2011 Audio Book Challenge

I am happy to report I will be joining the Audio Book Challenge again this year! You all know how obsessed I am with audio books, so again I'm going to go for Obsessed (20).

Curious: 3 Audio Books

Fascinated: 6 Audio Books

Addicted: 12 Audio Books

Obsessed: 20 Audio Books

2011 is hosted by Teresa's Reading Corner.

NaNoWriMo Wrap-Up

Sadly for 2010, a participant is what I will stay...not a winner.

*sad face*

As of the final day, I have just about 20,000 words for this WIP...and it is most definitely a WIP. This is my first time trying to write sort of a dystopian/adventure book and I think I keep psyching myself out. Oh well.

I plan to spend the rest of the year figuring out my blocked plot points, then I am GOING to finish it!! I will let you know when it's done. For now...poor Jen and Becca in my writers' group are going to have their work cut out for them as readers.

So You Want to Write a Novel?

This is hilarious! Just a little something to share...

Runaway

Runaway
by Meg Cabot
Airhead trilogy, book three

Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself.

With everyone she loves furious with her for something she can't explain, and nothing but the live Stark Angel fashion show on New Year's Eve to look forward to, Em's reached the end of her rope. . .what's the point of even going on?

But when she discovers the truth about Nikki's secret, she knows there's only one person she can turn to.

Will Christopher be able to put aside his personal feelings and help her expose her employer to the world? Is it even fair to get Christopher involved--since if he agrees, there's every chance that Stark Enterprises will try to have them both killed--this time, permanently?

Maybe it would be better for Em to just keep on running. (description taken from amazon.com)

It honestly amazes me how Meg Cabot was able to make the fantastic premise for this trilogy so, well...believable. Really! I have thoroughly enjoyed these books and am almost sad to see Em Watts' story finished. She is a fun character to follow.

Without being spoiler-y, I will say that though readers may suspect what the nefarious Robert Stark is up to, the depths of his evil-doing surprised both Em and me! Cabot threw in a good twist with his plan and I was happy to see the resolution.

The one and only thing I would have changed...I felt like it wrapped up too soon in the end. There was a lot of build-up, then the plot reveal, the resolution, and then...boom...ending. I would have liked just a little more fleshing out of Em and Christopher's relationship finally coming together. *Sorry for the minor spoiler, but we all saw that coming, right?!*

All in all - an enjoyable conclusion to a fun, fashionable sci-fi trilogy.

In My Mailbox - November 28, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

For Review:

Oddly Enough by Bruce Coville

From the Library:

Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Derwin

On My Nook:

Switched by Amanda Hocking

One Year Anniversary!

I just realized that my first post was on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009, so as of Wednesday, I have been officially blogging for a full year! :)

Thanks to everyone in the blogging community for making it fun and interesting and worth keeping up with...and here's to another year!

Bright Young Things

Bright Young Things
by Anna Godbersen

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star. . . .

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is ­Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the ­illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed Godbersen's Luxe series and was very excited when I found out her new series would be set during the 1920s. I've been fascinated with flappers, Prohibition, and the "Roaring Twenties," since I was a teenager. Godbersen did not disappoint!

Her descriptions of New York City in the '20s can only be described as lush. What's really fantastic, though, is it's not the "Roaring Twenties" through rose-tinted glasses. There is luxury here, of course, but Godbersen also introduces the seedier underbelly of the setting. It is brilliantly done.

The three girls are all similar, yet different enough to be very interesting. As Diana, Elizabeth, and Penelope, were connected and their lives wove in and out of each others', so too will the lives of these new girls. So far, I love Letty's hope, Cordelia's bravado, and Astrid's je ne sais quoi.

The prologue tells you straight off that by the end of the year, one girl will be married, one will be famous, and one will be dead. At this point, I can't even begin to speculate which will be which...but I will be reading to find out!

The Mermaid's Mirror

The Mermaid's Mirror
by L.K. Madigan

Lena has lived her whole life near the beach – walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves – the problem is, she’s spent her whole life just watching.

As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.

But her father – a former surfer himself – refuses to allow her to take lessons. After a near drowning in his past, he can’t bear to let Lena take up the risky sport.

Yet something lures Lena to the water … an ancient, powerful magic. One morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman – with a silvery tail.

Nothing will keep Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove.

And soon … what she sees in the mermaid’s mirror will change her life …
(description from Amazon.com)

This was an extremely well written and enjoyable fantasy book. Lena is a truly believable teen...keeping secrets from her parents, trying to please everyone to the best of her ability, loving her younger brother... I was really happy to also see that each of Lena's parents, her father, her mother, and her stepmother, were loving, supportive well-rounded characters.

When Lena learns of the merfolk, she travels to their world. L.K. Madigan does a lovely job describing their village. It's tangible and believable. The merfolk have interesting day to day lives and customs. Each merperson that Lena meets is just as well thought out and presented as her human friends.

*I do have to say that though, I really, really enjoyed this book and felt the merfolk were really well-done, they felt a little..."darker"...than I prefer. Not that it detracted from the plot of the story, at all! I just like to imagine merfolk as slightly more magical.

I do not want to spoil the ending at all, but I will say that it was realistic and touching and totally fit the tone of the book. I really enjoyed this one.

2011 Debut Author Challenge

This year I've been participating in the 2010 Debut Author Challenge and it's been a blast, so of course I decided to sign up again for this coming year's 2011 Debut Author Challenge!!

Hosted by The Story Siren, the challenge is to read at least 12 books by authors debuting their first middle grade or young adult book in 2011. My list of books I'd like to read for this challenge in 2011 (so far) are:

1. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
2. XVI by Julia Karr
3. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
4. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
5. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
6. A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
7. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
8. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
9. Clarity by Kim Harrington
10. Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
11. Hourglass by Myra McIntyre
12. Die for Me by Amy Plum
13. Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Anyway, this is my list so far, with way more to add later, I'm sure!

Avalon High - the Movie

Avalon High: the movie
based on the book, Avalon High by Meg Cabot



The newest Disney TV movie is based on the book, Avalon High.

Ellie, new to Avalon High, suddenly catches the eye of Avalon High's football star, Will. While their friendship develops into potentially something more, Ellie discovers that Will may just be the reincarnation of King Arthur. As stated in a prophecy, Ellie, her new best friend Miles, and her parents must protect Will so he can fulfill his destiny.

This movie was really cute and the cast was great. Ellie was phenomenal and I loved the fact that she was strong...a strong runner, a strong academic, and a strong woman. She was awesome. Jen (played by the cute girl from Castle) and Lance were both good, and Will was really well acted, though he was almost too pretty for me. My favorite character, though, was Miles. He was just the right amount of comic relief for the story... :)

I really enjoyed the movie and might even get it for myself when it comes out on DVD eventually. It's been awhile since I read the book, though, and I've read some internet buzz that confirmed for me that the ending was changed. Don't get me wrong, I liked the movie, a lot, but now I have to go back and reread the book!!

What did you all think of the movie? Love the book more?

In My Mailbox - November 21, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

From the Library:



Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani
Pop by Gordon Korman
Ghost Town by Rachel Caine



I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb
Avalon High by Meg Cabot (to reread)

Stylish Blogger Award

by Actin' Up With Books

1.Thank and link back to the person who awarded this to you.
2.Share 7 things about yourself.
3.Pay it forward to 15 recently discovered great blogs.
4.Contact those bloggers and let them know about their award.

Seven things about me:

1. I am a proud "Ravenclaw."
2. I have a fascination with the end of the world...hence a HUGE love of dystopian books.
3. I will not eat blue foods.
4. I am allergic to mangoes.
5. I have the same full name as a famous author! *squee*
6. I am currently writing my second (unpublished) book.
7. I got my black belt in Kempo Karate when I was in high school.

Blogs I recently discovered and love:

Carrie's Procrastinatory Outlet: http://carrie-me.blogspot.com/
The Daily Snark: http://chloeneill.blogspot.com/
The Undercover Book Lover: http://theundercoverbooklover.blogspot.com/
Alice: Journey of a Fake Writer: http://alicejourneyofafakewriter.blogspot.com/
All About {N}: http://bookwormygirl.blogspot.com/
Booknerds Are Pretty Too: http://booknerds-are-pretty-too.blogspot.com/
Carrie Harris: http://carrieharrisbooks.blogspot.com/
Classic Case: http://www.theclassiccase.com/
Gail Carriger: http://gailcarriger.livejournal.com/
Lisa and Laura Write: http://lisa-laura.blogspot.com/
LovLivLife Reviews: http://lll808.blogspot.com/
Reading Vacation: http://readingvacation.blogspot.com/
Squeetus Blog: http://oinks.squeetus.com/
Beth Revis, Writing It Out: http://bethrevis.blogspot.com/
YA Bookie Monster: http://yabookiemonster.blogspot.com/

Movie Review - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part One

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part One (Rated PG-13)
from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Voldemort's power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore's work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for the Trio, and the rest of the Wizarding World, so everything they do must go as planned. (plot summary taken from imdb.com)

Trying to be as spoiler-free as possible, I swear!

I loved the newest installment in the Harry Potter movie franchise. I felt like the Director did a really great job with putting in just the right amount of flashback-type scenes, action, and emotional play. It was a great decision to split this book into two movies. It allowed them to hit on a lot more of the details!

Ron and Hermione and Harry were all put through the wringer in this movie, physically and emotionally, and it was portrayed excellently. The camping scenes were great...I could almost see my own breath at moments! There were more steamy scenes in this movie, and while I love the emotion...um, Daniel Radcliffe is kind of an awkward kisser, at least in my own opinion!


*Spoiler Alert*
One scene I was really sad to have left out... when Harry goes to Godric's Hollow and sees the house where he was born...they did not have the sign that popped up showing all of the supportive messages left for Harry. THAT was my favorite part of the whole book!
*End Spoiler*


Oh well, other than that...it was GREAT! I cannot wait to go see the final conclusion in July.

...from a faithful Ravenclaw...

The Hollow

The Hollow
by Jessica Verday

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead…and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity. (description from Amazon.com)

After having met Jessica Verday on the Ghost and Graves tour at the Otis Library in Norwich, CT, I had to read this book. The setting, in Sleepy Hollow (yes, of the famous legend!) made this book! It was just the right amount of spooky and fit beautifully with the grieving tone of Abbey's mourning.

Abbey spends her time making perfumes, preparing her business plan, and hanging out at the graveyard. (The descriptions of the perfume making process totally drew me in and now I really want to go and try it out myself!) Though others think her a "freak," Abbey's withdrawal makes sense and feels right. Plus, what everyone else doesn't know is that she's no longer hanging out at the graveyard or by the Crane River alone.

I really liked Abbey's relationship with her parents, her new friend Ben, and with Nicholas and Katie, the cemetery caretakers. Each felt spot-on for the point Abbey's at in her life. The only relationship I sometimes questioned was the one that develops with Caspian...in part because Verday does some excellent foreshadowing and I kept picking up on the fact that things were not as they seem! I liked the romance, but sometimes Abbey just got a little melodramatic for me...I also felt like there were moments when I wanted her to be bolder, but then again there were moments when she was way more direct than I ever could be!

All in all, I will definitely need to read The Haunted A.S.A.P. since this one ended with a great cliffhanger. If you love the paranormal, check this book out...and then you might even want to reread The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I know I'm going to... :)

Full disclosure: Book signed by author at event, audio book sent to review for AudioFile

Awesome Hunger Games Video

OMG. I had to post this awesome video that Mockingjay.net posted. It's an amateur done scene from "The Hunger Games" and it totally blew me away. I hope this is what the movie is actually like....

In My Mailbox - November 14, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

For Review:

The Dark Deeps by Arthur Slade

The Youngest Templar: Orphan of Destiny by Michael P. Spradlin

From the Library:

Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin

Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle

Misguided Angel by Melissa De La Cruz

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

2010 CLA YA Section Annual Meeting - Taking Your Tech Up a Notch

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I am Co-Chair of the Young Adult section of my state's library association. So, part of my responsibilities is to set up the annual meeting for all Young Adult Librarians in Connecticut. We had our 2010 meeting this past Wednesday.

We did a full day of programming last year, so this year we decided to concentrate on how better to use technology to reach our teen patrons. "Taking Your Tech Up a Notch" was a full day meeting and I'm proud to say was wildly successful!

The day started off with a Skype session with YA author, Paul Volponi. We were able to talk about his books (including Rikers High,Response, and Hurricane Song), his experiences skyping with classes, and his own reading/writing habits. It was a lot of fun and we were able to show how simple it is to set up a skype visit with an author through the Skype An Author Network.

After our skype session, we had lots of "flash" tech presentations. Each 15 min. presentation was by a different Librarian on a different tech topic. We learned about creating a Facebook page for your Teen Department, using Twitter to alert teens, and also using an SMS email service to text teens alerts.

We also discussed switching to an online Summer Reading Program, creating award winning videos with teens, creating awesome book trailers, utilizing Overdrive to download audio books and e-books, great online (and FREE!) softwares like Wordle.

All in all, it was a great day. I got some new ideas for the future and I think everyone else did, too! I cannot wait to see what gets planned for next year...and I think I'll be happy to just be attending. I am still tired! :)

Book Trailer - Night Star

Check out this great new trailer for Alyson Noel's Night Star, book five in the Immortals series.



"Night Star continues the epic love story that has enchanted readers across the world. In this installment, Ever and Damen face down bitter rivals, jealous friends and their own worst fears—all in the hope of being together forever. Night Star is guaranteed to mesmerize fans and leave them breathlessly awaiting the sixth and final book!"

Personally, I can't wait to read Night Star. I really like this series and I'm stoked now knowing that it's close to the end! I can't wait to see what finally happens...

Guest Blog Post over at Librarian By Day

Hey! Just wanted to encourage everyone to check out Librarian by Day's awesome Historical Fiction Month posts. All month long, she has things going on related to historical fiction, guest posts, reviews, book lists, etc.

Today she has a guest blog post from...ME! It's called "How to Interest Teens in Historical Fiction" and you can check it out here. Don't forget to check out the whole rest of the month, too.

Museum of Thieves

Museum of Thieves
by Lian Tanner

Welcome to the tyrannical city of Jewel, where impatience is a sin and boldness is a crime.

Goldie Roth has lived in Jewel all her life. Like every child in the city, she wears a silver guardchain and is forced to obey the dreaded Blessed Guardians. She has never done anything by herself and won’t be allowed out on the streets unchained until Separation Day.

When Separation Day is canceled, Goldie, who has always been both impatient and bold, runs away, risking not only her own life but also the lives of those she has left behind. In the chaos that follows, she is lured to the mysterious Museum of Dunt, where she meets the boy Toadspit and discovers terrible secrets. Only the cunning mind of a thief can understand the museum’s strange, shifting rooms. Fortunately, Goldie has a talent for thieving.

Which is just as well, because the leader of the Blessed Guardians has his own plans for the museum—plans that threaten the lives of everyone Goldie loves. And it will take a daring thief to stop him. . . .

Museum of Thieves is a thrilling tale of destiny and danger, and of a courageous girl who has never been allowed to grow up—until now.

This book was right up my alley! A strong heroine, a mysterious and magical building, a dystopian society...



Goldie Roth is a twelve year old that has never been allowed to come to harm. Sounds great, right? Except that she is chained and monitored 24/7, for her own safety...as are all children in Jewel. Blessed Guardians keep the children safe, if not happy, and adults have forgotten the woes that used to plague them.

These children grow into frightened, naive adults, but Goldie is having none of it! She is headstrong and runs away. She ends up at the Museum of Dent, a wondrous place that is more than it's own character in this series!! Goldie grows in leaps and bounds once she meets the Museum's Keepers and another headstrong runaway, Toadspit. Goldie becomes a very brave and smart heroine. She is one of my new favorite middle grade characters!

Her new friends, Toadspit, Bru the Brizzlehound, Herro Dan, Olga Ciavolga, and Sinew are also wonderful, warm, and humorous. They consistently made me smile and warmed my heart. I love their relationships with Goldie, especially Bru, who saves her life and then gets the favor returned, and Toadspit, who true to teenage boy form starts out giving Goldie a horrible time, who becomes her best friend. I loved how they came together and relied on each other to deal with the threat to the city and the Museum.

If you are looking for adventure, friendship, magic, and mystery, try this great new series! I am definitely looking forward to reading City of Lies (book 2) when it comes out.

Full disclosure: Audio book version received to review for AudioFile.

Change of a Dress

Change of a Dress
by Maya Gold
Cinderella Cleaners, book one

Behind the counter at Cinderella Cleaners, Diana watches the clothes come and go. She loves to imagine the exciting events that the different outfits might be worn to. Then one day, Diana reaches into the pocket of a fancy coat - and finds an invitation to a glittering gala in New York City. Since the coat's owner is out of town, Diana gets a wild idea. With the help of some savvy friends, one glamorous dress, and a lot of improvising, Diana pretends to be someone she's not, and makes it into the party! Will she be discovered, or will her disguise come off without a hitch? (description taken from Amazon.com)

Okay, this is a sweet young tween series that I just ordered for our branch library. It is a combination school/public library that houses grades K-12, so a lot of the YA books are actually tween aged. I saw this series and thought it would be perfect for the tween girls finishing 4th and 5th grade and "graduating" to the YA section.

It is very cute. Diana is a fun character. She's mostly sure of herself, she loves fashion, and she's just made some great new friends in her father's Dry Cleaning business, Cinderella Cleaners. When the opportunity comes for her to sneak out, dress up, and go into New York City to see the opening show of a Broadway musical starring her favorite TV hottie, she jumps at it. Several almost caught moments later and she starts to regret pretending to be someone else. It sweetly works out in the end, though, with closer family moments, wonderful sacrifices for friendship, and a girl determined to be a better person all around.

I really enjoyed this book and will probably read the second one, not just to recommend to the tweens, but also because I actually really liked the first book! :)

Anxiously Awaiting...

Nightspell
by Leah Cypess

A stand-alone companion novel to the much-acclaimed MISTWOOD. When Darri rides into Ghostland, a country where the living walk with the dead, she has only one goal: to rescue her younger sister Callie, who was sent to Ghostland as a hostage four years ago. But Callie has changed in those four years, and now has secrets of her own. In her quest to save her sister from herself, Darri will be forced to outmaneuver a handsome ghost prince, an ancient sorcerer, and a manipulative tribal warrior (who happens to be her brother). When Darri discovers the source of the spell that has kept the dead in Ghostland chained to this earth, she faces a decision that will force her to reexamine beliefs she has never before questioned - and lead her into the heart of a conspiracy that threatens the very balance of power between the living and the dead.

Nightspell will be published on May 31, 2011.

OMG~I loved Mistwood and cannot wait to read this companion book!!

In My Mailbox - November 7, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

For Review:

The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan


Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner


Hollywood Ending by Lucie Simone
(I will be part of her blog tour in December!)

Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

*I got two beautiful hardcover copies of this, PLUS two awesome custom Mischief ornaments for a December giveaway, so keep your eyes peeled!

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

From the Library:

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Borrowed:

Indulgence in Death by J. D. Robb

*Thanks, Sharon!!

Passing Strange

Passing Strange
by Daniel Waters
Generation Dead, book three

Karen DeSonne always passed as a normal teenager - and now that she's dead, she's still passing - this time, as alive.

But when her dead friends are accused of a high profile murder and forced into hiding, it's up to Karen to prove their innocence. Which means doing the unthinkable and becoming the girlfriend of bionist zealot Peter Martinsburg, who she suspects of framing them. But if Peter finds out who Karen really is, the consequences for her will be worse than death...
(description taken from back jacket copy)

Karen DeSonne is one of my favorite characters not only in this series, but in recent YA fiction period. She is interesting, she is vivacious (which takes talent because she'd...well...dead) and she has great character depth. Her personality greatly affects all of those around her and has really helped to lead the two previous books, so I was stoked when I realized she is the main character for Passing Strange.

As I've stated in my previous reviews of Generation Dead and Kiss of Life, Daniel Waters manages to infuse these "zombie" novels with great depth, creating one of my absolute favorite zombie series. Again in this third book, Waters challenges readers to question discrimination, religious zeal, violence, love, life after death, and sexuality.

The plot is once again exciting and interesting. Karen must play a part to get the information that she needs to clear her friends' names. There is the threat of violence and death. There is the possibility of love..., but though the plot always draws me in, it is the social commentary of these books that keeps me coming back (and thinking about what I've read long after).

With this book, especially, and my fascination with Karen's character and the secrets you learn about her life, her death, and her differently biotic life, I have been unable to settle after finishing the book. I think when the author and publishers chose the title of this book, Passing Strange, they did a fantastic job getting right to the heart of things.

The term "Passing" has been used in the past to refer to a black person attempting to look like a white person so that they will be treated better. Not only does the concept fit here, as Karen hides herself amongst the living to be treated better, but also the term...Karen uses it herself...and to have it in the title just draws ultimate attention to the fact that even today we still discriminate and base our treatment of people on appearances. This is a not so subtle reminder in a fancy form to consider how you react to others in life.

Again, this was a powerful and heartfelt addition to the series and to the paranormal YA genre as a whole. I highly recommend this series, beginning with Generation Dead.


Full disclosure: Book received from publisher for review