Monday, April 30, 2012

April Top 5

April was kind of a weird reading month for me. Probably because I was thoroughly wrapped up in a Dawson's Creek marathon at one point the lines of reality and Pacey blurred a little bit. As most of my free time was devoted to Dawson's my reading pattern was a little wonky this month. Even despite the whole reliving the 90's thing going on, I was in a serious reading slump this month. Every time I thought I was getting out of that slump, I'd slide right back in. Still, I read some majorly awesome books this month. Like, the kind of books that you want to buy for everyone you know. So here's my top five reads this month.

1. The Princesses of Iowa by M. Molly Backes
The synopsis of this book is rather misleading, I think. Sure, it looks like it's nothing out of the ordinary, but I believe that this book is one of the few that its truly extraordinary. It's so beautifully written and I believe it belongs up there on my list of books I think every teen should read.
 
2. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
I'm actually finding it hard to believe that I read this book this month. It seems like this story has been with me for as long as I can remember. This book is every positive adjective I can think of: beautiful, amazing, entrancing, adventurous, encouraging, and enchanting. Check out my review. 
 
3. Croak by Gina Damico
This was one of those books that gave me a nice break in the middle of my reading slump. I laughed through this whole thing. It's a unique take on grim reapers and I'm still caught up on Gina Damico's version of the afterlife. Even if the rest of it doesn't draw you in, the afterlife should. How do you resist reading about dead presidents bickering, Poe walking around all full of angst, and a place where Mozart has his own planet? Genius. This book is genius. I'd love to live in Gina Damico's brain. 
 
4. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
This book is amazing. I highly suggest you pre-order it now! The physical representations of light versus dark were fascinating and complex. This is a book I hope they make into movie, if only to see some of these scenes come to life. Not that I need to physically see them, because they are so perfectly vivid in my mind already. When I finished this story I was in complete awe. 
 
5. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
After I re-arranged all my shelves by genre, I realized that I have more angel books than I do any other genre (except for contemporary). That said, Embrace was a wonderful representation of paranormal angel fiction. Violet was just an incredible heroine and her strength was enviable. Plus, it's a book that keeps your nerves on edge and your emotions at the surface. Read my review. 

What were your top reads this month? 

April RAK Wrap-Up

Book Soulmates
Where in the world did April go?

This month I sent out one RAK.
I sent Embrace by Jessica Shirvington to Amanda at Letters Inside Out!
I loved this book so much, I had to share!

What did you get this month?

Sunday, April 29, 2012

My Blogger Pledge

I'm fairly new to the book blogging community, but I've been around to see dramas come and go - from author attacks on bloggers, to bloggers attacking each other. But this week has pushed me past my limit. The hippie in me just wants to step in and say, "Peace, Love, and Good Books, people." That's what it's all about. I've seen all the attacks going back and forth and read enough posts to make informed decisions for myself - but as none of these battles were my own, I've kept quiet.
Until a blogger used a serious situation which involved one blogger and turned it around to accuse the entire book blogging community. I have to say I was seriously offended and I was certainly not the only one. Still, I felt like responding to that post would only feed her power, so I didn't say anything then and it's why I'm not linking the post here.
There are always going to be bullies, but if you can control the situation and not give the bully power - their accusations won't hold as much weight. But really, if you don't support their opinion, by all means voice your own opinion, but please don't attack.

So I want to write here my own pledge as an individual who has made the decision to join the book blogging community. I'm sure there are other versions of this out there, but these are the values I feel are important to uphold.

My Pledge:
I understand that by blogging about books, I have joined a community. I understand that the book blogging community is well established and is composed of fierce, smart, and passionate individuals. 
I reserve the right to decide what content is published on my own blog, so long as the words are my own or the proper credit is given. I believe I have the right to my opinion; therefore, I respect that others may have their own opinion as well. 
If I don't agree with an opinion and feel the need to join the conversation, I will state my views and support my beliefs without purposely provoking anger or attacking the opposing side. If I cannot join a discussion in a thoughtful way, I will not join it at all. 
If another blogger makes a mistake, I reserve the right to make my own judgement and will respect others' right to do so as well.
I will never degrade or verbally attack another blogger, author, or publisher.
I will always remember that I represent a group of people and I will do my best in my part to keep the blogging community a safe place to discuss and voice opinions.
I will remember that I should treat others as I wish to be treated.
I will always do my best to be original in my content and stay true to my own self.
I will always respect the book blogging community. 
Now, please, can we remember why we're here? The good books and the lovely people who love those books. We all have the same love, so can't we all just be friends?

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday (6)


I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

To continue with the theme that's been going on here the later half of the week today I want to talk about:

Grams from Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe


As I have my own freakish (I mean freakish in a good way) bond with my grandmother, I particularly enjoy books in which grandmothers play important roles. This grandmother is particularly amazing, as she adds both to the humor, the love, as well as to the darker aspects of the novel. One thing I particularly love - she lives in a trailer on the beach (that she is incredibly reluctant to give up) that they call the "Tuna Can."

Grams herself is amazing, but she offers a way to let other characters shine. Because really, you have to love a boy who helps out your Grams without asking, so she gives us all the perfect opportunity to see just how amazing the potential boy really is.

So Grams is sweet, but she's also sort of losing it to old age and Parkinson's, so Chloe has to deal with this other change in her life. Since her own parents don't appear to be stepping up to deal with Grams's situation - they just fight with her, rather than listen to her - Chloe has to be the go between and sort of a caretaker for Grams. Chloe is so bright and energetic, but Grams is something a little more serious that she has to deal with - without losing her sparkle.

But some of my favorite moments were Grams moments - like talking about Brad Pitt's "heinie" in public - but what I really love about her is how human she is. She parallels Chloe amazingly - you can so see Chloe being her down the road - but both of them have somehow lost control and they just want to have some say in their own lives. Grams's hold onto who she is and what she'll let people give and take away helps Chloe come to terms with what she needs to let go in order to get back on track.

But, really, I think that you can tell who a person is by how they treat other people's grandparents. And this woman, who is so important in Chloe's life, shines light on the personalities of each character she comes in contact with.

Before you go: I posted an interview with Shelley Coriell yesterday, along with an awesome giveaway including an ARC of the book and a swag pack so you should definitely check that out!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Author Interview with Shelley Coriell & Giveaway

I'm so excited to have Shelley Coriell, author of Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe on the blog today answering a few questions. You can read my review of the book HERE.  I also have an amazing giveaway for you!

Interview with Shelley:

How does it feel to have your first book published?
 Surprised and grateful. Let's be candid...stand-alone contemporary YA is the red-headed stepchild of the teen book world. I'm over-the-moon excited that Amulet took a chance on Chloe, Duncan, and the misfit gang at KDRS radio. And I'm humbled by the number of readers who fell in love with Chloe (an extremely different YA protag) and have become her champions. 
Chloe is such an energetic and charismatic character. Was it difficult to balance her energy and optimism against some of the more serious issues that are going on with other characters?
Balance is key. Could you imagine 300 pages of cheery Chloe? Um, no. Plus, the Parkinson's and drug addiction are threads necessary to Chloe's story journey. These issues force her to turn outward and ultimately to listen, which is at the core of her story transformation.  
I love Chloe's style! She's probably the only person on the planet who could pull off a burrito costume. What inspired her wardrobe? How about her thing for vintage shoes? 
At the beginning of the book, Chloe is a character who desperately needs people. The burrito costume screams, "Look at me...connect with me!" Likewise, her love affair with vintage shoes is about the people who once wore those old shoes. Chloe says of her fashionable footwear, "What stories these shoes could tell if only they had a different sort of tongue."
Chloe's predicaments stem from a falling out with her best friends. Do you have advice for those who are losing touch or growing apart from friends?
Two words: bits and pieces. Just after college a friend gave me a poem that basically said people will come and go in our lives but we will always hold bits and pieces of them in our head and hearts. I love this concept, even for friendships that may have ended in anger or hurt, because we have the power to choose which bits and pieces to hold close.
How long did it take you to write Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe?
About five months total writing time. Three months to write. Two months to revise, but I let each novel sit in my writerly dungeon for a number of months between first draft and revision.
Where is your favorite place to write?
In my home office with my dog, a clingy rescue weimaraner named Rylee, at my feet. Sometimes she sneaks into my lap...all 65 pounds of her. Did I mention she's a little needy?
What is something that has surprised you about writing or publishing a novel?
Writing is a solitary pursuit; publishing involves a ginormous army. 
Do you have any other projects in the works?
Just turned in my option book to my editor, a YA contemp called GOODBYE, REBEL BLUE. It's the story of a snarky rebel who reluctantly completes the bucket list of a recently deceased, do-gooder classmate. On the way she meets up with a gimpy dolphin, a boy with dimples, and a few pies. 
Find Shelley online: Website :: Blog :: Twitter :: Facebook

Thanks so much to Shelley for taking the time to answer my questions!
And for some more excitement - I'm giving away my ARC of Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe and Shelley has been generous enough to offer a swag pack including awesome goodies like a bookmark, postcard, a pen, a mousepad, and a way cute bottelcap necklace. The giveaway will be US/Canada only (sorry international friends but shipping costs are scary). You must be 13 or older. Giveaway ends on May 4 at 12:01 AM. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe - Shelley Coriell

Synopsis: Big-hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe until her best friend shreds her reputation and her school counselor axes her junior independent study project. Chloe is forced to take on a meaningful project in order to pass, and so she joins her school’s struggling radio station, where the other students don’t find her too queenly. Ostracized by her former BFs and struggling with her beloved Grams’s mental deterioration, lonely Chloe ends up hosting a call-in show that gets the station much-needed publicity and, in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe faces her loneliness and helps others find the fun and joy in everyday life. Readers will fall in love with Chloe as she falls in love with the radio station and the misfits who call it home. (From Goodreads)

I started this book the night before I meant to pack up and move out of my apartment. It was about midnight when I started, so I only got in a couple chapters before I put it down reluctantly. I got up in the morning and told myself I’d just read a little bit and then I’d get to work. A couple chapters turned into needing to read the whole thing and…well…let’s just say I was still packing up my car at 3 in the morning, forgot to clean out my fridge (the food was all out, but I didn’t really clean it…), and had to leave for home about 4 hours later than I planned the next day. And it was so worth it.

This is the kind of book that sucks you in and shares its incredible energy with you. I swear I was cheery all day, and it was because of Chloe’s personality. She’s such a happy person, even when things kind of suck. Her motto is something along the lines of – if something sucks, make it fun. Bring the party with you. She has such an infectious way of making everyone’s day brighter. After I read this, I was bored waiting for an oil change and wondering - What would Chloe do? Not kidding.

But it’s more than just fun and sunshine. It’s about friends growing up and growing apart. Chloe has to deal with her friends rejecting her and dragging her through the dirt. I so admire how she deals – I think I would crawl into a hole and never come out – but Chloe takes the lot she’s given and she deals with it. I mean – she’s the only person who could make dressing up like a burrito look like a fashion statement. Then there’s the not-so-subtle message (there’s nothing subtle about this book!) that there’s more to life than speaking and letting other people know you – you have to listen to get to know others as well. 

My favorite part of the book is when someone asks Chloe why she’s doing something. She kind of thinks it over and she just answers, “Because it’s fun.” That to me seems like a, “duh,” moment. Like why would you ever do anything? I know there are some things you just do because you have to, but then there are others that you just do because they bring you joy. That is a moment I will carry around with me for a very long time.  

This was a wonderful break from all the dark books that can only hold on to small, hopeful aspects. This book radiates warmth and happiness. Chloe’s personality is just so great that it cannot be contained within the pages of a book. I swear she’s still with me, telling me to make the best of what comes my way.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The Right & The Real - Joelle Anthony

Synopsis: From the author of Restoring Harmony. Kicked out for refusing to join a cult, 17-year-old Jamie must find a way to survive on her own.
Jamie should have known something was off about the church of the Right and the Real from the start, especially when the Teacher claimed he wasn't just an ordinary spiritual leader, but Jesus Christ, himself. But she was too taken by Josh, the eldest son of one of the church's disciples, and his all-American good looks. Josh is the most popular boy at school too, and the first boy outside the drama geeks to give Jamie a second look. But getting her Dad involved in a cult was not part of the plan when she started dating Josh. Neither was her dad's marriage to the fanatic Mira, or getting kicked out, or seeing Josh in secret because the church has deemed her persona non grata.
Jamie's life has completely fallen apart. Finding her way back won't be easy, but when her Dad gets himself into serious trouble, will Jamie be ready to rescue him, and maybe even forgive him?  (From Goodreads)

I feel like I've read a lot of books that incorporate cults somehow. So I put this one off, because I can only tolerate crazy so much before I go crazy myself. But, after I began reading it I was sucked in so quickly. This was one where I was suddenly on page 150 and it felt like only 5 minutes had gone by. I didn't even realize how into this story I was until it was over.

Despite all the problems in Jamie's life caused by the Right and the Real cult, the cult is merely a circumstance rather than a setting for the story. It wasn't about religion or brainwashing, or crazies. It's very much about a girl who's put in unpredictable and undesirable circumstances and how she picks herself up and puts her life back together. After coming off of this cultish trend of mine, I was intensely relieved. The cult is merely a catalyst and I think what becomes so incredibly beautiful is that Jamie's story is so much larger and more important. She's a true testament to how one person can summon incredible power, even if she's not given anything but a few people to help her along the way.

So let's talk about those people. The cast of characters in Jamie's life are exceptional. From her eclectic fashion obsessed best friend to the huge ex-felon who helps her out they are all so wonderful and well written. I loved Jamie's theater life (This book has awesome layers! The key to a great story...) as well. The future in theater that she is working for is just as unsure as the predicament she's currently in, and I think, in one way or another everyone is unsure. It just all comes back down to having the people in your life to lean on when you need them AND learning to let yourself lean.

Basically, when it comes to contemporary lit, this book is rather exceptional. It's surprising in the best way and there are some beautiful moments to be uncovered in these pages. Jamie is a strong and enviable heroine. While I don't envy her situation (I actually was tempted to thank my father for not joining a cult), I envy the way she dealt with it, because I don't know that I'd be that strong. Anyways, I strongly encourage you to give this book a chance to impress you. If you want more, I helped reveal the book trailer on the blog last week - definitely something to check out!

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Immortal Rules - Julie Kagawa

Synopsis: In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. 
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. 
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters. 
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. 
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. 
But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for. (From Goodreads)

I read the first book in the Iron Fey series and didn't really care for it (I know, that's terrible - you can throw things at me) and I'm generally not a fan of vampire books. But The Immortal Rules kind of rocked. It was kind of like if True Blood was played out to its worst case scenario. Vampires rule the earth and humans cater to vamps. And instead of vampires slinking around in the night, the humans that are left hide under the cover of the sun.

Allie lives in a post-apocalyptic world (epidemic, diseased apocalypse) in which vampires have taken over to restore their form of "order." This mix between a myriad of different genres could have seemed chaotic, but Kagawa pulled everything together so wonderfully. Every aspect that made up this world had a clear cause, some reason that it has reached that point.

But if vampires ruling the world wasn't enough of a twist, Allie becomes a vampire (it's in the synopsis, I'm not spoiling, I swear!) and joins a band of humans struggling to survive as they chase the dream of a vampire free city. The dynamics of this group were what made this book great. There's kind of a quasi-religious foundation that is rather interesting and the leader appears to have some tendencies towards the cultish - but it really comes down to survival for them all. I really appreciated the way that they reacted when Allie came into their midst, it was very clear that she upset their order and watching them adjust to fit her brought all these characters to life in a real way.

The way this world was imagined was vibrant and clear. Every single setting was perfectly vivid in my mind. Between the characters and the world they live in, this future is an imaginable one - if we really believe vampires exist, of course. But I think that's why I really loved this book. This world is crawling with vampires and the main character is a vampire - but it never feels like that's really what it's about. Vampires are more of a circumstance meant to illuminate the separation in humanity.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Giveaway! 888 - 1000

No, that's not a phone number.

8 is my favorite number.
And yesterday morning my blog hit 888 followers.
Which made me squee just a bit.

So I wanted to thank all of you 888 people and of course the ones who followed after. I love you ALL.
So to celebrate a bit I'm going to do something for you.

And since it's Spring, I naturally have summer on the brain. So I'll be giving away all three books in Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty series!

I'm edging towards 1,000 followers and if I get that far a second winner will get a pre-order of their choice of summer release. Some suggestions (although it will be your choice, as long as it's reasonable...):


Since this is a follower celebration I'm going to ask that you follow the blog, but that's all you have to do to enter! If you've followed me before this contest, you get an extra entry. Again, you all are amazing.

Here's the details:
  • One (1) winner will receive all three (3) Jenny Han books. If I hit 1,000 followers a second winner will get a one (1) per-ordered summer release.
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will run until May 7, 12:01 AM.
  • Winner will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner. 
  • Good luck and thanks for entering! 

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Showers of Books Giveaway Hop

The beginning of this week began with a raging rainstorm. The very next day I woke up to a blanket of snow over everything. Lovely Minnesota, where April showers bring snowbanks and angry flowers. So right now I'm a lot happier going with showers of books. Welcome to my stop on the Showers of Books Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and One a Day YA. Tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.

So here's what's coming down here: 
I'm going to go with a wish list giveaway, with a bit of a twist. One lucky winner will get a choice of their book from my top three favorites right now and I will also surprise him/her with a book from their wish list. So that's two books for one winner!


So here's the three you can choose from off my list: 
The details: 
  • One (1) winner will receive two (2) books, one of your choice from my list and one of my choice from your wish list.
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will run until April 26, 12:01 AM.
  • Winner will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner. 
  • Good luck and thanks for entering!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Peculiars - Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Synopsis: This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance. On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears. (From Goodreads)

When I began my Master's program I intended to specialize in colonialism and Victorianism. So within the first fifty pages when this book was screaming colonialism, I was so incredibly excited for where it was going to go. As far as I can figure out, it's a historical re-imagining that takes place in something like the United States, and the colony of Scree, is something like Canada. Which was even more fascinating because Scree took on some qualities of African colonies, especially with proximity to the colonizer and the coal mines. It's not to hard to figure out that the inhabitants of Scree have peculiarities, like wings or extra joints, to clearly mark them as the Other. Not to mention, I have also briefly studied Darwinism and Victorianism so the injections of Darwin and evolution in light of the peculiars was definitely fascinating.

I'll stop being quasi-scholarly now, but I do want to say that there is value in this book. It's just that after my excitement of those first fifty pages, the pace quickly dropped and so did my interest. It took me about eight days to read the whole thing and I think I read about four other books in between. The book is supposed to be about Lena journeying to Scree in order to find her father - which if you think of it like a proper Victorian woman venturing into African colonies, the potential for this story is immense - but Lena spends so much time bumming around in the border town of Knob Knoster (awesome town name). So between the beginning and the end, not a whole lot is going on.

Part of this, I think, is because McQuerry stays pretty true to Victorian convention and social behavior. If this book had been published in the 1800's it probably would have been an exciting adventure story. But because it's published in the 21st century, it gets a little slow. Lena is a very proper woman and she doesn't assert herself until late in the book, so she's spending a lot of time going with the flow and doing what is asked of her. I could probably go on a whole other scholarly thing about the treatment of women, especially peculiar women, but I won't subject you to that. I'll just say that I didn't really care for the way women are portrayed here. For example, if you're a women you must only want adventure if you are in fact, half peculiar. But, again, that can go with the fact that we're talking about Victorian society.

So very long story short, this book moves slow and it's flawed, but there's a lot in it that is very interesting. If you're reading for fun, I would recommend going in another direction, but if some of the things I talk about here interest you, there might be something in this book that is worth your while.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Right & The Real Book Trailer Reveal

I'm so excited to be participating in the trailer reveal for The Right & The Real by Joëlle Anthony today. It also happens to be her birthday today so stop by her blog and send her birthday wishes!


 About the Author: Joëlle started out life in Portland, Oregon as a talker, then a reader, eventually a writer, and by her teen years, the sirens of the stage were calling her name. With a BA in theatre, and absolutely no other marketable skills (not even waitressing(, she got some headshots made, and called herself an actress. Believe it or not, some people fell for it, and if you look really closely, and don't blink, you can see her in movies like What The Bleep Do We Know?  and The Temp.
The desire to write remained strong though and in between acting gigs, she began to scribble down her first novel for teens (which permanently resides in a drawer). Writing seemed to be her real calling and after many years of practice, and lots and lots of reading, she signed on with agent Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Agency. In the fall of 2008, she sold her first novel, a young adult book called Restoring Harmony, to Stacey Barney at Putnam (May 2010). In 2009, Putnam bought her second novel, The Right & The Real.
She currently lives on a tiny island in British Columbia with her musician husband, Victor Anthony, and two cats, Miss Sophie & Miss Marley. As for the future, their only plan is to avoid real jobs, write and play guitar in front of the wood stove, and live happily ever after.
Check out her website for more about Joëlle and her work!

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About the Book: From the author of Restoring Harmony. Kicked out for refusing to join a cult, 17-year-old Jamie must find a way to survive on her own.
Jamie should have known something was off about the church of the Right and the Real from the start, especially when the Teacher claimed he wasn't just an ordinary spiritual leader, but Jesus Christ, himself. But she was too taken by Josh, the eldest son of one of the church's disciples, and his all-American good looks. Josh is the most popular boy at school too, and the first boy outside the drama geeks to give Jamie a second look. But getting her Dad involved in a cult was not part of the plan when she started dating Josh. Neither was her dad's marriage to the fanatic Mira, or getting kicked out, or seeing Josh in secret because the church has deemed her persona non grata.
Jamie's life has completely fallen apart. Finding her way back won't be easy, but when her Dad gets himself into serious trouble, will Jamie be ready to rescue him, and maybe even forgive him? 



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Finally, the trailer! 

Check out Joelle Anthony's website and wish her happy birthday! 
Also, don't forget, The Right & The Real hits shelves on April 26!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Struck - Jennifer Bosworth

Synopsis: Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her. Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come. Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything. (From Goodreads)

I love this book, and I hate it. I'm so incredibly torn because there were elements that I thought were great, and the book was wonderful while I was reading it, but now that I sit back and I'm thinking about it - there was a lot that I really didn't like about it.

To start off on a positive note, I absolutely loved the lightning addict idea. Mia's ability to feel storms coming is way awesome. I'm a storm person, I wax poetic about rain and I think there are few better feelings the the heavy pressure of a good storm on the way. So I really connected with Mia and her incredible connection to this powerful force of nature. I also think the impending apocalypse/false prophet is timely. There are moments when the cult and the end of the world thing gets a little unbelievable, but really what do you expect from fanatics who place all their belief in one crazy man? They often do unbelievable things that make perfect sense to them, but to those on the outside it looks insane.

So here's where my love/hate line is drawn. There's the group working to counter the Prophet and his followers, but I don't really understand the way they go about doing that. They're trying to recruit Mia, because she's apparently the key to the plans of both groups. The master plan was quite implausible actually and the ending was apparent from about the first 100 pages. But still, I had a moment near the end where my mind was completely blown. I keep going back and forth because the actually plot had a lot of holes, but it was still effective in keeping me entertained and at keeping me moving along with the story.

What it comes down to is reading this book is a little like getting swept up into the movement, kind of like getting caught up in cult-like practices. When you're a part of something powerful, like an apocalyptic cult, I suppose it's easy to see everything that is wonderful about it, but after you snap out of it you realize it isn't as perfect as you thought. So, it's quite possible there's something impressive in the fact that, as a reader, you have a similar experience as Mia (minus the getting struck by lightening over and over). Needless to say, I did enjoy this book while I was reading it, I only wish it would have been more about Mia and her lightening than cult politics and end of the world fanatics.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Taste Book Trailer and Excerpt Reveal

I'm so excited to participate in revealing the trailer for Taste by Kate Evangelista. I also have an awesome excerpt from the novel.

First things first - About the Author: 
When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department at her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels. 
Find Kate online:      Website  ::   Twitter   ::  Facebook   ::  Goodreads

And more about the novel!
Synopsis: At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.
When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilizations living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Go ahead, I'll wait. 

Are you back? Did you get chills? Did it make your skin crawl? 
Awesome right? 

So finally, the book trailer!



Taste is out in May! 

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday (5)


I've started a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

Today it's all about

Kaleb from the Hourglass Series


I loved Kaleb in Hourglass. I mean, I love Michael and all, but there were moments where I felt like Emerson would have been perfectly happy with Kaleb. He's the ultimate third point in a love triangle. Hot, troubled, a little bit bad - but underneath all of his armor he's sweet and wounded. Heck, that's not just the perfect point in a triangle, that's most girls' dream.

Even better, the boy is an empath. Somehow, knowing he feels everything that everyone around him is feeling, almost makes the reader empathetic to. He's the connection to the emotion in the story. Kaleb is able to figure out what Emerson is feeling before she will admit to it. But, being Kaleb, he plays this out to his advantage making everything much more intense.

Thankfully, this is one of those special cases where a secondary character comes to the front and becomes a hero. I was a little bit worried about the switch in POVs between books, but man alive Kaleb rises in Timepiece. I'm so incredibly happy that he gets his own book and we get to see a bit of what goes on behind the front he puts up for everyone. He is a rare character that we get to the way he works in other stories and we get to see his story as well. 

Friday, April 13, 2012

The Girl of Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson

Synopsis: 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 seeks 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)

Enchanted.

Some books are just so great that they can't be summarized - sometimes they ironically evade words. I'm sitting here attempting to harness all the thoughts I have about this book and the only thing that I can grasp on to for more than a few moments is the word "enchanted."

I mean enchanted in both senses of the word. I'm enchanted - charmed and delighted - by Elisa and this entire cast of characters. Elisa is beautiful and her struggles are beautiful. She's been chosen for something she doesn't know anything about, she's unwavering in faith and hope, and she is loyal. She's everything, including incredibly human - complete with flaws. With all of these thing she not only becomes a strong heroine, but someone you could be friends with. She is the kind of person that you give up everything for and follow her to the ends of the earth because you believe in her. She is enchanting.

It's enchanting in the fairy tale, spellbinding way. But it's not dark forests and Grimm brothers, it's Arabian Nights. It's a spell I don't know if I've been under before and it's an addiction. I want more. I want more stories that come from crossing the desert, that come from magic, from kings and princesses, that come from people who fight to be who they are. From the palace with all of its fineries to the small village in the hills at the edge of the desert where they struggle for even the basics of safety, this entire world is written so perfectly. There is evil, and it's real and it's scary, but it's all harnessed by the same power that creates the good. And I find that incredibly complex and wonderful.

So I'm enchanted. I journeyed through these pages and fell under a spell. I was charmed. There are dozens of other thoughts that I have directed towards this book and each and every one of them fall under this definition of this one word. Sometimes it seems wrong to reduce something so large into one word, but when nothing seems enough, wordlessness sometimes says more, and really it's that one word. Enchanting.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Ferocity Summer - Alissa Grosso

Synopsis: Scilla Davis is haunted by a horrible accident that she was involved in last summer—a drunken, reckless joyride that ended in tragedy. With a big trial looming, life seems empty, unreal, and utterly hopeless. It’s especially painful watching her best friend, Willow, slowly destroy herself with pills and booze. Yet Scilla can’t seem to wrest Willow—or herself—from a path of self-destruction. 
But there might be a possible escape from this nightmare. As a dangerous new drug called Ferocity sweeps the nation, an FBI agent asks Scilla to turn narc and help locate the Ferocity kingpin. In exchange, she could avoid conviction for her role in the accident. All she has to do is deceive and betray people she’s known all her life . . . (From Goodreads)

For a book about drugs, I kind of expected...well...more drugs. There are two different things going on here. The big one is figuring out what you do after you make a terrible, life altering decision. Do you get caught up in this pattern of bad behavior, because there is no redemption that you can fathom? Or do you believe in some sort of redemption, despite the odds, and try to make things right? The other thing is the new drug that is spreading through the country that people are taking despite the precautions. Not quite sure what statement that's trying to make, but it's interesting to think about.

All these things are great, but the story itself just wasn't really for me. Scilla was a really hard character for me to hold on to. She makes terrible decisions and she surrounds herself with people who bring her down. I think my inability to latch on to a character to root for made it difficult for me to care too much. The ferocity thing, the self-descruction that oozes through these pages could have been absolutely devastating and affecting, but something was missed there.

I get that this book is trying to say something, it's supposed to show an angle of life that not everyone understands, but it wasn't relatable to me. I've never been through anything like this and I really wish that the author would have extended some sort of universality that I could connect with to put myself in the story more. That said, there are people who could relate and could gain something from reading this.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Vote for Me

I'm up for the Independent Book Blogger Awards so I'd be so grateful if you would just take a minute and click on the button below and vote for this blog. If that's not working here is the link

Independent Book Blogger Awards
Vote for this blog for the Independent Book Blogger Awards!


Thank you so much! Happy thoughts coming your way!

Top Ten Tuesday: High Stakes Deception

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic is: Top Ten Books That Were Totally Deceiving 

1. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
I had no intention of reading this book. I only skimmed the synopsis and saw mention of seeing ghosts and at the time that really wasn't my thing. But the cover beckoned to me so I picked it up. This book is not about ghosts and I'm so glad I picked it up.

2. Chime by Frannie Billingsley
I wrote this book off because the cover looked frivolous. Then when it became a National Book Award Finalist I picked it up. There is absolutely nothing frivolous about this book. 

3. The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark
I should have known by the title. I should have actually read the synopsis. But this book looks like it's YA - girl in a prom dress, you know - and I love Carol Goodman (Juliet Dark is a pen name). I was a couple pages in and realized that this is very much an adult novel. 

4. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday 
This book looks like it's fluffy. I picked it up because I wanted something fun and light. It wasn't even until the end that I realized this book had something very important to say. 

5. A Long Long Sleep by 
 
A re-telling of Sleeping Beauty? I expected a romance. But romance is barely on this book's radar. 

6. Variant by Robinson Wells
This book presents itself to be your run of the mill dystopia. About half way through I was completely shocked.

7. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
I never thought a zombie novel could be so absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful. The magical aspects were unexpected as well. 

8. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Ok, this is a personal - this is not what I expected - example. I so did not think I'd sob through half this book, but I definitely did. 

9. Eve by Anna Carey
This book was blurbed as a cross between The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale. It was nothing like either. I was so disappointed. 

10. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
I was not expecting this book to be historical for some reason. That was a nice surprise. 

Monday, April 9, 2012

Take a Bow - Elizabeth Eulberg

Synopsis: Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform. (From Goodreads)

I spent most of this book thinking...eh, this is okay. But in the last quarter I found myself completely entwined in these characters and their lives. I came out giddy, a little mesmerized, and so impressed with the way this whole book came together.

I had a few issues - the biggest was the four different points of view that weave in and out through senior year at a New York performing arts school. It's a relatively short novel and I think two points of view would have been sufficient. It probably could haves stretched to three, but four was just too many. There was a really rich story here and it could have been concentrated and intense, and I think I would have been mesmerized from the beginning. Of course this is speculation.

Even though Carter and Sophie have a voice, Emme and Ethan are the story. I do get the value of throwing in the other two - both for showing how you can thrive or fail in the arts world and demonstrating the value of supporting each other or going it alone. But really it comes down to Emme and Ethan at the heart of it all. Emme's story, was about growing in to who you are and owning your talent. And Ethan's was about supporting the people you love no matter what and finding a voice on stage and off. Their story was beautiful.

The genius in this though, is the audience it's intended for. If your a senior in high school, I think you'll relate to this book. These characters are under serious pressure. My little brother went to an arts high school and I had no idea how much pressure there was - because if he felt anything like Emme, he never showed it. But really, most seniors are worried about the same things. College applications, playing for scouts, interviews, and just general worry about a period of life ending and beginning a new one. Although it's a YA book, I think that this is really one of those that anyone at that transitioning stage will find immediate kinship with. I read it while I was waiting for a reply on an application to a program I'd just submitted, and I while I was nervous on a daily basis, I never felt as intensely stressed as they did. This made me connected to the story while I felt my own anxiety soothed.

This book had moments that take your breath away, moments that make your heart race, and moments that leave you grinning like crazy. The way these characters change and interact with one another while they adapt to their ever transitioning position felt so true. But really, the best word for this book is - beautiful.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday (4)


I've started a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today I want to honor:

Sophie from The Infernal Devices

Cassandra Clare does secondary characters better than most. I could talk about any of her characters here - from the strong and silent to the delightfully wicked, each character has deep shades and layers and every single one is important to the story in some way or another. But Sophie has to be one of my favorite characters. She's a Victorian maid who is supposed to be quiet and submissive, but this girl is just one surprise after another. She's so sweet, but man alive, she's a force of nature.



Sophie could so easily be pitiable. She's had a really hard lot in life with her position and a violent past. She's then thrust into this world where her life is constantly in danger, and while she has slightly more freedom, she's still in a serving position. But I don't think I ever pitied Sophie. Instead, she comes across as a survivor. And with her ability to turn a hand mirror into a weapon, no one would ever call her weak.

When they ask Sophie to step up or just to be able to defend herself, she goes above and beyond.  She's strong, she's loyal, and if I were ever up against anything evil I think I'd want Sophie on my side.

Monday, April 30, 2012

April Top 5

April was kind of a weird reading month for me. Probably because I was thoroughly wrapped up in a Dawson's Creek marathon at one point the lines of reality and Pacey blurred a little bit. As most of my free time was devoted to Dawson's my reading pattern was a little wonky this month. Even despite the whole reliving the 90's thing going on, I was in a serious reading slump this month. Every time I thought I was getting out of that slump, I'd slide right back in. Still, I read some majorly awesome books this month. Like, the kind of books that you want to buy for everyone you know. So here's my top five reads this month.

1. The Princesses of Iowa by M. Molly Backes
The synopsis of this book is rather misleading, I think. Sure, it looks like it's nothing out of the ordinary, but I believe that this book is one of the few that its truly extraordinary. It's so beautifully written and I believe it belongs up there on my list of books I think every teen should read.
 
2. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
I'm actually finding it hard to believe that I read this book this month. It seems like this story has been with me for as long as I can remember. This book is every positive adjective I can think of: beautiful, amazing, entrancing, adventurous, encouraging, and enchanting. Check out my review. 
 
3. Croak by Gina Damico
This was one of those books that gave me a nice break in the middle of my reading slump. I laughed through this whole thing. It's a unique take on grim reapers and I'm still caught up on Gina Damico's version of the afterlife. Even if the rest of it doesn't draw you in, the afterlife should. How do you resist reading about dead presidents bickering, Poe walking around all full of angst, and a place where Mozart has his own planet? Genius. This book is genius. I'd love to live in Gina Damico's brain. 
 
4. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
This book is amazing. I highly suggest you pre-order it now! The physical representations of light versus dark were fascinating and complex. This is a book I hope they make into movie, if only to see some of these scenes come to life. Not that I need to physically see them, because they are so perfectly vivid in my mind already. When I finished this story I was in complete awe. 
 
5. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
After I re-arranged all my shelves by genre, I realized that I have more angel books than I do any other genre (except for contemporary). That said, Embrace was a wonderful representation of paranormal angel fiction. Violet was just an incredible heroine and her strength was enviable. Plus, it's a book that keeps your nerves on edge and your emotions at the surface. Read my review. 

What were your top reads this month? 

April RAK Wrap-Up

Book Soulmates
Where in the world did April go?

This month I sent out one RAK.
I sent Embrace by Jessica Shirvington to Amanda at Letters Inside Out!
I loved this book so much, I had to share!

What did you get this month?

Sunday, April 29, 2012

My Blogger Pledge

I'm fairly new to the book blogging community, but I've been around to see dramas come and go - from author attacks on bloggers, to bloggers attacking each other. But this week has pushed me past my limit. The hippie in me just wants to step in and say, "Peace, Love, and Good Books, people." That's what it's all about. I've seen all the attacks going back and forth and read enough posts to make informed decisions for myself - but as none of these battles were my own, I've kept quiet.
Until a blogger used a serious situation which involved one blogger and turned it around to accuse the entire book blogging community. I have to say I was seriously offended and I was certainly not the only one. Still, I felt like responding to that post would only feed her power, so I didn't say anything then and it's why I'm not linking the post here.
There are always going to be bullies, but if you can control the situation and not give the bully power - their accusations won't hold as much weight. But really, if you don't support their opinion, by all means voice your own opinion, but please don't attack.

So I want to write here my own pledge as an individual who has made the decision to join the book blogging community. I'm sure there are other versions of this out there, but these are the values I feel are important to uphold.

My Pledge:
I understand that by blogging about books, I have joined a community. I understand that the book blogging community is well established and is composed of fierce, smart, and passionate individuals. 
I reserve the right to decide what content is published on my own blog, so long as the words are my own or the proper credit is given. I believe I have the right to my opinion; therefore, I respect that others may have their own opinion as well. 
If I don't agree with an opinion and feel the need to join the conversation, I will state my views and support my beliefs without purposely provoking anger or attacking the opposing side. If I cannot join a discussion in a thoughtful way, I will not join it at all. 
If another blogger makes a mistake, I reserve the right to make my own judgement and will respect others' right to do so as well.
I will never degrade or verbally attack another blogger, author, or publisher.
I will always remember that I represent a group of people and I will do my best in my part to keep the blogging community a safe place to discuss and voice opinions.
I will remember that I should treat others as I wish to be treated.
I will always do my best to be original in my content and stay true to my own self.
I will always respect the book blogging community. 
Now, please, can we remember why we're here? The good books and the lovely people who love those books. We all have the same love, so can't we all just be friends?

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday (6)


I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

To continue with the theme that's been going on here the later half of the week today I want to talk about:

Grams from Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe


As I have my own freakish (I mean freakish in a good way) bond with my grandmother, I particularly enjoy books in which grandmothers play important roles. This grandmother is particularly amazing, as she adds both to the humor, the love, as well as to the darker aspects of the novel. One thing I particularly love - she lives in a trailer on the beach (that she is incredibly reluctant to give up) that they call the "Tuna Can."

Grams herself is amazing, but she offers a way to let other characters shine. Because really, you have to love a boy who helps out your Grams without asking, so she gives us all the perfect opportunity to see just how amazing the potential boy really is.

So Grams is sweet, but she's also sort of losing it to old age and Parkinson's, so Chloe has to deal with this other change in her life. Since her own parents don't appear to be stepping up to deal with Grams's situation - they just fight with her, rather than listen to her - Chloe has to be the go between and sort of a caretaker for Grams. Chloe is so bright and energetic, but Grams is something a little more serious that she has to deal with - without losing her sparkle.

But some of my favorite moments were Grams moments - like talking about Brad Pitt's "heinie" in public - but what I really love about her is how human she is. She parallels Chloe amazingly - you can so see Chloe being her down the road - but both of them have somehow lost control and they just want to have some say in their own lives. Grams's hold onto who she is and what she'll let people give and take away helps Chloe come to terms with what she needs to let go in order to get back on track.

But, really, I think that you can tell who a person is by how they treat other people's grandparents. And this woman, who is so important in Chloe's life, shines light on the personalities of each character she comes in contact with.

Before you go: I posted an interview with Shelley Coriell yesterday, along with an awesome giveaway including an ARC of the book and a swag pack so you should definitely check that out!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Author Interview with Shelley Coriell & Giveaway

I'm so excited to have Shelley Coriell, author of Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe on the blog today answering a few questions. You can read my review of the book HERE.  I also have an amazing giveaway for you!

Interview with Shelley:

How does it feel to have your first book published?
 Surprised and grateful. Let's be candid...stand-alone contemporary YA is the red-headed stepchild of the teen book world. I'm over-the-moon excited that Amulet took a chance on Chloe, Duncan, and the misfit gang at KDRS radio. And I'm humbled by the number of readers who fell in love with Chloe (an extremely different YA protag) and have become her champions. 
Chloe is such an energetic and charismatic character. Was it difficult to balance her energy and optimism against some of the more serious issues that are going on with other characters?
Balance is key. Could you imagine 300 pages of cheery Chloe? Um, no. Plus, the Parkinson's and drug addiction are threads necessary to Chloe's story journey. These issues force her to turn outward and ultimately to listen, which is at the core of her story transformation.  
I love Chloe's style! She's probably the only person on the planet who could pull off a burrito costume. What inspired her wardrobe? How about her thing for vintage shoes? 
At the beginning of the book, Chloe is a character who desperately needs people. The burrito costume screams, "Look at me...connect with me!" Likewise, her love affair with vintage shoes is about the people who once wore those old shoes. Chloe says of her fashionable footwear, "What stories these shoes could tell if only they had a different sort of tongue."
Chloe's predicaments stem from a falling out with her best friends. Do you have advice for those who are losing touch or growing apart from friends?
Two words: bits and pieces. Just after college a friend gave me a poem that basically said people will come and go in our lives but we will always hold bits and pieces of them in our head and hearts. I love this concept, even for friendships that may have ended in anger or hurt, because we have the power to choose which bits and pieces to hold close.
How long did it take you to write Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe?
About five months total writing time. Three months to write. Two months to revise, but I let each novel sit in my writerly dungeon for a number of months between first draft and revision.
Where is your favorite place to write?
In my home office with my dog, a clingy rescue weimaraner named Rylee, at my feet. Sometimes she sneaks into my lap...all 65 pounds of her. Did I mention she's a little needy?
What is something that has surprised you about writing or publishing a novel?
Writing is a solitary pursuit; publishing involves a ginormous army. 
Do you have any other projects in the works?
Just turned in my option book to my editor, a YA contemp called GOODBYE, REBEL BLUE. It's the story of a snarky rebel who reluctantly completes the bucket list of a recently deceased, do-gooder classmate. On the way she meets up with a gimpy dolphin, a boy with dimples, and a few pies. 
Find Shelley online: Website :: Blog :: Twitter :: Facebook

Thanks so much to Shelley for taking the time to answer my questions!
And for some more excitement - I'm giving away my ARC of Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe and Shelley has been generous enough to offer a swag pack including awesome goodies like a bookmark, postcard, a pen, a mousepad, and a way cute bottelcap necklace. The giveaway will be US/Canada only (sorry international friends but shipping costs are scary). You must be 13 or older. Giveaway ends on May 4 at 12:01 AM. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe - Shelley Coriell

Synopsis: Big-hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe until her best friend shreds her reputation and her school counselor axes her junior independent study project. Chloe is forced to take on a meaningful project in order to pass, and so she joins her school’s struggling radio station, where the other students don’t find her too queenly. Ostracized by her former BFs and struggling with her beloved Grams’s mental deterioration, lonely Chloe ends up hosting a call-in show that gets the station much-needed publicity and, in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe faces her loneliness and helps others find the fun and joy in everyday life. Readers will fall in love with Chloe as she falls in love with the radio station and the misfits who call it home. (From Goodreads)

I started this book the night before I meant to pack up and move out of my apartment. It was about midnight when I started, so I only got in a couple chapters before I put it down reluctantly. I got up in the morning and told myself I’d just read a little bit and then I’d get to work. A couple chapters turned into needing to read the whole thing and…well…let’s just say I was still packing up my car at 3 in the morning, forgot to clean out my fridge (the food was all out, but I didn’t really clean it…), and had to leave for home about 4 hours later than I planned the next day. And it was so worth it.

This is the kind of book that sucks you in and shares its incredible energy with you. I swear I was cheery all day, and it was because of Chloe’s personality. She’s such a happy person, even when things kind of suck. Her motto is something along the lines of – if something sucks, make it fun. Bring the party with you. She has such an infectious way of making everyone’s day brighter. After I read this, I was bored waiting for an oil change and wondering - What would Chloe do? Not kidding.

But it’s more than just fun and sunshine. It’s about friends growing up and growing apart. Chloe has to deal with her friends rejecting her and dragging her through the dirt. I so admire how she deals – I think I would crawl into a hole and never come out – but Chloe takes the lot she’s given and she deals with it. I mean – she’s the only person who could make dressing up like a burrito look like a fashion statement. Then there’s the not-so-subtle message (there’s nothing subtle about this book!) that there’s more to life than speaking and letting other people know you – you have to listen to get to know others as well. 

My favorite part of the book is when someone asks Chloe why she’s doing something. She kind of thinks it over and she just answers, “Because it’s fun.” That to me seems like a, “duh,” moment. Like why would you ever do anything? I know there are some things you just do because you have to, but then there are others that you just do because they bring you joy. That is a moment I will carry around with me for a very long time.  

This was a wonderful break from all the dark books that can only hold on to small, hopeful aspects. This book radiates warmth and happiness. Chloe’s personality is just so great that it cannot be contained within the pages of a book. I swear she’s still with me, telling me to make the best of what comes my way.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The Right & The Real - Joelle Anthony

Synopsis: From the author of Restoring Harmony. Kicked out for refusing to join a cult, 17-year-old Jamie must find a way to survive on her own.
Jamie should have known something was off about the church of the Right and the Real from the start, especially when the Teacher claimed he wasn't just an ordinary spiritual leader, but Jesus Christ, himself. But she was too taken by Josh, the eldest son of one of the church's disciples, and his all-American good looks. Josh is the most popular boy at school too, and the first boy outside the drama geeks to give Jamie a second look. But getting her Dad involved in a cult was not part of the plan when she started dating Josh. Neither was her dad's marriage to the fanatic Mira, or getting kicked out, or seeing Josh in secret because the church has deemed her persona non grata.
Jamie's life has completely fallen apart. Finding her way back won't be easy, but when her Dad gets himself into serious trouble, will Jamie be ready to rescue him, and maybe even forgive him?  (From Goodreads)

I feel like I've read a lot of books that incorporate cults somehow. So I put this one off, because I can only tolerate crazy so much before I go crazy myself. But, after I began reading it I was sucked in so quickly. This was one where I was suddenly on page 150 and it felt like only 5 minutes had gone by. I didn't even realize how into this story I was until it was over.

Despite all the problems in Jamie's life caused by the Right and the Real cult, the cult is merely a circumstance rather than a setting for the story. It wasn't about religion or brainwashing, or crazies. It's very much about a girl who's put in unpredictable and undesirable circumstances and how she picks herself up and puts her life back together. After coming off of this cultish trend of mine, I was intensely relieved. The cult is merely a catalyst and I think what becomes so incredibly beautiful is that Jamie's story is so much larger and more important. She's a true testament to how one person can summon incredible power, even if she's not given anything but a few people to help her along the way.

So let's talk about those people. The cast of characters in Jamie's life are exceptional. From her eclectic fashion obsessed best friend to the huge ex-felon who helps her out they are all so wonderful and well written. I loved Jamie's theater life (This book has awesome layers! The key to a great story...) as well. The future in theater that she is working for is just as unsure as the predicament she's currently in, and I think, in one way or another everyone is unsure. It just all comes back down to having the people in your life to lean on when you need them AND learning to let yourself lean.

Basically, when it comes to contemporary lit, this book is rather exceptional. It's surprising in the best way and there are some beautiful moments to be uncovered in these pages. Jamie is a strong and enviable heroine. While I don't envy her situation (I actually was tempted to thank my father for not joining a cult), I envy the way she dealt with it, because I don't know that I'd be that strong. Anyways, I strongly encourage you to give this book a chance to impress you. If you want more, I helped reveal the book trailer on the blog last week - definitely something to check out!

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Immortal Rules - Julie Kagawa

Synopsis: In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. 
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. 
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters. 
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. 
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. 
But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for. (From Goodreads)

I read the first book in the Iron Fey series and didn't really care for it (I know, that's terrible - you can throw things at me) and I'm generally not a fan of vampire books. But The Immortal Rules kind of rocked. It was kind of like if True Blood was played out to its worst case scenario. Vampires rule the earth and humans cater to vamps. And instead of vampires slinking around in the night, the humans that are left hide under the cover of the sun.

Allie lives in a post-apocalyptic world (epidemic, diseased apocalypse) in which vampires have taken over to restore their form of "order." This mix between a myriad of different genres could have seemed chaotic, but Kagawa pulled everything together so wonderfully. Every aspect that made up this world had a clear cause, some reason that it has reached that point.

But if vampires ruling the world wasn't enough of a twist, Allie becomes a vampire (it's in the synopsis, I'm not spoiling, I swear!) and joins a band of humans struggling to survive as they chase the dream of a vampire free city. The dynamics of this group were what made this book great. There's kind of a quasi-religious foundation that is rather interesting and the leader appears to have some tendencies towards the cultish - but it really comes down to survival for them all. I really appreciated the way that they reacted when Allie came into their midst, it was very clear that she upset their order and watching them adjust to fit her brought all these characters to life in a real way.

The way this world was imagined was vibrant and clear. Every single setting was perfectly vivid in my mind. Between the characters and the world they live in, this future is an imaginable one - if we really believe vampires exist, of course. But I think that's why I really loved this book. This world is crawling with vampires and the main character is a vampire - but it never feels like that's really what it's about. Vampires are more of a circumstance meant to illuminate the separation in humanity.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Giveaway! 888 - 1000

No, that's not a phone number.

8 is my favorite number.
And yesterday morning my blog hit 888 followers.
Which made me squee just a bit.

So I wanted to thank all of you 888 people and of course the ones who followed after. I love you ALL.
So to celebrate a bit I'm going to do something for you.

And since it's Spring, I naturally have summer on the brain. So I'll be giving away all three books in Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty series!

I'm edging towards 1,000 followers and if I get that far a second winner will get a pre-order of their choice of summer release. Some suggestions (although it will be your choice, as long as it's reasonable...):


Since this is a follower celebration I'm going to ask that you follow the blog, but that's all you have to do to enter! If you've followed me before this contest, you get an extra entry. Again, you all are amazing.

Here's the details:
  • One (1) winner will receive all three (3) Jenny Han books. If I hit 1,000 followers a second winner will get a one (1) per-ordered summer release.
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will run until May 7, 12:01 AM.
  • Winner will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner. 
  • Good luck and thanks for entering! 

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Showers of Books Giveaway Hop

The beginning of this week began with a raging rainstorm. The very next day I woke up to a blanket of snow over everything. Lovely Minnesota, where April showers bring snowbanks and angry flowers. So right now I'm a lot happier going with showers of books. Welcome to my stop on the Showers of Books Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and One a Day YA. Tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.

So here's what's coming down here: 
I'm going to go with a wish list giveaway, with a bit of a twist. One lucky winner will get a choice of their book from my top three favorites right now and I will also surprise him/her with a book from their wish list. So that's two books for one winner!


So here's the three you can choose from off my list: 
The details: 
  • One (1) winner will receive two (2) books, one of your choice from my list and one of my choice from your wish list.
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will run until April 26, 12:01 AM.
  • Winner will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner. 
  • Good luck and thanks for entering!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Peculiars - Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Synopsis: This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance. On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears. (From Goodreads)

When I began my Master's program I intended to specialize in colonialism and Victorianism. So within the first fifty pages when this book was screaming colonialism, I was so incredibly excited for where it was going to go. As far as I can figure out, it's a historical re-imagining that takes place in something like the United States, and the colony of Scree, is something like Canada. Which was even more fascinating because Scree took on some qualities of African colonies, especially with proximity to the colonizer and the coal mines. It's not to hard to figure out that the inhabitants of Scree have peculiarities, like wings or extra joints, to clearly mark them as the Other. Not to mention, I have also briefly studied Darwinism and Victorianism so the injections of Darwin and evolution in light of the peculiars was definitely fascinating.

I'll stop being quasi-scholarly now, but I do want to say that there is value in this book. It's just that after my excitement of those first fifty pages, the pace quickly dropped and so did my interest. It took me about eight days to read the whole thing and I think I read about four other books in between. The book is supposed to be about Lena journeying to Scree in order to find her father - which if you think of it like a proper Victorian woman venturing into African colonies, the potential for this story is immense - but Lena spends so much time bumming around in the border town of Knob Knoster (awesome town name). So between the beginning and the end, not a whole lot is going on.

Part of this, I think, is because McQuerry stays pretty true to Victorian convention and social behavior. If this book had been published in the 1800's it probably would have been an exciting adventure story. But because it's published in the 21st century, it gets a little slow. Lena is a very proper woman and she doesn't assert herself until late in the book, so she's spending a lot of time going with the flow and doing what is asked of her. I could probably go on a whole other scholarly thing about the treatment of women, especially peculiar women, but I won't subject you to that. I'll just say that I didn't really care for the way women are portrayed here. For example, if you're a women you must only want adventure if you are in fact, half peculiar. But, again, that can go with the fact that we're talking about Victorian society.

So very long story short, this book moves slow and it's flawed, but there's a lot in it that is very interesting. If you're reading for fun, I would recommend going in another direction, but if some of the things I talk about here interest you, there might be something in this book that is worth your while.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Right & The Real Book Trailer Reveal

I'm so excited to be participating in the trailer reveal for The Right & The Real by Joëlle Anthony today. It also happens to be her birthday today so stop by her blog and send her birthday wishes!


 About the Author: Joëlle started out life in Portland, Oregon as a talker, then a reader, eventually a writer, and by her teen years, the sirens of the stage were calling her name. With a BA in theatre, and absolutely no other marketable skills (not even waitressing(, she got some headshots made, and called herself an actress. Believe it or not, some people fell for it, and if you look really closely, and don't blink, you can see her in movies like What The Bleep Do We Know?  and The Temp.
The desire to write remained strong though and in between acting gigs, she began to scribble down her first novel for teens (which permanently resides in a drawer). Writing seemed to be her real calling and after many years of practice, and lots and lots of reading, she signed on with agent Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Agency. In the fall of 2008, she sold her first novel, a young adult book called Restoring Harmony, to Stacey Barney at Putnam (May 2010). In 2009, Putnam bought her second novel, The Right & The Real.
She currently lives on a tiny island in British Columbia with her musician husband, Victor Anthony, and two cats, Miss Sophie & Miss Marley. As for the future, their only plan is to avoid real jobs, write and play guitar in front of the wood stove, and live happily ever after.
Check out her website for more about Joëlle and her work!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Book: From the author of Restoring Harmony. Kicked out for refusing to join a cult, 17-year-old Jamie must find a way to survive on her own.
Jamie should have known something was off about the church of the Right and the Real from the start, especially when the Teacher claimed he wasn't just an ordinary spiritual leader, but Jesus Christ, himself. But she was too taken by Josh, the eldest son of one of the church's disciples, and his all-American good looks. Josh is the most popular boy at school too, and the first boy outside the drama geeks to give Jamie a second look. But getting her Dad involved in a cult was not part of the plan when she started dating Josh. Neither was her dad's marriage to the fanatic Mira, or getting kicked out, or seeing Josh in secret because the church has deemed her persona non grata.
Jamie's life has completely fallen apart. Finding her way back won't be easy, but when her Dad gets himself into serious trouble, will Jamie be ready to rescue him, and maybe even forgive him? 



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, the trailer! 

Check out Joelle Anthony's website and wish her happy birthday! 
Also, don't forget, The Right & The Real hits shelves on April 26!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Struck - Jennifer Bosworth

Synopsis: Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her. Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come. Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything. (From Goodreads)

I love this book, and I hate it. I'm so incredibly torn because there were elements that I thought were great, and the book was wonderful while I was reading it, but now that I sit back and I'm thinking about it - there was a lot that I really didn't like about it.

To start off on a positive note, I absolutely loved the lightning addict idea. Mia's ability to feel storms coming is way awesome. I'm a storm person, I wax poetic about rain and I think there are few better feelings the the heavy pressure of a good storm on the way. So I really connected with Mia and her incredible connection to this powerful force of nature. I also think the impending apocalypse/false prophet is timely. There are moments when the cult and the end of the world thing gets a little unbelievable, but really what do you expect from fanatics who place all their belief in one crazy man? They often do unbelievable things that make perfect sense to them, but to those on the outside it looks insane.

So here's where my love/hate line is drawn. There's the group working to counter the Prophet and his followers, but I don't really understand the way they go about doing that. They're trying to recruit Mia, because she's apparently the key to the plans of both groups. The master plan was quite implausible actually and the ending was apparent from about the first 100 pages. But still, I had a moment near the end where my mind was completely blown. I keep going back and forth because the actually plot had a lot of holes, but it was still effective in keeping me entertained and at keeping me moving along with the story.

What it comes down to is reading this book is a little like getting swept up into the movement, kind of like getting caught up in cult-like practices. When you're a part of something powerful, like an apocalyptic cult, I suppose it's easy to see everything that is wonderful about it, but after you snap out of it you realize it isn't as perfect as you thought. So, it's quite possible there's something impressive in the fact that, as a reader, you have a similar experience as Mia (minus the getting struck by lightening over and over). Needless to say, I did enjoy this book while I was reading it, I only wish it would have been more about Mia and her lightening than cult politics and end of the world fanatics.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Taste Book Trailer and Excerpt Reveal

I'm so excited to participate in revealing the trailer for Taste by Kate Evangelista. I also have an awesome excerpt from the novel.

First things first - About the Author: 
When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department at her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels. 
Find Kate online:      Website  ::   Twitter   ::  Facebook   ::  Goodreads

And more about the novel!
Synopsis: At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.
When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilizations living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Go ahead, I'll wait. 

Are you back? Did you get chills? Did it make your skin crawl? 
Awesome right? 

So finally, the book trailer!



Taste is out in May! 

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday (5)


I've started a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

Today it's all about

Kaleb from the Hourglass Series


I loved Kaleb in Hourglass. I mean, I love Michael and all, but there were moments where I felt like Emerson would have been perfectly happy with Kaleb. He's the ultimate third point in a love triangle. Hot, troubled, a little bit bad - but underneath all of his armor he's sweet and wounded. Heck, that's not just the perfect point in a triangle, that's most girls' dream.

Even better, the boy is an empath. Somehow, knowing he feels everything that everyone around him is feeling, almost makes the reader empathetic to. He's the connection to the emotion in the story. Kaleb is able to figure out what Emerson is feeling before she will admit to it. But, being Kaleb, he plays this out to his advantage making everything much more intense.

Thankfully, this is one of those special cases where a secondary character comes to the front and becomes a hero. I was a little bit worried about the switch in POVs between books, but man alive Kaleb rises in Timepiece. I'm so incredibly happy that he gets his own book and we get to see a bit of what goes on behind the front he puts up for everyone. He is a rare character that we get to the way he works in other stories and we get to see his story as well. 

Friday, April 13, 2012

The Girl of Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson

Synopsis: 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 seeks 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)

Enchanted.

Some books are just so great that they can't be summarized - sometimes they ironically evade words. I'm sitting here attempting to harness all the thoughts I have about this book and the only thing that I can grasp on to for more than a few moments is the word "enchanted."

I mean enchanted in both senses of the word. I'm enchanted - charmed and delighted - by Elisa and this entire cast of characters. Elisa is beautiful and her struggles are beautiful. She's been chosen for something she doesn't know anything about, she's unwavering in faith and hope, and she is loyal. She's everything, including incredibly human - complete with flaws. With all of these thing she not only becomes a strong heroine, but someone you could be friends with. She is the kind of person that you give up everything for and follow her to the ends of the earth because you believe in her. She is enchanting.

It's enchanting in the fairy tale, spellbinding way. But it's not dark forests and Grimm brothers, it's Arabian Nights. It's a spell I don't know if I've been under before and it's an addiction. I want more. I want more stories that come from crossing the desert, that come from magic, from kings and princesses, that come from people who fight to be who they are. From the palace with all of its fineries to the small village in the hills at the edge of the desert where they struggle for even the basics of safety, this entire world is written so perfectly. There is evil, and it's real and it's scary, but it's all harnessed by the same power that creates the good. And I find that incredibly complex and wonderful.

So I'm enchanted. I journeyed through these pages and fell under a spell. I was charmed. There are dozens of other thoughts that I have directed towards this book and each and every one of them fall under this definition of this one word. Sometimes it seems wrong to reduce something so large into one word, but when nothing seems enough, wordlessness sometimes says more, and really it's that one word. Enchanting.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Ferocity Summer - Alissa Grosso

Synopsis: Scilla Davis is haunted by a horrible accident that she was involved in last summer—a drunken, reckless joyride that ended in tragedy. With a big trial looming, life seems empty, unreal, and utterly hopeless. It’s especially painful watching her best friend, Willow, slowly destroy herself with pills and booze. Yet Scilla can’t seem to wrest Willow—or herself—from a path of self-destruction. 
But there might be a possible escape from this nightmare. As a dangerous new drug called Ferocity sweeps the nation, an FBI agent asks Scilla to turn narc and help locate the Ferocity kingpin. In exchange, she could avoid conviction for her role in the accident. All she has to do is deceive and betray people she’s known all her life . . . (From Goodreads)

For a book about drugs, I kind of expected...well...more drugs. There are two different things going on here. The big one is figuring out what you do after you make a terrible, life altering decision. Do you get caught up in this pattern of bad behavior, because there is no redemption that you can fathom? Or do you believe in some sort of redemption, despite the odds, and try to make things right? The other thing is the new drug that is spreading through the country that people are taking despite the precautions. Not quite sure what statement that's trying to make, but it's interesting to think about.

All these things are great, but the story itself just wasn't really for me. Scilla was a really hard character for me to hold on to. She makes terrible decisions and she surrounds herself with people who bring her down. I think my inability to latch on to a character to root for made it difficult for me to care too much. The ferocity thing, the self-descruction that oozes through these pages could have been absolutely devastating and affecting, but something was missed there.

I get that this book is trying to say something, it's supposed to show an angle of life that not everyone understands, but it wasn't relatable to me. I've never been through anything like this and I really wish that the author would have extended some sort of universality that I could connect with to put myself in the story more. That said, there are people who could relate and could gain something from reading this.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Vote for Me

I'm up for the Independent Book Blogger Awards so I'd be so grateful if you would just take a minute and click on the button below and vote for this blog. If that's not working here is the link

Independent Book Blogger Awards
Vote for this blog for the Independent Book Blogger Awards!


Thank you so much! Happy thoughts coming your way!

Top Ten Tuesday: High Stakes Deception

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic is: Top Ten Books That Were Totally Deceiving 

1. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
I had no intention of reading this book. I only skimmed the synopsis and saw mention of seeing ghosts and at the time that really wasn't my thing. But the cover beckoned to me so I picked it up. This book is not about ghosts and I'm so glad I picked it up.

2. Chime by Frannie Billingsley
I wrote this book off because the cover looked frivolous. Then when it became a National Book Award Finalist I picked it up. There is absolutely nothing frivolous about this book. 

3. The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark
I should have known by the title. I should have actually read the synopsis. But this book looks like it's YA - girl in a prom dress, you know - and I love Carol Goodman (Juliet Dark is a pen name). I was a couple pages in and realized that this is very much an adult novel. 

4. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday 
This book looks like it's fluffy. I picked it up because I wanted something fun and light. It wasn't even until the end that I realized this book had something very important to say. 

5. A Long Long Sleep by 
 
A re-telling of Sleeping Beauty? I expected a romance. But romance is barely on this book's radar. 

6. Variant by Robinson Wells
This book presents itself to be your run of the mill dystopia. About half way through I was completely shocked.

7. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
I never thought a zombie novel could be so absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful. The magical aspects were unexpected as well. 

8. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Ok, this is a personal - this is not what I expected - example. I so did not think I'd sob through half this book, but I definitely did. 

9. Eve by Anna Carey
This book was blurbed as a cross between The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale. It was nothing like either. I was so disappointed. 

10. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
I was not expecting this book to be historical for some reason. That was a nice surprise. 

Monday, April 9, 2012

Take a Bow - Elizabeth Eulberg

Synopsis: Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform. (From Goodreads)

I spent most of this book thinking...eh, this is okay. But in the last quarter I found myself completely entwined in these characters and their lives. I came out giddy, a little mesmerized, and so impressed with the way this whole book came together.

I had a few issues - the biggest was the four different points of view that weave in and out through senior year at a New York performing arts school. It's a relatively short novel and I think two points of view would have been sufficient. It probably could haves stretched to three, but four was just too many. There was a really rich story here and it could have been concentrated and intense, and I think I would have been mesmerized from the beginning. Of course this is speculation.

Even though Carter and Sophie have a voice, Emme and Ethan are the story. I do get the value of throwing in the other two - both for showing how you can thrive or fail in the arts world and demonstrating the value of supporting each other or going it alone. But really it comes down to Emme and Ethan at the heart of it all. Emme's story, was about growing in to who you are and owning your talent. And Ethan's was about supporting the people you love no matter what and finding a voice on stage and off. Their story was beautiful.

The genius in this though, is the audience it's intended for. If your a senior in high school, I think you'll relate to this book. These characters are under serious pressure. My little brother went to an arts high school and I had no idea how much pressure there was - because if he felt anything like Emme, he never showed it. But really, most seniors are worried about the same things. College applications, playing for scouts, interviews, and just general worry about a period of life ending and beginning a new one. Although it's a YA book, I think that this is really one of those that anyone at that transitioning stage will find immediate kinship with. I read it while I was waiting for a reply on an application to a program I'd just submitted, and I while I was nervous on a daily basis, I never felt as intensely stressed as they did. This made me connected to the story while I felt my own anxiety soothed.

This book had moments that take your breath away, moments that make your heart race, and moments that leave you grinning like crazy. The way these characters change and interact with one another while they adapt to their ever transitioning position felt so true. But really, the best word for this book is - beautiful.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Secondary Character Saturday (4)


I've started a new weekly post here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!

So today I want to honor:

Sophie from The Infernal Devices

Cassandra Clare does secondary characters better than most. I could talk about any of her characters here - from the strong and silent to the delightfully wicked, each character has deep shades and layers and every single one is important to the story in some way or another. But Sophie has to be one of my favorite characters. She's a Victorian maid who is supposed to be quiet and submissive, but this girl is just one surprise after another. She's so sweet, but man alive, she's a force of nature.



Sophie could so easily be pitiable. She's had a really hard lot in life with her position and a violent past. She's then thrust into this world where her life is constantly in danger, and while she has slightly more freedom, she's still in a serving position. But I don't think I ever pitied Sophie. Instead, she comes across as a survivor. And with her ability to turn a hand mirror into a weapon, no one would ever call her weak.

When they ask Sophie to step up or just to be able to defend herself, she goes above and beyond.  She's strong, she's loyal, and if I were ever up against anything evil I think I'd want Sophie on my side.