The Last Academy by Anne Applegate

Title: The Last Academy
Author: Anne Applegate
Release date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Point
Pages: 320
Source: Netgalley/Publisher
Reading level: MG/YA
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge

What is this prep school preparing them for?

Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam's new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don't seem too concerned. Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam--and readers--stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut novel.

Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

There wasn't much I liked about The Last Academy.  I was looking for something different to read so I thought I'd give this one a shot.  I'm kind of regretting the few hours I wasted reading this one.

The Last Academy is categorized as YA but I would almost put it more in the MG category.  The characters are immature, the writing is bland, and the story is predictable.  Younger readers might not analyze this one as closely as I did and therefore might be able to enjoy it more.  

I'll start with my issues with the characters.  Camden, for instance.  She's whiny, insecure, and completely oblivious to everything going on around her.  Her roommate, Tamara, is the quintessential bitch.  Then there's the pretty girl (whose name I can't remember) who uses her looks to get everything she wants.  Nora and Jessie are the nerdy girls who befriend Cam.  And Mark Elliott, the hot guy with absolutely no substance.  I'm sorry but there just was nothing about these characters that appealed to me.

The story didn't seem all that predictable at first but once I was about halfway through the book I had the whole thing completely figured out.  And I mean, completely.  After that I don't even know why I bothered to keep reading.  If you know anything about mythology you will be able to put the mystery together just like I did.  I lost interest after that.

The reason I gave The Last Academy 3 stars and not less though is that it was a fun read.  It's quick, there are some hilarious quotes, and I didn't completely hate it.  I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times while reading and that was enough to make me enjoy it.  I was hoping for something light and fun, and while it wasn't exactly a light read, it was funny.

Overall, some people have loved The Last Academy, I just wasn't one of them.  If the story sounds appealing to you, give it a shot.  However, I would recommend getting this one from the library.

What others have to say about The Last Academy:

Book Brats' review: "The Last Academy is one of those books that comes out of nowhere and manages to completely take you by surprise."

Read-A-holicZ's review: "This story surprised me in a good way."

The White Unicorn's review: "Even though I have a feeling that this book won't be everyone's cup of tea I can't say enough about it! "

Stacking the Shelves (19)

Stacking The Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews! It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades.

The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal - The cover for this one caught my eye on Netgalley and once I read the synopsis, I couldn't resist requesting it. 

Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn - This book takes place over one night and I love those kinds of stories.  There's also some mystery involved and I'm all for that.

All Our Pretty Songs by Sarah McCarry - So at first, I thought this one was contemporary.  However, it's not.  It seems to be a blend of contemporary and mystical which sounds pretty interesting.  I love the cover!

Plague in the Mirror by Deborah Noyes - Time travel!  That's all.  =)

The Truth About You & Me by Amanda Grace - I have yet to read any of Amanda Grace's books but I've heard great things about them.  This one looks like a fabulous contemporary so I hope to read it soon!

Gold (Bandia #2) by Talia Vance - I requested this one without having read the first book because of the amazing reviews I've read for Silver.  I plan on reading them both back to back very soon.

Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn #2) by Siobahn Vivian & Jenny Han - I really enjoyed Burn for Burn so when I saw Fire with Fire up on Edelweiss I had to request it.

The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise - This one has been getting some great reviews lately so I definitely plan on reading my copy ASAP!

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer - I adore the cover for this book!  It's so cute and summery.  I think I'm going to save this one for a summer day by the pool.  (Which will hopefully be soon!)

Golden by Jessi Kirby - The finished copy of this one is so pretty.  And since this is the third copy that I've gotten, I think I should really read it soon.  

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler - Woo hoo!  New Sarah Ockler book!  After reading Bittersweet and completely loving it, I will read anything Sarah Ockler writes.  This one is on my TBR for this month and I can't wait to get to it!

Parallel by Lauren Miller - Sad thing about this book: UPS completely beat the crap out of it.  The cover is actually broken in two places.  However, I can still read it and after the great reviews it's been getting, I definitely plan to.

Awaken (Abandon #3) by Meg Cabot - Can you say major happy dance?  Because that's what I did when I got this book in the mail.  I did not even know they were making ARCs of this one so I was completely surprised when it showed up.  I can't wait to see how this trilogy ends.

Kindness for Weakness by Shawn Goodman - I have no idea what this book is about.  Oops.  

The Language Inside by Holly Thompson - This book is written in verse.  I don't know much more than that but I'll give it a shot.

Shadowlark (Skylark #2) by Meagan Spooner - I haven't read Skylark yet but I've heard great things about it and plan to read it this summer!

A Wounded Name by Dot Hutchison - Not only does this one have an amazing cover but it's a retelling of Hamlet!

Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair - I was part of the cover reveal for this one and ever since I've been dying to read it.  When I saw it on Edelweiss I just had to download it!

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas - I haven't heard anything about this one yet but it looks really creepy and awesome.  

The Whole Stupid Way We Are by N. Griffin - I don't know anything about this book but it has a pretty cover!

Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts - I love the cover of this book!  Seriously, you guys, it's even better in person.  The story also sounds so amazing.  An asteroid is heading towards earth and there's only a week left to live.  Also, I'm going to assume this one is a standalone.  

Point of Retreat (Slammed #2) by Colleen Hoover - I just read Slammed a few weeks ago and when I saw this one was a "Read Now" title on Netgalley, I just couldn't resist.  I've already read it and my review should be up very soon!

Outcast by Adrienne Kress - I have a cover problem.  I requested this one based on the cover alone.  It's so unique!  I just couldn't resist.  

The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller - I've been hearing so many great things about this book I just had to give it a shot.  Also, it's part of the contemporary challenge so I can't go wrong there!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - I might be the only blogger on the planet who has not read Eleanor & Park but Fangirl sounds a bit more interesting to me so I thought I'd start with it.  

The Year of Shadows by Claire LeGrand - I have heard amazing things about Claire LeGrand's debut novel, The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, so when I saw this one on Edelweiss I went ahead and requested it.  I've really enjoyed the past few middle grade novels I've read so I hope this one continues the streak.

Blackout by Robison Wells - I have a friend who completely adored Robison Wells' other books, Variant and Feedback, and since this is a completely new story from him, I thought I'd give it a shot.  

Twinmaker by Sean Williams - The cover for this one doesn't really do anything for me but the story sure does.  It sounds really fast-paced and awesome.  

 
The Paradox of Vertical Flight by Emil Ostrovski - I haven't heard anything about this book but the story just sounds amazing.  Also, it says it will appeal to fans of John Green, Jay Asher, and Chris Crutcher so I'm definitely reading this one.

No Angel by Helen Keeble - This sounds like such a fun book.  Every now and then I love paranormal books with humor so I'm looking forward to this one.

Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis - I requested this book based on Shanyn over at Chick Loves Lit's review.  If she loved it, I'm pretty sure I will too.

To Be Perfectly Honest by Sonya Sones - I've never read anything by Sonya Sones but I've heard good things about her work.  Also, this one is written in verse so it should be a quick read.

Hideous Love by Stephanie Hemphill - This is the story of Mary Shelley told in verse.  I've read Stephanie Hemphill's previous verse novel, Wicked Girls, and really enjoyed it so I'm hoping I enjoy this one too.

Eat, Brains, Love by Jeff Hart - Romance with zombies.  I'm all over this book.  

Projection by Risa Green - The blurb says that this one is perfect for fans of Dan Brown so I'm excited to read it.

How To Love by Katie Cotugno - I don't know how long I'm going to be able to wait to read this one.  It sounds so freaking amazing!

Across A Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund - This is probably one of my most exciting books for the past month.  I loved For Darkness Shows the Stars so I can't wait to read this companion novel.

Dance of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #2) by Bethany Griffin - This is my other most exciting book of the month.  I adored Masque of the Red Death so I can't wait to see what happens next.

Asylum by Madeleine Roux - This book looks super creepy and awesome!

Horde (Razorland #3) by Ann Aguirre - Woo hoo.  This is the final book in the trilogy and I can't wait to see what happens. 

What books have you gotten recently?  And what books do you think I should read first?

How To Get ARCs & What Not To Do!

Photo stolen from Jenna Does Books!

I know practically every blogger out there has gotten this question.  I also know a lot of bloggers have already answered this question but just in case, here are my two cents regarding ARC requests.

Before I even get to the part about ARC requests, there are some things you should consider before even typing the email.  First, how long have you been blogging?  If you have been blogging for less than 6 months, I would suggest holding off on sending the request.  I know some publishers will send books to newer bloggers but it looks a lot better on you and your blog if you have some experience under your belt first.  Second, what kind of audience do you have?  If your blog has under 100 followers/subscribers, I would suggest reviewing your own books and working on building up your audience.  Truthfully a lot of publishers won't consider you if you even have under 500.  And yes I do say followers but stats also play a big part.  Build up the traffic to your blog and that will help too.  Finally, do you have time to review whatever book/books you are requesting?  Whenever you request a book for review, make sure you are actually going to review it.  ARCs are not cheap and you could be taking one from someone who actually has the time to read and review it.

Okay, now onto the actual review request part.

Some people say I come across as too professional in my review requests (in any email, really) but it's better to be too professional than not professional enough.  Start off by introducing yourself and your blog.  Include a link to your blog (obviously.)  Give background on your blog such as how long you've been running it, how many followers and email subscribers, and how many monthly pageviews you get.  Make sure to include total pageviews and unique pageviews as well.  I've also started to include Twitter followers in my review requests because I do tend to talk a lot about books on Twitter.  It's up to you whether or not you want to include this information.  Last but not least, if you post your reviews anywhere else on the internet such as Amazon, Goodreads, B&N, include that as well.

Next, request your book/books.  Always have a specific book in mind when you send a request.  You can certainly request more than one book but keep it reasonable.  If you want to, include a reason why you want the book.  It's always nice to have a little personality in your email.

Finally, include your mailing address, always!  I have no idea how many review requests publishers get in a day but it can't be a small number.  Don't make the publisher email you back to request your address.  It's a waste of their time.  At first I thought it was kind of presumptuous to send my address but I quickly found out that that's not the case at all.  It's very helpful to the publishers.

Also, don't expect a response always.  There are some publishers who will respond to say something like "the books are on their way" but once again, that's very time consuming and they can't do it with all requests. Just wait a few weeks and see if the book show up in your mailbox.  If not, wait a while, build up your blog a little more and try again.

You should also always follow up your review requests.  If you get the book for review, email the publisher a link to your review once it goes up on your blog.  If you know the specific publicist for the book, email your review to them.  If not, you can just send it to the publicity address.  It just shows that you actually took the time to review the book and you are much more likely to get books from that publisher in the future.

Now, I'm sure you are all wondering where you send your review requests.  I have compiled a list of all publicity emails so check them out!  If there is an email missing, I may just have forgotten that pub so feel free to shoot me an email or comment below and I will look into it.

Random House: rhkidspublicity@randomhouse.com
Penguin: Blogger request form
Harper Collins: Sandee.Roston@harpercollins.com
Little, Brown: publicity@lbyr.com
Macmillan: childrenspublicity@macmillanusa.com
Scholastic: tradepublicity@scholastic.com
Simon & Schuster: List of contacts by imprint
Disney Hyperion: dpw.publicity@disney.com
Abrams (includes Amulet): publicity@abramsbooks.com
Candlewick: publicity@candlewick.com
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: childrens_publicity@hmhpub.com
Soho Teen: publicity@sohopress.com
Sourcebooks: publicity@sourcebooks.com

Also, I want to mention that you should never email an author for a review copy of their book.  They get a very limited number of copies of their books and they aren't meant for review purposes. If you are looking for review books, always email the publishers.

Edit: For further reading about ARCs and publishers, check out these posts!

A One-Stop Book Blogging Publicity Resource
Top Ten Tips for New Book Bloggers

Transparent by Natalie Whipple

Title: Transparent
Author: Natalie Whipple
Release date: May 21, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher
Reading level: YA
Challenge: YA Debut Author

Transparent’s Fiona McClean could be a superhero. She has a mutation that allows her to become invisible. But her father, a Las Vegas crime lord, forces her to use her power for evil. Since she was five, she’s been stealing cars, robbing banks, and spying on people.

Fiona’s had enough, so she escapes to a small town far from her father’s reach. Happiness is hard to find surrounded by a mother she hates, a brother she can’t trust, and a guy at school she can’t stand, but Fiona manages to make some friends. And when her father finally tracks her down, Fiona discovers how far she’ll go to protect everyone she’s come to love.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Transparent, Natalie Whipple's debut novel, had a few flaws but I must say that I still adored it.  It's a fun, fresh story that will have readers hooked from beginning to end.

The world was by far the best thing about Transparent.  It's a lot like our current world except for the fact that people are born with abilities.  The abilities can be mundane things like purple skin or something extraordinary like invisibility.  The ability that you are born with can change everything about your life.  The more powerful abilities (like invisibility) are coveted and lead to high ranking roles in the world.  However, we aren't talking roles like President of the United States, we're talking roles like leader of a mafia.  The best way to describe the world of Transparent is like a mix between X-Men and the Curseworkers series by Holly Black.  It is freaking awesome.

The characters were a good mix.  Fiona was rather shy and quiet (being invisible doesn't exactly lead to lots of friendships) but that was definitely only one side of her.  It took a bit of work to get her to come out of her shell but once she did she was funny, kind, and a bit of smart-ass.  She had a bunch of awesome qualities that will really endear readers to her.  Seth, Bee, and Brady were an odd group of friends but perfect for Fiona.  Bee and Brady were almost too perfect but they were nice to Fiona when no one else was.  Seth, on the other hand, spent most of his time antagonizing Fiona.  They were always at each other's throats and they bantered constantly.  They had some of the most awesome sexual tension.  I loved seeing their relationship grow and change.  The family dynamics were also pretty great.  Fiona's family was far from perfect but they worked through their problems throughout the course of the book.  Bee's family was probably the best though.  All her brothers were crazy and her parents were so obviously in love.  They welcomed Fiona with open arms even though they knew she could bring serious danger to their family.

The story was really the only thing that I had issues with.  Fiona is an invisible girl whose father happens to be the leader of a very powerful mafia.  He takes advantage of Fiona's invisibility and forces her to hurt people. When he tells her to kill someone she finally decides it's time to get out.  She and her mom run far away from her father but they know that they won't be able to hide forever.  I definitely had issues with this part.  Fiona's invisible.  Why can't she hide forever?  Sure, she'd have to leave her mom behind but it seems to me that her mom would be safe if Fiona wasn't with her.  It just seemed to me like Fiona and her mom made it way too easy for her father to find them.

While the story was the only part I had issues with, I still managed to thoroughly enjoy it.  It gripped me from the very first page and by the end, I was on the edge of my seat.  There was so much going on.  Sure some of it was rather predictable but there were definitely some things that shocked me.  I kid you not, by the end of the book I was biting my nails and hoping that everything would work out.  This story will definitely keep readers up late into the night, unable to stop reading.

Overall, Transparent brings something completely new to YA with it's awesome world and crazy story.  It's a fun, quick read that I highly recommend.

What others have to say about Transparent:

Dark Faerie Tales' review: "I really loved this book."

Wild Heart Book Reviews' review: "Although there were parts of the book that I liked—even loved at some point—in the end the negative outweighed the positive, and I ended up pretty disappointed with this."

Sassyreads' review: "Not bad, but not as epic-wonderful as the X men-Godfather combination that this could have been."

Blog Tour: Top Ten List with Susanne Winnacker + Giveaway!

I am super excited to be hosting Susanne Winnacker as part of the Impostor blog tour, hosted by Mod Podge Marketing!  

Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late?

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

Since the book is about a girl who can impersonate other people, I asked Susanne who the top ten people are that she would like to impersonate!

I had to think very hard about this one, but I finally figured out my top ten people to impersonate. This is in no particular order.

1. a child

Maybe a five-year old. For just a day I’d like to experience the joys of being a young child again. Of course I know that with Tessa’s talent only my body would be that of a child, but I wonder if that would be enough to give the world some of its magic back, its wonder.

2. a teen

It would be great research to be back in a teen’s body and spend time among other teens. And it would be wonderful to experience that exciting period of a person’s life again – even if just for a few days.

3. a man

It doesn’t really matter who he is. I just want to see if people react differently toward a man. Maybe I’d make some kind of experiment out of it. Do something in the body of a man and then the same thing in my body, and see if people would react differently. And of course it would be fun to experience life in the body of the opposite sex!

4. a dictator

NOT because I want to be a dictator for a few days, but I’d like to change things. In some countries people don’t know what freedom is or that they aren’t really free. Maybe I’d use my days in the body of a dictator to tell people about the possibilities and choices they have. I probably won’t stay in power for long with that attitude though. The other members of the dictatorial government will probably remove me quickly from my post, but maybe I’d manage to plant an idea of freedom in the heads of the people.

5. Justin Bieber

Yep. And not because I’m a fan. I don’t know a single of his songs, though I’m sure I’ve heard them in the radio without realizing it. But I know he’s super popular among teenage girls and I think it would be interesting to be in the body of a teenage idol for a few days. It would certainly be fun to make girls scream my name simply by smiling at them.

6. Angela Merkel

I live in Germany, so I’d be interested to get a glimpse into the life of our Bundeskanzlerin. What’s really going on behind closed doors? I’m not sure I’ll be happy about what I’ll find out, but it’s going to be a fascinating experience, no doubt.

7. The pope

I’d really like to know what’s going on in the Vatican!

8. Barack Obama

Or whoever’s president at the time. I wouldn’t want to be him for more than a day though. Too much responsibility. But it would certainly be amazing to stroll the corridors in the White House in his stead for a day.

9. Adele

I’d love to have her voice for a day. Of course I’m not a trained singer, so I’m not sure if I could sing like her even if I was in her body, but I’d love to be her for a concert. I love her music.

10. An actress from one of my favorite TV series

Maybe Kaley Cuoco a.k.a. Penny from the Big Bang Theory, or Jennifer Carpenter a.k.a. Debra from Dexter. That way, at least, I’d know what’s going to happen next. I hate waiting for the next season. Though I have to admit that it might get confusing if I pretend to be Kaley Cuoco pretending to be Penny. Hm. I might mess that one up…

About the author:

Susanne Winnacker studied law before she became a full-time writer. She lives with her husband, a dog that looks like a sheep and three bunnies that have destroyed every piece of furniture she's ever owned in Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals. When she isn't writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen, experimenting with new vegan dishes.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

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Oh and don't forget to check out the rest of the tour stops!

Blog Tour: The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos

Title: The Planet Thieves
Author: Dan Krokos
Release date: May 21, 2013
Publisher: Starscape
Pages: 256
Source: Publisher
Reading level: MG

Two weeks ago, thirteen-year-old Mason Stark and seventeen of his fellow cadets from the Academy for Earth Space Command boarded the SS Egypt. The trip was supposed to be a short routine voyage to log their required spacetime for summer quarter.

But routine goes out the airlock when they’re attacked by the Tremist, an alien race who have been at war with humanity for the last sixty years.

With the captain and crew dead, injured, or taken prisoner, Mason and the cadets are all that’s left to warn the ESC. And soon they find out exactly why the Tremist chose this ship to attack: the Egypt is carrying a weapon that could change the war forever.

Now Mason will have to lead the cadets in a daring assault to take back the ship, rescue the survivors, and recover the weapon. Before there isn’t a war left to fight.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dan Krokos' debut young adult novel, False Memory, threw me for a loop and had me reading late into the night.  The Planet Thieves, his debut middle grade novel, was very similar for me.  I'm pleased to say that while middle grade is not always my thing, Dan Krokos' future middle grade novels will definitely be on my TBR!

Dan Krokos' action packed storytelling transfers amazingly well from young adult to middle grade.  The Planet Thieves starts off strong and will have readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.  The Planet Thieves is full of twists and turns and things I never saw coming.  Also, while I know there are other space adventures like The Planet Thieves, the story was new to me and it was a really refreshing read.  It's unique and fun and definitely something different from what's currently out there.

The characters are pretty easy to love from the get go.  Mason is a thirteen-year-old boy so he is a bit immature but I expected that and it didn't bother me all that much.  The other cadets are much the same way.  They are young so they can be a little irritating but with the fate of their world resting solely with them, they're forced to mature a little quicker than most kids.  They all have secrets and they all have flaws and every one of those things is put on display in the battle to save the SS Egypt.  It was a lot more than I expected from The Planet Thieves and I loved that.  

The writing isn't anything super spectacular but my favorite thing about it was that it wasn't dumbed down for younger readers.  This may be a middle grade novel but there is nothing to stop older readers (such as myself) from enjoying it.  Dan Krokos has an easy writing style and it helps hook readers in addition to the awesome story.

Overall, The Planet Thieves is a must read for middle grade fans and also for readers who loved Dan Krokos' young adult book.  Dan Krokos is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine and I look forward to continuing this series!

What others have to say about The Planet Thieves:

Awfully Big Reviews' review: "It’s kinetic and very visual, and any kid who loves science fiction or superheroes is going to adore it."

Books Aplenty, Books Galore's review: "I absolutely recommend this book!"

Finding Wonderland's review: "THIS is the book guaranteed to reach that elusive band of "reluctant readers.""

Series: 

The Planet Thieves (#1)

Other reviews for this author:

False Memory (False Memory #1) by Dan Krokos

About the author:

Dan Krokos is the author of False Memory, a young adult science fiction trilogy, and The Planet Thieves, an upcoming middle grade duology. Dan put himself through college by pumping gas for nine years, and now writes full time. When he isn’t writing, Dan enjoys watching TV, playing MMORPGs, and drinking coffee.