada! You're the winner of Nocturne by Syrie James!

Gwen Hayes Interview

2011-03-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

Books by Gwen Hayes

Falling Under

Don't forget to visit Gwen's website!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today Gwen.

1. Falling Under was a book that had a very different tale then most books in the YA genre. Tell us a little bit about how the back story was formed.
The back story pretty much evolved as the book did. I’m not one of those plotting writers—I found out everything as it was revealed to Theia.

2. Haden will forever hold the key to my heart. Was he inspired by anyone in real life or anyone in literature history?
Haden has been inspired by every literary bad boy out there. Plus a few from TV and movies. He’s devilish, but also whimsical.

3. What is your favorite color?
Pink!

4. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Read. A lot. And listen to audio books. Read scripts and plays and books. Read fiction and non-fiction. Reading fills your well.

5. Tell us, in five words or less, what Falling Under is about.
The heart is unstoppable.

6. Can you give us any information regarding a sequel?
I’m working on it right now and Theia just did something that surprised me so much, I had to close the document and back away from my computer.

7. If you could trade places with one character in Falling Under, who would it be?
Donny. I love Donny.

8. Falling Under has such a beautiful cover. Is it what you had in mind while writing it, and if not can you tell us what you did have in mind?
I wanted something that makes me feel EXACTLY the way the cover makes me feel. The art department is fabulous.

9. What is your favorite Young Adult book (besides your own of course!)?
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.

10. Are you currently working on anything and can you give the readers a sneak peek?
I’m working on the sequel to Falling Under. I also have several stories started and I don’t know which one I’ll pick up next.

Thanks for having me!

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

2011-03-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Released: March 22nd, 2011
Published by: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Series: The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Book 3
Page Amount: 384 pages, US/hardcover
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon

This is the third book in the Forest of Hands and Teeth series. Although we do not post intentional spoilers, the following review and synopsis may contain information from the past books. So please do not read unless you have read The Forest of Hands and Teeth and the Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan.

"There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.
But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?"
Information from Goodreads.com

QUICK OVERVIEW:

Carrie Ryan has captured my heart when she created this post-zombie apocalypse world. Every book is almost absolute perfection, and The Dark and Hollow Places is no exception. Ryan has a vengeance against her characters, and the violence and heartbreak in each word carries with you even when you set the book down.

REVIEW:

Carrie Ryan's books, just keep getting better and better. The Forest of Hands and Teeth began a journey to safety and dreams, The Dead-Tossed Waves gave us characters and plot that added perfection to the series, and The Dark and Hollow Places takes you from desperation to hope.

I will literally read anything that Ryan produces. She has such a different writing style than most YA authors. She doesn't care to kill her characters, she never leaves you with a complete happy feeling. It is always happiness with a lot of sadness intertwined. Which make the story so much more real. If zombies were to attack (which, uh, I TOTALLY believe will happen one day. I am totally riding the zombie-apocalypse wagon) not everyone we loved would survive and it would be hard to ever find hope.

This story actually takes place where The Dead-Tossed Waves sort of left off, but from Annah's point of view. As you may know, The Dead-Tossed Waves isn't a direct sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth, well this is a direct sequel to the Dead-Tossed Waves. And it is perfect that way. You get such a different perspective of the world from Annah's eyes, but I actually get to see the characters I fell in love with in the last book. And let me just say, I love each and every character in this book. The characters you're supposed to hate are perfect villains, the characters you're supposed to love carve a special place in your heart.

The plot moves a little quicker in this installment than I feel it has in the past. It still has its down moments, but they don't feel that way when you're reading it. It all reads like you are just watching a video of someone's life. It has the real moments and the moments that feel like dreams.

I could talk forever about how much I love this book, but I won't, because that is just taking up time for you to be reading the series. If you don't stand in line to get this book the day it comes out, you're crazy. Because Carrie Ryan's world is one of the best in YA that there is.

FIRST LINE:

"This city used to be something once."
-Page 1

TEASER:

"My arm throbs where he's already attacked me and useless grunts slip from my mouth. This isn't the way I'm supposed to die. I've fought too hard. I've resisted the Unconsecrated for too long for this to happen now."
-Page 65

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 19/20
Characters: 20/20
Creativity: 20/20
Writing: 19/20
Ending: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
=98/100, A+ ()

PARENTAL CORNER:

This book contains the following:
Violence
Mild/~~Excessive~~ Cursing
~~Mild/Excessive Sexual Content~~
~~Drug/Alcohol Abuse~~

Novel Notion (1)

2011-02-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

Novel Notion is a meme made here at Chapter Chicks and inspired by The Readables. This episode of Novel Notion we are discussing 'Y YA?' and 'Reading outside of your designated age group.' Hope you enjoy. Feel free to post your thoughts on your blog, or make a youtube video and post the link below. This is meant to get the discussions flowing.

In My Mailbox (20)

2011-02-27T15:25:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a great chance for all of us book bloggers to share what we got to read.

For Review:
The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan [Buy It]
Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt [Buy It]

Purchased:
The Mediator by Meg Cabot
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney [Buy It]
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen [Buy It]
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick [Buy It]
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton [Buy It]
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz [Buy It]
How to Be a Zombie by Selena Valentino [Buy It]
The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones by Henry Jones [Buy It]
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott [Buy It]
The Dragon Heir by Cinda Williams Chima [Buy It]
Wake by Lisa McMann [Buy It]

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

2011-02-25T22:23:00.000-08:00

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Released: December 9th, 2003
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Series: Gemma Doyle, Book One
Page Amount: 403 pages, US paperback
Buy It: Borders | Barnes and Noble | Amazon

"Gemma Doyle isn't like other girls. Girls with impeccable manners, who speak when spoken to, who remember their station, and who will lie back and think of England when it is required of them.
No, sixteen-year-old Gemma Doyle is an island unto herself, sent to the Spence Academy in London after tragedy strikes her family in India. Lonely, guilt-ridden and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma finds a chilly reception. But she'd not completely alone... she's been followed by a mysterious young man, who warns her to close her mind against the visions.
For it's at Spence that Gemma's powe to attract the supernatural unfolds; there she becomes entangled with the school's most powerful girls and discovers her mother's connection to a shadowy group called The Order. It's there that her destiny waits... if only she can believe in it."

QUICK OVERVIEW:

A Great and Terrible Beauty is something every true YA lover should read at one point and definitely have in their collection. It has a detailed, mysterious plot that makes the book hard to put down. At some points it got a little slow, but it never left you wanting for long.

REVIEW:

Well, this book was nothing like I expected. The cover almost leads you to believe this is a book about a rebellious girl facing her debutante ball. If you felt the same way, high five, but we're wrong. Though some of the struggles of the time period where women had no choices and all that is interlaced into the story, A Great and Terrible Beauty is truly a YA paranormal story. And a very good one, at that.

Although the first couple chapters proved hard to get interested in, as soon as the plot began to develop I was hooked. There is so much mystery regarding what happens in Gemma's life that you can't help but read further. There is so much to this book, that it is really hard to believe it is one of the first in a series. It has so much information and detail but you don't ever feel like you're getting that information. Something happens, and you learn it alongside Gemma. Even though most of the time the plot is pretty steady, I did find myself bored for a few chapters, but just when I would think I had had enough for today, BOOM! I was drawn back in.

The characters were pretty okay in this story. Gemma and Felicity were my favorite for obvious reasons. I felt a few of the others were typical predictable sub characters. But they all seemed to fit just right in the story.

I feel so baffled as to what to say about this book. I know I say it a lot, but there was just something about this book that made me dying to know what happens. I am so glad that I thought to pick up its sequels that way I can continue Gemma's entrancing story whenever I please. The idea behind the novel is absolutely brilliant, I won't spoil it but it is something I couldn't even have dreamt up. ;)

Pretty much, if you're thinking about picking up A Great and Terrible Beauty, do it. It is only 1.95 on amazon right now, and it is a book that I think every YA lover should read at one point. Although, it is a book you have to be in a certain mood for. If you want a book that is strictly paranormal with magic and vampires around every turn, it isn't the right time. But if you are looking for something more mellow, action-packed and something easier to believe than this should be right up your alley.

FIRST LINE:

"Please tell me that isn't going to be part of my birthday dinner this evening."
-Page One

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Plot: 18/20
Characters: 17/20
Creativity: 19/20
Writing: 17/20
Cover: 7/10
Ending: 9/10
=87/100, B ()

PARENTAL CORNER:

This book contains the following:
Violence
~~Mild/Excessive Cursing~~
Mild/~~Excessive~~ Sexual Content
~~Drug/Alcohol Abuse~~

Yvonne Prinz; All You Get Is Me

2011-02-22T10:41:00.000-08:00

Books by Yvonne Prinz:

All You Get Is Me
The Vinyl Princess
Still There, Clare
Not Fair, Clare
Double Dare Clare

Don't forget to visit Yvonne's website!

1. In your biography you have said that All You Get is Me was inspired by To Kill A Mockingbird. Why did you choose this classic tale as inspiration over the usual Jane Austen?
I've always been inspired by stories about people who stick their neck out for what's right like Atticus Finch. I felt it was time for a YA story that tackled the big issue of farm worker's rights and immigration. I'm a strong proponent of Fair Food and Family Farms so this story came from my heart. The more I learned, the more I wanted to share. The usual Jane Austen is just not something that draws me in much.

2. Out of all of your books, which was your favorite to write?
I loved writing The Vinyl Princess because I was her when I was sixteen but when I wrote All You Get Is Me I felt like I lived on that farm with Roar and Storm and Forest for a whole summer and it was a great escape.

3. Many authors listen to music to inspire them as they write. As someone with a deep musical background, was music a part of your writing process?
Music is always part of my process. I do have to be careful though, as I find it can be as much a distraction as an inspiration. I can start out writing a paragraph and end up listening to music all afternoon without writing anther word. The Vinyl Princess page on Facebook is a good outlet for that. Also, here's a soundtrack I created for All You Get Is Me.

4. What is your favorite color?
Blue, as in "Blue Skies For Everyone". (that's a Bob Schneider song I love)

5. Roar goes through a lot in All You Get Is Me. Is her story inspired by any real life events?
Many parts of it, yes. The story of the car accident was based on something that happened to a real Farmer friend of mine. The story of Roar and her mom is based on a personal story of mine. Many of the characters were also pulled from real life. Reynaldo, the winemaker, I read about in the San Francisco Chronicle and I was so moved by his story that I had to put him in a book. The overall story of the migrant laborers who work our fields, harvest our food, work with pesticides, and live the way my characters live is based on what's really going on right now, every day, all over America.

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Write your own story. Don't try to emulate what you see on the shelves. Please don't write about Vampires, I think we have enough of those books and also books about Faeries. Write a story that you know so well you could sit down and tell a friend the whole thing over coffee and then make it bigger. Write a story that makes your heart beat faster.

7. What is your favorite thing about being a published author?
Writing with the knowledge that what I write will probably become a book. That's a powerful feeling and one that took me years to acquire.

8. What is your favorite young adult book? Favorite classic?
Hole In My Life- Jack Gantos. I love the abject honesty of this memoir of Jack's teenage years as an alcoholic. It's brutal and real and beautifully written. I love Animal Farm, that's a classic, right?

9. If you had to choose to be Allie from The Vinyl Princess or Roar from All You Get is Me for one week, which would you choose and why?
Tough question. I am more like Allie so I think I'd like to try Roar's life for a week. I'd become a much better photographer. Oh, and I'd get to kiss Forest. Sigh.

10. Tell us about All You Get Is Me in five words or less.
Love, loss, chickens, justice, LOVE.

In My Mailbox (19)

2011-02-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted every Sunday over at The Story Siren. All of us book bloggers know that this is our favorite meme because EVERYONE likes to brag about what they got this week. But here is what I got in my mailbox, tell me what you got in yours!

Purchased:
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray [Buy It]
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand [Buy It]
Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri [Buy It]

For Review:
Haunted by Joy Preble [Buy It]

Win Babe in Boyland

2011-02-19T13:18:00.000-08:00

Check out our review of Jody Gehrman's book here.

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