Eleanor and Park

Eleanor and Park
by Rainbow Rowell

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. (Description from Goodreads.com)

I'm not sure if it's because I read FANGIRL first, or if I just connected more to the main character in that novel, or if it's because I just didn't "live" through the 80s, having been too young to really feel most of the culture of that time, but I didn't have the same overwhelmingly overawed reaction to this book that a lot of people did.  

I enjoyed it.  Rowell is a great writer. I really like how well she can craft a fully fledged character that feels as if I could meet him or her on the street.  I like that each one of her books is different...they take place in different settings and times, and yet, they have a similar feel to them. I know that Rowell wrote them.  

While I didn't love the setting of this book, I found it very believable. This book really felt like it was set in and embraced the 80s.  As I mentioned, I was just a peanut in the 80s so I don't have the same nostalgic connection to it that some older readers might, but I can remember the early 90s pretty well and some things felt eerily similar.  

I think what I liked the most about this book, though, was Park.  Eleanor was a fun and interesting character, but I LOVED Park...and I loved the way that Rowell described him. Here you really felt not only that Eleanor liked Park for his personality, but also that she really and truly wanted him.  Her descriptions of Park's skin as melted honey were truly evocative.  It wasn't just the way that Eleanor viewed him, though, either...Park was a fascinating character in his own right - flawed as any teenage boy would be, but also strong and brave and true.  The book almost broke my heart on Park's behalf, but thankfully Rowell left things in a way that left me satisfied at the end. 

As I said, not my favorite Rowell title, but well worth reading anyway. 

Full Disclosure: Audiobook borrowed from my Library

Porcelain Keys Blog Tour - A Review and an Interview!

All right everyone. Today I want to tell you about a fabulous book that will induce all the feels by a great new contemporary YA author, Sarah Beard.

First let me tell you about the book:

Porcelain Keys
By Sarah Beard

Aria's life is full of secrets--secrets about her mother's death, her father's cruelty, and her dream to go to Juilliard. When Aria meets Thomas, he draws out her secrets, captures her heart, and gives her the courage to defy her father. But when tragedy strikes and Thomas disappears, Aria is left alone to transform her broken heart's melody into something beautiful. Porcelain Keys is a captivating love story that will resonate long after the last page is turned. (description from author website)

Wow. This book was great. Lyrical, haunting, and like I said...all the feels.  Poor Aria has no way to escape the father that scares her. No way to embrace the music that brings her joy.  No true hope for the future...until Thomas.  Then when another tragic accident happens, Thomas suddenly disappears from her life and Aria finds herself broken again.  Even the music that's come back into her life may not be able to help her find solace.

So, without spoiling things for you, I will say that when I finished reading this book, all I could think was how I'd had a very similar experience when I read both Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution and John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. The emotionally-laden mix of happy moments and tragic scenes that left me with tears trailing down my face as I just kept turning pages because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. 

Touching on child abuse, abandonment, alcoholism, depression, and grief, you would think that this book would just be one sad, tortured moment after the next, and yet the music that infused the story, coupled with some heady romance brought such a sense of hope that I knew Aria would somehow make it through it all. Taking the journey with her was a heady thing. 

I can't wait to read Sarah Beard's next book to see what she does next! 

And now, here's a quick interview with Sarah Beard herself!

1. How long did it take from first spark of idea to final proofs to write Porcelain Keys?

Too long! I wrote the first scene in summer 2007 and finished my final round of revisions in November 2012. I loved the story and characters so much that I wanted to tell it right. So I took the time to learn and develop my writing craft, and by the time the book was finished I think I’d rewritten it at least three times. I also took a year off while going through cancer treatment, and another six months while renovating a house. Plus, with three little kids and a part-time job, I usually only got in one or two hours of writing per day. So I like to say that technically, it took two years. It makes me feel better when I look at it that way.

*Life. Always gets in the way, doesn't it? I have massive respect for anyone that can handle it all and still produce great things.  And congrats again on beating the cancer!*

2. If you could write a book under a pseudonym that no one would ever connect to you, are there any genres you would love to secretly explore?

I have a lot of bizarre science fiction ideas, premises that my current audience might not be receptive to. But they are definitely concepts I’d like to explore someday. Of course they all involve a little bit of romance too. I don’t think I could write a story without someone falling in love. Whenever I read a book without romance, I think, “This would have been so much better if Sally and David had fallen in love.”

3. If you could cross one thing off your bucket list tomorrow, what would it be?

Hitting the NYT bestseller list, then celebrating by taking my family to Scotland. 

*Oooh! That's on my bucket list, too, LOL.*

4. Quick picks list:
Favorite vacation destination?

Isle of Skye, Scotland.
I went there with some friends before I met my husband, and it is the most beautiful, magical place I’ve ever been. It’s also where my ancestors are from, which is probably why it felt so magical to me.

Favorite childhood book?

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell.

Favorite writing snackfood?

Anything chocolate will do, but chocolate-covered almonds seem to give me extra brain power.

Favorite clothing item?

Sweaters. I’m always cold for some reason.

*Ugh, me too. This winter's been hard!*

5. What's next on your writing horizons?
I’m working on another young adult romance right now. I don’t want to say too much about it, but it’s set on a California beach and involves chocolate, surfing, and supernatural elements. I also have detailed outlines for two more after that, both young adult romances.

I'm so excited to hear about more books in the works! I know that I'll be checking them out.  Thank you SO much Sarah, for taking the time to stop by my blog today.  It was great having you and I truly loved Porcelain Keys!

For more information about Sarah Beard, you can check out the following places:

Her website

Her Facebook

Her twitter account 

Blog Tour - Little Fish

I am excited to be part of the LITTLE FISH blog tour today!  As some of you know, I've been trying to foray more into the world of graphic novels and this one sounded like one that I could get behind.  AND I WAS RIGHT! 

Ramsey Beyer was a teenager from a small town in Michigan, looking forward to her first year living in a city far away from home. She chronicled that year in a seres of zines featuring personalized lists (such as "things I can't wait for" and "top 10 worst sounds") alongside comic illustrations. Through her blog, Ramsey also reflected on her struggles with loneliness, friendship and potential romance. Her new book, Little Fish: A Memoir from A Different Kind of Year, weaves all of these materials into a poignant, beautifully illustrated, and deeply reflective graphic memory detailing her transformation to an eighteen-year-old city dwelling art student. Little Fish perfectly captures that time in a young person's life when the past feels abandoned, the future seems totally open, and every day is a revelation.

This book is perfect for whomever you may have in your life that is entering college for the first time or even just a going through a totally new phase in their life. It's easy to read, easy to relate to, and made me laugh out loud in spots.  Ramsey chronicles her first year in college through lists, journal entries, and zine articles.  Each page felt as new and different and exciting as Ramsey's foray into Baltimore...her very first city experience.  

As some one who occasionally has trouble following comics or graphic novels, I'm very pleased to report I had no trouble at all with this one.  Each character is distinguishable from the others and are introduced in ways that make them pretty easy to remember.  It's just like making new friends in real life. In fact, I found myself heartbroken to leave them all behind at the end of the year...and I'd actually love to read about Ramsey's sophomore year to catch up with them again!! 

As a book set in college, this is not a book for younger readers (there is some foul language and discussion about sexual activity) but I think that older high school readers, those already in college, and even full-blown adults will relate to and thoroughly enjoy this one! 

photo credit: Michael Cantor

Want to learn more about Ramsey Beyer and LITTLE FISH?

You can visit the following places:

Little Fish on Goodreads
Ramsey Beyer's blog: http://news.everydaypants.com
Ramsey Beyer's photoblog: http://www.everydaypants.com/photoblog/
Ramsey Beyer on Tumblr: http://everydaypants.tumblr.com/
Ramsey Beyer on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ramsey.beyer
Ramsey Beyer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/everydaypants
Zest Books website or facebook page

Lastly, don't forget to check out all the other stops on the LITTLE FISH blog tour and if you think you might be interested in purchasing LITTLE FISH you can get it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Despository or IndieBound. 

Full disclosure: Book received from publisher for blog tour

Waiting on Wednesday: The Winner's Curse

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created and hosted by Breaking the Spine and highlights books that bloggers are all itching to get in their greedy little hands. LOL.

My choice for this week is:

The Winner's Curse
by Marie Rutkoski

Publication date: March 14, 2014

Description (from Goodreads):
Seventeen-year-old Kestrel is an aristocratic citizen of Valoria, a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers. Here, a girl like Kestrel has two choices: join the military or get married. Despite her skills in military strategy, Kestrel’s real passion is music.Which is why she feels compelled to buy Arin, a slave with a talent for singing, at auction. It’s not long before she finds herself falling in love with Arin, and he seems to feel the same for her. But Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for Arin is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a new world, The Winner’s Curse is a story of wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Redemption

Redemption 
by Veronique Launier
Hearts of Stone, book one

Aude Vanier is a sixteen-year-old rock star with a problem—stone monsters keep attacking her. And when they do, she finds herself chanting in a language she doesn’t understand.

Guillaume de Rouen has been stuck as a gargoyle on a church for the last seventy years, until Aude’s chanting releases him back to his seventeen-year-old human form.

An ancient Iroquois prophecy about the destruction of Montreal is coming true. Together, Aude and Guillaume can stop it. But Aude is the descendant of a centuries-old coven of witches—a coven that Guillaume failed to protect seventy years ago. This time, if they fail, the world will never be the same. (description from Amazon.com) 

Okay, I have to admit first thing that I am very fond of gargoyles. I love books with gargoyle characters. This stems directly from one reading the Xanth series by Piers Anthony, which brought some amazing character concepts to life for me, including Geis of the Gargoyle's, Gary Gargoyle.  That combined with my interest in art history and the beautiful stonework that exists on many historic buildings leads to a love and fascination for gargoyles and other stone creatures. 

 

I found Launier's debut book to be great conceptually.  It combined the existence of gargoyles with a very spiritual and pagan sort of witchcraft. Added to that mix is a Mohawk prophecy about the end of the world and you have a very, very intriguing sort of end of the world story.  

I really liked Aude and Guillaume as the main characters.  Aude, or as she likes to be known "Odd," is a rock princess who generally knows what she wants from life.  When her life is thrown into chaos, she very realistically goes through some stages of denial, acceptance, and general WTF?! I really liked how in some respects she was very much in charge of herself and knew what to do to handle things and in other scenarios, she accepted that she couldn't control the things happening around her.  Guillaume was able to help keep her safe and to give her a touchstone in the crazy new world she had to deal with, but he also respects that she is powerful in her own right.  At first, I didn't like jumping between their perspectives, but as I continued reading I actually found it to be a great way to see all facets of the story.  

This was a great summer read for me. Fast-paced, interesting and with a romance thrown in to boot. I'm really looking forward to seeing where the next book in the series goes... 

Full disclosure: eARC received from Netgalley

Guitar Notes

Guitar Notes
by Mary Amato

On odd days, Tripp Broody uses a school practice room to let loose on a borrowed guitar. Eyes closed, strumming that beat-up instrument, Tripp escapes to a world where only the music matters.

On even days, Lyla Marks uses the same practice room. To Tripp, she’s trying to become even more perfect—she’s already a straight-A student and an award-winning cellist. But when Lyla begins leaving notes for him in between the strings of the guitar, his life intersects with hers in a way he never expected.

What starts as a series of snippy notes quickly blossoms into the sharing of interests and secrets and dreams, and the forging of a very unlikely friendship.

Challenging each other to write songs, they begin to connect, even though circumstances threaten to tear them apart. (Description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this book! I'm not much of a musician, though I used to play the clarinet eons ago, but I do know what it's like to feel passionately about something and not always have other people understand. Or to have people too much pressure on you just because you are good at something.

I loved the two perspectives of this book and I loved reading the notes that Tripp and Lyla left for each other. It was very cool to see how their friendship developed and how they supported each other completely. I highly recommend this book to any middle or high school age reader!

Full disclosure: Borrowed through interlibrary loan

City of a Thousand Dolls

City of a Thousand Dolls 
by Miriam Forster
The Bhinian Empire, book one

Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a little girl. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. She makes her way as Matron's errand girl, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city's handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls' deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but also her life. (Description from Amazon.com) 

I really enjoyed this book.  Forster introduces a new world where the eastern influences of our Asian cultures are highly evident but the fact that the world is also completely cut off from anywhere else gives it its own unique presence.  There also used to be magic in this world, though it has now disappeared... 

Nisha is an interesting main character. While there were moments that I grew somewhat frustrated because she could not see what was happening when I had already figured things out, I have to give her credit for her reactions once she did.  This is not a girl to take things lying down.  She refuses to let others decide her life.  She is gutsy, bold, independent, and her stubbornness and loyalty take her a long way.  She also has a strict sense of right and wrong that I highly admire. I cannot wait to see where the second book in the series will take her.  

The audio book is well paced and read in such a way that I could not wait to get back into the car each day to discover new layers of this world and to be pulled deeper into the mystery surrounding Nisha and the City of a Thousand Dolls. 

Full disclosure: Audio book received from SLJ for review

Dead is a Killer Tune

Dead is a Killer Tune

by Marlene Perez

Dead Is series, book seven

 



High school freshman Jessica Walsh is a Virago—a woman warrior who must protect her hometown from danger. And in Nightshade, California, trouble is always lurking. At the town’s Battle of the Bands, Jess’s boyfriend, Dominic, and his band, Side Effects May Vary, are up against Hamlin, a band so popular, their fans follow them everywhere. Soon, the competing musicians are doing risky, illegal, and even fatal things—and claiming that they heard strange music that compelled them to do it. Can Jess and her friends track down the tuneful tyrant before it’s too late? (description from Amazon.com)

I love this series and I love Jessica as the new main character. It's great to see some of the main characters from the first five books in the series make cameos, but the new crop of "Scooby Gang" keeps things going just fine! I really like the Virago angle and still find Nightshade to be a town full of mysteries. 

I thought that the Pied Piper element of this story was very well done. I loved the way that it integrated into the battle of the bands.  The introduction of some new characters and elements also paved the way for some intriguing romantic developments...

These books may not be stellar literature, but they are one of the series that I have to read as soon as the new book comes out.  Each book is just a fast, fun little foray into an intriguing world and I rip through these almost *too* quickly.  If you're looking for a quick read, I would wholeheartedly suggest the first book Dead is the New Black.

Full disclosure: Review copy received from publisher

It's Kind of a Funny Story

It's Kind of a Funny Story

by Ned Vizzini

 

Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhattan’s Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determined to succeed at life—which means getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job—Craig studies night and day to ace the entrance exam, and does. That’s when things start to get crazy.

At his new school, Craig realizes that he isn't brilliant compared to the other kids; he’s just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away. The stress becomes unbearable and Craig stops eating and sleeping—until, one night, he nearly kills himself.

Craig’s suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, isolated from the crushing pressures of school and friends, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety. (description from Amazon.com)

 

I really need to listen to my teen readers at the library more often. The trouble is I usually have such a huge stack of books that I'm dying to read any way that when a teen suggests a book I tell them, "oh yeah, I'd like to read that...it's going on my list" and then it takes ages for me to get to it...

 

I had three different teens recommend this book to me.  Then I picked it up, looked at the cover, and put it back down. (I know, shame on me!) I also, unwittingly, checked out the movie from the library and then returned it unwatched.  It wasn't until I received the audio book for review that I finally got around to "reading" this great story.

 

And, yes...it was indeed a great story! Others have said this, but it bears repeating...for a book about a suicidal teenager, this was actually a surprisingly funny book.  Vizzini manages to make this book feel achingly "real" precisely because it covers such a huge range of emotions.  There are NO one dimensional characters and the plot is utterly realistic. What a well done book. 

 

I highly recommend this one (and I have since checked out the movie again, because this time I will actually watch it! I want to compare it to the book...)

 

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for SLJ

Seraphina

Seraphina

by Rachel Hartman

 

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. (description from Amazon.com)

 

It has been a little while since I have read a story about dragons that has left me in awe.  It's not that the dragon books out there aren't great...it's that they all seem to have very similar lore these days.  Not so in Seraphina.  Though I have read books where dragons could take human form before, Hartman writes about this process and other dragon-y aspects in such a way that it felt utterly new and brilliantly done. 

 

I could picture the painful process of a giant dragon folding in on itself to take Saar (human) form. I could empathize completely with how they must feel trapped and utterly alien amongst humankind.  I understood their mathematical and scientific brains, revolted by human feeling and floundering as emotions they did not want flooded their systems. 

 

Hartman manages to convey excellently drawn perspectives of both humans and dragons as they beome embroiled in political strife.  Seraphina, who can see both perspectives, is the perfect narrator.  Her struggle to fit in, yet hide herself from scrutiny is fascinating. Her relationship with dragonkind draws readers in effortlessly.  Her struggle to fight off feelings for the one man she should never pursue...

 

A phenomenal fantasy debut, absolutely recommended to all fantasy readers, and well worthy of a shiny, shiny (dragon scale shiny, LOL) gold star:

 

 

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my library

Show More

Show Less



Dust Girl

Dust Girl

by Sarah Zettel

Callie LeRoux lives in Slow Run, Kansas, helping her mother run their small hotel and trying not to think about the father she's never met. Lately all of her energy is spent battling the constant storms plaguing the Dust Bowl and their effects on her health. Callie is left alone, when her mother goes missing in a dust storm. Her only hope comes from a mysterious man offering a few clues about her destiny and the path she must take to find her parents in "the golden hills of the west" (California). Along the way she meets Jack a young hobo boy who is happy to keep her company—there are dangerous, desperate people at every turn. And there's also an otherworldly threat to Callie. Warring fae factions, attached to the creative communities of American society, are very aware of the role this half-mortal, half-fae teenage girl plays in their fate. (description from Amazon.com)

This book is a little jewel that deserves a lot more recognition than it's gotten.  Debut author Sarah Zettel builds a fantastically atmospheric world with a compelling main character. This book is a brilliant blend of magic and realism. The Dust Bowl of the Depression Era practially seeps out of the pages. I found myself reaching for my drink over and over as I was reading, so entrenched in the dust storms my imagination pulled from the descriptions.

I loved, too, Callie's complex character. Not only is this a girl who finds that she is not quite human, but even when passing amongst the humans she was terrified of having her bi-racial background discovered. Everywhere she turned, Callie only found danger, intolerence, and the need for deception. Until she met Jack in a storm that changed her entire world and she found an ally who never seemed to care about her differences. 

I am more than ready to leap back into Callie's world, to discover her new abilities, and to see where her search for her parents takes her...I cannot wait for the next book in this trilogy.  

    Full disclosure: eARC received from NetGalley

Five Flavors of Dumb

Five Flavors of Dumb

by Antony John

Piper is a seventeen-year-old high school senior, and she's just been challenged to get her school's super-popular rock band, Dumb, a paying gig. The catch? Piper is deaf. Can she manage a band with five wildly different musicians, nurture a budding romance, and discover her own inner rock star, though she can't hear Dumb's music? (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, it had heart and it made me laugh. I liked Piper's character a lot. Yes, she had her sarcastic, typical angsty teen moments, but she was also tough and determined to make her own way in the world. I loved her connection to music, even as she acknowledged that she couldn't hear it and would never experience it the same way as everyone else could. I loved the way that this family dealt with their issues and came together as a stronger unit by the end of the story.

For a touching and uplifting,l easy to read book this summer, think about picking up this book!


Mindblind

Mindblind
by Jennifer Roy

Fourteen-year-old Nathaniel Clark lives in two worlds—the outside world of his family and friends and his own, special, inside Aspie world, where he’s not forced to interact with people or worry about wearing his clothes right-side out. The world where he can solve mathematical problems that elude even the brightest graduate students. The world where he feels he can find his own inner truth. People say he’s a genius, but Nathaniel thinks differently. According to a book he once read, a true genius uses his talent to make a contribution to the world. Nathaniel takes the definition literally, and begins his quest for genius status. (description from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this book.  I thought that it was a really accessible glimpse into the mind of someone with Asperger's Syndrome. Nathaniel's mind worked very differently from say, mine, but the author took pains to write so that it was not so foreign that it would be off-putting as a reader to try to understand.

Nathaniel was interesting and driven. I love that he truly strived to become a positive addition to society.  He longed for nothing more than to become the true definition of a "genius" - someone who produced something incredible. *Spoiler* I love that his passion drives him not only to become enrolled at MIT, but also to balance that with a "fun" part-time job at a grocery store. 

I loved that Nathaniel also had "normal" friends and that he was so high functioning.  Being in a band and going bowling or playing video games with friends seem to be things that a lot of autistic/Aspie kids can't do and it was heartwarming to see a character that was inspired to participate so much by his family.  I loved the relationship he and his mother had...and while I didn't like his relationship with his father, I understood how it could have developed and thought it was very realistic.  It was nice to see his loving stepmother, too. 

All in all, I thought this book was very well done and I recommend it anytime you are looking for something a little bit different!

If I Stay

If I Stay
by Gayle Forman

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen ­year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. (description from Amazon.com)

Oh! This is one of those books that I'm really kicking myself for not having read *ages* ago!! Not only was every review I ever read positive, but I got several personal recommendations (shout out to, hmmm...let's see, Danielle, Kim, the Roecker sisters, and Melanie!!) that couldn't stop crowing about how good it was...

I really need to start trusting my friends more.
Well, that and I really need to get over my *thing* about sad, contemporary fiction. 

It's true. I tend to knowingly stay away from really great books like If I Stay or Before I Die because I can't stand the idea of choosing to read something so realistic and heartbreaking.  And, yet, every time I do, they turn out to be fantastic reads!

Well...enough of that. On to this specific book... what can I say? I loved it.  It was sad. Heartwrenchingly sad.  I listened to the audio version of this and basically cried my way to and from work for three days.  Sucky on the makeup, but totally worth it!

I hadn't realized that this book takes place so much from Mia's point of view as she's in a coma.  It reminded me of The Lovely Bones, another *great* book.  I love getting to experience that kind of outsider perspective, but with tons of insider insight. It's a really neat device in stories.

Plot-wise, obviously this book is terribly gutwrenching.  I think that Forman managed to make the whole scenario even more devestating after she solidly introduces Mia's fantastic family.  They truly are one of the coolest families I've read about in YA in quite a while.  It was so sad to think of the tragedy that befell them. 

My one and only complaint about this book was how abruptly it ended.  Now, don't get me wrong. It was beautiful. It was right. *BUT* I immediately wanted more!! Thank goodness, not only do I know there's a sequel, but it's already out so I can read it ASAP!!

I'll Be There

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. 



Mixed Messages

Mixed Messages
by Tina Wells
Mackenzie Blue, book four

Mackenzie Blue and her crew are plugged in!

Zee and her band, The Beans, are getting ready for their biggest show yet! Everyone's talking about it online at Bluetopia—the coolest social-networking site ever.

Top three reasons that Bluetopia is the best:

*I can keep all my thoughts safe in a private blog, and I won't have to worry about anyone stealing my diary (finally)!

*The Beans have a huge show coming up, and we can make sure everyone knows about it!

*Jasper (my best guy friend) is in the spotlight for creating the site. He's so talented—he deserves it.
(description from Amazon.com)

This series really is a lot of fun. I love easy it is to read, how there are little pictures of the characters breaking up the story, and the great little messages that are worked into the story without being at all preachy.

Zee is still one of my favorite middle grade characters. She is very real. She's uber creative and fun, but also gets wrapped up in real-life worries and makes mistakes. She's who I wanted to be in middle school - not afraid to do my own thing, but still fun and totally approachable. Zee rocks!

I love the budding romance in this book. I don't want to spoil it for anyone that might check the series out, but things that have been building for awhile might finally come to fruition soon!! :)

I love that Zee balances her friendships so well. She has to work at it, but that only makes her that much more of a positive role model to middle grade readers out there.

The whole addition of the Facebook like site, "Bluetopia" in this book seems very timely and fresh. It's also a really great way to introduce the need for internet safety on social networking sites without lecturing tween readers.

Well done.

If You Like: Music and Dance

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.

Does the music in your head follow the beat of your heart? Can't keep your body still when you hear a beat? ...Or maybe you just wish you were musically inclined?? Check out these books and movies based around music and dance!

Get to Know... Priscilla Sumner...and her Creator, Sybil Nelson!

As part of the Priscilla the Great blog tour, author Sybil Nelson has graciously stopped by to answer some questions for us!! This book is absolutely hilarious, the start of what I think will be a fantastic new middle grade series, and Sybil is just as spunky as her super creation, Priscilla. :)



1. I have to say I love that Priscilla has multiple powers…but if you could only pick one superpower to have, which would you choose?

I would want to pause time. I tend to do a million things at once and if I could take a break and give myself an extra hour here and there, that would be awesome.
*Oooh! That's a good one. I always say I'd like to be able to split myself in two so that I could be in two places at once, but your idea is EVEN better!*

2. Priscilla has a very overprotective Dad. I love that he’s so actively involved, but I remember being a teen and feeling like parents were such a pain sometimes…Did you draw him at all from your real life experiences?

Oh definitely. If my mother was a superhero she would be Psycho Paranoid Lady. My teenage years were an experiment in covert operations. Thankfully, I had my own car and an active imagination. She never knew what was going on. ;)

3. An older brother that likes to sing Christina Aguilera songs – why Christina Aguilera and not Britney or Lady Gaga or Katy Perry?

I really have no idea. I happen to be a big Christina Aguilera fan myself and one day I got an image in my head of a cute boy singing his heart out to “Ain’t No Other Man.” I thought it was hilarious so I went with it.

4. Speaking of music, what would be on Priscilla’s iPod?

What an awesome question. She’s actually not that big on pop music and likes more eclectic stuff believe it or not. She hosts a weekly theme on her blog called “Music the Radio Doesn’t Play.” Some of her favorite bands are Travis, Kent, Julie Slonecki, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, The Influence, David Ford, Robyn, The Smiths, Tuatara, Grandaddy and The Flaming Lips. But on the other hand, Priscilla is an amazing hip hop dancer so when she needs peppy music to get her going, she usually looks toward Usher or one of the Justins.
*I'd love to borrow her iPod for a day!! Don't forget to check out Priscilla's blog here.*

5. Are you working on any new books that you can tell us about right now?

I’m the type of author that always has about a million books going at once. I’m working on book 5 of the Priscilla series. I’m also working on a Young Adult Historical Fiction novel called Shadows of St. Louis. It’s an interracial love story about the race riots that occurred in that city. I also got another idea for a book today which I will start writing as soon as I’m done with this interview.
*Whew! This is one busy author-bee!! I can't wait to read books 2-5 in the Priscilla series myself!*

6. What was the last book that you read that you would recommend to other readers?

Another tough question. I don’t usually recommend books because everyone’s tastes are so different. I think the last book I read that would be a hit with the most people would be Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. I just read that book last week. I don’t know why it took me so long to jump on that bandwagon, but I’m on now and I can’t wait for the next stop.

7. Quick Picks: Favorite Vacation Destination? Favorite Childhood Book? Favorite Movie? Favorite Food? Favorite Clothing Item?

Disney World, (Can’t decide) ,The Wedding Singer, Bacon, Sunglasses

Well, I'd like to thank Sybil again SOO much for stopping by to answer my questions... Please go check out her website, Priscilla's blog (which is hilarious and fun), and the actual book, of course, Priscilla the Great. Check out my review of the book here.

Kiss of Death

Kiss of Death
by Rachel Caine
Morganville Vampires, book 8

Vampire musician, Michael Glass, has attracted the attention of a big-time producer who wants to cut a demo and play some gigs - which means Michael will have to enter the human world. For this, he's been assigned escorts that include both a dangerous immortal as well as Michaels all-too-human friends. And with that mix of personalities, this is going to be a roadtrip from hell... (taken from Amazon.com)

First off, I had not realized how much it had unconsciously begun to bother me that every book in this series took place in one town. I know, I know! That's the whole point of the series, but I ended up feeling the same way when I used to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer on TV. I always wondered how one town was able to contain all that "mess" without just spontaneously combusting?! It helped a little when Buffy went to college...it made a slightly new scene, but I always wondered how no one else in California ever wondered at the huge body count in one small town.

Okay...off the topic a little, I know. I loved that show, but back to the book! I loved that Caine took the gang out of Morganville. Again, I hadn't realized I needed that until she delivered. It was a great choice to move the action to a new location. It put what was going on in the last two books in Morganville into a more worldly perspective.

I loved, also, how each of the characters really grew again in this book. Each, even the one I really disliked earlier in the series, showed new facets to their personalities and Claire especially grew in leaps and bounds in terms of her own self awareness. There was action and revelations galore, but this book was really about character growth, I think.

An excellent addition to the series...I can't wait for Ghost Town!

PS - When I found out who the girl was on the cover, I was "tickled pink!"