Flip The Page! Book Reviews

In My Mailbox (21)

2009-11-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately i got zero books this week and i owe a tremendous amount to my library! :( Im telling you life is pretty crazy for me right now!! lol

Writers Wednesday!

2009-11-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

Again, sorry for the huge delay!!

This next tid bit is a pivitol point in the story. Roman rescues Demi from her idiot boyfriend and really, its the first time Demi realizes she needs him.

Chapter 6

Roman Belle

The overwhelming need to protect her pulled me towards the door. Everyone was staring at me now, urging me to go outside and see what was going on. The suspense was slowly starting to eat away at the entire group. Why should I care what happens to her though? All night she’s been giving me the cold shoulder, not even giving me a smile or one friendly glance. Aside from the conversation we had today, nothing’s changed. Yet, I can’t escape this nagging feeling of anger and the need to check up on her. I needed to do something because there’s nothing more I want right now then her safety, for her to be here in my arms. I pushed the chair in quickly and nearly sprinted to the door.

At the entrance, I closed my eyes in anticipation for what I was about to see and stepped outside slowly. The scene was gruesome and I’ve never before felt so mad, so intently furious as I did at that moment. Demi sat cowering in a ball on the concrete floor with a bloody nose; her hands covering her head in an effort to stop Jacob’s next blow. While I made this observation Jake turned my way and walked up to me slowly, I flinched at the strong and sickening smell of alcohol on his breath. He must have been swimming in it with how bad he smelt.

“You out here to play the hero?” He slurred and smiled.
“What the hell are you doing?!” I yelled at him as I shoved him out of my way and picked up Demi slowly. Her body was fragile and weak, with all the blood pouring from her nose and I quickly unbuttoned my shirt and pressed it against her face.

“No Roman!” She cried softly, trying meekly to protest. Jacob wobbled and made his way to me feebly trying to shove me as I shrugged him off and led Demi to my car.

“So you’re going with him then?!” He shouted furiously. “Go with him then you dumb slut!” He screamed over and over again. I looked down at Demi and could tell this hit her especially hard. Her low cries turned into loud sobs. Jake was long gone by the time we got to my car, having given up tormenting her for the rest of the night. I sighed heavily as I set Demi in the passenger seat and she slumped limply into place.

“Don’t take me home.” She cried.

“I won’t.” I assured her.

The next morning Demi wakes up and immedietly regrets giving in to Roman. However, Roman tries to convince Demi that she really does love him and just as Demi is about to change her mind, his brother walks in with some startling and conflicting news. Ahhh! I love this part! It's sad/funnyand heart wrenching!

Chapter 7

Demi Rowe

The morning was frosty cold. I could feel a slight breeze and I hugged myself tighter in the blankets. What’s this though? Cold foreign arms wrapped my naked body?! I froze stiff until I heard his voice,

“Good morning Love.” Roman purred.

“Umm good morning.” I replied shaky and unsure. This had to be the epitome of embarrassing, I launched myself up and scrambled for my clothes. My body ached and throbbed in places they never did before. Oh my God! Did I just have sex with Roman Belle?! I paused for about three seconds after I finished getting dressed, Roman was laying on the bed with his brow furrowed, baffled and confused.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“Leaving.” I replied lifelessly.

“You can’t tell me you regret what happened last night?” He asked astonished.

“Yeah actually I can! Roman, you seduced me while I was hurt and vulnerable. Do you really think I was in the right state of mind at the time? Because I wasn’t! God, this is so totally wrong! I feel sick!” I grabbed my stomach feeling the dinner from last night resurfacing. I looked at Roman who was now clothed and pacing the length of the room nervously.

“You’re not pregnant are you?!” He asked panicked.

“God no!” I screeched, offended. Just then Joey walked in abruptly and gasped, he stared wide eyed for a long while and then let out a howl of laughter. He grabbed his stomach and tears rolled down his face.

“Did you… I can’t believe you...oh my...Alex!” He called for his brother who appeared at the door quickly and began chuckling at the scene. I covered my now crimson face and shivered in embarrassment. Joey reached to high five Roman who pushed his hand away roughly.

“Get out Joey!” He yelled ferociously. I looked up at his also red face and realized it was because of anger not humiliation. Joey and Alex backed away still laughing and closed the door.
“Demi I love you.” Roman whispered looking down at the floor now upset. I felt a tinge of guilt and my own brand of sadness tug at my heart strings.

“Im sorry Roman, I just don’t see you like that! I don’t know what came over me last night but that wasn’t truly me…” He walked up to me and interrupted my speech mid sentence by cupping my face in his hands and kissing me fervently.

“You love me…I know you do. Just please tell me you love me.” He said softly while resting his head against mine. I looked up at him feeling the same fire I felt last night before I stupidly attacked him. Did I really love him? Or was I just unwillingly stuck in this messed up situation? I knew the truth but achingly deprived myself of it. Just before I was about to give in Joey burst through the door unexpectedly. He looked away from our embrace and talked to the ground while holding out a phone.

“Demi it’s for you, its Evie.” I jumped towards him and grabbed the phone in a rush.

“E? Come pick me up!”

“Dems? There’s been an accident! Jacobs in the hospital, he’s really hurt!” My mouth dropped and the room started to spin. Just a minute ago I was about to confess my love for Roman Belle, now I’m faced with the haunting memory of Jacob Lewis. I felt the old quiver of worry I got when people called about him and questioned my thoughts completely. I couldn’t love Roman, at least not fully; I was still in love with Jacob. After everything he’s done to me I continue to stupidly love the wrong guy. What’s my problem?

Want It Wednesday!

2009-11-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

Very late!!! I apologize but i am a senior and life is getting a bit hectic right now!!! lol

Spells
by Aprilynne Pike

Plot
Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

Mistwood
by Leah Cypress

Plot
Everyone tells Isabel that she is the Shifter – the ancient shape-shifting creature who has protected the kings of Samorna for centuries. They need her to be the Shifter. Prince Rokan risked everything when he rode into the Mistwood to summon her to his side; Ven, the magician's apprentice, has devoted his life to studying her legend; and even Princess Clarisse, who fears and hates her, depends on Isabel's powers to further her own plans.

But Isabel doesn't feel like the Shifter. She feels like a lonely human girl, beset by flashes of memory that do more to confuse than to help her. If she is the Shifter, why can't she change her shape? Why doesn't she remember what made her flee the castle so many years ago? As she is drawn deeper into a web of magic and assassination, Isabel will have no choice but to look for answers. But her search will lead her to the one question the Shifter hasn't faced in a thousand years: where does she come from, and what does she really want?

Review: The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones

2009-11-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Tear Collector
By Patrick Jones
Published: September 2009
Pages: 272
Provided By: The Author
Characters: 12/20
Plot: 20/20
Cover: 15/20
End: 20/20
Writing: 10/20
Overall: 72/100
Song Cry: Tears Don't Fall by Bullet For My Valentine

Synopsis
Fans of urban fantasy should prepare for a new kind of vampire–one that feeds off of tears instead of blood. Descended from an ancient line of creatures that gain their energy from human tears, Cassandra Gray depends on human sorrow to live. Only Cass has grown tired of living this life and wants to live like a human, especially now that she's met someone worth fighting for.

Review
This new kind of vampire novel was strikingly original but a little neglected writing wise. I really wish Patrick Jones had gone deeper into the whole history of these "tear stealing" vampires! I was begging for more! I could thoroughly picture Cassandra too, she seemed like the badass type, the kind of girl who was really cold on the outside but soft and melty on the inside! Her character was very well thought out and interesting-not just your run of the mill vampire slash human wanna-be!

Scott though, i must say, kind of sucked. He was overly religous (which isn't a bad thing but im talking like that lady from the movie "The Mist" over-religous) and he was kind of boring. Like really boring, and he didn't sound hot what-so-ever. Another thing that really ticked me off, but maybe it was just me, was that some parts seemed really irrelevent to the story and i had no clue why it was in there! I need answers! lol

The villain of the novel Alexei was rather unknown for most of the book. There were a few hints here and there but it wasn't until about 3/4 of the way that we actually "met" him. He was very alluring and extremely annoying. Poor Cassandra couldn't get a break with that guy, it was all about "family duty" and the "good of our kind."

The ending really confused me but the last, like, two sentences made me want to know more. Though the novel was highly original, it only got a 75 because there were some parts that just straight up confused me. I would definitly give it a shot though and i honestly can't wait for any sequels that come out! Maybe it'll go into more detail and explain some of the confusion from the first book! I say try it!

In My Mailbox (20)

2009-11-15T09:37:00.000-08:00

The Silenced
by James DeVita

Plot
In a world filled with sanctions and restrictions, Marena struggles to remember the past: a time before the Zero Tolerance Party murdered her mother and put her father under house arrest. A time before they installed listening devices in every home and forbade citizens to read or write. A time when she was free. In the spirit of her revolutionary mother, Marena forms her own resistance group—the White Rose.

(This is actually an old ARC that i found at the Goodwill! What luck? And some random girl next to me said- "OMG that is such a good book!")

Beautiful
by Amy Reed

Plot
When Cassie moves from the tiny town where she has always lived to a suburb of Seattle, she is determined to leave her boring, good-girl existence behind. This is Cassie's chance to stop being invisible and become the kind of girl who's worth noticing.

Stepping into her new identity turns out to be easier than Cassie could have ever imagined...one moment, one choice, will change everything.

Cassie's new existence both thrills and terrifies her. Swept into a world of illicit parties and social landmines, she sheds her virginity, embraces the numbness she feels from the drugs, and floats through it all, knowing that she is now called beautiful. She ignores the dangers of her fast-paced life?but she can't sidestep the secrets and the cruelty.

Cassie is trapped in a swift downward spiral tinged with violence and abuse, and no one—not even the one person she thought she could trust—can help her now.

(I got 2(!) of these in the mail soooo i wil probably either a) give one away on my blog or b) use it for The Neverending Shelf's Secret Santa Book Swap!)

A Match Made in High School

by Kristin Walker

Plot

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can't get any worse. That's until she marries her "husband": jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona's long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very dorky, very big Johnny Mercer.

Magic Under Glass
by Jaclyn Dolamore

Plot
Nimira is a foreign music-hall girl forced to dance for mere pennies. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing with a piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new and better life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets are beginning to stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumors swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. Then Nimira discovers the spirit of a fairy gentleman named Erris is trapped inside the clockwork automaton, waiting for someone to break his curse. The two fall into a love that seems hopeless, and breaking the curse becomes a race against time, as not just their love, but the fate of the entire magical world may be in peril.

The Mark
by Jen Nadol

Plot
Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?

Dirty Little Secrets
by C.J. Omololu

Plot
Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s is bigger and dirtier than most. It’s one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.With details that are as fascinating as they are disturbing, C. J. Omololu weaves an hour-by-hour account of Lucy’s desperate attempt at normalcy. Her fear and isolation are palpable as readers are pulled down a path from which there is no return, and the impact of hoarding on one teen’s life will have readers completely hooked.

Monstrumologist
by Rick Yancey

Plot
These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed.

But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets.

The one who saved me...and the one who cursed me.

So begins the journal of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore War throp, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a grueso me find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.

Want It Wednesdays:D

2009-11-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

The Monstrumologist
by Rick Yancey

Plot
These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed.

But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets.
The one who saved me...and the one who cursed me.

So begins the journal of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore War throp, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a grueso me find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.

(this is actually really weird because i just got this book from the delivery dude like a second ago! fate?)

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June
by Robin Benway

Plot
Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Writers Wednesday!

2009-11-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from Just Your Typical Book Blog and you can read their first post here.

For the next 2 weeks of NanoWriMo im going to post little clips of my novel- This Is Where You Are. It's more of a Sarah Dessen type of novel but I love it! I've been moving so fast with it, i'm over half way done! I even made a little cover for it!

(You Like?)

Here's a little summary-

The last thing Demi Rowe wants to do is fall in love with Roman Belle- rich, over-the-top and too flashy for the small town of Bones in which they live in. But after a series of unfortunate and heartbreaking events, Demi finds out that Roman is more then big houses and a Doctor's son. Through love, unexpected circumstances and unbearable tragedy, Demi learns what it takes to fall in love and the importance of family.

Roman Belle has been in love with Demi Rowe since he first laid eyes on her freshman year but his wealth and her abusive boyfriend keep them apart. After saving Demi from a potentially life threatening situation and showing her who he really is, not just the rich boy with a nice car, she learns to love him. Roman couldn't be happier and through everything they experience after that one fateful night they fall in love and take life in stride.

Does it sound a little cheesy? Well guess what! I dont care:) dont make fun! lol It's from two points of views, Roman's and Demi's, in case you're wondering why there two parts to the summary.

Here's my first snippet. Its actually the first paragraph in which i am deeply unconditionally in love with!

Chapter 1

Demi Rowe

He was sitting behind me on the first day of school, just sitting there like a stone statue staring at my back. I felt his eyes burning into me but tried not to grow irritated, I sighed heavily and kept my eyes on the whiteboard in front of me. Roman Belle-Did he know how stalker like he was? Or did he get a kick out of making me so uncomfortable? After a terribly long forty five minutes of this, the bell finally rang. I got up in a rush but my books fell unmercifully to my feet.

“Let me get those for you.” He whispered attentively.

“I got them.” I spat back, more then enough venom in my voice. His eyes widened and he bowed his head apologetically. Really, I didn’t even know why I hated him so damn much; it must be something about his fancy cars and designer clothes that rubbed me the wrong way. He lives in Bones, Michigan for Pete’s sake! There’s no one to impress here in this small town, no one except for me that is.

And here's another little piece from Roman:) He is the nice guy who always finishes last and i am currently in love with him!

Roman Belle

It’s not like I needed to give Demi more reasons to hate me…especially ratting out her abusive boyfriend. Sending him to jail would be about the millionth and two reason why she loathed every fiber of my being.

The funny thing is I don’t exactly know what the first million and one reasons are but ever since I can remember she has absolutely despised me. Yet, I still try to impress her every chance I get; I always wear the best clothes, drive in the fanciest cars, I even played match maker with my brothers and her sisters. What else can a man do to make a girl fall in love? I try to be polite and be more out going, even go to the stupid Christmas parties her dad hosts! I’d probably jump off a bridge for her…maybe that’s exactly what she wants me to do- jump off a bridge. Ever since my adoptive brothers and I moved to Bones freshman year, I always had an eye for her, not even noticing anyone else.

That didn’t seem to matter to her though, she avoided me like leprosy. The harder I fell, the less subtle she was about hating me. No matter how hard I try I just can’t get her to see my way, and it’s even worse now that Jacob’s here. They started going out last year and she looked almost relieved to have someone to protect her from me. The thing is, his protecting went way too far and anyone who paid close enough attention to her could see that that was no ordinary relationship. It didn’t take Autumn telling me to know something was up.

So what do you think? :) You can visit my profile/add me as a buddy/ read another excerpt on the website here!

Winner of the Hate List Giveaway!

2009-11-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

I know i've been totally sucky at posting stuff lately but i promise i am getting back on track! Recently i had a giveaway for a signed copy of Hate List by Jennifer Brown, graciously sponsored by the author herself! The winner of the contest, whom i already emailed and got a reply from is...

robin_titan!

Congragulations and thanks for entering my contest! Also, a big thanks to everyone who participated and didn't win! I appreciate your great opinions about banned books and their atrociousness! Look out for a new giveaway coming soon!

Review: The Everafter by Amy Huntley

2009-11-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Everafter

By Amy Huntley
Published: September 2009
Pages: 256
Provided By: Publisher- Balzer + Bray of HarperCollins
Characters: 10/20
Plot: 15/20
Cover: 20/20
End: 15/20
Writing: 10/20
Overall: 70/100
Song Cry: “Love and Some Versus” by Iron and Wine and “So Small” by Carrie Underwood

Synopsis
Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this - she is dead. And alone in a vast, dark space. The only company Maddy has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things she lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that, with these artifacts, she can reexperience - and even change - moments from her life.
Her first kiss.
A trip to Disney World.
Her sister's wedding.
A disastrous sleepover.
In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and frightening truths about her life - and death.

Review
I love books about the after life and that explore the theories of where you go after you die. The Everafter definitely delivered the same thought provoking circumstances and interesting topics that come with these great novels! It consisted of “diary entry” like chapters where the main character Madison looks back on her life using things she lost while she was alive. I never encountered such a concept when dealing with death but it was a really, awesomely interesting way to go. It really got the gears turning in my head and had me thinking about all the things I lost over the span of my life.

This whole book was one big mystery. You never knew what was happening or how Maddy got there. I liked the unknown element of it and it surprised me in many ways. By the time this book ended I was biting my nails ferociously, anxious about what was going to happen next and believe me you would’ve never suspected the ending! I cried a little at the end too (I’m such a loser!) because it was just a very heartbreaking but very good ending that gave you just a super great feeling inside! Read The Everafter! You won’t regret it!

Secret Santa Holiday Swap!

2009-11-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

Kate over at The Neverending Shelf is hosting this awesome Secret Santa that i think everyone should participate in! It's open internationally where UK swappers will be paired with other UK swappers and Canadians with Canadians, etc. Sign-up ends November 15th so hurry up and register here! I have a ton of ARC's and other great books that i wouldn't mind parting with and i think its fun to interract with other book bloggers and join in the holiday fun so i'm really excited for the gift giving to begin!

Review: The Pace by Shelena Shorts

2009-11-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

The Pace
By Shelena Shorts
Published: August 2009
Pages: 316
Provided By: Author
Characters: 10/20
Plot: 15/20
Cover: 5/20
End: 5/20
Writing: 10/20
Overall: 45/100*
Song Cry: "Keep Me Warm" by Ida Maria and "From Yesterday" by 30 Seconds To Mars

Synopsis
Weston Wilson is not immortal and he is of this world. But, aging is not part of his existence, and eighteen-year-old Sophie Slone is determined to find out why. In doing so, she could also uncover something about her own life expectancy that she may not want to know. Suddenly, immortality will mean everything and nothing all at the same time.

Review
I didn’t hear a lot about this book before I read it so I was a bit apprehensive (but excited also) to read it. For some crazy reason, The Pace took me longer to read then I expected. I constantly needed to read things over to really comprehend what the book was saying. I’m no doctor so gator blood, hemophiliacs and blood transfusions were way over my head. This didn’t prevent me from enjoying the book though. If you love books that feature characters that are reincarnated in different time periods, I think you’ll really love The Pace.

Sophie was definitely an interesting character, but I found her a little tiny bit ordinary. She was the all around girl next door, if the girl next door was an extreme introvert! Really though she was highly identifiable and really relatable. Weston was absolutely charming. He seemed to grab your attention from the get go and really captured my sympathy. I loved his story including the way he became what he is and Sophie’s role in all of that.

The whole plot was amazing! I found it was really original and enthralled me completely. I think Shelena Shorts is an author that everyone should give a chance and I am eagerly awaiting the next novel in this series!

*As a side note, i'd just like to say that the new rating system is not perfected and i'm just trying it out for right now. I wouldn't take the "overall score" to seriously right now and instead look at the individual ratings instead!

Want It Wednesday:)

2009-11-04T14:14:00.000-08:00

So i am officially back and in action and i have a couple of awesome reviews coming up...not to mention some very awesome giveaways! Wooohoo! These are some of the books i am dying to have!

Linger
by Maggie Stiefvater

So there's no "official" synopsis for this yet but Maggie did release the first chapter recently! SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read Shiver yet, do not read this next paragraph!

• grace •

This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one.
Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. His was the disease we couldn’t cure. His was the good-bye that meant the most. He had the body that was a mystery, too strange and wonderful and terrifying to comprehend.
But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies. Sam stays Sam, and Cole stays Cole, and it’s only me who’s not firmly in my own skin.

Claire De Lune
by Christine Johnson

Plot
A teenager learns that she is a werewolf, descended from a long line of female werewolves, and must balance her human and werewolf lives, while tracking down the rogue werewolf preying upon the people of her town.

In My Mailbox...(19) Back in Action!

2009-10-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

YAY!!!! I am officially ungrounded as of 8 o'clock yesterday morning! It was two brutal and agonizing weeks and now its over forever! I know i have been unmercifully neglecting my little blog but have no fear! The only thing that i was really allowed to do while being grounded was read so thankfully i got like a million books done on my TBR pile! I have a lot of crazy good book reviews coming up so stay tuned!

Here are the books i got in the mail this week! I'm trying a new approach to In My Mailbox because the other way was definitly a bit strenous to say the least. So here it goes!

Here's a little about the books, moving clockwise!

The Sky Is Everywhere

by Jandy Nelson

Plot

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

(I've been looking everywhere for this book because i'm really excited to read it, so when i finally found it i was super relieved! It got to my house super duper fast!)

Never After

by Dan Elconin

Plot

Leaving everything behind for the Island was Ricky's dream come true. When his happily ever after is not quite what it seems, he discovers that running away means running toward bigger problems.

Trapped on the Island, Ricky must join together with the only people he can trust to help him face his fears and return home. But the only way off the Island is to confront the person who trapped Ricky and his friends in the first place. With countless enemies and true peril staring them down, Ricky's mission to leave this so-called paradise will become a battle for their very lives.

(I barely realized that this was a super twist on Peter Pan! So now i'm like double excited to read it! And the author is only 19 which is really admirable to!)

Touched by a Vampire

by Beth Felker Jones

Plot

People around the world are asking the same question, enraptured with Edward and Bella’s forbidden romance in the Twilight Saga, a four-book serial phenomenon written by Stephenie Meyer. The bestsellers tell the story of a regular girl’s relationship with a vampire who has chosen to follow his “good” side. But the Saga isn’t just another fantasy–it’s teaching girls about love, sex, and purpose. With 48 million copies in print and a succession of upcoming blockbuster films, now is the time to ask the important question: Can vampires teach us about God’s plan for love?

Touched by a Vampire is the first book to investigate the themes of the Twilight Saga from a Biblical perspective. Some Christian readers have praised moral principles illustrated in the story, such as premarital sexual abstinence, which align with Meyer’s Mormon beliefs. But ultimately, Beth Felker Jones examines whether the story’s redemptive qualities outshine its darkness.

Cautionary, thoughtful, and challenging, Touched by a Vampire is written for Twilight fans, parents, teachers, and pop culture enthusiasts. It includes an overview of the series for those unfamiliar with the storyline and a discussion guide for small groups.

(I won this from First Reads on Goodreads and i've been reading little tid bits here and there, it's really interesting and it's basically looking at the whole Twilight Saga from a more biblical perspective! Its really cool and gives you a lot to think about!)

Secret Society

by Tom Dolby

Plot

An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.

They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything—even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.

(I already have a hardcover copy of this book so i might, possibly, definitly, maybe be giving this away soon! Confused? lol)

Front and Center

by Catherine Murdock

Plot

After five months of sheer absolute craziness I was going back to being plain old background D.J. In photographs of course I'm always in the background...

But it turns out other folks have big plans for D.J. Like her coach. College scouts. All the town hoops fans. A certain Red Bend High School junior who's keen for romance and karaoke. Not to mention Brian Nelson, who she should not be thinking about! Who she is done with, thank you very much. But who keeps showing up anyway...

(I haven't read the first two books in this series but im definitly looking forward to it!)

The View from the Top

by Hillary Frank

Plot

It's basically a story from five different points of view that are all connected together by another character Annabelle! Its really late right now and im not up to typing out the whole descreption myself but i will type it up once i read and review it which will be soon!

(I've heard absolutely nothing about this book but as soon as i got it i was super excited to read it! But it looks super cool...)

Hate List Contest!!!!! Ends October 30th!

2009-10-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

I know last week i said there's only one week left but oops! i had a little typo! :) Forgive me? This time i am for real! One week ladies and gentleman!!! Oh and P.S. my computer IS working now but being that i am still a teenager and my parents are in fact out to get me i am grounded UFN- until further notice! I am actually sneaking behind my parents back (they are at a baby shower!) to post this and my IMM!! Anywho...enter the contest please unless you don't want an autographed copy of Hate List by Jennifer Brown(which i know is not true!)!

In My Mailbox...(18)

2009-10-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

I got a bunch of awesome books this week! If reviews are soming a little slow im really, really sorry! My TBR pile is just stacking up on me and im doing my best to read as fast and much as i can!!! So here we go...

Fallen
by Lauren Kate

Plot
There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

A Map of The Known World
by Lisa Ann Sandell

Plot
Cora Bradley dreams of escape. Ever since her reckless older brother, Nate, died in a car crash, Cora has felt suffocated by her small town and high school. She seeks solace in drawing beautiful maps, envisioning herself in exotic locales. When Cora begins to fall for Damian, the handsome, brooding boy who was in the car with Nate the night he died, she uncovers her brother's secret artistic life and realizes she had more in common with him than she ever imagined. With stunning lyricism, Sandell weaves a tale of one girl's journey through the redemptive powers of art, friendship, and love.

They say no land remains to be discovered, no continent is left unexplored. But the whole world is out there, waiting, just waiting for me. I want to do things-I want to walk the rain-soaked streets of London, and drink mint tea in Casablanca. I want to wander the wastelands of the Gobi desert and see a yak. I think my life's ambition is to see a yak. I want to bargain for trinkets in an Arab market in some distant, dusty land. There's so much. But, most of all, I want to do things that will mean something.

Song of the Sparrow
by Lisa Ann Sandell

Plot
Since the days of King Arthur, there have been poems and paintings created in her name. She is Elaine of Ascolat, the Lady of Shalott, and now there is a book all her own. The year is 490 A.D. and 16-year-old Elaine has a temperament to match her fiery red hair. Living on a military base with her father, brothers, and the rest of Arthur's army, Elaine pines for the handsome Lancelot, and longs for a female friend. But when the cruel, beautiful Gwynivere arrives, Elaine is confronted with startling emotions of jealousy and rivalry. Can Elaine find the strength to survive the birth of a kingdom?

Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Material
by Rosalind Wiseman

Plot
Looking for a new beginning after a terrible mean girl past, Charlie Healey realizes there's no escaping high school drama.

Charlie Healey thinks Harmony Falls is the beginning of a whole new life. Middle school was brutal. But high school is Charlie's big chance to start over and stay out of drama, except that on her first day she runs into Will, her ex–best friend, who had moved away. Now a varsity athlete and hotter than Charlie remembered, Will hangs with the crowd running the school. But Charlie doesn't understand their power until an innocent delivery guy falls victim to a near-deadly hazing prank.

Torn between doing what's right and her secret feelings for Will, Charlie must decide whether to turn in her very best friend or live with the guilt of knowing what he did.

The Expessologist
by Kristina Springer

Plot
What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

The Secret Year
by Jennifer Hubbard

Plot
Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia's boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can't mourn Julia openly, and he's tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia's journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he's desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

Night Runner (won from Kristi at The Story Siren! Thanks a bunch!! )
by Max Turner

Plot
For Zack Thomson, living in the Nicholls Ward isn't so bad. After his parents died, he developed strange and severe allergies, and the mental institution was the only place where he could be properly looked after. As strange as it was, it was home. He could watch as much television as he wanted; his best friend Charlie visited him often enough; and Nurse Ophelia--the prettiest no-nonsense nurse ever--sometimes took him bowling. Of course, that didn't mean he had it easy. His allergies restricted his diet to strawberry smoothies, and being the only kid at the hospital could get lonely. But it never once crossed Zack's mind to leave...until the night someone crashed through the front doors and told him to run. Now he's on a race for answers--about his past, his parents, and his strange sickness--even as every step takes him closer to the darkest of truths.

Embellish
by R.L. Sloan

Plot
As a young girl, Solis Burkes is raped at the hands of ruthless school bullies-an incident that haunts her into young adulthood. Then she meets Nacio, a strikingly handsome man who seems to know everything about her-including the painful past Solis hasn't told anyone about. But what Solis doesn't know is that Nacio has been with her every step of the way, protecting her ever since that fateful episode.

It's a destiny he's been working up to for the last 257 years.
Now, as Solis enters a dark world of vampires, voodoo, and passion, she'll need all the protection she can get. Unbeknownst to her, those responsible for Solis's rape have returned. Connected to the evil voodoo Priestess Aldicia, they'll stop at nothing in their plans to spew violence and mayhem throughout the city. And an old family feud dating back centuries puts Solis first on their list of targets. But not if Solis can unravel the clues fast enough, and inflict her own brand of revenge...

The Heretic Queen
by Michelle Moran

Plot
In ancient Egypt, a forgotten princess must overcome her family’s past and remake history.

The winds of change are blowing through Thebes. A devastating palace fire has killed the Eighteenth Dynasty’s royal family–with the exception of Nefertari, the niece of the reviled former queen, Nefertiti. The girl’s deceased family has been branded as heretical, and no one in Egypt will speak their names. Nefertari is pushed aside, an unimportant princess left to run wild in the palace. But this changes when she is taken under the wing of the Pharaoh’s aunt, then brought to the Temple of Hathor, where she is educated in a manner befitting a future queen.

Soon Nefertari catches the eye of the Crown Prince, and despite her family’s history, they fall in love and wish to marry. Yet all of Egypt opposes this union between the rising star of a new dynasty and the fading star of an old, heretical one. While political adversity sets the country on edge, Nefertari becomes the wife of Ramesses the Great. Destined to be the most powerful Pharaoh in Egypt, he is also the man who must confront the most famous exodus in history.

Bleeding Violet
by Dia Reeves

Plot
Love can be a dangerous thing....

Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe...

Want It Wednesday!

2009-10-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

My computer is so totally broke right now that i'm afraid getting reviews done might seem incredibly imposssible! But i will try to get my memes out during school and i will also try to get at least one review done every week! Sorry for the inconveniece!

Incarceron

by Catherine Fisher

Plot
Incarceron is a prison so vast that it contains not only cells, but also metal forests, dilapidated cities, and vast wilderness. Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, has no memory of his childhood and is sure that he came from Outside Incarceron. Very few prisoners believe that there is an Outside, however, which makes escape seems impossible.

And then Finn finds a crystal key that allows him to communicate with a girl named Claudia. She claims to live Outside—she is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, and doomed to an arranged marriage. Finn is determined to escape the prison and Claudia believes she can help him. But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye, and escape will take their greatest courage and cost more than they know. Because Incarceron is alive.

The Dark Divine

Bree Despain

Plot
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared—the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in blood. But she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night really held. And when Daniel returns three years later, Grace can no longer deny her attraction to him, despite promising Jude she’ll stay away.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, her actions stir the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind Jude and Daniel's dark secret . . . and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it—her soul.

One Week Left to Win a Signed Copy of Hate List!

2009-10-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yup! That's right! There is only on week left to win an autographed copy of Hate List by Jennifer Brown! Click the link on the upper left hand corner of my blog and enter to win!! Hurry!

Want It Wednesdays:)

2009-10-14T19:46:00.000-07:00

Okay so it's something old and something new! Both of these books look really amazing! Watcha think??

Shadow Hills
by Anastasia Hopcus

Plot
Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.

After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.

But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

Audrey, Wait!
by Robin Benway

Plot
When funny, charming, absolutely-normal Audrey Cuttler dumps her boyfriend Evan, he writes a song about her that becomes a number-one hit—and rockets Audrey to stardom!

Suddenly, tabloid paparazzi are on her tail and Audrey can barely hang with her friends at concerts or the movies without getting mobbed—let alone score a date with James, her adorable coworker at the Scooper Dooper. Her life will never be the same—at least, not until Audrey confronts Evan live on MTV and lets the world know exactly who she is!

Author Interview: Becca Fitzpatrick!

2009-10-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Becca Fitzpatrick author of Hush, Hush

In honor of the most anticipated release of Becca's debut novel Hush, Hush (which is out now!! Go buy it!) How fitting would it be to have her on Flip The Page! answering some of my questions for YOU- the reader! So if you regularly read my blog you must know how much I LOVE Hush, Hush! So here's a little something about what is sure to be your new favorite book of the year!

Hush, Hush
by Becca Fitzpatrick

Plot
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Interview

1. I thought the fallen angel concept was really interesting and original! How did you come about this subject and what made you want to write about it?

Truth be told, I didn't set out to write about fallen angels. When I started Hush, Hush, I knew I wanted Patch to be the ultimate bad boy...but with a twist. He hadn't always been bad. In fact, at one point, he'd been really good, and something had caused this big change. While pondering what had caused Patch's fall from grace, the metaphor of “falling” that I was carrying around in my head became something quite literal – a fallen angel. Since I already knew Patch was going to be the ultimate bad boy, this revelation seemed perfect – after all, fallen angels are the original bad boys!

2. What was it like developing the main characters of Hush, Hush? What kind of person did you want to portray when you wrote Nora and Patch?

I didn't really feel like I had to develop Patch – he showed up on day one in full personality. Nora was harder. In the early drafts, she was almost as cocky and self-assured as Patch, and it just wasn't working. I finally ditched her old character, name included, and started over. In the end, I'm very happy with Nora. She's the yin to Patch's yang.

3. Patch is the ultimate bad boy with a dark side but tell us what’s really going on in his head!

Oh man, I wish I knew! Patch is such a mystery, even to me. I think he's trying to do the right thing, but it really goes against his nature. Being a guardian angel is going to try his patience – he's not good at following rules or dealing with bureaucracy. I think he's going to be one of those characters we're never quite sure we can trust. He wants what's best for Nora, but his ways of going about securing that aren't always the most ethical. Let's just say his moral code is a little blurry.

4.Vee Sky adds just enough comedic punch in the novel to ease the intensity- what was the inspiration for this character?

I didn't realize this while I was writing her character, but when my family read the book, they all pointed out how similar Vee is to two of my childhood friends. Of course they were right! I think the moral of this story is pretty clear: if we've crossed paths in the past, you just might end up in my next book.

5. There are so many sub-stories in this novel- Jules and Elliot, the stalker, Miss Greene/Dabria, Nora’s fallen angel bloodline- What was it like connecting all these stories and what significance do they have with the second novel Crescendo?

Laughing...it took many drafts to get all of the threads to come together in the end. Plotting is hard – don't let anyone tell you otherwise :). As for how things will play out in Crescendo, the focus of the storyline is two-fold: the mystery of what really happened the night Nora's dad was murdered, and the challenges Patch and Nora's relationship will face. The book focuses more on Nephilim, which means if I'm lucky enough to get to write a third book, it (book 3) will focus more on angels.

6. The novel seems to have the perfect balance of romance and suspense but was there anything of those two categories that you would’ve liked to put in but didn’t get to? Like more of Nora and Patch connecting/not connecting? Or more mystery and thrills?

That's the great thing about writing a series – not everything has to be revealed between the covers of one book. Crescendo will definitely explore more of Patch and Nora's relationship, and the danger is increased a notch...or two.

7. Why do you think you’re novel is worth reading? What do you think sets Hush, Hush apart from all the other YA novels coming out?

I think Hush, Hush has a lot going for it – there's a seductive romance, a mystery to be solved, and a dash of (hopefully!) fresh mythology. For readers who're looking for a blend of genres, I'm hoping they'll give Hush, Hush a shot.

8. You made a playlist for Hush, Hush with music by The Smiths (favorite band ever!), Pixies, Led Zeppelin and many more. What other bands/types of music inspired you while writing Hush, Hush?

My boyfriend in college loved The Smiths and introduced me to them, so I have him to thank. But back to the question. I listened to The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack often during the plotting stages of the book. I'm crazy about that soundtrack. Maybe if Hush, Hush is made into a movie, Andrew Lloyd Webber will write the score...hey, I can dream!

9. What are some great books you’re looking forward to reading or have already read?

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Fade by Lisa McMann, Ice by Sarah Beth Durst, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins and The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey.

I can't help but say thank you to Becca for letting me badger her with these probably all to familiar questions! It's a really freakin awesome moment when i get to interview a highly amazing author with such great potential! You better believe i'll be watching out for more of her work! And you should be too!

You can see my review of Hush, Hush here.

You can listen to my playlist for Hush, Hush here.

You can also check out the post i did for BBAW about this book with an extended playlist here.

If you wanna know more about Becca and the Fallen Angels Series you can go to her blog or her web page!

In My Mailbox...(17)

2009-10-11T16:55:00.000-07:00

I was feeling a bit down this week so i went out and got a ton of books from the library! Nothing better then a few books to lighten up your mood!

Tantalize
by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Plot
Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.

Graceling
by Kristin Cashore

Plot
Graceling takes readers inside the world of Katsa, a warrior-girl in her late teens with one blue eye and one green eye. This gives her haunting beauty, but also marks her as a Graceling. Gracelings are beings with special talents—swimming, storytelling, dancing. Katsa's Grace is considered more useful: her ability to fight (and kill, if she wanted to) is unequaled in the seven kingdoms. Forced to act as a henchman for a manipulative king, Katsa channels her guilt by forming a secret council of like-minded citizens who carry out secret missions to promote justice over cruelty and abuses of power.

Life As We Knew It

by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Plot

Miranda is a normal 16-year-old girl whose main concerns in life are schoolwork, swim meets and whether or not she will be asked to the prom. But Miranda's world is literally ripped apart when an asteroid hits the moon, shifts it from its orbit and throws the earth into chaos. Millions die due to tsunamis and earthquakes. Millions more perish because of an early, devastatingly cold winter, brought about by ash thrown into the atmosphere by hundreds of volcanic eruptions. The story, told through a series of entries in Miranda's journal, chronicles the heroine's and her family's efforts to survive in a world where staying warm and having enough to eat and drink becomes the day-to-day priority.

Need

by Carrie Jones

Plot
Zara collects phobias the way other girls collect Facebook friends. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

I Am Legend
by Richard Matheson

Plot
Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman, and child on Earth has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood.

By day, he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn.

How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?

Blood and chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause
Plot
Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a werewolf?

Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a meat-boy. Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack. He's fascinated by magic, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him. Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would.

Vivian's divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack. Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either. What is she really—human or beast? Which tastes sweeter—blood or chocolate?

Review Playlist!

2009-10-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

Here is the music I mentioned this week in my reviews!

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr-

Find A Way by Safety Suit and Make It With You by Bread

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson-

Mad World by Tears for Fears and Savin' Me by Nickelback

Swoon by Nina Malkin-

Hang Me Up To Dry by Cold War Kids and Love, Hate, Love by Alice In Chains

Diary of a Witness by Catherine Ryan Hyde-

Loser by Beck

Author Interview: Jennifer Brown

2009-10-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Brown author of Hate List

Today, I have Jennifer Brown, the talented writer of the inspiring novel Hate List! You can see my review of Hate List here. You can see my personal playlist for the book here. AND im giving away a signed copy of Hate List here! Enjoy the interview!

1. Was the Columbine High School tragedy somehow linked to your writing process?

No, not at all. Never in my mind's eye was I writing about Columbine or any other real-life school shooting. I would never presume to understand at all what it was like to be in the place of those people who lived through Columbine, or those people who lost a loved one in Columbine. And there are some very real differences between the shooting in Hate List and the one in Columbine (a single shooter versus two shooters, for instance, and also no use of explosives in Hate List, etc.).

2. Valerie's inner battle can be described as confused and hurt- what was it like entering her mind and writing her character?

No doubt about it, Valerie's mind was a very dark place to be. At first, she was very unpleasant to be around, but I knew she had the potential to reach out and to get better. I knew it would be tough for her, but absolutely possible. Because I could always see the good in Valerie, it wasn't too difficult to enter her mind -- I knew her sweet, vulnerable side.

3. Was there anything you wanted your readers to take away from reading Hate List?

Absolutely! I wanted readers to take away the notion that they can change hate by reaching out like Jessica (and eventually Valerie) did. I wanted them to look at something that seems so simple at first blush and see that there are so many fuzzy lines there, it's almost impossible to tell what's the truth. And I wanted readers to come away from the story hopeful, which sounds weird, given the subject matter, but I do think it's possible to come out of darkness... hopeful.

4. Death, divorce and friendship are all important topics in this book. What was the hardest/easiest thing to write about?

They're all difficult subjects to take on. It's never easy to describe carnage, even if it's made-up carnage, you know? Probably I had the "easiest" time writing about the divorce. Not "easy" like it wasn't emotionally heavy for me, but "easy" like I've lived through it and didn't really have to stretch myself to describe it from both the parents' and Valerie's points of view (and, no, Valerie's parents aren't my parents).

The friendship, on the other hand, was difficult for me to write, because I've always found female friendships to be difficult and confusing and ultimately very rewarding... but in a difficult and confusing sort of way. :-)

5. Reading Hate List was very emotional for me. What was it like writing Hate List?

Emotional as well, but probably not quite as emotional as the reading of it. I was very surprised the first time I learned that HATE LIST was a tear-jerker for some (most?) readers. I guess since I always knew how it would ultimately end up, I didn't find it quite as sad. Of course, any time you're writing about tragedy, though -- especially tragedy involving young people -- there's sadness involved. Or maybe more fear than sadness.

6. What are your favorite books and/or literary characters?

My favorite book of all time is The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck because it is about the perseverance of man in the face of really horrible odds. That's a theme that really resonates with me.

I read constantly, and I'll read anything. I don't have a "favorite genre" or a "favorite author" -- it just doesn't work that way for me. I have authors who really impress me -- Gail Giles, John Green, Jay Asher -- and books that really impress me, but I shy away from having favorites that could keep me from reaching out and finding new great stuff to read.

That said, I love to read debut novels (because I think that's when the author's voice is freshest and most vulnerable) and I love to read classics. The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway... changed my life.

7. Are you working on anything at the moment?

Yes, I'm almost finished writing my next YA book -- hoping to see it come out in Spring 2011.

8. Is there anything you'd like to add?

Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Christina! I love YA readers!!!

Sweethearts

2009-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sweethearts
by Sara Zarr
Rating: Incredible!
Pages: 217
Publishing Date: January 2009
Song Cry: Find A Way by Safety Suit and Make It With You by Bread

Synopsis

As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts. They were also one another's only friend. So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be—-but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend.

When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken.

Review

When i first picked up Sweethearts i thought i was gonna run into a sweet love lost love found story but oh how i was wrong! Jennifer and Cameron were not the lovebirds i pictured in my head when i read the back of the book, they had depth and they had problems and i felt myself falling in love with them. Jennifer is an interesting character just because i could feel her awkwardness and her willingness to please. Really she was just a little girl who didn't want to be tortured and that was easy to understand.

Cameron was actually the cutest but saddest thing i ever imagined, i could see his big ol' eyes and his love for Jennifer. He seemed like a really heart breaking characted that you found yourself routing for emotionally and intellectually. Everything about him seemed really fragile and it definitly made you understand him more.

Another thing that was interesting to see unfold was the relationship between Jennifer and Cameron. You didn't really know if it was a love love thing or just a brother sister thing, it was really hard to decipher but it came more clear towards the ending. The things that's really sad about these two is that they only had each other when they were kids so when they got older and were without each other they were molded into completely different people. Sweethearts is not your everyday love story and Sara Zarr really knew how to pick at teenage relationships and the power of a best friend.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

2009-10-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Adoration of Jenna Fox
by Mary E. Pearson
Rating: Incredible
Pages: 272
Publishing Date: April 2008
Song Cry: Mad World by Tears for Fears and Savin' Me by Nickelback

Synopsis

Sometime in the near future, Jenna Fox, 17, awakens from an 18-month-long coma following a devastating accident, her memory nearly blank. She attempts reorientation by watching videos of her childhood, "recorded beyond reason" by worshipful parents, but mysteries proliferate. Jenna can recite passages from Thoreau yet can't remember having any friends. As memories return, however, Jenna starts picking at the explanation her parents have spun until it unravels.

Review

The Adoration of Jenna Fox will definitley go into my top favorite books list! The voice of Jenna Fox is undeniably rich and thoughtful, sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking it will blow your world apart. The plot is breath taking and wonderful in it's own strange way, unlike any other novel i've ever read. It is simialar however, to books like Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, which studies an dystopian future where humans are striving to become invincible.

It's starts off on a mysterious and suspicious note as Jenna tries to remember vital parts of her life like best friends and family. You think it would be uplifting for someone to wake up from a year long coma but Jenna's gifted voice convinces you otherwise. Mary E. Pearson does a wonderful job of taking your mind on an unconsicience journey and you find yourself questioning things from what you eat to enviromental causes. You NEED to read this book!

Want It Wednesday:)

2009-10-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Want It Wednesday!

Here are the books i would love to have!!!

Inside Out
by Maria V. Snyder

Plot

Keep Your Head Down. Don't Get Noticed. Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. One of thousands who work in the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. The Trava family who rules our world from their spacious Upper levels wants us to be docile and obedient, like sheep. To insure we behave, they send the Pop Cops to police us.

So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous--the only neck at risk is my own.

Until a lower level prophet claims a Gateway to Outside exists. And guess who he wants to steal into the Upper levels to get the proof? You’re right. Me. I alone know every single duct, pipe, corridor, shortcut, hole and ladder of Inside. It’s suicide plain and simple. But guess who can’t let a challenge like that go unanswered? Right again. Me.

I should have just said no...

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead
by Julie Ann Peters

Plot

Dear

___mother

___father

___other

There was nothing you could do to stop me because:

___I’d already made up my mind

___I have been suffering my whole life

___ you were too slow to notice

I offed myself because:

___my life sucks

___the world sucks

___ you suck

Good-bye,

Daelyn

Banned Books and A Giveaway!

2009-10-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

Last week was Banned Books Week and coincidentally i myself had my own little run in with banned books! To make a long story short my school principle tried to censor a review i did for the school newspaper about Jennifer Brown's Hate List because it was supposedly on the districts banned books list! I know WTF! You can read the original post here. On a better note i want to thank all the people who commented on the post supporting me and the newspaper team! I really appreciate the encouraging comments and people like you guys are the ones who will really make the difference-

Meghan

Laughing Stars
Andrea Jean
MarianLibrarian
Lauramanivong
Jackie M.
Aunt Feather

L.J. Boldyrev

B.A.M. Book Reviews

Donna

and coolest of all...

Jennifer Brown (yay!)

I think it's important to voice our opinions but at the same time be open-minded about books and life in general so a huge applause to you! As a cool thank you from Jennifer Brown, she actually offered me a signed copy of Hate List to give away to one of you guys!

"Hi Christina, I read your blog this morning, and was so bummed on your behalf that your hard work was squelched by your principal. I'm sorry about that. Looks like we've both been censored together! LOL!!! Anyway, to say thank you for speaking out about my book being banned in your school, I would like to offer an autographed copy of HATE LIST up for you to give away on your blog." -Jennifer Brown

Cool Huh?

So...

Giveaway Time!!
I will be giving away one signed(!!) copy of Hate List for you to have as long as you do two of things!

You need to do this to be eligible!

1. You MUST be a follower to enter this giveaway! If you are not a follower you're entry will be ignored.
+1 for new followers
+2 for old followers
2. This ties into the whole banned books drama so you absolutely have to put something about banned books- whether it's something you experienced personally, heard about, your thoughts on banned books or just a favorite book of yours that has been banned or challenged in some way, tell me about it!
+1 entry for the comment

Of course you can do this stuff for extra entries!

+2 for each tweet you do about this contest/banned books or Hate List! (please add @yotina_38 to the tweet and a link to this contest)
+3 for posting about this contest on your sidebar! (please leave a link!)
+4 for dedicating a whole post to this contest! (again, please leave a link!)

and that's about it!

This contest will end October 30th at 11:59 PM! All entries after that will be ignored!
Update: This will be a U.S. only giveaway! Postage gets a little pricy these days!!! Sorry for the inconvenience!

Here's a little something about Hate List!

Plot

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things they hated. The list her boyfriend used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

You can find my review for Hate List here!

And you can also check out the playlist i made especially for Hate List here !

Swoon

2009-10-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Swoon

by Nina Malkin
Rating: Incredible!
Pages: 423
Publishing Date: May 2009
Song Cry: Hang Me Up To Dry by Cold War Kids and Love, Hate, Love by Alice In Chains

Synopsis

SIN IS COMING...PREPARE TO SWOON

Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing even happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree and her spirit interwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge and while Pen is obvious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intesely drawn to him—but not at all crazy abolut the havoc he's wreaking.

Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent—and irresistible—adversary before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.

What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?

Review

*Sigh* What can i say about Swoon? Let's see... first of all Sinclair Youngblood Powers or better known as Sin :) One of the ultimate bad boys in literacy if you ask me! Up there with Patch from Hush, Hush and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights! Actually he reminds me ALOT of Heathcliff with his determined plan for revenge and his way with the ladies. If you ever read Wuthering Heights you can see the uncanny resemblance, almost like the son's son of Heathcliff or something!

But the female lead of the novel is seriously lacking, i just couldn't relate even when i'd try to put myself in her shoes. Maybe it's the whole unbelievability of the situation or the crazy erotic things that Sinclair has the unknowing people of Swoon, Connetticut do! It's just plain weird. But she did have some redeeming qualites like her unwillingness to abide by the rules or her sarcastic voice. Thats one thing that really blew me away- Nina Malkin's ability to reach inside the teenage phsyce and go beyond what parents see. It was really amazing. And the writing was like nothing i experienced before too! So poetic and hypnotizing, i just couldn't put the book down! This is a great book for lovers of the bad boy genre a major must read!

Diary of a Witness

2009-10-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

Diary of a Witness
by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rating: Great!
Pages:208
*Publishing Date: August 2009
*Song Cry: Loser by Beck

Synopsis

One day, something’s going to snap. . . .

Ernie doesn't have a lot of friends at school. Just Will. They have stuff in common—like fishing. But more important, they have common enemies: the school jocks, who seem to find bullying just another sport.

For the most part, Ernie and Will take life at high school in stride. Until Will has one very bad day. Now nothing is remotely funny. Ernie finds himself a witness—to loss, to humiliation, and to Will’s anger—an anger that’s building each and every moment.

Ernie doesn’t want to believe his best friend is changing, but he can’t deny the truth. Soon he has a choice: join or die. Or can he find another way?

Review

Diary of a Witness is a terribly real, heartfelt novel about the persistance of two young boys just trying to make it through some horrible situations. Ernie is such a loveble, understandable character. I see kids like him everyday getting picked on and tormented. The way Catherine captures it is absolutely heartbreaking! Ugh! I can't even think about it to much! The thing about Ernie that i admire most though is his willingnes to like, look on the brightside. He always tries to rise above his circumstances, which seriously makes him better then the brutal joks that make fun of him.

Will is the tragic hero in this story, everything seems to go wrong for him and it really feels like he just can't catch a break! Eversecond of Diary of a Witness you find yourself grimacing at the poor kids terrible luck. Catherine must have gotten bullied when she was younger becuase you can't get as raw as this. Diary of a Witness is a serious literary break through, it captured the cut throat side of High School that i haven't seen since Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. You need to read this!

*P.S. You might've noticed that my review template is a little different, that's because after many months and many books reviewed i have finally exhausted my itunes library! These days it's hard to find good music that is relatable to a story and i can now usually only find about one to two for each review, so i decided to just feature one song (a song cry) that i think best reflects each story! Also instead of putting how difficult a story is I decided to just feature the Pub. date since that seems alot more important. If you have any questions of suggestions please email me at flipthepageplease[at]gmail[dot]com! I'd love to hear your comments!

In My Mailbox...(16)

2009-10-04T19:20:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi from The Story Siren!

Poison Study
by Maria V. Snyder

Plot
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooma in the palace--and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust--and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...

Her Fearful Symmetry
by Audrey Niffenegger

Plot
When Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two American girls never met their English aunt; they only knew that their mother, too, was a twin, and Elspeth her sister. Julia and Valentina are semi-normal American teenagers -- with seemingly little interest in college, finding jobs, or anything outside their cozy home in the suburbs of Chicago, and with an abnormally intense attachment to one another.

The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders Highgate Cemetery. They come to know the building's other residents. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword puzzle setter suffering from crippling obsessive-compulsive disorder; Marjike, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive former lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in Highgate, including -- perhaps -- their aunt, who can't seem to leave her old apartment and life behind.

Almost Perfect
by Brian Katcher

Plot
Logan Witherspoon recently discovered that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him. But things start to look up when a new student breezes through the halls of his small-town high school. Sage Hendricks befriends Logan at a time when he no longer trusts or believes in people. Sage has been homeschooled for a number of years and her parents have forbidden her to date anyone, but she won’t tell Logan why. One day, Logan acts on his growing feelings for Sage. Moments later, he wishes he never had. Sage finally discloses her big secret: she’s actually a boy. Enraged, frightened, and feeling betrayed, Logan lashes out at Sage and disowns her. But once Logan comes to terms with what happened, he reaches out to Sage in an attempt to understand her situation. But Logan has no idea how rocky the road back to friendship will be.

Tina!

Some awesomely good news!

2009-10-04T12:03:00.000-07:00

I had a lot going on this week so i wasn't able to get alot of reviews in:( But i did get to finish a butt load of great books that i think everyone will really like! I have a ton of reviews coming up, i'm thinking about one everyday this week to compensate for the lack of them last week! What do you think?? :)

My Milestones Giveaway concluded October 2. and the winner Rebecca N. should be getting her copy next week! If you didn't win Milestones have no fear! I have another giveaway coming soon, like actually within the next couple of days! So look out for that...

I haven't posted in my mailbox yet but i'll try to get it done later today! I'm really excited about the couple of books i got this week and i hope you are too!

On another note, i'm going to do a little photo shoot with me and my bookshelves so i can create a new banner- the blog is getting a bit old and i need to spice it up! Anywho, keep checking my blog out and staytuned for the VERY cool giveaway i'm having! I KNOW you'll love it!

Yours Truly,

Christina

Giveaway Winner of Milestones!

2009-10-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

The winner of Milestones by Samira Armin Hodges is

Rebecca N.!!

I will be emailing you right away so make sure to reply with your address as soon as possible! If you don't reply back in 48 hours i will have to choose another winner!

Yours Truly,

Christina

Banned Books Week: A Story Close to Home

2009-09-30T16:03:00.001-07:00

I'm not actually participating in Banned Books Week but I do have a story that goes with it that happened to me quite recently.

The school I go to is extremely disturbingly small! I mean there are only like five seniors, including me and we don't even have a library (disgaceful)! So when a bunch of us got together to start up a school newspaper I immedietly knew i wanted to man the book reviews! I was so excited and being that I had just read Hate List by Jennifer Brown and also that it delt with a lot of school related issues and ultimately had an inspiring lesson, I decided to review that book. All of my friends were really excited to see what I would say about the book because it looked really interesting but then the tornado hit. And his name was Mr. A our school principle(ugh!!)!

Before the copies were printed we had to send the proofs to Mr. A to be read and looked over. Everyone was super excited and beyond proud. Not only did we put together and write everything ourselves but we also spent a ton of time on making it the best it could be. Mr. A sent the proofs back by the next morning and we were CRUSHED to find out that he was literaly taking out at least half of our original content. Everything creative thet we made up ourselves got switched out for boring lectures about Merits and Locker Rules and blah blah blah! With that stuff he also edited out my book review for Hate List deeming it innappropriate and controversial! Can you believe it!!! The book was "supposedly" on the banned books list for our school district which ment I could not add it to the school newspaper and no one could see my review:(

So that is my Banned Books Week story and i hope we take from it a lesson about open-mindness and the power of a couple of ignorant, relentless bastards!

Yours Truly,
Christina

Want It Wednesday:)

2009-09-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

Eternal
by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Plot
At last, Miranda is the life of the party: all she had to do was die. Elevated and adopted by none other than the reigning King of the Mantle of Dracul, Miranda goes from high-school theater wannabe to glamorous royal fiend overnight. Meanwhile, her reckless and adoring guardian angel, Zachary, demoted to human guise as the princess’s personal assistant, has his work cut out for him trying to save his girl’s soul and plan the Master’s fast-approaching Death Day gala. In alternating points of view, Miranda and Zachary navigate a cut-throat eternal aristocracy as they play out a dangerous and darkly hilarious love story for the ages.

Dani Noir
by Nova Ren Suma

Plot
If this were a movie, you'd open to the first page of this book and be transported to a whole other world. Everything would be in black and white, except maybe for the girl in pink polka-dot tights, and this really great music would start to swell in the background. All of a sudden, you wouldn't be able to help it — you'd be a part of the story, you'd be totally sucked in. You'd be in this place, filled with big lies, mysterious secrets, and a tween girl turned sleuth....

Zoom in on thirteen-year-old Dani Callanzano. It's the summer before eighth grade, and Dani is stuck in her nothing-ever-happens town with only her favorite noir mysteries at the Little Art movie theater to keep her company.

But one day, a real-life mystery begins to unravel — at the Little Art! And it all has something to do with a girl in polka-dot tights.... Armed with a vivid imagination, a flair for the dramatic, and her knowledge of all things Rita Hayworth, Dani sets out to solve the mystery, and she learns more about herself than she ever though she could.

XOXO
Christina

Playlist for Secret Society:D

2009-09-29T00:00:00.001-07:00

Secret Society

Listen To This!

Metro- The Vincent Black Shadow

Gimme Sympathy- Metric

Dead Meat- Sean Lennon

Blurry- Puddle of Mudd

Through The Glass- Stone Sour

Secret Society

2009-09-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Secret Society
by Tom Dolby
Rating: Great!
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 352

Synopsis
Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone. . . .

An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.

They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything—even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.

Review
Secret Society is really just a great suspense novel. The characters were flawless and the plot was amazing, believable and very interesting. As a first YA novel goes it was pretty crazy good, i mean everything about the book just fell together perfectly. The pieces fit nicely and the characters were not just annoying, rich brats. Phoebe abd Nick were the cutest couple ever and Lauren had a lot of depth to her. Patch was really different too, he had this kind of back round plot going on which i always anticipated reading. Secret Society had this very creepy thing going on that wasn't terrifying but just made me really uncomfortable for the characters.

What i really liked this about this novel was the great balance of mystery and romance and family situations. It had all types of topics that it touched on that it didn't seem to pushy on anyone thing, it was a good, light, easy read. I recomend it for anyone looking for a good mystery and im definitly waiting for the next installment in this series!

Yours Truly,
Christina

Authors, We Know Your Secret: 2010 Book Countdown!

2009-09-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Attention bloggers! With so many great novels coming out in 2010 it only seems right to create a meme celebrating the release of so many awesome books! Websites like Teens Read Too and The Tenners are set up to introduce you to these books but it's us bloggers who have to do the real hard work! If you're a currently reading/reviewing/in possession of any fabulous 2010 books that you would really love to promote a special bok you love "Authors, We Know Your Secret: 2010 Book Countdown" would be the meme for you! Amanda at Review a Book 123 is hosting this meme and i'm assigned to spread the word about this cool new idea!

What you need to do:

Check out this meme here for more info ASAP! It's starts October 1st!

In My Mailbox...(15)

2009-09-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

My First Vlog!

Okay so the lighting is terrible courtesy of El Broken Lamp by Sister-Who-Can't-Stay-Out-of-My-Room. It's a masterpiece isn't it? And if you can't already tell im really nervous and my hair is so jacked! Haha but oh well...

The Books I Mentioned-

For Review-

The Pace by Shelena Shorts
Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
Diary of a Witness by Catherine Ryan Hyde
The Everafter by Amy Huntley
The Complete History of Why I hate Her by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen

Checked Out From Library-
When It Happens by Susane Colasanti
Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters
The Eternal Kiss: Thirteen Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire by Various Authors

Yours Truly,
Christina

Sleepless

2009-09-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Sleepless
by Thomas Fahy
Rating: So So
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 224

Synopsis
"SOMEONE ELSE WILL

DIE SOON,

she tells herself.

SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE,

AND I'LL BE RESPONSIBLE."

A few days after the first time you

walk in your sleep, you kill someone.

That's how the end begins

Emma Montgomery has been having gruesome nightmares. Even worse, when she wakes up, she isn't where she was when she fell asleep. And she's not only the only one. One by one the students of Saint Opportuna High start having the nightmares, and sleepwalking. And the next morning one of their classmates turns up dead.

Something is making them kill in their sleep. Emma and her friends need to band together, to keep themselves awake until they can figure our what's behind the murders—before anyone else dies.

Review
Sleepless was a nail biting, gut wrenching, mystery, with enough twists and turns to make your head spin! I enjoyed reading this new and very hypnotic read yet, i always felt like there was something missing. Yes, it had a great plot and yes, it was kind of freightning but still...i felt like there was just this large gap left un-touched and it really bothered me at the end.

Emma is the typical mousy burnett that you would expect in these "horror books". I hated that. Seriously why is that we burnett's always have to be stuck in this kind of situations when the blondes remain safe and sound in there little cookie cutter homes (no offense to blondes though!)? It's injustice i tell you! And of course she is in love with the handsome-yet-so-out-of-her-league-but-is-still-somehow-attracted-to-her guy...ugh! Really? Come on! Although the plot was interesting and very well thought out the two main characters of the novel are just so typical!

If you ignore the characters and pay more attention to the plot though, it IS kind of cool. All the voodoo and hypnotisim stiff really catches your eye and you definitly want to read more. The deaths are also very creepy which totally makes up for the lack of character originality. I couldn't really come up with a playlist for this book though because unfortunately it didn't inspire me enough:( but if you're looking for a quick and scary read pick up Sleepless and tell me what you think!

xoxo
Tina!

Want It Wednesday!

2009-09-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

These are the books i would LOVE to have!

The Clearing
by Heather Davis

Plot
Amy, a sixteen-year-old recovering from an abusive relationship, moves to the country to start a new life with her aunt–all she wants is for everything to be different. In the clearing at the back of Aunt Mae’s property, she makes an amazing discovery—Henry, a boy stuck in the endless summer of 1944. Henry and his world become Amy’s refuge and she begins to learn that some moments are worth savoring. But when the past and present come crashing together, both of them must find the courage to face what is meant to be, even if it means losing each other forever.

Beautiful Creatures
by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia

Plot
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Bad Apple
by Laura Ruby

Plot
Junior Tola Riley doesn’t care what people say about her. She knows her ever-changing hair color and goth clothes make her an easy target. Whatever. But the latest rumor is different.... The entire school believes she had an affair with her art teacher. The rumors may be a lie, but the fallout is all too real. Will Tola finally stand up for the truth?

With a heroine you'll root for and a truly relevant story, Laura Ruby has once again brought the authentic teen experience to life for readers who relish dark humor and razor-sharp wit.

Author Interview: Stephanie Kuenhert

2009-09-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Presenting Stephanie Kuenhert author of new novel Ballads of Subrbia!

Stephanie Kuenhert is the rockin' attention getting author of the fast paced, emotional novel Ballads of Suburbia! When she's not writing she bartends at a local Forest Park, Illinois bar and is currently working on her next, sure to be awesome, YA novel!

Interview

Question #1

Music plays a big part in Ballads of Suburbia, the story is actually constructed like a ballad. If you had to choose one song that reflects the central conflit of the story what song would it be?

Hmm well I'm always indecisive so I'm going to name two songs. I do think that the song Adrian chose "Bastards of Young" by the Replacements suits all of the characters. They are a group of people who feel they have no place, who are all abandoned or neglected by the adults in their lives for one reason or another. But another song I think really suits the book is "The Kids Aren't Alright" by the Offspring. The title pretty much says it all, but specifically it's about kids who had all these dreams and then things fall apart. Yeah it's really hard to choose one song for this book. I have a whole playlist which you can find here.

Question#2
Each character has their own addiction-Kara's cutting, Adrian's heroine, Cassie's Acid, Etc. How do you think each character's addiction reflected there inner troubles? Was it intentional?

I didn't really choose the addiction for the character, the character chose their addiction. Just when I met them, I knew Kara was a cutter and Cass had an acid problem and Adrian was a heroin addict. They definitely do reflect things about their personalities, but they are all escapes and basically each of the characters needs an escape. Cass's reality is very harsh, so she turns to a drug that distorts reality; also she deals with the mental illness in her family and acid kind of creates a mentally ill state so I suppose that is interesting. Adrian does the most extreme drug because he is always looking to live on the edge. Kara cuts... well I think Kara explains why she cuts in the book best :)
Question #3

All of the ballads were very unique in their own ways. If you could rewrite Ballads of Suburbia in another characters point of view which would it be?

Liam's or Cass's. Really though, I came to love and hurt for Liam almost the most out of anyone. He really interested me. But Cass too. I wanted her to have a bigger part in the book, so yeah I'd love to see the whole thing through her eyes.

Question #4
When Kara self injured you described it so vividly. How did your own experience with cutting help you visuilize her inner pain? Was it hard going back to that place?

Um yeah. This book caused me at least three nervous breakdowns. I'm totally serious. And part of it was because I had to get so close into Kara's head and feel that kind of pain again. You don't forget that pain. You don't forget why you cut, so my own experience definitely fed Kara's. In earlier drafts I shied away from getting so deeply into it because I knew it would hurt to go back to that place, but I wanted to do Kara and her story justice. I hope I did. As long as I did, it makes it worth it.

Question #5

While Adrian has trouble expessing his emotions Christian couldn't seem to control his. Was this purposely done? What were readers meant to take away from these two relationships?

Hmm, no that wasn't done on purpose, but that does work out nicely doesn't it? Hee hee doing this interview I've been thinking about how my high school teacher would ask to discuss why an author did something and I always wondered did they really do it intentionally and now I've learned the answer... not always, but it does work out well sometimes!

Basically I'm a writer who is led around by her characters, they act how they are going to act and I record it. So I'm not sure I went into telling the story with anything in particular I wanted readers to take away from the relationships because I think what you do take away is very personal. If anything I hope they see that it is not necessarily good to let your emotions control you like Christian does or to run from your feelings like... well just about every character in the book does. Balance. Balance is very important.

Question #6
How did Maya and Kara's friendship differ from Stacey and Kara's?

I think they had similarities and differences. The main thing is the difference between the friendships you form in grade school and those your form in high school. It's a different beast. You are a lot more open in grade school usually... but you change a lot in high school so you might mesh with people you met in high school better. I think that is a lot of what you are seeing in play with those two friendships.

Question #7

You were a bartender before you were a writer- what were some struggles you went through to get where you are now? Any advice for aspiring writers?

I'm still a bartender. I don't foresee being able to quit my day job (or night job in my case) any time in the near future sadly. I'd love to write full-time and it's my long term goal at this point. So I'm still struggling with a lot of the same things I've always struggled with. There's the general struggle to make ends meet (and isn't most everyone facing that struggle right now), but there is also that inner struggle where I say, "Am I really good enough to do this? Am I ever going to be able to make a living at it? Should I keep trying?" I have TONS of self-doubt. I probably tell my fiance once a week that I'm going to quit writing, but I never mean it because I can't. It's in me. As long as I keep meeting/dreaming up characters with a story to tell, I'll keep writing.
As a teenager I struggled with a bunch of other stuff, some of the stuff that my characters in Ballads struggle with like cutting and divorce and friends who are losing themselves to addiction. I was a very insecure and messed up girl for a long time. But my dream of writing nurtured me through.
I think the best way to approach your goals as a writer is in parts. First I knew I need to hone my craft and generate a lot of story ideas. I did this by going to school for creative writing. But if that isn't for you, join a writing group either locally or online. My biggest piece of advice for aspiring writers is always get feedback on your work. So I went to school, honed my craft, met people to give feedback and my next goal was: finish a whole novel. I did, but it was a thinly veiled autobiography and it was bad. I shoved it in a drawer. It wasn't a waste though, because I took some of it, especially some of the characters and it eventually became Ballads. But first I finished another novel, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone. I had an agent interested in IWBYJR before I finished it so that was lucky. But yeah I finished that book and while she was shopping it I wrote another. But there will always goals and I broke them down. I didn't start with become a bestselling millionaire author. I started with hone and learn my craft, then finish a novel, then finish another novel, then get published, then get published again. And now the goal is write another book and get published again but with the hopes it will do even better than my first two books. Maybe one day I can be a bestseller, who knows. But yeah, break it down into small achievable goals, as small as finish chapter one by this date. That's how I did it!

Question #8

What influences you as a writer?

Untold stories. The reason I wrote Ballads is because I saw a lot of untold stories that really really needed telling, That's my prime motivator. Discovering characters who really need a voice-- characters who a lot of teens may relate to in some way especially. I'm influenced by what I observe every day. And of course music, particularly punk rock, influences me in a huge way!

Question #9
What are some of your favorite books or literary characters?

Probably my all time favorite characters are Weetzie Bat and her daughter Witch Baby from Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat series. But I have a lot of favorite books: Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh, Hairstyles of the Damned by Joe Meno, Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr (I love the whole Wicked Lovely series, but that's my favorite), Beige by Cecil Castellucci, and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Question #10
Are you going to write another YA novel? If so, can you give us a little sneak peek?

I am working on another YA novel. I have a few more YA novels planned. However right now I'm in such an early phase, where I'm still plotting things out and they might change a whole lot, I really don't feel comfortable talking about or sharing much. I did give a little tease over here on my blog though if people want to check out, but seriously, tomorrow it could be a lot different :)

You can check out my review for Ballads of Suburbia here and it's awesome playlist here.

Come back for soon an exclusive interview with Patrick Jones author of The Tear Collector!

In My Mailbox...(14)

2009-09-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

This idea was taking from The Story Siren. Check it out!

For Review:

Behind Every Illusion
by Christina Harner

Plot
Even the soft-spoken eighteen-year-old Tatiana Lewis wholeheartedly accepts this logic. So when she begins to experience unusual changes, she has no clue where to turn and instead keeps her new abilities a secret. But her best friend and brother, Isaac, sees past her illusions and together they explore the significance of her differences and search out the meaning behind them.

Amidst tragedy, unimaginable transformations and an unexpected friendship, Tatiana has to learn to reveal the girl hidden behind her illusions and what it means to face the world in order to preserve not only the forest but her own existence.

Hold Still
by Nina LaCour

Plot
Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend's suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn't die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid's descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself

Checked Out:

Blue Bloods
by Melissa De La Cruz

Plot
When 15-year-olds Schuyler and Bliss find out that they are vampires, as are many of the city's elite, they learn what's behind some of their weird symptoms (such as Schuyler's blue veins, which form "an intricate pattern, visible under the skin's surface," or Bliss's cravings for raw meat), and that "nothing could kill vampires." But something is hunting them, even killing some, and Schuyler grows more determined to stop it, even as the Conclave, the vampire leaders, attempts to cover it up. Readers will recognize the character types here: Schuyler the outcast, Bliss the pretty new girl and Mimi the popular queen bee (who nurses a somewhat incestuous relationship with her equally gorgeous brother).

Swoon
by Nina Malkin

Plot
Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing even happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree and her spirit interwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge and while Pen is obvious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intesely drawn to him—but not at all crazy abolut the havoc he's wreaking.

Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent—and irresistible—adversary before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.

Playlist for I Know It's Over! :)

2009-09-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

I Know It's Over

Listen To This!

Screaming Infidelities- Dashboard Confessional

The Wind Blows- All-American Rejects

I'm With You- Avril Lavigne

More Then A Memory- Garth Brooks

Stay- Safetysuit

I Know It's Over

2009-09-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

I Know It's Over
by C.K. Kelly Martin
Rating: So So
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 277

Synopsis
Pure. Unplanned. Perfect. Those were Nick’s summer plans before Sasha stepped into the picture. With the collateral damage from his parents’ divorce still settling and Dani (his girl of the moment) up for nearly anything, complications are the last thing he needs. All that changes, though, when Nick runs into Sasha at the beach in July. Suddenly he’s neck-deep in a relationship and surprised to find he doesn’t mind in the least. But Nick’s world shifts again when Sasha breaks up with him. Then weeks later, while Nick’s still reeling from the breakup, she turns up at his doorstep and tells him she’s pregnant, and Nick finds himself struggling once more to understand the girl he can’t stop caring for, the girl who insists that it’s still over.

Review
I Know It's Over was a good book. But that's it, it was just good and i really hate to say it but i found myself falling asleep at times, losing interest and wanting to literaly just get it over with. The only thing i felt interested about was the point of view. When it's usually the girl talking about her unplanned pregnancy, it was fun listening to it from the guy's side. Nick is abnormally thoughtful for a 16yr. old boy (no offense to guys but sometimes they are just a little transperent)! I had a lot of fun exporing the mind of a young man caught in this heartbreaking dilema. His sadness over he and Sasha's unexpected split really made me feel honestly bad for him and it was easy to relate to something so devesating, only i had never read it from a male point of view.

Sasha was that girl who was, throughout the book, really a mystery. I never could figure out what she was thinking though i understood her reasons for splitting with Nick. It was weird not being able to know what was going on inside the girls head! C.K. Kelly really nailed the teenage dialougue! There was no sugar coating and she described complex teenage emotions beautifully! Also, i had alot of fun putting together the playlist for this book! The songs just came to me and that always makes for a good playlist! I Know It's Over wasn't amazing but it was an interesting read!

Author Blog Tour: Samira Armin Hodges author of Milestones + Giveaway!

2009-09-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Samira Armin Hodges author of debut novel Milestones!

A little about Milestones...

Synopsis

One day. That’s how long it took for fourteen year-old Faye Martin’s ordinary life to take a dramatic and unexpected turn. First, she gets struck by lightning. Second, Benjamin Parker, the object of her obsession, witnessed her near-death experience. Finally, her parents force her to leave her hometown of Seattle to attend an overnight summer camp, aptly named ‘Camp Milestone’.

Only, Camp Milestone is no ordinary camp. Before she knows it, Faye finds herself caught in a whirlwind of uncertainty, torture, calamine lotion and romance….all in the name of summer camp. But as the summer unfolds, she realizes there is much more to Camp Milestone than meets the eye. Will she be able to unravel the mystery that surrounds this unusual camp? And more importantly, will she be able to survive the madness long enough to put the pieces together?

In a delightful story about the true meaning of self-discovery, love and friendship, part one of the Milestones trilogy takes readers into an imaginative and amazing new world which gives a whole new meaning to the phrase summer camp.

Interview

1.What life experiences inspired you to write Milestones? How did those experiences shape the story?

Well, to be honest, a lot of my ideas came from my super active imagination. But like every author, there were some inspirations and for Milestones specifically, I would have to say that my own camp experience was very influential. I went to um, what we’ll call “nerd camp” when I was 15 years old, had the time of my life, made amazing friends and lifelong memories which I would occasionally channel while writing Milestones.

2. There is definitely some mystery in Milestones but what are something readers should expect?

For one, expect to be surprised. The ending is a little different from the norm. Also expect to read about all the emotions and cynicism and craziness that goes along with having a crush who doesn’t know you exist. Finally, expect to read about a teenager’s evolution and personal growth.

3. How did you develop the character of Faye Martin?

Well, Faye is a very specific person and the reasons behind her personality and qualities become apparent near the end of the novel. But for the most part, she’s meant to be your average, ordinary, fourteen year old – who then turns out to be….well, NOT ordinary.

4. What was it like going from a Pediatrician to a YA author? What were some hurdles you had to overcome in the process?

The two careers don’t exactly go hand in hand. But I feel as though I’ve been a writer (in some way, shape or form) for all my life. So in a way, it felt natural. As far as hurdles are concerned, there is one major one: time! Or should I say the lack of time! I’ve had to become a professional multi-tasker in the last few years.

5. What can we expect from the other two books in the series?

A lot! Truly, the story takes a few turns in books 2 and 3 of the trilogy. I can’t divulge too much but in a nutshell, the characters have a destiny to fulfill and in book 2, there is a rather giant obstacle that gets in the way of this fate. I can also say that it is not going to follow the formula people are expecting.

6.Texas is really, totally different from Seattle so what made you start there? Did you read up on the location before putting it in your book? What made you start out in Seattle?

You are very perceptive and to answer your question, yes, I read up a teeny bit on Seattle before deciding on the location. The main reason behind my decision was that I needed Faye to live in a city/state where thunderstorms would not be unusual. To be honest, Seattle is not like any of the places I’ve lived in (Paris, Toronto, the Caribbean, Detroitor Texas) so it was a bit unusual of me to pick that as a location in my book. But it had to be done!

7. What is Faye’s interest Benjamin Parker like? Is he swoon worthy?

Cute question! The answer is: it depends on your type! If your type is the silent, athletic, baseball-cap wearing, polo-shirt and jeans wearing, shy, yet handsome and intelligent type, then yes. He is definitely swoon-worthy. But Benjamin is also hard to read, hard to understand and a little secretive at times. Until of course, he falls in love. Then it all changes.

8. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Absolutely. First and most importantly, never give up. You need to grow thick skin and be prepared for rejection but try to remember that every single author (even the super famous and successful ones) has had their share of rejection. It’s just part of the game. Next, don’t forget to ask for help when you’re feeling low or demoralized. You’d be surprised at how many people would be willing to read your work and give you advice and positive feedback and reinforcement. If you’re a serious writer, you will feel need the boost!

9. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you so much for having me Christina! It was super fun and you are running a great blog. Overall, I do hope people enjoy Milestones and if they do, I’d love to know about it!

*You can get more information about Samira and her book Milestones on her website here.

Giveaway!

So do you sound interested in Milestones? I know I am! Samira and her publiscist have been so wonderful as to grant one of you a free copy of Milestones! To enter this contest just comment on this post with your name and email telling us what you think anout the interview and/or Milestones! For extra entries...

+ 1 if you are a new follower
+2 if you are a current follower
+2 for tweeting about this giveaway, book or interview (but you must add @yotina_38 to the tweet)
+3 for posting about this interview/giveaway on your blog (side bars are acceptable!)

*The contest will end October, 2 at Midnight Central Time! U.S. residents only please!

BBAW Day 5- Flip The Page and My Goals!

2009-09-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, today is the end of BBAW! :( We are now supposed to say in 50 words or less what we like most about our blogs and where we'd like them be in a year from now! It's pretty hard putting something like that in 50 words or less but here we go...

My blog has come so far since the day I first started it. I had little time, patience but a whole lot of love for reading! Now it’s bloomed into this beautiful place where reading is home! In a year I’d like to see more followers and more passionate book readers!

So now that BBAW is over i will be posting alot more book reviews!

Coming up:

I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly Martin

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

How It Ends by Laura Weiss

The Tear Collector by Patrick Jones

Secret Society by Tom Dolby

and many, many more!

Also, be sure to check out the Author Blog Tour i am participating in featuring Samira Armin Hodges author of Milestones! There will also be conducting my first giveaway where you can win a free copy of her debut novel Milestones, so be sure to check that out later today!

Sincerly,

Christina

Playlist for Hate List!

2009-09-17T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hate List

Listen To This!

My World- Sick Puppies

Black Hole Sun- Sound Garden

The Deep End- Scary Kids Scaring Kids

Circles- Hollywood Undead

R.I.P.- Bikini Kill

Hate List

2009-09-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

Hate List
by Jennifer Brown
Rating: Great!
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 416

Synopsis

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things they hated. The list her boyfriend used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Review

Hate List was an inspiring and sometimes emotionally rocky book to read. One minute you felt terrible for Valerie and the next you couldn’t help but hate her guts too. As you venture with her to the depths of her conscience and felt how she felt- about the shootings, about Nick, about the people who died and the girl whose life she saved- you somehow feel the urge to do something good in your life. It is a very uplifting novel with a lot of hard facts and tragic lessons.

Valerie is a new favorite character of mine, in some ways she reminds me of Melinda Sordino from Speak. After she comes back to school following the shooting, she finds her self even more alienated and even feared. Her pain is easy to see and the feeling of loss are understandable. Even though Nick was a killer, he was still her boyfriend and i also felt that Nick really did blind side her with the whole shooting thing. The inner emotional and moral battle she is fighting really tears the reader apart and you can relate to her loneliness and feeling of abandonment. The only character i didn't understand in this book was her dad. Seriously (and excuse my french here) he was an asshole! The wasy he treated her and blamed her for everything, really made me angry. Jessica, the girl whose life she saved, was really interesting. I really appreciated her willingness to change and you could totally applaud her for her efforts!

Hate List was utterly fantastic and very scary. It's similarities to the Columbine High School tradgedy will definitly strike a cord with any reader, especially teens. Lately, i've been reading alot of fantasy books, so Hate List was an excellent break from the paranormal and very real. Go out and ge it as soon as possible!

BBAW Day 4- The Book I Would've Never Known About!

2009-09-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

Really, i need to shut my mouth about this book already! But, somehow inside of me i just can't do it!!! If it weren't for...oh, let me see... every freaking book blogger out there (because everyone has been talking about it!), i wouldn't have even known Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick even exsisted! It hasn't even came out yet and people can't seem to stop talking about it!! So here we go again...

Hush, Hush
by Becca Fitzpatrick

The Amazing Plot
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

You can find my review for Hush, Hush here. Including my chosen playlist here.

Why I Love This Book So Much- I mean, who doesn't love this book? The suspense, the mystery, the mythology, the romance, Patch... It is the ultimate book and seriously one of the best i've read in a long time. Nora Grey is in no way you're typical girl with a tragic past and Patch is more then just your hot, brooding bad-boy! Becca Fitzpatrick has truly knocked me off my feet with this stunning debut!

As you know i tend to make playlist for all the books i review, Hush, Hush included. Since it's BBAW and were supposed to go all out i will post an extended version of that playlist today! Here you go...

Want It Wednesdays!

2009-09-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

I Want...

Swoon
by Nina Malkin

Plot
Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing even happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree and her spirit interwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge and while Pen is obvious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intesely drawn to him—but not at all crazy abolut the havoc he's wreaking.

Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent—and irresistible—adversary before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.

What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?

Tricks
by Ellen Hopkins

Plot
Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching...for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words "I love you" are said for all the wrong reasons.

Five moving stories remain separate at first, then interweave to tell a larger, powerful story — a story about making choices, taking leaps of faith, falling down, and growing up. A story about kids figuring out what sex and love are all about, at all costs, while asking themselves, "Can I ever feel okay about myself?"

BBAW: Day 3- Reading Meme!!

2009-09-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to answer these questions in five words or less but seriously it's pratically impossible!!! I'll try though!

1. Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

When i'm really into a book I cannot under any circumstances stop reading it!

2. Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?

If it's a really good quote but if not- "OH HELL NO!"

3. How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?

Absolutely no dog-ears at all!!!!!

4. Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

Fiction more, biographies second and non-fiction last!

4. Hard copy or audiobooks?

Hard Copies are a dream!

5. Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

At any point is fine:)
6.If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

No, i use context clues!

7. What are you currently reading?

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

8. What is the last book you bought?

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

9. Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

One book because i can never keep track of both plots!

10. Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

Any time is the best time!

11. Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

If the book sucks one is enough but if i just can't get enough i PRAY for a series!!!

12. Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

Ellen Hopkins... Ellen Hopkins... Ellen Hopkins!!!!

13. How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

They are scattered about my different colored, non-matching book shelves in perfect chaos! :)

So Memorable...

2009-09-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

by Mary E. Pearson

Character: Jenna Fox

Quote: "Do certain events in our lives leave a permanent mark, freezing a piece of us in time, and that becomes a touchstone that we measure the rest of our lives against?"

Song Cry: Mad World by Tears For Fears or *Blindness by Metric

* I really couldn't choose one! I think Mad World more fits the situation and Blindness is more from Jenna Fox:)

BBAW Day 2- Interview Swap!

2009-09-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, the person who i was SUPPOSED to be doing the interview swap with, totally bailed on me! I mean like completely ignored my questions and didn't even bother to put up anything for BBAW:( However, they did ask me some questions which i QUICKLY and PAINLESSLY answered! So instead of posting questions where i interview them i am just going to post the questions i answered for them. Sucks right? Oh well...

1. Would you say you were more interested in the techology behind creating the blog -and the extras- or was it the chance to talk about books that made you want to start Flip The Page! Book Reviews...?

I always like to say that Flip The Page! is just an extension of conversations I have with my friends about the books we love. It’s my favorite line when describing why I started it in the first place. The best part of my day is when I finish a really good book and immediately I want to go out and tell someone and I want to be able to influence other readers and share my passion for the books I read.

2. Have you always been a reader or did you become more of a reader once you started the blog?

I guess it’s kind of cliché to say that Twilight was actually the book to… like rejuvenate my interests in books, sure I had read a lot of books before and I actually enjoyed doing it to, but after I read Twilight I was kind of like “Man! I really love reading!” The circumstances in my life were kind of off before that so I didn’t seem to read as much but after I read Twilight I wanted it to become an everyday thing.

3. Do you have an all-time favorite book? A book that is a hit every time you suggest it? And what about a book that you thought was outstanding from the past year?

I love old, classic books! I read a lot of YA novels right now but the first book that really caught my attention was Call of the Wild by Jack London! I first read it in eighth grade and I felt like a total dork when I couldn’t wait to get to my Language Arts class just so I could read another chapter, it was really embarrassing! About three years ago I reconnected with the book after I found it in the books section at Goodwill- it was the best 99 cents I ever spent! A book that I recommended to all my friends was Burned by Ellen Hopkins! I literally cried the whole time I was reading it and most of the time I was there when my friends were reading the book too and I couldn’t help but smile when they started crying also! Becca Fitzpatrick recently blew my freaking socks off with her stunning debut Hush, Hush, I mean she basically wrote my dream characters and the plot was beyond amazing!

4. When you're not reading what do you like to do?

I am currently the captain of my schools Varsity volleyball team (Go Lady Lions!), so you could say that volleyball is definitely one of my passions! I love how I can just go out on the volleyball court and the rest of my life complete fades away! It lets me escape just like reading does! Another passion of mine is writing, it’s this amazing kind of thing where I can just channel all my emotions and ideas into this one story or work of poetry. It’s really relaxing and definitely something I can see as a future career!

5. Do all your friends read? Do they ask for suggestions all the time? Has a friend recommended something you wish *you* had found first?

Last year, before I started my blog was when I really got into reading so when I did start to read, my friends were always making fun and being silly about it. Then I would show them the book I was so into and they were like “Oh my god! Can I borrow that??” of course I let them so after that point we all kind of banded together and formed this unofficial book club, trading books and what not. Now my friends and I are constantly talking about books and it’s kind of like the glue that holds us all together! It’s really cool! One of my friends and I have this harmless little competition going on where we’ll try to beat each other out on who can find the better book. She recently introduced me to Identical by Ellen Hopkins and I let her borrow Hate List by Jennifer Brown.

6. Do you have a favorite author? or an author you avoid? And why?

Ellen Hopkins is definitely an author I love! Her books are so real and disturbing that whenever I hear about some new material coming from her I immediately jump at the chance to get my hands on it! Sarah Dessen of course is a god when I comes to YA novels, my favorite of hers are Dreamland and This Lullaby. Becca Fitzpatrick is another author that I’ll be looking out for now and I look forward to more of her work.

7. If you're getting ARCs (advanced reader copies) from publishers, how did that start? And the author interview was great, was it hard to get in touch with Ms. Zevin?
It was really hard getting into the whole ARC’s thing; I read a lot on it before I even began to send out requests. I only wanted to send out the requests when I KNEW that I would be able to read the books and I felt that my blog was at a good standing point. Usually I’m very shy and hate asking for help so I was kind of hesitant at first but then I saw how easy and helpful it was to the authors and my blog and I thought that I should give it a try. I’ve only been doing it for a little over a month but I’ve gotten great feedback and some amazing books. Now, I love connecting with the authors and getting to review there amazing books! I feel really appreciative that they take time to read my emails and interact with my even though they probably have a million better things to do!

Before I did ARC’s, I tried my hand at author interviews. It was really easy for me and I had fun making up the questions that I asked them. One of the authors that I really wanted to interview was Gabrielle Zevin, author of Elsewhere and Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac; I sent the questions out and crossed my fingers hoping she would reply. After weeks of waiting patiently I started losing hope but I understood that she was a really established author and was probably just really busy. Miraculously, I got this email from her long after I stopped expecting it and I was really thrilled that she took the times to actually answer them! It just goes to show that people surprise you in the most unexpected ways and I was really thankful that I got the chance to ask a really good author some of my own interesting questions!

8. What kind of advice would you give other teens who are inspired by your blog? What could/should they do to get started and any pitfalls to avoid?

It’s definitely not easy but it is really fun! When you feel like no one cares or if your not getting a lot of hits just stick it out because just maybe somewhere out there someone is watching you but just hasn’t addressed it yet! You never know who you’re inspiring with your opinions so don’t quit just because you feel neglected- most likely you’ve been noticed and someone does care!

If you want to start a blog, just search the many blogging communities for something that really inspires you! I started by spotting a very home-y, low profile blog that talked about a lot of books that I really loved. When I saw what they were doing I immediately wanted to partake in something so creative and incredible! Blogs like The Story Siren and Presenting Lenore had a lot of how-to-guides that severely helped me out when it came to starting up and the inner working of a blog.

One thing I would warn new bloggers about is negative criticism and taking advantage of author’s and ARC’s. I can’t stress enough about the last one. ARC’s are NOT a way to get free books but rather a way to broaden you and the author’s horizons, making it easier for people to read about their books while at the same time sparking a little interest in your blog. Nasty comments about your blog and readers who don’t agree with your opinions should just be ignored and really they shouldn’t even matter! Be above it!

9. Would you rather be an author or an editor? Or neither, because you're planning a career in....?

Like I said earlier, I love to write and I wouldn’t mind getting a book published and people falling in love with it! :) I’m more into the creative side of writing rather then the technical, analytical part, so actually writing a book definitely appeals more to me! Of course I would love to do ANYTHING with books so I would settle with anyone. I just love the idea of telling a story and people relating to it and enjoying it!

10. I there anything I failed to ask, that you want to add?

Basically I want people to love my blog because they love books and I want them to enjoy books more then anything else. I think reading is a really essential part of humanity, one of the most important things in this whole world so I’m glad to be connected with something so utterly vital to everyone!

BBAW: Day 1- It's Here!!!

2009-09-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

So today we have to say a little something about the amazing blogs that we love that may have not made it on the shortlist! I am a new blogger and i completely understand how tough it is to get established as a popular book blogger seeing how there are so many thses days! Of course i dont mind not being that important as long as i get to share my story and the stories i love with all you guys!!

Here are some blogs i love that hopefully be recognized in due time!

B.A.M. Book Reviews!

Why I love It- B.A.M. Book Reviews is such a warm, home-y blog! They're not quite at the point where reading becomes more of a job then a hobby and the moderators are always friendly! It's small but it's great because they're real personal and don't feel like a million mailes away! The books are always great and they even update on YA movie news and other things!

That Teen Can Blog!

Why I Love It- Whenever i want to hear about a great new book that i would totally love i just check out That Teen Can Blog's Waiting on Wednesday or In My Mailbox! Their rating criteria is really straightforward and the opinions are always agreeable! Not to mention the killer layout and great content!

The Dreamer Reader!

Why I Love It-The best thing about Dreamer Reader is the writing hands down! It isn't to serious but at the same time it's very straight to the point! Interviews are awesome on this blog and the contests are always exciting! Waiting on Wednesdays always gives me good books because she not only says what she wants but also why she wants it!

Serenehours!

Why I love It- I love the frequent posts and many updates, not to mention they always have a lot to say! This is another blog where i can look to find a new book or up and coming author! The sidebars have a lot of helpful info and are full of useful junk (in a good way)!

In My Mailbox (13)

2009-09-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

I 've been making good use of my library card lately and am happy to say that i have a lot of books lined up to be read!

Recieved:

Voices of Dragons
by Carrie Vaughn

Plot
In a time of cell phones and modern technology, Dragons and Humans now live together, seperated by a treaty. But the peace can't last forever. Carrie's first young adult novel is just your typical "girl meets dragon" story. With bonus rock climbing and jet fighters!

Checked Out:

Sweethearts
by Sara Zarr

Plot
As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts. They were also one another's only friend. So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be—-but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend.
When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken.

Wings
by Aprilynne Pike

Plot
Laurel Sewell, the new girl in town, discovers a strange "zit" on her back, which blooms into a flower. With the help of her friend and growing love interest, David, with whom she entrusts this information, Laurel finds out that she is a faerie, and that faeries are really highly evolved plants. Tamani, her sexy faerie guardian, completes the love triangle, as he protects Laurel from encroaching dark forces and fills in the blanks about her past. As Laurel and David never muster much chemistry, her rocky journey of self-discovery is the main draw.

The Devouring
by Simon Holt

Plot
When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assumes they are just the musings of some lunatic author. But soon, they become a terrifying reality when she begins to suspect that her timid younger brother might be one of their victims.

Risking her life and her sanity, Reggie enters a living nightmare to save the people she loves. Can she devour own her fears before they devour her?

Generation Dead
by Daniel Waters

Plot
Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent.and dead.

All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn't want them.

The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the "differently biotic." But the students don't want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the "living impaired" from the people who want them to disappear-for good.

When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

I Know It's Over
by C.K. Kelly Martin

Plot
Pure. Unplanned. Perfect. Those were Nick’s summer plans before Sasha stepped into the picture. With the collateral damage from his parents’ divorce still settling and Dani (his girl of the moment) up for nearly anything, complications are the last thing he needs. All that changes, though, when Nick runs into Sasha at the beach in July. Suddenly he’s neck-deep in a relationship and surprised to find he doesn’t mind in the least. But Nick’s world shifts again when Sasha breaks up with him. Then weeks later, while Nick’s still reeling from the breakup, she turns up at his doorstep and tells him she’s pregnant, and Nick finds himself struggling once more to understand the girl he can’t stop caring for, the girl who insists that it’s still over.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox
by Mary E. Pearson

Plot
In a future America where overuse of antibiotics has led to the existence of super-bacteria that cannot be cured and genetic engineering has wiped out some species of plants, Jenna Fox was in a car accident. She doesn't remember the accident. In fact, she doesn't remember much of anything. And her parents aren't providing the answers she needs.

Jenna knows that they recently moved across the country. She knows that she used to have two best friends, but they're not around anymore. She knows that her grandmother seems to hate her, but she doesn't know why. And she knows that something fishy is going on.

BBAW and some special announcements!

2009-09-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

BBAW

BBAW is now in full swing! Voting has now opened and it's up to you to decide who gets some awesome awards! Go here to vote but hurry because it closes tomorrow (Saturday Sepember 12 at 11:59 am)!

This is my first BBAW and im happy to say that i'm actually really excited to post and read posts from all different kinds of bloggers!

Here is the schedule for BBAW, if you're wondering what will be going on during next week-

Monday September 14
The shortlists for the awards will be announced! Woohoo! You are supposed to make a post thanking and spotlighting blogs that you love that might now have made the BBAW shortlist!

Tuesday September 15
This is the day to post your interview swap! I've already got my interview ready and i can't wait to reveal to you the blog i interviewed!

Wednesday September 16
Reading Meme

Make sure you're creative this day! Try to answer thses questions in 5 words or less or maybe put a picture instead of an answer!

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Hard copy or audiobooks?
Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
What are you currently reading?
What is the last book you bought?
Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

Thursday September 17

This day you're supposed to write about a book you absolutely loved, but it has to be a book that you were introduced to because of another blog! You can also put in a little bit about the blog you discovered it from!

Friday September 18

Book Blogging Goals!
Write in 50 words or less what you like most about your blog and where you would like it to be by this time next year!

More News!!!

I really can't wait for next week but in the mean time i've got a couple of very cool announcements to make! As you might have already figured out i have been getting a wonderful out pour of support from authors and oublishers out there! Lately i've been reading my but off to read a heap load of ARC's that i just started recieving and really i wanted to say thank you to all the authors who have graciuosly cooperated with me and even offered a little bit more then just their book to review! I'm starting a great line up of Author Interviews soon including the authors Lauren Bjorkman author of My Invented Life, Stephanie Kuenhert author of Ballads of Suburbia, Christina Harner author of Behind Every Illusion and many MANY more! Look out for these great interviews coming up shortly!

Second of all- on September 18th i'll be participating in a blog tour featuring Samira Armin Hodges, author of the new novel Milestones! I'll also have an interview from her and will be having my first contest/giveaway! Another blog tour i will be participating in is one for the book Secret Society's author Tom Dolby in which i will be giving away 25 "very cool temporary tattoos with the ankh sign on them"! I will be reviewing the book Secret Society and posting an Author Interview with him to top it off!

I'm so excited for this latest news that i can barely keep a lid on it! Hopefully everyone will ahve a great time with it and you will enjoy it as much as i have!

Sincerly Yours,
Christina <3

Playlist for Heavenly!

2009-09-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

Heavenly

Listen To This!

These Walls- Teddy Gieger

Undone- Kat Tingey

You Found Me- The Fray

Once You Loved Somebody- Dixie Chicks

Do You Realize- The Flaming Lips

Heavenly

2009-09-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Heavenly

by Jennifer Laurens
Rating: Great!
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 280

Synopsis
"I met someone who changed everything.
Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel.
Honest. Inspiring. Funny.
Hot.
And immortal. That was the problem.
What could I do?
I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him."

Zoe's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoe lost in her broken life. Zoe escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoe's autistic sister. After Zoe is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.

Review
Heavenly is a dreamy picture of falling in love with perfection. Heaven never seemed so real in my eyes and guardian angels never seemed so hot. Yes, hot!

Zoe is a lost soul, trapped in a family where her younger sister is autistic and her brother is addicted to pot. She feels like there is no way out so to escape she confides in partying, drinking and boys. She indulges in the life of a sinner until she meets Matthias, a guardian angel sent down from heaven to protect her autistic sister from harm.

Zoe’s character is very believable and Jennifer Lauren’s writing is spot on to the dialogue of today’s teens. Zoe’s conversations seem like real conversations that I would have with my friends any day of the week. Her partying is convincing too because a lot of teens would exchange there troubling or otherwise stressful circumstances for a sinful fun also. I love how Zoe is torn between doing right and wrong because there is nothing like an inner tug of war. She gets pushed and pulled in the direction of protective older sister and carefree teenager. I really sympathize for her.

The way Jennifer Laurens describes Matthias, he really does sound like a dream. His perfect, blue eyes and his adorable toffee hair- it all seems unreal. That’s why its totally understandable that Zoe doesn’t know how to feel about him right away. I would sure think I was crazy if I saw some random guy and no one else could see him! Even besides his incredibly handsome looks- Matthias is a well rounded character with a lot of positive attributes yet a mysterious and intriguing past. He leaves you wanting more every time Zoe gets to talk about him, so you feel her pain when he has to leave her for a little bit.

The plot is stunning, with a lot of funny, sleazy and interesting characters to get to know. With every page you find something new and exciting, there’s never a dull moment where your just waiting for the good part to start. There is also a great message snuck inside there that teaches us about family, love, friendship and faith. It’s an overall great book and I really recommend it to anyone with interest in the whole angel/forbidden love thing!

Want It Wednesdays!!

2009-09-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

Want It...

Forgive My Fins
by Tera Lynn Childs

Plot
Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned. [close]

The Poison Eaters and Other Stories
by Holly Black

Plot
In her debut collection, New York Times best-selling author Holly Black returns to the world of Tithe in two darkly exquisite new tales. Then Black takes readers on a tour of a faerie market and introduces a girl poisonous to the touch and another who challenges the devil to a competitive eating match. These stories have been published in anthologies such as 21 Proms, The Faery Reel, and The Restless Dead, and have been reprinted in many 'Best of' anthologies. The Poison Eaters is Holly Black's much-anticipated first collection of stories, and her ability to stare into the void - and to find humanity and humor there - will speak to young adult and adult readers alike.

Something Like Fate
by Susane Colasanti

Plot
I don't know what its about but it looks juicy and i love Susane Colasanti!

Playlist for My Invented Life!

2009-09-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

My Invented Life

Listen To This!

Misery Business- Paramore

You Belong With Me- Taylor Swift

Troublemaker- Weezer

I Kissed a Girl- Katy Perry

Take Me Anywhere- Tegan and Sara

My Invented Life

2009-09-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

My Invented Life
by Lauren Bjorkman
Rating: Great
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 226

Synopsis
Roz and Eva are sisters, friends, and rivals. Roz fantasizes about snagging the lead in the school play and landing sexy skater god Bryan as her boyfriend. Sadly, a few obstacles stand between her and her dream. For one, Eva is the more talented actress. And Bryan happens to be Eva’s boyfriend. But does Eva have a secret life with her cheerleading partner? Inquiring minds need to know.
Roz prides herself on random acts of insanity, and hatches a scheme to get Eva to open up. The plan backfires. Eva is furious. Roz finds herself neck deep in her invented life. When Roz meets a mercurial boy with a big problem, she begins to understand the complex feeling beneath labels. And she gets a second chance to earn Eva’s trust.

Review
The best thing about this novel is definitely quirky, sarcastic Roz and her wild antics. I fell in love with her character right from the get go, enjoying her random moments in “her invented life” where she twisted reality to her liking. You never really knew when what she was saying was actually happening and it made for a great novel. The whole lesbian/gay/straight thing was really interesting and funny. Being the open mind that I am I had a lot of fun reading about the relationships between all of the characters. It was a really fun and energetic read!
Roz was amazing, she was so real and relatable that I enjoyed listening to her story- her complaining and acts of insanity didn’t disturb me at all but actually made the story better. The references to Shakespearean insults struck me as fun and entertaining and I found myself flipping back and forth between the book and the “Lexicon of Shakespearean Insults” at the back. The cast of theatre kids were particularly hilarious, the catty try-outs and the diva fits were good drama for the laughs.
The plan to pose as a lesbian to get Eva to come out was really funny! Ha-ha, a little out there but definitely entertaining! I enjoyed Roz’s creative dialogue and laid back style, her up-beat personality was refreshing and new- considering all the angst-y teen drama stuff that going on right now in the YA world. If you’re interested in the subject and like a light funny read, you should definitely pick up My Invented Life!

Playlist for Hush, Hush

2009-09-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Hush, Hush

Listen To This!

Bones- Little Big Town

The Theft- Atreyu

Chop Suey- System of a Down

Tear You Apart- She Wants Revenge

Monster- Meg and Dia

*I Caught Myself- Paramore

*Hush, Hush was such a hard bok to pick music for. I literally had like fifteen songs that reminded me of it! I decided to add a sixth song just because I didn't really feel like the playlist was complete with out it!

Hush, Hush

2009-09-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hush, Hush
by Becca Fitzpatrick
Rating: Incredible!
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 391

Synopsis

Nora Grey is responsible and smart and not inclined to be reckless. Her first mistake was falling for Patch. Patch has a past that could be called anything but harmless. The best thing he ever did was fall for Nora.

After getting paired with patch in biology, all Nora wants to do is stay away from him, but he always seems to be two steps ahead of her. She can feel his eyes on her even when he is nowhere around. She feels him nearby even when she is alone in her room. And when her attraction can be denied no longer, she learns the secret about who Patch is and what led him to her. Despite all the questions she has about his past, in the end, there may be only one question they can ask each other: How far are you willing to fall?

Review
It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that completely engrossed me like Hush, Hush has. I mean, imagine sitting in Pre- Cal just staring at your backpack waiting for some kind of pause in the lesson or break from work, just so you could get a few words in. I was completely hooked! Even when I was reading it, I was constantly thinking about it and after I finished it I still couldn’t get the damn book out of my head!! I hate to sound overly obsessed but really this book was AMAZING!

Nora is the perfect female heroine, she is classy and sophisticated and not annoying as to where she takes away from the remarkable story. The dialogue between her and her best friend Vee Sky (by the way Nora Grey and Vee Sky may be the best names ever featured in a YA novel! No joke!) are right on the money. Nora is witty and clever while Vee delivers the comedic punch to ease the suspense. Another plus is that Becca doesn’t depict Nora as some kind of skinny goody-two-shoes and Vee is actually a voluptuous and headstrong best friend instead of mousy and normally quiet. Overall the female characters in this novel were explosively dynamic and VERY intriguing!

Becca Fitzpatrick mastered the art of bad-boy seduction. Not only was Patch the perfect mystery bad-guy but he was also undeniably, dangerously sexy in the way that you didn’t really want to know what was going on behind those closed doors while inching closer and closer to the door knob at the same time. Tall, dark and brooding he couldn’t be a better antagonist/romantic interest. I really loved his whole back round story too, it really pulled me in and I was just as fascinated as Nora. Who couldn’t help falling for him? The scars on his back were a freighting touch and made him appear a lot scarier besides the whole could-be-stalking-thing. The whole time I could perfectly envision him and his creeping, unexplained ways. Bravo to Becca Fitzpatrick!

The sub-plot of this story is that of the fallen angels and the Nephilim race that came from them, an amazing concept that hit me as really cool and totally original. I had never heard much about this until I read Hush, Hush, so immediately after I wanted to know more. I might even go to the library and look up a book about it :) Hush, Hush seemed to have the right balance of suspense and romance. Patch and Nora’s relationship drove me crazy while scaring me at the same time. There were actually a bunch of things going on in the story- Patch’s stalking, a mystery person terrorizing Nora and Vee and Nora and Patch’s complicated crush situation. It all came together very well at the end, leaving little room for doubts and questions. The ending was flawless and the last line even more so.

Becca Fitzpatrick delivered a great first novel and look forward to the sequel to Hush, Hush- Crescendo. This is an absolutely, indisputable must read!

Love,

Tina!

In My Mailbox! (12)

2009-09-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

In My Mailbox!

So both of these books are ARC's so im really excited to read and review them! *Updated* I can now put pictures!!! :)))

Hate List
by Jennifer Brown

Plot
Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

My Invented Life
by Lauren Bjorkman

Plot
With Roz and Eva everything becomes a contest—who can snag the best role in the school play, have the cutest boyfriend, pull off the craziest prank. Still, they’re as close as sisters can be. Until Eva deletes Roz from her life like so much junk e-mail for no reason that Roz understands. Now Eva hangs out with the annoyingly petite cheerleaders, and Roz fantasizes about slipping bovine growth hormone into their Gatorade.

Roz has a suspicion about Eva. In turn, Eva taunts Roz with a dare, which leads to an act of total insanity. Drama geeks clamor for attention, Shakespearean insults fly, and Roz steals the show in Lauren Bjorkman’s hilarious debut novel

Want It Wednesday! Late Again!

2009-09-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

Strange Angels
by Lili St. Crow

Plot

Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.)

Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?

Shadowland
by Alyson Noel

Plot
At the start of this breathtaking novel, Damen and Ever travel to Summerland in search of an antidote to reverse a powerful poison. But instead of the cure they seek, they find something more sinister: the truth about their existence and the fate lying in wait of an immortal's soul.

Now, with Damen fighting to save them from the Shadowland, Ever turns to magick, hoping to break Damen's curse. Along the way Ever encounters the mysterious Jude, finding herself drawn to him in a way that will test her love for Damen like never before..

Playlist for Along for the Ride!

2009-09-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

Along for the Ride

Listen to This!

Collide- Howie Day

1979- Smashing Pumpkins

Crazier- Taylor Swift

Hero/Heroine- Boys Like Girls

Not With You- Tegan and Sara

Along For The Ride

2009-09-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

Along for the Ride
by Sarah Dessen
Rating: So, so
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 383

Synopsis
It's been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents' divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she's been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Review
I know what you are sayong... “Along for the Ride is ‘so so’!! Are you insane!!!??” Yes, quite possibly I might be insane but at least I admit it. Really, this wasn’t Sarah’s best work and I extremely, gut wrenchingly sorry to say it! I looked around on other blogs to see if I was the only one who thought it wasn’t that extraordinary and it just so happens that after I starred it only 3 stars on Goodreads, I immediately got a comment agreeing with me. Maybe it was just them or not… I don’t know you tell me!

Let’s talk about characters…The good- Eli is great, he’s so mysterious and sad that you can’t help but love him and want to no more about him. Except for the fact that he’s really vague when it comes to his feeling for Auden, he’s a great character. Auden is another one of those, cold-girls-who-never-went-out-in-high-school-and-always-worried-about-school-and-never-had-a-life kind of characters. I really think it’s getting quite old with that whole thing! I do love her name though and her dad’s weird obsession with strange and unique names. Her newborn sister’s name is Thisbe and which catches my eyes.

Better then Auden and her plain jane-ness is the town of Colby, Sarah Dessen took a break from her normal, fictional town of Lakeview and took us to the cost where the sun is warm and everyone is just trying to have fun. I can almost imagine the streets of Colby and the shops that take their place in Eli and Auden’s quest! If there’s on thing that Mrs. Dessen got right in this book, it’s the scenery description!
Auden’s mom is another thing that really ticked me off- her cold and lifeless outer shell and superior attitude rubbed me in all the wrong places, usually she would be the “villain” character in a novel but really she was just really annoying. Maggie on the other hand suorised me in all sorts of was, just like she surprised Auden in the book, I really didn’t imagine her to be smart and a lover of bmx riding, it was a pleasant and interesting surprise!

Overall it was the characters that really made the book so if you think the strong points I mentioned out weighed the low points, go ahead and go buy it! Sarah Dessen is really all about how the story affects YOU, so go find out if you actually liked it and if you did then maybe you would like to pint out a few things I missed and if you agree then let me know how you feel!

Playlist For Shiver!

2009-09-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Shiver

Listen To This!

Wait For Me- Theory of a Deadman

Not My Time- Three Doors Down

The Scientist- Coldplay

Far Away- Nickelback

Save You- Simpleplan

Shiver

2009-09-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

Shiver

by Maggie Stiefvater
Rating: Great!
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 390

Synopsis
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Review
Shiver speaks with lovely lyrical style and heart wrenching suspense. Every minute you’re on your toes and every second you fall deeper and deeper in love. Sam and Grace are another amazing duo who capture or heart and pull you in begging for more.
The best thing about shiver is the really the story. The concept of werewolves who change in the winter is so fresh and original I was kind of thrown off guard when I first heard it! What really gets me sucked in is the fact that they have a limited time as a human after they are bitten and start changing. THAT makes the whole story ten times more interesting.
Sam is the sensitive, lovey-dovey kind of guy while Grace is a little over-analytical and brainy. Like fire and ice they’re one connection is the fact that Sam is a member of the pack of werewolves that Grace has been obsessed with ever since she got attacked when she was eight. The plot has a lot of mysterious goings-on and you’re always guessing who and how and ultimately when.

When! When! When! That’s the big conflict in this story and it’s always the when that keeps us interested. I find the suspense thrilling- through out the novel Grace battles with her deep feeling for Sam, heart broken by the coming of winter but ecstatic that she finally gets to be with him! Grace is a really good character with a lot of depth and perception. I feel as if I know her and that’s what makes her so fun and relatable.
Sam of course really reminds me of the guy we always want! He reads poetry and writes song lyrics but he’s also fierce and protective- I would be obsessed too! He also has a somewhat of tragic past which rally pulls the reader in. I liked how his mind was always very thoughtful and understanding, Maggie Stiefvater writes Sam beautifully and describes him like he’s really there. It’s so gorgeously written that I constantly reread some parts because they were put together so nicely! Im really thankful that I got the chance to review this book and I really highly recommend it!

Author Interview: Gabrielle Zevin

2009-08-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

Gabrielle Zevin is the Author of the adult novel Margarettown and the two YA novels Elsewhere and Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac. She graciously obliged to do a short interview and answer a few questions for you readers!

Question #1
Your books Margarettown and Elsewhere incorporate fantasy with real life. Do you think it is important for people to see a little fantasy in their everyday lives?

A: I don’t know if it’s important, but I think we can use fantasy as a way to make sense of reality, if that isn’t too pretentious to say. At least, that’s what I use fantasy for in my writing – Elsewhere is a fantasy about the afterlife, but for me it was really a way to discuss the things that matter to me in this life.

Question #2

What helps you develop your female characters Naomi, Margaret and Liz? What about your male characters Owen, Ace, James and N.? Are they somewhat based off of real people you know?

A: The thing that’s helped me most in developing characters of either sex has been just living and having my eyes open to the world and the people around me. I think one of the most useful things in creating characters is to see yourself as clearly as possible. Until I was able to be honest with myself about myself, I wasn’t able to write anyone else particularly honestly either. But yes, I definitely base my characters on aspects of real people… But it’s always just parts – never the whole thing.

Question #3
In Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac you are constantly referring to different songs and bands. What is some music that really influenced your writing? Do you have any favorite bands?

A: The reason there’s so much music in MEMOIRS was because that book was really about the importance of ”reference” in relationships and what happens when a person no longer shares the same references with another person. I was very Emo in my listening tastes when I was writing that book. James was definitely, like, Bright Eyes for me. Especially “First Day of My Life.”
My favorite artists at the moment: I’m really liking Thao, Arcade Fire, The Mountain Goats, Neutral Milk Hotel, Griffin House, Stars, and Joshua Radin. I definitely enjoyed The Killers latest album. Although pop is not usually my sensibility, I think there’s something really touching about Beyonce’s song “If I Were a Boy.” And Pink’s “So What” is also pop, but it’s remarkably intimate and it’s almost like reading someone’s dairy. I love Thao’s “Bag of Hammers” and I adore Josh Ritter’s album “The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter.”

Question #4
Do you have a special ritual or place you like that enhances your writing? Do you have any advice for some aspiring authors out there?

A: My only advice to young writers is to avoid special rituals and places. Once you get in your head that writing is attached to a certain desk or sofa or a special pen, you start to mystify writing and I’ve found that’s usually creatively destructive. Writing should be able to happen anywhere on anything – in a hospital bed, on a cocktail napkin, on an airplane, in the back of a cab. Writing happens when you’re not really writing, too. It happens in your head – all the time.

Question #5
What are some of your favorite books and literary characters?

A: I love AN EQUAL MUSIC by Vikram Seth. It’s an amazing love story with an intricate classical music backdrop. I recently read a fantastic short story collection by Amanda Eyre Ward, called LOVE STORIES IN THIS TOWN – so good. In terms of literary characters… I’ll tell you some of the ones I still think about. I think about Holden Caulfield pretty often – and I think about his sister Phoebe, too. I feel an odd sympathy for the Dursleys in Harry Potter – my publisher told me I should keep this to myself. I always think about Lily Bart from THE HOUSE OF MIRTH. I think about Humbert Humbert in LOLITA now and again – and that scene at the end where he says he still loves her even though she’s pregnant and married. There are probably others, too, but those are a couple that come to mind.

Question #6
In Elsewhere, Liz discovers how to enjoy life (ironically) while she's dead. What do you think are some of the real joys in life?

A: Love, dogs, books, music, winter coats, and dessert.

Question # 7
In Margarettown Margaret seems to be many women at once. Do you have any alter egos?If so, care to name a few?

A: In a way each of my books has been an alter ego. Now that I’m older, I guess I find less need to be different people. I’m mainly myself though there’s definitely a marked difference between Gabrielle with and without espresso.

Question #8
Are you working on any new material? If you are can you give us a little sneak peek?

A: I have another book for adults coming out in March. It’s called “THE HOLE WE’RE IN” and it’s completely different from anything that I’ve done. It’s about faith and politics and just about everything I think is important in the world.

Come back soon to check out another interview from Sephanie Kuenhert author of Ballads of Suburbia!

Playlist for Ballads of Suburbia!

2009-08-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

Ballads of Suburbia

Listen To This!

Wasted- The Runaways

I Wanna Be Sedated- The Ramones

Smells Like Teen Spirit- Nirvana

Don't Need You by Bikini Kill

The Drugs Don't Work by Verve

Jesus of Suburbia by Greenday

Ballads of Suburbia

2009-08-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ballads of Suburbia
by Stephanie Kuehnert
Rating: Incerdible
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 398

Synopsis
Kara hasn't been back to Oak Park since the end of junior year, when a heroin overdose nearly killed her and sirens heralded her exit. Four years later, she returns to face the music. Her life changed forever back in high school: her family disintegrated, she ran around with a whole new crowd of friends, she partied a little too hard, and she fell in love with gorgeous bad-boy Adrian, who left her to die that day in Scoville Park....

Amid the music, the booze, the drugs, and the drama, her friends filled a notebook with heartbreakingly honest confessions of the moments that defined and shattered their young lives. Now, finally, Kara is ready to write her own.

Review

Through out reading this book three words kept ringing in my head- raw, acidic and real. Stephanie perfectly portrays a generation lost amidst drugs, depression and family troubles. It was really a great read! The characters in this book strike me as shockingly familiar to ALL teens through out ALL generations though, fighting against the heartaches and addictions the world has to offer.

Kara- the main character and primary narrarator of the story first struggles with a painfull loneliness brought on by her best friends sudden departure- soon she befriend another young girl Maya who has troubles all her own and consequently leads Kara into a world of drugs and addiction.

First of all Kara was a great character, her eerie portrayal of her addiction to cutting really hits home for alot of kids. You feel her pain and see her scars, its all very real for you but its so heartbreaking that you just can't look away. Her punk rock style and her "willing to try anything once" attitude really gets me hooked to her exciting yet thoughtfull narrative.

The rest of the characters in the story seem to mash so well together i can almost see them as real people living in the twisted suburbs of Chicago. Adrian the bad boy, Christian the good guy with a dark side, Maya the outgoing but innerly depressed free-spirit and Cassie the girl trying to escape her past. They all combine to make a wonderfull, interesting plot that shocks and disarms the readers, grabbing their attention and holding on for dear life.

In My Mailbox (11)

2009-08-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

This week i recieved my first review copies!!! I'm really excited to get the chance to review some of these books for the authors and i really can't wait to read all of them! Also, sorry for the books without pictures, it seems my computer is having technicall difficulties right now and im not able to put them on! :( But they are really great books so be sure to check them out!

Recieved:

Ballads of Suburbia
by Stephanie Kuehnert

Plot
Kara hasn't been back to Oak Park since the end of junior year, when a heroin overdose nearly killed her and sirens heralded her exit. Four years later, she returns to face the music. Her life changed forever back in high school: her family disintegrated, she ran around with a whole new crowd of friends, she partied a little too hard, and she fell in love with gorgeous bad-boy Adrian, who left her to die that day in Scoville Park....

Amid the music, the booze, the drugs, and the drama, her friends filled a notebook with heartbreakingly honest confessions of the moments that defined and shattered their young lives. Now, finally, Kara is ready to write her own.

Hush, Hush

by Becca Fitzpatrick

Plot

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Heavenly

by Jennifer Laurens

Plot

I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. Zoe's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoe lost in her broken life. Zoe escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoe's autistic sister. After Zoe is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.

Sleepless

by Thomas Fahy

Plot

SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE SOON,

she tells herself.

SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE, AND I'LL BE RESPONSIBLE.

A few days after the first time you

walk in your sleep, you kill someone.

That's how the end begins

Emma Montgomery has been having gruesome nightmares. Even worse, when she wakes up, she isn't where she was when she fell asleep. And she's not only the only one. One by one the students of Saint Opportuna High start having the nightmares, and sleepwalking. And the next morning one of their classmates turns up dead.

Something is making them kill in their sleep. Emma and her friends need to band together, to keep themselves awake until they can figure our what's behind the murders—before anyone else dies.

How It Ends
by Laura Weiss

Plot
All Hanna's wanted since sophomore year is Seth. She's gone out with other guys, even gained a rep for being a flirt, all the while hoping cool, guitar-playing Seth will choose her. Then she gets him — but their relationship is hurtful, stormy and critical, not at all what Hanna thinks a perfect love should be. Bewildered by Seth's treatment of her and in need of understanding, Hanna decides to fulfill her school's community service requirement by spending time with Helen, her terminally ill neighbor, who she's turned to for comfort and wisdom throughout her life. But illness has changed Helen into someone Hanna hardly knows, and her home is not the refuge it once was. Feeling more alone than ever, Hanna gets drawn into an audiobook the older woman is listening to, a fierce, unsettling love story of passion, sacrifice, and devotion. Hanna's fascinated by the idea that such all-encompassing love can truly exist, and without her even realizing it, the story begins to change her.
Until the day when the story becomes all too real...and Hanna's world is spun off its axis by its shattering, irrevocable conclusion.

Want It Wednesday!

2009-08-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

The Adoration of Jenna Fox
by Mary E. Pearson

Plot
Sometime in the near future, Jenna Fox, 17, awakens from an 18-month-long coma following a devastating accident, her memory nearly blank. She attempts reorientation by watching videos of her childhood, "recorded beyond reason" by worshipful parents, but mysteries proliferate. Jenna can recite passages from Thoreau yet can't remember having any friends. As memories return, however, Jenna starts picking at the explanation her parents have spun until it unravels.

Clues are supplied by the supporting cast: Jenna's father, who made his fortune in biotechnology; a classmate whose loss of limbs has turned her into a crusader for medical ethics; Jenna's Catholic grandmother, who is hostile to her. A few lapses in logic- if Jenna's father is world-famous and the family in hiding, why does she enroll in school under her real name?-can be forgiven in favor of expert plotting and the complex questions raised about ethics and the nature of the soul.

Generation Dead
by Dan Waters

Plot
Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent.and dead.

All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn't want them.

The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the "differently biotic." But the students don't want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the "living impaired" from the people who want them to disappear-for good.

When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

Vote Now for YALSA's 2009 Teens' Top Ten YA Novels!

2009-08-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

Voting for the 2009 Teens' Top Ten is currently open! At the link here you can pick up to three of your favorite titles from this year! Voting is open until September 18th so hurry up!

About the Teens' Top Ten:

Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! Nominators are members of teen book groups in fifteen school and public libraries around the country. Nominations are posted on Support Teen Literature Day during National Library Week, and teens across the country vote on their favorite titles each year. Readers ages twelve to eighteen can vote right here, online, anytime between Aug. 24 and Sept. 18; the winners will be announced in a webcast featuring WWE Superstars and Divas during Teen Read Week.

Help choose this years top ten!

Playlist for Reincarnation!

2009-08-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

Reincarnation

Listen To This!

Up Against the Wall- Boys Like Girls

Empty Room- Majorie Affair

My Baby's Better Then Yours- Meg and Dia

Our Time is Running Out- Muse

Memory- Sugarcult

Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn

2009-08-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Reincarnation

by Suzanne Weyn

Rating: So So...

Difficulty: Normal

Pages: 304

Synopsis

From prehistory to the present, theirs was a love for the ages. It starts with a fight in a cave over an elusive green jewel . . . and then travels over time and lives to include Egyptian slaves, Greek temples, Massachusetts witch trials, Civil War battlefields, Paris on the eve of World War II, America in the 1960s . . . and a pair of modern-day teenagers. For readers who believe that love is stronger than time or death, this is an unforgettable novel from a wonderful storyteller.

Review

When i read the plot for Reincarnation, it sounded like a good story but when i began to read i was little dissapointed. I'm very interested in the thought of reincarnation and other then Dust of 100 Dogs and Elsewhere i hadn't really heard about alot of books like this.

Okay so lets talk about the less positive stuff about this book so you can see my side. Although it had a very good overall plot, the short stories were kind of empty in the way that they didn't vary much. After you read the first two stories you kind of knew what was coming in all the rest- it was just inevitable. It would just be the same situation in a different time period. Also, in the beginning which took place in pre-historic times the young man and woman really didn't like each other at all. They actually killed each other fighting over some green jewel. It was very frustrating after that knowing that no matter what they would always end up dying- it wa like there was just no hope! Another thing that down right sucked was there were some parts tossed in there that just didnt make any sense! I can think of at least three parts that i really did not know what was going on and i really felt like there was some large chunk missing from the book.

But don't think this book was all bad, because really it wasn't, there were alot of things that i really enjoyed about the book. Some of the parts, the ones i could actuall understand, were actually very interesting no matter what the ending was. I especially liked the chapters that took place in Greece and Egypt, those two stories were definitely rich culture and intruging too. Another thing i liked is the similarities between the people in different times. For example, in an early period the female character might've sprained her ankle and so then for now on through out the rest of the periods of time you could recognize her character because the reincarnation of the previous girl would have a bad ankle...see? So it was alot of fun to recognize all the little details that were popping up throughout the book that made you recognize previous characters. Another great thing about this book was the end, it was very settling and you didn't find yourself asking too many questions. It was just an end. The end also took place during todays time which, compared to the other stories in previous times, made it alot easier to uderstand.

I wouldn't normaly recommend this book but if your interested in the subject matter then it would definitely be something to consider!

In My Mailbox...a little early! (10)

2009-08-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Other then getting some pretty interesting books this week i also have some great news!!!! Hopefully tonight i will be welcoming a new baby sister into the world- Scarlett! I can't wait for her to get here already!!! Haha...But back to books, on Monday i went down to Goodwill (aka my favorite place to shop for used but incredible books for exactly 99 cents) and picked up these two books!

Dear John
by Nicholas Sparks

Plot
An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life—until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love—and face the hardest decision of his life.

If any of you have seen the movie Freedom Writers starring Hilary Swank, you know that the actual journals in the movie were turned into a book. I can't tell you how suprised i was to see that exact book sitting all alone on the shelf at Goodwill! I just had to get it!

The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them
by The Freedom Writers, Erin Gruwell (With), Zlata Filipovic

Plot
As an idealistic twenty-three-year-old English teacher at Wilson High School in Long beach, California, Erin Gruwell confronted a room of “unteachable, at-risk” students. One day she intercepted a note with an ugly racial caricature, and angrily declared that this was precisely the sort of thing that led to the Holocaust—only to be met by uncomprehending looks. So she and her students, using the treasured books Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl and Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo as their guides, undertook a life-changing, eye-opening, spirit-raising odyssey against intolerance and misunderstanding. They learned to see the parallels in these books to their own lives, recording their thoughts and feelings in diaries and dubbing themselves the “Freedom Writers” in homage to the civil rights activists “The Freedom Riders.”

With funds raised by a “Read-a-thon for Tolerance,” they arranged for Miep Gies, the courageous Dutch woman who sheltered the Frank family, to visit them in California, where she declared that Erin Gruwell’s students were “the real heroes.” Their efforts have paid off spectacularly, both in terms of recognition—appearances on “Prime Time Live” and “All Things Considered,” coverage in People magazine, a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley—and educationally. All 150 Freedom Writers have graduated from high school and are now attendingcollege.

With powerful entries from the students’ own diaries and a narrative text by Erin Gruwell, The Freedom Writers Diary is an uplifting, unforgettable example of how hard work, courage, and the spirit of determination changed the lives of a teacher and her students.

Another Book i picked up was before i left California, i've been wanting to see this movie so i decided long ago that i would try the book out to!

The Time Travelers Wife

by Audrey Niffenegger

Plot

The Time Traveler's Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

The Time Traveler’s Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's marriage and their passionate love for each other, as the story unfolds from both points of view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals — steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

Playlist for The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle!

2009-08-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle

Listen To This!

Help, Im Alive- Metric

Spellbound- Lacuna Coil

Kind of Girl- The Tinted Windows

Black Sand- Jenny Lewis

Bones- Little Big Town

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and the Struggle

2009-08-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and the Struggle
by L.J. Smith
Rating: So so
Difficulty: Normal
Pages: 492

Synopsis
Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.

Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.

Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.

Review
I wanted to read this book because i knew that there would be a tv series based on it coming out soon. The tv pilot looked good so i decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, i was not impressed. This book is actually a combination of two books-The Awakening and The Struggle, the first in a series of vampire novels by author L.J. Smith. It is about a girl torn between two vampire brothers who are both fighting for her heart and her soul.

The object of these vampire brothers who's names are Stefan and Damon, is Elena a prissy and, in my opinion, cocky teen girl who thinks she can get whatever she wants including the newcomer Stefan. Luckily for him Stefan is not immediately drawn to Elena but rather stay away from her for the first half of the novel. I don't know if its just me but as i was reading this, i kind of got tired of Elena's stuck up attitude. She acted more like a middle school-er then a high school senior and it seemed weird that everyone around her was just listening to anything and everything she was saying. In the beginning of the book when it was just her point of view the book was quite boring and i felt as though she had no depth to her whatsoever. The only thing that she could come up with to excuse her actions was the fact that her parents had recently died tragically.

When Stefan entered the picture things became a little more mysterious and i found myself getting into the book a little more. HE was the one who added the right amount of depth and emotion to the novel and i really don't know how i would've lasted with out him. His stunning portrayal of his long lost love Catherine, who Elena apparently looks like, is very sad and you can't help but hate his brother Damon for tearing them apart.

Damon doesn't even come into the novel until the end of The Awakening so really, Elena wasn't really even "torn" until the ending of The Struggle. Actually she hated Damon's guts up until the confusing and shocking ending of The Struggle. Yes- it was shocking but it was more confusing then anything! The only reason i am continuing with this series is because of the ending and the fact that i can't just leave it like that.

Overall i won't recommend this book to just anyone, you have to trust your instincts when reading it and try to bare it until the end when it gets a little more interesting.

Want It Wednesday!

2009-08-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

So im finally back from my month long vacation in California! I had a beyond great time there and i can't wait for my return! But as of now I need to bunker down and focus on school, volleyball and of course my blog! Here are some books that I can't wait to read!

Sleepless

by Cyn Balog

Plot
Eron DeMarchelle spent seventeen years on earth before his death in 1908. Now, he’s part of another world that invisibly coexists with earth. He is what humans call in their bedtime stories a “Sandman,” and his only purpose is to seduce them to sleep night after night. This dull, meaningless existence wears on him until he falls for the one girl he cannot seduce, a human named Julia. He conspires with his oldest friend, the princess Chimere, to find a way to be with the object of his affection forever. But even the most carefully made plans sometimes have unexpected consequences . . .

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

by Mary E. Pearson

Plot

Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

When It Happens

by Susane Colasanti

Plot

Sara and Tobey couldn't be more different. She is focused on getting into her first-choice college; he wants to win Battle of the Bands. Sara's other goal is to find true love, so when Dave, a popular jock, asks her out, she's thrilled. But then there's Tobey. His amazing blue eyes and quirky wit always creep into her thoughts. It just so happens that one of Tobey's goals is also to make Sara fall in love with him. Told in alternating points of view, Sara and Tobey's real connection will have everyone rooting for them from the minute they meet!

In My Mailbox (9)

2009-08-16T00:12:00.000-07:00

In my mailbox...

Ooops! My mailbox is pretty much empty except for one book which i really look forward to reading!

Twenty Boy Summer

by Sarah Ockler

Plot
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."

"Okay."

"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"

"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in ZanzibarBay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Adventures in blogging world! (For a new blogger)

2009-08-16T00:04:00.000-07:00

It's been barely three months since I've started my small, homely blog. Since I've started, I've had the pleasure of interacting with many readers, bloggers and reviewers like me but just like every good blogger I'm always searching for more information. The how's and who's and why's...

Like how do we get in touch with authors and publishers for ARC's? And who's the best person to turn to for advice on blogging? And why do some bloggers choose to be mean or overly critiscizing? There are so many questions out there that many of us are still trying to find out for ourselves and being a new blogger there seems to be alot more questions then answers. At this time...

If you're new to this world like me you might have some questions too. The first thing i asked myself when i started my blog is "How and the hell do i do this??" I found this article very helpful. When i first started my blog i felt like a naked camper thrown into the wilderness with no sense of direction or purpose-all i knew is i wanted to share with people my love for books. I started off with a few reviews and little sections about authors, then i joined in on some weekly memes and commented other blogs. Once i got a bit of content to my blogs name, i sent out mass emails to fellow book reviewers telling them about my blog and asking them to put me on their blog roll just to get my name out. It all proceeded very slowly from there, working hard to get alot of reviews on my blog and entering contest and reading more then I've ever read before! Starting a blog is no walk in the park people and most of us bloggers already know that!

Another question is "ARC etiquette?". Books are expensive and really, I'm just a teenager doing what i love which is reading, so how do i turn something i love into a blog without breaking my or my parent's bank? I am VERY shy and i hate asking for help. I also hate asking my parents for money for books (since i don't have a job because school is my number one right now) so i decided to get a library card (which was not as easy as it sounds due to city buses and old fees!) I had a steady flow of books coming in every week but then i read about ARC's and i thought "hey this is a good way to interact with authors and get my hands on some new books! I'm very new too this whole asking thing so i needed some help on what to do and not do. This post at Presenting Lenore helped me alot in that area. ***But let me tell you right now!*** Do not get into the blogging biz or ask authors for books with the wrong intentions because then you are just abusing your rights as a reader and blogger and taking advantage of authors and publishers- come on guys! Always be respectful of the person you are getting the book from and do not ask for a book that you have no intention of reviewing!

Which takes me to the last topic today-Manners. Why is it that this generation lacks so much in this area? We already get a bad enough rep for texting to much and foul languge... so why give them a chance to criticize us so harshly!? The Story Siren recently posted a great article about "The Dark Side of Blogging." I, personally have not had any nasty experiences with readers of my blogs of this calliber and for that im gratefull but as a fellow blogger i am deeply disturbed by the things that some one like her had to take. As i stated before blogging is not an easy job alot of us work really hard to have the little amount of success that we have. For some of us blogging is like our little babies and who on earth would pratically spit on someone else's baby just because they're maybe jealous or plain ol' mean hearted? So i ask all bloggers out there- please have consideration for others' feelings and do not spit on our babies!

Well taking all of that and summarzing it into a little paragraph- blogging is hard and there are plenty of places where you can get help, ARC's are not "free books" but publicity for authors and your chance to give your honest and sincere opinion and mean bloggers are not good bloggers!

For now im OUT!

Love,
Christina

Want It Wednesday!

2009-08-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

Living Nightmare (Cirque Du Freak Series #1), Vol. 1

by Darren Shan

(Again i heard about this book from The Green Bean Teen Queen and i just have to get it now and i also cant wait for the movie!)

Plot

Two boys who are best friends visit an illegal freak show, where an encounter with a vampire and a deadly spider forces them to make life-changing choices.

The Last Thing I Remember

by Andrew Klavan

(My cousin spotted this book at a christian bookstore in Los Angeles and told me all about it. Now i can wait to buy it!)

Plot

Charlie West just woke up in someone else's nightmare.

He's strapped to a chair. He's covered in blood and bruises. He hurts all over. And a strange voice outside the door just ordered his death.

The last thing he can remember, he was a normal high-school kid doing normal things--working on his homework, practicing karate, daydreaming of becoming an air force pilot, writing a pretty girl's number on his hand. How long ago was that? Where is he now? Who is he really?

And more to the point . . . how is he going to get out of this room alive?

North of Beautiful

by Justina Chen Headley

(Does anyone else think this looks kind of like the cover of Evermore, except with out the red tulips? I dont know, but i love this plot and i cant wait to read it!)

Plot

"As he continued to stare, I wanted to point to my cheek and remind him, But you were the one who wanted this, remember? You're the one who asked-and I repeat-Why not fix your face?"

It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

Coming Soon...

2009-08-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

Cirque du Freak The Vampire's Assistant
Directed by Paul Weitz
Starring John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Massoglia

I heard about this from Green Bean Teen Queen and i never even heard about this book until i actually looked it up. This book is now on my wishlist and I am eagerly waiting to read the series!

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnasses
Directed by Terry Gilliam
Starring Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp and Jude Law

This wasn't originally a book but I am dying to see it and i thought it'd be interesting to put on my blog since it is Heath Ledger's last movie! Also Johnny Depp will be in it and he's uber hot :)

So Memorable...

2009-08-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

The Bell Jar

by Sylvia Plath

Character: Esther Greenwood

Quote: "How did I know that someday - at college, in Europe, somewhere, anywhere - the bell jar, with its stifling distortions, wouldn't descend again?"

Song Cry: Lithium by Evanescence

In My Mailbox... (8)

2009-08-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

Shiver

by Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Gone
by Michael Grant

In the blink of an eye.

Everyone disappears.

Gone.

Everyone except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to get help.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen and war is imminent.

The first in a breathtaking saga about teens battling each other and their darkest selves, gone is a page-turning thriller that will make you look at the world in a whole new way.

Another BBAW post!

2009-08-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

I've only been blogging for a couple of months, so i didn't get to participate in last years BBAW, so im really excited that i got the chance to enter this year! I love blogging and i love reading so it couldn't make me more happy to lend my services to you...

Here are some questions BBAW gave out to new applicants!

1) What has been one of the highlights of blogging for you?
Everything. I love reading and i love writing and i love interacting with different people. My blog is basically an extension of regular conversations with my close friends about the books we love.

2) What blogger has helped you out with your blog by answering questions, linking to you, or inspiring you?
All of them. Haha just kidding! Well, blogs like The Story Siren, B.A.M. Book Reviews and Another Page Is Used are very inspiring and enlightning. They're all so humble and very informative, plus they give great reviews and loads of interesting content.

3) What one question do you have about BBAW that someone who participated last year could answer?
I'm just anticipating the great blogs, i'll be intoduced to and the cool guest posts, themes and giveaways! I'd really like to know about those things!