I Read to Relax!

Anxiously Awaiting...Tiger Lily!

2012-02-15T07:38:00.000-08:00

Tiger Lily

by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Publication date: July 3, 2012

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy Darling, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair....

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily, proud and fierce, wild and misunderstood, doesn’t believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell. Bonding over their shared sense of adventure, their competitive nature, and their courageous spirits, the two form an unlikely friendship and an even more unlikely romance. Then Wendy Darling—a girl who is everything Tiger Lily is not—arrives on the island, and Tiger Lily discovers how far she is willing to go to keep Peter with her, and in Neverland.

OMG. I feel like I have been waiting forever for this book. I always wanted more of Tiger Lily's story... and this sounds sort of like a thriller... AND I love this cover!!

Pajama Storytime: Wolf Moon

2012-02-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

So, I've decided to try something new. Some of you may know that aside from just being a blogger, I'm also a Librarian. Just before the new year, I started a new job as a Youth Services Librarian, which means that aside from just doing teen services, I'm also doing two weekly storytimes (for ages 3-5) and a monthly pajama storytime.

Since I've started doing these storytimes, I've found it immensely helpful to read the "set-up" from other storytimes on other blogs to get ideas...so I want to "pay it forward." I'm going to try to put up as many storytimes as I can so that maybe someone else will get ideas for their storytimes!

Let me know if you have any format suggestions, etc!!

This was the Pajama Storytime I did in January.

Theme: Wolf Moon

(The Wolf Moon is the name given by Native Americans to a full moon that occurs in January.)

Opening Song: If You're a Wolf and You Know It

If you're a wolf and you know it, howl at the moon...

If you're a wolf and you know it, growl at the night...

If you're a wolf and you know it, scratch your fleas...

If you're a wolf and you know it, do all three...

Read:

Wolf! Wolf! by John Rocco

Wolf's Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza

Action Song: 10 Little Gray Wolves

1 little, 2 little, 3 little gray wolves...

4 little, 5 little, 6 little gray wolves...

7 little, 8 little, 9 little gray wolves...

10 little gray wolves rolling in the snow

(Repeat - running through the woods... howling at the moon)

Flannelboard: The Three Little Pigs

Read:

The Dog Who Cried Wolf by Keiko Kasza

Footprints in the Snow by Mei Matsuoka

Dance: "Mister Moon" from CD, Where is Thumbkin?

Craft: Wolf Howling in the Night Sky

Supplies Needed:

blue construction paper

white construction paper (pre-cut moons)

brown construction paper (pre-cut howling wolves)

gluesticks

chalk

The kids had a blast glueing on their wolves and moons, but I think they had the most fun drawing their stars in the night sky with the chalk!!

Why We Broke Up

2012-02-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

Why We Broke Up

by Daniel Handler

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped. (description from Amazon.com)

It's funny. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about this book, but once I actually sat down to read it, I fell right in and enjoyed it...whole hog. I had prepared to feel ho-hum about it, but I really enjoyed the whole experience.

I liked the feel of the pages, the weight of the book, and the pictures of items that accompanied each chapter. I loved the concept of one gigantic letter, full of relationship vignettes that add up to the demise of a couple. ...And, I, unlike a lot of other people, totally got Min. I felt like it was listening to myself when I was still in high school.

I knew what I loved, I liked my friends, and yet... when the guy came along that was into everything else, I was not assertive enough to make it clear that I was into different things or that I really loved my friends and everything they were into...

Min may have been way too complacent at times in her relationship with Ed, but I felt that was totally believable! Regrettable, but believable. I also understood, well...most of the time, how Ed liked Min, even though he totally had no clue as to who she really was...

Though this book was sad, it was also hopeful. In the sense that Min was growing and learning from her relationship's demise. I think she'll become a stronger person from the experience.

Full disclosure: ARC received at BEA 2011

Troy High

2012-02-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

Troy High

by Shana Norris

Homer’s Iliad, the classic tale of love and revenge, is shrewdly retold for teens in Troy High.

Narrated by Cassie, a shy outsider at Troy High, the story follows the Trojans and Spartans as they declare war on the football field. After the beautiful Elena—who used to be the captain of the Spartan cheerleaders—transfers to Troy High and falls madly in love with Cassie’s brother Perry, the Spartans vow that the annual homecoming game will never be forgotten. Off the football field, an escalating prank war fuels tensions between the schools.

The stakes are raised when Cassie is forced to choose between the boy she loves (a Spartan) and loyalty to her family and school. Troy High will seduce readers with its cast of mythic proportions. (description from Amazon.com)

This may not become an epic classic, like the Iliad on which it's based, but I actually really enjoyed reading this book. Not only was it a fun contemporary read with a main character that I just could not help but root for, but it also was really fun trying to remember who the characters were from the Iliad and trying to match them up with Troy High.

While this book is loosely based on the classic tale, there are some things that were definitely changed and it really does have a great modern feel - if you had no idea what it was based on, you really wouldn't be missing anything, you could just enjoy it as is... - and in reality, I liked the ending of THIS tale a whole lot more. :P

If you have time for just a breezy sort of book, you may want to pick this one up!

For a little fun, here's the cute book trailer:

Book Trailer: The Curse Workers Series by Holly Black

2012-02-13T07:40:00.000-08:00

This is a cool trailer for a cool series. I can't wait until Black Heart finally comes out in April!
Just a little something to keep you going until then...

Anxiously Awaiting...Rebel Heart!!

2012-02-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

Rebel Heart

by Moira Young

Dustlands, book two

Publication date: Oct. 30, 2012

Synopsis:

The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued.
The heartstone has brought Saba and Jack together.
Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well.
But shadows of the dead are stalking Saba.
And another kind of shadow is creeping over the dustlands.
Then a messenger shows up.
With news of Jack.

I *CANNOT* wait!!

Blood Red Road

2012-02-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

Blood Red Road

by Moira Young

Dustlands, book one

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when four cloaked horsemen capture Lugh, Saba's world is shattered, and she embarks on a quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the outside world, Saba discovers she is a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba’s unrelenting search for Lugh stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization. (description from Amazon.com)

Are you feeling depressed and deprived after finishing The Hunger Games trilogy? Looking for another phenomenal read with a strong female protagonist? Look no further. It's here.

I loved Saba's voice. Very much like Katniss, she's tough, even as she has no desire to be... she does everything for the benefit of her twin and only comes later to realize how much her journey has shaped her into her own strong, independent person. She can come across as callous at times, but really cannot help but help the others around her.

I loved the written style of this book. It reads like a movie. The prose is sparse and thus, even more compelling. The author purposely refrains from using quotation marks around the speech, indicating yet a further breakdown of society, but also forcing the reader to truly read every word on the page.

The world is well-built, with realistic issues, and a cool futuristic cowboy vibe. I cannot wait to dive in again in book two!! Rebel Heart should be coming out this October.

Full disclosure: Book won from Coffee & Cliffhangers - THANK YOU!!!!!

Lenobia's Vow

2012-02-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

Lenobia's Vow

by P.C. and Kristin Cast

A House of Night novella

A great journey…

A new love….

A dark secret revealed.

Evreux, France, 1788: Before she is Zoey’s favorite professor and the House of Night’s powerful horse mistress… Lenobia is just a normal 16-year-old girl – with enough problems to last a lifetime. As the illegitimate daughter of a powerful baron, she has never quite belonged, and instead has to watch her spoiled half-sister, Cecile, get anything she wants. As if that’s not enough, her remarkable beauty draws unwanted attention wherever she goes. For once, she would like to just fit in.

But when fate intervenes, Lenobia suddenly finds herself surrounded by other girls, on a ship bound for New Orleans, where they will be married off to the city’s richest Frenchmen. And they’re not alone…. An evil bishop who is skilled in Dark magic makes the same journey. His appetite for lovely young women makes him dangerous – most of all to Lenobia, who caught his eye back in France. So she remains hidden, making secret visits to the ship’s stables, where a handsome young man and his beautiful Percheron horses soon capture her attention.

Will they make it to land before the bishop discovers her true identity and a powerful evil breaks loose? And will Lenobia follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this novella. While I still feel that the Casts are perhaps just cashing in with this series of novellas, I really liked this one a lot more than the one featuring Dragon. Lenobia was an interesting character and the Bishop was skin-crawlingly creepy.

The love story was great and heartbreaking and tearjerking and totally fun to read. The time period was interesting and I loved that most of the story actually took place on a boat. I, of course, will also read just about anything related to New Orleans, so this book was also really exciting in that they are headed there and that Martin is Creole.

*Side note - I listened to this one on audio. It was great. Not only was it short and sweet, but the narrator did a great job tackling the French and Creole accents. A fun listen.

I still won't buy these novellas, but I do like to read them!

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

If You Like: Stories That Take Place Within 24 Hours

2012-02-08T12:53:00.000-08:00

If You Like… is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love.

This week's post includes all types of books and movies that take place in a single 24 hour period. So, if you love a wild and crazy kind of day...check these out!

Cover Craving...Bad Hair Day!!

2012-02-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

Bad Hair Day

by Carrie Harris

sequel to Bad Taste in Boys

Publication date: unknown

LOVE this! Almost as much as I loved the weird cover for Bad Taste in Boys!

This is such a fun series and I am stoked to read this as soon as it finally comes out!!!

AND...for a hilarious addition to your day, check out this post on Carrie Harris' blog to see a video of a ton of author's worst hair days!! :P

Anxiously Awaiting...Sapphire Blue!!!

2012-02-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

Sapphire Blue

by Kerstin Gier
Edelstein Trilogy, book two

Publication date: Oct 30, 2012

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood, she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean. At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

I am so excited that there is finally a publication date for this book in the US! I loved Ruby Red and cannot wait to see how the story continues!! I'm a little sad they changed the cover style, but oh well...

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

2012-02-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. (description from Amazon.com)

This was a deliciously creepy book. It was not the type of scary that you get from watching a slasher movie...it was more the Alfred Hitchcock type. Not only did the author come up with an interesting and somehow believable way tohave humans with paranormal powers exist, but also ways to have them remain hidden from the majority of the world. The true power of this book was that it was almost ordinary in its fantasticalness (yes, I just made up that word...forgive me, please).

The most intriguing thing to me and what truly made this book work in the powerful way that it did, was the inclusion of the historical photographs. That they images were actually from real life, whether manipulated in real life or not, just added another layer of mysterious authenticity to the story.

I cannot wait to see what happens next. I do hope that there is a follow-up book planned!

The Death-Defying Pepper Roux

2012-02-03T13:08:00.000-08:00

The Death-Defying Pepper Roux

by Geraldine McCaughrean

Pepper's fourteenth birthday is a momentous one.

It's the day he's supposed to die.

Everyone seems resigned to it—even Pepper, although he would much prefer to live. But can you sidestep Fate? Jump sideways into a different life? NaÏve and trusting, Pepper sets a course through dangerous waters, inviting disaster and mayhem at every turn, one eye on the sky for fear of angels, one on the magnificent possibilities of being alive. (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this book. I felt so bad for Pepper, growing up convinced by the grown-ups around him that he was going to die at fourteen...good for him, taking his fate into his own hands! What follows is a mad-cap adventure, a-la cheesy adventure movie style, with lots of twists, coincidences, and finally a happy ending.

I thought Pepper was a great character...charming, polite, well-intentioned, and fortunate in his friends. I was very happy to see the way things turned out for him. I thought the author did a really great job at keeping the tone of this book light and fun, because poor Pepper's life just starts out so sad...

The Night Circus

2012-02-02T11:07:00.000-08:00

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. (description from Amazon.com)

Okay, something you should know about me as a reader... I shy away from any book, and I mean *any* book that has a circus setting. Why? In college, I had this really weird lit class where we read about people on the outskirts of society, including circus "freaks." SO, we read parts of the book Geek Love by Katherine Dunn and it literally creeped me out so bad that I will not consciously pick up a circus book at all now, without some massive prodding.

Well, enter Morgenstern's debut, the toast of 2011, and about 20 people telling me to pick it up, including two very reliable sources (Thanks Geri! Thanks Danielle) and I had enough prodding that I, albeit still reluctantly picked up The Night Circus.

I am so glad that I did! This book definitely lived up to all its hype. Morgenstern literally created a magical masterpiece. Every time I cracked open the cover, I found myself immersed in another layer of seductive imagery... a world that I longed to live in. I wanted to become one of the fanatics that followed the Cirque de Reves from city to city, wrapping a red scarf round my neck, and marveling again and again at its wonders.

Aside from the love story that defied time and fate to find its happy ending, the wonder of this book is that you truly lose yourself in it. The words wrap themselves around you and refuse to let go, taunting you to read *just a little more*... When I closed the book for the final time, I sat there momentarily stunned and immensely disappointed that I had no further excuse to linger. I believe this will be a book that I will read again...

The Unknowns

2012-02-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

The Unknowns

by Benedict Carey

In a trailer park called Adjacent, next to the Folsom Energy Plant, people have started to vanish, and no one seems to care. At first Lady Di and her best friend, Tom Jones, barely notice the disappearances—until their beloved math tutor, Mrs. Clarke, is abducted, too. Mrs. Clarke has left them clues in the form of math equations that lead them all over the trailer park, through hidden tunnels under “Mount Trashmore,” and into the Folsom Energy Plant itself, where Lady Di and Tom Jones and a gang of other misfits uncover the sordid truth about what’s really happening there. (description from Amazon.com)

While I enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book and I'm usually a *huge* fan of puzzle-based books, this book just had too much real math in it for me. (I was also coming down with a nasty headcold when I was reading it, so that may have contributed to my lack of focus, lol...) Anyway, I found myself skimming through the math explanations just looking for the next actual piece of action...not good.

The two main characters were interesting and I found myself very curious as to what was going on in their little island, but I just couldn't push past the math part of this book to really, truly enjoy it. :(

What's on My Hold List?

2012-02-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

I wanted to try out a new feature on my blog. I think it will be fun!

Each month, I'll let you know

"What's on My Hold List?"

One of the most beautiful things about working in a Library is that I have the ability to put lots of things on hold and read them *before* I buy!! These are some of the books that I'm currently waiting for, though I may buy one or two of them after reading, as well.

Surrender by Lee Nichols

The Haunting Emma series, book three

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Dead is a Battlefield by Marlene Perez

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly series, book two

*If you click on each title, it will take you to the book on Amazon.com for more information. :)*

So, these are the books I'm waiting anxiously to get my hands on...what are you waiting for??

The Summer I Learned to Fly

2012-01-31T16:11:00.000-08:00

The Summer I Learned to Fly

by Dana Reinhardt

Drew's a bit of a loner. She has a pet rat, her dead dad's Book of Lists, an encyclopedic knowledge of cheese from working at her mom's cheese shop, and a crush on Nick, the surf bum who works behind the counter. It's the summer before eighth grade and Drew's days seem like business as usual, until one night after closing time, when she meets a strange boy in the alley named Emmett Crane. Who he is, why he's there, where the cut on his cheek came from, and his bottomless knowledge of rats are all mysteries Drew will untangle as they are drawn closer together, and Drew enters into the first true friendship, and adventure, of her life. (description from Amazon.com)

This was a cute, easy read. I thought that Drew was very easy to relate to as a main character. Though I couldn't quite pick out when the book was set, timewise, the themes of relating to your parents, trying to grow up, having your first crushes, and wanting independence transcend across the generations.

I loved how devoted Drew was to her pet rat, Hum, though I could not imagine carrying a pet rat around with me everywhere. I'm amazed that she never got caught with him somewhere he shouldn't be! I thought it was really cute how she bonded with Emmett through his knowledge of pet rats.

I thought that Drew's reactions to Emmett were very cute and felt true to life, though when she finds out more about him, I felt that some of her impulsive actions were a little unrealistic. It was more that this book seemed to follow the sweet emotional side of Drew's relationships and her remembrances of growing up much more realistically than making sure that the actions of the book were thoroughly possible.

If You Like: Magical Realism

2012-01-30T06:38:00.000-08:00

If You Like… is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love. This week’s post includes recommendations for stories featuring magical realism.

Magical Realism is what stories are referred to as when they take place in our world but contain elements of magic or the fantastic in them. Not truly fantasy, but close... if you like this type of story, check out our recommendations here!

The Sequel has a Title!!

2012-01-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

Days of Blood and Starlight

by Laini Taylor

Sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Publication date: Fall 2012

I'll Be There

2012-01-26T13:41:00.000-08:00

I'll Be There

by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Sam Border wishes he could escape. Raised by an unstable father, he's spent his life moving from place to place. But he could never abandon his little brother, Riddle.

Riddle Border doesn't talk much. Instead, he draws pictures of the insides of things and waits for the day when the outsides of things will make sense. He worships his older brother. But how can they leave when there's nowhere to go? Then everything changes. Because Sam meets Emily.

Emily Bell believes in destiny. She sings for her church choir, though she doesn't have a particularly good voice. Nothing, she feels, is mere coincidence. And she's singing at the moment she first sees Sam.

Everyone whose path you cross in life has the power to change you--sometimes in small ways, and sometimes in ways greater than you could have ever known. (description from Amazon.com)

This novel reads beautifully. It is touching and compelling. I think that almost every reader would find something here to love.

While Sam and Emily find each other, the romance is only a fraction of this book. There are great examples of familial relationships and there is also the perfect example of a horribly dysfunctional family.

There is danger, there is excitement, there are secrets, betrayals, and hidden agendas.

There is beautiful music, art, and cooking.

There are facets and hidden nooks in this book that make it wonderful and it reads very quickly. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

Dead is Not an Option

2012-01-26T13:13:00.000-08:00

Dead is Not an Option

by Marlene Perez

Dead Is series, book five

It’s springtime of senior year, and psychic sleuth Daisy Giordano is preparing to say goodbye to Nightshade High. But no college acceptance letters have arrived yet, and she’s beginning to worry about where she’ll end up come fall—and if it will be anywhere near her boyfriend, Ryan. But that’s not the only uncertainty Daisy’s dealing with. There’s a vamps-versus-shifters war going on in Nightshade, and things are so tense that there is talk of canceling the prom. The conflict is carrying over to the Giordano home, since Rose and Daisy are both dating werewolves and Poppy’s new boyfriend is a vampire.

Can the paranormal community in Nightshade finally find peace? And will Daisy and her friends survive graduation? (description from Amazon.com)

You know that feeling you get when you pick up a book and you have no doubts that you will love it...that you will lose yourself in it? That feeling when you meet an old friend. The feeling when you anticipate laughing out loud...

Yup. For me, this series is exactly THAT. I love these books. I love Daisy, the main character, and her friends and family. I love the paranormal elements - psychics, werewolves, vampires, and more! I love the mysteries, danger, excitement...

Okay, okay. I'll stop gushing. Let me just say, that I sincerely hope this is not the final book in the series.

Full disclosure: ARC originally received from Netgalley

Taking Teens to Brand-New Worlds with YA Science Fiction

2012-01-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

OMG. Did I remember to mention that I will now be blogging as part of the YALSA HUB team?

Today was my first official post, titled, Taking Teens to Brand-New Worlds with YA Science Fiction. Anyway, go check it out! I hope it sounds okay...

Meeting YA Authors Beth Revis and Lauren DeStefano!!

2012-01-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

This past Wednesday night, January 18th, I was lucky enough to go straight down after work to RJ Julia's independent bookstore in Madison, CT to meet YA authors, Lauren DeStefano and Beth Revis. :)

What a great opportunity! It was the chance to meet two authors who debuted HUGE books last year. (Click here for my reviews of Across the Universe and Wither)

It was super interesting to go to this particular author event, because Lauren and Beth didn't each talk about their own book and then answer questions. They let the audience ask any question they wanted and then they both answered (and sometimes argued, lol!) and bounced a lot off of each other.

We ended up talking about how science fiction is becoming a larger trend in YA, how people are interested in reading about characters that live in broken societies (like Wither or The Hunger Games) because we are afraid of what our own government might do in the future, Lauren's really cute shoes* and their matching hair feathers, writing in general, and the pressures of publishing a second book.

It was a really fun and interesting time! I felt so lucky to be able to go. Meeting authors is one of my favorite things to do whenever I get the chance. :)

*BTW-these are the adorable shoes that Lauren was sporting at the event. Interrogation revealed that she bought them that day, at Payless!...which means I might actually be able to afford to break down and go buy a pair. <3

Salt

2012-01-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

Salt
by Maurice Gee
The Salt Trilogy, book one

When his father Tarl is captured and enslaved to work in Deep Salt, Hari vows to rescue him. This is a forbidding task: no one returns from Deep Salt. But Hari was born and raised in Blood Burrow. He's tough and smart—and he has a secret gift: he can communicate with animals.

The beautiful Pearl, born into the privileged world of the ruling class known as Company, has learned forbidden things from her mysteriously gifted maid Tealeaf. Now her father has promised her in marriage to the powerful and ambitious Ottmar. But Pearl will never submit to a subordinate life, so she and Tealeaf must flee.

When their paths cross, Hari and Pearl realize that together they must discover the secrets of Deep Salt. Their long journey through the badlands becomes far more than a quest to save Tarl—their world is on the brink of unspeakable terror. (description from Amazon.com)

I wanted so much to like this book. When I had read the description, I had thought it was a stellar premise. When I finally got a chance to read it, though, I just could not connect. The first few chapters were great. The idea that the characters could talk to one another and animals with their minds was fascinating. The idea of the corrupt government and Pearl's escape from a loveless marriage sounded intriguing...

Somewhere close to halfway through the book, though, I lost all interest. The characters were good, but I didn't find enough explanation in the world building. I had no idea where the Company came from or why they were taking over. I didn't understand what the radioactive "salt" really was... I just kept coming up with more and more, "Huh?" moments and I was frustrated enough that I almost put the book down several times.

I really wish that this book had given more extensive historical context to its dystopian setting. As Gee is from New Zealand, I have a feeling that native readers in that part of the world would draw a deeper context, but for me, it was just vague in a lot of ways. I didn't really feel, either, as if there was enough resolution in this book, and I know it's the first in a trilogy, but I don't want to have to say, oh that must be addressed in book two...

Overall, I was sadly disappointed.

If You Like:Stories about Roommates

2012-01-16T07:32:00.000-08:00

Steampunk!

2012-01-14T13:09:00.000-08:00

Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories

ed. by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant

Imagine an altrnate universe where romance and technology reign. Where tinkerers and dreamers craft and re-craft a world of automatons, clockworks, calculating machines, and other marvels that never were. Where scientists and schoolgirls, fair folk and Romans, intergalactic bandits, utopian revolutionaries, and intrepid orphans solve crimes, escape from monstrous predicaments, consult oracles, and hover over volcanoes in steam-powered airships. Here, fourteen masters of speculative fiction, including two graphic storytellers, embrace the genre's established themes and refashion them in surprising ways and settings as diverse as Appalachia, Ancient Rome, future Australia, and alternate California. Visionaries Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant have invited all-new explorations and expansions, taking a genre already rich, strange, and inventive in the extreme and challenging contributors to remake it from the ground up. The result is an anthology that defies the genre even as it defines it. (description from Amazon.com)

I adore steampunk. It's old, it's new, it's mechanical and magical, full of adventure and romance. It is a brilliant sub-genre.

That being said, I loved the concept of this anthology. It's like...steampunk twisted. These are tales that all have strong steampunk elements, yet push beyond what we think of as steampunk to become even more. Not a one is set in Victorian London, either!

My favorites from this anthology were Libba Bray's story about girl thieves who use a device to stop time so that they can rob trains, Kelly Link's tale of a girl who is bound to serve fairies and is only somewhat mollified by their mechanized trinket gifts, and Dylan Horrock's story about a girl from another world, trying to find herself in a flatter version of her own life. Each of these tales literally *sparkled* at me from off of the pages. *grins*The other tales were really well done, as well.

Reading this book felt like traveling the world in a dirigible with dashing young lads and lasses hanging off of the anchor ropes... *whoops, just had a Scott Westerfeld moment there, lol.* Anyway, though I didn't read it all in one go, each tale was enthralling in it's own way.

I should also mention that two of the tales are in graphic novel format. These were short and fun to read. In fact, my only complaint about the well done audio book was that it neglects to include these two tales...even just by reading the text.

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

Book Trailer - Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

2012-01-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters
by Meredith Zeitlin

Publication date: March 1, 2012

Let's say you're fourteen and live in New York City. You'd think your life would be like a glamorous TV show, right? And yet . . . You don't have a checking account, much less a personal Black American Express card. You've never been to a club, and the only couture in your closet is a Halloween costume your mom made from an old laundry bag.

In other words? You're Kelsey Finkelstein - fourteen and frustrated. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled. Kelsey wants to rebrand herself for high school to make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny. But just because Kelsey has a plan for greatness . . . it doesn't mean the rest of the world is in on it.
Doesn't this look hilarious and cute? I can't wait to pick this one up...

Book Trailer - Tempest by Julie Cross

2012-01-14T07:13:00.000-08:00

The Tempest
by Julie Cross

Publication date: Jan 17, 2012

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps– it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Ooooh! I love a good time travel adventure. Doesn't this sound good?

Check out the book trailer for Harbinger!!

2012-01-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

OMG. It's not too often that I see a book trailer and actually confuse it for a movie trailer, but wow...they did an awesome job on this one. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne, coming out on Feb. 2nd, was already on my TBR list, but this is definitely bumping it up a couple of notches...
Check it out!

First Kill

2012-01-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

First Kill

by Heather Brewer

The Slayers Chronicles, book one

Joss McMillan’s perfect life crashes down the night he witnesses his sister’s murder — at the hands of a vampire. He then finds out his family’s secret heritage: They are part of the Slayer Society, a group whose mission is to rid the world of vampires. Joss is their new recruit. As Joss trains, bent on seeking revenge for his sister, he discovers powers that could make him the youngest, strongest Slayer in history. But there is a traitor in the Society, one whose identity would shake Joss to the core . . . if the traitor doesn’t kill him first. (description from Amazon.com)

I have to admit that I have not yet read The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series. I have always wanted to check out Heather Brewer's writing style, though, since the Vlad Tod books are so popular now, and getting this book for review gave me the perfect opportunity.

I very much enjoyed the story about Joss becoming a vampire slayer. I found the Slayer Society and their rules to be fascinating, and I hope to find out more about the larger Slayer population in book two. Knowing that Joss' uncle, Abraham, was being so tough on him because he was hesitant to have Joss become a Slayer, made things a little easier to read when the training became brutal.

I felt was somewhat jarring was Joss' tone, at times. For a thirteen year old, he had some very sophisticated inner monologues. His contemplations felt overly mature at times, but then again, he was supposed to be an avid reader and kind of nerdy, so I suppose that fit... For me, he waivered between 13 and 20 in tone, but that may not at all bother other readers. I wonder if Vladimir Tod is the same?

I will be very curious to see if as this series continues it intersects with The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for SLJ

Anna Dressed in Blood

2012-01-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

Anna Dressed in Blood

by Kendare Blake

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life. (description from Amazon.com)

Suprisingly enough, though horror is not usually my thing, I really enjoyed this book. I'm a huge fan of the TV show, Supernatural, and this book really reminded me of that... creepy, cool ghost hunter vibe.

I loved the way that Cas and his mom and he would travel round, working together, taking care of the supernatural. I thought the athame, inherited from his dad was a really cool relic. The way it ties in later is pretty creepy, too. It was really interesting to then see how Anna differed from the ghosts that Cas usually dealt with...Cas is normally one cool cucumber, but he's met his match in Anna.

I will warn you that this book has some graphically gory scenes. There were spots that I read kind of quickly for fear of lingering and leaving images lodged in my brain that might induce nightmares...but it was really well written and compelling. I had to know what happened to Cas and Anna.

I am super excited to read book two, Girl of Nightmares, as soon as it comes out!

Full disclosure: Finished copy received from Tor Teen for review
2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge title

Cover Revealed! The Kane Chronicles #3

2012-01-10T14:32:00.001-08:00

The Serpent's Shadow
by Rick Riordan
The Kane Chronicles, book three

Publication date: May 1, 2012

Rick Riordan announced the cover and title of the final book in The Kane Chronicles yesterday!
The tagline: Carter and Sadie Kane: humanity's last hope! I'm definitely excited to see how it all ends!

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

2012-01-09T08:31:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you guys, but my TBR pile of books at home...the ones I buy or receive as gifts, but then never seem to find the time to read... has gotten completely out of hand! Thus, I have decided to join the 2012 TBR PILE READING CHALLENGE!!!

Challenge guidelines:

1. This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.
2. As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!
3. Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!
4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
5. When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge (You need to include the info + host list + challenge button. You can also grab the button code and add it to your sidebar!)
6. You can move up levels, but no moving down.
7. Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
8. At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it's unique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. For participating in the mini-challenge you will get +1 entry.
9. If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)
10. December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.
11. You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!

Wrap-up POST Schedule:

January - Donna (Theme: Let It Snow + Book Cover Challenge)
February - Nicole (Theme: Un-requited Love/Love Gone Wrong + Advice Column Challenge)
March - Rie (Theme: Green or Pinched + Green Cover Challenge)
April - Bonnie (Theme: Easter + Mini Challenge)
May - Christa (Theme: MayDay - Disaster Books! + Cover Disaster Challenge)
June - Jenna ( Theme: Camping + Sentence Challenge)
July - Rie (Theme: International Day + Cover Comparison Challenge)
August - Angel (Theme: Summer Memories + Send Your Fav Character On Vacation Challenge)
September - Nicole (Theme: Life Changing Books + Mini Challenge)
October - Caitlin (Theme: Thanksgiving Theme + Share-A-Book Challenge)
November - Vicky (Theme: Spooky Halloween + Book Puzzle Challenge)
December - Evie (Theme: Xmas Bliss + Book Bachelor Challenge)

I am going to commit to the level of A FRIENDLY HUG, which is 11-20 books.

Cover Craving...

2012-01-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

Sweet Shadows
by Tera Lynn Childs
Medusa Girls, book 2

Publication date: 2012

Isn't this cover intense? I love how her hair is slithering around her neck, too....

The Pledge

2012-01-06T11:32:00.001-08:00

The Pledge
by Kimberly Derting

In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed. Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom… (description from Amazon.com)

I devoured this book.

I loved the concept of having a social structure based around the understanding of language. It was a really novel concept for a dystopian society. I loved, too, that you slowly discovered the available magic in their society... so intriguing for future books in the series!

I found Charlie to be a great main character. She was defiantly strong in her own ways, even as she was ignorant of what may be her capabilities. I loved, loved, loved her relationship with her younger sister and I really look forward to reading more about them both.

I was also thoroughly pleased that many of the other characters in the story were fleshed out. There were many facets to all of the people surrounding Charlie. Things just kept getting more and more interesting.

This book deserves my first GOLD STAR of 2012!

Will someone please find out for me when The Pledge #2 is coming out?????

A Monster Calls

2012-01-06T11:19:00.000-08:00

A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness
(based on idea originally by Siobhan Dowd)

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting-- he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. (description from Amazon.com)

I really loved this book. Not only was the story great... it's a boy dealing with his grief in an unusual way... but the illustrations were a *perfect* match for the author's tale. This book was dark and haunting, sad and thrilling, dangerous and loving. It was exceeding well done and the fact that it is based from an idea that the late Siobhan Dowd came up with just adds another layer of special to the book.

Well worth checking out! *And have a box of tissues nearby...just in case*

Hidden

2012-01-04T18:27:00.001-08:00

Hidden
by Helen Frost

When Wren Abbott and Darra Monson are eight years old, Darra's father steals a minivan. He doesn't know that Wren is hiding in the back. The hours and days that follow change the lives of both girls. Darra is left with a question that only Wren can answer. Wren has questions, too.

Years later, in a chance encounter at camp, the girls face each other for the first time. They can finally learn the truth—that is, if they’re willing to reveal to each other the stories that they’ve hidden for so long. (description from Amazon.com)

This book was interesting. It's told in poetry format, in alternating "chapters" between the two girls perspectives. I found it pretty easy to read and I also thought that the poems gave the author the opportunity to make the reader feel as if they were seeing into each girl's innermost thoughts.

I thought the plot was interesting. I loved the idea of the accidental kidnapping and subsequent escape. I liked thinking about how the two girls would interact years later. I thought the author could have done a little bit of a better job with the girls interactions at camp, though. Some of their interactions felt a little forced and the ending felt somewhat rushed. I would have enjoyed if the book had been a little longer and more fleshed out...

To be honest, I felt a little silly when I read the author's note and realized that I had totally missed a facet of the poems in the book. Then I realized I'm not sure that anyone would have thought to read just the last word in each long line of one girl's poems to make an additional statement... it was only something that the author and someone who read the note first would have picked up on. Interesting when you went back, though.

Shatter Me

2012-01-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

Shatter Me
by Tahereh Mafi

"You can't touch me," I whisper.
I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.
He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.
But things happen when people touch me.
Strange things.
Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever. (description from Amazon.com)

I had some very strong, yet hugely varied reactions to this book.

Likes:
I thought that Juliette was a very interesting character. I liked her ability and the moral dilemma that stemmed from having the government want to use her as an assassin.

I liked the way that the book finished...can't really tell you without getting spoilery, though I will say that it sets things up for an X-Men style series. Fun!

I thought that Juliette's captor, her direct adversary in this novel, was really intriguing. I want to learn more about his background.

Dislikes:
While I enjoyed reading the romantic element of this book, and could understand Juliette's reactions, in some ways it was highly unbelievable. Would she really have this connection to a boy she hasn't seen since her childhood?

My biggest problem, oddly enough, was the writing style. I almost put the book down after the first few chapters because I had such a visceral reaction to the way it was written. Though I appreciated the concept that it was written like a stream of consciousness, it really grated on my nerves. I'm glad I stuck with it though, because the second half of the book felt a lot better to read and I thought the story was worth it.

My overall thoughts: While it's not my favorite book ever, I think that it was a fun read and that I will pick up the second book for sure.

Last Breath

2012-01-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

Last Breath
by Rachel Caine
Morganville Vampires, book eleven

With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville's latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn't merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely? (description from Amazon.com)

I never, ever fail to rip through the books in this series. Caine just keeps the suspense, danger, and romance coming... <3

This particular addition to the series ripped my heart right out in one spot, and thankfully sewed it back together just pages later. *sigh* It is unbelievable what Caine can do to her characters!

I loved the addition of new mythology in this book. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but let's just say that vampires are no longer the only thing that the humans have to worry about in Morganville...

I cannot wait for Black Dawn, which will be coming out in May!

The Watch That Ends The Night: Voices from the Titanic

2012-01-03T06:42:00.000-08:00

The Watch That Ends the Night:Voices From the Titanic
by Allan Wolf

Arrogance and innocence, hubris and hope--twenty-four haunting voices of the Titanic tragedy, as well as the iceberg itself, are evoked in a stunning tour de force.Millionaire John Jacob Astor hopes to bring home his pregnant teen bride with a minimum of media scandal. A beautiful Lebanese refugee, on her way to family in Florida, discovers the first stirrings of love. And an ancient iceberg glides south, anticipating its fateful encounter. The voices in this remarkable re-creation of the Titanic disaster span classes and stations, from Margaret ("the unsinkable Molly") Brown to the captain who went down with his ship; from the lookout and wireless men to a young boy in search of dragons and a gambler in search of marks. Slipping in telegraphs, undertaker's reports, and other records, poet Allan Wolf offers a breathtaking, intimate glimpse at the lives behind the tragedy, told with clear-eyed compassion and astounding emotional power. (description from Amazon.com)

This is a haunting and beautiful piece of historical fiction. The way that Wolf pieced together historical information about the Titanic is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. The inclusion of actual telegraphs, testimonies from survivors, and reports from the coroners make it all so very hauntingly real. Wolf made it feel seamless when he'd transition from the real historical information to the fiction that he created.

The poetry format also worked really well. Especially for voices like the iceberg. It felt ancient and unfeeling. Chilling. I also want to add that the audio version of this book is phenomenal. The actors that alternate the parts do fantastic accents and ply each part with just the perfect amounts of emotion. SOOOO good.

Even if you're not a huge non-fiction type reader (like me, I usually avoid anything like non-fiction at all costs!), this historical fiction will suck you right in and you will find yourself internalizing tons of facts that you never knew about the Titanic.

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for SLJ

Living Hell

2012-01-02T17:09:00.000-08:00

Living Hell
by Catherine Jinks

Seventeen-year-old Cheney and his fellow passengers have known life only aboard Plexus: self-contained, systematic, and serene. When a mysterious radiation wave causes Plexus to turn on them, Cheney and his friends must fight back before the ship that’s nurtured them for so long becomes responsible for their destruction. (description from Amazon.com)

Though this book started off just a little slow in the beginning (there was a lot of vocabulary to try to internalize), it picked way, way up in the middle and was totally worth the read!

This was an awesomely conceptualized science fiction premise where the ship is hit by an energy field in space and turned into a living organism. The humans inside suddenly find themselves treated like bacteria in the "bowels" of the ship. If they act benign, they will be left alone...unfortunately, before they can figure that out, many of the ship's occupants are considered hostile and are eliminated.

This was a creepy cool (slightly gorey in some spots) space adventure. It really gave you that feeling that humans are miniscule out in the vastness of space. It was super interesting, too, to consider how you would survive if you were trapped inside a giant living space ship.

Highly recommended to science fiction fans.

Full disclosure: Review copy received from NetGalley

Laddertop: Volume 1

2012-01-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

Laddertop: Volume 1
by Orson Scott Card, Emily Janice Card, and Zina Card
illustrated by Honoel A. Ibardolaza

Twenty-five years ago, the alien Givers came to Earth. They gave the human race the greatest technology ever seen— four giant towers known as Ladders that rise 36,000 miles into space and culminate in space stations that power the entire planet. Then, for reasons unknown, the Givers disappeared. Due to the unique alien construction of the Laddertop space stations, only a skilled crew of children can perform the maintenance necessary to keep the stations up and running.

Back on Earth, competition is fierce to enter Laddertop Academy. It is an honor few students will achieve. Robbi and Azure, two eleven-year-old girls who are the best of friends, are candidates for the Academy. They will become entangled in a dangerous mystery that may help them solve the riddle of the Givers...if it doesn’t destroy the Earth first! (description from Amazon.com)

As you may or may not know, I'm not a huge manga/graphic novel reader. I've really been trying to broaden my horizons though, because I feel it's an important aspect of my job, and when I heard that Orson Scott Card had created a manga series I knew I needed to check it out.

Orson Scott Card, and his daughters who collaborated with him on this project, did another great job creating a riveting science fiction story with great children characters. I love the idea that aliens would have left technology for us that we could not quite understand. I love the idea of brave kids going up into space. I loved that in this volume, we got to see the training and selection process, but I really, really can't wait to see them get their "monkeys" and begin their actual work on the ladders.

I loved that the illustrator created characters that were easy to identify. They each had their own unique style. I only got confused once about whether a character was a girl or a boy. I also found the action/panels to be really easy to follow in this series. I think that even non-pro manga readers would have an easy time with this one.

As a science fiction fan, I think I've found a new, exciting manga series to follow!!

Full disclosure: Review copy received from Tor

If You Like: Stories about Amnesia

2012-01-02T14:46:00.000-08:00

"If You Like…” is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love.

Ever wondered what you would do if your whole past was a blank? Would you recreate yourself or would you try to fit what you could learn about yourself from others? I love thinking about all of the possibilities. If you do, too, check out these great amnesia recommendations.

2011 Debut Author Challenge Wrap Up Post

2012-01-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

All right, the annual Debut Author Challenge is to read 12 books by debut YA authors that year. I'm pretty sure that I decently surpassed 12, but let's find out.

2011 Debut Author Challenge titles:
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Clarity by Kim Harrington
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Luminous by Dawn Metcalf
The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
Hereafter by Tara Hudson
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
The Water Wars by Cameron Stratcher
Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
Memento Nora by Angie Smibert
Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Divergent by Veronica Roth
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Legend by Marie Lu
Die for Me by Amy Plum
Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Fury by Elizabeth Miles
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I was right! 29 titles this year. Nice! There were a lot of really great debuts this year...in fact, I still have a few on my bookshelf that I just didn't have time to read. I'll get to them this year, but they won't count for the DAC anymore...oh well. Onto the 2012 Debuts!!

2011 Shifter Challenge Wrap Up Post

2012-01-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

This year I signed up to participate in the 2011 Shifter Reading Challenge by reading 20 books featuring a shifter as a main character. Let's see if I was up to the challenge...

2011 Shifter Challenge Titles:
Blameless by Gail Carriger
The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
The Inside Story by Michael Buckley
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
Black Wings by Christina Henry
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Luminous by Dawn Metcalf
Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
The Abused Werewolf Rescue Group by Catherine Jinks
Fins are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs
Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
Black Night by Christina Henry
Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber
The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
The Ghoul Next Door by Lisi Harrison
Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way by Lisi Harrison
Fateful by Claudia Gray
Vanish by Sophie Jordan
Drink Deep by Chloe Neill

28 titles, Nice! This includes not only werewolf shifters, but angels, mermaids, and any other type of main character that shifted from one form to another...

Final Tally in 2011

2012-01-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

It's official. In the year 2011, I read 247 books. Whew!

Since I came very close this past year, I've decided to aim to read 250 books in 2012. We'll see how it goes...

2011 Zombie Reading Challenge Wrap Up Post

2011-12-30T17:29:00.000-08:00

All right, it's fessin' up time. I signed up for this challenge aiming to read at least 10 zombie books this year. Let's see how many I actually shuffled my way through!

2011 Zombie Reading Challenge titles:
Kiss Me Deadly ed. by Trisha Telep
Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Three Quarters Dead by Richard Peck
The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Graveminder by Melissa Marr
Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Die for Me by Amy Plum
Working Stiff by Rachel Caine

10 Titles - Woot! Just shambled my way through this one, lol.

Raven Summer

2011-12-27T18:26:00.001-08:00

Raven Summer
by David Almond

Liam and his friend Max are playing in their neighborhood when the call of a bird leads them out into a field beyond their town. There, they find a baby lying alone atop a pile of stones—with a note pinned to her clothing. Mystified, Liam brings the baby home to his parents. They agree to take her in, but police searches turn up no sign of the baby’s parents. Finally they must surrender the baby to a foster family, who name her Allison. Visiting her in Northumberland, Liam meets Oliver, a foster son from Liberia who claims to be a refugee from the war there, and Crystal, a foster daughter. When Liam’s parents decide to adopt Allison, Crystal and Oliver are invited to her christening. There, Oliver tells Liam about how he will be slaughtered if he is sent back to Liberia. The next time Liam sees Crystal, it is when she and Oliver have run away from their foster homes, desperate to keep Oliver from being sent back to Liberia. In a cave where the two are hiding, Liam learns the truth behind Oliver’s dark past—and is forced to ponder what all children are capable of. (description from Amazon.com)

I had a really hard time with this book. It's short and easy to read, so it wasn't a comprehension thing, really...it was that I had no connection with the characters. I would latch on to one piece of the plot and then the author would switch focus to a totally different aspect of what was going on...it was disjointed and I just couldn't make heads or tails of the real point of the book.

It was not the right book for me.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

2011-12-26T16:15:00.001-08:00

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
by Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer doesn't believe life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong. (description from Amazon.com)

Everything you've heard about this book - it's true.

I can't tell you what it's about without giving things away. What I can tell you is that I could not put it down. I stayed up too late reading it. I snuck chapters at work. I dreamed about this book.

All I can say is read it. It will haunt you.

2011 Debut Author Challenge title

My "Bests" of 2011...

2011-12-24T06:59:00.000-08:00

For the last couple of years, I have painstakingly agonized over reviewing all of the books that I read that year and carefully chose one great book for many, many different genres or categories. This year, I'm simplifying!

I realized the other day that I already had a great system in place for my "best of" choices... my GOLD STAR reviews! Duh. LOL.

So, without further ado, and in order only by alphabetizing the title (not reflective of one being chosen over another), here is my BEST OF 2011 list:

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Adult Epic Fantasy - Martin is a master storyteller! He manages to weave a huge amount of characters and storylines together, seemingly effortlessly, to create a whole new, intriguing, and compelling world.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
YA Romance/Realistic Fiction - Her debut novel blew so many people away! Perkins is the only author with not only two books on my list, but they are her *only* two books! Phenomenal. Anyway, the Parisian setting, the swoon-worthy boy, the realistic emotional journey... this book is a winner.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
YA Realistic Fiction/Satire - So, so ridiculously funny! This book is the perfect satire of everything our society has become known for, plus it has reality TV pirates, exploding makeup, and girls who learn that they can kick butt. Awesome.

Clarity by Kim Harrington
YA Mystery - Fast paced and compelling. Fern's psychic perspective was so fascinating. I couldn't put this one down...so looking forward to Perception!

Darkness Becomes Her Kelly Keaton
YA Dystopia - The Setting. OMG, the setting. Lush, creepy New Orleans. Creepy characters, creepy society, creepy setting, I COULD NOT put this book down. Literally. One sitting - done.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
YA Dystopia - This, this is the next best dystopia after The Hunger Games. I can't wait for the follow up, to see what Tris does next. Excellent.

Everfound by Neal Shusterman
YA Dystopia - The finale of a phenomenally done trilogy. Shusterman manages to raise so many fantastic moral questions and totally sucks readers into his characters' (after)lives.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
YA Science Fiction- Time travel romance. Need I say more? This one had me sighing as I read. (Though more for the secondary guy character... don't tell!)

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
YA Romance/Realistic Fiction - Perkins' sophomore novel proves that she is a master at romance. I liked this one even better than the first. The characters are phenomenal and unique!

New York to Dallas by J. D. Robb
Adult Murder Mystery - I love this series hard. Robb not only creates fascinating murder mysteries, but also has a whole world of character development going on outside of the murders. Eve and Roarke's relationship scorches readers right off the pages. This particular book in the series delves deeper into Eve's past and had me bawling. SO GOOD!

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
YA Historical Fiction - The companion to The Wednesday Wars, Schmidt does an even better job here! Doug is a character that will pull at your heartstrings, and you will cheer him on the whole way through.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
YA Historical Fiction - The biggest tearjerker on my list this year. A phenomenal blend of information about the French Revolution and the angst and grief of a girl who has lost her little brother. Wow.

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
YA Science Fiction - A zombie book that is full of heart. The frontier setting made for a great "western" feel. The characters were phenomenally well drawn. This was another book that proves the zombie genre is not so much about the zombie attacks as it is the survivors.

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
YA Science Fiction - The ultimate in questioning what humans would be willing to do to survive. Suspenseful, compelling, heartbreaking...I was on the edge of my seat right until the very end.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
YA Fantasy - This book reminded me so strongly of my all time favorite book, Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce. It has a strong, flawed heroine. It has a wonderfully well developed new fantasy world. It has an intriguing new religion. I'm thoroughly looking forward to book two!

Now, this is my list as of today. There are still a little under two weeks left in 2011. I may have to add a title, I'm not sure... We'll see.

Dear Twenty-Something @ Reclusive Bibliophile

2011-12-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

Hey. I don't know if you've had a chance to come across this, but Melanie over at the Reclusive Bibliophile has a whole awesome series this month called, "Dear Twenty-Something." Each post is from someone writing a letter to themselves during their twenties. They are full of good advice, sweet anecdotes, and well, fun!

I was so happy to be able to contribute. :)
Check out my "Dear Twenty-Something" letter here.

Cover Craving... The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

2011-12-22T06:12:00.000-08:00

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar
by Kady Cross
The Steampunk Chronicles, book two

Publication date: May 22, 2012

Aside from loving the first book in this series, The Girl in the Steel Corset, with its awesome steampunkishness, this series has been blessed with some rockin' covers! I cannot wait to read this one and pet the pretty cover...

Love the gorgeous color and exotic look of her outfit!

EW posted the exclusive CINDER book trailer today!

2011-12-20T08:31:00.001-08:00

I can't tell you how excited I am to read Marissa Meyer's debut book, Cinder!

I had previously posted information about the upcoming Lunar Chronicles series because it is a scifi/fairy tale blend that sounds awesome. Anyway, Entertainment Weekly posted the exclusive trailer here today - and it does a really great job of letting you know what the book's about and still being totally intriguing.

I cannot wait to read this book!!

Check it out and let me know what you think~

2012 Debut Author Challenge!

2011-12-19T13:46:00.001-08:00

I'm super excited to sign up again to do the Debut Author Challenge, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren! This gives me the chance to check out all the new and hopefully upcoming authors in YA. :)

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:
*To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*
*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

*Any advance reader copies you read from 2012 BEFORE the January 1st start date DO NOT count toward the challenge!

*You can read twelve books in one month, or one book a month. It doesn’t matter as long as you have 12 read by the end of the year!

RULES & GUIDELINES:
*You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads.

*Your blog must be written in English.

*Deadline to join is May 31, 2012. You can sign up on The Story Siren.

BOOK GUIDELINES:
*Must be a young adult or middle grade title.

*Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.

*If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.

*If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

BOOKS I WANT TO READ (SO FAR) FOR THE 2012 DAC:

Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker - 1/2/2012
The Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbet - 1/3/2012
Cinder by Marissa Meyer - 1/3/2012
Everneath by Brodi Ashton - 1/3/2012
Fracture by Megan Miranda - 1/3/2012
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows - 1/31/2012
Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne - 2/2/2012
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - 2/7/2012
Article 5 by Kristen Simmons - 2/14/2012
When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen - 2/28/2012

Illuminate by Aimee Agresti - 3/6/2012
Katana by Cole Gibsen - 3/8/2012
A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont - 4/1/2012
The Selection by Kiera Cass - 4/24/2012
Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell - 5/1/2012
Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown - 6/12/2012
Level Two by Lenore Appelhans *Pub date not yet set*

Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger *Pub date not yet set*

If You Like: Holiday Romances

2011-12-19T04:40:00.000-08:00

"If You Like…” is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love.

Tis the season...and if you love a little romance during the holidays, check out all these great books, movies, and music recommendations!

Drink Deep

2011-12-17T17:46:00.001-08:00

Drink Deep
by Chloe Neill
Chicagoland Vampires, book five

Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and Merit the vampire can't tell if this is the darkness before the dawn, or the calm before the storm. With the city itself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times have never been more precarious for the vampires. If only they could lay low for a bit...

Then magic rears its ugly head when Lake Michigan turns black. The mayor insists it's nothing to worry about, but Merit knows a panic is coming. She'll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who's behind this, and stop them before it's too late for both the vampires and humans. (description from Amazon.com)

Chloe Neill is a master of the urban fantasy genre. Her books just keep getting better and better! After the end of Hard Bitten I think that we all were slightly panicked about how the series would continue without one of its main characters. Chloe managed to banish all doubts!

This book not only answered that lingering question about how Merit would go on...and in several interesting ways... but also introduced a huge new intriguing twist! The elemental magic and new supernatural beings introduced kept the storyline fresh and compelling and I can't wait now for book six!

One of my all time favorite series - with a kick @ss heroine.

Essay Contest for Aspiring YA Writers!

2011-12-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

The Book Wish Foundation is hosting an awesome essay contest for aspiring YA writers!

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust

Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For.

Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012.

If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss. To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Crossed

2011-12-16T17:22:00.000-08:00

Crossed
by Ally Condie
Matched Trilogy, book two

*Caution! Spoilers Ahead...*

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever. (description from Amazon.com)

I have to say that, sadly, I was disappointed in this book. I *loved* Matched and this follow up totally fell flat for me. While I still think that the world concept is very cool, I lost interest in what was happening with the characters.

While the first book captivated me with the danger of discovery, the depth of society's control, and the forbidden romance that was developing...the second lost all of these elements. Though Ky and Cassia are both facing imminent physical danger, this book lacked the suspense of the first. I never felt like either of them was really going to die...or have to live without the other.

Though I will assuredly read the final book in the trilogy because I want to know what happens with the characters, the Society, and especially the mostly absent (in Crossed, anyway) Xander, this book fell into the trap of a "middle" book. It was overlong, not too much happened, and I just wanted to get to the next one.

I'm also finding that the older I get the more I want my love stories to be filled with realistic strife. Love is not easy. And I mean that emotionally, not necessarily that the characters have to be in danger or cannot get to one another... I mean that they will not admit their love, they will fight their love, they will not recognize their love. It will build slowly and it will last. Cassia and Ky's love built well in the first book, but sadly once they are on the run, they both just spent all of their time pining for one another. It was a classic case of two people feeling as if they cannot be whole without the other. I found myself becoming bored with the fact that neither really did anything until they came together again...

I hope that Condie can bring back the magic of the first book when she completes the trilogy.

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for AudioFile

Mastiff

2011-12-15T06:22:00.001-08:00

Mastiff
by Tamora Pierce
The Legend of Beka Cooper, book three

Beka and her friends will face their greatest and most important challenge ever when the young heir to the kingdom vanishes. They will be sent out of Corus on a trail that appears and disappears, following a twisting road throughout Tortall. It will be her greatest Hunt—if she can survive the very powerful people who do not want her to succeed in her goal. (description from author's website)

Picking up three years after Bloodhound, Beka embarks on her most important case, yet. She and Achoo must truly prove that they are the best scent team in Tortall to find the heir to the throne. In their search, they uncover the many pitfalls the kingdom faces by allowing the slave trade to run through it's borders.

I find Beka's cases fascinating. It's like reading about medieval policework and it's sooooo intriguing. Some readers complain about the style of this series - that it's written in journal form, that it jumps too quickly on the timeline, with years passing between books. This is one of the best features of this series for me.

Tamora Pierce has created one of her strongest characters yet. Beka is tough, she is dedicated, and she is defined by her job. That's why it doesn't matter how much time has passed between books. We only see the most important parts of Beka's life. Her big cases. The moments that define her life. What happens day to day doesn't affect her truly, it's the big moments that make her who she is.

Without letting you know all the secrets in this book (you'll have to read it for yourself, lol!), there is a romance that develops. It is sweet and believable. That is another thing that makes Tamora Pierce my favorite author. She creates strong female characters and they never have to compromise for love. The men in their lives love them for who they really are...they accept them wholly and do not ask them to change. They become the strongest pairs and their love lasts because they are truly meant for each other.

Finally, (I know, enough gushing!!) I just want to mention that my favorite book of ALL TIME is Tamora Pierce's, Alanna: The First Adventure. Immediately upon finishing this title, I did something I hardly ever have time to do anymore. I spent an entire afternoon rereading my beloved Alanna series. Though I have shelves of unread books, this particular one inspired me to immediately rip into my old favorites. It was blissful. :)

If you love strong female characters, are fascinated by police cases, and like a touch of fantasy, you would do well to check out this series by Tamora Pierce.

Fury

2011-12-12T18:08:00.000-08:00

Fury
by Elizabeth Miles

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But all is not as it seems...

Em is thrilled that the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend. And on the other side of town, Chase’s social life is unraveling and the stress of his home life is starting to take its toll. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel....And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. There are three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—to choose who will pay. Em and Chase have been chosen. (description from Amazon.com)

This book was interesting. I liked the contemporary stories dealing with Em's relationship dilemma and Chase's horrific betrayal. I liked the concept of the Furies punishing those who broke life's moral rules.

But, something felt like it was missing... I felt a disconnect - like the two parts of the story did not match up. Maybe part of it was that Miles wrote this knowing it was part of a trilogy, so not everything about the Furies needed to be revealed. I longed through this book for...more. More about where the Furies came from, more about how they choose their victims, more about where they go when their "job" is done.

I'm really hoping that in the next book in the series, much more will be revealed. I would love to see more of the mythology behind the Furies!

2011 Debut Author Challenge title

If You Like: Stories About New Adulthood

2011-12-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

"If You Like…” is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love.

This week's recommendations are all books, movies, TV shows, and music that feature "New Adulthood," the twenty-something years...the transition to college...becoming a real adult. A seriously underrepresented section in YA Literature! For our recommendations, check here!

The Faceless Ones

2011-12-11T16:51:00.000-08:00

The Faceless Ones
by Derek Landy
Skulduggery Pleasant, book three

Valkyrie screamed, sprinting toward Skulduggery.
He looked up and reached out to her, but it was too late.

If you've read the other Skulduggery Pleasant books by Derek Landy (and you really should have read them by now), you've seen it all before: Some bad guy wants to bring about the end of the world, and Skulduggery and Valkyrie fight valiantly to stop it from happening. A few people get hurt, sure, but everything's all right in the end.

Well, not this time. (description from Amazon.com)

Though I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, I found it really hard to get into the third. I don't know if it was because I was reading it at work and so only read a chapter or so at a time, but there were a LOT of characters to keep track of and the plot didn't suck me right in.

I did like that Valkyrie is starting to have to reconcile her "real" life with her magical one. I also really liked the plot in the last quarter of the book. There were some cool chase scenes, but overall I was a little disappointed in this book.

However, the very end has a great hook and I may have to pick up the next one just to see what happens next. We'll see...

My Life in Pink and Green

2011-12-11T16:32:00.000-08:00

My Life in Pink and Green
by Lisa Greenwald

Twelve-year-old Lucy Desberg is a natural problem-solver. At her family’s struggling pharmacy, she has a line of makeover customers for every school dance and bat mitzvah. But all the makeup tips in the world won’t help save the business. If only she could find a way to make it the center of town again—a place where people want to spend time, like in the old days. Lucy dreams up a solution that could resuscitate the family business and help the environment, too. But will Lucy’s family stop fighting long enough to listen to a seventh-grader? (description from Amazon.com)

This was a very cute tween read. Perfect for a girl that wants to learn to become more confident in her own abilities. Great for a tween who's just starting to think about boys.

Lucy is a very sweet and smart girl. She makes a goal for herself and she sticks with it. She treats everyone as well as she can, even if she doesn't like them. She wants the best for her friends and family.

This is one of those books that you will breeze through and just end up smiling when you are done reading it. It probably won't stick with you forever, but if you're looking for a "beach" type read, this would be a great choice.

Half Brother

2011-12-08T17:13:00.001-08:00

Half Brother
by Kenneth Oppel

Ben Tomlin was an only child for thirteen years. Then his parents brought home a baby chimp.

It isn't long before Ben is Zan's favourite, and Ben starts to see Zan as more than just an experiment. His father disagrees. Soon Ben is forced to make a critical choice between what he is told to believe and what he knows to be true -- between obeying his father or protecting his brother from an unimaginable fate. (description from author's website)

I was really impressed with the majority of this book. I loved the relationship between Ben and Zan, Ben's friendship with the research assistant, Peter, and the troubled family dynamics that Oppel explored once Zan became part of Ben's family.

To truly appreciate some aspects of this book, you have to remember that it's set in the 1970's. Oppel drops a lot of great hints, but it's not until a small, but significant portion of the book has been read, that Ben confirms the year. It was nice to finally know for sure that this was the 70s.

Once you knew the setting, though, it makes the perfect backdrop for not only the familial issues that Ben was experiencing, but also for his troubled romantic life. The sweetness of his attempts to worship the pretty, popular girl and his complete and utter failure to finally win her. (Don't worry...not a true spoiler! There are other happenings in the cards for Ben!!)

The real star of this book, though, will always be Zan. Not only is he unique and interesting simply because he is a chimpanzee, but he is lovable and sweet because of who he was raised to be. Zan is his own, fantastic character that steals the show 100%.

City of Orphans

2011-12-08T16:46:00.000-08:00

City of Orphans
by Avi

The streets of 1893 New York are full of life: crowded, filthy, dangerous.

If you are a newsboy like thirteen-year- old Maks Geless, you need to watch out for Bruno, leader of the Plug Ugly Gang whose shadowy, sinister boss is plotting to take control of all the newsies on the lower East Side.

With Bruno’s boys in fierce pursuit, Maks discovers Willa, a strange girl who lives alone in an alley. It is she, stick in hand, who fights off the Plug Uglies--but further dangers await. Maks must find a way to free his sister Emma from The Tombs, the city jail where she has been imprisoned for stealing a watch at the glamorous new Waldorf Hotel. Maks, believing her innocent, has only four days to prove it.

Fortunately, there is Bartleby Donck, the eccentric lawyer (among other employments) to guide Maks and Willa in the art of detection. Against a backdrop alive with the sights and sounds of tenement New York, Maks, as boy detective, must confront a teeming world of wealth and crime, while struggling against powerful forces threatening new immigrants and the fabric of family love. (description from Amazon.com)

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical adventure.

Maks and Willa were both strong, interesting characters. Their friends and family were also fascinating and well fleshed out. There were people representing all facets of live in New York City in the 1890s.

Avi did an amazing job creating a vibrant and living historical New York City. It felt as if you could walk right into the lobby of the Waldorf. You could smell the garbage on the streets. You could feel the cold, hard floor that Willa slept on...

Though I was able to connect all the mystery dots before the end of the book, it was so intriguing to see everything actually play out that I did not mind at all. I loved watching Maks and Willa actually put everything together as they figured out pieces of the puzzle.

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for SLJ

What’s the Buzz about 21st Century Libraries? A Virtual Panel Discussion - From Jonathan Maberry's Big, Scary Blog

2011-12-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

Check it out! Jonathan Maberry, author of Rot and Ruin, and many other books, held a virtual panel discussion on his blog. He asked us Librarians what we thought was happening with Libraries in the 21st Century. Read it here!

For those of you in the CT area, not only was I interviewed, but two of my great friends in the YA community, Geri DiOrio from the Ridgefield Public Library, and Andrea Ingala from the Windsor Public Library, were also participants!!

Untitled Project

2011-12-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

The trailer our Tween Time group made for Ally Carter's I'd Tell You That I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You.

Untitled Project

Girl, Stolen

2011-12-04T18:30:00.000-08:00

Girl, Stolen
by April Henry

Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen--with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price? (description from Amazon.com)

This was a really well done book. I was impressed by how Henry really gives insight into what it's like to lose your vision and then having to relearn how to do everything without sight. Cheyenne's struggles to have a regular day to day life and completely compounded by her victimization. She is a strong character that you couldn't help but root for through and through.

This book also brought up a lot of really great questions - about morality, about what makes a person good or bad, whether or not you can be forgiven for making a serious mistake. Can Griffin overcome the horrible things he was taught by his father? If Griffin kidnapped Cheyenne, but then tries to help her, is Griffin a good guy or a bad guy? Is anyone really good or bad?

Finally, as a dog lover and someone who has two dogs that are both part bully breeds (pit bull, basically), I loved the dog component in this book. Not only do you hear a lot about Cheyenne's seeing eye dog, but she ends up rescuing a junk yard pit-bull. She proves that dogs are not inherently mean, but are taught to be by bad people... I loved it!

Traitor's Son

2011-12-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

Traitor's Son
by Hilari Bell
The Raven Duet, book two

Publication Date: March 20, 2012

When Jason catches the small bag that a girl throws to him at the Canadian/Alaskan border during a gun fight, all he can think is that the bag must contain drugs. But if the small, brown powder is some sort of illegal substance, it's certainly nothing he's ever seen before.

Jase is half right. He's never seen this stuff before, but it's not drugs. The bag contains magical dust, a substance so powerful, it can heal the earth.

So powerful, certain creatures think nothing of killing him to get it. (description from back jacket)

I have to admit that I have not read the first book in The Raven Duet, Trickster's Girl, but now having read its counterpart, eventually I want to go back and eventually get to it. I haven't actually read anything by Hilari Bell before, but I liked her writing style.

First of all, this book was surprisingly short. In the new days of most YA books coming in easily at 300 pages, this one is only just over 200. And yet, it packed a lot of punch. The characters were interesting, the world was intriguing, and the danger was scintillating.

This book is set in Alaska in the 2080's. The world has become very technologically advanced and dependent, yet because of the native Alaskan tribes, Jase's world is a mixture of the old beliefs and magics, and the new. His family is in turmoil, precisely due to this dichotomy.

The world is also suffering. Humans have literally poisoned the planet (the environmental message is strongly present in this duet) and it's up to the mysterious Raven to get humans to help heal the earth. The spirit worlds lie alongside ours and certain people, like Jase, can actual travel them.

This book will not appeal to everyone, but if you are intrigued by the idea of spirit travels, magic, and environmental issues (almost like Fern Gully!), you might want to check this book, and its predecessor, out!

Full disclosure: ARC received to review for SLJ

Vanish

2011-11-29T11:44:00.000-08:00

Vanish
by Sophie Jordan
Firelight, book two

An Impossible Romance.
Bitter Rivalries.
Deadly Choices.

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love? (description from Amazon.com)

Again, I commend Sophie Jordan on being able to write one steamy, non-graphic romance! These scenes make me have to stop and check that the pages are not singed beneath my fingers. Perhaps it's the fact that Jacinda has a little fire burning within her, but every time she starts to feel the heat with a guy, flames seem to literally lick off of the pages. *wipes forehead*
So good!

I loved that this book took place within the Draki Pride. We got to see so much more of how their day to day lives worked...their secrets...their rituals. There was more description of the different types of Draki and we got to see them in action. <3

My heart broke for several of the characters. There's a lot of unrequited love (/stalker-esque obsession/passion) going on in this book. Without giving spoilers, I can really only say that I am SUPER intrigued to see how the group that leaves the Pride at the end is going to interact later as they all have some very convoluted feelings...

I cannot wait for the next Draki adventure!! TEAM DRAKI all the way :)

Full disclosure: ARC received from NetGalley

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

2011-11-29T07:51:00.000-08:00

Check out this cool new mini-trailer I made for Beth Revis' Across the Universe on Animoto!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Working Stiff

2011-11-28T16:36:00.000-08:00

Working Stiff
by Rachel Caine
The Revivalist, book one

Bryn Davis was killed on the job after discovering her bosses were selling a drug designed to resurrect the dead. Now, revived by that same drug, she becomes an undead soldier in a corporate war to take down the very pharmaceutical company responsible for her new condition... (description from Amazon.com)

This was a surprisingly believable version of a zombie tale. It was one I picked up for fun because I love Rachel Caine's books and because I've become somewhat obsessed with the zombie apocalypse concept...but, I really, really enjoyed this one - and not just as the "breeze through it" kind of read!

Bryn was a really interesting, really strong character. A former soldier, she chooses to honor the dead that she saw so often on the battlefield by going into the mortuary science field. Unfortunately, she doesn't last through her first day at work. Now, she has to figure out how to live with being undead. *smirk*

What surprised me most is that there is a romance component to this book and rather than being totally turned off, I found it really sweet! They even really address the issue like adults (that was a slightly hilarious scene)...

All in all a fun read. I think I'll pick up book two when it hits the shelves.

2011 Zombie Reading Challenge title

Birthmarked

2011-11-28T16:26:00.000-08:00

Birthmarked
by Caragh O'Brien

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia’s mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia’s choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying. (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this dystopia. I thought that O'Brien did a really great job slowly revealing where and when this took place. (I really enjoyed having the included "map" of the area to reference, too...) I thought it was an interesting conundrum to address...what would happen if an insular society kept breeding only within its own walls...

I really enjoyed how sheltered Gaia was initially and how she slowly begins to piece together the moral horrors of her "perfect" enclave society. It made her seem a much stronger character that she was just innocent of the knowledge originally and then as she came to learn things, she faced them head on, refusing to back down from what she knew was right.

I really felt like all the secrets connected to her nuclear family really brought home all of the dysfunctions of this society, too. Gaia was not above dealing with any of the issues, because each affected her directly in some way.

Well done. I'm looking forward to reading Prized soon!

My big gift for the holidays? A new job!!

2011-11-28T16:14:00.000-08:00

OMG.
I am super excited.
It's finally official.

I gave my notice at my current job today, and the countdown is on...
Starting the week after Christmas I will be the new Youth Services Librarian at the West Springfield Public Library in Massachusetts!

It's hilarious because, even though I live in CT, I already live close enough to the Mass border that my new job will be a closer drive, even though it's technically a state away! LOL.

I'm excited to see all of the new, exciting things that I will get to experience in a new place, and though I will sincerely miss all of my CT Librarian friends, I'm not moving away, so I'm sure we'll still find ways to get together!!

Inheritance

2011-11-27T18:19:00.000-08:00

Inheritance
by Christopher Paolini
Inheritance Cycle, book four

Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost? (description from Amazon.com)

It's going to be hard to write a decent review of this book without being spoilery, but I'm going to try.

As with Paolini's second and third book, there were moments that I felt dragged a little. It's hard not to have that happen, though, when you are writing a book about such an epic journey to the destruction and recreation of a kingdom. Even Tolkein's epic Lord of the Rings trilogy had moments that felt too long.

However, aside from some slight draggishness in certain parts, I thought Paolini did an excellent job ending this series. There were no easy outs. It was a very difficult and illuminating journey. Many of the characters suffered and learned new things about themselves and where they stand in regards to the other Alagaesians. Though my heart ached in spots, this was a very realistic ending.

While parts made me tear up, and I somehow wished that the ending could have been changed just a little (even as I fully acknowledged that this ending was right), other parts made my heart sing. For every shred of doubt and darkness in this book, there is a shining beacon of hope. It is very well balanced.

When I finished, I was satisfied. Though there are a few more things I would like to learn....I have my suspicions about a few things, too (like who Angela the herbalist may really be...), and thankfully Paolini says in his author's note that though there will not be any more books featuring this specific cast of main characters, he plans to someday revisit Alagaesia and perhaps shine some light on those questions unanswered. YAY!

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for AudioFile

Cover Craving...

2011-11-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

Just for Fins
by Tera Lynn Childs
Fins series, book three

Isn't this another fantastic cover for a mermaid book??

Publication date: July 3, 2012

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. But since she’s spent the last couple of years on land—with gorgeous human Quince by her side—Lily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does.

But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem: from sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans. They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms.

Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave!

In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people as well as for the humans she loves. (description from Goodreads.com)

Lola and the Boy Next Door

2011-11-25T07:35:00.000-08:00

Lola and the Boy Next Door
by Stephanie Perkins
companion to Anna and the French Kiss

For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous, the outfit-—more sparkly, more fun, more wild-—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door.

When the family returns and Cricket-—a gifted inventor and engineer—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. (description from Amazon.com)

Stephanie Perkins truly has a gift! She writes budding romance like no other currently in contemporary YA. Her romances are natural, realistic, believable, and swoon-worthy.

I was beyond delighted with many facets of this book. First off, can I just say, HOORAY for a love for the BOY NEXT DOOR!! I am a HUGE fan of this type of romance - boy next door, best friend since forever, etc. - and definitely feel that these nice guys do not get the recognition and love that they deserve often enough. Super huge kudos for that.

Second, I loved that Lola had two Dads. I loved that it was just the make-up of their family and there was no drama about that. It's just who they were. I loved that they were the guys that they were, too. They were both good, caring, fun Dads.

I loved that Lola was...well, Lola. She was fun, she was free, she experimented, she pushed the envelope, and she didn't apologize for herself. I felt so bad when someone else caused her to begin to doubt herself, and was so glad when Cricket reminded her that who she was...was just perfect. <3

I loved the way that Lola and Cricket interacted with each other. I loved the way that they strengthened each other. I loved the way that though they may have each doubted themselves, they never doubted each other. I loved their love. Every time I look up into the sky at night from this day forward, I will look at the stars and think of Lola and Cricket.

Worthy of a gold star? Absolutely. You should read this one immediately.

Peaceweaver

2011-11-25T07:01:00.000-08:00

Peaceweaver
by Rebecca Barnhouse
companion to The Coming of the Dragon

Publication date: March 27, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Hild has always been a favorite of her uncle, king of the Shylfings. So when she protects her cousin the crown prince from a murderous traitor, she expects the king to be grateful. Instead, she is unjustly accused of treachery herself.

As punishment, her uncle sends Hild far away to the heir of the enemy king, Beowulf, to try to weave peace between the two kingdoms. She must leave her home and everyone she loves. On the long and perilous journey, Hild soon discovers that fatigue and rough terrain are the least of her worries. Something is following her and her small band of guards—some kind of foul creature that tales say lurks in the fens. Will Hild have to face the monster? Or does it offer her the perfect chance to escape the destiny she never chose? (description from Amazon.com)

I thought that Hild was a very brave and honorable character. She is accused of great treachery and banished from her home, yet she still does what she knows is right and saves the lives of those who do not care for her. She manages to earn their respect and love. As she becomes resigned to the fact that she cannot change her fate, she chooses to embrace it and the good that it will mean someday to her new people.

I really enjoyed the slightly magical adventure that is Hild's journey to her new kingdom. I would be very interested to read a sequel, though, to see how things progress as Hild becomes Queen. I also want to go back at some point to read the story of the dragon that destroys what is to become her new home.

This reminded me in a lot of ways of Megan Whalen Turner or Shannon Hales' books, though not quite as standout. More of a way to ease into this specific type of historical fantasy.

Full disclosure: ARC received to review for VOYA

Fateful

2011-11-22T17:36:00.000-08:00

Fateful
by Claudia Gray

Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.

Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over. (description from Amazon.com)

To be totally honest, I had no idea if I was going to like this book or not! It's one of those premises that I was like, "this could be totally AWESOME, or it could really suck." Thankfully, it turned out really good!!

I felt an immediate connection to Tess and just kept hoping against hope that she would be able to get herself out of the awful situation that she was living in. Surprisingly, what I had been worrying about the most, the werewolves...on a ship..., turned out to be pretty believable. I really liked the mythology behind the werewolves and the explanation of why they might end up on a transatlantic cruise.

I also really liked the fact that though Tess and Alec meet and develop feelings for each other very quickly, that the author went to pains to make their interactions feel realistic. Tess wanted to avoid all confrontations, but kept getting thrust into dangerous situations. Alec wanted to keep Tess, a strange and vulnerable girl, safe, but as he got to know her inner strength, he came to want to spend time with her. It was NOT instant goo-goo eyes love. *thank god.*

The very end felt a little too easily wrapped up in some ways, but I enjoyed the beginning so much that I'm hoping the author will follow this book up with another Tess and Alec adventure!

2011 Shifter Reading Challenge title

A SciFi Legend that will be missed.

2011-11-22T17:19:00.000-08:00

Anne McCaffrey passed away yesterday, Nov. 21st in Ireland. My heart aches knowing that she will never again produce a brilliant story about dragons or crystalline magic, or selkies...

As announced in the Locus' website, Anne McCaffrey was the first woman to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards. One of her Pern novels was the first hardcover science fiction novel to make the New York Times Bestseller List. She was in a word, EPIC.

What this article does not have, though, is the human touch. A real story of how Anne McCaffrey touched someone's life. Well, here's mine:

Anne McCaffrey's three Pern novellas for children, Dragonsong, Dragonsinger, and Dragondrums, are literally the first three real books that I can remember reading. Technically, I wasn't even reading them originally. My mom would read them to me as bedtime stories. I literally bonded with my mom and grew up on Anne McCaffrey's earliest Pern stories. (*This is also where I first originally decreed that I must have a little dragon to cling to my shoulder with its tail wrapped around my neck!! Years before I read anything by G.R.R.M.)

As I got older, I got hooked on McCaffrey's Crystal Singer, The Tower and the Hive, and Petaybee series. I loved each in different ways. I loved them all because they were written by Anne McCaffrey.

Her work will truly be missed by the world, and by me.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

2011-11-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
by Rae Carson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses. The one who has never done anything remarkable, and can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior, and he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. (description from Amazon.com)

My gut reaction to this book was so strong and so LOVING that I already tweeted/emailed the author to tell her... I swear I'm not stalker-y like that all the time, but guys, I loved this book HARD!

As I told Rae Carson, I can only compare how I felt finishing this book to the first time I felt finishing Tamora Pierce's Alanna: The First Adventure, and that is my ALL-TIME favorite book and one of the only ones that I reread fairly consistently.

There is no denying that I trend toward a certain type of book. I am a hardcore fantasy/sci-fi reader, but within those genres, I am fairly picky. I like plucky heroines, action, "realistic" (can I even say this??) magic, not too tech-y science fiction, and if I don't like it, I tend to really not like it. It's a gut reaction thing.

Well... Elisa is the underdog, who comes to lead an army, a country, and the hearts of those around her. She is a girl who figures things out and saves the day, herself! My favorite kind of heroine. She is still touchingly unsure of herself at times and the poor girl gets her heart broken...twice.

She lives in a world with a fascinating religion, a strange new type of magic, and a mixture of interesting peoples. Her travels across her home country to the desert regions of her new home were vivid and felt so tangible that I kept trying to wipe sweat off my own brow, or to rub my aching feet.

Trust me, if you love fantasy books by authors like Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, or Megan Whalen Turner, you want to check out this author's awesome debut. It's getting a gold star here!

I loved this book so much that I immediately purchased a copy for myself to keep on my Nook, even though I am on a spending hiatus. I also double checked to see if there is a sequel and I am happy to report that book two in the trilogy, The Crown of Embers, will be coming out in Fall 2012. I will definitely be on the pre-order list for that one!!

Full disclosure: ARC received from Netgalley

2011 Debut Author Challenge title

Happy Release Day to THE PLEDGE!!

2011-11-15T15:53:00.001-08:00

Happy Release Day to Kimberly Derting and her newest book, The Pledge!! I cannot wait to read this one. It sounds amazing. Are you ready to enter a world where words are truly dangerous??

Words are the most dangerous weapon of all.

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she’s spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in.

It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can’t be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country’s only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

Even my dog, Noel, cannot wait to be part of the world of The Pledge. She's got her passport and is waiting anxiously...

The Hunger Games movie trailer!!!

2011-11-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

Have you seen it yet? I was a little scared at first, because the book is SOOO amazing, but this looks really great! I can't wait for March 23rd. :)

Invincible

2011-11-12T12:24:00.001-08:00

Invincible
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Chronicles of Nick, book two

Nick Gautier’s day just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he survived the zombie attacks, only to wake up and find himself enslaved to a world of shapeshifters and demons out to claim his soul.

His new principal thinks he’s even more of a hoodlum than the last one, his coach is trying to recruit him to things he can’t even mention and the girl he’s not seeing, but is, has secrets that terrify him.

But more than that, he’s being groomed by the darkest of powers and if he doesn’t learn how to raise the dead by the end of the week, he will become one of them... (description from Amazon.com)

Now that I've gotten past the idea that Nick's timeline in this series is very different from that which had begun in the original adult Dark Hunters series, I was able to jump enthusiastically in with both feet. I love Nick's wry sense of humor and how dedicated he is to doing the right thing and always protecting his mother. He really is a great boy that has no idea what horrors the future could hold for him...

After dealing with zombies in Infinity, now poor Nick must deal with being hunted by demons. I loved trying to figure out before Nick who was a demon, what type they might be, and whether or not they were on Nick's side or not. I loved that we got to see more of Simi and learn her part, quite funny, too, if you knew the relationship that they have in the adult books. LOL.

As Nick unknowingly fights to save his soul and keep from destroying the world, those around him try to help in every way they can...some not even knowing what the end results might be... I cannot wait to see what else happens to poor Nick.

Snow White and the Huntsman - Movie Trailer

2011-11-12T03:38:00.000-08:00

This trailer makes this movie look amazing! I can't wait...

Doesn't Charlize Theron make one creepy evil Queen? OMG. And the huntsman... *swoon*...I'm very intrigued to see this dark new version of the classic tale!

Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way

2011-11-11T19:27:00.001-08:00

Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way
by Lisi Harrison
Monster High, book three

Always overshadowed by her six brothers and her fab friends, Clawdeen Wolf plans to finally strut her stuff in the spotlight at her upcoming Sweet Sixteen bash. But after The Ghoul Next Door goes viral, it's into the woods for the family Wolf. Clawdeen goes stir crazy lying low at her family's B&B with her annoying brothers until Lala shows up to keep her company. But is the vamp flirting with Claude?! (description from Amazon.com)

I LOVED that Clawdeen was the primary focus of this book. Getting to know more about the wolf behind the designer clothes was awesome. It totally cracked me up that not only did she create a lot of her own outfits, but that she hosted a web DIY show. So much fun!!

Lisi Harrison really does a great job of tackling real teen issues, real life issues (discrimination, bullying, etc.) and still keeping it so fun by changing things up with a little fun - horror movie style! I love each of the girls and their special talents. I cannot wait for the next book featuring Lala.

City of Fallen Angels

2011-11-11T17:19:00.000-08:00

City of Fallen Angels
by Cassandra Clare
Mortal Instruments, book four

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. Not to mention that he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other one.

When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace. (description from Amazon.com)

City of Bones was an amazing book. It's follow-up left me devestated, mouth hanging open, and in pure shock. The third in the trilogy left me satisfied. That's why, honestly, though I enjoyed City of Fallen Angels, I did not really feel like Cassandra Clare should have fleshed this trilogy out into a series.

This was another good entry into the Mortal Instruments series, though it wasn't until Clare left me with another jaw-dropping cliffhanger that I decided I will have to read the next book. To me, this series really feels done already, but now I HAVE to know what the fallout is in the next book.

For those who cannot get enough of Clary and Jace, this book will rip into your heart and keep you on your toes. For those like me, who find some of the secondary characters (like Simon!) far more interesting, there is quite a bit of added knowledge about some of the "outsider" cultures in this book. I loved learning more about the werewolves and vampires...

Totally, brutally honest...I will read the next book, but I almost wish I hadn't read this one. I was happy where City of Glass left off.

Wonderstruck

2011-11-11T09:20:00.000-08:00

Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick

Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing. (description from Amazon.com)

Just like The Invention of Hugo Cabret, this is a beautiful work of art, as well as a touching story. Selznick's black and white illustrations are fabulous. I just love the way he does his books!

In this particular story, both Ben and Rose have their own individual tales, but I loved how they came together at the end. It was really lovely. Not only were the stories interesting, but I learned quite a bit about how people who are hearing impaired experience the world. The author even mentions all of the research that he did prior to writing the book and how one of his relatives in deaf... I think that this aspect of the book makes it very important, because it makes talking about deafness and its effects so accessible.

Though this book is very big, it is a quick, fun read. I would highly recommend it to reluctant readers, well really to anyone!

Die For Me

2011-11-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

Die for Me
by Amy Plum
The Revenants, book one

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile.

As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again. (description from Amazon.com)

I wanted so much to like this book. It got great buzz everywhere and come on, that cover! I think realistically the cover is half the reason, or maybe more than half, that I picked up the book...pretty!

Unfortunately, nothing about this book hooked me. Now don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad. Not by any means...but it didn't thrill me, either. I don't know if I'm just so burnt out on paranormal romance at this point that anything I read would get this reaction, or if I really just could not connect with Kate and Vincent.

The idea of the revenants was novel. The Parisian setting was lovely. This was not, however, the book for me. *sigh*

2011 Debut Author Challenge title
2011 Zombie Reading Challenge title

Torn

2011-11-08T07:28:00.001-08:00

Torn
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Missing, book four

Still reeling from their experiences in Roanoke in 1600, Jonah and Katherine arrive in 1611 only moments before a mutiny on Henry Hudson’s ship in the icy waters of James Bay. But things are messed up: They’ve lost the real John Hudson, and they find what seems to be the fabled Northwest Passage—even though they are pretty sure that route doesn’t actually exist. Will this new version of history replace everything they’ve ever known? Is this the end of time as we know it? With more at stake than ever before, Jonah and Katherine struggle to unravel the mysteries of 1611 and the Hudson Passage...before everything they know is lost. (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoy this series. There is such a great blend of historical facts and suspenseful action. In this particular volume, the author does note that she took some liberties with the historical facts to make them fit her vision for the story better, but no matter the changes, this is still an awesome way to spark a reader's interest in different historical periods. I, for one, have gone and looked some things up after reading each book!

I really enjoyed how Jonah and his sister, Katherine, really got to know each other better in this book. It was wonderful to see their relationship grow. I'm still very, very curious as to who J.B. actually is...I have my suspicions, but...I'm hoping that the next book might reveal more!! I can't wait to read it.

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for SLJ

New York to Dallas

2011-11-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

New York to Dallas
by J. D. Robb
In Death series, book 41

When a monster named Isaac McQueen-taken down by Eve back in her uniform days-escapes from Rikers, he has two things in mind. One is to pick up where he left off, abducting young victims and leaving them scarred in both mind and body. The other is to get revenge on the woman who stopped him all those years ago. (description from Amazon.com)

This book ripped my heart open and then sewed it up again...Wow.

If you've ever read any of the books in this series, you know that Eve and Roarke have each grown out of the roughest of childhoods. Well, not only does Robb go back and dip into Eve's childhood terrors again in this book, but you get a tantalizing glimpse into her first year on the police force.

Events from the far past, the near past, and the current time blend to make one hell of a riveting read! This is officially one of my favorite books in the series...and this series is one of my all time favorites. I cannot recommend them enough to murder mystery readers.

One final touch on this review - GOLD STAR! A Must Read!!

Tempest Rising

2011-11-05T06:10:00.000-07:00

Tempest Rising
by Tracy Deebs

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance. (description from Amazon.com)

This was another Fin-Tastic mermaid tale. (I know, I couldn't help myself!) Anyway, I loved how this was a really great blend of the fun and mystery of the ocean and surfing, with the darker dangers of undersea life. Tempest was a really believable character and the fact that she fought to try to keep all of her previous-to-the-change relationships really only made me connect with her more.

This was no case of "Oh. He's so beautiful...my entire life must now revolve around him" love at first sight. Yes, there was instant connection, but Tempest fought to make sure it went deeper than that. She also was really, really devoted to her family, and I loved that. Even as she explored new aspects of her life, she never forgot her younger brothers. So sweet.

I'm really, really hoping that Tracy Deebs plans to follow this up with another book, because though Tempest has made her choice about where her life is going, some pretty big plot points are not cleared up...I must know what happens!!!

2011 Debut Author Challenge Title

Cover Craving...

2011-11-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

Endlessly
by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy trilogy, book three

O.M.God....These books have the PRETTIEST covers EVER!!! I cannot wait to see this in person... my fingers are itching... LOVE!

Fairy Bad Day

2011-11-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

Fairy Bad Day
by Amanda Ashby

While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day? (description from Amazon.com)

This was a cute read. I really enjoyed the world building. Slayers that devote their lives to ridding the world of certain types of paranormal creatures...cool. I love that they go to school for it. The training sequences were fun...I actually wished there had been a little more description there. The fairies were hilarious. I loved them and then the giant killer fairy?? Bad-@ss. Very cool.

There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. There were a few moments, though, where I would find myself tempted to skim a few pages. I'm not sure if it was slightly too long or what...BUT, I would definitely read a sequel set in this world.

Cover Craving...

2011-11-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

For Darkness Shows the Stars
by Diana Peterfreund

Publication date: 2012

I'd already mentioned how excited I am for this book earlier on my blog (here), but today Diana Peterfreund posted both the cover and a little snippet on her website. As a post-apocalyptic retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, it sounds AMAZING! I cannot wait for it...and the cover is BEAUTIFUL too!!

New Hunger Games Movie Photos!

2011-11-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

So, I know I'm a little late to the party when it comes to "revealing" these pictures from the Hunger Games movie, but I'm going to blame this all conveniently on Winter Storm Alfred and the fact that I currently have no power. *I am secretly blogging to you from work on a break!*

The delay, however, means I get to share NEW deliciously awesome photos with you that were just revealed today, as well as the posters that came out...what almost a week ago? *cringe*

So! Not only did they come out with eight great looking posters for the movie (you can see Katniss and Effie Trinket below), but they also just did a great cast photo shoot for Vanity Fair/Entertainment Weekly that I grabbed a couple of pics from...

I'm started to get really excited about the film! They really look like the characters now...

Oh - and as a bonus...here's a pic of Jen from Yabooknerd dressed as Katniss for Halloween!

I think she did a great job with the costume! Kudos, Jen!!

I was really disappointed that this storm totally cramped not only my style at home (I mean, how can you sleep in a place that drops down to 20 degrees at night?? Brrr....), but also my Halloween spirit at work. We had a costume contest at work on Monday and I was all set to go as Effie Trinket (I had a pink wig and everything!!) and ended up not going to work because of the dangerous driving conditions ... *sad face* Oh well, guess I'll wow you all next year! LOL.

Winner - Destined!

2011-11-02T08:56:00.001-07:00

I am pleased to announce that the winner of the Destined giveaway (via random drawing at random.org) is...

Angie!!

Angie, check your email...and get me your mailing address before the end of the day on Sunday, November 6th, so that I can have the publisher send the book out to you ASAP! Congratulations again!

Anya's Ghost

2011-11-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

Anya's Ghost
by Vera Brosgol

Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part . . . Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs. Or so she thinks. (description from Amazon.com)

This was a great graphic novel!
I loved the awesome drawing style (see!!)

Anya is Russian so she's curvy, much to her dismay. I loved that the author/artist drew her that way. I loved how she was also able to make Anya's ghost transform from a scared little girl who'd been locked away for so long, into a monster that is threatening Anya's very existence!

The storyline was also exciting and a great platform to make Anya appreciate not only her life, but herself so, SO much more. A really well done book!!

There You'll Find Me

2011-11-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

There You'll Find Me
by Jenny B. Jones

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise? (description from Amazon.com)

This book is a very good example of what it is, Christian fiction. Though personally the religious tone was too heavy for my personal tastes (quoting scripture and lots of actual prayer scenes) for someone who is a little more devout, I'm sure this book would be a perfect choice. In fact, I actually recommended it to a friend who I thought would really enjoy the book, including the spiritual aspects. I should also mention that no one scene really put me off, it was just that the reliance on religious belief compounded so heavily through the book that it didn't end up working for me.

On the other hand, the story about Finley's grief for her brother, the development of her relationship with Beckett, and the beautifully done eating disorder issue were all fantastic. I found myself crying and then almost immediately smiling again at various points while reading. For every moment that didn't work for me in this book, there were probably two that did. I loved the setting and both Finley and Beckett felt real.

If you don't mind overt Christian themes in your reading, you should definitely check out Jenny B. Jones' newest.

Full disclosure: ARC received to review for VOYA