Book Junkie

Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez

2010-02-23T19:00:00.003-06:00

Title: Dead is the New Black

Series: Does it have a name? I'll call it the Dead series

Author: Marlene Perez

Next Book: Dead is a State of Mind

Grade: B

Back cover:

Everyone in the Giordano family is psychic-except for Daisy. When her mother, who uses her power to solve crimes, enlists Daisy's older sister to investigate a teenage girl's mysterious death, Daisy feels utterly useless. But she takes matters into her own hands when she learns the victim has lots of company-teenage girls are being attacked all over town, including at Nightshade High School, where Daisy is a junior. And when she discovers a vampire may be the culprit, Daisy suspects head cheerleader Samantha Deveraux, who returned from summer break with a new "look". She looks a little... well, dead.

Is looking dead just another fashion trend for pretty, popular Samantha, or is there something more sinister afoot? Daisy will stop at nothing to find out-she even joins the cheerleading squad. And when a little sleuthing help from Ryan, an old friend (who may be turning into something more), Daisy not only reveals the identity of the vamp, she also discovers powers she never knew she had.

Review:

I liked this book and will be reading the next two books. There were some things that irked me, but we'll get to that later. Daisy is someone I can relate to. She's an average high school girl with normal high school girl problems. Boys, cheerleaders, sisters, etc. Ryan is a very lovable character, so lovable in fact I forgot he was a football player. (Not that I have anything against football players, mind you. But the ones I know aren't so lovable. Albeit, very entertaining to stare at instead of doing Geometry ;) It was a short read, only 200 pages or so, but its proof enough that size doesn't matter. It was a nice little story that I'll be re-reading soon. Now the things that irked me.

1) I didn't get the supernatural stuff. More specifically, who knew about supernatural things and who didn't. I mean there's a scene where Daisy, her sisters, and Ryan are talking about something and say something like "Hey maybe it's a supernatural being!" right in front of a "norm", as they call it, and no even blinks. So I'm like okay does everyone know about this stuff? But at the end Daisy, her family, Ryan and his dad come up with a cover story to these other people. So basically I guess what I'm saying is, I wish there had been an explanation about the supernaturals. At the end, I decided not everyone knew, but some people did.

2) Samantha. Daisy says repeatedly that she came back looking dead and maybe she's a vampire and suspects her of being one, and she brings a coffin to school, but it's never explained, which I guess makes sense if it's covered in the sequel. But still, it irked me.

3) Daisy is a little unobservant. Maybe I'm being a little mean, but come on. And I'm not giving anything away because it's in the summary. More than once things happen around her that suggest she has powers and she just explains it away. You'd think growing up in a psychic family you'd recognize powers and know that when you're family isn't around and things happen, it might be you. But no, she doesn't. She says it's a fluke or blames it on her sister or just ignores it. Which also irked me.

Like I said though, all in all, I liked the book. And I will read the other two and review them. Hopefully, we'll get an explanation for Samantha.

Men of the Otherworld by Kelly Armstrong

2010-02-19T12:00:00.001-06:00

(I just had to put both covers. Mmm-mm smexy ;)

Title: Men of the Otherworld

Series: Anthology from Women of the Otherworld, this book is about the men from the series, obviously. Includes Infusion, Savage, Ascension, and a new story.

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Next book: Tales of the Otherworld

Grade: A+

Summary:

As a curious child, Clayton didn't resist the bite-he asked for it. But surviving as a lone child werewolf was more than he could manage-until Jeremy came along and taught him how to straddle the human-werewolf worlds, gave him a home... and introduced him to the Pack. So begins this volume, featuring three of the most intriguing members of the American Pack-a hierarchical founding family where bloodlines mean everything, and each day presents a new, thrilling, and often deadly challenge. For as Clayton grows from a wild child to a clever teen who tests his beloved mentor at every turn, he must learn not only to control his animal instincts, but to navigate Pack politics-including showing his brutal arch nemesis, Malcolm, who the real Alpha is... (From Armstrong's website)

Review:

Infusion- Malcolm's story. In this story, we unfortunately learn more about Malcolm and Jeremy's conception. I liked this story, because of my extreme hatred of Malcolm, I didn't enjoy it very much. Although, it's awesome to finally know more about Jeremy's part.

Savage- Clayton's story. Ah, Clay. What can I say about dear old Clay? He is probably my favorite character after this story. If you've read Bitten, Stolen, Broken, and/or Frostbitten from Women of the Otherworld, then you'll know Clay is very stubborn, tough, strong, terrifying {Well, to mutts and non-werewolves anyway}. So, to read him as a child and teen destroys his previous reputation in my mind. There was this one scene, he's probably 7 or 8 and in werewolf form. And he's looking for more food so he sticks his head in a bag and it gets stuck. Now, if any of you have dogs you know what happens next. And it's soo cute! I laughed so hard when I read that part cause Obama came to mind when she gets her head stuck in a bag looking for food and her trying and failing miserably to get it off. Haha. Well, anyway, Clay's story is very long. In fact, it's most of the book. We see everything from Clay getting bit, his first day of school, that fateful day he dissected the Guinea Pig in Kindergarten, his first car, college, to those famed pictures (By the way, EW). And I loved every word of it.

Kitsunegari- Jermey's story. In this short story we learn about Jeremy's lineage and those symbols he's been drawing. He's confronted (full-frontal :) by someone like his Mother. I don't know if they were relatives or not though. He finally learns to truth about the other side of his family.

I love Kelley's writing and stories. Remember how I said in the Dark Guardian reviews how I like series to be fresh? This is what I'm talking about she does it. It's a different character with different problems or obstacles and different twists every time. Even when it's a character we've seen before we have a new story and I love that.

All in all, I love this book and can't wait for Tales from the Otherworld. Although, now I wish I had read all this shorts online for free, but hey, at least the proceeds are for charity. All the more reason for you to stop reading this and go buy a copy! If the hardcover price is too much for you, don't worry Mass Market Paperback will be released very soon. 23 February 2010

Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne

2010-02-18T12:00:00.004-06:00

Title: Dark of the Moon, book 3

Series: Dark Guardian

Author: Rachel Hawthorne

Previous book: Full Moon

Next book: Shadow of the Moon (March 23, 2010)

Grade: B+

(Warning you now, hard to review the third book in a series without spoiling something from the first two, so read at your own risk.)

Summary:

Brittany has never had a guy declare her as his mate, so she faced her full moon alone. But she has always loved Connor from afar. When they are imprisoned by their enemies, they must depend on each other to survive. But Brittany harbors a dark and dangerous secret that could destroy them both.

Review:

If you've read my review for Full Moon (next post down), then you know how I feel about this series. I have the same comments about this book that I did for Full Moon. Although, Brittany is very different than Kayla or Lindsey personality wise, so I like it a little better than Full Moon. There were also different twists, problems, and obstacles for Brittany in this book to make it a little more refreshing. I don't really know what else to say about this book, so I'll wrap it up. Still looking forward to Shadow of the Moon and I'm still hoping the future books to be about one of the guys.

Sorry for the super short review and until next time,

Amelia

My review of Full Moon: Dark Guardian book 2

Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne

2010-02-17T12:00:00.004-06:00

Title: Full Moon, book 2

Series: Dark Guardian

Author: Rachel Hawthorne

Previous book: Moonlight

Next book: Dark of the Moon

Rating: B

(I just noticed I never posted the review for Moonlight book #1. I don't know why I didn't. There's mild spoilers, but the bigger ones will be in white so you have to hi-light them.)

Summary:

Lindsey has always known that Connor was her destined mate, but this summer as her full moon approaches, she finds herself dreaming about darkly handsome and silent Rafe. When the others are captured by their enemies, she and Rafe must work together to save them. As they spend time together, Lindsey will come to realize that some dangers come from within as she is forced to face her true feelings for Connor and Rafe. One is a friend. The other is her true love. But listening to her heart could cost her everything.

Review: Webster says the plural of "series" is "same", but I, personally, don't think it makes sense to say, "I love same like this." Do you? So, I'll just pretend "series" is both singular and plural. Back to the review...

I love when series are written like this. The first book is about Joe Blow, the second book is about Little Johnny, whom we met in Joe's book, and the third book is about Archibald, whom we met in a previous book, and so on. (Like Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark- and Dream-Hunter series.) I think that writing a series like that keeps it fresh enough that the series can go on longer. Unfortunately, I don't think this applies to Dark Guardian. I do like this book and series, but here are my complaints. (Not that you're reading this, but sorry Ms. Hawthorne) First of all, the summary for this book gave a lot away. The love triangle, the twist, possibly the ending, depending on the person and how much they read into it. Second, Full Moon is a lot like Moonlight. Teenage girl is about to become a werewolf, but wait! There's a twist, the enemies from the first book are back, and kidnap you're friends (again). And oh no, you have to pick your true love before you change or you'll die! Gasp! Dun dun dun... (except in the first book Kayla wasn't aware she was a werewolf) Don't get me wrong. I like the series and I'm looking forward for the next books. I just hope after she gets through the girls we know, maybe we'll get a book or two about some of the guys who haven't mated yet. Or new werewolves from other places or something to keep it refreshing.

I hope I didn't turn you away from the series. Maybe I'm being overly critical and you'll absolutely love it.

Until next time...

Amelia

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

2010-02-16T12:30:00.001-06:00

Title: The Awakening

Series: Darkest Powers book 2

Previous Book: The Summoning

Next Book: The Reckoning

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Grade: A+

Summary:

If you had made me a few weeks ago, you probably would have describe me as an average teenage girl-someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment -not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer hose powers are out o control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends-a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch-and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group fins us first. Or die trying.

My review:

As always with books not first in a series, I will try not to spoil anything too big.

Ok so whoa. This book was amazing! A perfect sequel for The Summoning, The Awakening answers some of the questions we asked during Summoning, and raises some more {and some dead people} at the same time. We find out what happened to Liz, as well as some other kids from Lyle House that we've haven't met yet. We also find out which little kiddie betrayed Chloe, Simon, and Derek in the first book, and it's not who you expect. And in true Kelley Armstrong fashion, we're left with a huge "OMG WHAAAAT?!" moment, and cliffhanger. But this time the OMG moment was a little more subtle. I almost didn't catch it. (If you've read the book and know what I'm talking about leave a comment :) We find out more about Tori and her family, and Derek gets closer to his first complete Change. Also, something weird is going on with Chloe's necklace.

I finished this book without one complaint about writing or story line. Don't you just love books like that? I absolutely cannot wait for The Reckoning (April 6th is so far away!) I could praise Kelley Armstrong's writing all day, but unfortunately, I have a house to clean, bags to pack, and books to read. So go read her for yourself.

Check out my review of the Summoning here.

The Summoning sample chapters

The Awakening same chapters

If you've read The Summoning and Awakening here is the link to The Reckoning sample chapters

I was interviewed...

2009-06-01T20:33:00.002-05:00

by Storyheart here: http://storyheart52.wordpress.com/ (You'll have to scroll down to find it) He's the author of Across the Pond. (My review is here)

Also, my computer has a virus and then it got on my BlackBerry. It'll be awhile until I can post stuff, but I'm working on it.

If I was rich (or a Librarian) 4 (and contest)

2009-05-22T13:22:00.002-05:00

(Sorry no links this time. Internet is being mean If it decides to play nice I'll add links)

TwiLite: A Paraody by Stephen Jenner (I need this book, I read some of the excerpts. Hilarious)
Glass, Identical, and Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson 2) by Patricia Briggs
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Feast of Fools (Morganville Vampire 4) by Rachel Caine
The Hunger Games by Suzanna Collins

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Strage Angels by Lili St. Crow
Full Moon (Dark Guardian 2) by Rachel Hawthorne

The contest: I need a new name for this. I'm not liking "If I was rich (or a librarian)" anymore. So you guys have to come up with a new name. I have no guidelines for you guys to work with, but I like The Story Siren's Books To Pine For. It's catchy. It flows, but it doesn't work for mine because some of the books are already out. My post is all the books I'd buy if I was rich.
Anyways, there's no deadline, just until I find a name I like. And if you win you'll get a book. I don't know which book yet, but when I pick one out I'll email you and make sure you want it and don't already have it. Or pick a book under 20 bucks and I'll send it. I don't know, I'll decide later. So if your email isn't on your profile page or if you don't have a blogger profile, then leave it in the comments. I guess that's it, but I feel like I'm forgetting something...

Review-Morganville Vampires ( 1-3) by Rachel Caine

2009-05-21T12:00:00.003-05:00

From back cover:
" {Welcome to Morganville, Texas. Don't stay out after dark.}
It's a small college town filled with quirky characters. But when the sun goes down, the bad comes out. Because in Morganville, there is an evil that lurks in the darkest shadows-one that will spill out into the bright of day.

Claire Danvers has had enough of her nigthmarish dorm situation. The popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks on the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. And Claire really doesn't have the right connections-to the undead who run the town.

When Claire heads off campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood..."

This was the first book I've read by Rachel Caine and I can't wait to read the rest of her books.
Glass Houses is an excellent start of an excellent series. I read this book in about 2 hours and immediately started Dead Girls' Dance. Unfortunately my puppy got a hold of it and tore it to pieces. I had to wait forever to get another copy and I was running to get the mail everyday to see if it was there yet.

4/5 stars

"Good news girls: Your dates are here!

Claire Danvers has her share of challenges-like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains, dealing with the homicidal girls in her dorm, and above all, finding out that her college is overrun with vampires. On the up side, she has a great roommate (who tends to disappear at sunup) and a new boyfriend named Shane... whose vampire-hunting dad has called in backup: cycle punks who like the idea of killing just about anything.

Bad news girls: They're dead.

Now a fraternity is throwing its annual Dead Girls' Dance and-surprise!-Claire and her equally outcast best friend, Eve, have been invited. When they find out why, all hell is going to break loose. Because this time both the living and the dead are coming out- and everybody is hungry for blood."

(Minor spoilers. I'll make them little so it's easier to skip over)
I really like that Caine had Claire drugged by a seemingly nice guy at the party. Because it shows not to trust seemingly nice guys/people at parties and to always be the to open you're drink. It was subtle and not preachy, which I loved, and still got the point across.

4/5 stars

"Morganville is such a nice place to live...

When Claire Danvers learned that her college town was run by vampires, she did what any intelligent, self-preserving freshman would do: She applied for a transfer and stocked up on garlic. The transfer is no longer an option, but that garlic may come in handy.

...And die. If you don't mind that sort of thing.

Now Claire has pledged herself to Amelie, the most powerful vampire in town. The protection her contract secures does little to reassure those closest to Clair. All of a sudden, people are turning up dead, a stalker resurfaces from her past, and an ancient bloodsucker extends a chilling invitation for private lessons in his secluded home. To what end, Claire will soon discover-and it will give a terrifying new meaning to night school."

Once again, great sequel. I loved that we're learning more about the vampires. Myrnin was a very interesting character, but I felt so bad for him. A question about the summary, it says, "a stalker resurfaces from her past" but wouldn't it be Eve's past?

4/5 stars

Overall review:
I love it! All the characters have distinct personalities. Unlike some books, I didn't get confused about who was who and have to back to find out.
The writing is great, written from Claire's point of view is one of the things that makes this series so enthralling. It's kind of like those whodunit games, you're Claire and have to figure out what's going on before it's too late. (I never got it right :) It's a fun, somewhat quick read. Only 247 pages, but what it lacks in size is definitely made up for in the storyline.
I love the shortness of the books and the way it always ends on a cliffhanger. It makes me way too eager for words to get my hands on the next book. Usually, I'd hate that, because by the the time the book comes out I don't want to read it anymore, but with this series I love it.
Some more things I loved: The vampires are the enemies. I mean, I love a good vampire (that doesn't sparkle) as much as the next girl, but it's refreshing to read a story where vamps are bad. Sure, some of them are less evil than the others, but they're all enemies to humans.
These vampires are an enigma. Caine doesn't explain everything as soon as possible. We don't know their weaknesses, strengths, powers, origins, etc. right off the bat. We learn a little bit more in each book.
I could keep going, but I'd end up writing everything from the books.
I think this is my favorite vampire series now, I would recommend these books to anyone who likes vampires.

Want to join an online YA book club?

2009-05-18T14:26:00.003-05:00

Okay so The Page Flipper has started an online YA book club. (For more info go here) I just signed up and I saw that she has a contest going on. And you guys can help me win. If you decided to sign up after reading my post will you please go to "Recruit For Free Books" topic and say that I, BookJunkie, sent you. And then of course you guys can start recruiting, too.

This month's book is Willow by Julia Hoban. June's is Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr.
So what are you waiting for go here ( yabookclub.forumer.com ) and register. (Then go to the Recruit topic and say that I sent you.)

Want to win Sea Change?

2009-05-11T13:56:00.003-05:00

A Maze of Books is giving away a copy for her first contest. She's trying to get 100 followers so spread the word!
Click here to enter. Contest ends May 20th. US only.

In My Mailbox May 4th-11th

2009-05-11T12:36:00.002-05:00

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones (BookMooch)
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen (BookMooch)
Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison. I've wanted this book for awhile, but I have no idea why I got it. I didn't order it or get it from BookMooch or anything. It says it's from Jennifer W. so I'm going on the assumption that I won it and forgot. Does anyone know if I won this in a contest?

A Mackenzie, Lost and Found signed bookmark. This came from the author and once again no idea why I got it or how the author got my address. So once again, I'm assuming I won it in a contest, too.

That's it for this week.

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren

In My Mailbox Part 2

2009-05-05T09:57:00.003-05:00

I went to Dad's for a few minutes yesterday and while I was there, I decided to see whatever books I got.

The Shape of Water by Anne Spollen (From Katie's contest It's signed too. It says "April 2009" and the top and then "To Amelia, You won! Hope you enjoy the book~ Anne Apollen")
Cut by Patricia McCormick (BookMooch)
The Scandal of the Season by Sophie Gee (BookMooch I think it's the UK version)
Fade by Lisa McMann (Amazon) Yaaaay!!!
And also along with Fade, I FINALLY got God of War. I've been waiting for this damn video games for months and I finally got it!! Yippeeeee! When I saw it I kinda wanted to tell Mom I'd be staying at Dad's for a few hours and that he would take me back later. But I didn't, cause that would have been rude so I'm staying and my step-dad's eagerly waiting to leave so I can play it. Oh man, I'm so stupid. I could've just brought my PlayStation here... haha wow. Why didn't I think about that yesterday!

My blog rocks?

2009-05-04T11:42:00.002-05:00

Dahlia has given me the "Your Bog Rocks" award. Thanks Dahlia

The rules are:
1. Rockin' bloggers who are awarded should pass it on to up to 5 blogs that rock your world either for content, writing, layout, or whatever!
2. Be sure to display the badge on your blog and leave a link to the person who gave it to you.
3. Write a post about it, and don't forget to thank the one who gave you the gig!
4. Oh yeah, and be sure to inform your nominees about their award by leaving them a comment. It's just good manners.

I'd like to give this awesome new award to...
1 Bites
2 The Chick Manifesto
3 LiyanaLand!
4 Ashley's Bookshelf
5 Books By Their Cover

If I was rich (or a Librarian) 3

2009-04-27T13:14:00.002-05:00

Dead Girl Series by Linda Joy Singleton

Dead Girl Walking
Dead Girl Dancing
Dead Girl In Love (Aug 2009)

Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Miminger
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (May 12th 2009)
Frostbitten (Women of the Otherworld book 10) by Kelley Armstrong (September 29th 2009)

The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap
Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
Far From You by Lisa Schroeder

The Hollow by Jessica Verday (September 1st 2009)
Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Immortal by Gillian Shields (August 4th 2009)

The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall by L.J. Smith
The Awakening (Darkest Powers 2) by Kelley Armstrong (April 28th 2009)

Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery book 1)by Kim Harrison (May 26th 2009)

Succubus Heat (Georgina Kincaid book 4) by Richelle Mead (May 26th 2009)
{I'm sooooo excited for this book!!}
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy book 4) by Richelle Mead (August 25th 2009)
{I can't wait!!!}
Night World No. 3: Huntress; Black Dawn; Witchlight by L.J. Smith
Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

Review-The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

2009-04-26T21:14:00.000-05:00

"PERCY JACKSON is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the page's of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch a thief: he must comes to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves."

Okay before you read this remember that I LOVE anything that has to do with ancient history or mythology, especially Greek.
Now, this book was different, which got bonus points from me. I'm so used to the Greek Gods and Goddesses being mean, vindictive, vengeful, and jealous (because of the Dark-Hunter series) that reading this version of them took a little getting used to. But once I did it was kind of refreshing and I loved the book. The world Riordan created is very interesting. And even though it was about a 12 year-old, it didn't seem kid-ish, so once again bonus points.
I didn't know the ending, even when they all but said who was behind it, until they actually said who was behind it. I was like, "Wow Amelia, good job. He just said everything you needed to know who it was and you still didn't guess until the fight? What's wrong with you?" I'm going to blame it on something... As soon as I find something plausible to blame it on.
The only thing I can think of to complain about is that at the beginning, no one was telling Percy the whole truth. It bugged the hell out of me, but other than that I really can't complain.
Grover was a sweetheart, Annabeth annoyed me at first, but as I got to know her that annoyance died down. Mr. D was hilarious, and once again felt bad for Hades. Can't some cut the poor guy a break?

And a little question for you guys. Which rating system would you like better. My usual 1-5 heart and cross bone thingies or a grading system? See with the 1-5 heart and cross bone thingy you just know my overall rating, and with the grading system you'll see what aspects about the book I liked and which ones I didn't. Which I liked more than the other, etc.
It's your choice since I already know how much I like it and what I liked about it.

In My Mailbox April 20-25

2009-04-25T11:15:00.003-05:00

I got:
Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott (Won in The Story Siren contest)
The Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires book 2) by Rachel Caine (Amazon)
Midnight Alley (Morganville 3) by Rachel Caine (Amazon)
Touching Darkness (Midnighters 2) by Scott Westerfeld (Amazon)
Blue Noon (Midnighters 3) by Scott Westerfeld (Amazon)
The Dream-Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Amazon)
Upon the Midnight Clear by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Amazon)
Dream Chaser by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Amazon)
Dream Warrior by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Amazon)
Artemis Fowl (Book 1) Eoin Colfe (From BookMooch)
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (from BookMooch)
Whittington by Alan W. Armstrong (from BooksFree)
Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra (BooksFree)
Spellbound (Sweep book 6) by Cate Tiernan (BooksFree)

I think that's it... I feel like I'm forgetting something. Oh well, if I am I'll post this again.

Wow I have A LOT of books I need to read. So that's what I'm going to do today and tomorrow. Read while tanning in this perfect weather.

Awards

2009-04-20T00:33:00.002-05:00

I got the One Lovely Blog award from Katie at Katie's Bookshelf.
This award is given to new blogs and blogging friends.

The rules to follow are:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I'm too tired to list all the blogs(with the whole my friend trying to kill me and all), I might do it later but I don't know.

Three books down, a Twiiter update, & a message to my commenters

2009-04-18T22:28:00.003-05:00

What I'm reading next: The Dream-Hunter by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Pages in book: 307

How many pages read since last update: 245

Books finished so far: 3 The Secret Hour, Moonlight, Going Too Far,
Total pages read: 805
Total time reading: 11.5 hours
Hours left: 8.5

P.S. Apparently people can't find my Twitter, don't know why. So I'll work on fixing that.

P.S. Thank you to all my commenters (Is that a word?) you guys are awesome, and I'll respond to all of you and check out you blog in 8.5 hours.

... I fell asleep

2009-04-18T18:42:00.002-05:00

After I my last post, I took my much needed break, ate, drowned in Sprite, even watched Lord of the Ring: The Return of the King for a whole minute. Then, started reading Touch the Dark... after 12 pages I was out. Zzzzzzzzzzz until 6:45! GRRRR that's, like, the time it takes to finish a book! So to wake up, again, I'm going to start with with a small book.
Going Too Far seems to be the smallest book left, so I'll read that.

Two books down, many to go

2009-04-18T15:34:00.004-05:00

I decided to just update after I finish a book because it's easier than every hour. Also, I'm taking a much needed break. I haven't had anything to eat or drink all day. I always forget to when I"m reading, lol.

What I'm reading: Touch the Dark (Cassandra Palmer book 1) by Karen Chance
Pages in book: 307

How many pages read since last update: 263

Books finished so far: 2: The Secret Hour, Moonlight,
Total pages read:560
Total time reading: 7 hours
Hours left: 16.5 (I think. ugh I'm too tired for math)

Update, one book down

2009-04-18T11:22:00.005-05:00

The Secret Hour. AAHH I want more. Grr if I had known I'd be doing the read-a-thon I would have bought all of them.
Oh well now I'm going to read something else.

What I'm reading: Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne. Pages in book: 263 Pages I've read: 0

How many pages read since last update: 26

Books finished so far: 1 The Secret Hour,
Total pages read:297
Total time reading: 4.5 hours
Hours left: 19.5

P.S. If anyone has read this and wouldn't mind giving me some spoilers sometime tomorrow I'd love you forever. I'm a spoiler-holic when it comes to series books.
P.P.S. I knew this would happen. Of course people I hardly ever see, and talk to even less are all asking to go do something tonight or come over or hang out or whatever. Why don't they ever do this on the Saturdays I'm sitting at home bored? No it's always when I'm doing something.

Hourly update 3, 11:05 AM

2009-04-18T11:04:00.003-05:00

What I'm reading: The Secret Hour (Midnighters book 1) by Scott Westerfeld.
Pages in book: 297
Pages I've read: 271
How many pages read since last update: 26

Books finished so far: 1 The Secret Hour,
Total pages read:297
Total time reading: 4.5 hours
Hours left: 19.5

Hourly update 3, 10:05 AM

2009-04-18T10:05:00.000-05:00

What I'm reading: The Secret Hour (Midnighters book 1) by Scott Westerfeld.
Pages in book: 297
Pages I've read: 202
How many pages read since last update: 75 (I'm getting faster woo hoo)

Books finished so far: 0
Total time reading: 3 hours
Hours left: 21

Hourly update 2, 9 AM

2009-04-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

What I'm reading: The Secret Hour (Midnighters book 1) by Scott Westerfeld.
Pages in book: 297
Pages I've read: 127
How many pages read since last update: 55 (I'm still reading slow grr)

Books finished so far: 0
Total time reading: 2 hours
Hours left: 22

Hourly update 1, 8 AM

2009-04-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

What I'm reading: The Secret Hour (Midnighters book 1) by Scott Westerfeld.
Pages in book: 297
Pages I've read: 72 (I'm a little slow right now, haven't woken up yet.)
How many pages read since last update: 72

Books finished so far: 0
Total time reading: 1 hour
Hours left: 23

7AM!! Time to start

2009-04-18T07:00:00.003-05:00

I scheduled this. So now the read-a-thon has officially started. Eeep!
I hope I don't get bored or stop enjoying it something *knocks on wood*

It's 6 in the freaking morning. So why am I up again?

2009-04-18T06:04:00.003-05:00

(Warning: This is just my normal morning bitchiness. Do not believe anything I say unless I say it again after my coffee and food)
Oh yes the 24 read-a-thon. I'm so starting to regret signing up for that. I mean I warned Dad, I did. I swear on Acheron I did. But did he heed my warning? Nooooo. No he decides to starting talking to me as soon as I walk out of my freaking door! AND NOW he's singing. Is he singing a song that I like (not that it would help)? No hes singing some stupid little diddy from the 40s or something. Grrr and OMG he just turned off ANGEL!! WTF is he thinking?? He knows I'll attack with the smallest encouragement. AAHHH I think I'm going to steal his car and go to McCalorie. I need food and coffee. Damn it, he's leaving for work now. Wait that's good! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! *sigh*Silence, it's amazing isn't it?
You know what's weird? Even though I went to bed late, I woke up early this morning. like 5:45 early. So I guess my "drink water and tea right before bedtime so I wake up early" plan worked. But oww my bladder hurtses.
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH WHOOO DAD IS GONE! I'm so locking the dogs out.
Okay so here is the plan from now to 7 AM
1 Pee
2 Eat
3 Shower
4 Get everything ready
5 Enjoy my having nothing to do while it lasts

my checklist. Wake up tes? Yes. Coffee for emergencies? Yes. Phone off? Oh, no. Okay yes. Hmm... piles of books ready? HAHA Yeah deff. (I laugh cause my pile is of like 50 books. No lie, I didn't even know I had that many un-read books) Timer? Yes. Good music? Yes. Okay what else do I need?

BEDA- I gave up, I'm a Twitter-er and little things about 24 hour read-a-thon

2009-04-17T20:21:00.005-05:00

So yeah I gave up, I am a Twitter-er... Tweeter? I don't know. If ya'll are Twitter-ers let me know in a comment if you add or follow me or whatever it's called there. My thing is "amileon".

Now on to 24 hour read-a-thon. For my time it's starts at 7 am (eeeww I have to wake up super early). I'm going to update ever hour and every time I finish a book. All the updates will be under the label "24 hour read-a-thon" so you can read them later. Let's see what else? Oh right. The last update when I finish will be have everything from how many hours were spent reading, how pages I read, how many books I finished and how much time it took for each book and more. Then I'm sleeping all day Sunday, and when I wake up I'll start all the reviews. Now I'm going to go watch TV and try to get sleepy. Drink some Sleepytime tea or something. And drink water so I'll wake up early. And turn on three alarms and my radio alarm. And hope I wake up in time. I'm going to be a mega bitch in the morning if Dad says a word. I think I should go warm him...

I'm doing the 24 hour read-a-thon this Saturday

2009-04-16T21:56:00.004-05:00

So yeah I decided to do it. Reading non-stop for 24 hours won't be too hard for me, thank god my dad works Saturday.
Click here for more info or if you're interested in doing it.
You don't have to read all 24 hours or non-stop for 24 hours. I'm just going to try and do it that way.
Let me know if you are so I can follow you and check your updates.
It's this Saturday starting at 7 AM my time. Not looking forward to that but that means it'll end early enough so I can sleep until SUNSET!! Whooo I'll be so energetic that night.
So excited I'll make such a dent in my To Read list. Most of them are 1 or 2 hour reads. Which is 12-24 books read!

In My Mailbox April 13-18

2009-04-15T12:31:00.005-05:00

IMM was started by The Story Siren. (I forgot to do that in my other posts oops...)

Nothing on Monday or Tuesday.
On Wednesday:
From Smokey Mountain Something or Other (Amazon authorized seller)
Burned by Ellen Hopkins
Poison Study by Maria V. Synder
Evernight by Claudia Gray (Other copy is going back to the bookstore. I really did forget I already bought this...)

Thursday:
Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Touch the Dark (Cassandra Palmer book 1) by Karen Chance
The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby

Review-Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

2009-04-12T21:40:00.000-05:00

Back cover:
"Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy nest-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble."

Ahh this book was just what I needed! I've been dying for some hot werewolves or vamps and this definitely had the werewolves. Mmm yummy. Haha anyway...
This book is YA, which surprised me when I found it at the library, but unlike a lot of books it didn't seem like Briggs took stuff out to make it YA. I mean I've read books that are YA and it'll start getting to steamy or something and then it has a paragraph break and subtle implications of what happened, I cannot stand that. In Moon Called it didn't do that, it didn't seem like the author took anything out to make it fit YA standards. Another thing I loved about this book was it wasn't about teens. I liked that it dealt with adults. I also LOVED that Mercy was a mechanic. I would love, love, love to be a mechanic when I'm older. I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book. I loved how all the supernaturals were different than usual. I loved how they came out. I loved that one of the mains was a gay male werewolf (I have a soft spot for gays especially if they're a wolfie :)
Now my review might be a little biased because I've been craving a supernatural book with hot guys and supernaturals, and if I had read it after I was tired of reading books about hot guys and supernaturals I'd probably be more critical.

P.S. I'm going to change my rating system to a grading system, but until then I give this

In My Mailbox April 5-11

2009-04-12T09:33:00.000-05:00

Monday
From BookSwim:
Need by Carrie Jones
Be With Me by Maya Banks
Before I Die by Jenny Downham

From Amazon:
Willow by Julia Hoban (FINALY!!!)
Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby

Wednesday
From library (all due on May 6th)
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (I canceled the copies from Amazon.)
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan
The Divine Comedy by Dante (I can't wait to read Inferno)
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
Twisted by Laurie Halse Andreson
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

And from the local bookstore that dad lent me the money to get:
Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (sequel to Tattoo)
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Kissed By an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler (It says it has all three books of the trilogy)
Evermore by Alyson Nole
Revealers by Amanda Marrone
Night World No. 2 (Dark Angel, The Chosen, Soulmate) by L.J. Smith
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
Need by Carries Jones
Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz
The Forrest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Thursday
From Amazon:
Moonlight (Dark Guardian #1) by Rachel Hawthorne
Liszt's Kiss by Susane Dunlap
Aurelia by Anne Osertlund

From BooksFree:
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper
The Dream-Hunter (Dream-Hunter book 1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Liner Notes by Emily Franklin
Emilie's Voice by Susane Dunlap

From Border's:
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1) by Rick Riordan
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
The Secret Hour:Midnighters #1 by Scott Westerfeld
Wicked:Witch and Curse by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Friday
From Amazon:
The Only Bush I Trust Is My Own by Periel Aschenbrand
and another copy of Night World No 2 by L.J. Smith which I'm taking back and getting something else.

WOW! I won't get any new books in awhile, but damn! With this haul I'm not complaining.
Which book would you like me to read and review next? Comment below and let me know.

Review-The Only Bush I Trust Is My Own by Periel Aschenbrand

2009-04-11T14:15:00.002-05:00

"If members of the Symbionese Liberation Army had carried Prada handbags, transformed raunchy sex gossip into political protest and designed agitprop fashion, they would be Periel Aschennbrand. In this wildly funny debut, Aschenbrand pitches verbal hand grenades at targets that include religious fanaticism, sweatshop labor, and Internet dating, and reveals how the best inspire the youth of America."

This book is amazing. It isn't something parents want their 16-year-old daughters to read, which means I, of course, think all teenage girls should read it. Periel is a feminist and has gotten the attention of people like Betsy Johnson and Susan Sarandon with her shirt that says "the only bush i trust is my own". This book is non-fiction and talks about how she got the idea and started Body As Billboard. She says "I think we should put out tits to better use - it's prime advertising space being wasted on vapid slogans like 'Princess.' Instead of turning us into a bunch of apathetic morons, T-shirts should say things like: 'On any given day in the richest country in the world, there are 600,000 homeless people,' or 'By 2020, 100 million people in Africa will have died of AIDS' "
She makes shirts that say "Drug Dealer" and all proceeds made from this shirt design are given to an AIDS charity called, Keep A Child Alive. I loved this book, I was laughing out loud most of the time, and I agree with most, if not everything she says in this book.
If you are interested in reading this book I should warn you, I don't think you'll like this book if:
You have anything against cussing.
You are uptight.
You are Republican and/or like President G. W. Bush.
You are racist.
You have no sense of humor.

This book says and mentions things you might find crude or disgusting, but whatever. I think it needed to be said and I'm glad Periel said it. I just can't believe I haven't heard of this before. I'll tell you one thing though, I'm going to be buying a shit load of shirts come payday.

In My Mailbox April 6-8 (I know it's early but I'm sooo excited)

2009-04-08T17:35:00.005-05:00

This seems to be pattern, I get extremely good news, then life-changing bad news, then good news that make me feel soo much better, then more bad news. Yesterday, you guys no what the bad new was. But around Midnight I found out that even though I'm dropped out I can still go to Simon's Rock. I thought that wouldn't be possible because it's an early college. And then today we find out we got this loan, which will get us out of debt in like a year, with no early termination fee and since the minimum payment is already so low we'll have it paid off even earlier. So today we ran a bunch of errands and had to print out some stuff at the library and I got some books. Then dad fricken buys me a ton of books. I have to pay him back of course but still I was OMG! I LOVE YOU! Basically his way of apologizing about everything. Cause neither one of us actually apologize. He'll buy me books, or take me to some museum or something. I'll take hi out to dinner or rent some movie he was dying to see. Or something, yeah expensive, but whatever works right?

Anyways here's my book list. I'd include pics but I think they would take up way to much space.
Got on Monday:
From BookSwim:
Need by Carrie Jones
Be With Me by Maya Banks
Before I Die by Jenny Downham

From Amazon:
Willow by Julia Hoban (FINALY!!!)
Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby

From library:
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (I canceled the copies from Amazon.)
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan
The Divine Comedy by Dante (I can't wait to read Inferno)
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
Twisted by Laurie Halse Andreson
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (All I know about this book is it's based on the Nordic fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I pretty much only got it cause I recognized the author)

And from the local bookstore that dad bought:
Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (sequel to Tattoo)
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Kissed By an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler (It says it has all three books of the trilogy)
Evermore by Alyson Nole
Revealers by Amanda Marrone
Night World No. 2 (Dark Angel, The Chosen, Soulmate) by L.J. Smith
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
Need by Carries Jones
Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz
The Forrest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

I know!! I saw like more I wanted but I figured I'd give him a break, he didn't what he meant when said, "Get how ever many you want" plus I was all happy, energetic, and well, basically Hammy from over the hedge.

So yeah today was pretty perfect, I'm kind of scared to see how bad tomorrow will be.
My assignment for you guys is pick which book you'd like to see my review for after Willow. Any of those^ or ones from my slideshow on top left are ones I haven't read

In My Mailbox April week 1

2009-04-05T21:15:00.002-05:00

Song of the Sparrow and

A Map of the Known World (ARC) by Lisa Ann Sandell

I won these in a contest during Geek Fest from The Not So Closet Geeks

That's all for this week.

Sisterhood Award

2009-04-03T18:54:00.003-05:00

Dahlia awarded me with the Sisterhood Award. Coolness thanks!

The rules are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate up to 10 blogs which show great attitude and/or gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award.

5. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.

I'd like to give this award to...

Bites

Bookworm Extraordinaire

LiyanaLand

The Chick Manifesto

The Book Girl

The Not So Closet Geeks

{Insert Book Title Here}

The Book... Spot

GreenBeanTeenQueen

In Bed With Books

Review-In Too Deep by Jennifer Banash

2009-04-01T19:43:00.001-05:00

From Amazon:

"If you don’t belong here— you just don’t belong…

The Bramford building’s newest resident and small-town transplant Casey McCloy is adapting to life in the Big Apple and loving it. She’s got the look, the attitude, and a delish new boyfriend, Drew Van Allen. But she’s starting to have second thoughts as to whether the “New York” Casey is the real Casey. And she’s not so sure she likes herself much anymore. She’s not the only one.

Madison Macallister has always had her Manolo Blahniks firmly planted on the top rung of the social ladder—until that corn-fed cow Casey stole Drew away from her and made her look the fool. So what if Madison wasn’t exactly dating Drew at the time? She wanted him. And everyone knows that Madison gets what she wants, like Drew—and a little revenge."

I personally didn't like this book, but it's not because it was badly written or anything. I'm just not interested in these types of books. Too much drama and I have enough of that in my life. If you wondering why I read The Elite and In Too Deep when I don't like these types of books, it's because every now and then I find one I like. The Elite really left me hanging, so I thought this series might be an exception. I was dying to know what happens with everyone.
If you like books like Gossip Girl then you will most likely like this. It was a wonderfully written book, a great sequel, it just didn't appeal to me.

P.S. People who like Twilight parodies should watch this: http://brooketaylorbooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/todays-twilight-parady.html
And this:
http://www.take180.com/s/bprmn
and this:
http://www.take180.com/s/The_Twilight_Before_Christmas/ep5l7?autoplay=true

If I was rich (or a Librarian) 2

2009-04-01T18:38:00.009-05:00

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
Peeled by John Bauer
The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb

Madapple by Christina Meldrum
A Curse As Dark As Gold by Elizabeth C.Bunce
What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
The Otherworldlies by Jennifer Anne Kogler [26 May 09]
In Your Room Jordanna Frailberg

What I Saw and How I Lied Judy Blundell
Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell
Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr [April 21st]

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Vamped by Lucienne Dive [I don't know when this will be released]

Supernatural Summer. Free e-book sampler from HarperTeen

2009-03-31T21:56:00.002-05:00

Supernatural Summer has a free e-book sampler for books these books: Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (The prologue and chapters 1 and 2), Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison (Prologue and chapter 1), Stargazer (Evernight book 2) by Claudia Gray (chapter 2), The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong (chapters 9, 10, and 11), and Wings by Aprilynne Pike (Chapter 1)

I read all but Stargazer, because I haven't read Evernight, and they are amazing! You should check it out.

If I was rich (or a Librarian)

2009-03-25T19:51:00.003-05:00

If I Was a Rich (or a Librarian) is my version of the Waiting On Wednesday/Books to Pine For weekly post. Every Monday I'll post about 8-20 books I randomly selected (off my Amazon wish list) that I'd buy if I was rich or a librarian. These books might not be released yet, in which case I'll put the release date for them, or they might already be released. There's no rhyme or reason to my list, I just pick them in order off of my wish list on Amazon. If you click on the title it will take you to the Amazon listing for that book, if Amazon has one. Not all these books will be YA.

The Immortal Realm: Faerie Path #4 by Frewin Jones [5 May 09]
Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell
Poison Study by Maria Synder
Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Warrior Princess by Frewin Jones
Living With the Dead: Women of the Otherworld #9 by Kelley Armstrong
Meridian by Amber Kizer [11 August 09]
Giving Up the V by Serena Robar [release date unknown]

Evermore by Alyson Noel
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
Fade by Lisa McMann
Plan B by Jenny O'Connel

Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog [23 June 09]
Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis [1 September 09]
You've Got Blackmail by Rachel Wright [2 April 09]
Bad Moon Rising (Dark-Hunter book 14) by Sherrilyn Kenyon [4 August 09]

Wings by Aprilynne Pike 5 May 09
Sucks To Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (maybe) by Kimberly Pauley
Reaching For Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

Review-Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

2009-03-25T14:18:00.000-05:00

From Amazon:
"When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart."

This book was amazing. I love that it deals with such serious issues. I love how Brittany and Alex interact with each other. Their banter and insults and ultimately their flirting and compliments. I felt so bad for Brittany and Alex. I have to admit I was a little worried in the end for a chapter or two, but it turned out okay. The alternating point of view in every chapter made the book so much better than if it had been from just Alex or Brittany's point of view. There isn't one thing about this book I didn't like or even would change.

Review-Across the Pond by Storyheart

2009-03-25T13:47:00.001-05:00

"Finding himself packed off to friends in the USA, fifteen-year-old English born Fred Squire is not happy.

Then he meets Brittany.

Struggling with his feelings for Brit and the language, Fred is further confused when he meets Brit's flirtatious friend, Angel.

Escaping from a confrontation with Steve Harris, the neighborhood bully, Brit tells Fred her dark secret about Harris, and Fred's world is turned upside down.

Life continues to throw Fred a curveball when he catches a baseball worth a small fortune. Further run-ins with Harris, a crazy family barbecue, and a chase through a mall all add to Fred's American adventure.

'Brit and her Brit' know that their young love will be followed by heartache when Fred has to return to England but not before some final twists in the tale."

I liked this book. I don't know if its worth 17.99 considering its paperback and only 114 pages though (Storyheart left me a comment saying you can get a signed copy from him for $15 so if you're looking to buy I'd do that). I liked the characters and story line, but there was one thing that irked me. The fact that Brit and Fred "fell in love" in like a day or two. It didn't make sense how their love just popped up out of nowhere, it reminded me of when 3rd graders say they're in love with their boyfriend/girlfriend that they've just met. Other than that I don't really have a problem with the story. Its a quick read, but I devoured it all the same. Steve was a jerk and once scientists invent a machine to bring fictional characters to life I will bring Steve out and punch him :). I loved Brit's parents, they were the kind of parents a lot of kids want. Another cool thing about it is because of a school assignment Fred has, you get to learn some English terms. Which may come in handy if you ever find yourself in England or meet an English person.

I want to thank Storyheart for sending me a copy I enjoyed it. Thanks!

In My Mailbox March

2009-03-25T13:14:00.000-05:00

Okay so I guess I'll start a In My Mailbox thing. But instead of weekly I'm going to do it monthly and just updated when i get new books. Oh and this was created by The Story Siren.
bold= newest

From Amazon:
The Vampire Dairies: The Fury and Dark Reunion by L. J. Smith
The Coven (Sweep 2) by Cate Tiernan
Blood Witch (Sweep 3) by Cate Tiernan
Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
In Too Deep by Jennifer Banash

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty
Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty
Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty

I got my first order from BookSwim:
Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen

And my first order from Boosfree:
Blood Witch (Sweep 3) by Cate Tiernan (I'm sending it back to get the forth one)
Awakening (Sweep 5) by Cate Tiernan

Another order from Booksfree:
Dark Magick (Sweep 4) by Cate Tiernan

From authors:
Across the Pond by Storyheart
Dreams of Beauty by Aubrey Dionne (e-book)

Review-Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

2009-03-13T19:17:00.001-05:00

"Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared.

Once upon a time, my name was not Alice.

Once upon a time, I didn't know how lucky I was.

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends — her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.

Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.

This is Alice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget."

I don't really know how to review this book, but here's my best try.
It's wonderfully written and an incredibly sad story. It's powerful and something you couldn't forget if you tried. It's also addicting in a way. You want to stop reading cause it only gets worse, but you want to keep reading cause you hope, in the end, it'll all turn out okay. You have to know how Alice's story ends.
You'll hate it because it makes you realize the kind of cruelty and evil humans are capable of. You'll hate it because now you know, really know what someone could be going through right now. You'll hate it because it opens your eyes. Even though you might feel all of that, in the end I don't think you'll regret reading it.
I don't know why anyone loves this book. I don't know if anyone will admit to loving such a sad story. I love this book. Why would I love reading about something so real, so terrifying, so heartbreaking? I don't know.
It's written in a way to paint the picture in your head, you know what's going on, even though the book doesn't come out and say exactly what happens. It doesn't describe anything explicitly. It's written in a very unique style, like I said it doesn't describe in terrifying detail what's going, but you know.
I really don't know what else to say. I'm not going to recommend it, but I'm not going to say don't read it. Some people need to read this book, some people want to keep their eyes closed and pretend things like this don't happen. So this choice is yours. Are you going to read it?

I'm also not going to rate this book. I don't think book can be rated. I thank Elizabeth Scott for writing this. You did a wonderful job.

Review- Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

2009-03-13T18:42:00.000-05:00

Summary:
" 'My parents suck ass. Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps me sane? . . . I don’t see how things could get any worse.'

When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyper-observant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?

A fresh, funny, utterly compelling fiction debut by first-time novelist Megan McCafferty, Sloppy Firsts is an insightful, true-to-life look at Jessica’s predicament as she embarks on another year of teenage torment--from the dark days of Hope’s departure through her months as a type-A personality turned insomniac to her completely mixed-up feelings about Marcus Flutie, the intelligent and mysterious “Dreg” who works his way into her heart. Like a John Hughes for the twenty-first century, Megan McCafferty taps into the inherent humor and drama of the teen experience. This poignant, hilarious novel is sure to appeal to readers who are still going through it, as well as those who are grateful that they don’t have to go back and grow up all over again."

OMIGOD! This book is hands down my favorite book ever!
I swear reading this book felt like reading my diary. Jessica Darling is so much like me (or I'm so much like her) it was scary. There are differences obviously, but personality wise its like we're twins. Kind of creepy when I started guessing what she'd say or do, and was right.

Things I loved about this book:
It had cussing-I know that its a weird reason to like a book, but I'm tired of reading YA chicklit books that act like cussing, sex, and drugs don't exist. This book was real.
The characters- All the characters had distinct personalities. You might get the Bubblegum Bimbos mixed up at first, but even they had their differences. Scotty was awesome. I love how he says "gee dee" or "eff" instead of the cuss words. Its so cute. Marcus Flutie was so cool. How he views the world and the school and how he makes Jessica realize so much made me love him.

Things I didn't exactly like but not complaining about:
That Hope wasn't in it. I mean it makes sense cause she lives in Tennessee but I was expecting a phone call convo or something. And we only read Jessica's emails to Hope. Not the ones Hope sends to Jessica.
Bethany. Could not stand her. I want to jump in the book and smack her every time she spoke.
The Counselor was kind of on love/hate relationship with me. I couldn't stand her but I loves the fact that she (can't remember her name) reminds me of Ms. Pigpen (my dad and I came up with that nickname for my school "counselor") She was just as stupid and ignorant and trying to be hip as mine was. Ugh she was such a loser.

I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind cussing. I ordered 1-4 as soon as I finished it. They'll be here on the 20th. Ahh I have to wait 7 days! If anyone has read 1-4 can you email me? I have some questions and I don't want to give anything away by asking them here.
Megan McCafferty is an amazing author and I can't believe I didn't read this book when it first came out.

Another Award??

2009-03-13T15:02:00.004-05:00

I was nominated for the Premio Dardos by Donna at Bites. Thank you Donna!

Rules:

1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog.

2) Pass the award to another 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgement, remembering to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.

I haven't decided on the 15 yet. So right now I'm just accepting this award. Then I'm going to think about who deserves the acknowledgement. Thank you Donna and to everyone else who has nominated me for an award and to the people who read it.

Help me (and Hayden) save the whales.

2009-03-11T20:07:00.004-05:00

So as you can see ^up there^ I want to help saves the whales. You can sign the petition up there and grab the widget to put on your MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, Blogger, and some other sites. Also, on the SocialVibe site you can pick sponsors (I chose MAC) and every time someone visits your site they donate money to the cause. (That means every time you visit my site you help! So come more often haha) You can also pick out other causes to support. If you want to save the whales please sign the petition and add the widget to your site. And don't forget to spread the word. We only have 81 days so get to it!
Hayden, me, and the whales thank you!

Review-The Vampire Diaries The Fury and Dark Reunion by L. J. Smith

2009-03-10T22:24:00.005-05:00

"LOVE CAN KILL

Elena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired.

Stefan: tormented by losing Elena, hes determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all-whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize his brother is not his only enemy.

Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph? Or can they come together to face one final battle."

Once again I am amazed. The writing and the characters just ahh, amazing, incredible, addictive.
WARNING: If you haven't read the first one this review might contain spoilers.

The Fury picks up right where we left off in The Struggle. Elena is now a vampire and Stefan blames Damon. Elena has to try and come to terms with being dead to everyone who knew her and being a vampire. When something evil comes to Fell's Church it's up to Elena, Stefan, and Damon to stop it. But what is "it", exactly? Along the way they start to realize that maybe Damon isn't as evil as they thought. Well, I guess I should Elena starts to realize. Stefan still holds to his opinion of Damon. Matt, Bonnie, and Meredith, who now know the secrets Elena kept before, help the vampire trio find this third Power and they'll do whatever they can to stop it. But at what cost? This was by far my favorite of the four I've read.

Dark Reunion was pretty good, too. I didn't like as much as The Fury but it still has the enticing nature to it as the first two. I couldn't put this book down. I just kept wanting to read the next word, next sentence, next paragraph, next page, next chapter, until I had finished both books. Praying that it would all turn out okay, and everybody would be fine. L. J. Smith is a very talented writer and I'm so glad I finally listened to my friends advice and started this series.

I can't wait until I read The Return: Nightfall. Is it as good (or bad) as everybody says? Oh and guess what?! The Vampire Diaries might be a TV Show on the CW!! How awesome is that?!

"The Vampire Diaries TV Pilot
Yes, it is true: the script has been approved to make a pilot for The Vampire Diaries. This doesn't mean that TVD will be a TV series: first it has to go head to head with the other pilots that are being made for next fall. Here is what I know so far: the CW picked it up to make a pilot, and one of the executive producers (and writers) for it is Kevin Williamson, who wrote Dawson's Creek, Scream, and I Know What You Did Last Summer. In any case, if you're a dead ringer for Elena, Stefan, Bonnie, or any of the other characters, this might be a good time to visit sunny southern California and see if they're casting." From L. J. Smith's webstie

Review - Night World No. 1 Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder by L. J. Smtih

2009-03-10T22:06:00.001-05:00

Summary:

Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters-they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is their secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws if the Night World.

Secret Vampire - Poppy thought the summer would last forever. Then she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Now Poppy's only hope for survival is James, her friend and secret love. A vampire in the Night World, James can make Poppy immortal. But first they both must risk everything to go against the laws of Night World.

Daughters of Darkness - Fugitives from Night World, three vampire sisters leave their isolated home to live among humans. Their brother, Ash, is sent to bring them back, but he falls in love with their beautiful friend.

Spellbinder - Two witch cousins fight over their high school crush. It's a battle between black magic and white magic.

One thing I like about short stories is the only things you know about the characters are general background and things relevant to the story. You don't have half the book wasted describing the characters. Short stories are short (obviously), sweet, and to the point. You don't have to read through boring filler to get to the good stuff, it's basically all of the good stuff. The only thing I don't like about them is its hard to review it without giving the whole story away.
I loved this book. I love the characters. I'm so glad they reprinted Night World with 3 books in one. I think it flows better. I also love how all the stories star different characters that are mentioned or featured in every one. L. J. Smith did a fantastic job writing this collection and I can't wait to read the next volume.

Secret Vampire - This story was my least favorite of the three but still a four heart and crossbone thingie. I loved Ash, even though he wasn't completely good.

Daughters of Darkness - Ash is back, and this time with his sisters. And now he'll find out what James was talking about with Poppy.

Spellbinder - This one was my favorite of the three. It focuses on Thea and Blaise who were in a little cameo in Secret Vampire. I don't like Blaise all that much. She's vain and he way she treated all those guys made me kind of want to kill her. But she comes through in the end so that's good at least.

I love your blog! Award

2009-03-10T12:35:00.004-05:00

Someone loves my blog??

Picture me surprised :) Big thanks to {Insert Book Title Here} who nominated my blog for this awesome award!

Here are the rules:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Bites
Book Reviews by Jess
Dahlia's Eclectic Mind
Hope's Bookshelf
Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf
The Book Muncher
The Not So Closet Geeks

Review-Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

2009-03-09T15:21:00.004-05:00

FOUR FRIENDS
FOUR TATTOOS
ONE ANCIENT EVIL

Bailey Morgan isn't the type of girl who shows a lot of skin, but somehow, she ends up in a dressing room at the mall with friend Delia applying a strange temporary tattoo to the center of her lower back. Never to suffer fashion doubt, trendsetter Delia knows eactly where she wants her own tattoo: on her stomach, right where her shirt ends- can you say "midriff"? Annabelle, the quiet one, chooses the back of her neck, and tomboy Zo plasters hers on top of her foot. The tattoos will last for three days, and Delia's sure that with them, the four friends will absolutely kill at the school dance.
Unfortunately, killing is just what someone has in mind, and Bailey, Delia, Annabelle, and Zo are in for the battle of their lives. Along with her tattoo, each girl receives a gift-a supernatural power to help them in their fight. As Bailey's incresingly frightening dreams reveal the nature of their enemy, it becomes clear to the girls that its up to them to save the world. And if they can get Delia to stop using her newfound power to turn a gum wrapper into Prada pumps, they might actually stand a chance.

I was hooked from the first page. The story, the characters, and the writing, it was all just incredible. The story is very interesting and original. I love that its about Sidhe instead of the modern version of faeries. I also love the few Greek mythology references. I'm a sucker for books about Greek Mythology, Faeries, or Vampyres (in case you hadn't noticed this by now) especially if its so different from the popular versions. So of course I loved this book. The characters were great. I felt like I knew them so well I could guess what one of them would say next. Zo reminded me of this girl I know, which was hilarious cause I was like "Omg Ashley would say the same thing!". Delia was so fashion obsessed it was hilarious even when they had almost just been killed. Annabelle was (is?) a lot like me in a lot of ways. The only differences are (were?) I'm so not quiet and I'm not weirdly obsessed with charts... And Bailey is just awesome. The writing was like I said incredible. I busted out laughing so many times I couldn't have counted if I wanted to. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes kind of out there plots. I read this until 5 in the morning so I could finish it. Hence the review being posted at midnight the next day. Its a shorter book, so you can finish it fast.

I give it four heart and crossbone thingies (if anyone can come up with something better to call those you'll get a cyber cookie)

If you want to know more about the Sidhe, which are basically faeries, just a very different kind than the ones most people think of. Go here (http://www.shee-eire.com/magic&mythology/fairylore/Sidhe/page%201.htm ) It has some pretty interesting stuff.

Review- The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle by L. J. Smtih

2009-03-03T13:14:00.000-06:00

"A Deadly Love Triangle

Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.

Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors of his past.

Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her."

I don't know how to explain, even in review form, the books without spoiling a lot of stuff. I've thought about, and I wrote it and then I re-wrote it. Every time it spoiled stuff. So I apologize for the review, or lack thereof.

I love these books. Not the kind I re-read more than once every year or two, but I still love them. Sometimes the characters do seem kind of, hmm what's the word? Transparent? 2-D? Well, you know what I mean. But despite that, I still devoured this book. I love the rules and powers vampires have in this series. This book isn't for everyone. If you're overly critical when reading books I don't think you'd like this, but what do I know? Go read it. Maybe you should get it from the library or a website like BookSwim, or Booksfree. (If you go to BooksFree and sign up enter my email cullenwan2b@yahoo.com . You'll get a discount and so will I. And mention my blog on BookSwim. Please and thank you.)

Tidbit: I'm going to start how adding tidbits at the end of my posts. They'll have little tidbits about my day or something. Since the first one is today its going to have more than one. I signed up on BookSwim and BookFree. Both are pretty good. I got my first package yesterday. This is going to help keep reviews going since I can't buy as many books as I used to and the libraries here suck. So some books I review might be older but a review is a review.

I dyed my hair last night. Dark dark dark brown. Big difference even though I already had sort of dark brown hair, but its awesome. It completes my goth look. Even though I've been dressing more preppy lately. Yuck. I knew I'd regret having prep friends. Haha

So have you ever heard that you're not supposed to boil water in the microwave? I haven't. In Lost It by Kristen Tracy they said something about it but I boil water in the microwave a lot and nothing ever happened so I didn't pay attention to it. But the other day I was making dark chocolate hot coco and heated the water in the microwave. I stuck my finger in it to see how hot it was and it starts bubbling. I was like "Huh. That's strange" Then I remembered the thing in Lost It. Something about when the water interacts with something organic it like explodes or something. So I add some coco mix, just a little bit so it won't explode, and it bubbles over. It doesn't look like its going to explode so I add all of it and boom. No explosion but definite bubbling over. My dad said something like "Amelia, Amelia. Casting spells in the good dishes" I'm like " What the f#@%? Dad its coco. And since when are WalMart coffee mugs the good dishes." He's says, and I quote. "Since WalMart starting making them pretty." Yes, he said pretty. *shakes head* that's my father for you.

Anyways those are the tidbits for the day.

Review-Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

2009-03-02T14:00:00.000-06:00

Hannah Baker committed suicide. Something made her decide to swallow hat handful of pills and Clay Jensen is about to find out what it was. Two weeks after she killed herself, he comes home from school to find a package with no return address on his doorstep. Inside are 13 cassette tapes. He listens to the first one and hears Hannah's voice. Hannah, his crush, the girl he so wanted to get to know better. She says there are thirteen reasons why she killed herself and if you received the tapes your one of them. Clay can't believe it, what did he do? He barely spoke to her and now he finds out something he did had something to do with why she decided to kill herself. On the tapes he learns so much about people he saw everyday, things he couldn't believe. How could one school hold so many secrets?

This book is amazing. I think the only reason I didn't cry my eyes out while reading it is because Hannah had already died when the book started. Jay Asher did an incredible job of writing it to where we do here her point of view of everything, through the tapes, and hear Clay's thoughts on it all at the same time, instead of alternating points of view. I love how it shows even when all the signs are there you still don't know what's going through some one's head.
I have to say though, I understand why Hannah made the tapes and why she sent them to those people. But a part of me doesn't understand whys she sent them to some of the people. They did inadvertently have something to do with her decision, but they didn't do anything wrong exactly. As opposed to the jerks (it took a lot of self control not to use a more colorful word) who did a lot to her. She does state that this was her decision and her choice,, but she wants them (the 13 people) to realize what they did. And some of them are going to blame themselves for the rest of their lives when in fact, they didn't do much.
This is a must read for everyone. I can't imagine how anyone could not like this book.

Review-Beastly by Alex Flinn

2009-03-02T13:00:00.000-06:00

Kyle Kingsbury is gorgeous, a rich, blond hair, blue-eyed, beauty. His father is Rob Kingsbury, a news anchor. Kyle thinks he's all that and is in his school. How could he not when the hottest girl in school is his date to dance. After Kyle stands up Kendra, an ugly goth chick he asked to be his date to the dance, just so he could humiliate her, he finds out she's a witch and she turns him into a beast. She says he's beastly, he needs to learn looks aren't everything, and how to be kinder. Kyle can't believe what's happened to him and neither can his father. They go to doctors and doctors trying to "fix" him, until they realize its hopeless, no doctor can turn him back. Kendra said it takes a kiss from someone who loves him to turn him back and he only has 2 years to find her. He's already given up, I mean who could fall for a beast, let alone kiss him?
His father sends him to live in a five story house in Brooklyn with only the maid, Magda, and he raised her salary to keep her mouth shut. Kyle asks for a tutor, not that he ever cared for school but what else is there to do? His father finds a blind man to tutor Kyle. After a junkie breaks into the house, Kyle catches him and the junkie, desperate to live, offers his daughter to Kyle. Kyle accepts for two reasons. Could she be the one? Could she fall for the guy, beast, that's keeping her locked up?

I love this book. (Have you guys noticed I love most of the books I review?) Everyone knows someone like Kyle, and I bet a lot of you wish a witch would turn him/her into a beast so they would learn a lesson. It is a lot like Beauty and the Beast (obviously) without being too much alike. I love who the girl turns out to be. I'd tell you but you don't want me to ruin it now do you? Alex did a wonderful job writing Kyle and how he changes. Its so subtle though, most of the book you don't even realized how much he's changed.

Review-Book of Shadows by Cate Tiernan

2009-03-02T12:00:00.001-06:00

Morgan is an average girl. She looks even more average next to her drop-dead gorgeous best friend, Bree. When Cal shows up at their school, everyone is intrigued. He seems to fit in so well with everyone, the stoners, the jocks, the brains. Morgan is instantly attracted to him, but hides her feelings from everyone, especially after Bree announces she's going to do whatever it takes to get him. Morgan knew she had no chance of getting Cal, but now she definitely knows she has no chance. Who would choose her over Bree?
When Cal decides to have a party to get to know people he invites juniors and seniors, but unlike the typical high school parties, Cal plans for people to just look at the stars and enjoy nature. He later tells the party goers about Wicca, his religion, and asks them to help cast a circle. Morgan and Bree are two of the few who decide to stay, but Morgan has a weird reaction when they cast the circle. Cal later says he's looking for people to help make his new coven, the reason he had the "party". After the first circle Morgan starts to realize she has some intriguing powers and starts to wonder, could she be a blood witch, a descendant of one of the seven clans? But how could she when the rest of her family are so... normal?

I loved this book. Cate did an amazing job mixing Wiccan and teen drama into a story and making it flow. The characters are all so interesting. Even the ones that are only mentioned once or twice I want to know more about. I love how Morgan has to deal with her parents, devout Catholics, when they find her books on Wicca. I don't want to spoil every good thing about the book so just go read it.

Review-Tantalize by Cynthia L. Smith

2009-02-22T11:30:00.001-06:00

Quincie was orphaned at 13 and moved in with her Uncle Davidson. Now 17, she manages her family's restaurant, Sanguini's, and is in love with her hybrid werewolf best friend, Kieren. Quincie and her uncle are remodeling Sanguini's with a vampire theme. All is going well until the unexpected murder of Vaggio, a long time family friend and head chef at Sanguini's. Now Quincie has to deal with the death of her friend, losing the restaurant's head chef, trying to find his replacement and helping him/her act like a vampire, creating a new menu, the possibility of Kieren leaving for good, not to mention school and about 20 other things all before the restaurant's opening, less than a month away.
The police suspect a werewolf killed Vaggio, but Kieren suspects a vampire. So who is right, the police or Kieren? He was the one to discover the body and werewolves can lose control. But Kieren isn’t capable of that… is he? He thinks it could be Ruby, Davidson’s girlfriend, a vampire wannabe. Maybe she isn’t just a wannabe. Will Quincie be able to find out the truth and save her family’s legacy? Or will she believe the wrong person and lose everything and everyone she loves?

I give this book This is one of those books where everything in it has it's unique elements. I would definitely recommend this book, but for some reason I don't know, a lot of people didn't like it. Some reviewers on Amazon.com said things like, "The first half is okay but it loses your interest in the second", "The characters are 2D" and "Predictable plot, not worth your money... read in the bookstore". I didn't think the plot was predictable. Then again I never try to figure out what happens in books. When I read all I think about is what I'm reading then not what's going to happen. Anyways I loved it and I would recommend it. Obviously I can't tell you you'd love it or hate it, but I think you should give it a shot.

I won an award

2009-02-20T19:11:00.004-06:00

Apparently my blog is fabulous, who knew? :)

See I even have that nifty little pic to prove it.

I received the Your Blog Is Fabulous Award from Rory at Bookworm Extraordinaire! ( http://bookwormextraordinaire.blogspot.com/ )

I love her blog and you guys should check it out.
So, now it's time to make someone else's blog as fabulous as ours!

Rules are: Write 5 things you’re addicted to and then nominate 5 other blogs to pass this award on to!

5 Things I'm Addicted to:

1) Books- Obviously. Would I have a website dedicated to reviewing books unless I loved books? Umm… don’t think so.

2) Music-If it isn’t country , rap or bluegrass chances are I’ll like it.

3) My phone- You would be too if you lived where I did. I mean my closest friend is like 45 minutes away!

4) Internet-Once again you would be too if you lived where I did. I wouldn’t be able to buy books if it wasn’t for the internet. The closest book store is 30 minutes away.

5) Chocolate, fat, carbs, sugar you know anything that makes you gain weight. I love it! If I didn’t eat that stuff I wouldn’t have an excuse to exercise!

5 Blogs I Nominate For This Award:

The Chick Manifesto http://thechickmanifesto.blogspot.com/

Ashley’s Bookshelf http://ashley-thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/

Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf http://laurenscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com/

Presenting Lenore http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/

The Book Gobbler http://thebookgobbler.blogspot.com/

Review-Undone by Brooke Taylor *****

2009-02-19T13:58:00.002-06:00

When an 8th grade science experiment goes wrong and soaks Serena Moore's shirt with blue dye she goes to bathroom to clean up and runs into none other than the "dark angel" of the 8th grade, Kori Kitlzer. Kori tells Serena that they are more alike than Serena think and thus begins their friendship. Serena tries to be more like Kori, fearless, outspoken, and ambitious. Soon Serena doesn't know when where she begins and Kori ends, but after Kori is in a terrible accident Serena has to find a way to complete her best friend's life left undone.

In Social Psychology Dr. Ramsey gives an assignment to temp fate. The students are told to write five things that they would never dream could happen to them. Kori's are :
"1. Sing with Bleeder Valve.
2. Get a tattoo.
3. Work things out with Shay.
4. Confront D.
5. Tell Serena"

After Kori's accident Serena decides to finish Kori's list for her. Soon Serena finds out that her best friend kept many secrets. Who's Shay? What happened between him and Kori? Who's D? And what she need to confront him or her about? What did she have to tell Serena? Will Serena ever find out? Or will her best friend remain a mystery?

This book is amazing. They way the author writes, whether its the characters or something happening, it, I don't know, seems more real than other books I've read. Maybe its just me, but when I was reading Undone, it was like I wasn't just reading about Kori and Serena. It was like I was living their lives with them. Feeling their emotions with them. That's the best way I can explain it. I definitely recommend this book to anyone. One of the very few I gave 5 stars to.

Review - Flipped by Wendelin van Draanen ****

2009-02-18T16:08:00.005-06:00

The first time she saw him, she flipped. The first time he saw her, he ran. That was the second grade, but not much has changed by the seventh. She says: “My Bryce. Still walking around with my first kiss.” He says: “It’s been six years of strategic avoidance and social discomfort.” But in the eighth grade everything gets turned upside down. And just as he’s thinking there’s more to her than meets the eye, she’s thinking that he’s not quite all he seemed.

I first read this book in middle school and hated it. It wasn't because I thought it was badly written or anything it was just that I didn't enjoy reading it. See at my elementary and middle schools we had to read so many books a month, semester, year, the deadlines and we different for every teacher. Most of the time we didn't get to choose the book we read and we could only read so many pages or chapter a day. Once again it depended on the teacher. We were tested everyday or week and what we were supposed to read and they'd have trick questions to see if we read ahead. Reading like that wasn't enjoyable for me and it ruined so many great books, Flipped being one of them. When I started home schooling my dad said, "I don't care what you read or when you finish it or how much you read a day. Just read. I want you to see that reading is fun not something you should be graded on." As long as a read something everyday, whether it be comic books, magazines, newspapers whatever, I'd get an A for the day. Dad's plan worked. I realized that reading was fun and then started reading so much I finished books in a day. I read so much I didn't do my other work so then I was only allowed to read after I finished my other work lol.
I don't know why but one day this book just came to me and I was like "Huh, maybe I should re-read it". So I bought a copy and read it again and loved it. Anyways I believe I'm supposed to be reviewing...

I LOVE this book. It really shows you how although something might be obvious to you, it might not be obvious to someone else. And that anything and everything could be misunderstood. And that the phrase " 'Assume' make and an ass out of you and me" is very true.
It all started when Juli tries to help Bryce and his dad move boxes and they just see her as an annoyance. Then there's the sycamore tree, the chickens, and don't even get my started on the eggs. This definitely isn't the kind of book that had potential and the author ruined it, its a book that had potential and the author exceeded it. If I decided to write everything I love about this book on this post I'd just be writing the book. If I keep going I'll start repeating myself and you already know I think it's great so why don't you pick up and copy and see for yourself.
Thanks to help from Bookworm Extraordinaire I'm going to use pics for my rating system. She uses hearts the Story Siren uses stars, I haven't figured out what I'm going to do but I'll think of something nifty. Until then
Flipped gets 4 **** stars.

See you next time.

Comments? Suggestions? Complaints? Requests? Then tell me otherwise I can't do much about it.

Peace
Love
and Books,
Amelia

Review- Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

2009-01-22T21:26:00.002-06:00

This edition to the Blue Blood series is pretty much like the first two. This author's style of writing is very slow paced. She drags the story on and on without any big action and then there are little hints all over the story as to what the big "revelation" is. Most of the time I forget why I'm reading it. The story line is still pretty unique and that is the only reason why I continue to read the series. In this vampire collection the vamps are the casted out archangels. Yes I'm talking about the ones from the bible. Its written in a way that will make you want to know what will happen next to the Blue Blood society. Even though its mellowed out until the last 5 chapters where you get the heart racing action as readers we so desperately love.

~Tiffany

Interview- Terri Clark

2009-01-12T16:57:00.001-06:00

I'm still on hiatus or whatever you want to call it, I'm just posting this because I got the answers today. Sorry, even though thing are looking up but I'm pretty sure it'll all go to hell soon. So until next time

Peace
Love &
Books,
Amelia/Book Junkie

How long ago did you start writing Sleepless and how did you get the idea for it?

I actually sold Sleepless before it was completely written. It sold in December of 2006 and my deadline was August of 2007 so it took about 8 months to write, plus revisions. As for the idea, Sleepless was inspired by my own fascination with dreams and a series of articles that ran in the Denver Post about criminals who committed violent crimes and then pretended insanity so they could go to the state mental hospital instead. At the hospital they would commit crimes against the staff and walk off campus where they also committed crimes or disappeared entirely. I was horrified by this and the great thing about being a writer is that you can literally right/write a wrong. It was from this expose that my villain Rafe Stevens was born.

What made you come to the decision to become an author?

I've written my whole life, but never considered it as a profession until I became a stay-at-home mom and found an online community of writers. Being involved with other writers really inspired me to take my writing seriously, to study it as a craft, to get involved with critique partners and professional writer organizations. The more I learned the more I thirsted to see my book published and I kept going until I realized my dream.

Are any of your characters inspired by people you know?
If so, which ones?

Trinity has parts of me in her. Her best friend's clumsiness and love for soccer is a nod to my niece. But I really don't create a character based on someone real so much as I like giving them little details, quirks, from people I know.

Do you have anything in common with Trinity?

Yes, we like the same music, often feel like misfits (who doesn't?) and several of her dream experiences are based on my own. But, thankfully, I haven't been pursued in my dreams.

Is Sleepless a stand alone book or is it a series?

It was a stand alone title, but when I finished it I felt like there was more to Trinity's story and I tried to convey that with the ending. My editor has since asked to see a proposal for a sequel, so please cross your fingers that HarperTeen will buy it.

Which character from Sleepless was your favorite to write? Which was the most fun to write? The most difficult?

Trinity was my favorite character to write. Strangely, there really wasn't any one character that I found fun to write, it was certain exchanges between characters that I had fun with--the sleep deprivation scene in the library, for instance. As for the most difficult, I found writing about Dan's dad the hardest. I think it's because I found him reprehensible, but I also had to find something redeeming about him and see the good that created Dan. Rafe was just deliciously twisted and wrong.

How do you get over writer’s block?

I shower. LOL. When I get stuck on a scene I take a hot shower and hash things out in my head. I don't know why that works, but I almost always figure out the solution. However, if I'm really, really stuck I have been known to interview my characters to get things flowing again.

What’s the first book you remember reading?

The Dick and Jane books. But the first books I ever really got into were the Trixie Belden mysteries. Loved those!

What are some books you’d like to recommend?

Neal Schusterman's Unwind is phenomenal, Laura Weiss's Such A Pretty Girl will leave you breathless and I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of Brent Crawford's debut Carter Finally Gets It and it's absolutely hysterical. I don't think a book has ever made me laugh so much. It comes out in April so check it out.

What were your favorite books as a kid/teen? Favorite authors?

Trixie, of course, and then anything by Judy Blume. When I got a little older I was also crazed about the V.C. Andrews Flowers in the Attic series.

Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Thanks so much for your interest in me and Sleepless! My next book, Hollyweird, will be out with Flux in the Spring of 2010 under the name Tess Clark. It's about two teens who win a trip to visit the star of their favorite TV show only to learn he's actually the son of satan and the only person who can save them is a fallen angel who is working undercover as the demon's personal assistant. You can learn more about me at my blog and website.

Terri

Review-Lost It by Kristen Tracy *****

2008-12-16T00:13:00.003-06:00

"What would you do...
....If your best friend was plotting the annihilation of a small, furry, neighborhood poodle? Or if you parents up and moved to an Outward Bound-type survival camp in the middle of the desert? How about if you grandmother bought you new bras and underware-and you actuallu though they were a teensy bit, umm, sexy?
Most people would not react well.
Tess Whistle's junioryear of high school is off to a fairly bizarre start. One might even say her life is spiraling out of control. But with her sense of humor and her first real boyfriend on her arm, Tess is dealing with the ridiculous twists quite well, thankyouverymuch.
Just wait until her shoes explode"

This book was unusal. I don't really know how to explain what was unusal about it. Maybe the wiritng style or what it was about. In any case, it was a very good read.
I have to admit sometimes Tess pissed me off. I wanted to jump in the book and smack her, but Zena (her best friend) beat me to it. Just her attitude about and outlook on somethings made me mad. Ignorance, naivety, or whatever you want to call it annyed me. Not her fault butI still wanted to smack some sense into her. I mean 16 years olds should know what a hymen is and that having sex would break it. Especially before they have sex. The thing is, I couldn't really be that annoyed at her because I can't tell you how many of my friends that wouldn't and didn't know about stuff like that if it weren't for me. That's when I realized, I didn't want to smack Tess, I wanted to smack her parents. They are what I like to call "freaky Christians". (I have absolutely nothing against Christians so don't take offense to what I'm about to say) Freaky Christians are, by my definition: The Christians who won't get their kids the medical help they need because they think praying will help them. The people who think "No I won't teach my kid about sex because then they'll know about it and then *GASP* have it"! I can't tell you how many pregnacy scares my friends have had and I was the one to go buy a pregnancy test and take them to the doctor for birth control and so forth because they couldn't talk to their parents, because their parents still thought their kids thought babies came from the stork!
With stuff like sex, drugs, and alcohol ignorance is NOT bliss. And the Freaky Christian parents in the world need to realize that. Anyways back to the book...
I enjoyed it, I really did. One of the more "real" books I've read in awhile. By "real" I mean at some point I thought, "Wow, it's like this could be (Enter someone's name I know)." Sometimes Ben annoyed me, sometimes Zena annoyed me, or when she blew up the poodle, made me downright mad. I mean there are far better uses of fireworks than that, but I think I loved that aspect of the book. Sometimes you get tired of the perfect guys who falls for the perfect girls, or the perfect guys who fall for the normal/average/imperfect girl and vice versa. Sometimes you want to read a book that, like I said, seems more "real". Lost it is definitely that book. I haven't doen this in awhile but I'm going to give it FIVE Stars! Congrats to Kristen Tracy, you're among many great authors.

Review-Bloom by Elizabeth Scott

2008-12-15T23:31:00.000-06:00

"Lauren has a good life: decent grades, great friends, and a boyfriend everyone lusts after. So why is she unhappy?
It takes the arrival of Evan Kirkland for Luaren to figure out the answer: She's been holding back. She's been denying herself a bunch of things because staying with her loyal and gorgeous boyrfriend, Dave, is the "fight" thing to do. After al, who would give up the perfect guy?
But as Dave starts talking more and more about their life together, planning a future Lauren simply can't see herself in-and as Lauren's craving forEvan, and moreover, who she is with Evan becomes all the more feirce-Lauren realizez she needs to makes a choice... beofre one is made for her. "

Lauren's mother left her and her dad when Lauren was six. When Lauren was eight, her dad started getting girlfriends. One after the other they moved in and moved out. He'd cheat on one and by the the time they found out and left he had another primed and ready to moved in. Four in all, the last one was Robin, when Lauren was thirteen, she moved in two days after T'eanna moved out. Lauren was eleven when T'eanna moved in, three days after Sally left. And before Sally was Mary, who her dad met when Lauren was eight. Mary had a son named Evan. It took awhile but Evan and Lauren did become friends. Unfortunately when Mary found out about Sally she took Evan and left, moved to Flordia. Lauren doesn't hear from them again until they move back and Evan is in her World History class. She starts falling for Evan and keeps falling and she has to choose betwen Evan and Dave. The guy who's perfect but you don't really love or the perfect guy for you you're head over heels in love with. Seems simple right, go with love. But she can't do that.
See the thing is, Lauren doesn't want to become her mother. Her mother didn't flal for her father until after she was pregnant but she did fall for him. Her mother was so in love with her father, but she still left. Lauren fears that whatever made her mother leave will make her leave Evan is she chooses him. Being with Dave is safe. They're perfect together, his family loves her and thinks they're perfect together. Dave's best friend, Marcus, is Lauren's best friend, Katie's, boyfriend. She woud be crazy to risk for a relationship that might not work out, right?

Interview- Elizabeth Scott and an apology and short rant

2008-12-07T12:13:00.004-06:00

Okay you guys I know I promised to update and I have some reviews to post but at the moment I'm unable to. See in case you didn't know this is how it works with my life. When one thing goes wrong everything goes wrong. After I had a fight with my best friend, I got sick, my internet doesn't work for about a week, I get sick again, I lose the book I'm supposed to reading so I can review it and I just pretty much got kicked out and many other wonderful things (Sarcasm). I don't know where I'll be so I don't know if I'll have internet access. But I just got this interview back today so I'm going to post it as an apology and I hope I'll be able to figure this out and at least post some reviews. Also, I've entered some contests so if you see my name Book Junkie or Amelia as a winner could you send me an email or comment here or something so I can at least try to claim the prize. Maybe I'll be lucky that day, not likely but you never know. Thanks in advance!

How long ago did you start writing your first novel?

I started writing Bloom in April 2004

What made you come to the decision to become an author?

I got an agent, and sold a book!

How did you get the ideas for your books?

I get ideas from all over the place--things I read, thing I see, things I hear. I've even gotten ideas from dreams!

Are there any characters or places in your novels that were inspired by real people or places?

Some of the places in my books--like Stealing Heaven--are inspired by real places, but most are made up.

I've never based a character on a real person.

Do think you’ll ever write a series?

I've learned to never say never...

Who was your favorite character to write?

I've loved--and hated--writing all my books, and have loved--and hated!--all the people in them.

When you write…
Are you inside or out?

Inside

Are you using pen and paper, typewriter, or computer?

Computer/alphasmart

Is it quiet or are you playing music?

Quiet

What helps you get over writer’s block?

Going out and seeing the world, taking the time to look around and enjoy it. Or planting my butt in a chair and just getting through the hard part. Or parts.

What’s the first book you remember reading?

The J.C. Whitney auto parts catalog. For whatever reason, I was obsessed with it, and was so excited every time it came to the house.

Granted, I was three. But still. My parents tease me about it to this day!

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thanks for wanting to interview me :-)

Once again sorry. Hope to to be back soon. Until then read and enjoy your life while you can.

Peace <3 and Books,
Amelia

In My Mailbox

2008-12-05T12:38:00.002-06:00

Yes I decided to do this, too. The reason I'm doing it though is since you'll know what books I have you can let me know what reviews you'll want.
Every time I get new books I'll let you know and if there are any you want me to review comment and let me know.

Today I got these:
2 copies of Sleepless by Terri Clark (I won a copy in a contest the day after I ordered it lol)
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Undone by Brooke Taylor
Braless in Wonderland by Debbie Reed Fischer
Breaking is Hard to do by Niki Burnham, Terri Clark, Ellen Hopkins and Lynda Sandoval
Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

If you want me to review Love, Stargirl it might be awhile because I want to reread Stargirl before I read that. I haven't read Stargirl since middle school.

Review- Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

2008-12-02T23:59:00.013-06:00

OK here is a brief intro that might help you understand my review a little bit better. Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway is a Dhampir, half-human/half-vampire. Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir is a Moroi, which is a mortal vampire, and she's the Moroi Princess. Moroi must always be protected from the Strigio: the evil vampires, fast, strong, deadly, and immortal. Strigio are Moroi who drank Moroi blood, which turns them into Strigio. Sometimes Strigio will take Moroi and force them drink from other Moroi. Dhampirs train to be Guardians for the Moroi at St. Vladimir's, which is a school for the Moroi and Dhampirs. The school is hidden from humans deep in the woods of Montana and protected from Strigio by magical wards.

We don't know why, but Lissa and Rose ran away from the Academy. No easy feat. They managed to stay away and avoid threats for 2 years before a dozen Guardians find them and take them back to the school. With the help of one of the Guardians, Dimitri Belikov, Rose is able to stay at the school and resume her training. Before and after school, and every free moment she has to train with Belikov so she'll be ready for the senior field experience. How you do on that test decides who a Guardian will be assigned to. If Rose wants Lissa, a Morio Princess, she has to be on her best behavior and train as much as she can to be ready. The headmistress has made sure Rose and Lissa won't have a lot of time together so they won't leave again, which makes Rose's mission to protect Lissa that much harder. Not to mention they aren't sure who was behind the events that made them leave, but whoever it is has started again. And he/she's closer than they think.

I absolutely loved this book. I love vampires (as some of you have noticed by now). I love them even more when an author comes up with a new kind and Richelle has done it. I can't really explain them in detail without it being confusing so go read the book cause Richelle does better that I could. Makes sense, I mean she did create them.

Interview- Shykia Bell, author of Camileon

2008-10-29T12:22:00.007-05:00

Have you always wanted to be an author? If not, what made you come to that decision and how long ago did you start to pursue it?
I’ve always had a love for writing, but I thought I would have a life-long career as a designer or artist. It wasn’t until I left my job as a graphics coordinator did I realize my hidden desire to become an author.

When did you first get the idea for Camileon and what was the inspiration behind it?
The idea for Camileon emerged two days after I submitted my two weeks notice from my job. I decided to write in order to soothe myself. Those writings quickly transformed into the tale of Camileon. It was a therapeutic form of escape and I was finally able to stretch my creativity without any restrictions. I was also inspired by the fact that every paranormal sci-fi film or book I’ve seen usually has a white main character—usually male. I wanted to create something different by presenting a biracial female character—without all the negative stereotypes. However, my biggest inspiration for Camileon is the message that will unfold throughout the series.

How long ago did you first start writing Camileon?
I began writing the story in March of 2007 and it was basically completed late that summer, so it took about five months before intensive editing. After months of rejected submissions to agents I decided to self-publish. Holding the first finished copy of Camileon in my hands was one of the most rewarding moments of my life. I still hope to get signed by a traditional publisher someday, but time will tell.

When can we expect the next book? What can you tell us about it?
Well, at the moment I’m nearing the halfway mark in the second installment of Camileon. I hope to complete it by March 2009. If I meet that deadline, I think there's a strong possibility the second book will be released in July 2009—exactly a year after the first one was published. The plot deepens and becomes even more intense as exciting new characters are brought into the mix. Questions left unanswered in the first novel will be explained, new mysteries will be presented and things will get extremely interesting! There wasn’t much room for romance in the first novel, but that may very well change in the second.

How many books are planned in all?
Camileon is the first novel in a planned trilogy.

Do you have anything in common with Camile?
I’d be lying if I said Camile and I share no common traits. She came into being during a very difficult time in my life. Like Camile, I’ve often felt a disconnection with the rest of the world as I contemplated my life’s purpose. However, I believe I’ve found that purpose through my writing. Based on what I’ve witnessed, I’ve been able to touch more people in the past year than I probably have in my entire lifetime. It’s truly a blessing—one that I don’t take for granted.

Have any authors inspired your writing style?
Though I admire many authors for the creativity they express through their work, I strive to discover my own voice. It might sound a bit unusual, but when I’m creating—whether it’s a novel, poem, painting or drawing—I’m most inspired by music.

What's the first book you remember reading?
Wow, that takes me way back. The Fun with Dick and Jane series comes to mind. I can still See Spot Run. Oh boy, I think I just dated myself. *laughs*

What were some of your favorite books and authors as a kid/teen?
As a teen I absolutely loved a variety of books by authors such as R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike and Stephen King. Other memorable books include Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, Lois Lowry’s The Giver and Shakespeare’s Othello. It’s been years since I’ve read it, but I can still remember how much Iago infuriated me and how tragic the story was. Any work of literature that evokes such a lasting reaction must be something special.

What are some you'd like to recommend?
They’re all great books, but I’d definitely recommend The Giver. I’m planning to revisit that one myself in the near future.

Review- Camileon by Shykia Bell

2008-10-26T21:16:00.006-05:00

Camile Leon has always wanted to know more about her father, Zephyr. One day she's finally had enough of her mother's evasiveness and side-stepping every question Camile has about him and confronts her mother with the intent to learn everything. But when her mother ends up in the hospital, Camile once again loses to chance to learn about him. When Camile goes to her mother's apartment to get some clothes for her hospital stay, she finds a mysterious necklace. The same necklace she's wearing in the only photo she has of her father. At the hospital later that day she meets Akalina, a young woman Camile soon starts to realize she has more in common with than she can imagine. While dealing her mother's unexplainable coma and her newly discovered, mysterious powers, Camile has to learn to be strong and see through the deception that seems to have plagued her life.

This book is very unique. It's such an original idea and it's very well written. But I have to admit what I like most is the last part of the book, starting after chapter 17. It was very action packed with a little drama mixed in. And then after a while I was like "Whoa! This is like Raiders of the Lost Ark". You know the, let's-push-this-
button-in-the-wall-here-while-someone-else-pushes-the-button-over-here-and-
then-this-huge-sword-thing-will-pop-out-and-we-have-to-figure-out-how-to-pass-
it-with-all-the-buttons-still-pushed kind of thing. I mean it's Indiana Jones, if Shykia had just added a light saber or two, maybe even a sith, this would have easily been my favorite-est book ever! (Okay so I'm a geek, a pretty geek I might add but a geek nonetheless. haha)
It isn't a young adult book, but teens could read it. There's cussing and one sex scene, but it was more of a sex dream and it wasn't explicit.
Camileon is not a stand alone book its a series.
All in all an awesome debut novel by Shykia Bell.
Go read the first chapters on Shykia's MySpace and Camileon's website.

Interview- Diana Rodriguez Wallach, author of Amor and Summer Secrets

2008-10-22T18:38:00.004-05:00

So how does it feel? One minute you're a regular person and then next your book is on Amazon.com, you have people telling you how much they loved it. You're getting interview requests. It must be pretty great.

It’s very surreal. I have my first signing coming up at the Barnes & Noble in Wilmington, DE and to promote it, the store actually has posters up with my picture. How strange is that? I walk by and can’t believe that’s me in the window, but at the same time it feels like so long ago that I started writing Amor and Summer Secrets. It’s all very exciting.

Have you always wanted to be an author? If not, how long ago did you decide to try it and what made you come to that decision?

No, I didn’t, which I think puts me in an unusual category. I feel a lot of authors say they wrote their first novels when they were four or five—I’m serious. I, however, took a longer road to find my passion.

While I always enjoyed writing, I initially channeled those skills into journalism. It wasn’t until after I got a degree, had six unpaid internships, and worked for several years as a reporter that I was able to admit that I didn’t enjoy working in journalism. Only I didn’t know what else I “should” be doing, until I had a dream. Literally.

I dreamt that I was a young adult author, and I dreamt the concept for an entire series of books. When I woke up and told my husband, he immediately said, “Don’t you remember that psychic?” I didn’t, until then.

Several years earlier, when he and I had taken a vacation in New England, we stopped in Salem, MA to see the witches’ houses. While there I decided to visit a psychic (when in Rome, right?)

So I sat down and the psychic immediately said, “You’re a writer.” And I was; I was a reporter. I told her this, and she asked what I wrote about. Intentionally trying to be cryptic (I mean, she is a psychic, shouldn’t she already know?), I told her that I wrote about “business.” She swiftly rebuffed that and said, “No. I see you writing books, little books, like children’s books.”

I had never considered writing a book before. But after the dream, and my recollection of that encounter, I figured it was “a sign.” What can I say? I was raised Catholic. So I sat down and started writing my first novel.

Is there anything you have to do before you can write, like listen to music?

I’m not very ritualistic. Sometimes I listen to music while I write and other times I don’t. If anything, I think I concentrate better when it’s silent. So even when I have music on, it’s at a very low decibel. But I can’t have anyone in the house when I’m writing—the last thing I need is an easy excuse for a distraction. Most writers will tell you that when you’re writing, all of the sudden color-coding your underwear drawer seems like a good idea if it allows you to procrastinate.

How do you get over writer's block?

When I’m working on a first draft, I don’t allow myself to stop writing. I write 3,000 words per day regardless of how hard they are to slug out. So I guess I push through any blocks. The few times I really thought one of my stories was “missing something,” I read a few chapters of Stephen King’s On Writing and it helped tremendously. Even though he writes in a completely different genre, just reading about his process helped clarify things in my own mind.

What inspired Amor and Summer Secrets?

The idea behind it developed during a phone conversation with my agent, Jenoyne Adams. She had been working on different young adult projects I had written, and had mentioned seeing a recent increase in interest from editors seeking multi-cultural novels. Up to this point, my books had yet to feature a Latina protagonist. And of course Jenoyne asked the infamous question, “Got any ideas?” I didn’t. But by the end of our conversation, I had pitched the story for what became Amor and Summer Secrets.

My goal was to feature a character with a background similar to my own—a girl who was half Puerto Rican and half Polish, a girl who grew up not speaking Spanish, a girl who didn’t look like the Latina stereotype. Many of the feelings Mariana expresses about her cultural identity are similar to the questions I faced growing up. And though I’ve never spent the summer in Puerto Rico, I have visited a couple of times and those trips were the initial inspiration for the story.

When you first got the idea for the book did you plan for it to be a trilogy?

Actually, when I wrote Amor and Summer Secrets, I expected it to be a stand-alone book. And the novel has changed considerable since its first draft. Initially, Lilly was 17 and the events of her birthday party occurred at a nightclub. But during the submission process, my agent received a request from an editor at Kensington who was looking for a Latina book featuring a Quinceanera.

I looked at my novel and thought about whether it could possibly fit this objective. Ultimately it couldn’t hurt to try, so I spent two weeks revising the manuscript and was shocked when I loved the book so much more afterward. It added an element that I didn’t know was missing. We submitted the revised manuscript to Kate Duffy at Kensington and it sold within days. Then, to my great surprise, Kensington said that they loved it so much they wanted to publish a three-book series to expand on the character.

Whenever I write a book, I always think about would happen next to my characters—much the same way you wonder about old friends. So when the offer came in, I already had a mental outline of what the future held for Mariana and Lilly, and I was thrilled to get the opportunity to write it.

What can you tell us about Amigas and School Scandals?

Amigas and School Scandals picks up right where Amor and Summer Secrets leaves off. Mariana is heading back to Spring Mills and her cousin Lilly is coming with her. You can get a sense of where the story is headed by viewing my Book Trailer:

Aside from what’s on the book jacket and in the trailer, I can say that the novel features some fun frat party scenes at Cornell (there are some goldfish involved, that’s all I’ll say). And Mariana will be celebrating her Sweet 16, which brings about a lot of controversy.

According to the back of Amor and Summer Secrets, you have a Puerto Rican father and Polish mother like Mariana. Are there any of aspects in your life that are same/similar to hers?

While I am not Mariana, I did give her my ethnic background. Come on, how many Polish Puerto Ricans do you know?

But seriously, I wanted to write a multi-cultural novel from the perspective of a girl who didn’t quite identify with either of her parents’ cultures. I feel this is a very American story. It doesn’t matter whether you’re half Polish and half Puerto Rican, or half Thai and half Jamaican, I think a lot people (and a lot of teens) can relate being torn between two very different ethnic groups.

Aside from her ethnic make up, Mariana and I are both from the Philly suburbs (though Mariana’s family has a much nicer house). And both of our father’s were raised in Utuado, Puerto Rico (though my dad’s nothing like Lorenzo Ruiz). We also both have reddish hair and freckles. Again, how many Puerto Ricans do you know with red hair and freckles? We come in all shapes and sizes, folks.

Were any other characters inspired by people you know?

No one character is inspired by any real person in my life, but many of the character have traces of people I know. For example, many of Vince’s antics at Cornell—from Amigas and School Scandals—are based on my husband’s fraternity stories (he’s a Cornell alum). And some of the stories about Mariana’s family in Puerto Rico are based on stories that my dad told me growing up (he gets a kick out of that). But as a whole, all of the characters and all of the plots are fictional.

Who is your favorite character to write?

Vince, because he’s light and silly. It’s always fun to write the comic relief parts of any story, and Vince is perfect for that. Plus, he reminds me of my college days.

What's the first book you remember reading?

When I was in elementary school, I used to read the Berenstain Bears books. I loved them. There was one about strangers and another about the dark that I particularly remember. I used to make my parents buy them for me when the school had book fairs.

What was your favorite book as a teen and now? Favorite author?

My favorite YA author as a teen was Christopher Pike. I loved Remember Me? and Fall into Darkness, and his adult book Sati. I really connected with his work, and I think it’s one of the reasons I was attracted to writing in the genre. Christopher, if you’re reading this, I’d love to meet you sometime.

Currently, I think Stephenie Meyer is my favorite YA author. I’m a huge fan of the Twilight saga. Her character development is amazing and really draws you in.

What are some books you'd recommend to people who like your book(s)?

Well, if you’re asking for my personal taste, I jump around quite a bit. For instance, I just finished reading Ally Carter’s I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You, and now I’m reading Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Seriously.

That said, I can tell you that my publisher says fans of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” might also like my books (very flattering). And other reviewers have suggested Amor and Summer Secrets in the same vein as Cruel Summer by Alyson Noël and Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs.

I want to thank Diana so much for this interview. You can ask my friends, I literally squealed when I saw this in my inbox. Then I got mad cause it didn't want to download but all is well, obviously.

Interview- Lisa McMann, author of Wake

2008-10-20T12:45:00.004-05:00

Lisa McMann's website. I'm going to reread Wake soon and review it. Until then...

1. Have you always wanted to be an author? If not, how long ago did you decide to pursue it and what made you come to that decision?

I first wanted to be a writer in about 4th grade. I tried to get some things published right out of college, but had to give that up to get a real job. I really started to pursue writing again in 2002 and now I write full time.

2. Anything specific you need to do before you can write? Like listen to music?

Nope. Some days it’s hard to click on that Word doc, and that usually means I have more thinking and processing to do before I can continue writing the story. But most days I just sit down and write. I am inspired by music, but I don’t listen to it when I write.

3. Have any authors influenced your writing style?

That’s a really interesting question and I’d say yes, they have, but I write in a variety of styles – it’s just that the only style the public has really seen is the style in WAKE, which is a little different from most YA today. And actually, the style in WAKE was probably most influenced by Markus Zusak. The subject matter is completely different, but the structure of the sentences and paragraphs in The Book Thief really appealed to me, and I think you can see traces of that influence in WAKE – it fit the dream-like subject matter.

4. Do you have to outline or do you just write what comes to you as it comes?

Usually I just write what comes to me. For the first time, in writing book three (GONE) of the WAKE series, I have a one-page outline. So that’s different and a little strange, but luckily my editor rocks and was totally fine with me not giving her a huge, detailed outline – she understands the way I write, so that’s really cool.

5. Who is your favorite character from Wake to write?

Hmm. Well, I really enjoy writing Cabel, and Janie, too, though she’s the most difficult, but the character I have the most fun with is Captain. She’s so tough and quick-witted and stern but kind when she needs to be...I really love writing her.

6. What was the inspiration for Wake?

I had a dream that I was watching what my husband was dreaming about. I thought it was a cool idea so I wrote it down in the middle of the night. In the morning, it still sounded cool, so I started to develop a character in my mind that would have the ability to be in others dreams. And then I complicated it by making it an ability that Janie can’t control. It was a great month of brainstorming.

7. Were any of your characters inspired by real people?

No, they are all fictional, though some of the personalities or quirks about the characters come from people I know.

8. When you first got the idea for Wake did you plan for it to be a series?

Not at all. But when I wrote “The End,” I felt like Janie’s story wasn’t over. I wrote FADE immediately after finishing WAKE, even though I knew it wasn’t wise to write a sequel to a book I hadn’t sold yet.

9. How many books are planned in all?

Three. I think that GONE will be the last book. But in this business, you never know!

10. What’s the name of the series?

Ummm.... *sheepish grin* It doesn’t really have a name. Sometimes I call it the WAKE series but there’s nothing official. That’s probably because at the beginning, we only planned two books.

11. Anything you’d like to say about Fade?

Sure! It comes out Feb 10, 2009. It’s 40 pages longer than WAKE but the same reasonable price, woo hoo! And from early reports, the consensus is that it’s even better than WAKE – so I hope you and your readers check it out and decide for yourselves if that’s true.

There will be a short summary of FADE posted on my (about to be newly updated) website soon so you can see what it’s about – just go to lisamcmann.com and click on “The Books.”

12. What do you do to get rid of writer’s block?

It depends. Sometimes it’s just my procrastination kicking in, and I need to give myself a kick in the pants and get to work. Other times it’s caused by me just not having a clear picture of what I’m supposed to write next, so I spend some time just thinking, maybe sitting outside, taking a long walk by myself, and mulling over the problem. I remember watching a short video clip of an interview with the late author Meindert de Jong, who wrote The Wheel on the School and The House of Sixty Fathers. He was asked this question and he said that whenever he had writer’s block, he went fishing for the day to work out the problem in his head. I think he was wise.

13. What is the first book you remember reading?

Gosh...I remember being read to before I knew how to read. I Am A Bunny was a Little Golden Book that I totally loved. My dad read it to me all the time. But some of the early chapter books I read on my own were the Little House on the Prairie series, Black Beauty, Bambi (not the “made from the Disney movie” version, but the real original unabridged story, which is wonderful), and Little Women. There was a book that my 5th grade teacher read to us, called STAR EYE, which is now out of print, and we never made it to the ending because summer break started. It was a fantastic book and I loved it and have always wanted to read the end. Anybody happen to have a copy? ☺

14. What were you favorite books as teen and now? Favorite authors? Do you have any books you’d like to recommend?

My teens and twenties sort of run together when it comes to books because I started working at a children’s bookstore when I was 17, and I read everything in the YA section even after I had kidlets of my own – I still pretty much read only YA because it’s the best stuff out there, especially for someone with a short attention span like me. I would recommend any of the following.

Then: I loved Robert Cormier’s THE CHOCOLATE WAR and I AM THE CHEESE,
WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams, Cynthia Voigt’s HOMECOMING series, Jean
Craighead George, Katherine Patterson, Lois Lowry, Judy Blume, Madeleine
L’Engle, Chris Crutcher’s early stuff (and I love his recent stuff too!) and GOODNIGHT, MR. TOM by Michelle Magorian.

Recently: Sara Zarr’s STORY OF A GIRL and SWEETHEARTS, Chris Crutcher’s
DEADLINE, Melissa Walker’s VIOLET series, LITTLE BROTHER by Cory
Doctorow, TEACH ME and BREATHE MY NAME by R. A. Nelson, an upcoming book called THE DUST OF 100 DOGS by A.S. King (Feb 2009), and authors Markus
Zusak, Ellen Hopkins, Lisa Schroeder, Elizabeth Scott, Maureen Johnson...so many more.

15. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Yes! WAKE comes out in paperback December 23 and makes a GREAT gift, or a great book to buy with your holiday gift cards. Also, please do check out my website, http://lisamcmann.com, where you can find out about contests (I’ll be having two seriously cool contests in the upcoming months), news, and my touring schedule for FADE. Hope to see you!

Thanks so much for the interview. It was a blast!
Xoxo
Lisa

Interview with Megan Kelley Hall, author of Sisters of Misery

2008-10-14T23:27:00.007-05:00

Haven't read Sisters of Misery? Well after you take your anti-crazy pills go read the prologue and first chapter on Megan's MySpace and you guys better appreciate this interview. It took forever to do because MySpace hates us. That's right. Worried about government conspiracies? Forget them, worry about the MySpace conspiracy, they want to drive us insane by saying they sent the message and then, guess what? (You're right again.) THEY DON'T! After sending the questions or answers 20 times each, that's when they'll actually send it. So I want everyone to delete Tom of your friends list right now. Megan and I already did, now it's your turn.

FYI, if after her answer there is something in parentheses, it's what I'm saying in response to her answers oh and the elevator pitch is her, not mine. I'm not that talented of a writer. On to the interview. Away!

Okay, so here’s my elevator pitch for SISTERS OF MISERY: A Modern Day Witch Hunt is Ignited When “Mean Girls” Meets “Practical Magic”. What happens when a hazing prank goes terribly wrong and a young teenage girl goes missing? The debut suspense novel, SISTERS OF MISERY, brings us inside a small, seaside town near Salem, where Maddie Crane, the teen protagonist investigating her eccentric cousin’s disappearance, ignites the wrath of the Sisters of Misery – a powerful high school clique, whose activities mirror the witch hunts of the seventeenth century. Hawthorne is a town filled with secrets and the supernatural. Stories hidden for decades come to light after Cordelia’s tragic disappearance. Cordelia’s mother, Rebecca, descends into madness while internal struggles amongst Maddie’s family members are all consequences of the supernatural “gifts” that they possess. Maddie Crane must choose between the allure and power of the Sisters of Misery and her loyalty to her beloved cousin and her own family. Fans of Alice Hoffman, Jodi Picoult and Stephenie Meyer will be haunted by this story of three generations of women and their struggles against each other and a town ruled by fear.

How long ago did you get the idea and start writing Sisters of Misery?

A few years. It was originally an adult novel called MISERY ISLAND. I got some interest from agents, but was never offered representation until I turned it to a YA novel. Then there was quite a bit of interest from agents and editors alike.

What was the inspiration behind the story?

I live right next to Salem, Massachusetts and I’ve always wanted to write something that captured the essence of the gothic undertones of growing up in a place that had such a dark history. Plus, I wanted to show how people really haven’t changed all that much—that persecution and ostracism are still alive and well in today’s society.
The book actually grew out of a recent local legend. There’s a stone wall in a neighboring town that supposedly was the site of a car crash not too long ago. Three kids were killed in the car crash and some say that if you shine your headlights on the wall at a certain time of night, you can see their faces in the wall. I’ve never actually seen it, but I decided to build my book around that haunting image.

Do you believe in the paranormal?

I kind of believe in ghosts and aliens. And I do believe that certain people have extrasensory perception. But that's the extent of my supernatural beliefs. And, no matter how many times my husband tries to convince me, I DO NOT believe in Bigfoot.

Are you or anyone you know interested in New Age?

Growing up next to Salem, MA, it's hard not to be interested in New Age things. I've used tarot cards and crystals and herbs for healing properties. But I've never been involved in witchcraft or "wicca". I have had my tarot cards and palm read by a witch, but that's about it.

Is Misery Island based on a real place?

Misery Island is a actually a real island. Actually there are a group of islands off the coast of Salem that are called the Misery Islands. The main one that I used in the story is called Great Misery. The smaller islands are called Cat, Tinker, Bakers and Eagle--to name a few. Hawthorne is a fictional town I created by mixing together a bunch of towns located on Boston's North Shore near Salem.

(I am so going there on my road trip!)

How long did it take for you to get Sisters of Misery published?

It definitely wasn't an overnight success story. My personal path to publication is unique. I started out writing for magazines like Glamour, Elle, American Baby, Boston Magazine, MetroSports and Working Mother (to name a few), but never had a published novel or an agent. At 32, I had a series of strokes that eventually lead to open heart surgery. During that nine hour procedure I “technically” died for 96 minutes-as in, my heart was stopped and all brain activity quieted while they performed the surgery. Even after the surgery (which was only second in severity to a heart transplant) was successful, the doctors couldn’t guarantee what, when or how my brain would recover. I could have easily slipped into a coma, become paralyzed, suffered amnesia-the horrific scenarios were endless. Thankfully, I came back in the same mental state I was in prior to surgery. In my recovery stages, I was extremely limited in what I could and couldn’t do. Since I had a full sternotomy and needed to heal, I wasn’t allowed to lift anything over 5 pounds and my mobility was restricted because of the intense pain. And yet, I remained determined to fulfill my dream of becoming a published author. I used my four month recovery period to work on the manuscript I’d been fiddling around with for years. Within a year, I had an agent at a top NY literary agency and a two-book deal with Kensington Books. My book, SISTERS OF MISERY, is the cornerstone of Kensington’s new YA division.

What can you tell me about The Lost Sister?

There is definitely going to be some payback for some of the terrible things done by the Sisters of Misery. Tarot cards are going to play a role in the same way that rune stones started did in SISTERS. Kate is definitely going to get some of what she deserves!

(Whoo hoo, Death to Kate! Uhh... I mean severe bodily harm to Kate!)

How many books are planned for the series?

Right now, The Lost Sister is the last book in the series. It's really up to my editor, agent, publisher and film agent. I'll let you know as soon as I hear.

(It better not be the last book. Let's all write in begging for more.)

Were any of your characters inspired by people you know?

Everyone wants to know who Kate is! The truth is that there wasn't one Kate. There were many "Kates." I took the meanest parts of the most obnoxious girls I knew growing up and put them together to make one really horrible girl. Even though I never witnessed all of the things that happened in the book, I've either seen or heard about watered down versions of all the bullying that I wrote about. I needed to make it really over the top for the suspense factor.

Do you have a favorite character to write?

My favorite character is, of course, Cordelia. She is caring, brilliant, loyal, outspoken, eccentric, free-spirited, beautiful, independent and mysterious. She's just the coolest. I also can relate to Maddie, because at that age, I found myself trying to go with the flow as opposed to standing up for myself and going against my friends. I tried to avoid controversy as much as possible. But, like many readers, I am frustrated with Maddie's actions and her lack of courage to stand up to Kate and the rest of the Sisters. Yet, she grew up in a world where "fitting in" was expected and encouraged--even by her own mother!! I think that growing up, I fell somewhere in between Cordelia and Maddie. I aspired to be Cordelia, but I think my personality was a little closer to Maddie. Kind of low-key and not very confrontational. Despite the fact that Cordelia was a bit "wild," she's a great example for girls in that she stands up for what she believes in and she refuses to be bullied. There are so many cruel things that girls do to each other. It's important to know that you don't have to go along with peer pressure or bullying and that you will be happier with yourself in the long run (and respected by others) if you stand up for what you believe in.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? What was the first thing you wrote?

Yes, I've always dreamed of being a writer. I think the first thing I ever wrote was a really long poem called The Rainbow Colored Shell. I wrote it in the third or fourth grade and it was about a princess that fell into a crystal lake while she was trying to grab this amazingly beautiful rainbow colored shell. She drowned and was discovered by her true love only after she was transformed into a mermaid and had this beautiful rainbow-colored shell in her hair. I guess I had a tendency to write kind of dark and gothic things even at a young age.

Are there any things you need to do before you can write, like listen to music?

Throughout the whole process of writing SISTERS OF MISERY, I listened to Dido, Sarah McLachlan and Natalie Merchant. Their songs really influenced the tone of the book. Before I sit down to write, I like to escape down to the beach at the bottom of my hill and look for sea glass. It's a great way to clear my mind and I often get some of my best ideas during those walks.

What do you do to get through writer’s block?

I’m not one of those people that can fight through writer’s block and just write to get something onto the page. I let thing percolate in my mind until things come out in an explosion. The only problem is that it could be in the middle of the night when all of the words are trying to get out and I need to let them. I just channel my days of all-nighters that I spent in college finishing term papers the day before they were due. Some things never change.

Do have to make an outline or does it all just come to you as you go?

Sometimes I can outline, but mostly I'm a "fly by the seat of my pants" writer. I figure that if I can surprise myself with the ending, then the reader will definitely be surprised.

(I think her way works. I definitely didn't guess anything right)

What’s the first book you remember reading?

I Packed My Trunk To Go To Squantum. I could recite it verbatim when I was four or five. I don't even think it's in print now.
It went something like:
I packed my trunk to go to Squantum
and in it I packed:
An apple big and red,
A book to take to bed,
A car that goes beep beep
A doll that will sleep...."

I don't remember the rest :)

(I think the only thing I could quote verbatim when I was five was... well dang. Now I can't remember it. Hold on I got it, "Listen to them. The children of the night. What music they make.)

What were your favorite books as a teen and now? Favorite authors?

I’ve always loved suspense novels, especially as a teen. So many YA suspense novelists like Lois Duncan, Christopher Pike and Stephen King inspired my writing. In college, I devoured any short stories with a gothic element. Stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Shirley Jackson, William Faulkner. Today I love Jodi Picoult, Alice Hoffman and Thomas H. Cook, to name just a few.

What are you some books you’d recommend?

The Secret History is my all-time favorite book. If I could only go back and read it again for the first time!!

Would you like it if Sisters of Misery became a movie or would you rather it always be just a book?

I'd love to see Sisters of Misery as a television series or movie. It would work well as a series as a sort of cross between Twin Peaks and Gossip Girls. And it would be great in Hollywood because there are tons of wonderful parts for actresses (couldn't you see Julianne Moore as an amazing Rebecca?). Plus, I'd have to insist that Johnny Depp produce, direct or at least have a special appearance in the production. :)

(Johnny Depp... He could be an extra. Oooh he could play a teacher, Jack Sparrow style. Oh I'm sorry, Captain Jack Sparrow)

Check out Megan's site by clicking this, the "Interview with..." at the top, or go to www.megankelleyhall.com

Review-In the Forests of Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

2008-10-10T10:16:00.007-05:00

Rachel was a girl who lived in Concord, Massachusetts. She was born in 1684 and died in 1701... and she woke up days later. Rachel is dead, gone forever, she is now Risika. She's a vampire.
Risika lives in modern day Concord. Sleeps by day, hunts at night. After she strays into another's territory, she comes home to find a black rose. The same kind of rose she got days before her fate was sealed 3 centuries ago. Risika also soon realizes she's being followed and word gets to her that someone is asking for "Rachel" and Risika has to deal with her past coming back to haunt her.

I love this book. It's the first book in the Den of Shadows series. You can follow any of these book without reading them in order, well I could. I read Demon In My View first, but you'll probably get the whole back story and little references if you read them in order. The story is amazing. Even more so since the author wrote it when she was 13. About 150 pages long, I finished it in an hour, which is awesome. It means you can read more books in one day!

Here's another cover version.

Review- Innocence by Jane Mendelsohn

2008-10-10T10:11:00.003-05:00

So I'm not going to review this book because I couldn't finish it. I'm just going to explain why I didn't finish it. It was written so.. I don't know. Confusing. I mean there weren't any punctuation marks so it took me forever to figure who was saying what. Here's an excerpt:

"Toad, watch my food, man. Keep your mouth shut when you chew.
Oh, Mr. Clean. Excuse me. I didn't think you cared what you ate.
That's right, he eats whatever he can. He's a donkey boy.
You too, Crater.
Get that the f#%@ off my plate.
Now you're making me laugh, man.
Toad, you eat it. You like to eat.
No, he has to save his appetite for the real thing.
Tobey throws a fry from the floor onto the guy's plate.
I'm just speaking the truth.
You're my Zen Master.
Really, what's it like getting so much?
Shut the f#%@ up.
Cut it out with the dirty fries, man. That's been on the floor.
Down, Slave! Lick it up off the floor."

Seriously that's the excerpt. I mean what the hell is that supposed to mean. There's no way to know who's speaking. Is this like Shakespeare? Only some people can easily understand what it means and what's going on without looking at the little decoder.
And then there was one part that mentioned this doctor someone, just out of no where. The doctor had never been mentioned before so I didn't know who it was or what they were talking about. It seems like an interesting story but since I was so confused and I didn't understand it, I wasn't going to put the time in to finish. If you can understand it please explain it to me. This book so many great review I can't help but wonder am I the only one who doesn't get it?

Review-Out of the Dust by Karen Hessee

2008-10-10T10:10:00.008-05:00

I honestly don't know how to review this book. If I try I think I'll be able capture the essence of the book, but I'll try my best anyway.

This is a free verse novel set in Oklahoma, set a little after the Great Depression. It starts in the winter of 1934 and ends December 1935. It's told form the point of view of 14-year-old Billie Jo Kelby. We learn about her mother, who dies in a tragic accident. Her father, who becomes a shell of a man after his wife's death, but mostly we learn Billie Jo and how hard it was to live during this time. Billie Jo nothing more than to get out of Oklahoma, to have another life, a better life.

Karen Hesse is incredibly talented. I give it

I read this book in 5th grade and loved it. I always remembered this book, and not to long ago I decided to re-read it. But then I realized I forgot who wrote it and the title! I was kind of mad cause it was always on the tip of my tongue and I remembered so much about it and could have drawn the cover, but as luck would have it I saw it on my recommendations from Borders and got it that day. I would recommend this book to anyone. Especially if you like books that give you a glimpse of what life was like in another time. I asked my father how close it was to what it was like back then and he said it seemed right. (My dad wasn't alive during this time but born about 5 years after. He only based that on what his parents told him and what he learned in school)

Review-Georgina Kincaid series by Richelle Mead (first 3 books)

2008-10-04T17:55:00.007-05:00

Okay I'm going to try not to spoil anything oh and you should know this series is NOT a young adult series.

Georgina Kincaid is a succubus, and a good one at that. You'd think being able to shape shift your clothes, hairstyle, make-up, and shoes into whatever whenever you want, having guys faint if you look at them, and having a job that requires you to have sex on a regular basis wouldn't be so bad, right? Well, for Georgina it isn’t that simple. She likes to do things to regular way, the human way, and only sleeps with “bad” guys, when she can. The guys that have low morals and scruples, the ones who are already corrupted and are going to hell. She works in a bookstore, which is awesome. Free books and coffee, I’d be in heaven. Her social circle includes an imp named Hugh, vampires, Peter and Cody, an angel named Carter and her demon boss, Jerome, who looks like John Cusack.

What I liked about these books...
The world Richelle Mead has created is so original. It's a new way to look at the good vs. evil game. I loved the characters, the evil ones who aren't completely evil and the good who are completely good... and annoying in my opinion. I love how "evil" is like a corporation in this series. I finished these three books in three days so I obviously would recommend them to anyone who likes paranormal romance books.

Since all the book have the same rating I'll do it here

In Succubus Blues, Georgina is accused of killing an immortal everyone knew Georgina wasn't very fond of. When Georgina starts getting weird notes from the real killer she takes it upon herself to find who is responsible.

This book is a wonderful series beginner. Its very well written and gives you just enough information to understand the "rules" of the series. (like what the supernaturals powers are, what supernaturals exist, etc etc) I'd recommend already having the sequel near you if you like the book by the second half, because you'll been craving more.

In Succubus On Top, her friend and co-worker Doug starts acting weird Georgina has to find out what's causing it and to top it off she has to help her best friend, an incubus named Bastien, seduce a woman known for her incredibly conservative views before Bastien is fired. (Emphasis on fire) But proves to harder than either of the anticipated. Will Georgina figure out what's up with Doug and help Bastien before it's too late?

Bastien was a great add for this book. And I loved the ironic reason for why is wasn't so easy for Bastien to seduce Ms. Conservative.

Succubus Dreams: Georgina starts having weird dreams that leave her waking up with no energy. She has to contact Dante, a dream interpreter with very little soul, to help her figure out what her dreams mean and why they are taking away her energy. Will she find out what or who is responsible before its too late?

I wish I had waited awhile before reading this book. I wanted to read Succubus Heat so bad I went outside and screamed for a whole minute. Yeah I want it that bad. Oh how I wish I could get my hands on an ARC...

Succubus Heat June 2009

Review-Amor and Summer Secrets by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

2008-09-28T18:18:00.013-05:00

Mariana is a 15-year-old girl in Philadelphia. Her father is Puerto Rican and her mother Polish. Mariana's world comes crashing down when she receives the worst news: her parents are sending her to spend the summer in Puerto Rico. Doesn't sound too bad but for Mariana it's the end of th world. She's going to miss her best friend's Sweet Sixteen party to spend the summer with only her brother and some distant relatives she didn't even know she had. To makes matters worse she soon finds out that only one of them speaks English and the only Spanish she knows is from school. But after awhile Mariana soon realizes it's not as bad as she thought it would be when she learns more about her culture and family.

This book was very well written and another new favorite of mine. I'm guessing a lot of teenagers will be able to find themselves identifying with Mariana.
One of the best Debut Novels I've read. I definitely recommend this book. Sometimes Mariana seems a little whiny and well, yeah a tiny bit of a push over, but you see her learn through the book (and I assume in the sequels as well) so its bearable. I'm not a fan of her friends either, but I'm still waiting for her to tell them to shove it and grow up :) Okay a little bit hostile but I used to know people like that and I got tired of it. Her parents mad me mad too. And her brother, he's too much like my brother (and I hate him. Seriously.) Huh, I guess the only characters I liked in this book were Mariana and her Puerto Rican family and friends. Thank god they're in the majority of the book. Anyways I do recommend this book and I give it of my little heart and crossbones thingy.

Interview with Ellen Schreiber

2008-09-28T10:24:00.005-05:00

Ellen Schreiber is the author of Teenage Mermaid and the Vampire Kisses series. Click on the title of this blog to see her site.

1. What's the inspiration behind Teenage Mermaid?

I was sitting with my mom and we were discussing the fact that I loved mermaids when I was growing up. Then I said, “I was a teenage mermaid.” And we both thought it was a fun title. So I began it from that conversation.

2. What made you want to write a series about vampires?

I wanted to write about the idea of the romantic vampire--one who needs another for eternity, without the gore.

3. How long ago did you get the idea and start writing Vampire Kisses?

Around 1999 and I finished it over the summer of that year.

4. Is there anything you can tell me about Royal Blood and Love Bites?

Royal Blood is about Alexander’s parents arriving in Dullsville. I’m still working on Love Bites. :)

5. What can you tell me about the other vampire series you're planning?

It’s about a girl who is a vampire.

6. Where any of your characters based on people you know?

Aunt Libby is a combination of my Aunt Esther and my friend Andrea who is an actress.

7. Are there any rituals you need to do before you can write? Like listen to a certain type of music, be in complete silence, sit outside, etc.

I don’t have any rituals per se. But sometimes I put my laptop on a spider web tablecloth or placemat. It helps get me in the mood.

8. What do you do to get over writer's block?

I don’t usually get it, but if I need some inspiration, I go for a walk, drive, or watch a movie.

9. Do you just start writing when you have an idea or do you make an outline then work around that?

I only use an outline when I have to show one to the publishers. Otherwise, I just sit down and write. But when I do the outline, I write it the same way as my novels--organically.

10. What was your favorite book as a teen and now? Favorite author?

I hate to admit but I rarely read when I was a teen. I always felt forced to read in high school and it turned me off to reading. I did like a Wrinkle in Time, which I read on my own. Of course, my favorite author now is my brother, Mark.

11. Other than your great books, do you have any recommendations?

Sure. Starcrossed by Mark Schreiber. It’s very hip and edgy. :)

Review-Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall

2008-09-26T11:47:00.005-05:00

There are some girls who have everything...

She has the right clothes, the right friends, and the right last name, but fifteen-year-old Maddie Crane sometimes feels like an outsider in her clique in the wealthy, seaside town of Hawthorne, Massachusetts. And when her gorgeous, eccentric cousin Cordelia LeClaire moves to town, Maddie is drawn toward her ethereal, magical spirit and teeters even more toward the edge of her friends' tightly-knit circle...

Then there are the jealous ones...

Kate Endicott and the Sisters of Misery--a secret clique of the most popular, powerful girls in school--are less than thrilled by Cordelia's arrival. When Kate's on-again, off-again boyfriend Trevor takes an interest in Cordelia, the Sisters of Misery become determined to make her pay...

Now Maddie must choose between the allure and power of the Sisters of Misery and her loyalty to her beloved cousin. But she'll have to give up on ever fitting in and accept the disturbing truth about the town, her friends, her mysterious cousin, and even herself as she faces the terrifying wrath of the Sisters of Misery...

I started this book around 11 PM and finished around 1 AM. One of the few books I make a priority over sleep.
What can I say about this book other than I loved it? I could repeat the summary you'll find anywhere, in my own words, but that's not really reviewing. I could talk about the book in detail but I'd give every good thing away. I could say that without a doubt you'll love it, but how am I supposed to know that? I don't know who is reading this, for all I know no one reads this. So can I say you'll absolutely love this book and will impatiently wait for the sequel? No, I can't but I can say that's what happened to me. Isn't that what I'm supposed to do in a review. Say why I like or disliked it, would I recommend it to someone else etc. etc. So I guess I'll do that now...
Yes I loved it and yes I would recommend it.

Sisters of Misery is a wonderful book that I've been waiting for since July and it definitely didn't disappoint. I couldn't put it down. I was talking to my friend the entire I was reading it and she decided she was going to read it just from the reactions I had when I read some shocking, unexpected twist. (there were a lot of those) I mean one minute I though somebody was guilty then I was feeling sorry for them and couldn’t believe I thought that had done it. Then I thought for sure without a doubt this person did it and once again I was wrong. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to be wrong. This book is awesome at keeping you guessing.
One thing I absolutely loved about this book, is even though it’s Young Adult it isn’t a kid book. What I mean is, that it doesn’t just ignore drugs and sex. It doesn’t going to into explicit detail or anything but it doesn’t sugar coat it either. Like I said, I love that. I’m tired of Young Adult books that are advertised as being great for teens and they completely ignore most problems teens go through. I hope you’ll check this book out, you may not like it but it’s definitely worth reading either way.

My interview with the author, Megan Kelley Hall, should be up soon. But there was some mess up and my question never got sent and now I can’t find them anywhere. (You wouldn’t have happened to see a purple notebook lying around anywhere would you? No? Dang… When I find the questions, or come up with more, I’ll post them.)

Review-The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

2008-09-10T19:36:00.010-05:00

15 year old Chloe Saunders was a normal teenager. She went to an art school, made up a crush for her friend's benefit, has designer clothes, was raised by nannies, can see ghosts. Okay maybe not so normal. After an incident at school she is sent to a group home for "troubled teens". She starts to figure out that there is a lot more to Lyle House then she was led to believe. With the help of two other house mates she starts to figure out some of the mystery behind the house. And her gift.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH OMG OMG OMG OMG OH MY GOOOD! What kind of ending..... grrrr. That's all I got to say "AHHHH" oh and Kelley is evil... Ending a book like that what was she thinking?! Maybe she was thinking it was a way to get people craving The Awakening, in which case she's right. Okay I'll admit it was a damn good ending. I just hate cliffhangers. (Just so you know when I say an author is evil for the way they ending a book I mean "the author is smart to end it that way but I want to know what happens! *whines*" or that I hate cliffhangers what I really mean is "OMG I can't wait for more" or something along those lines.... weird I know)
This book was awesome. I couldn't stand it when I had to stop reading to do my school work. The Greeks just weren't holding my attention today.

We meet Chloe, a teenage necromancer, who is diagnosed with schizophrenia and sent to Lyle House. There she meets Liz, Tori, Simon, Derek, and Rae. Like her, they are "troubled teens" with secrets and powers they don't understand. While trying to find out what's really going on at Lyle House and who she can trust, Chloe learns more than she could imagine, and maybe more than she wants to. She finds out ignorance really is bliss but has to ask herself if it's worth it. I wish I could say more but I don't want to spoil it so go pick up a copy!

Kelley Armstrong has done it again with the promising new series. If you have read The Summoning and would like to read the first chapter of The Awakening (book 2) then go here. Click on "My Locker", if you can't figure out the password contact me. Click on the page on the right that says "Darkest Powers book 2 uncorrected proofs" then you'll need another password, to prove you've read the first one, then you can read the first chapter of The Awakening.

Interview with Kelley Armstrong

2008-09-10T11:40:00.004-05:00

I had the pleasure to interview Kelley Armstrong author of the Women of the Otherworld series, Nadia Stattford series, and The Summoning, book 1 of the Darkest Powers trilogy. If you haven't read her book, I'm sorry. If you have and you don't like them then I would suggest medication for insanity. Anyways....

How did you get the ideas for Women of the Otherworld, Nadia Stattford, and Darkest Powers?

For the Otherworld and Darkest Powers, I've been fascinated by the paranormal since I was a child. By now, I have no idea why I'm so attracted to it--I just know that I am, and that I love writing in this genre. What I often read, though, is crime thrillers. So when I thought of starting a different series, that's the direction I went with the Nadia Stafford one.

Who is your favorite character from your books and why?

That's like asking me to pick my favourite child! I love them all for different reasons, and maybe some a little more than others, but there's no clear fave. The one I find easiest to write is Elena because I've spent so much time "in her head."

Were any of your characters based on or inspired by someone you know?

Not really. All my characters include traits from people I know, but they each include traits from many people, so none are based on anyone. And I'm sure my friends and family appreciate that! The closest I have a "character inspired by a real person" is Jaime Vegas. Her personality isn't based on anyone in particular, but I got the idea for her character (particularly her career) from reading an article on a TV spiritualist.

How many books are planned for Women of the Otherworld?

I just signed a contract extension to go to #13 (#9 comes out this fall) I'm at the stage of taking it a few books at a time. When I get close to #13, I'll decide whether I'm still having fun, and if not, that would be the end.

I noticed that the preview for Broken at the end of Haunted is different than the first chapter in the book and was wondering what made you change your mind about the sequence of events in Broken?

Typical "early chapter" edits. The first quarter of my books always undergo the most edits, because they start too slowly, as I work my way into the characters. With that one, as with most of them, the publisher need the first chapter months before Haunted even came out...meaning I'd barely begun Broken. When I edited it, I realized that the book started too slowly, so I had to condense the time-lines. Since then I've insisted on not releasing the first chapters until the book is done!

Is the end to Made to be Broken written as a conclusion in case it is the last?

No. I know that might not be wise. I've got so much on the go right now that I'm pretty sure a third book won't follow right away. But I had an arc for the overall storyline that I couldn't wrap up in two books. So the case she's investigating ends, as it did in Exit Strategy, but Nadia's overall story doesn't.

Would you like it if one or all of your book series were going to be made into movies?

It'd be great publicity. I've learned that, whatever my own feelings on movie/TV versions, I can't underestimate the power of that publicity. The more readers a series gets, the more happy publishers are to let it continue, which is very important!

Did you always want to be an author? If not, did anything specific cause your decision?

I've always written, but I didn't expect to ever become a full-time writer, or even write books that were published. In my very non-artsy family, fiction writing was considered a hobby, not something you did for a living. I knew it wasn't a career I could count on, so I just kept at it in my spare time and after a lot of rejection, finally got published.

What helps you get over writer's block?

For me, "writer's block" is one of two things. First, lack of confidence. If I'm feeling discouraged, it's hard to sit and write because I'm second-guessing everything from the plot to my word choices. Second, lack of direction--not knowing what comes next in the story.
Getting published has definitely helped with the first! When my confidence wanes, I can remind myself that there are people waiting to read the next book. A better way for me to fight that, though, is good old determination--taking whatever made my confidence falter and using it to bolster my determination to make the current book as good as it can be.
For the second problem, outlines are a godsend. So long as I have a basic outline, I always know "what happens next," so I never sit down at the computer and draw a blank.

How many times did it take for you get published?

I can't say, really. You'll find with most authors that they did more than one book and sent out many queries. What I can say is that it took about 6 years of intermittently sending stuff out.

Any advice to aspiring authors?

Practice, practice, practice. Sounds simple, but I know too many new writers who have written very little considering how long they've wanted to write. They're busy learning--not wanting to write too much until they know more about the craft. You need to write, and write a lot. Learning is great--taking courses, reading books--but you'll learn more from them if you do it as you go.

Who was your favorite author as a teen and now? Favorite book?

As a teen it was Stephen King. As an adult, I don't have a favourite, just a wide range of authors that I'll grab if I'm browsing the bookstore for something to read. Favourite book? Watership Down.

Other than your amazing books, what are some you'd recommend?

Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs. They also happen to be among the bestselling authors in this genre, but they got there for a reason. They're good.

And my friend Abby had some questions of her own:

Do you make an outline for you books and write them beginning to end or do the ideas just come to you as you go?

I outline. I didn't used to, but once I got on a publication schedule with deadlines, I couldn't just meander through and back up when I went in the wrong direction. I don't do a detailed outline (it's far more detailed for the first part than the rest) and I don't necessarily stick to my outline, but I always have one.

Did you read up on the paranormal for your Women of the Otherworld series?

I didn't need to. I've been fascinated by the paranormal and reading about it since childhood. I still read new sources I find (well, they're actually old sources, but new to me!) I'm always expanding my knowledge of the lore and finding new and interesting angles.

And lastly she wants to know, and I'm sure many others do as well, where can I find a Clay?

The question is: would you really want to? While he certainly has his appealing points, I know that if I had to live with him, he'd drive me nuts...as he often does to Elena. He works better as a fictional guy than a real one, I'm sure!

Review-The Elite by Jennifer Banash

2008-09-03T14:44:00.009-05:00

It’s the most exclusive luxury apartment building on New York’s Upper East Side. If you don’t live there—you don’t know how to live…

When Casey McCloy steps into The Bramford, she’s overwhelmed by the sophistication and elegance of it all. Fresh from the Midwest, she’s moved to NYC to live with her grandmother and attend the prestigious Meadowlark Academy. Here all that matters is who you know. The designer to know is Zac Posen. The girl to know is Madison Macallister: popular, pretty, platinum-blond. She’s not just Casey’s new classmate and neighbor; she’s an icon. So Casey aims to get in with Madison and her gorgeous gal-pals from the start. As the reigning queen of coolness, Madison is capable of destroying reputations with one well-timed whisper. Better to be on her good side.

But after a city-haute makeover from her new frenemy Madison, Casey is wearing the right clothes, saying the right things, and meeting the right people—including Drew, the boy-about-town who Madison thinks belongs to her and her alone…

It's been said this book is a lot like Gossip Girl, and it is. Except, you know, better. (No offense to the GG fans) This book may be set in New York and about some rich girls but it is different. I loved this book. It switches points of view in different chapters so that every character has their chance to shine, and no character seems more important than the others. Drew might seem like a run-of-the-mill player and Madison may seem like a bitch until you read their points of view.

You may think the first part of the book may be a little slow, but it definitely picks up in the later half. I love how this book makes you realize that even though people may be rich and have the perfect hair and perfect nails and the perfect outfits and seem to have perfect lives, they don't. They have to deal with peer pressure and family problems and boy troubles and secrets they're afraid of people knowing just like everybody else. Having money might make their lives easier and a little more fun but it definitely makes it harder, too.

Check this book out and it's sequel, In Too Deep, coming out in January 2009 and the final installment (unless you guys keep reading, hint hint) Simply Irresistible coming out June of 09. Also check out my interview with the author.

Interview with Jennifer Banash author of The Elite

2008-09-02T00:44:00.007-05:00

Have you always known you wanted to be an author? If not, what made you decided to pursue it?

Yes. I really always knew from the time I was very little that I wanted to be a writer. It's really the only thing I'm even remotely good at!

How long after you started seeking publishers did you get published?

I used to ghostwrite another bestselling YA series, and so when that series came to an end, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to my editor at Penguin, who was really interested in the concept of THE ELITE. The rest, as they say, is history :) I also published an adult novel called HOLlYWOODLAND: AN AMERICAN FAIRY TALE in 2006.

What was your profession before started writing?

I was, and am, a teacher. I taught at the University of Iowa for 7 years as I was getting my Ph.D in English, and I now teach at The Chadwick School in Plaos Verdes, CA. It's weird--I began writing a book about an exclusive private school, and now I teach at one! I guess art really does imitate life . . . or something.

What was the inspiration behind The Elite?

I attended high school on the Upper East Side, and it wasn't all that and a bag of chips by any means. So, in writing THE ELITE I wanted to provide an escapist fantasy of that world, tempered by a touch of realism. In short, I wanted to give my characters REAL problems.

Are any of the characters based on people you know?

Not really . . . Drew shared some characteristics with my current boyfriend, but mainly all the characters come out of the dark, scary recesses of my overcrowded brain.

When you first wrote The Elite did you plan for it to be a trilogy?

Actually I planned for it to be eight book all together, but Berkeley Jam has only bought the first three. So if you like the series, tell your friends, write BJ an email asking for more!

What do you do to get rid of writer's block?

Eat lots of chocolate and cry a lot . . . Watching movies sometimes helps, strangely enough--it gets the focus off of yourself and on to something else. Sometimes that's enough to help you to break through whatever is holding you back.

Have you written any books that have yet to be published?

I'm currently writing a series about identical twins whose family moves them to Romania after their parents buy Dracula's castle! It's called BITTEN.

Who is you favorite author?

Virginia Woolf or Bret Easton Ellis.

What's your favorite book?

I don't play favorites.

What's the first book you remember reading?
GREEN EGGS AND HAM or the ELOISE books. I STILL love them!

I want to thank Ms. Banash for taking time out of her schedule to answer my questions.
The Elite is in stores now. The Elite:In Too Deep comes out Jan 09 and The Elite: Simply Irresistible comes out June 09.
www.theelitebooks.com
http://www.myspace.com/theeliteseries

Midnight Sun cancelled

2008-08-29T17:27:00.003-05:00

According to Stephenie Meyer, Midnight Sun will not be published. As depressing as this is, when you hear, or rather read, her reasons you might understand her decision, or you might still be mad.
The rough draft of Midnight Sun was released illegally and posted on the internet. I wasn't aware of this and when I asked my friends they said they weren't either, but apparently the first 250+ pages were released. This is what Stephenie said on her page,

"As some of you may have heard, my partial draft of Midnight Sun was illegally posted on the Internet and has since been virally distributed without my knowledge or permission or the knowledge or permission of my publisher.

I have a good idea of how the leak happened as there were very few copies of Midnight Sun that left my possession and each was unique. Due to little changes I made to the manuscript at different times, I can tell when each left my possession and to whom it was given. The manuscript that was illegally distributed on the Internet was given to trusted individuals for a good purpose. I have no comment beyond that as I believe that there was no malicious intent with the initial distribution.

I did not want my readers to experience Midnight Sun before it was completed, edited and published. I think it is important for everybody to understand that what happened was a huge violation of my rights as an author, not to mention me as a human being. As the author of the Twilight Saga, I control the copyright and it is up to the owner of the copyright to decide when the books should be made public; this is the same for musicians and filmmakers. Just because someone buys a book or movie or song, or gets a download off the Internet, doesn't mean that they own the right to reproduce and distribute it. Unfortunately, with the Internet, it is easy for people to obtain and share items that do not legally belong to them. No matter how this is done, it is still dishonest. This has been a very upsetting experience for me, but I hope it will at least leave my fans with a better understanding of copyright and the importance of artistic control.

So where does this leave Midnight Sun? My first feeling was that there was no way to continue. Writing isn't like math; in math, two plus two always equals four no matter what your mood is like. With writing, the way you feel changes everything. If I tried to write Midnight Sun now, in my current frame of mind, James would probably win and all the Cullens would die, which wouldn't dovetail too well with the original story. In any case, I feel too sad about what has happened to continue working on Midnight Sun, and so it is on hold indefinitely.

I'd rather my fans not read this version of Midnight Sun. It was only an incomplete draft; the writing is messy and flawed and full of mistakes. But how do I comment on this violation without driving more people to look for the illegal posting? It has taken me a while to decide how and if I could respond. But to end the confusion, I've decided to make the draft available here (at the end of this message on the Midnight Sun page). This way, my readers don't have to feel they have to make a sacrifice to stay honest. I hope this fragment gives you further insight into Edward's head and adds a new dimension to the Twilight story. That's what inspired me to write it in the first place.

I do want to take a moment and thank the wonderful fans who have been so supportive of me over the past three years. I cannot begin to tell you how much each of you means to me. I only hope this note will stop all the confusion and online speculation so that the Twilight universe can once again become the happy escape it used to be. After this incredibly busy year, I am now focusing on spending more time with my family and working on some other writing projects."

Now, there are two sides to this.

My bitchy-selfish-OMG-I can't-believe-she-would-do-this-to-us side says: I'm extremely mad about this. Doesn't Stephenie know that when you are famous and have bestselling material it will get leaked. Your music will be illegally copied and downloaded. Movies and TV shows will be recored in theaters and on television and posted on the internet. Details about your personal life will be in tabloids/newspapers/websites. That's just what happens. I think it's unfair for her to cancel Midnight Sun for that. You can't punish everyone for what a handful (in comparison to the people who didn't read it) of people did. Like I said neither my friends nor anyone else I can think of knew about Midnight Sun being posted on the internet, and because what some people did we won't be able to read it, unless we read the copy Stephenie doesn't want us to read. The last chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows was printed in a newspaper, or newspapers, in London. J.K. Rowling didn't cancel Deathly Hallows. Granted she had already finished it so it wouldn't have affected her writing.

My more understanding side says: Completely understandable. In her position I can't say I wouldn't do the same. She most likely feels worse about this than her fans do. Someone she trusted with the rough draft of Midnight Sun leaked it on the internet. If I trusted someone with an advanced story of a story I wrote and did that I would probably drop the story too, depending on how much was leaked and who leaked etc. etc.

Regardless of how I feel and what I think this is the deal. Chances are Midnight Sun will not be published. If we want to read it we'll have to read the rough draft, which I would have no problem with except for the fact she doesn't want people to read it. We can only hope she picks it up again. Or, at least, some other story that has something to do with Twilight. Maybe short stories, like her extras and outtakes, from other points of views will be posted on her website. Maybe she'll even release a book with all the extra goodies.

Review-I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

2008-08-28T11:43:00.012-05:00

"Girl meet boy.
Girl loses boy.
Girl gets boy back....
.... sort of.
Ava can't see him,
unless she's dreaming.
She can't hear his voice,
except the faint whispers in her mind.
Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here.

Jackson.
The boy Ava thought she'd spend the rest of her life with.
He's back from the dead,
as proof love truly knows no bounds."

This is what's written on the back of I Heart You, You Haunt Me, sound good? Oh you have no idea.

The book follows 15 year-old Ava Bender, starting at Jackson's funeral, though the summer to the day after her 16th birthday. Ava blames herself for the Jackson's death and we follow her through her grief, depression, blame, and the other hundreds of emotions she feels after his death. Written in free verse this book makes the reader feel every thing Ava feels and more. I actually cried when I read the funeral part. (First book to ever do bring me to tears.) Schroeder is a very talented author, who was able to captivate her readers without ever boring them. I recommend this book to anyone who likes... Well, books.

P.S. On Ms. Schroeder's sight I found a list of other in verse novels.
Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown
What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
Rubber Houses by Ellen Yeomans
Home of the Brave by Katherine Aplegate
Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Heartbeat by Sharon Creech
Pieces of Georgia by Jen Bryant

Interview with Lisa Schroeder

2008-08-27T18:23:00.005-05:00

How long ago did you decide to try writing?
I started writing seriously, for publication, about eight years ago. I think I completed my first novel about six years ago, a middle-grade that never sold. I wrote two more middle grade novels after that, and they didn’t sell either. I like to think of those books as my schooling. There is so much to learn about writing a novel. With the first one, it was just proving to myself that I could do it. When you’re starting, writing an entire novel seems so daunting. Heck, even when you’ve done it many times, it can seem daunting - turning that seed of an idea into a full-grown book.

How long did it take before you found your publisher?
My agent started submitting I HEART YOU in November of 2006. We received quite a few rejections, mostly because I think it’s so different. It’s hard to take a chance on something that’s different. Fortunately for me, we had an offer from Simon Pulse the first part of March, 2007, and it was wonderful because my editor really got my book. I think it showed me that we really have to trust the timing of things, and sometimes we may want things to happen more quickly, but the universe usually knows what it’s doing.

How long ago did you start from writing I Heart You, You Haunt Me?
I started writing the book in March, 2006, and had a first draft finished in a month. The story poured out of me. It was awesome. I wish that would happen more often. I spent the next six months polishing it up, and then got an agent in the fall of that same year.

Do you believe in ghosts?
I’m not sure. I think I do believe that our loved ones in the afterlife are closer than we think. And I don’t think they haunt us as much as they just want us to know they are okay, and they love us.

How did you get the ideas for I Heart You, You Haunt Me and Far From You?
For I HEART YOU, I had a dream about a girl whose boyfriend died and loved her so much, he couldn’t leave her behind. I sat down the next morning and started writing. I don’t dream often, and I had been praying for some inspiration for a new book, so I really believe it was a gift, one I’m very thankful for, obviously.
FAR FROM YOU came about as I was thinking about the incredible verse novel, OUT OF THE DUST. The dryness and dustiness in the book is almost like another character, and it got me thinking about the weather and how maybe I could do something with a teenage character having to survive in some harsh elements. Combining snow and angels appealed to me, and so, I was off. Like I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME, it’s a story of love and loss, forgiveness and hope, but in very different ways. And, the main character, Alice, is a singer/songwriter, so the book has a couple of songs I wrote specifically for the book, which was fun!

When you first got the ideas did you plan for them to be in free verse?

Great question. With I HEART YOU, I didn’t plan for it to be in verse, it just came out that way. I wrote a few pages and I was like, what am I doing? Do I know what I’m doing? Do I want to do this totally risky thing and do a paranormal story in VERSE? But at that point, Ava’s voice, and the story, had a mind of its own, and I just had to keep going.
FAR FROM YOU was a little more intentional. I had written a book in between these two that wasn’t in verse, and it wasn’t as well received. I think sometimes as a writer, we have to play to our strengths and do what it is we do best. I do well in being somewhat poetic and trying to describe something in as few words as possible, for whatever reason.

Why choose to write in free verse?
It allows me, and forces me, at different times and in different ways, to get at the heart of the matter. I am very much a wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve kind of person. I feel things very deeply. Writing in verse allows me to express those emotions in a unique and special way, and even thought it’s challenging at times, trying to be poetic while also telling a story, I love it. And it’s much easier to do something when you love it.

Can we expect any more books from you after Far From You?
I sure hope so! I have a middle-grade novel out on submission right now to a handful of editors. And my agent has a proposal and 70 pages for another novel-in-verse. The publishing business is just that – a business, so any time I have a project I love to see made into a book, I have to be prepared that it may not happen.
But I definitely plan to keep writing, no doubt about that! ☺

Do you plan for all the novels your write to be free verse?
No. Not all stories are going to work well in verse. A novel that needs lots of dialogue, for example, isn’t going to work well in verse. It takes the right story to be told in that way, I think. I have an idea for another YA novel that I’ll probably work on after I find out what, if anything, is going to happen with that proposal on my agent’s desk, and it won’t be in verse. It will be in regular old chapters!

Were any characters from your novels based on or inspired by people you know? If so, which ones?
No, not really. I will say that I envisioned Jackson as a young Chris Daughtry, who was on American Idol at the time I was writing I HEART YOU.

Are there any rituals you need to perform before you can write, like listen to a certain band or do you need complete silence? Do you like to write outside or inside, etc.
When I’m in the zone, writing, I pretty much need to have things quiet. I do listen to music to get me in the mood, though, and sometimes play the same song over and over, if it’s a song that makes me feel the way I want my readers to feel. When I was writing FAR FROM YOU, it was all about Lifehouse and Sara McLachlan.

What were you favorite books as a teen? And now?
I read a lot of Judy Blume and V.C. Andrews as a teen, and that’s about it. If only we’d had the kinds of books we have today for teens – wow!
Today, I’m a huge John Green fan – love all his books, including his new one, PAPER TOWNS. I also adore Laurie Halse Anderson, Sarah Dessen, Sara Zarr, Cecil Castelluci, Elizabeth Scott… I could go on and on and ON!

Other than your wonderful books, what are some recommendations?
Some debut books I’ve enjoyed and would encourage you to check out, since I always love to help the debut author when I can. It’s hard being a debut author – I know!
Jennifer Bradbury – SHIFT
Jennifer E. Smith – THE COMEBACK SEASON
Nina Nelson – BRINGING THE BOY HOME
Lisa McMann – WAKE
Liz Gallagher – THE OPPOSITE OF INVISIBLE

Thanks so much for having me here! And thanks to you and others who have read I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME. I appreciate it more than I can say!