I do accept books (only young adult) to be reviewed from big/small publishers or from any authors. I do not accept E-books. I also love to do interviews, giveaways, guest posts, or participate in blog tours. Do not hesitate to email me at katieb206@gmail.com
Rating System!
A: Amazing! Go buy it because it is totally worth it. B: Pretty good book. Some flaws but definitely give it a shot. C: Okay but not a book for me. Maybe check it out from your library before buying it. D: Really bad. Maybe check it out from your library but don't waste your money. F: Horrible. Don't even bother reading it.
Done: Investigate the French Quarter Done: Buy new hammer Done: Stop worrying that hard hat is going to ruin my hair Done: Stop thinking about ex-boyfriend. No guys this summer! Done: Find some cool jazz clubs to visit later Done: Get psychic readings with Jenna and Amber Still working on: Get Jenna and Amber to stop talking about psychic readings, the cute guy the psychic said I would meet, and the cute guy I just met. No guys this summer!!! Still working on: Throw self into work. Stop thinking about the cute guy!
*****
Dawn is ready to start over in a new place, at least for the summer. And she has the perfect plan to help others start over too. She and her two best friends plan to help rebuild houses for people who have lost theirs due to hurricane damage. Her plan never included going to a pyschic that seems to be predicting everything a little too perfectly.
One thing that isn't in Dawn's image of the perfect summer is a new guy. She is still hurt over what happened with her ex-boyfriend and she knows that if she lets herself feel for somebody again, she could get hurt again. Brady definitely wasn't in her picture perfect summer but he seems to be showing up all over the place. She can't seem to get rid of him. It seems to be a good thing for her summer but not for her heart?
Will things between Dawn and Brady ever work out or is he hiding something too? Will Dawn ever get closure with her ex so she can finally move on?
I love cute little romances. Simon and Schuster has their own romantic comedy series and so does HarperTeen. They are just the perfect easy summer reads when you are lounging by the pool or stuck inside on a rainy day. The only bad thing I can think of is how predictable they are but sometimes predictability is just what you need.
Labor of Love is one of my favorites out of this genre. It was cute but not too cute. There was more going on with the story than just Brady and Dawn's romance. I really liked the whole rebuilding houses part too. Dawn was just so into it and it's such a great thing for teens to do over their summer. Sadly, I have never been able to participate in something like that but I would love to. I also loved how Dawn really wanted to help make the new house seem like a home to the little girls that were moving back into it.
Overall, Labor of Love was just such a cute book. Rachel Hawthorne included the perfect mix of romance, comedy, and an underlying message of hope. If you are just bored and want something that you can just sit down and read, it is the perfect book. I definitely plan on buying more books by Rachel Hawthorne and in HarperTeen's romance series.
Similar books: Thrill Ride by Rachel Hawthorne Island Girls (And Boys) by Rachel Hawthorne
Summary: In picture-perfect Rosewood, Pennsylvania, ash-blond highlights gleam in the winter sun and frozen lakes sparkle like Swarovski crystals. But pictures often lie— and so do Rosewood's four prettiest girls. Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily have been lying ever since they became friends with beautiful Alison DiLaurentis. Ali made them do terrible things—things they had to keep secret for years. And even though Ali was killed at the end of seventh grade, their bad-girl ways didn't die with her.
Hanna's on a mission to corrupt Rosewood's youth, starting with a very attractive sophomore. Aria's snooping into her boyfriend's past. Spencer's stealing— from her family. And pure little Emily's abstaining from abstinence. The girls should be careful, though. They thought they were safe when Ali's killer was arrested and A's true identity was finally revealed. But now there's a new A in town turning up the heat. And this time Rosewood is going to burn.
*****
SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t read the first 5 books of the Pretty Little Liars series do not read any further.
Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily thought things would get better when A was killed. They were wrong. The original A might be gone but now there is someone new who knows there secrets and they want something in return for their silence.
Hanna has a new mission now. Her only goal now that she doesn’t have Lucas is to get back at Kate for stealing her father’s affection and her friends. It seems like the perfect way to do that is to get steal the guy that Kate wants right from under her nose but in the end, who is playing who?
Aria can’t stand being in the same house as Xavier, her mom’s new boyfriend, so she decides to move into her father’s new house. Her goal isn’t to hurt her mom but she doesn’t know how else to fix what happened. She knows if she tells her mom it will ruin their relationship for good but could moving closer to the woods where Ian disappeared be a dangerous mistake?
Spencer thought her life was only going to get better since she found out she was adopted and at first things seem great. She gets a message from a young woman who lives in New York saying that she is her mom. When she meets her, her life seems to be looking up. She is this hip young woman who looks exactly like Spencer. Now all Spencer wants to do is move to the city to be closer to her but is she moving too fast without really looking at what’s in front of her?
Emily finally has everything great in her life. She is dating the perfect guy and she is almost ready to tell her family about him. Things are great in their relationship and they only get better once they take the relationship to the next level. Well things seem to get better between them but not between Emily and his mom. Emily knows she knows what they did but how can she convince Isaac that she isn’t just imagining the hostility coming from his mom and could she ruin their relationship in the process?
WOW. This book was such a shocker from the last one. It was definitely better than some of the earlier ones in the series because it had so much more mystery and things going on. Sometimes it seems like there is too much going on but not this time. It was just so suspenseful and kept me guessing till the very end. And I have to say that the end was a major surprise for me.
The Pretty Little Liars books have been some of my favorites from the very beginning. They were just so different than anything I have read before and I love finding books like that. These were also some of the first books that I got my friends to read and they all loved them too.
The story in the Pretty Little Liars series seems like it would be horrible because the girls are all so superficial but it’s not like that at all. The girls all seem to grow throughout each book and they learn things about each other and themselves from everything A does to them. The whole story just seems to grow deeper and more involved with each new book and I can’t wait for the seventh.
The Pretty Little Liars series is a little longer seeing as there are already six books but they are worth it. If you haven’t read them yet I strongly urge you to pick up a copy of the first book. You will probably be just as hooked as I am.
Similar book: Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder
So, I just finished reading Shiver yesterday and it was probably one of the best books I have read in a while. I absolutely loved Grace and Sam and the ending left me so eager for the next book. Right now there isn't really any information out about Linger but I felt that I should mention how much I can't wait for it.
Oh and if you haven't read Shiver yet I totally recommend going out to your nearest bookstore and buying it. It isn't supposed to be released until this Friday but I have heard that it's already on shelves at some stores, so check it out and look forward to the next book sometime next fall.
* Grab your current read. * Let the book fall to a random page. * Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. * Share the title of the book that you're getting your teaser from... That way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given! * Please avoid spoilers!
From page 1 of Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley: Steve Mccaffity just undressed me with his eyes. Okay maybe I'm still clothed, but we definitely made eye contact. Well actually, he might have only glanced at the tiny chocolate stain on my V-neck--so it was noticeable.
As you can see I only just started Lipstick Apology. I just finished Shiver and I wanted something a little different after that one. Oh and I just want to say that Shiver is amazing and if you haven't read it get to the nearest bookstore and buy it but more on that in my review.
As for Lipstick Apology it sounds amazing and I have read some great reviews about it. It is set to be released on August 6 but I believe that some stores already have it on the shelves. It has a great cover, summary, and first line. Hopefully the rest will be just as good.
Book: Blue Moon (Immortal's Book 2) by Alyson Noel
Rating: 5 Stars
Release date: July 7, 2009 from St. Martin's Griffin
Summary: Eager to learn everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, Ever turns to her beloved Damen to show her the way. But just as her powers are increasing, Damen’s are waning. In an attempt to save him, Ever travels to the magical dimension of Summerland, where she learns the secrets of Damen’s tortured past; a past which he has always kept hidden from her. But in her quest to cure Damen, Ever discovers an ancient text that details the workings of time. Now Ever must chose between turning back the past and saving her family from the accident that claimed their lives—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows sicker every day...
*****
SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't read Evermore by Alyson Noel do not read any further!!!
Ever's life has changed so much since Damen entered it. She now knows that it wasn't her fault that her family was killed and she can live her life so much better now. Now she has her two friends and the perfect boyfriend. What more could she want?
Well she might want the new kid, Roman, to stop trying to ruin it. Everyone seems to love Roman but Ever knows there is just something not right about him. Why can't anyone else see it, especially Damen?
When Damen disappears one night Ever knows something is terribly wrong. She spends the whole weekend scouring the city for him and he just shows up back at school on Monday like nothing happened. Oh and he has no recollection of their relationship.
What has Roman done to all the people that Ever holds dear? Can she find the cure in Summerland or will she be drawn to something else, something that can take her back to before her family was killed, to before she even knew Damen existed? Which will end up meaning more to Ever, her family or her one true love?
Evermore was a great book but it didn't leave me breathless like Blue Moon did. This book had me on the edge of my seat wondering what Ever would choose to do. It was just such an amazing follow-up novel and the ending just left me wanting more.
Alyson Noel has created an awesome new series that definitely deserves all the hype it is getting. I saw the first book on tons of blogs but I was skeptical about it at first. It seemed like another Twilight knockoff all about forbidden romance and new kids in town. I just wasn't sure I wanted more of that. I was so wrong. Evermore and Blue Moon are so much better than that but I do think fans of Twilight will love Damen and Ever.
The plot of this book was definitely different than anything I had expected but it was a pageturner. I just couldn't stand not knowing what was going to happen to Damen and Ever in the end. Roman was my least favorite character but that was to be expected, he's the bad guy. Also, he is just kind of creepy.
Another thing I really liked about Blue Moon was the development of Ever. She seems to be changing the way she looks at life and the people around her. She develops deeper friendships with Miles and Haven and her relationship with Damen grows into something great. Also, she seems to be giving her aunt a little more slack and opening up to her more.
Overall, Blue Moon was just great. The Immortals series is one of my new favorites and I can't wait for more. The end left me speechless and wanting 2010 to be here just so I know how Damen and Ever can work around the next obstacle in their relationship.
Similar books: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Maria V Snyder is the author of multiple books including the Study trilogy and Storm Glass, the beginning to her newest trilogy. The second book, Sea Glass, is set to release on September 1 of this year.
KBB: When did you decide that you wanted to be a writer?
MVS: My first job after college was as a Meteorologist for an environmental consulting firm. The amount of work came in waves, and we were either extremely busy or very bored. During the slow times, I started writing a short story. Ideas were always floating around in my mind, but that was when I began using them and writing stories. I submitted my first short story for critique at a writing conference in Philadelphia, and when the workshop leader gave me 7 out of 10, I thought that was pretty good for a first effort and decided to stick with writing for a while. After my son was born and I only had about one hour a day to myself, I had to decide what was important enough to spend that precious time on. Most days writing won.
KBB: Is there any one person who influenced your decision to become a writer?
MVS: My husband has always been very supportive, even when we were dating. Before I was published, if I needed to go to writer's conference or a special class, he never said no and he happily took care of the kids while I pursued this new career. And he is still wonderful. Right now I'm in Pittsburgh, teaching writing classes at Seton Hill University and he's home taking care of the kids. If it wasn't for his support, I wouldn't BE a writer.
KBB: Were you a big writer or reader growing up? What about now? Do you prefer writing your own books or reading someone else's?
MVS: I was a big reader growing up, but I hated to write in school. I remember my older sister reading to me and I was annoyed that she could read and I couldn't! Soon after, I was reading and I started with mysteries because that is what my mother enjoyed. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were my favorites before I graduated to Agatha Christie, Dick Francis, Robert B. Parker, Barbara Vine, and Ed McBain.
I still love to read and do enjoy other author's books. Currently my favorite authors all have humor in their books. Since my life is so stress-filled and complicated, I’ve been enjoying light and fluffy reading with Mary Janice Davidson’s vampire series and her new mermaid series, Connie Willis is another favorite of mine, and I’ve recently discover the mystery/suspense thrillers of Harlan Coben. I also enjoy the writing process - you need both to be a good writer.
KBB: Did you enjoy writing any of your books more than others?
MVS: I must admit I had a blast writing my new YA novel, INSIDE OUT. It's coming out April 2010 and I didn't write it any differently than my Study or Glass books because it's for a YA audience, but it's a new world with a great character and I had fun with it.
KBB: Do any of the characters from the Study trilogy reappear in the Glass trilogy?
MVS: Yes, many of them do. Yelena, Leif, Irys, Bain, Valek, Ari and Janco all appear in the Glass books.
KBB: Where did you get the ideas for the Glass books?
MVS: To tell the truth, after writing Fire Study, I wanted to write a different book - one not in the Study world. My editor suggested I write another Study book to keep up the momentum. She mentioned Opal as a potential character.
I liked Opal and she surprised me by how valuable she became in Fire Study, but I couldn't think of a story idea with her. I was explaining this to my editor and was literally in mid-sentence when the idea for Storm Glass popped into my mind. At first we were going to title the book Glass Study or Crystal Study, but I wanted a new title since I had a new main protagonist.
KBB: Do you have a favorite character from them?
MVS: I should be diplomatic and say they're all my favorites ;> But I must admit Valek.
KBB: Can you tell us anything about the third book in the series?
MVS: It's still untitled at the moment, but in this book Opal has to find her place in the world and be content. So much has changed for her over a short time, and she needs to adjust to her new circumstances (I can't tell you what they are as it will give away some things in SEA GLASS). I'm working on it now and just getting into it. The book will be out in September 2010.
KBB: Thanks so much, Maria! I can't wait to read the whole Glass series and your new one coming out next year. They sound amazing. Readers here is your chance to win a copy of Sea Glass before it is out in stores.
+1 comment about interview
+1 become a follower
+2 already a follower
+3 link on your blog (sidebar is fine)
+4 comment on review of Poison Study or Magic Study
The contest will run until August 15 so get entering!
So, as most of you guys know, I just moved. What most of you don’t know is that I still haven’t unpacked all my books. That is because I have absolutely nowhere to put them. Sadly, my last bookshelf did not make the move with us. It broke down under the considerable weight of the books on it and I had to send it to bookshelf heaven. =]
Lucky for me, CSN Office Furniture was so kind as to offer me a brand new bookshelf for review. Their website is amazing. If I didn’t have a budget, I would go crazy. They have so many amazing bookshelves and anything else you could possibly want for your office. Also, there site was just so easy to navigate. I am not the most tech savvy person so it was handy how everything was very straightforward and easy to locate exactly what I was looking for.
Now if I wasn’t on a budget I have to say I would order this lovely bookshelf. Well, I don’t even know if you can call this a bookshelf. It’s more like a library. Also, I don’t even think that would fit in my room. We would probably have to buy a bigger house just so I could have a room for books. But then again, I guess that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Now, if you are like me with limited space and a budget, that isn’t probably your best option. Something like this would be nicer. Personally, this is one of my favorites just because it is so simple. I don’t know if it is the one I will choose but it’s really pretty and would fit almost anywhere.
Like I said, CSN Office Furniture is an amazing site and I plan on using it a ton in the future. Also, I think I might just find me a nice new office chair next from their other site. They have a whole site just for office chairs and I don’t believe I have ever actually owned a chair for my desk. I usually just steal one from the other room. How sad is that? Maybe I should remedy that soon.
Once again, if you haven’t checked out CSN Office Furniture or CSN Chairs definitely get on that. I’m pretty sure everybody could find something that they would want to own. Oh and check back later to see which bookshelf I chose and lovely pictures of my books unpacked, finally.
First off, thanks to all my followers who entered my contests and all my new followers who entered. I had a ton of entries for both contests. Now for the winners!
Winner of the three book hundred follower contest is:
Winner of Becoming Chloe by Catherine Ryan Hyde is: Krista
Congratulations! I have emailed the winners and they have 48 hours to get back to me. If not, I will pick new ones. Thanks again for entering and check back tomorrow for an interview with Maria V Snyder and a chance to win her new book Sea Glass!
In my mailbox was started by The Story Siren and is a list of what you received in books over the past week either through the mail, library, or a bookstore.
The received:
Release date: June 9, 2009 from Hyperion
Summary: Sixteen-year old Miranda has no idea how much her life is going to change upon hearing the news of her father's death. Left with little dowry to offer, Miranda faces a broken engagement, and is sent to live with her father's cousin, the Count John Hardwood, and his wife whose primary goal is to take her to Court and marry her off to the insufferable Lord Seagrave for their own profit. At Queen Elizabeth's court, Miranda soon learns that a large part of her survival will depend on her knowing who to trust. All the maidens at Court dream of being one of the Queen's ladies in waiting. When Miranda distinguishes herself from the rest with her exquisite sewing and embroidery skills, she gets the attention of the Queen, much to the anger and jealousy of the courtiers, ladies in waiting, and even a trusted "friend." As Miranda begins to win the Queen's favor, she is given the ultimate test-to recreate Elizabeth's mother's (Ann Boleyn) coronation gown. Miranda knows this is her opportunity to escape the shackles of convention and get out of a marriage to Lord Seagrave and instead establish an independent life at Court as the Queen's seamstress. But how will she reunite with Henry Raleigh, the man to whom she was once promised, and has always loved?
Release date: August 18, 2009 from Walker Books
Summary: When Katie Kitrell is shipped off to boarding school by her distant father and overbearing mother, it doesn’t take her long to become part of the It Crowd. She’s smart, she’s cute, and she’s an Olympic-bound swimmer who has a first class ticket to any Ivy League school of her choice. But what her new friends, roommate, and boyfriend don’t know is that Katie is swimming away from her past, and from her schizophrenic older brother, Will, who won’t let her go. And when he does the unthinkable, it’s all Katie can do to keep her head above water.
Release date: October 6, 2009 from Dancing Lemur Press
Summary: A prisoner of guilt for so long…
Mike Taylor is the epitome of stability. His family is proud of his academic and athletic achievements at Georgia Tech, and despite the temptations of college life, he has maintained his moral standards.
Yet beneath the peaceful surface, Mike is consumed with guilt, fearing condemnation and rejection. A former girlfriend’s abortion and the intense love he feels for his roommate’s wife constantly remind Mike of his failures. Unable to forget and full of shame, he refuses to forgive himself.
When Danielle enters his life, he realizes he can no longer hide the past. Will she be able to reach him or is Mike past the point of redemption?
Release date: April 27, 2009 from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Summary: Vanna Reynolds was popular and happy back in Plano, Texas, but now she lives with her mother in a tiny apartment in San Antonio. How can she start her freshman year as a complete nobody? Fatima Garcia does well in school and helps out with her family’s construction business, but is worried about her weight. So she’s thrilled when a junior starts paying attention to her – but is he really interested in Fatima? Olivia Silverstein tries to make life easier for her mother. Ever since her father died two years ago, she’s been the perfect daughter. When will she get to have her own life? When Vanna, Fatima, and Olivia meet at band practice in August, they quickly become best friends. Together, they are ready to tackle the matters of the heart that await them, deep in the heart of high school.
Release date: September 29, 2009 from Walker Books
Summary: As if trying to fit in at a new school isn't stressful enough, sixteen-year-old Nikki Donovan just found out that her long-lost father is, in fact, the demon king of the Shadowlands—the world that separates and protects us from the Underworld. When she is brought there by the mysterious—and surprisingly cute—messenger Michael, she learns that her father is dying, and he wants her to assume the throne. To complicate matters, a war is brewing between the Shadowlands and the Underworld, her half-demon qualities are manifesting, and her gowing feelings for Michael are completely forbidden. Ruling a kingdom, navigating a secret crush, and still making it home by curfew—what's a teenage demon princess to do?
Release date: September 1, 2009 from Hyperion
Summary: Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she would have to make sacrifices to be in the Knights Templar. Sacrifices like losing her mother to theTemplar's ongoing battle against the Unholy; sacrifices like trading her childhood in for relentless training; sacrifices that keep her completely isolated from the world of a normal teen girl.
Billi's lone wolf status is challenged when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from his psychic training in Jerusalem. Kay manages to stir things up quickly - he's gorgeous, arrogant, and wants slide right back into his old place in Billi's life. Billi is skeptical, but interested, until she meets Michael - an ethereally handsome guy who seems to understand her like no one before him, and effortlessly stakes a claim in her heart.
Just as Billi's starting to enjoy this pleasant new twist to her life, Kay ruins everything. In a moment of bravado, Kay uses the last of the Templar's treasures, King Solomon's cursed mirror, and drawing the attention of one of the most dangerous of the Templars' enemies-The Angel of Death.
Only with the mirror can the dark angel unleash his full powers, and now that he's heard the call of the mirror, he'll stop at nothing to get it. To save London from catastrophe, Billi will have to make sacrifices greater than she'd ever imagined.
Release date: September 29, 2009 from HarperTeen
Summary: Getting into Yale has been Kate Larson’s dream for years—and being overworked and under-rested is the price of admission. But when she opens her eyes after falling asleep on her keyboard one night, she comes face-to-face with, well, herself.
Meet Kate’s computer-generated twin. Kate doesn’t know why she’s here or how to put her back where she belongs, but she’s real. And she’s the last thing Kate has time to deal with right now. Unless. . .could having a double be the answer to Kate’s prayers?
Release date: September 2, 2008 from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Summary: 5:30 a.m., Brianna Pelletier gets ready for her daily pounding. As she lies on the couch, her dad beats her chest, then her back, coaxing the mucus out of her lungs. The pounding doesn’t take care of everything. Brianna’s held out for a long time, but a body with cystic fibrosis doesn’t last forever. It doesn’t matter that Brianna has a brilliant mathematical mind or that she’s a shoo-in for MIT. Or even that her two best friends are beautiful, popular, and loyal. In the grand scheme of things, none of that stuff matters at all. The standard life, lasting maybe seventy-five years, is no more than a speck in the sum total of the universe. At eighteen, and doubting she’ll make nineteen, Brianna is practically a nonentity. Of course she’s done the math. But in her senior year of high school, Brianna learns of another kind of math, in which an infinitely small, near-zero quantity can have profound effects on an entire system. If these tiny quantities didn’t exist, things wouldn’t make the same sense.
Release date: September 1, 2009 from HarperTeen
Summary: True tales of love, loss, good friends, and bad hair days filled Not Quite What I Was Planning, the New York Times bestselling first book in the Six-Word Memoir series—an international phenomenon. Some of the very best were by teens, so the editors decided to create a book written entirely by those bold, brash truth-tellers. From cancer to creativity, prom dates to promiscuity, and breaking hearts to breaking laws, the memoirs in this collection reveal that often the youngest writers have the most fascinating stories to tell.
Release date: October 13, 2009 from Bloomsbury
Summary: In alternating chapters, ambitious Lady Macbeth strives to bear a son and win the throne of Scotland for her husband, and their daughter Albia, banished due to a deformity, tries to deny her supernatural abilities as she is raised in the woods by three weird sisters, in this tale based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
Release date: September 29, 2009 from Bloomsbury
Summary: Micah is different. She has always been a loner and freely admits to being a liar, but when her secret boyfriend dies mysteriously, her whole life comes under scrutiny. Now she plans to tell you the truth, the whole truth......or so she says.
Release date: September 1, 2009 from HarperTeen
Summary: Shelby’s summer plans go totally awry when her horrible stepmother sends her off to “brat camp” as punishment for one too many broken curfews. Camp is full of spoiled rich kids, obnoxious counselors wanting Shelby to talk about her feelings, and a totally inhumane “no cell phones” policy.
Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there’s more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby’s help guarding it. Shelby knows that bad boys get her into trouble…but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one?
Release date: August 11, 2009 from Hyperion
Summary: Patient Name: Leigh Nolan
Age: 18 years
Presenting Concerns:
Leigh Nolan has just started her first year at Stiles College. She has decided to major in psychology (even though her parents would rather she study Tarot cards than Rorschach blots), despite reporting that she thinks, "Psychology is a load of crap."
Patient has always been very good at helping her friends with their problems, but when it comes to solving her own...not so much.
Patient has a tendency to overanalyze things, particularly when the opposite sex is involved. Like why doesn't Andrew, her boyfriend of over a year, ever invite her to spend the night? Or why can't she commit to taking the next step in their relationship? And why does his roommate Nathan dislike her so much? More importantly, why did Nathan have a starring role in a much-more-than-friendly dream?
Aggravating factors include hyper-competitive fellow psych majors, a professor who's badly in need of her own psychoanalysis, and mentoring a middle-school-aged girl who thinks Patient is, in a word, nave.
Preliminary treatment will include Introduction to Psychology, but may require more if she's going to answer these questions and make it through her freshman year.
Diagnosis:
Psych Major Syndrome
Release date: August 11, 2009 from Wendy Lamb Books
Summary: A wonderful YA debut full of drama for two very different sisters.
It's off-season at the Jersey shore, when the boardwalk belongs to the locals. Rosie is 15 and her sister Skate is 16. Their dad, an amiable drunk, is spending a few weeks in jail while their cousin Angie looks after them in their falling-down Victorian on the beach. Skate and her boyfriend Perry are madly in love, inseparable—until now, when Perry goes off to Rutgers. Rosie is shyer than Skate, but she’s drawn to Nick, a boy in their Alateen group. What happens to Rosie and Skate in a few tumultuous weeks is deftly shaded, complex, and true. Readers will be caught up in each girl’s shifting feelings as the story plays out within the embrace of their warmhearted community.
Release date: October 1, 2009 from HarperTeen
Summary: An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York’s wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.
They didn’t ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything. Even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown, and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they’re forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they’re part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It’s all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.
Release date: 2009 from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Summary: If Nina Khan were to rate herself on the unofficial Pakistani prestige point system – the one she’s sure all the aunties and uncles use to determine the most attractive marriage prospects for their children – her scoring might go something like this: +2 points for getting excellent grades –3 points for failing to live up to expectations set by genius older sister +4 points for dutifully obeying parents and never, ever going to parties, no matter how antisocial that makes her seem to everyone at Deer Hook High –1 point for harboring secret jealousy of her best friends, who are allowed to date like normal teenagers +2 points for never drinking an alcoholic beverage –10 points for obsessing about Asher Richelli, who talks to Nina like she’s not a freak at all, even though he knows that she has a disturbing line of hair running down her back.
Release date: October 27, 2009 from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Summary: What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?
Release date: July 14, 2009 from Hyperion
Summary: For the past nine years, Helena Waite has been returning to summer camp at Southpoint. Every year the camp and its familiar routines, landmarks, and people have welcomed her back like a long-lost family member. But this year she is returning not as a camper, but as a counselor, while her best friend, Katie Bell remains behind. All too quickly, Helena discovers that the innocent world of campfires, singalongs, and field days have been pushed aside for late night pranks on the boys' camp, skinny dipping in the lake, and stolen kisses in the hayloft. As she struggles to define herself in this new world, Helena begins to lose sight of what made camp special and the friendships that have sustained her for so many years. And when Ransome, her longtime crush, becomes a romantic reality, life gets even more confusing.
Release date: October 2, 2007 from Hyperion
Summary: Mary Seymour is the daughter of the great Katherine Parr--the last Queen of Henry VIII. Orphaned at a young age because of her mother's bad marriage to Thomas Seymour, Mary determines early on that love is a sentiment that causes foolishness at best, and death at worst. She is sent to be raised by Lady Strange, a mysterious noblewoman who informs her of her destiny: Mary is to be a white magician who will join Queen Elizabeth's court and ensure her safe reign. After spending her early years honing her education and learning the arts of the white magician, Mary is indeed invited to join Elizabeth's court as a Lady in Waiting. There is she is met with warm welcome from the Queen, but soon realizes that the court is also rife with ambitious men and women who are jockeying for power. The most dangerous of these is Edmund Seymour, Mary's cousin. The moment she meets the dark, mysterious courtesan, Mary is drawn to him despite herself. Edmund is a black magician--the mirror image of Mary's own powers. When Edmund becomes embroiled in a plot to overthrow the Queen, Mary has to risk everything she believes to fulfill her calling. But playing this dangerous game could cost her more than she ever imagined.
The bought: Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman The Bridesmaid by Hailey Abbott Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn Wicked: Resurrection by Nancy Holder and Debbie Vigue Labor Of Love by Rachel Hawthorne (already read)
Wow, that was a long IMM post. I got so many books this week I don't even know where to start. Also, one of them was my WOW post this week. I picked Never Cry Werewolf and I actually got it later that day. It was such a great surprise. I can't wait to read it. Also, Secret Society was one of my WOW posts awhile back so it was cool to get that one too. Of course, it was cool to get all the others also. What did you have in your mailbox this week and where do you think I should start with mine?
Also, if you didn't already know, my two contests are closing tonight at midnight and the winners will be announced tomorrow. If you haven't already entered, now is your chance!
Release Date: February 3, 2009 from St. Martin's Griffin
Summary: Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school— but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste. Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking— and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is— or what he is. Damen is equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.
*****
Ever can't stand herself anymore. She can't stand to be around people. She can't stand going anywhere without her hoodie, sunglasses, and ipod. She can't stand her life anymore and it's all because of the accident where she lost her whole family, the accident which was all her fault.
Now Ever has the strange psychic powers that allow her to see auras, read minds, and know people's life stories just by touching them. Most teens would love powers like that. Not Ever. Ever can't stand them and she only wants them to go away. And finally they do.
When Ever meets Damen he quiets everything around her. She can't see his aura, read his thoughts, or know his life story. She can finally be herself. Things seem to be great with Damen until he starts acting very weird and strange people start showing up and going missing.
Could Damen be causing the mysterious disappearances going on around town? Is he good or bad? Will he protect Ever or only bring her more pain?
I have one word to say about this book: wow. I loved it. I would give it a five star rating but I just think the characters weren't developed enough. I was left guessing a lot about Ever's past, Damen's past, and some of the other things that were happening in the book. Other than that, it was great and it's not that big a deal because the sequel helps clear up most of these issues.
Ever was a great character and so were her friends. Miles and Haven are hilarious. I think they really helped lighten the mood of the book when things started to get dark. It's always good to have some contrast in a book and I think they really provided it with a gay actor and a love starved goth chick. I also think that they were amazingly well-developed for background characters.
The overall plot of the book was very different once I got into it. At first I thought it was going to be another Twilight because it kind of started off that way and it really upset me because I thought it wasn't like that. Once I got into the book, though, things really changed. It was not the same old Twilight story and for that I am glad.
Overall, Evermore was a great beginning to a new series that I can't wait for more of. I have already read the sequel and it was even better than this one. I do have to warn you, though. Once you read these you will want more of Ever, Damen, Miles, and Haven. I know I do.
If you haven't already checked out a copy of this I urge you to pick it up. I bought both of the books and I am so glad I did. I will probably end up rereading these books many times.
Similar books: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
...if your best friend were plotting the annihilation of a small, furry neighborhood poodle? Or if your parents up and moved to an Outward Bound-type survival camp in the middle of the desert? How about if your grandmother bought you new bras and underwear -- and you actually thought they were a teensy bit, umm, sexy?
Most people would not react well.
Tess Whistle's junior year 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 firmly intact and her first real boyfriend on her arm, Tess is dealing with the ridiculous twists quite well, thankyouverymuch.
Just wait until her shoes explode.
*****
Tess Whistle has a lot on her plate. Her mom has gone off to some crazy camp, her dad plans on following her mom, her best friend plans on murdering a poodle, and her grandmother wants to buy her sexy underwear. What's a girl to do in that situation?
Well, Tess decides to do Ben in that situation. When everything seems to be going wrong with her life, Ben seems to be the only constant, the only person who can make things seem right. Things are great with Ben up until they aren't.
Can Tess unravel all her lies and explain things to Ben before it's too late? Will her parents ever be the same again? Will her best friend stop trying to murder poor innocent animals?
I really expected to like Lost It when I bought it. Of course, the cover was the thing that drew me to it but the summary really got me hooked and the first couple chapters kept me hooked. After that things just kind of went downhill.
I have to say my least favorite thing about the book was Tess. She lied to make Ben like her and then she was so whiny. She complained about everything and she was always upset about something. I just felt like I couldn't relate to her and I couldn't really like her.
Also, I'm not gonna give it away but I will say this, the ending sucked. Everything was so unresolved and I just can't stand that in a book unless there is going to be a sequel and I'm pretty sure this one was supposed to be a stand alone book. I just felt really unsatisfied when I finally closed the book.
I'm not going to say the book sucked, though. It was hilarious at parts but there just wasn't enough funny stuff to make up for the annoying stuff. Overall, I have to say that this isn't something I would recommend unless you are just really bored.
Similar books: The Book Of Luke by Jenny O'Connell When It Happens by Susane Colasanti
While I was away on vacation I received a new award, the Let's Be Friends award. I was actually given this award from three different bloggers and here is a little bit of info about all three people and their lovely blogs.
Meggin from Serendipity Book Reviews: Meggin has been blogging since March and her blog is looking great. Her blog is focused on books, just like mine. She has some great reviews and is even hosting her own challenge for 2009 so go check it out!
Allison from Read Into This: Allison is a new blogger. She just started blogging this month but her blog looks great. She participates in weekly memes and she has some great reviews. This was her first award and I am honored to be nominated by her!
Jess from Lost In A Book: Jess is another new blogger. She just started blogging in June and so far her blog is awesome. Also, she has already held two contests. I know I didn't start until my blog was a bit more developed. Jess has some great reviews and if you are looking for some book recommendations check out her blog!
Now on to the info about the award: Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and befriend. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers.
So there they are, my wonderful nominees for this award. Thanks again to Meggin, Allison, and Jess for giving me this award and thanks to all my wonderful readers who I definitely consider friends. =]
Summary: Shelby’s summer plans go totally awry when her horrible stepmother sends her off to “brat camp” as punishment for one too many broken curfews. Camp is full of spoiled rich kids, obnoxious counselors wanting Shelby to talk about her feelings, and a totally inhumane “no cell phones” policy.
Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there’s more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby’s help guarding it. Shelby knows that bad boys get her into trouble…but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one?
Werewolf stories seem to be becoming more popular. Books like Shiver and Never Cry Werewolf sound amazing to me and I think it is good to be getting some new paranormal books out there that aren't all about vampires. Also, the covers for both look amazing and I admit to being a cover whore.
As you can see from my post title I am back home and in front of the computer. I have been checking my email but not my blog so I was so excited to see that my first ever scheduled posts worked. I also seem to have gotten an award while I was away and I will be posting about that tomorrow along with another new contest. Oh how I love being home.
Also, I read a couple amazing books while I was on vacation. I finally got around to reading both Evermore and Blue Moon and I can't believe that I have to wait until 2010 for more of Damen and Ever. I also just read the 6th Pretty Little Liars book, Killer, and boy was it ever. I didn't think I could be any more shocked by this series of books but I was wrong. Reviews will be posted shortly along with a ton of other fun things.
In my mailbox was started by The Story Siren and is a list of what you received in books over the past week either through the mail, library, or a bookstore.
The received:
Summary: This intensely moving story is now available in paperback.
Tessa has just months to live. Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, and drugs with excruciating side effects, Tessa compiles a list. It’s her To Do Before I Die list. And number one is Sex. Released from the constraints of “normal” life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up.
Tessa’s feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, and her new boyfriend, are all painfully crystallized in the precious weeks before Tessa’s time finally runs out.
Summary: The war between humanity and Faerie devastated both sides. Or so 15-year-old Liza has been told. Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, and Liza’s world bears the scars of its encounter with magic. Trees move with sinister intention, and the town Liza calls home is surrounded by a forest that threatens to harm all those who wander into it. Then Liza discovers she has the Faerie ability to see—into the past, into the future—and she has no choice but to flee her town. Liza’s quest will take her into Faerie and back again, and what she finds along the way may be the key to healing both worlds.
Summary: First there is a Before, and then there is an After. . . .
The lives of three teens—Claire, Jasper, and Peter—are altered forever on September 11, 2001. Claire, a high school junior, has to get to her younger brother in his classroom. Jasper, a college sophomore from Brooklyn, wakes to his parents’ frantic calls from Korea, wondering if he’s okay. Peter, a classmate of Claire’s, has to make his way back to school as everything happens around him.
Here are three teens whose intertwining lives are reshaped by this catastrophic event. As each gets to know the other, their moments become wound around each other’s in a way that leads to new understandings, new friendships, and new levels of awareness for the world around them and the people close by.
Summary: Beauty is only skin deep. Popularity goes much deeper. . . .
Appearances can be deceiving. Sam Klein’s found that out firsthand. All she wanted was to be popular. But sometimes what we want is the absolute worst thing for us.
Sam discovers that Kylie, It-girl of Woodlawn High, owes her popular status not to her expensive clothes, highlighted hair, and spot on the cheerleading squad but to a magical second skin. Nobody can actually see it—but they can feel it. And if you’re wearing the skin, you feel incredible. Invincible. Popularity is yours.
So Sam stole the skin from Kylie. Now she’s the most popular girl at school, while Kylie’s social life takes a serious hit. Sam can barely recognize herself. Her old geek clique is history—but are her new friends really people she can count on? The skin is clinging tighter to her each day . . . can Sam get it off before it’s too late?
Summary: Can love last beyond the grave?
Sylvie Davis is a ballerina who can’t dance. A broken leg ended her career, but Sylvie’s pain runs deeper. What broke her heart was her father’s death, and what’s breaking her spirit is her mother’s remarriage—a union that’s only driven an even deeper wedge into their already tenuous relationship.
Uprooting her from her Manhattan apartment and shipping her to Alabama is her mother’s solution for Sylvie’s unhappiness. Her father’s cousin is restoring a family home in a town rich with her family’s history. And that’s where things start to get shady. As it turns out, her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys that she can’t stop thinking about. Shawn Maddox, the resident golden boy, seems to be perfect in every way. But Rhys—a handsome, mysterious foreign guest of her cousin’s—has a hold on her that she doesn’t quite understand.
Then she starts seeing things. Sylvie’s lost nearly everything—is she starting to lose her mind as well?
Summary: When 16-year-old Natalie Kaplan meets a new person, she knows right away what kind of dog they'd be. Natalie herself resembles an Ibizan hound—quiet, playful, loyal, smart, and above all, obedient. Actually, Natalie has been trained so well that sometimes she thinks her mother is secretly controlling her with a dog whistle. (Her mom is a respected veterinarian with a successful clinic, so it's not that much of a stretch.)
Just like the Ibizan, Natalie is very mindful of her master's rules, but at the first sign of freedom, she is prone to stray. And who can blame her when the gorgeous and mysterious Carver Reed comes to live with the Kaplan family for the summer? Little by little, Natalie is drawn to Carver's spontaneity and free spirit, and before long, she turns into another breed of girl, who surprisingly bites the hand that feeds her.
Summary: It’s tough enough defining your identity—imagine if your father was a rock legend.
Blanche Kelly's dad is a famous indie rock icon, but not many people at the private school she attends on scholarship know this. Her father left when she was in the first grade, and she can’t quite forgive her mom for not understanding that an artist like her dad needs the time and space to connect to his muse.
When Blanche creates an all-girl rock band, their sound captures a wide audience and the band is invited to compete at the Coachella Music Festival. Blanche feels this could be the perfect time for a reunion with her father. Won’t he be proud to hear her band? Won’t he be happy to get to know his only daughter?
The Bought: None That is my mailbox for the week. I got some books that I really wanted and I can't wait to read them. Love is the Higher Law sounds great and I have heard great things about David Levithan. Also, Before I Die is a book that has earned many awards and I think it just sounds so great.
What do you guys think and what was in your mailboxes?
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. Prophecy of the Sisters is the first of three books.
*****
Lia Milthorpe is not having much luck in life lately. Her father has just died leaving her and her two siblings orphans and she now has a strange mark blooming on her wrist. Each day it seems to be getting darker and changing in some new and weird way.
Then, her sister, Alice, begins to act strange. She sneaks off in school, stares off into space, and acts quite mean toward everyone and everything around her. What could possibly be going on with her?
Things couldn't get worse, until Lia finds out that she and Alice are part of an age-old prophecy that pits both of them against each other. Good versus evil. Right versus wrong. Life versus death.
Lia has a choice to make: save herself or those she loves most in the world. Which will she choose and will she be able to make the choice before it is too late?
I have to admit I was a little scared at parts of Prophecy of the Sisters. I can't really explain why but it just left me feeling so terrified for what was going to happen next. Lia, her family, and her new friends seemed like such great people and I never wanted anything to happen to any of them. For me, that makes a book even better than if it just has an interesting plot.
Michelle Zink did such an amazing job with her first novel and the first book of the trilogy. The story seemed to start off a bit slow for me but that might have been because I was trying to read it at night and I just couldn't do it. Once the story picked up I was enthralled. It left me guessing till the very end and I am so excited to read more from this amazing debut novelist.
If you love historicals, romances, mysteries, paranormals, or really any type of book, you will totally love this one. Before reading it I had heard so many great reviews of it and I was surprised to find that it was just as good as everyone said. I plan on rereading this lovely book over and over again in the future.
Also if you haven't already seen the amazing trailer created by Vania from Reverie Book Reviews check it out here.
Similar books: Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
Summary: Tessa Crimson: Cheerleader by Day, Spy by Night
As leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), Tessa’s mission is twofold: pep preservation and relationship salvation. That’s right, Tessa is a head cheerleader whose night job is catching cheating boyfriends in the act! Thank goodness her own relationship with Aiden is strawberry-smoothie purrfect—except for the fact that she’s been concealing her nocturnal habits for, oh, two years.
Aiden suspects something’s up, and his patience is wearing thin. But in the meantime, Tessa’s far too busy to deal with her own romantic roadblocks. The Naughty List is at maximum capacity; because so far, every single suspect on it is 100% guilty.
When sultry Chloe Ferril transfers to Washington High, things only become more catastrophic. Tessa knows this predatory vixen won’t stop hunting Aiden until her claws are planted firmly in his backside…
But Tessa’s in for an even bigger shock when Aiden’s name shows up on The Naughty List, and she’s finally forced to confront the unthinkable: is her own boyfriend just as naughty as all the rest?
So, this has been a couple other bloggers waiting on wednesday already but I felt I should also post it. It just sounds so great. I also love the very pink cover. Once again, I feel I should mention that I think 2010 will be an amazing book year and I am looking forward to reading all the lovely new books coming out from new authors and not-so-new authors.
* Grab your current read. * Let the book fall to a random page. * Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. * Share the title of the book that you're getting your teaser from... That way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given! * Please avoid spoilers!
From page 43 of Fade by Lisa McMann Janie feels it coming. She sets her book down and glances at Cabel. It's not him. He gives her a pitying half-smile when he sees the look on her face, and she tries to smile back. But it's too late.
I absolutely devoured Wake. I read it a couple months ago and it was amazing. I finally managed to get a copy of Fade and I started it last night. I hope to finish it tonight and that shouldn't be too hard. It is not disappointing me and I can already tell that I will be wanting the third book very badly.
Tomorrow morning I will be leaving to visit friends in Wisconsin. I will be there until the 21. Sadly, this means no blogging. I will be able to check my blog and email but I won't be able to post anything new. I am trying to set up some scheduled posts tonight but it seems like they haven't been working on other blogs lately. Hopefully, Blogger has fixed that and I will try to post a couple reviews and memes.
Also, don't forget to enter my two contests that are currently going on and when I get back I will be starting another.
In my mailbox was started by The Story Siren and is a list of what you received in books over the past week either through the mail, library, or a bookstore.
The received:
Release date: October 20, 2009 from Simon Pulse
Summary: “You think he’s yours but he’s not, I thought. You think he’s yours but really he’s mine.”
When Holly loses her virginity to Paul, a guy she barely knows, she assumes their encounter is a one-night stand. After all, Paul is too popular to even be speaking to Holly, and he happens to have a long-term girlfriend, Saskia. But ever since Holly’s mom died six months ago, Holly has been numb to the world, and she’s getting desperate to feel something, anything—so when Paul keeps pursuing her, Holly relents. Paul’s kisses are a welcome diversion, and it’s nice to feel like the kind of girl that a guy like Paul would choose.
But things aren’t so simple with Saskia around. Paul’s real girlfriend is willowy and perfect… and nothing like Holly. To make matters worse, she and Holly are becoming friends. Suddenly the consequences of Holly’s choices are all too real, and Holly stands to lose more than she ever realized she had.
Release date: May 1, 2009 from Point
3 copies for a giveaway!!!
Summary: Scarlett is the third of four children in the Martin family. The Martins live in and manage a shabby hotel in NYC that dates back to the 1920s. When Scarlett turns 15, she is put in charge of one of the hotel's 27 rooms- the Empire Suite. Into this room moves Mrs. Amberson, a failed 1970s starlet who has returned to New York to write her memoirs. Soon, Scarlett is taking dictation, running around town with Mrs. Amberson, and getting caught up in her Auntie Mame-meets-Bianca Jagger adventures.
In the midst of all this, Scarlett falls in love - or so she thinks - and it takes Mrs. Amberson to help her see the light.
The bought: Blue Moon by Alyson Noel Killer: A Pretty Little Liars Book by Sara Shepard
While I didn't get a whole lot of books this week, I got some really great ones. Nothing Like You looks amazing and I can't wait to read Blue Moon and Killer. Also, The Debs contest is officially closed and the winner will be announced tomorrow and keep checking back for the Suite Scarlett giveaway!
Summary: And the first runner up is...When Dara Cohen was little, she was a bright, shiny star. She was the cutest seven-year-old who ever sang Ella Fitzgerald, and it was no wonder she was crowned Little Miss Maine.
That was then. Now Dara's seventeen and she's not so little anymore. So not little, that when her classmates find out about her illustrious resume, their jaws drop. That's just one of her many problems. Another is that her control-freak mom won't get off her case about anything. Yet the one that hurts the most is the family secret: Dara has an older sister her parents tried to erase from their lives.
When a disastrously misinterpreted English project lands her in the counselor's office--and her parents pull her out of school to save face--Dara realizes she has a decision to make. She can keep following the rules and being misunderstood, or she can finally reach out to the sister she's never met--a sister who lives on a collective goat farm in Massachusetts. Dara chooses B. What follows is a summer of revelations, some heartbreaking, some joyous; of friendship, romance, a local beauty pageant; and choices. And as autumn approaches, Dara finds she may have to let go of everything she's taken for granted in order to figure out who she really is, and what family really means.
******
Dara Cohen can't believe her luck. After one misinterpreted English project gets her kicked out of school and practically ignored at home, she decides it's time to meet the sister she has never known. Her parents aren't exactly happy about her decision but she has made up her mind. Surprisingly, her sister seems more than willing to have her.
Once there, Dara sees no reason why her parents would have kicked her sister out. She is the perfect host and an even better worker at the goat farm. She seems like the perfect person to Dara but old secrets are well hidden.
Then there are the other residents of the farm. Owen, a gay high schooler, whose parents couldn't accept him, Sascha, a big lumberjack type, and Belinda, the silent owner of the farm. No matter how weird they all seem, they are the first people that seem to accept Dara for who she is and how she looks.
Is this the family that Dara has always wanted? Will Dara's parents ever change their feelings toward Rachel and allow her back into their lives and hearts?
The story of Dara was a little bit typical but the subplots to the story help balance that out. I wasn't expecting anything serious in Secrets of Truth and Beauty but it was a good surprise. Dara has a lot of mixed feelings towards her family and herself. They are shown throughout the book and they develop very well.
Another thing this book addressed was homosexuality. That definitely came out of nowhere for me. Owen was a great character and the topic was addressed amazingly well. It wasn't overdone but it really felt like it was important to the story and people in today's society. Megan Frazer both addressed how some adults react to their children coming out and how teenagers sometimes inadvertently insult homosexuals with their remarks. It was just such a great thing for her to weave into the story.
Overall, Secrets of Truth And Beauty was a great story, while a little bit predictable. This is another title that is going on my list of summer books to reread.
Summary: Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.
2010 is going to be a great year for books, in my opinion. This is another 2010 release with an amazing cover and intriguing summary. I know some people who have read it and so far everyone has loved it. I can't wait. =]
* Grab your current read. * Let the book fall to a random page. * Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. * Share the title of the book that you're getting your teaser from... That way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given! * Please avoid spoilers!
From page 134 of Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer
Outside, I slammed my car door. I had almost resigned myself to therapy, but with that last comment, she had lost me.
This book has taken me a little longer to get into but it seems to be picking up the pace. Hopefully, I can finish it tonight or early tomorrow. It is definitely a different story than I was expecting from the title and cover, but surprisingly a better story.
Catherine Ryan Hyde is the author of multiple books including Becoming Chloe, The Day I Killed James, and the upcoming release Diary of a Witness which will be released on August 25 of this year. KBB: Were you a big writer or reader growing up? What about now? Do you prefer writing your own books or reading someone else's? CRH: I was a huge reader when I was a kid. I was into Dr Seuss (still am, really), Winnie the Pooh. Then the whole Black Stallion Series (along with My Friend Flicka, the Misty books, and just about every other horse book I could get my hands on). Then I got into High School and the books my teachers assigned pretty much killed my love for reading. Fortunately, I was able to get it back. A lot of people don't. I still read, but it's hard to find time, because I don't read while I have a novel in progress. Plus, to answer your final question, I really like writing my own books better than reading. But reading will always have its important place.
KBB: What was your favorite book growing up and what about now? Do you have a favorite or do you just love them all? CRH: I have a handful of favorites. Flowers for Algernon. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Cat's Cradle. Bless the Beasts and Children. I think Flowers for Algernon was my #1.
Now is harder. Maybe there isn't any one. But I loved The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I read tons of YA. Probably 80% of what I read is YA. KBB: What would you consider the best moment in your writing career? CRH: I guess I would have to say my invitation to the (Bill Clinton) White House (for the screening of the Pay It Forward movie).
KBB: Is one of your books your favorite and if so, why? CRH: Becoming Chloe is my favorite. It's hard to wrap my head around why. In some ways I think I just have a strong heart connection with the characters. But I also like the issue they are facing. The world is so beautiful. And it's so horrible. Can we love it just the way it is? It's really not an easy question.
KBB: How long does it usually take you to write a book? CRH: Well, I've been doing one adult and one YA every year for some time now. It's a pretty hectic pace, but so far I'm managing. KBB: Where do you get your ideas for your books?
CRH: I wish I knew. Then I would never be without an idea. I think this is the classic writer question, and I think the reason it keeps coming up is that we have never answered it to your satisfaction. Because we don't know. It's all imagination, which is a very mysterious process. But I will say that I study human nature with great interest, and that helps.
KBB: Do you have any new books in the works? If so, can you tell us anything about them? CRH: I have two coming out this year. A young adult here in the U.S called Diary of a Witness. About two teenage boys on the low end of the social totem pole in high school. One of whom is starting to lose it over the abuse they're taking. I also have an adult novel coming out in the U.K. in September about the bond between a middle-aged man and the boy he discovered abandoned in a pile of leaves in the woods the day after he was born. It spans decades of their lives.
My next YA is due out in the Fall of 2010, and it's about a 16-year-old girl who falls in love with her older next-door neighbor before realizing he is transgender (female to male in transition). I love taking on brave subjects that get people thinking and talking (or yelling as the case may be) and I'm really looking forward to that release.
I have another YA on my editor's desk, but it's too early to spill the beans. I don't even have her reaction to it yet. I'll just say it's the only time I've ever returned to existing characters (from another of my books) and written more of their story. KBB: Is there anything else you would like to tell your readers? CRH: Just that I really appreciate my YA audience because they are so accepting of so many titles I've written, and very rarely stuck at Pay It Forward like many of my adult readers. I'm working on book #15, so you can imagine at this point in my career it's a great relief to be treated as a multi-book author. It's not the only reason I appreciate my YA audience, though. There are many. Oddly I learned the joys of a YA readership when Pay It Forward came out. Yet those are the readers who moved on to try more of my books. Thank you! Not sure where I would be without you. KBB: Thanks so much, Catherine! I am looking forward to more books from you in the future. Readers, here is your chance to win a copy of Becoming Chloe.
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Book: Labor of Love by Rachel Hawthorne
