Bookish in a Box

Supernatural Saturday Review: After Obsession

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can't stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They're wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it's neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It's Alan's cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 2 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Paranormal YA fans

High point: The scene with Aimee searching on the river

Low point: It didn't pull me in

Reader maturity: 15+

I thought (and was hoping) that After Obsession would scare the daylights out of me, like Nancy Holder's Possessions. Mostly though, I was bored and more than a little irritated. The novel held so much promise, from the angry/scary river...thing and the supernatural storms, but it all fell flat to me. I almost didn't finish, but I did want to find out what happened so I guess it hooked me at least a little bit.

Part of my dislike, I'm sure stems from Alan as the narrator. The POV switches between Aimee and Alan, and I definitely liked Aimee's portions better. As a character, though, Aimee didn't have much of a personality to me; she's too perfect and perky and pensive at the same time. The supporting characters also felt more like props rather than actual family and friends.

On the plus side, there's one scene in particular that stands out in my memory as being awesome. Aimee's in the river, searching for a missing person. There's a lot of great physical and emotional tension that really comes through, and Aimee's father finally shows some feeling.

Basically, this wasn't the book for me, but if you like paranormal YA, it might be worth your while to check it out.

Title: After Obsession
Author:   Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
Genre:   Fiction - Supernatural
Year:   2011
Book Source: Won an ARC from Babbling Flow

Winners of the Bookish 2nd Blogoversary Giveaway

2012-01-27T12:14:00.001-06:00

Wondering who won these ARCs?

Here are the prizes:

And here are the winners:
1st: Chey!
2nd: Leslie!
3rd: Christina!
4th: Susanna!

Congratulations! All winners have responded to my emails, and I shipped the books this morning. :-)

To everyone who entered, thank you so much for entering, following and spreading the word. Keep reading!

Want to Read Wednesday: The Beginning of After

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000-06:00

Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow, shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.

Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Review of The Looking Glass Wars

2012-01-24T07:30:00.000-06:00

Alyss Heart can't stand that "master of fantasy" bunk; she knows that Lewis Carroll was nothing more than an incompetent reporter. After she generously shared her Wonderland experiences with this fledgling author, he totally botched the retelling, even mangling her name. Alyss, however, refuses to merely grouse; she and royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan decide to make another emergency excursion down the rabbit hole, opening our eyes to parallel realms that prim Rev. Dodgson never imagined.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Grown-up fairytale readers

High point: The quality of the re-imagining

Low point: Adult Alyss' bland personality

Reader maturity: 13+

I enjoy a well executed fairytale retelling, and The Looking Glass Wars is certainly that. It imaginatively ties the life of Alice Liddell--supposedly Charles Dodgson's (aka Lewis Carroll) inspiration for his classic stories of Wonderland. Alyss' story on its own would be sufficient entertainment, but the details of Alyss' unintentional exile and her time spent here on Earth made the book so much richer, as if Wonderland really could be found through any looking glass.

I found adult Alyss to be somewhat bland, but that could be a result of her time spent acting like a proper young lady in Victorian England. Her 7 year old personality was much more vibrant and mischievous; I hope that side of her reappears in the subsequent chronicles of Wonderland (Seeing Redd and ArchEnemy). The supporting characters in The Looking Glass Wars bring the story to life. There are many, and they all have an important role to play. Imagination runs wild in Wonderland, and some of the creations, both fun (tarty tarts) and foul (the card soldiers), amazed me. I'll admit that I had a tough time imagining some of Redd's inventions and the Alyssians' weapons, but that could easily be due to the fact that I was reading so quickly, caught up in the action rather than the details.

One of the best things about The Looking Glass Wars is that it's a grown-up version of the original Alice story that still feels true to its roots. It's not a "modern take" or "update" on the original tale. The spirit of creativity and Alice's personality quirks remain to give an air of comfort and familiarity to this reworking.

Title: The Looking Glass Wars
Author: Frank Beddor
Genre: Fiction - Fairytale
Year: 2006
Book Source: Purchased

Giveaway Reminder

2012-01-22T16:12:00.001-06:00

Don't forget to enter the Bookish 2nd Blogoversary Giveaway! It ends tomorrow night.

Supernatural Saturday Review: Unearthly

2012-01-21T07:00:00.001-06:00

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Paranormal readers

High point: Tuck and Clara's mom

Low point: Why did it have to be angels?

Reader maturity: 13+

I know I'm not the only blogger to be pleasantly surprised by this book. I've never been a huge fan of angel books, but one of my more recent reads burned me. When I picked up Unearthly, I fully expected to be offended again, but instead, I really enjoyed it.

Clara's character wasn't anything special to me; she's an everygirl so the reader can put herself in Clara's shoes. Clara's mother, on the other hand, and Tuck are two of the best YA characters I've stumbled across in a long time. Clara's mother is both present and supportive, and even though she provides a source of conflict in the novel, her love for Clara is apparent.

I was dreading the inclusion of Tuck due to my hatred of love triangles, but he won me over about the same time as he did Clara. He's so laid-back and amazing, and even though he flips out a time or two, his heart is in the right place. He's a genuinely good guy, and YA could use a few more of those.

As for the story, I loved the mystery surrounding Clara's vision and her Purpose and thought that Clara's confusion over the event was appropriately explored, both in the months leading up to it and the actual event.

The character of Angela is a mystery too, and I expect great (and possibly terrible) things from her in the next two novels. The ending was a bit of a jaw-dropper, and I can't wait to see what happens.

Title: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
Genre: Fiction - Paranormal
Year: 2011
Book Source: Won an ARC from Writer Musings

Want to Read Wednesday: The Survival Kit

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

When Rose’s mom dies, she leaves behind a brown paper bag labeled Rose’s Survival Kit. Inside the bag, Rose finds an iPod, with a to-be-determined playlist; a picture of peonies, for growing; a crystal heart, for loving; a paper star, for making a wish; and a paper kite, for letting go.

As Rose ponders the meaning of each item, she finds herself returning again and again to an unexpected source of comfort. Will is her family’s gardener, the school hockey star, and the only person who really understands what she’s going through. Can loss lead to love?

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Review of Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars #10)

2012-01-17T07:30:00.001-06:00

For years scandal has rocked Rosewood, Pennsylvania—and high school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have always been at the center of the drama. They’ve lost friends, been targeted by a ruthless stalker named A, and narrowly escaped death. And it’s not over yet.
Aria’s love life is on the fritz. Emily’s exploring her wild side. Hanna’s kissing the enemy. And someone from Spencer’s past—someone she never thought she’d see again—is back to haunt her.
But none of that compares to what happened last spring break. It’s their darkest secret yet and guess who found out? Now A is determined to make them pay for their crime, and the only thing scarier than A is the fear that maybe, just maybe, they deserve what’s coming to them.
[from Goodreads]

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Contemporary YA readers

High point: The mysterious A

Low point: The change in character personalities

Reader maturity: 15+

The title of Sara Shepard's 10th Pretty Little Liars book is Ruthless--and wow, are they ever!! Aria, Emily, Hanna, Spencer, A and a few other people have their claws out for this one!

As I noted in my review for Twisted, the Pretty Little Liars series is getting darker. The girls have moved from innocent mistakes and embarrassing scenarios to murder and false incrimination. And they still haven't learned to keep their mouths shut (Hanna, I'm looking at you) or who to trust (Emily, Aria...) or to stop getting themselves into trouble (Spencer!). But while I wish the girls would grow up a little and start acting like the high school seniors they're supposed to me, I was still flipping pages pretty quickly in my eagerness to discover more clues about the New A's identity. Sara Shepard may write some crazy, soap-opera-worthy plot lines, but she's also really good at getting and keeping my attention. I appreciated that she delved into how the girls were dealing with the infamy of their saga, as well as their guilt over what happened in Jamaica. In addition to brutal self-preservation, the girls are starting to show a sense of responsibility.

Similar to the format of the earlier books, Ruthless unveils the Pretty Little Liars' dirty little secrets and placing them not just at the mercy of A but of their own paranoia as well. In this installment, especially, the girls do a spectacular job of weaving their own tangled webs. Ruthless aims both to entertain and intrigue, ambitions it fulfills with ease.

Title: Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars #10)
Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: Fiction - Contemporary
Year: 2011
Book Source: Received for review from HarperTeen

Review of The Obsidian Blade

2012-01-12T07:30:00.000-06:00

The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished - only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing - one right on top of the roof - hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he's launched on a time-twisting journey
- from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker's actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Light sci-fi and fantasy fans

High point:

Low point:

Reader maturity: 13+

When I finished this book, I paused for a moment and then flipped back through to make sure I hadn't missed a few pages at the end. "What? That's it? No! I need more!" flashed through my mind, mostly because The Obsidian Blade is so gripping but partially--and I have to be honest--because the conclusion felt like the end of a chapter, not the end of a book. Talk about leaving me hanging!

As you may know by now, I'm not a huge fan of male narrators, but I actually didn't mind Tucker (and coming from me, that's high praise). As for the storyline, I was intrigued. I may be totally off base here, but I think this is the literary version of the game Portals, with diskos that transport the user to another time and location. The Obsidian Blade is a nice mix of sci-fi and fantasy with a little bit of historical fiction and suspense thrown in for good measure. It's all blended together nicely to form a cohesive plot.

I wish we had seen a little more of Kosh (I'm not convinced that he is who seems...yet) and Lahlia, but I think this is a great set-up for adventures to come. This is definitely an action and suspense filled novel, and I sped through it, eager to discover the secrets of Iyl Rayne and the Klaatu and maybe something about Tucker...

The ending really surprised me; I wasn't expecting the events that unfolded at the revival. There's more, but I'm afraid that I'll ruin something so I'll leave it at that. The Obsidian Blade is a fast-paced mind puzzle that's perfect for sci-fi and fantasy YA fans who like their reality a little warped.

Title: The Obsidian Blade
Author:   Pete Hautman
Genre:   Teen Fiction - Science Fiction
Year:   2012
Book Source: Received an ARC for review from Candlewick Press

Want to Read Wednesday: The Sharp Time

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

Sandinista Jones is a high school senior with a punk rock name and a broken heart. The death of her single mother has left Sandinista alone in the world, subject to the random vulnerability of everyday life. When the school system lets her down, her grief and instability intensify, and she ponders a violent act of revenge.
Still, in the midst of her crisis, she gets a job at The Pale Circus, a funky vintage clothing shop, and finds friendship and camaraderie with her coworker, a boy struggling with his own secrets.
Even as Sandinista sees the failures of those with power and authority, she's offered the chance to survive through the redemptive power of friendship. Now she must choose between faith and forgiveness or violence and vengeance.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

100+ Books in a Year Reading Challenge

2012-01-10T20:01:00.000-06:00

I'm planning on participating in the Book Chick City 100+ Books in a Year Reading Challenge.

I think I read about 60 last year so we'll see how it ends up this year. That's less than 2 a week so surely I can do that, right?

Untamed (House of Night #4) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman
Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars #10) by Sara Shepard
Unearthly by Cynthis Hand
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Supernatural Saturday Review: Untamed (House of Night #4)

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Life [stinks] when your friends are [mad] at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird... In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.

[adapted from Goodreads]

Rating: 1 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Teen girls, vampire aficionados

High point: Slightly different take on the classic vampire tale

Low point: The pervasive crudeness and immaturity

Reader maturity: 17+

Unfortunately, the best thing I can say about Untamed is that I'm glad it's the last one in the set that I bought. I'm disappointed because the story had potential (vampires acknowledged/accepted by the public, vampire vs. vampire, mean girl turned ally, vampires turned bad vampires turned okay-but-unpredictable vampires), but the plot is buried beneath so many layers of crude language, selfish actions and bad attitudes that I can't enjoy what good there is in the series.

My thoughts on Untamed are essentially the same as they are about the previous House of Night novels. I've reviewed Marked, Betrayed and Chosen if you'd like a more in depth review of the series.

Title: Untamed
Author: P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Genre: Young Adult Horror and Suspense
Year: 2008
Book Source: Received as gift

It's a Bookish 2nd Blogoversary Giveaway!

2012-01-06T13:49:00.000-06:00

Wednesday marked my 2nd blogoversary, and to celebrate, I'm giving away the ARCs I've been unintentionally hoarding. I want them to find loving new homes!

There will be (at least) 3 winners. The 1st winner will get their choice of 3 books (maybe 4 if I can fit them into the package), 2nd winner will get to choose 3 books from what's left and the 3rd winner will get 3 of the remaining books.

And I really, really, really want to clear my shelves so I may even add a 4th winner!

Sound good? Here's what's up for grabs!

Fateful by Claudia Gray (ARC)
Undercurrent (Siren #2) by Tricia Rayburn (ARC)
The Shadowing: Hunted by Adam Slater (ARC)

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (ARC)
Illusions by Aprilynne Pike (ARC)
Divergent by Veronica Roth (ARC)

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain (ARC)
Grace by Elizabeth Scott (ARC)
Vixen (Flappers #1) by Jillian Larkin (ARC)

The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood (ARC)
Wither by Lauren DeStefano (ARC)
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (ARC)
After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel (ARC)

FYI, these have all been read at least once (by me, except for The Lost Saint) and all but 3 of them have been read more than that. So while they're in decent shape, they're not pristine.

Rules in a Box:

You must be 13 or older to enter.
You must be a follower.
The giveaway is US only since I'm handling shipping. No P.O. Boxes.
Ends at 11:59 pm CST January 23, 2012.
Winners will be contacted by email and will have 72 hours to respond before I pick a new winner.
Entries will only be accepted using the FORM, and you MUST include your email address so I can contact you. No email = no books.
Winner will be chosen using a spreadsheet random number generator.

I reserve the right to amend the rules as needed. (Hopefully this won't happen, but just in case...)&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Want to Read Wednesday: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-06:00

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Winner of Frost

2012-01-02T10:24:00.001-06:00

Wondering who won the ARC of Frost?

The winner of Stork is...Rebecca Greene!

Congratulations! Check your email, and I'll have your book ordered ASAP. :-)

To everyone who entered, thank you so much for entering, following and spreading the word. Keep a lookout for another mega giveaway in the next few days!

Mini-Reviews of Harry Potter-verse Tomes

2012-01-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

I finished my Harry Potter Hiatus a few days early and was feeling a bit sad about leaving Harry Potter and Hogwarts behind when I remembered that I had these textbooks and fairytales tucked away.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander is so cute (though he might not appreciate my use of such an effeminate word). I love how some of the text has popped up in the main Potter books. Harry and Ron and Hermione also left notes in the margins that are a neat glimpse into everyday life at Hogwarts, as well as a fleeting tie-in to the other novels. I can just imagine Hermione frantically flipping its pages in her search for the basilisk. [Goodreads]

Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp was instrumental in my understanding of the Quidditch scenes. Before I read it, the tense Quidditch matches of the first two HP novels meant very little to me. As well as the history of Quidditch, it contains funny bits of humor and a few good-hearted jabs at American readers. Quidditch Through the Ages also includes a decent section on why brooms are the wizards' flying vehicle of choice. I only wish I had remembered that last week when I got into a debate with some of my cousins over why British wizards didn't use carpets like their counterparts from the middle east... [Goodreads]

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by Beedle the Bard, translated by Hermione Granger and with commentary by Albus Dumbledore, is amusing with its ability to immerse Muggles in the wizarding world for a little while. Albus Dumbledore's commentary on each story is also quite insightful as to his true nature and that of Britain's other foremost wizarding minds. I'm sure Harry would've found this bit of parchment helpful before he ran all over Britain hunting for Hallows and Horcruxes. [Goodreads]

Mini-Review of HP and the Deathly Hallows

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000-06:00

As the novel begins, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are on the run from Lord Voldemort, whose minions of Death Eaters have not only taken control of the Minister of Magic but have begun to systematically - and forcibly - change the entire culture of the magic community: Muggle-born wizards, for example, are being rounded up and questioned, and all "blood traitors" are being imprisoned. But as Voldemort and his followers ruthlessly pursue the fugitive with the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, Potter finally uncovers the jaw-dropping truth of his existence.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Muggles of all ages

High point: The action and suspense

Reader maturity: 13+

The first time I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it took me over a year to finish it. This time, it took 3 days (and would've been less than that, except that I had other things I needed to do). I could hardly stand to put it down! There's so much action and so many convoluted plot lines to follow! I really missed out the first time. I really love that Voldemort's demise was a group effort--that Harry, Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione AND Neville (and Crabbe, on accident) all destroyed a Horcrux and that so many people showed up to defend Hogwarts so that Harry would have a chance to finish his task.

I almost hate to admit it, but the movie really brought this book to life for me. Having seen the movie and having the Elder Wand and other Hallows mythology explained really helped me understand what was going on in the book. The Battle of Hogwarts is very confusing, with people running and shooting all over the place and chaos everywhere. Seeing the movie cleared up some of my confusion regarding the timeline, and rereading the book answered some of my questions about Snape and the ownership of the Elder Wand.

The one thing I don't like--and fortunately, it's self-contained so I don't ever have to read it again if I don't want to--is the Epilogue. It just seems so needless to me, and I don't like imagining our heroes as middle-aged parents.

My review can't possibly do this book justice, so I'll just say that's it's brilliant and that J. K. Rowling did a marvelous job providing a satisfying and unpredictable ending.

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? If you've reread it, are your thoughts on it different than before you saw the movie/read the rest of the series? Were you pleased with the conclusion?

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year: 2007
Book Source: Purchased

Mini-Review of HP and the Half-Blood Prince

2011-12-30T12:54:00.000-06:00

The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet...

As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate — and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it's the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here are Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort — and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Muggles of all ages

High point: The action and suspense

Reader maturity: 13+

There was so much in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that I had forgotten! Unfortunately, I had already almost finished HP & the Deathly Hallows by the time I got around to writing this review, and the two are blurring together a little bit.

The events from HP & the Half-Blood Prince that stick out in my mind are Harry's "private lessons" with Dumbledore. Every time I read through the memories that Dumbledore collected, I'm plagued with more and more questions that are never answered. Those memories also serve, I believe, as an example of what can happen due to a single and, what may seem to be, insignificant, choice.

I wish Harry had taken Hermione's concerns about the Half-Blood Prince more seriously and investigated the Prince's identity further, though it wasn't out of character for him not to have done so. It also wasn't out of character for him to develop a crush on Ginny; in fact, I'm surprised it took him so long. However, I still find Ron and Hermione's relationship/feelings/mutual irritation-turned-affection/whatever it is to be unbelievable. I just don't see how someone as smart and brave as Hermione could fall for someone like Ron. I know he's not exactly stupid or cowardly, but he's...Ron. It stretches my imagination less to picture Hermione with Neville. And, of course, I always hoped a little bit (and not so secretly) that Harry and Hermione would end up together. Alas...

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? If you've reread it, are your thoughts on it different than before you saw the movie/read the rest of the series? Were you rooting for Hermione and Ron or another couple?

Title: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year: 2005
Book Source: Purchased

Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm participating in Top 10 of 2011 Week. Today's topic is the Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012.

In alphabetical order...

(It was hard enough to whittle the selection to 10; how would I ever rank them?!)

Charmfall (Dark Elite #3) by Chloe Neill: High school can be a battlefield, but for Lily Parker, surviving at St. Sophia’s School for Girls is a matter of life and death...

Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you’re a junior. So when the girls of St. Sophia’s start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good, old-fashioned party prep—even if it means not giving demons, vampires and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention.

But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn’t forget what she’s sworn to protect. She reaches deep into herself to draw out her magic—and finds that it’s gone. And it turns out she’s not alone. A magical blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what—or who—caused it. But Lily knows getting back her magic is worth the risk of going behind enemy lines... (Goodreads)

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

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

Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica #2) by Beth Fantaskey: It’s one thing to find out you’re a vampire princess. It’s a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband’s name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius’s time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is—and whom she can trust—before it’s too late? (Goodreads)

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver:
I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite. (Goodreads)

Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate: The sky is dark with wings...

In Rapture, the highly anticipated fourth and final novel in the FALLEN series, Luce and Daniel are together . . . but for how long? Can history be rewritten? Or are some punishments eternal? (Goodreads)

The Savage Grace (The Dark Divine #3) by Bree Despain: A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders.(Goodreads)

Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins: Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Can Sophie get her powers back before it’s too late? (Goodreads)

Spirit's Princess by Esther Friesner: Himiko the beloved daughter of a chieftain in third century Japan has always been special. The day she was born there was a devastating earthquake, and the tribe's shamaness had an amazing vision revealing the young girl's future—one day this privileged child will be the spiritual and tribal leader over all of the tribes. Book One revolves around the events of Himiko's early teen years—her shaman lessons, friendships, contact with other tribes, and journey to save her family after a series of tragic events. Once again, Esther Friesner masterfully weaves together history, myth, and mysticism in a tale of a princess whose path is far from traditional. (Goodreads)

Timeless by Gail Carriger: Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire's second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly. Even Ivy Tunstell's acting troupe's latest play, disastrous to say the least, cannot put a damper on Alexia's enjoyment of her new London lifestyle.

Until, that is, she receives a summons from Alexandria that cannot be ignored. With husband, child, and Tunstells in tow, Alexia boards a steamer to cross the Mediterranean. But Egypt may hold more mysteries than even the indomitable Lady Maccon can handle. What does the vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive really want from her? Why is the God-Breaker Plague suddenly expanding? And how has Ivy Tunstell suddenly become the most popular actress in all the British Empire? (Goodreads)

The Traitor and the Tunnel (The Agency #3) by Y. S. Lee: Queen Victoria has a little problem: there's a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Charged with discretion, the Agency puts quickwitted Mary Quinn on the case, where she must pose as a domestic while fending off the attentions of a feckless Prince of Wales. But when the prince witnesses the murder of one of his friends in an opium den, the potential for scandal looms large. And Mary faces an even more unsettling possibility: the accused killer, a Chinese sailor imprisoned in the Tower of London, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, engineer James Easton, Mary's onetime paramour, is at work shoring up the sewers beneath the palace, where an unexpected tunnel seems to be very much in use. Can Mary and James trust each other (and put their simmering feelings aside) long enough to solve the mystery and protect the Royal Family? Hoist on your waders for Mary's most personal case yet, where the stakes couldn't be higher - and she has everything to lose. (Goodreads)

Top 10 Characters in 2011

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm participating in Top 10 of 2011 Week. Today's topic is the Top 10 Characters in 2011 (who also, coincidentally, happen to be from my Top 10 Books of 2011).

In alphabetical order...

(It was hard enough to whittle the selection to 10; how would I ever rank them?!)

Sophie -- Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Tris and Four -- Divergent by Veronica Roth

Todd and Viola -- Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Chloe -- The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Nefertiti -- Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner

Katla and Jack -- Stork by Wendy Delsol

Megan (and Megan's mom) -- You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Winner of the Midwinters Eve Giveaway Hop

2011-12-28T10:52:00.000-06:00

Wondering who won the Midwinters Eve Giveaway?

The winner of Stork is...Angela!

Congratulations! Check your email, and I'll have your book ordered ASAP. :-)

To everyone who entered, thank you so much for entering, following and spreading the word. The response absolutely floored me, and I'm so excited to get the chance to talk books with you. I hope to see you around!

Top 10 Book Boyfriends of 2011

2011-12-28T09:00:00.001-06:00

I'm participating in Top 10 of 2011 Week. Today's topic is the Top 10 Book Boyfriends (based on books read) in 2011.

In alphabetical order...

(It was hard enough to whittle the selection to 10; how would I ever rank them?!)

Cal -- Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Four -- Divergent by Veronica Roth

Alec -- Fateful by Claudia Gray

Peeta -- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Lucius -- Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey


Todd -- Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Derek -- The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Jerome -- Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Jack Snjosson -- Stork by Wendy Delsol

Ethan -- You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Want to Read Wednesday: Juliet Immortal

2011-12-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

2nds Challenge 2012

2011-12-27T21:15:00.000-06:00

I'm planning on participating in the 2nds Challenge 2012.

There are four levels to choose from, and I've decided to aim for A Few More Bites, which means I'll be reading 6 books that are the 2nd in a series or the 2nd time I've read a particular author.

These are the books I'm pretty sure will be part of the challenge. I'll add more once I have them in my possession.

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain
Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner
The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
Undead Much? by Stacey Jay
Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Mini-Review of HP and the Order of the Phoenix

2011-12-27T14:52:00.000-06:00

There is a door at the end of a silent corridor, and it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror?

Here are just a few of the things on Harry's mind:

• A Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a personality like poisoned honey
• A venomous, disgruntled house-elf
• Ron as Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team
• The looming terror of the end-of-term Ordinary Wizarding Level exams

. . . and of course, the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

In the richest installment yet of J.K. Rowling's seven-part story, Harry Potter is faced with the unreliability of the very government of the magical world and the impotence of the authorities at Hogwarts.

Despite this (or perhaps because of it), he finds depth and strength in his friends, beyond what even he knew; boundless loyalty; and unbearable sacrifice.

Though thick runs the plot (as well as the spine), readers will race through these pages and leave Hogwarts, like Harry, wishing only for the next train back.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Muggles of all ages

High point: The action and suspense

Reader maturity: 13+

After finishing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I can say that I'm truly, truly glad that I decided to put myself on a Harry Potter Hiatus.

The first time I read HP and the Order of the Phoenix, I was overwhelmingly irritated by Harry's woe-is-me, everybody-hates-me attitude, and while I had read and reread Years 1-4, after Year 5, I only read each book once, just so I wouldn't have to go through what I called Harry's Angsty Year again. Fortunately, my own life experiences have tempered the magnitude of Harry's angst, and I'm now able to see Hermione's soft heart shining through her outer shell, Ron's potential now that he's out from under the shadow of his brothers and Ginny's strength and unique way of dealing with Harry's attitude. On my first reading, all the nuances of tone and character were overshadowed by Harry, and I'm glad that I finally reread what is really an awesome book, possibly the best in the series so far.

The writing gets more complicated, as more storylines are being woven and juggled and foreshadowed, and knowing what happens in Years 6 and 7 only gives me more questions about Year 5. Why is Snape so horrible to Harry? I figured that, after he discovered what a horrible childhood Harry's had (so similar to his own) that he could show Harry a bit of compassion. That horrible childhood sets Harry apart from his father, James, by a mile. Also, I know what Snape...errr, does in memory of Lily, so it seems that, even though he hated James Potter, he would show Harry a bit more kindness in her memory as well. But he doesn't, which made me wonder how he would've treated Harry if Harry had been in Slytherin.

One of the things I love most about this novel is how Harry friends rally around him, even when he's being angsty and annoying and shouting at everyone. They're patient (but not too patient), and they're still there for him, even after his Angsty Year. Of course, they're also brave and true Gryffindors, willing to risk life and limb to fly to the Department of Mysteries because Harry feels strongly that they should go. They don't question or balk (well, Hermione does, but it's due to concerns about Harry's safety rather than her own).

So all in all, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is brilliance.

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix? If you've reread it, are your thoughts on it different than before you saw the movie/read the rest of the series? Have you ever read the series straight through? Did your family and friends wish you'd stop calling people "Muggles" and jinxing them under your breath?

Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year: 2003
Book Source: Purchased

Top 10 Book Covers of 2011

2011-12-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

I'm participating in Top 10 of 2011 Week. Today's topic is the Top 10 Book Covers of 2011.

In alphabetical order...

(It was hard enough to whittle the selection to 10; how would I ever rank them?!)

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkin

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011

2011-12-26T09:00:00.000-06:00

I'm participating in Top 10 of 2011 Week. Today's topic is the Top 10 Book Covers of 2011.

In alphabetical order...

(It was hard enough to whittle the selection to 10; how would I ever rank them?!)

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Frost by Wendy Delsol

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner

Stork by Wendy Delsol

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Want to Read Wednesday: Starcrossed

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Midwinter's Eve Blog Hop

2011-12-20T22:39:00.000-06:00

I'm giving away a paperback copy of Stork by Wendy Delsol. It was amazing and appropriately chilly for the season!

I'll be sending this from either Amazon or The Book Depository so as long as The Book Depository ships to your country, the giveaway is international! Just fill out the form below.

While you're here, don't forget to enter to win an ARC of Frost, the sequel to Stork, by Wendy Delsol!

Rules in a Box:

You must be 13 or older to enter.
You must be a follower.
The giveaway is International since I can ship from The Book Depository. No P.O. Boxes.
Ends at 11:59 pm CST December 27th, 2011.
Winners will be contacted by email and will have 72 hours to respond before I pick a new winner.
Entries will only be accepted using the FORM, and you MUST include your email address so I can contact you. No email = no books.
Winner will be chosen using a spreadsheet random number generator.

Mini-Review of HP and the Goblet of Fire

2011-12-20T13:33:00.000-06:00

Harry Potter is midway through both his training as a wizard and his coming of age. Harry wants to get away from the pernicious Dursleys and go to the International Quidditch Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys. He wants to dream about Cho Chang, his crush (and maybe do more than dream). He wants to find out about the mysterious event that's supposed to take place a Hogwarts this year, an event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years. He wants to be a normal, fourteen-year-old wizard. Unfortunately for Harry Potter, he's not normal - even by wizarding standards.

And in this case, different can be deadly.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Muggles of all ages

High point: The action and suspense

Reader maturity: 13+

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a turning point in the series. With Voldemort's return imminent and danger lurking around every corner (and in every Triwizard Tournament event), Harry is forced to grow up, just as his readership was doing. Adults cease to be the bastions of strength that they're supposed to be (see: Skeeter, Rita and Crouch, Barty as Mad-Eye Moody). Harry stares death in the face once again, but this time he's old enough to have to deal with the emotional consequences.

There are a few moments of levity, of course, due mainly to the antics of Fred and George, but J. K. Rowling also includes a few tongue-in-cheek descriptions to brighten up the pages. Out of context, it doesn't have the same impact, but I've included one of my favorite passages below.

"Colin, I fell in!" [Dennis Creevey] said shrilly, throwing himself into an empty seat. "It was brilliant! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!"

"Cool!" said Colin, just as excitedly. "It was probably the giant squid, Dennis!"

"Wow!" said Dennis, as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope for more than being throw into a storm-tossed, fathoms-deep lake, and pushed out of it again by a giant sea monster. (pgs. 178-179, 2002 Scholastic Trade paperback)

HP & the Goblet of Fire took me several days longer to get through than I thought it would, not because it was slow but because there was so much going on that I couldn't process all of the Tournament or Hogwarts goings-on in one sitting. I wanted to savor all the details (unlike last time, where I read like crazy in order to find out what happens to Harry). My patience paid off--several details that escaped me last time, such as Snape's strange errand at the end of the novel and Ginny's increasing appearances hint at what is to come.

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? If you've reread it, are your thoughts on it different than before you saw the movie/read the rest of the series? Why does Voldemort wage war on Muggles and Mudbloods when he himself is half-Muggle? Why isn't Harry as persecuted for being a Mudblood as Hermione is (his mother was Muggle-born, after all)? Why is Harry sometimes referred to as being Muggle-born even though both his parents were wizards?

Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year: 2000
Book Source: Purchased

Mini-Review of HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban

2011-12-16T16:27:00.000-06:00

For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well; and the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts."

Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Muggles of all ages

High point: The action and suspense

Reader maturity: 13+

One of the things that I noticed in this book is that Harry's continuing character development seems out of sync with the previous two books. Ron, angry at Hermione over Crookshanks' treatment of Scabbers, stops speaking to her, and Harry does the same, out of solidarity with Ron and later his annoyance at Hermione's interference in the matter of the Firebolt. But the Harry of Years 1 and 2 was patient and forgiving, even when accused of being The Heir of Slytherin, so I found it strange that he so easily turned his back on one of his two best friends.

I was also surprised at Draco's resurgence of pride. After Year 2, his strut was somewhat diminished after the sacking of his father, but apparently his father still held great sway in the wizarding world. I wondered why his disgrace at the Ministry wasn't more permanent.

Lest you think I hold a poor opinion of HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I don't!! Those are just two of the things puzzling me while I read. Overall, I found Sirius' mysterious escape from Azkaban and Lupin's terms as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher very exciting. They prove J. K. Rowling's ability to create tension, even over long periods of (book) time and foreshadow some of the events to come. Her descriptions of the Dementors are terrifying and allow for a smooth introduction into the darker side of the wizarding world.

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? If you've reread it, are your thoughts on it different than before you saw the movie/read the rest of the series? Why do you think Harry ignored Hermione so easily?

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year: 1999
Book Source: Purchased

2012 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge

2011-12-14T19:56:00.000-06:00

I'm planning on participating in the 2012 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

I still haven't found the library in this town so I had to pick books off of my TBR pile AND I excluded books I've already read, of course...Thus, I'm going to go with Level II. However, there are loads more on the list that I'd like to read so hopefully in December of 2012 I can retroactively bump myself up to a Level V.

The Stand by Stephen King
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
Jellicoe Road by Marlina Marchetta
The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Want to Read Wednesday: Just Your Average Princess

2011-12-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

Jamie Edwards has loved everything about growing up on a pumpkin patch, but ever since her cousin Milan Woods arrived, things have really stunk. Jamie can’t imagine it was easy for Milan to leave her life back in Los Angeles and move to Average, Illinois, population one thousand. But it’s kind of hard to feel sorry for her since (a) Milan’s drop-dead gorgeous; (b) she’s the daughter of two of Hollywood’s hottest film stars; (c) she’s captured the attention of everyone in town, including Danny, Jamie’s crush since forever; and (d) she’s about to steal the title of Pumpkin Princess right out from underneath Jamie!

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Mini-Review of HP and the Chamber of Secrets

2011-12-09T10:30:00.000-06:00

Ever since Harry Potter had come home for the summer, the Dursleys had been so mean and hideous that all Harry wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature who says that if Harry returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor and a spirit who haunts the girl's bathroom. But then the real trouble begins - something is attacking Hogwarts students, turning them into stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past reveals dark secrets? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects ... Harry Potter himself!

[from the Harry Potter Wiki]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Muggles of all ages

High point: How all the interpersonal relationships are developing. And the Weasleys!

Reader maturity: 13+

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is even better than Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone! The characters are so much more developed, and relationships are growing stronger.

I didn't remember how much smarter Ron is in the books; he actually knows a few things that Hermione doesn't. Hermione isn't as snobby in the books either, which was refreshing. It makes her more likable. Harry is a very generous boy; there were quite a few things he did that showed great maturation of character that he definitely didn't learn at the Dursleys. I guess that's part of choosing to be a Gryffindor.

How amazing are the Weasleys? They treat Harry just like one of their own, packing as much love as they can into his one month stay at The Burrow. I think they're my favorite fictional parents.

I also didn't realize what a hard time everyone gave Harry about thinking he was the Heir of Slytherin. There's a later book (4 or 5, I think) that I think of as Harry's Angsty Year, but I have a little more sympathy for him now. He spent his first year trying to get his fellow students to treat him like a normal human being, and he spent the second trying to get Colin to stop snapping pictures and trying to ignore that everyone thinks he's the bad guy.

My only criticism is that Harry is an ardent Dumbledore supporter, and I'm not sure why. At the end of book 2, Fawkes comes to him in the Chamber of Secrets, which means that Harry showed Dumbledore great loyalty. But other than hearing about him, Harry doesn't know Dumbledore; they've only spoken with once or twice and don't yet have the great mentor-student relationship they have later. At this point, Hagrid is the substitute father figure (and he's really great at it).

Favorite scene: When Hagrid is being taken away to Azkaban, he and Dumbledore are both talking to an "empty" hut (where Ron and Harry are actually hiding underneath the Invisibility Cloak). Lucius Malfoy's reaction is hilarious.

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? If you've reread it, are your thoughts on it different than before you saw the movie/read the rest of the series? Why do you think Harry reveres Dumbledore so much?

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year: 1998
Book Source: Purchased

Want to Read Wednesday: The Name of the Star

2011-12-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Mini-Review of HP and the Sorcerer's Stone

2011-12-05T09:39:00.000-06:00

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

[from the Harry Potter Wiki]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Muggles of all ages

High point: J. K. Rowling's impressive planning process

Reader maturity: 13+

Wow, so many things happened in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone that I didn't remember, like the day Mr. Dursley had before Harry arrived and some of the things at the zoo and the extra tests Harry, Hermione and Ron had to make it through to get to the Sorcerer's Stone. I kept comparing the movie to the book and noticed that Neville is a much bigger part of the book than the movie, and Ron's a bit snobbier and not as cowardly.

I don't usually like to compare books and movies, but the HP franchise generally does a good job of hitting the important parts. The casting is phenomenal! I mention this, not because I'm intending to review the movie here, but because when I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone this time, I compared all the book characters with the movie actors and they're mostly in agreement.

It was crazy to read through and notice names and events that I'd never processed before, not realizing that they were going to be important. So now, knowing what happens, I'm amazed at how well J. K. Rowling planned these books. There are hints of the 6th and 7th books in the very first! Knowing how amazing the rest of Harry's story is and having the visuals of Hogwarts and magic from the movies (though J. K. Rowling did a great job with description, a picture is worth 1000 words) really changed the reading experience of the first.

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? If you've reread it, are your thoughts on it different than before you saw the movie/read the rest of the series?

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Author: J. K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Year: 1997
Book Source: Purchased

Harry Potter Hiatus

2011-12-02T17:00:00.000-06:00

Hogwarts Castle courtesy of mabecerra

While watching the sixth HP movie last weekend, I got really, really confused and realized that I'd only read the book once (and it was rushed because my friends wanted to borrow it so I didn't savor it properly). One of the best things about being a book blogger is winning books or receiving them for review or crashing the nearest library and always having something new to read. The downside is, though, that I miss some of my old favorites.

Due to that and the holidays and some other things going on IRL (because I have one of those!), I've decided to take a Harry Potter Hiatus to re-read all the Harry Potter books from beginning to end in the month of December (I start Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone tonight!). I might go ahead and review them (mini-reviews, perhaps?) as well as some ARCs I have sitting around, and I'll be hosting a few giveaways so keep an eye out for those. I hope y'all are enjoying your holidays, and I hope to see you around for some HP discussion!

If anyone wants to join me on my magical mission, I've posted my intended schedule below. (Yes, I'm a nerd aka scientist; it says so right here.) I'm ending Jan 2 because that's the end of my holiday break.

Harry Potter and the...
Philosopher's Stone (Dec 1-4)
Chamber of Secrets (Dec 5-8)
Prisoner of Azkaban (Dec 9-12)
Goblet of Fire (Dec 13-17)
Order of the Phoenix (Dec 18-22)
Half-Blood Prince (Dec 23-27)
Deathly Hallows (Dec 28-Jan 2)

That's a really tight schedule so I may have to amend it to include more of January, but I think it will be kind of fun to try and get the whole Harry Potter experience at once.

Want to Read Wednesday: Eve

2011-11-30T09:00:00.000-06:00

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Giveaway of Frost ARC by Wendy Delsol

2011-11-28T12:00:00.000-06:00

I loved this book so much that I want to pass it on, so I'm giving away my ARC of Frost by Wendy Delsol. (And it's kinda fitting for the season, don't you think?)

Links for extra entries:
Review of Stork
Review of Frost
Author Interview

Rules in a Box:

You must be a follower.
You must be 18 or older to enter.
This giveaway is US only since I'm handling shipping. No P.O. Boxes.
Ends at 11:59 pm CST December 31st, 2011.
Winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond.
Entries will only be accepted using the FORM, and you MUST include your email address so I can contact you. No email = no books.
Winner will be chosen using a spreadsheet random number generator.

I reserve the right to amend the rules as needed. (Hopefully this won't happen, but just in case...)

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Supernatural Saturday Review: The Forbidden Game

2011-11-26T09:00:00.000-06:00

To capture the love of Jenny Thorton, Julian--a visitor from a dark world--draws Jenny and her friends into forbidden games; the contest for a human soul. The prize is Jenny's freedom. The stakes are all of their lives. Jenny's friends are determined to help her win. But Julian is the master of the Game. Jenny's most desperate fight will be with him, this eerily handsome boy with electric blue eyes. He knows her deepest secrets, her darkest fears. He has almost infinite power. And the only thing he wants is for Jenny to surrender to him--body and soul.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Teens who love psychological thriller

High point: The twists and turns

Low point:It's a tad bit melodramatic

Reader maturity: 13+

The Forbidden Game--The Hunter, The Chase and The Kill--is tied for 2nd place as my favorite series by LJ Smith. running closely behind Dark Visions. (Well, it might actually claim 2nd place fully as it own, but don't tell The Vampire Diaries).

I read the first two books in this series once when I was in elementary school, and I remember thinking that they were so captivating. Julian's game was so twisted, and I was rooting for Jenny the whole time. Lucky for me, The Forbidden Game aged well, and when I bought the series for myself this year, I enjoyed them just as much.

The writing is typical of LJ Smith; it can be a bit over the top, but somehow it's suited to the story perfectly. And the story, like Dark Visions, stands apart from the usual paranormal vampires and werewolves. Jenny and her friends are tricked into what is essentially a game of life or death as they battle Julian for victory. That might sound a little flat, or like a poor retelling of Jumanji, but it's actually very psychologically intense, with nightmares and hidden fears coming true at every turn (or staircase).

The first book, The Hunter, is amazing on its own, but I enjoyed finding out more about the history of Julian and the game in the sequels. Since it's mostly a lead-in to the last part of the story, The Chase is a little forgettable, as middle novels tend to be, but the story picks up again in The Kill with lots more action and emotional drama.

The only thing I don't like about The Forbidden Game, specifically The Kill, is the ending (which is why it's behind Dark Visions and possibly tied with The Vampire Diaries). It's not that it isn't a good ending--it is--or that it's too abrupt or out of line with the characters--it isn't. It's just that...well, let's just say that if I'm Team Somebody, the Somebody I'm rooting for took home the consolation prize.

Overall, though--personal preferences about Team Somebodies aside--The Forbidden Game is great addition to the paranormal genre, a book about things that go bump in the night that'll make you wish you hadn't picked it up quite so close to bedtime.

Title: The Forbidden Game: The Hunter, The Chase, The Kill
Author: L. J. Smith
Genre: Young Adult Horror and Suspense
Year: 1994
Book Source: Purchased

Want to Read Wednesday: Betrayal

2011-11-23T09:00:00.000-06:00

Where there is love and power, there is always... betrayal.

At seventeen, Cordelia is an ordinary teen with an extraordinary and frightening secret. A secret that induces vivid dreams which she not only experiences true love, but crippling fear while barely escaping with her life each night.

After a life altering event, Cordelia has an unexpected encounter with Evan, the mysterious boy from her dreams, who reveals who and what she is, a descendant of the Greek gods. At that moment everything she knows of her world is a lie, and she must leave the present and go into the past to assume the role she was put on this earth for, safeguarding her ancient empire amidst evil forces that toil hastily to destroy it.

In a race against time, Cordelia must decide if she is truly a part of this dangerous world, or risk defying the gods, and ultimately lose the boy who has put a claim on her heart.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Supernatural Saturday Review: Frost

2011-11-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

After the drama of finding out that she’s a Stork, a member of an ancient and mystical order of women, and that her boyfriend, Jack, is a descendent of the Winter People able to control the weather, Katla Leblanc is delighted when all signs point to a busy and peaceful Christmas. That is, until the snowstorm Jack summons as a gift to Katla turns into the storm of the century, attracting Brigid, a gorgeous scientist who, in turn, attracts Jack. Between the school play, a bedridden, pregnant mother’s to-do lists, and keeping an eye on her aging grandfather, Katla doesn’t have time to question Brigid’s motives or deal with Jack’s increasingly cold behavior. But Katla’s suspicions mount when Jack joins Brigid on a research expedition to Greenland, and when the two of them go missing, it becomes clear that Katla is the only one who can save her beloved Jack from the Snow Queen who holds him prisoner. Adventure, romance, and myth combine in this winter escapade for teens who like a bit of fire with their ice.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Everyone! Especially if they love paranormal...or contemporary...or love stories...or reading in general...

High point: Katla's voice

Low point: Nothing, nothing at all

Reader maturity: 13+

I think you know by now that I don't go fangirl* very often, but I'm going to deviate from the norm and strongly encourage/push/shove you to your nearest bookstore, library or laptop (for Amazon access!) to buy Stork, so you can read Stork, be totally amazed and then run out and buy, borrow or steal (just kidding about that last one!) Frost.

Yes, it's really that good! As with all second novels, I approached it with a little bit of caution and, I'll admit, procrastination, but as soon as I started reading, the happy feeling that Stork gave me while I was reading it enveloped me. Frost isn't a happy, sunshiny, summertime book, but something about it makes it a joy to read, like I know that I'm in capable hands and that Wendy Delsol is going to give me an adventure I won't forget.

As with Stork, we're following Katla as she navigates her duties as a Stork, a student, a daughter and a girlfriend. On the first front, it's great that we get to see Kat maturing as a Stork. She handles it in an awkward but respectful manner befitting her age.While her actual Stork duties aren't very time-consuming, being a Stork is all-encompassing, and Frost does a great job of expanding on Kat's potential abilities while allowing other plotlines to take center stage.

As for being a girlfriend, that's really what spurs Katla to action in this novel. Jack and Katla have a great, healthy relationship. They both know they have secrets, but they acknowledge the reason for the secrets instead of devolving into lies or sulking. While I would usually think that such a relationship could easily be dysfunctional, their emotional connection is obvious, and I was rooting for them the whole time.

In Frost, Katla gets to have some really cool adventures in Iceland (pun kinda-sorta intended). There are lots of great Icelandic tidbits tossed in, and I enjoyed immersing myself in the culture for a little while. I hesitate to say much else for fear of spoiling it, but I will say that Katla's time in Iceland is well spent and described in intricate detail (I love the costume touches!) from dresses to mountaintops. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that Frost is a stand-alone novel, because I think you really need to read Stork to appreciate the happenings of Frost. However, it doesn't fall prey to second novel syndrome, i.e. it's a story in its own right and it does more than merely serve as a connection between the first and third novels in a series.

One last thing: in the novels I grew up on, chapters always ended on a cliffhanger or a clever saying. That technique seems to have been abandoned with time, but Wendy Delsol uses it (in Katla's strong voice) to close out the chapters. I love it. It makes everything seem more exciting somehow.

The ending, as with Stork, was utterly satisfying, but also left me anticipating the next novel. I want to know what happens to Katla, Jack and the series' newest character!

*Someone asked me what I was reading and I told her the title. Then the woman asked the author, and I guess the gleam in my eye got a little bright as I told her because she backed away before I had a chance to say much more than, "It's amaaaazing!"

Title: Frost
Author: Wendy Delsol
Genre: Fiction - Supernatural
Year: 2011
Book Source: Received for review from Candlewick Press

Interview with Wendy Delsol, Author of Stork and Frost

2011-11-16T09:00:00.001-06:00

Because Stork is, if not my favorite, then tied for my favorite book of 2011, I jumped on the chance to interview the author, Wendy Delsol. She was kind enough to answer my questions, and I hope you enjoy reading her replies as much as I did.

You can find my review of Stork here, and I'll be posting my review of its sequel, Frost, on Saturday. (It's just as good, in case you wondering!)

Inote in my review that Katla has incredible voice. Stork isn’t told from the perspective of an ambiguous narrator; Icould tell that it was Katla on every page. Where did you draw Katla’squalities from? How were you able to make her such a strong character?

WD: First of all, great questions! Andthank you for the compliment contained in this first one. When writing a first-person character, I tryto pass all action and dialogue through the prism of the life experiences andinherent personality traits I’ve ascribed to that individual. In Katla’s case,she’s forthright, confident, loyal, and, well, a little sarcastic.

Isthere a real Stork Society (or a myth about a Stork society)? Howdid you decide to make it into a story?

WD: As far as I know, the Stork Societyis a product of my imagination. When casting about for a fresh paranormalconcept, the pre-birth condition came to mind. Angel stories seemed to focus onthe post-death phenomenon so it felt like a new perspective. Once I had thevisual of hovering souls, the symbol of childbirth—the white bird carrying abundle—came to mind. From there, I invented white or benevolent witches chargedwith the responsibility of matching the undecided of hovering souls with theright mother.

Thereare so many delicate pieces of the story woven throughout Stork. Did you plan them all that way from the beginning or didthey pop up unexpectedly? What’s your plotting process?

WD: I have used the word serendipitywhen describing the way a book comes together in its final stages. My processbegins with a rough sketch, outlining a handful of major plot points. Fromthere, I begin fleshing out the characters and the chapter-by-chapter events. Ialso admit to a kitchen-sink approach for the first few exploratory chapters. Iallow myself to throw a few random objects (or characters sometimes) into theplot to see if it sparks. The Yule Cat in Frostis a good example of this. I found an Icelandic legend of a black cat thatattacks all who are without a new piece of clothing at Christmastime. Well, myprotagonist Katla does love clothing. I threw it into an early chapter and waspleasantly surprised when it became a plot device later on.

Howwas writing Frost different fromwriting Stork? Were there any specialchallenges that came with writing a sequel?

WD: One comforting aspect of writing asequel was that the character’s voice was established. I had already settled into her language and style of speech. The challenge to a sequel was, of course,keeping the story compelling and the character interactions fresh. Kat and Jackwere together as a couple at the end of book one. In order to recreate tension,they (and their relationship) had to face a new problem. Frost was different inthat I chose to retell a classic fairytale, TheSnow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen (whereas Stork was my own invention). The reworking of a classic tale had astoryline that had to be respected.

Katla’sadventures in Iceland are fascinating, and I enjoyed all the little interestingbits of information you included about the culture. How did you research forthat part of Katla’s story?

WD: I am not Icelandic, and I have neverbeen to Iceland. I used a variety of online resources to research Icelandiccustoms. I used google earth and google images to get a visual on Icelandicarchitecture and landscapes. Much of the festival is invented, but there is anannual gathering in Canada and a fair in Iceland that I used as a template formy fictional Dance of the Selkies festival.

I’mreally, really excited about Storkand Frost and can’t wait to find outmore about Katla, Leira and the Stork Society. Is there anything you can sharewith us about what’s in store for the series?

WD: Whereas Niflheim, the Ice Realm, wasthe focus of Frost, Vatnheim, theWater Realm, will be the important feature in the third book, Tide. Kat has (albeit inadvertently)entered into a pact with Queen Safira. When a messenger/collector arrives, Katwill risk everything to save those she loves.

Whenwas the moment that you realized “This is it. I did it. I’m an author!” Whatwas it like?

WD: When I obtained an agent and a fewmonths later when we got “the deal.” Those were incredible moments. I hadworked very hard and had my share of rejections. Stork was the fifth novel I wrote. But I do love the process andwould still be writing today even without the promise of publication.

Andjust for fun:

Aperson from the future comes to you and offers you a trip to any time and placeof your choosing. You’re allowed to bring one thing with you. Where/when do yougo and what do you take?

WD: I think I go to London in Septemberof 1666 (Pudding Lane) on the eve of the great fire—and with a fireextinguisher. Not only would I get to walk the street of 17^thcentury England, but I’d get to save lives and some architectural gems. Thenagain, maybe I should go to Ford’s Theatre in 1865 with blanks for John WilkesBooth’s gun.

What are your three favorite books of alltime?

WD: Ask me another time and the second and third responses might change (P & P will always be my topanswer), but today I’m going with:

Prideand Prejudice by Jane Austen

TheWeight of Water by Anita Shreve

Pillarsof the Earth by Ken Follett

Wendy, thanks again for stopping by!

So, readers, do you have any thoughts? Did you like Stork? Are you intrigued? Writers, do you write with serendipity?

Want to Read Wednesday: Jessica Rules the Dark Side

2011-11-16T09:00:00.000-06:00

It’s one thing to find out you’re a vampire princess. It’s a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband’s name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius’s time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is—and whom she can trust—before it’s too late?

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Giveaways, Week of 11/13

2011-11-13T19:37:00.001-06:00

1. Reading Nook is celebrating 500 followers with an amazing giveaway. There are some great ARCs and books from the Iron Fey series being given away, as well as some other possible books and an indeterminate number of winners (love it!). Ends 12/5.

2. A Lush Budget Production is giving away a whole slew of books in the Thank You Giveaway. Up for grabs are:

Ends 11/25.

Winner of A Long Long Sleep

2011-11-13T16:00:00.001-06:00

Wondering who won the ARC of A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan?

The winner is...Emily @ The Ninja Librarian!

Congratulations! Check your email, and I'll have your book out ASAP. :-)

To everyone who entered, thank you so much for entering, following and spreading the word. Keep your eye out for another giveaway coming up soon!

Supernatural Saturday Review: Stork

2011-11-12T09:00:00.001-06:00

Family secrets. Lost memories. And the arrival of an ancient magical ability that will reveal everything.

Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Everyone! Especially if they love paranormal...or contemporary...or love stories...or reading in general...

High point: Katla's voice

Low point: Nothing, nothing at all

Reader maturity: 13+

Stork is one of those rare novels that left me feeling both satisfied and happy. Even though it's set in the cold Minnesota fall, Katla brings a lightness and warmth to the pages. Everything about Stork was perfectly chosen and blended together, from the writing to the plot to the characters.

Katla herself is wonderful. She's a pretty average teenager except for the whole Stork thing. I love that she's interested in fashion, but that doesn't make her a bimbo and it doesn't take the place of her having a real personality. She just happens to like fashion, and it just happens to be important to the story. (I'll admit; I cringed during the boot-beating scene...poor boots!) I thought the Stork society would be a bigger part of the story, but I'm glad that we get to know Katla as she's figuring out who she is as a Stork.

The love interest is not only sufficiently swoonworthy, but he also doesn't cause a lot of is-he-or-isn't-he ado about nothing, which I greatly appreciate. He's a complicated character, but not in a dark or melodramatic way. He perfectly complements Katla's sunshine.

There are quite a few little threads of plot running through Stork, but I was never confused. With my favorite thread, I was several chapters in before it dawned on me that maybe a recurring something was actually a thing. I love being teased like that by a plot. There were lots of obvious secrets (as in, it was obvious that they were secrets), and there were several more subtle things woven in for good measure.

In Stork, there's something going on with every turn of the page, whether it be Katla discovering something about her past or trying to avoid Wade or learning about the Stork society. Every sentence, every paragraph, has a purpose, making Stork a very satisfying 350+ pages. And Katla has great voice! I feel like I've read a lot of novels that just blend together, but everything in Stork had Katla's voice stamped on it. I'm not sure how to explain exactly why it stood out, but it's unique--smart, witty and a just a teensy bit self-deprecating.

My [last] favorite thing about Stork [that I'm going to mention] is the ending. Stork is the first in a series, but--thankfully!--it didn't end on a cliffhanger. It was a great ending, tying up loose ends in a logical manner and also filled with action and suspense, and there's plenty of room for a sequel (it's sitting on my shelf, yay!) while still providing closure. As I closed Stork, I actually felt kinda happy, so I guess it's a little bit of a feel-good novel too.

A little bit supernatural, a little bit romantic and a little contemporary, Stork is an enjoyable, satisfying addition to YA literature. I heartily recommend it!

Title: Stork
Author: Wendy Delsol
Genre: Fiction - Supernatural
Year: 2010
Book Source: Received for review from Candlewick Press

Review of The Poison Diaries

2011-11-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

In the right dose, everything is a poison. Even love...
Jessamine Luxton has lived all her sixteen years in an isolated cottage near Alnwick Castle, with little company apart from the plants in her garden. Her father, Thomas, a feared and respected apothecary, has taught her much about the incredible powers of plants: that even the most innocent-looking weed can cure -- or kill.
When Jessamine begins to fall in love with a mysterious boy who claims to communicate with plants, she is drawn into the dangerous world of the poison garden in a way she never could have imagined...

[from HarperTeen]

Rating: 2 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Fantasy readers looking for something different

High point: The fresh concept

Low point: Jessamine and her father

Reader maturity: 15+

My feelings about The Poison Diaries are mixed.

On one hand, I love the concept--that plants can talk and have personalities that coincide with their ability to heal or hurt. And the idea of a poison garden, where are the wicked plants can converse and plot is a first for me. Weed, the boy who can talk with plants, is a gentle soul, faced with terrible decisions, but he struggles valiantly to be upright and good.

On the other hand, I thought Jessamine was far too flip to get along well with Weed. He was so serious and unassuming, while she's immature, with a childish self-centeredness. Although youthful, she's also so smart and suspicious at the beginning that I have a hard time believing the lies she fell for that create the primary conflict in the novel. The bad guy in this book is too much; his motives were so obvious that it makes Jessamine's belief in his deceit that much harder to swallow.

I'm not really sure what to say in my final words about The Poison Diaries. It was a good novel in concept and in writing, but I disliked several of the plot points and character traits. Even though I didn't love The Poison Diaries, because the concept was so unique and fascinating to me, I'm probably going to try and pick up The Poison Diaries: Nightshade.

Title: The Poison Diaries
Author: Maryrose Wood, with The Duchess of Northumberland
Genre: Fiction - Fantasy, Historical
Year: 2010
Book Source: Won an ARC from Pirate Penguin's Reads

Want to Read Wednesday: The Girl in the Steel Corset

2011-11-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help-and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on, even if it seems no one believes her.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Supernatural Saturday Review: Another Pan (Another #2)

2011-11-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

Sixteen-year-old Wendy Darling and her insecure freshman brother, John, are hitting the books at the Marlowe School. But one tome consumes their attention: THE BOOK OF GATES, a coveted Egyptian artifact that their professor father believes has magical powers. Soon Wendy and John discover that the legend is real—when they recite from its pages and descend into a snaking realm beneath the Manhattan school. As the hallways darken, and dead moths cake the floor, a charismatic new R.A. named Peter reveals that their actions have unleashed a terrible consequence: the underworld and all its evil is now seeping into Marlowe. Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri return to reimagine Peter Pan as a twisty, atmospheric, and fast-paced fantasy about the perils of immortality.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Paranormal fans looking for something a little dark and different

High point: How shocked I was at the new Lost Boys

Low point: John's insecurities

Reader maturity: 13+

While Another Faust was a little gritty for me, I found Another Pan to be much more up my alley. It still has the scheming Governess (in another incarnation), but she plays a lesser role, allowing some other, equally devious, characters to come forward. This reboot of Peter Pan certainly changed the way I see the character from J. M. Barrie's children's story.

Another Pan is a mythic retelling of the Pan story with a hefty dose of Egyptian sand and saga thrown in alongside several smarmy personalities that have nothing to do with Madame Vileroy. It was interesting to see how all the Egyptian legends tied into the story and to watch Wendy and John fight through the web enveloping the school.

Another Pan also has a much more likable cast of characters, ones that I was rooting for and related to more than Madame Vileroy's five charges. Wendy Darling, although a bit wishy-washy, has, as her redeeming quality, her brother's best interests at heart. Her brother is really something--now him I didn't like, but at least his portrayal as a wannabe was amusing. Their father seemed to be a good sort, and I was shocked when Peter (he of the title) was introduced.

The characters are very diverse, each with a distinct personality (except maybe Connor? Does that mean something about him?). Like its predecessor, the writing was fantastic, sweeping me along, and I could feel the doom and gloom that had descended over Marlowe.

If Another Faust was your thing, you'll love Another Pan, and even if it wasn't, I encourage you to give Another Pan a try. You'll never watch the Disney movie the same way again.

Title: Another Pan
Author: Daniel & Dina Nayeri
Genre: Fiction - Supernatural
Year: 2010
Book Source: Received for review from Candlewick Press

Review of Finnikin of the Rock

2011-11-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock--to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Fantasy fiction fans...and even those who aren't

High point: Epic drama

Low point: My misgivings about Finnikin

Reader maturity: 15+

I've been on a book high lately, one that I was worried would be derailed by a fantasy novel that I've heard everyone rave over. I'm not a big fan of fantasy (Lord of the Rings is pretty much my limit), but I'm so glad I received Finnikin of the Rock for review. It was as awesome as everyone said and will be making a permanent home on my bookshelf.

I first started reading Finnikin of the Rock in a doctor's office, and I felt a little silly reading a book with a bright sword on the cover. Within pages, I was too engrossed to care what anyone else thought; I was involved in sharing the pain of the Lumaterans during the five days of the unspeakable. Every time I picked up this book, I was completely immersed. The feeling is almost indescribable, but every time I paused, it was like waking up to real life and realizing that the world had continued moving without me and I didn't even notice that I'd been gone.

Finnikin of the Rock stars a huge ensemble, but I never had any trouble keeping the characters straight. I'm amazed at the realism of the interactions between all of the King's Guard and Finnikin and Evanjalin and the others that they meet on their journey. Non-lead characters have a tendency to feel flat or serve merely to fulfill a plot point, but reading Finnikin of the Rock is like becoming a part of a Lumateran camp and knowing the inhabitants first hand.

Some of the plotlines are classic fantasy (a curse, religious persecution, a throne at stake, poison), but everything feels remixed, with enough unique elements included that I barely had time to notice the tried-and-true; I was too busy being swept away with Finnikin, trying to find Balthazar or his father.

One thing that bothers me, not so much about the book itself but about Finnikin, is that he's really grabby, to the point of hurting Evanjalin more than once. I know it's because he's impatient and not fully mature, but I wanted to tell Evanjalin to run. Finnikin eventually conquers the pride that caused the grabbiness, but that kind of intense manhandling would likely lead to violence in our world. So it bothered me a little bit. I wish that Evanjalin had told him off about that in particular. Her failure to do so certainly didn't stem from cowardice, though, so I'll assume that she was putting up with him in order to save Lumatere.

Just a warning to the easily shocked (like me, I suppose): While there are no explicit descriptions of adult activities in Finnikin of the Rock, some of the characters are, shall we say, indelicate in their desires and musings. They're not frequent, but a few of the conversations or occurrences made me blush.

Finnikin of the Rock is a book that I believe must be enjoyed at least twice, if not three times or more. I can't be sure of that because I've only read it once (so far), but there are some things I know I missed in my sprint to find out what happens. Even though I've just finished it, I already want to read it again and soak up the details, especially those pertaining to Evanjalin and Finnikin. Now that I know their futures, more of the minutiae will have meaning. (And, I'll admit, I got to the end and was a little confused and actually flipped back through and thought, "Ohhh. I missed that part. Because I was reading too fast.") So either learn from my mistake and pace yourself so that you get the full experience with one time through, or allow yourself the luxury of rereading it. And, of course, to reread it, you must read it for the first time, so if you haven't, what are you waiting for?

Title: Finnikin of the Rock
Author: Melina Marchetta
Genre: Fiction - Fantasy
Year: 2010
Book Source: Received for review from Candlewick Press

Monster Mash & Bash Giveaway Winner

2011-11-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

Wondering who the Monster Mash & Bash Giveaway?

The winner of Bad Girls Don't Die is...Lena M!

Congratulations! I'll have your book ordered ASAP. :-)

To everyone who entered, thank you so much for entering, following and spreading the word. The response absolutely floored me, and I'm so excited to get the chance to talk books with you. I hope to see you around!

Want to Read Wednesday: Roadside Assistance

2011-11-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

A very bumpy ride.

Emily Curtis is used to dealing with her problems while under the hood of an old Chevy, but when her mom dies, Emily's world seems shaken beyond repair. Driven from home by hospital bills they can't pay, Emily and her dad move in with his wealthy sister, who intends to make her niece more feminine---in other words, just like Whitney, Emily's perfect cousin. But when Emily hears the engine of a 1970 Dodge Challenger, and sees the cute gearhead, Zander, next door, things seem to be looking up.

But even working alongside Zander can't completely fix the hole in Emily's life. Ever since her mom died, Emily hasn't been able to pray, and no one---not even Zander---seems to understand. But sometimes the help you need can come from the person you least expect.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Giveaways, Week of 10/30

2011-10-31T19:08:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to enter the Monster Mash & Bash Giveaway and the giveaway of an ARC of A Long Long Sleep, hosted here at Bookish in a Box!

1. Stuck in Books is giving away an ARC and a signed, finished copy of Cold Kiss by Amy Harvey, a signed ARC of Supernaturally by Kiersten White and a signed, finished copy of A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies. Ends 11/4.

2. To celebrate 2 new reviewers, Between the Covers is giving away The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa and One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost. Ends 11/6.

Supernatural Saturday Review: Another Faust (Another #1)

2011-10-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish-only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city-s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor-s extraordinary -gifts.- But as the students claw their way up-reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty-they start to suffer the side-effects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 3 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Paranormal fans looking for something a little dark and different

High point: How shocked I was at Madame Vileroy

Low point: I wasn't invested in any particular character

Reader maturity: 13+

It's rare that I enjoy a book that has absolutely no characters that I like.

It's even more rare that I enjoy a book that leaves me feeling a little bit slimy and gritty.

Another Faust is unlike any book I've ever read. I didn't like a single character and wasn't interested in anyone in particular, but just the same, I wanted to know what happened next. I cringed from the Governess Vileroy and shuddered whenever Victoria's time to steal the spotlight had come. I grimaced when Christian messed up, and I almost closed the book when I found out what Belle had done. Bice was the one redeeming character but she was so dull...or so I thought.

My favorite character (and I can't believe I'm writing this) was the evil Madame Vileroy herself. She's so well-written that, even though I was revolted by what she was doing, I was also impressed at what a smooth operator she was and how cunningly she deceived her crew.

Daniel and Dina Nayeri set Another Faust apart from the usual YA morality tale, by not actually teaching any lessons. I've never read a book that landed so squarely in the middle of an issue. It was interesting to find myself seeing both sides of a never-ending war. Their partnership as authors also results in a novel that has very believable characters. The girls act like girls, and the boys sound like boys (not like girls think boys sound).

If you're looking for something a little darker and less of a fairytale than your average YA fiction, Another Faust is worth a look!

Title: Another Faust
Author: Daniel & Dina Nayeri
Genre: Fiction - Supernatural
Year: 2009
Book Source: Received for review from Candlewick Press

Review of Sovay

2011-10-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

It’s England, 1783. When the rich and beautiful Sovay isn’t sitting for portraits, she’s donning a man’s cloak and robbing travelers—in broad daylight. But in a time when political allegiances between France and England are strained, a rogue bandit is not the only thing travelers fear. Spies abound, and rumors of sedition can quickly lead to disappearances. So when Sovay lifts the wallet of one of England’s most powerful and dangerous men, it’s not just her own identity she must hide, but that of her father. A dazzling historical saga in which the roles of thieves and gentry, good and bad, and men and women are interchanged to riveting effect.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Historical adventure readers

High point: Strong writing

Low point: Didn't engage me

Reader maturity: 13+

The summary above is a bit misleading. While Sovay does include thieves and gentry and part of the novel is spent with Sovay as a highwayman, much of the novel centers around The French Revolution, exploring its impact on both the French and the English.

Sovay is a bright, progressive girl, but she's also quite spoiled and naive, though the latter two are frequently forgotten by her male companions who are impressed by her unusual independence (for a woman). Due to the uniqueness of it, I liked the parts of the story where Sovay plays a highwayman; I didn't realize that such robbery was so common at that time.

Sovay's brother, Hugh, and Captain Greenwood, a highwaymen, were my two favorite characters. Hugh is the perfect, protective older brother, and Captain Greenwood is the honorable rapscallion. The introduction of the French Revolution into the plot was also a high point, as I haven't read much about it since A Tale of Two Cities. There were lots of small new plot developments along the way, and Sovay actually feels like it could be two books, which was a nice surprise, getting mulitiple adventures in one.

I believe that if Sovay had been written to an older audience, I may have enjoyed it more; as it stands, Sovay is an action-packed story with a fearless heroine, perfect for an older MG or younger YA audience.

Title: Sovay
Author: Celia Rees
Genre: Fiction - Historical
Year: 2008
Book Source: Purchased

Want to Read Wednesday: A Beautiful Dark

2011-10-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Monster Mash & Bash Hop

2011-10-26T02:00:00.000-05:00

Monster Mash & Bash Hop/Giveaway

Hosted by A book Lover’s Dream

October 26^th-31^st

I'm giving away a paperback copy of Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender. It was a sufficiently creepy ghost story, and I loved it!

I'll be sending this from either Amazon or The Book Depository so as long as The Book Depository ships to your country, the giveaway is international! Just fill out the form below.

While you're here, don't forget to enter to win an ARC of A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan!

Rules in a Box:

You must be 13 or older to enter.
You must be a follower.
The prize pack is International since I can ship from The Book Depository. No P.O. Boxes.
Ends at 11:59 pm CDT October 31st, 2011.
Winners will be contacted by email and will have 72 hours to respond before I pick a new winner.
Entries will only be accepted using the FORM, and you MUST include your email address so I can contact you. No email = no books.
Winner will be chosen using a spreadsheet random number generator.

I reserve the right to amend the rules as needed. (Hopefully this won't happen, but just in case...)

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Make sure and stop by the other blogs in the Hop!

Supernatural Saturday Review: Night World #1

2011-10-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Vampires, werewolves, witches, shapeshifters -- they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is their secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws of the Night World.In Secret Vampire, Poppy thought the summer would last forever. Then she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Now Poppy's only hope for survival is James, her friend and secret love. A vampire in the Night World, James can make Poppy immortal. But first they both must risk everything to go against the laws of Night World.
Fugitives from Night World, three vampire sisters leave their isolated home to live among humans in Daughters of Darkness. Their brother, Ash, is sent to bring the girls back, but he falls in love with their beautiful friend.
Two witch cousins fight over their high school crush. It's a battle between black magic and white magic in Spellbinder.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Fans of LJ Smith

High point: Daughters of Darkness

Low point: Didn't get to know the characters well enough

Reader maturity: 13+

Surely by now it's no secret that I love the works of LJ Smith. I recommended several of the series here and you can find my reviews of the four original Vampire Diaries books here.

But when I tried out Night World, it was missing something. I think maybe it's that Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness and Spellbinder are stand-alone novels, and I felt like I didn't get to know the characters well enough.

Of the three, I liked Daughters of Darkness best. It was missing the rose-colored glasses of Secret Vampire (Poppy is just a little bit too emotionally buoyant for me) and the unsubstantiated drama of Spellbinder (I don't see how someone could be so mean to someone else just because, especially with an ending like that). The characters really seem like family, and the story was one of the more creative ones. It was full of tension with secrets and danger popping up around every corner. I really wanted to know what happened to Mary-Lynette after the closing of the novel!

Overall, Night World #1 left me unmoved, due to something I can't quite put my finger on. However, it's written in true LJ Smith style with lots of innocent passion and everygirl tales so if you enjoy her other works, Night World might be right up your alley.

Title: Night World #1: Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness, Spellbinder
Author: L. J. Smith
Genre: Young Adult Horror and Suspense
Year: 1996
Book Source: Purchased

Giveaway of A Long, Long Sleep

2011-10-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

I loved this book so much that I want to pass it on, so I'm giving away an ARC of A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan.

Links for extra entries:
Review
Author Interview

Rules in a Box:

You must be a follower.
You must be 13 or older to enter.
This giveaway is US only since I'm handling shipping. No P.O. Boxes.
Ends at 11:59 pm CDT November 12th, 2011.
Winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond.
Entries will only be accepted using the FORM, and you MUST include your email address so I can contact you. No email = no books.
Winner will be chosen using a spreadsheet random number generator.

I reserve the right to amend the rules as needed. (Hopefully this won't happen, but just in case...)

If you can't see the form below, you can find it here.
&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Interview with Anna Sheehan, Author of A Long, Long Sleep

2011-10-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

I'm very pleased, honored and excited* to present the first ever Bookish in a Box author interview!

(It's really more of a Q&A, but that's close enough, right?)

A Long, Long Sleep absolutely thrilled me (you can read my rave review here), and I knew I had to find out what was going on in the author's head while writing it. Since this is the first author interview I've done, I was incredibly nervous, but Anna Sheehan and my contact at Candlewick were very accommodating. Thanks to both of you for making this possible!

Without further ado:

Rumpelstiltskin is the first thing I thought of when I read the blurb on the back of A Long, Long Sleep. What inspired A Long, Long Sleep?

AS: A Long Long Sleep was inspired as I had the thought that every parent has while chasing down an errant toddler – "If I could only put you on pause!" Of course, I’d never do such a thing, but I realized, there are people who would. And if so, what would that mean to the person who endured it? Of course, Sleeping Beauty did play a part. I always wondered how someone asleep for a century would reincorporate herself into a world that had moved on without her.
　
What kicks off your thought process? Did the 62 year/Sleeping Beauty element or the Plastine storyline (or some other part) of the story come first?

AS: Well, about the same time as I was chasing that toddler, I had the good fortune to hear a writer – the screenwriter Blake Snyder – mention the phrase, "Stasis equals death." This meant that if your protagonist does not change his or her situation than it might as well be death. But the phrase resonated, and the book sprang from that. The Plastine was an element that grew from the Bodyworlds exhibit – human corpses infused with plasticine and paraded around the world for entertainment and profit. It struck me as wholly amoral, akin to the Nazi’s who made buttons and soap out of human remains, so I took the concept a step further, and made that the antagonist. Really he’s a personification of the manipulation that Rose’s parents and that world has inflicted upon human beings. Rose was emotionally created by her parents. Otto was twisted by UniCorp. The Plastine is an extension of that manipulation of man.
　
I really enjoyed all of the little futuristic tidbits that you placed throughout the story—the notescreens, the hover skiffs, the NeoFusion batteries. It reminds me a lot of Ray Bradbury’s work, with the heavy focus on humanity in an alien setting. What made you decide to incorporate the science fiction element?

AS: Thank you – being compared to Ray Bradbury is one of the highest compliments I’ve received so far. The sci-fi stuff came naturally from the stasis. My choices, given the circumstances, were either sci-fi tech or fantasy magic, and frankly, Sleeping Beauty has had magic versions all over the place. I didn’t really want to tell Sleeping Beauty, exactly, but I wanted a story that echoed the concept of a faerie tale without actually being a retelling of one. The science-fiction element that I have is intentionally light – Rose isn’t a physicist or a military strategist or a world leader. She’s a privileged high-school student who loves to paint. The state of the general world technology wouldn’t interest her. The sequel we are planning has a more direct look at some of the technology of this world, because it’s more important to the main characters in that story than it is in this one. In a first-person character-centric novel, the focus has to be on what the character herself would see, not on what a sci-fi buff would look for in a futuristic setting.
　
After the Dark Times, things improved for everyone, because "there weren’t enough people left to waste." Do you think that the human race needs a wake-up call that big to get our attention or are we redeemable before we reach that point?

AS: I don’t know. This vision of a golden-time following a dark-time isn’t a new one. I took it from The Great Wave, Price Revolutions and the Rhythm of History by David Hackett Fisher, an economist. What tends to happen is that society comes to a breaking point, hovers there until a crisis occurs, breaks, falls, and then stabilizes. That’s where Rose wakes up, at the start of that stable period. As for whether or not human beings are redeemable... human beings aren’t societies. It’s like trying to determine the difference between a glass of water and an ocean. Can you purify a contaminated glass of water? Certainly – usually you can just boil it. Can you boil the sea? Well, you shouldn’t even try. Almost all people are redeemable, bar complete sociopaths (and some of them can at least be trained to behave.) Whether or not all people can or will do it at once is a question I’m not prepared to be responsible for.
　
When was the moment that you realized "This is it. I did it. I’m an author!"? What was it like?

AS: It actually happened twice. The first time was when one of my short stories was published in an anthology (The Pen and the Key, for anyone who’s curious) alongside authors such as Anne Rule, J.A. Jance and Terry Brooks. Wow, I thought. There’s my name, right alongside them. But there was a significant gap between then and my first published novel, so I was beginning to doubt myself. Then the book sold, sold again in Brazil, went to a five way bidding war in Germany, and I thought – okay. I’m definitely an author. What was it like? Satisfying. I’d been at it for a long time.
　
And just for fun: A person from the future comes to you and offers you a trip to any time and place of your choosing. You’re allowed to bring one thing with you. Where/when do you go and what do you take?

AS: Awh! Can’t I just go to Faerie, instead? I’d love to see what happens in the future, just because I haven’t been there. There’s another part that would like to see Elizabethan England, or tenth century Ireland. As for what I’d bring – I can’t even imagine that any of it would work. If I went to the past, a lifetime supply of asthma medication, as otherwise I’d be dead. In fact, bring me a pharmacy and a surgeon. For the future... goodness knows! As I said, I’d much rather be shunted sideways into Faerie.

What are your three favorite books of all time?

AS: Oh, toughy. Child of Faerie, Child of Earth by Josepha Sherman was my security blanket book for years, so I’ll have to go with that one. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was the first thing I ever memorized, so I’ll have to go with that one, too. And can you be nice and just give me the entire collected works of Diana Wynne Jones? Because I don’t think I can pick and choose there. Diana’s works saved my life.

Anna, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions!

Readers, do you want to win an ARC of A Long, Long Sleep? Check back tomorrow for a giveaway!

*It may or may not have taken me 12 hours from receiving Anna's email to actually finish reading it and reply because I was so excited, I couldn't sit still long enough to type anything coherent.

Want to Read Wednesday: Hourglass

2011-10-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Review of A Long, Long Sleep

2011-10-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten subbasement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long gone, and Rose— hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire— is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes— or be left without any future at all.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Anyone who ever read a Bradbury story and thought it was awesome

High point: The combination of emotion and science fiction

Low point: Nothing, nothing at all

Reader maturity: 13+

If you love novels that make you think, novels that make you want to cry (just a little) for the main character and novels that have fantasy and action and sci-fi stuff, then you should definitely pick up A Long, Long Sleep.

From the blurb on the back cover, I didn't think I was going to be particularly rah-rah about it, but once I started reading...wow. It reeled me in with the 2nd paragraph and never let go.

A Long, Long Sleep is, among other things, emotionally intense, which is unusual for a science fiction-y novel, but I love the pairing of deep thought with the clinical cold of technology. Most of the book deals with Rose trying to figure out her place in a new world, 62 years after she left hers, but it's so much more than that. A Long, Long Sleep presents several ethical dilemmas, from the technology that got Rose where she is today to genetic research on aliens. One of my favorite topics that was tackled in this novel was Rose's self-esteem and the line between selfishness and self-preservation. It's presented in a very organic manner, and I didn't realize it was a plot point until the very end.

Speaking of plot points, I love a novel that keeps me guessing and surprises me along the way (as long as the surprise is believable, of course). A Long, Long Sleep delivered more than once! I just knew I had figured out who had sent the Plastine assassin (which I won't explain more because I don't want to spoil anything), and I turned out to be totally wrong. Once the real programmer was exposed, I was completely shocked! It changed the way I saw the first 90% of the novel, which was really cool since I was thinking one thing looking forward and another looking back.

A Long, Long Sleep is one of those rare novels that achieves perfection in writing and form, and I can't recommend it strongly enough!

Title: A Long, Long Sleep
Author: Anna Sheehan
Genre: Fiction - Science Fiction, Fantasy
Year: 2011
Book Source: Received for review from Candlewick Press

Stop by later in the week for a Q&A with Anna Sheehan and a giveaway of A Long, Long Sleep!

Giveaways, Week of 10/16

2011-10-15T17:58:00.000-05:00

Starting a day earlier again. :-)

1. Babbling Flow is giving away:

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff
Dark Eden by Patrick Carman
Tempest by Julie Cross
Shatter Me by Tahera Mafi

Ends 10/28.

2. Katie's Book Blog is giving away 5 Dark Days books. Up for grabs are:

Supernaturally
A Beautiful Dark
Cold Kiss
Eve
Fateful

Ends 10/22.

3. Gripped Into Books is giving away a book of your choice (up to $15) in celebration of the one year blogoversary.

4. Jennifer's Musings is giving away an Overprotected (authored by Jennifer herself!) prize pack. Ends Friday.

5. Katie's Book Blog is giving away a scary 4 book prize pack. Up for grabs are:

Tighter by Adele Griffin
Fear edited by R.L. Stine
Envy by Gregg Olsen
Dark Souls by Paula Morris

Ends 10/31.

Supernatural Saturday Review: Angel Burn

2011-10-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L..A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip - and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful. They’re out for your soul . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Paranormal readers

High point: The road trip and fight scenes

Low point: The Church of the Angels

Reader maturity: 13+

In Angel Burn, Willow, a supernatural hybrid, finds herself the target of The Church of the Angels and their leaders, the angels themselves. She finds help in an unlikely ally, the assassin Alex, and a few other warrior humans who see the angels' deception for what it truly is.

L. A. Weatherfly has a way with a pen (or in today's age, a keyboard). In Angel Burn, I found myself fighting alongside Willow (in my head) almost from the beginning. She reacted to her situation much as I think anyone one--without heroics or extreme actions. She's initially suspicious, then in denial, then suspicious, then terrified, then determined, then bold and courageous, all a seemingly natural progression (I assume, at least, since I've never been the target of anyone's fatality-inducing wrath). She also teaches a great lesson about how we're more than what we're made of and more than what we think are.

Alex and Willow fell in love too quickly for me, but this was tempered by the realization by both of them that it was too fast and their actual relationship moved at a much more believable pace. Willow even has morals that she stands up for and that Alex respects! Go Willow! Go Alex! I liked reading about a main character who can think on her own and who doesn't succumb to (what she thinks are) other people's expectations of her (and I mean that about more than just the situation with Alex). Alex had a bit of cliche tough-guy-outside, sensitive-guy-inside thing going on, but he wore it well with a legitimate history to back it up.

The concept of angel burn itself was cool too, as an explanation of society's ills, that thousands of people are sick or brainwashed and don't even know it. Angel Burn hinted at a greater infiltration of the world's governments, and I'm hoping that's explored more in the sequels, Angel Fire and Angel Fever.

There was one little thing that bothered me...Angels aren't my favorite supernatural beings, but Angel Burn isn't the first book I've read with angels as the protagonists. Something about this book made me uncomfortable, especially in the first half. Before a few secrets come to light, I wasn't sure if I liked where the story was going, but eventually it worked itself out.

If angels are your thing or you like paranormal YA in general, Angel Burn is worth picking up. It's got a little of everything--action, romance, paranormal, mysteries, conspiracies and CIA infiltration, to name a few. While it did make me a little nervous at first, Angel Burn is a well-written YA adventure that will have you rooting for Willow and eager for the next course.

Title: Angel Burn
Author: L. A. Weatherly
Genre: Fiction - Fantasy
Year: 2011
Book Source: Received for review from Candlewick Press

Want to Read Wednesday: Carrier of the Mark

2011-10-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Review of Twisted (Pretty Little Liars #9)

2011-10-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The Pretty Little Liars have more secrets than ever - twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild.

Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little too cozy with her soon-to-be-stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate campaign. And Emily will do anything to get a swim scholarship.

Worst of all: Last spring break in Jamaica, they did something unforgivable. The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know better than anyone that all secrets wash ashore … eventually.
[from Goodreads]

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Contemporary YA readers

High point: The mysterious new A

Low point: The change in character personalities

Reader maturity: 15+

It's no secret around my house that I'm addicted to the Pretty Little Liars tv show. I love it! It's so campy and melodramatic and the girls think they're so grown up...It's funny and mysterious and charming at the same time, a characteristic that it shares with its parent novel, Pretty Little Liars.

While a fantastic YA mystery novel, the girls in Twisted were lacking what little innocence they retained in Pretty Little Liars. It's obvious from the beginning (so I'm not spoiling anything) that they're hiding not only their personal secrets, but something worse than ever before. Their choices were so immature, especially given their ages, that I had a hard time feeling any sympathy for them.

BUT...these are the Pretty Little Liars we're talking about. They're not supposed to be grown up, mature, law-abiding citizens, so once I got over my irritation at their childishness, I fell headfirst into the campy drama that is Rosewood. And it was a lot of fun!

Twisted isn't so much of a whodunit as it is a what-was-done, and it was really nicely constructed. Things are revealed slowly, but the novel never drags. There's always some new drama or scandal to catch the reader's (and the girls') attention. I missed all the novels between the first and this one, but the author does a great job of filling in what the reader needs to know. I was...puzzled, due to the mysteries that follow Hanna, Aria, Spencer and Emily, but never confused.

In a nutshell, if you love the camp and melodrama that comprise the Pretty Little Liars television series and the books that spawned it, Twisted is a fun addition to the trend.

Title: Twisted (Pretty Little Liars #9)
Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: Fiction - Contemporary
Year: 2011
Book Source: Received for review from HarperTeen

Supernatural Saturday: Review of Undercurrent (Siren #2)

2011-10-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

The sirens are back, but Vanessa may be the biggest threat of all. . . .

Nothing has been normal since Vanessa Sands learned that her sister was murdered by sirens—femme fatales of the watery depths—and that everything she believed about her family was a lie.

Her boyfriend Simon’s been the only person Vanessa feels she can really trust. But now there are some secrets she can’t tell even him. And when Vanessa finds herself in the sights of Parker, Hawthorne Prep’s resident charmer, she needs someone to confide in more than ever. Doubting her relationship with Simon, unsure of Parker’s intentions—and of her own—and terrified by what she’s learned about herself, Vanessa has never felt so alone.

But personal problems must be put aside, because the Winter Harbor sirens are back for revenge. Now, Vanessa must face her past and accept that she is just like her enemies—every bit as alluring, every bit as dangerous.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Paranormal fans tired of the same-old, same-old

High point: The scary sirens

Low point: Readers need to be familiar with the first Siren novel

Reader maturity: 15+

It always helps to start a series at the beginning, and unfortunately, I began the Siren novels with the second book, Undercurrent. While some sequels allow the reader to jump in, Undercurrent really requires knowledge of the events of the first book. It took me a long time to figure out the reason behind Vanessa's weird habits and her strange relationship with Simon. That's my own fault, though, for not reading the series in order, so I'll try to review the rest of Undercurrent with that in mind.

Sirens sound really scary. They're not a mythological creature that I've read much about, and wow...they're vicious. Zara and Raina and all the other sirens are truly selfish, which makes them terrifying. They're cold and calculating and stop at nothing to lure their prey.

Vanessa wasn't my favorite MC ever; she was a little bit impulsive, going off half-cocked to "find answers" and instead getting herself into awkward/dangerous situations over and over again. I really liked her friend, Paige, though; she lent some everygirl to the novel. One of the things I did like about Vanessa is her persistence, even if that caused problems sometimes. She's dedicated and loyal and refused to be brushed off while investigating the mystery of her birth.

I didn't really connect with Undercurrent, but I suspect that may be due to my confusion about what happened in the first novel. I was too busy scrambling to piece together more than one mystery to take the time to appreciate the writing or growth of the characters. Undercurrent is an interesting read; however, if you haven't read Siren, I highly advise reading it before you pick up Undercurrent so you can fully appreciate it.

Title: Undercurrent (Siren #2)
Author: Tricia Rayburn
Genre: Fiction - Supernatural
Year: 2011
Book Source: Won an ARC from First Novels Club

Review of Vixen (Flappers #1)

2011-10-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.

Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .

From debut author Jillian Larkin, VIXEN is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . when anything goes.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Historical fiction fans

High point: Learning about the 1920s

Low point: The 1st half of the book

Reader maturity: 13+

I debated for several weeks how to best phrase this review and finally decided the simple approach is best.

At first, I didn't think I liked Vixen, but about halfway through, I realized that, several times, I sat down to read for 5 minutes and when I next checked the clock, it had been 20! So it's a little slow to start, but with a little patience, you'll soon reach the good stuff.

If you like historical fiction, Vixen is a great read. As I mentioned, it's a little dull for the first half of the novel; it feels like very little happens, and I didn't like any of the characters in particular. In the second half, things really get rolling with Gloria's second life and Lorraine's seedy past. Everything slowly creeps out of the shadows and culminates in a shocking ending that tellingly leads to a (deserved) sequel.

Oftentimes, I don't like books that switch POVs; it can be confusing and hard to really get to know a character. However, Ms. Larkin uses the technique skillfully, and I think that, in this case, it adds to the mystery of everyone's whereabouts and goings-on. (Also, I liked Gloria but Lorraine was my favorite, so this way I got to see things from Lorraine's POV and not just what Gloria thought about Lorraine.) There are a lot of things going on in Vixen, from flappers to Prohibition to interracial relationships. Gloria (and Lorraine) seem a little too progressive for belief, given their conservative parents/friends/schools/upbringings, but it allows a modern reader to identify with the girls.

Vixen is a great start to a new series about the 1920s in America, and if you enjoy historical fiction, it's definitely worth picking up.

Title: Vixen
Author: Jillian Larkin
Genre: YA--Historical Fiction
Year: 2010
Book Source: Won an ARC from Writer Musings

Want to Read Wednesday: Ruby Red

2011-10-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Contest Craze: Favorite Books of 2011

2011-10-01T18:14:00.000-05:00

Here are my top 5 books from 2011 (so far), as part of the Favorite Books of 2011 Challenge hosted by Princess Bookie.

1. Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender. I've been hunting for a good YA ghost story for years, and I finally found one!

"When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own Goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green and she speaks in old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.
Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving child is gone, and the new Kasey is angry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister — but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?" --Goodreads

2. You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay. Sometimes, I'm in the mood for a fun book.

"Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues.

All Megan wants is to be normal and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead.

Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it's looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party the bloody kind.

Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life and more importantly, homecoming depends on it." --Goodreads

3. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness. This was the explosive ending to the amazing Chaos Walking series. I couldn't have asked for a better ending (unless I had to).

"'War,' says the Mayor. 'At last.' Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others. Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape. As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there ever be peace when they're so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await? But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge - the electrifying finale to the award-winning "Chaos Walking" trilogy, Monsters of Men is a heart-stopping novel about power, survival, and the devastating realities of war." --Goodreads

4. Stork by Wendy Delsol. I haven't posted my review yet, but fyi, this book is so satisfying.

"Family secrets. Lost memories. And the arrival of an ancient magical ability that will reveal everything.

Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life." --Goodreads

5. Divergent by Veronica Roth. Wow. Just wow. I love dystopian, and this is one of the best books in the genre.

"One choice.
One choice decides your friends, defines your beliefs, and determines your loyalties . . . forever.
Or, one choice can transform you.

In Veronica Roth's debut novel, Divergent, a perfect society unfolds into a dystopian world of electrifying decisions, stunning consequences, heartbreaking betrayals, and unexpected romance." --Goodreads

Supernatural Saturday: Review of You Are So Undead to Me

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues.

All Megan wants is to be normal and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead.

Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it's looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party the bloody kind.

Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life and more importantly, homecoming depends on it.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 4 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Zombie fans who want something lighthearted

High point: Megan and the surprise ending

Low point: The campiness...but camp can be fun

Reader maturity: 13+

You Are So Undead to Me took me totally by surprise. It had me laughing aloud and rooting for Megan from start to finish.

By no means a serious, dramatic novel, You Are So Undead to Me keeps that in mind, reveling in camp and kook but with a strong plot and characters to keep it from feeling silly. The concept of Zombie Settlers, people who are born to put the semi-dead at rest, is fresh and thoroughly explained. Megan is a charming MC, self-deprecating and just a tiny bit sarcastic in the way of of high school girls who aren't quite sure of themselves yet. She is a little obsessed with/about/over her crush, but then...what high school girl isn't? Everyone from her parents, to the Council, to her best friend, to her crush, to her enemies and Megan herself are integral to the plot, which is filled with twists and turns that left me guessing until the end.

One of the best things about You Are So Undead to Me is that the last third of the book took me completely by surprise. I had the ending all figured out in my head, and I turned out to be completely wrong. It was wonderful! I love it when an author creates a plausible, yet completely unexpected, answer for the events of a book. And it was a good ending! Lots of action, fighting, Zombies, fire, kissing--it all left me waiting anxiously for more Megan Berry, Zombie Settler.

Title: You Are So Undead to Me
Author: Stacey Jay
Genre: Fiction - Supernatural
Year: 2009
Book Source: Purchased

Giveaways, Week of 10/2

2011-10-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

I'm starting this week's giveaway post a little early since it's Saturday. It seems a little pointless to make one for a week that only has 6 hours left in it. :-)

1. A Good Addiction is giving away an ARC of Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday. Ends 10/3.

2. Alison Can Read is celebrating a birthday by giving away a $30 Amazon gift card. Ends 10/10.

3. Katie's Book Blog is giving away a Halloween Prize Pack for Birthday Bash Giveaway #1. Up for grabs are:

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
You Are So Undead To Me by Stacey Jay
The Devouring by Simon Holt
a Build-A-Bear Small Frys Fall bear
a Build-A-Bear pumpkin outfit
Halloween nail polish (purple, black, orange)
Halloween nail files
Halloween slipper socks (not in photo)
light up ghost
and Halloween candy!

Ends 10/31.

4. Jennifer Laurens is giving away a signed copy of Overprotected, a tote and some cute spider web earrings. Ends Friday.

5. In the Hammock is celebrating 1300 followers with a Spooky 1300 Follower Giveaway. Up for grabs are:

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade
After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
Between by Jessica Warman
Dracula in Love by Karen Essex
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

Ends 11/1.

6. A Good Addiction is giving away Eve by Anna Carey. Ends 10/1.

7. Reading 'Cause I'm Addicted is giving away Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick. Ends 10/17.

8. Reading 'Cause I'm Addicted is a;so giving away Eve by Anna Carey. Ends 10/12.

Contest Craze: Collections

2011-10-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is the Collections Challenge, hosted by Princess Bookie herself!

Challenge: Write up a blog post telling us all about your collection. What do you collect? Why do you collect it?

Collection: Do books count?

Just kidding.

I collect magnets from places I visit (they're lightweight and easy to pack and pretty easy to display on my refrigerator. I'm really picky about the design of the rest of the rooms in my house, but I'm okay with the refrigerator being covered in cheap bits of touristy stuff.

I've got Dorothy's ruby slippers from one of the Smithsonian museums (it was actually the air and space museum on the mall, but the movie/media museum was being renovated and a few exhibits were on display down the hall from the airplanes) and some fake feet slices from Body Worlds (someone asked me if they were real once. No. Just...no.) and a mini Mount Vernon, among lots and LOTS of others. They're arranged in an aesthetically pleasing manner on my fridge-canvas.

Contest Craze: Alternate Ending

2011-09-29T19:29:00.000-05:00

This is the Alternate Ending Challenge, hosted by The Book Blog Experience and Princess Bookie!

Challenge: Pick one of your favorite books and write an alternate ending to it. Post it to your blog.

Book: Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Alternate Ending: If you haven't finished the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness, then don't read any further because I don't want to spoil anything for you. (And while you're not busy reading this post, please, please, please pick up this series! It. Is. AWESOME.)

For those of you who aren't afraid of me spoiling anything, I didn't completely rewrite the ending of Monsters of Men, but I chose to add a little something. The conclusion is ambiguous (but hopeful) and since I like happy endings, I decided that I'd push Viola and Todd to a more certain future.

Here's where Patrick Ness left Todd, life or death uncertain:

"Viola? Keep calling for me--And I'll keep searching for you--And I'll find you--You bet yer life on it--I'll find you--Keep calling for me, Viola--Cuz here I come."

{Viola}

I stare blankly at the wall before me, trying hard to hold onto hope--hope that Todd will wake up, hope that The Sky will lead us true, hope that the Spackle and my people from the spaceship can make peace. The chair creaks with age, the only noise in the almost empty room.

Then quietly, so quietly that I think I must be dreaming, I hear it. It.

Viola?

The sound is weak but so familiar.

The journal slides out of my lap as I lean forward, brushing my hand over Todd's forehead, praying for things I want so much I can't even find the words.

"Todd? Todd, can you hear me?"

Viola? Are you there?

Todd's Noise hangs in the air between us, and then his eyelids flutter, just a little, so faintly that anyone watching with less intensity would miss it. Eyes locked on his, I will him so hard to wake up I know he has to feel it.

"Viola?"

But this time he says it with his voice.

Juts Because Winner

2011-09-29T17:50:00.000-05:00

Wondering who the Just Because Giveaway?

The winner of the mystery prize pack is...Kristina S.

Congratulations! I'll have your prize pack out as soon as I hear back from you. Make sure to check your email. :-)

To everyone who entered, thank you so much for entering, following and spreading the word. I hope to see you around!

Want to Read Wednesday: Witches of East End

2011-09-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Review of Elsewhere

2011-09-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

Is it possible to grow up while getting younger?

Welcome to Elsewhere. It is warm, with a breeze, and the beaches are marvelous. It’s quiet and peaceful. You can’t get sick or any older. Curious to see new paintings by Picasso? Swing by one of Elsewhere’s museums. Need to talk to someone about your problems? Stop by Marilyn Monroe’s psychiatric practice. Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. She wants to get her driver’s license. She wants to graduate from high school and go to college. And now that she’s dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesn’t want with a grandmother she has only just met. And it is not going well. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward? This moving, often funny book about grief, death, and loss will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Readers wondering "what if...?"

High point: The idea

Low point: For slightly younger readers

Reader maturity: 13+

For some reason, I thought Elsewhere was a dystopian novel with a similar cover to Matched. So I was a little surprised at first to discover that the heroine is, for all Earthly intents and purposes, dead. But even being dead, Liz is a force to be reckoned with, getting into trouble and trying to find her purpose in the years she has left until she returns to Earth.

Elsewhere is a book for younger YA readers and maybe even older MG readers, so it's a quick read, with a simple plot and straightforward characters. But don't let the simplicity fool you. Elsewhere tackles a lot of interesting questions about love and the purpose of life. Many of the situations force the reader to think about how time is being spent now, because there may not be a later.

The set-up of Elsewhere (the place) is pretty extraordinary. I don't want to ruin anything, but I was impressed by the physical rules of the place, as well as the rules in place for the citizens of Elsewhere. And I loved the mention of celebrities and their new Elsewhere careers (especially Marilyn Monroe's).

Since my views on what happens after death don't include reincarnation, this book made me a little uncomfortable at first, but eventually, it became clear that Elsewhere isn't pushing an agenda; it's simply a what-if fiction novel.

Title: Elsewhere
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: YA - Contemporary
Year: 2005
Book Source: Purchased

Contest Craze: Zombie Survival

2011-09-26T19:55:00.000-05:00

This is the Scariest Word Challenge, hosted by That Teen Can Blog! and Princess Bookie.

Challenge: Choose two characters to fight along side of you.

Choose the fictional world in which you will be fighting in

Choose a weapon/superpower/ability to use to fight

Go to this site and choose one of the 8 words to be your mode of transportation

Post it.

Characters: Four from Divergent and Gale from The Hunger Games
(I haven't read beyond The Hunger Games so maybe it turns out he can't fight at all, but I don't know yet.)

Setting: Hex Hall (or somewhere in that universe)

Weapon/superpower/ability: energy manipulation--throwing balls of lightning, blasting open doors, jumpstarting car engines (this could come in very handy!)

(original image courtesy of Collington)

Mode of Transportation: bulldozer

(It's pink!)

(image courtesy of Alastair Smith)

Supernatural Saturday: Review of Red Riding Hood

2011-09-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

The blacksmith would marry her.
The woodcutter would run away with her.
The werewolf would turn her into one of its own.

Valerie's sister was beautiful, kind, and sweet. Now she is dead. Henry, the handsome son of the blacksmith, tries to console Valerie, but her wild heart beats fast for another: the outcast woodcutter, Peter, who offers Valerie another life far from home.

After her sister's violent death, Valerie's world begins to spiral out of control. For generations, the Wolf has been kept at bay with a monthly sacrifice. But now no one is safe. When an expert Wolf hunter arrives, the villagers learn that the creature lives among them--it could be anyone in town.

It soon becomes clear that Valerie is the only one who can hear the voice of the creature. The Wolf says she must surrender herself before the blood moon wanes...or everyone she loves will die.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 2 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Those who enjoy/don't mind love triangles

High point: A revamped fairytale

Low point: The love triangle and the confusing events

Reader maturity: 15+

Though I adore the premise of fairytale retellings, Red Riding Hood didn't hold much allure for me. The novel contained many great elements, such as the backdrop of a terrified and cloyingly strict village, as well as the mystery of the wolf's identity. Little bits and pieces of the Wolf's history are exposed by Valerie's memories, and clues to the Wolf's alter persona are revealed through the same medium.

Unfortunately, I found the characters of Henry and Peter predictable--one the kind and good businessman's son and one the rakishly handsome outcast. As might be expected, those two, combined with Valerie, create a love triangle, which is one of my least favorite plot devices, since the outcome is always cruel to someone.

Though I liked the idea of the story and even the overall plot (sans love triangle), but I was confused about some of the events and wasn't sure if I, as the reader, was supposed to know certain things or if I was supposed to be as oblivious as the townsfolk.

While Red Riding Hood wasn't a book for me, if you like retellings and don't mind love triangles, it might be worth a look.

Title: Red Riding Hood
Author: Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
Genre: Fiction - Supernatural
Year: 2011
Book Source: Won from Reading, Writing and the World of Words

Contest Craze: Who Should be a Couple?

2011-09-23T18:34:00.000-05:00

This is the Who Should be a Couple Challenge, hosted by Princess Bookie herself!

Challenge: Write up a blog post telling us who should be a couple but are NOT a couple.

Book: The Agency: A Spy in the House and The Agency: The Body at the Tower by Y. S. Lee

Couple: Mary Quinn and James Easton

Why I Want Them Together: They go well together because Mary is independent (she's a spy!), with a stubborn streak to match James' own. And his adventurous side needs a woman who can fight the bad guys with him instead of sitting at home, drinking tea or whatever ladies of genteel breeding did in Victorian London.

Also, they have such great chemistry in the books! I want to see where that takes them.

Just Because Giveaway

2011-09-22T17:57:00.000-05:00

I've been feeling a little down the past few weeks, and while doing a ton of reading (which always makes me feel better), I decided to pass on a little literary sunshine to someone who might need a little end of summer pick-me-up.

Here's how it works:

I'm going to make a mystery prize pack with 3 or 4 (depending on how many I can stuff in the envelope) of the following (previously read) ARCs. The winner will get to choose *one* book that will definitely be in the envelope, but the rest will be a surprise. (And who doesn't like book surprises?!)

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (ARC)
The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone (ARC)
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (ARC)
Impossible by Nancy Werlin (ARC)
Grace by Elizabeth Scott (ARC)
Bandits by LM Preston (ARC)
Divergent by Veronica Roth (ARC)

Rules in a Box:

You must be a follower.
You must be 13 or older to enter.
The prize pack is US only since I'm handling shipping. No P.O. Boxes.
Ends at 11:59 pm CDT September 28th, 2011.
Winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond.
Entries will only be accepted using the FORM, and you MUST include your email address so I can contact you. No email = no books.
Winner will be chosen using a spreadsheet random number generator.

I reserve the right to amend the rules as needed. (Hopefully this won't happen, but just in case...)

What's one thing that *always* makes you feel better when you have the blues?

If you can't see the form below, you can find it here.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Contest Craze: Timeless

2011-09-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

This is the Timeless Challenge, hosted by Black Fingernailed Reviews and Princess Bookie.

Question: If you could go back to any time period what would be your choice and why?

Answer: The 1950s and/or 1960s! I'm just a smidge obsessed with the fashion (and I've been on a Mad Men kick). I love the floaty skirts (doesn't Betty's just make you want to twirl?) and how ladylike all the women were. Of course, I wouldn't be in the profession I'm in now if it was 1950 and not 2011, but if I could have the best of both worlds--beautiful dresses and science--I would be ecstatic.

The '50s and '60s were also Alfred Hitchcock's prime, and it's also when my favorite (summer) movie was made--The Long, Hot Summer (1958).

But mostly I want the dresses.

(courtesy of AMC via Glamour Daze)

Giveaways, Week of 9/18

2011-09-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to check out my Just Because Giveaway!

1. Fantastic Book Review is giving away The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Ends 9/27.

2. Addicted 2 Novels is giving away 2 boxes of ARCs. Up for grabs are:

Ends 10/10.

3. The Book Swarm is giving away two $15 Amazon gift certificates to promote Banned Books Week. Ends 10/1.

Want to Read Wednesday: Passion

2011-09-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . . .

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.
Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever.

Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series.

[from Goodreads]

With Want to Read Wednesday, I'll be spotlighting books I want to read, whether they've been out for 10 years or won't be released for another 10 months.

Contest Craze: Top 5 of 2012

2011-09-20T19:32:00.000-05:00

Here are my top 5 anticipated releases for 2012, as part of the Top 5 Challenge hosted by Princess Bookie.

1. The Calling by Kelley Armstrong. I haven't read this series yet, but I love The Summoning, The Awakening and The Reckoning.

"Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. Plentiful action and romance in this second installment in the Darkness Rising series will keep readers enthralled to the very last page." --Goodreads

2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth. YAY!!!! I love, love, love Divergent, so I'm super excited about the sequel! And the cover is pretty

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

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

3. Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side was a lot of fun. I have high hopes for the sequel!

"It’s one thing to find out you’re a vampire princess. It’s a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband’s name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius’s time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is—and whom she can trust—before it’s too late?" --Goodreads

4. Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins. After Hex Hall and Demonglass, I can't wait to find out what happens next to Sophie (and I hope she changes her mind about which boy she picked).

"Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?" --Goodreads

5. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. Last but not least...I haven't read Delirium yet, but I trust Lauren Oliver. (Before I Fall was that good.) And doesn't it just sound awesome?

"After escaping from Portland, Maine, Lena makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community, where she transforms herself into a warrior for the resistance. A future without Alex is unimaginable, but Lena pushes forward and fights, both for him and for a world in which love is no longer considered a disease. Swept up in a volatile mix of revolutionaries and counterinsurgents, Lena struggles to survive—and wonders if she may be falling in love again." --Goodreads

Contest Craze: Scariest Word

2011-09-20T18:57:00.000-05:00

This is the Scariest Word Challenge, hosted by The Non Reluctant Reader and Princess Bookie.

Challenge: In a book you are currently reading, find the scariest word in the 13th chapter.

Google the word to find an image you like.
(Ok, I used Flickr so I could easily find something shareable.)

Post it.

Book: Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

(I think this book is awesome, and I normally don't even like fantasy.)

Word: poisons

(Image courtesy of ephotography)

Review of Moonglass

2011-09-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.

While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

[from Goodreads]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 boxes

Target Audience: Contemporary fans looking for something deep

High point: The questions that arise

Low point: The first third of the novel

Reader maturity: 13+

At first, I wasn't particularly impressed by Moonglass, even after (or perhaps because of) all the amazing reviews that I'd read of it. But about a third of the way through, the story picked up, and for the rest of the novel, I could barely put it down. Moonglass is a beautifully raw read with a delicate portrayal of the long-reaching effects of mental illness.

As I mentioned, the first part of the book didn't draw me in, but I kept reading because so many bloggers raved about it. And it was worth waiting for. Anna is fairly two-dimensional at first, until she confronts her past and all the pain behind it. She's got a great support group, although her dad is distant. There are a lot of secondary characters in Moonglass that really make the novel special, from people who knew Anna's mother, to the lifeguards, to Anna's new classmates. The love interest was pretty standard, but Anna has two great friends, both of whom surprised me with the depth of their friendship. I expected them to be fly-by-night and shallow at best, but they bring some really good energy into Anna's life.

Living on the beach, Anna's life is filled with surf culture (and runner culture). Her moods frequently seem to parallel those of the ocean, but it's never forced. Though the writing never struck me as flowery or overdone, the drama seeps off of each page--pain and hurt and hope. Even though the reader is submerged in it, it never seems heavy because there's always the promise of something more in the hunt for the rarest of moonglass.

Title: Moonglass
Author: Jessi Kirby
Genre: YA -Contemporary
Year: 2011
Book Source: Won an ARC from Random Chalk Talk

Contest Craze: One True Pairing

2011-09-19T20:05:00.000-05:00

This is the One True Pairing Challenge, hosted by My Cute Bookshelf and Princess Bookie.

Challenge: Create a blog post with your OTP (One True Pairing). Explain why they’re your favorite YA couple.

Book: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

(also The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men)

One True Pairing: Todd and Viola

They're my favorite YA couple because they're good, honest people who are trying to save the planet and each other at the same time, goals which are frequently at odds with each other. But they make the best of the situation they're in, and as long as they have each other, they believe everything will be okay.

(Images courtesy of Wikipedia here and here)