Turning the Pages

Interview with Apryl Baker, Author of The Promise

2012-03-03T15:55:00.001-08:00

I am thrilled to be interviewing the author of The Promise, Apryl Baker. I have known Apryl for over two years and I absolutely love her writing style! The Promise is her debut novel with Black Matrix Publishing.

Can you tell us what The Promise is about in a single sentence?

Armed with kick-ass shoes, can CJ stop a maniacal coven leader, save the town, and still get Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous while surviving the darkness coming for her?

Can you tell us a bit more about The Promise and how it came about?

I call The Promise my Post-It Note idea. I was driving home from work and listening to Theory of A Dead Man’s Not Meant to Be. I passed this little community called New Salem and the image of a girl sitting beside a gravestone popped into my head. I couldn’t shake it so when I got home, I jotted it down on a yellow sticky and stuck it on the wall beside my computer. Over the next few days, I kept jotting down ideas and before I knew it I had a complete outline of a book on a wall of yellow, purple, and pink.

It's essentially a story of friendship and the ties that bind us together. Here is a little blurb that will give you an idea of the story:

Cassie Jayne Bishop grew up the only non-believer in the town Coven. When a stranger comes to the sleepy town of New Salem, NC, everything she thought was true unraveled around her. Ethan made her question everything, even her sister’s death. Clues start to pile up and Cassie is determined to find out if the Coven was the real reason her sister died. What she uncovers terrifies her. Her fate lies in the very heart of the secret the Coven protects. It’s the reason she was born. Now, betrayed on every side, can she find a way to survive or will she be the catalyst that starts it all?

The Promise centers around the world of witchcraft, not Wicca, can you explain the difference for us, at least as it pertains to your book.

Wicca is a religion involving deities. In the world of The Coven series, witches practice witchcraft, not Wicca. They use the Elements for their spell crafting and not prayers to gods and goddesses. They also fundamentally believe that true magic is neither white nor black, but a culmination of the two. We get to see both black magic and white magic at work in The Promise.

Was it fun writing the scenes between Cassie and Ethan?

LOL, yes. I laughed, I cried, and I blushed. I blushed a lot. They were very near and dear to my heart. My favorite scene between them is when they are lying on her front porch kissing and her Dad walks up and finds them. One of the seventeen year olds who did a test read for me told me when she read that, she dropped the book and felt her own face flame up...lol. What girl wouldn't die of embarrassment to be caught making out by their daddy?

If your book was being made into a movie who would you envision in the leading roles?

Cassie: Emma Roberts

Ethan: Jake Abel

Kay: Phoebe Tonkin

Jeff: Matt Lanter

A lot of authors have playlists for their books. Do you have one? If so, would you mind sharing a few of the songs?

Here are a few of my favorites and many, many ideas were born out of these songs. Music inspires a person as much as anything else and helps you to figure out sticky parts that give you trouble.

Theory of a Dead Man: Not Meant to Be

Dashboard Confessional: Dusk and Summer

Fall Out Boy: I Don’t Care

Thriving Ivy: Angels on the Moom

Buckcherry: Sorry

Dashboard Confessional: Stolen

Can you tell us a bit about your road to publication?

It was slightly terrifying...lol. You work so hard on your book. Then you polish it up and send it off on its merry little way only to have the dreaded REJECTION letter sent back to you. It was tough getting all those no's, but with each one, I went back to the book and worked on it. I remember the day I got the email offering to publish it. I jumped up and down and I swear the neighbors heard me screaming. It was great. The road here was hard and riddled with rejection, but so worth it in the end if I can make one person laugh or cry when they read my little sticky note idea.

What is your all time favorite book?

That's so hard. I love so many different ones. I would have to say my favorite is an old classic, Pride and Prejudice. Though, Kim Harrison's The Hollows series comes in a close second.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

No matter how hard it is or how often you find yourself wanting to give up, don’t. When you get told no, go back and just keep working on it. Many agents and publishers will give you good advice on what they didn’t like about it. Find the things that are consistent and rework them. Just keep plugging away and eventually you will find a home for your book. There are great books out there and soon yours could be one of them.

Also find yourself a great writing group. The people there will help you to grow and hone your skills to an art truly worthy of the written word. The best advice I was ever given was to check out www.thenextbigwriter.com. The folks I met there are the main reason I am published today. They are brutally honest, but they will support you and give you the help and encouragement you need to finish your work and make it the best it can be. I owe them a lot.

Where can our readers find you?

I'm always in need of followers on twitter and my blog. All are welcome to come listen to my ramblings and ask questions.

Facebook

Twitter: @AprylBaker

Blog: My Crazy Corner

Thanks to Apryl for stopping by!! If you haven't checked out The Promise yet then I definitely recommend you do!

Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop!

2012-02-28T17:16:00.001-08:00

I think I'm an becoming completely addicted to giveaways! Leap into Books Giveaway, hosted by I am a read, Not a Writer and Jinky is Reading, starts today and will end March 5th.

For this giveaway I have TWO different prizes!

One paperback copy of Empty and one ebook (pdf format) pack with copies of Songbird, The Promise, and Twin Souls!

Empty by Suzanne Weyn
It's the near future - the very near future - and the fossil fuels are running out. No gas. No oil. Which means no driving. No heat. Supermarkets are empty. Malls have shut down. Life has just become more local than we ever knew it could be.

Nobody expected the end to come this fast. And in the small town of Spring Valley, decisions that once seemed easy are quickly becoming matters of life and death. There is hope - there has to be hope - just there are also sacrifices that need to be made, and a whole society that needs to be rethought.

Teens like Niki, Tom, and Gwen may find what they need to survive. But their lives are never going to be the same again.

Ebook pack:

Songbird by Angela Fristoe:

There are defining moments in life when everything changes. For Dani Mays, it was the day she witnessed her father kill her brother. Now seventeen, she still hasn't put it behind her.

After Jace's death, she bounced between her alcoholic mother and foster homes until she found a permanent place. And a reason to want to stay: Reece Tyler. He's her best friend, yet Dani wants more from him.

Faced with losing Reece, Dani struggles to define his place in her life and escape the influence the memories of her brother's death have over her choices. Even as she weaves the pieces of her heart back together, the past becomes more than a memory when a former foster brother reappears and Dani begins receiving threatening calls.

The Promise by Apryl Baker

Cassie Jayne Bishop grew up in the sleepy town of New Salem, NC, the only non-believer in the tradition and power of the town Coven. When a stranger comes to New Salem, everything she thought was normal about her life unravels around her. Ethan makes her question everything, even her sister's death in a car crash years ago. As Cassie discovers the full truth about her heritage, and the clues start to pile up, she becomes determined to find out if the Coven was actually involved in her sister's death. What she uncovers terrifies her.

Her fate lies at the very heart of the secret the Coven protects. It's the reason she was born. Now, betrayed on every side, can she find a way to survive or will she be the catalyst that triggers a centuries old act of vengeance.

Check out an Interview with Apryl Baker here.

Twin Souls by DelSheree Gladden

He avoids her because of the strange physical pain he feels when they touch. She avoids him because the way everyone seems to do what he says scares her. But when Claire needs to escape a bad situation Uriah is the first person she thinks of, and he is eager to rescue her. Faced with each other for the first time, both Uriah and Claire find it impossible to listen to their fears and stay away from one another. They soon find out, though, that there is more than they ever thought possible trying to keep them apart.

Following tradition the pair approaches the Elders of their Tewa tribe to ask permission to marry. Everyone is shocked when the shaman refuses them, claiming they are not Twin Souls. Confused and angry Uriah refuses to listen, and promises them that he will never abandon Claire. When Claire is poisoned by her vindictive father his resolve is tested. Ancient Native American myths and legends spring into reality, doing everything they can to keep Uriah from saving Claire’s life, while beginning to reveal the truth behind the lies he has been told all his life.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the other blogs along the Leap into Books Blog Hop!

Interview with Mary Pauline Lowry, Author of The Earthquake Machine

2012-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to be interviewing Mary Pauline Lowry, author of The Earthquake Machine which is being released today! Check out the interview, along with a synopsis of The Earthquake Machine :)

Author Bio:

Mary Pauline Lowry has worked as a forest firefighter, screenwriter, open water lifeguard, construction worker, and advocate in the movement to end violence against women. Due to no fault of her sweet parents, at 15 she ran away from home and made it all the way to Matamoros, Mexico. She believes girls should make art, have adventures, and read books that show them the way.

Tell us a bit about your novel.

THE EARTHQUAKE MACHINE is a wild, fantastical novel about a 14 year-old girl who runs away from home and crosses the Rio Grande River to Mexico. She then “passes” as a Mexican boy and travels deep into Mexico searching for her one true friend who has been deported to the state of Oaxaca.

How did you come up with the idea for The Earthquake Machine?

When I was 15 years old I ran away from home and made it all the way to Matamoros, Mexico. (I would NOT recommend that anyone else run away from home—it’s very dangerous and I was lucky to make it home safely). It was such a crazy adventure and it made me wonder what it would’ve been like to keep traveling into Mexico. The novel explores that idea.

If you got the chance to spend a day with any character from The Earthquake Machine, who would it be and why?

I would spend the day with Juan Diego, a peyote-addled man who runs a bar in Milagros, the little Mexican town on the border where Rhonda (the main character) first goes when she crosses the border. Juan Diego is a little crazy and thinks Rhonda is an actual angel that has appeared to him. He helps her transform herself so she can “pass” as a Mexican boy and he gives her the name of Angel (which in Mexico is a boy’s name). He also sends her off with a giant bag of peyote. Juan Diego is so crazy and so brilliant; I think it would be a blast to spend time with him.

What do you hope readers will obtain from The Earthquake Machine?

I hope readers will be inspired to have amazing adventures and to do creative work themselves. I also hope they will be inspired to support their girl friends who are doing the same.

What is your favorite YA book or author?

My favorite YA author of all time is Francesca Lia Block who wrote the Weetzie Bat books. I read WEETZIE BAT for the first time when I was 14 or 15 and it blew my mind. It made me see that American writers can incorporate elements of magical realism in a way that really works. And that YA books can be very hip and edgy.

Do you have any current writing projects? Can you tell us a bit about them?

I have another book called THE GODS OF FIRE that’s based on my own experiences as a forest firefighter on an elite Hotshot crew. The novel hasn’t been released yet, but it’s been optioned for film by a major Hollywood producer. I’ve written the screenplay and I just finished a round of revisions for the film’s director. (I hope to release the book in the next year or two!)

The Earthquake Machine

The book every girl should read,

and every girl’s parents hope she’ll never read.

The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda’s world, but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda’s life is her family’s Mexican yardman, Jesús. But when the INS deports Jesús back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation.

Determined to find her friend Jésus, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends to Big Bend National Park. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Milagros, Mexico. There a peyote- addled bartender convinces her she won’t be safe traveling alone into the country’s interior. So with the bartender’s help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jesús. Thus begins a wild adventure that fulfills the longing of readers eager for a brave and brazen female protagonist.

You can check out more about Mary Pauline Lowry and The Earthquake Machine, as well as her short stories at her website: www.marypaulinelowry.com

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

2012-02-26T23:01:00.000-08:00

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
Published: October 2010
Publisher: Vintage
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.

After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead, and the blurry line in between.

Review:

I was going to wait to post this review until later in the week, but after watching The Walking Dead tonight, I couldn't wait, I needed more zombies!

I originally heard about this book during an entertainment segment on some T.V. show fort the movie that is being made based on Marion's book. I was skeptical. I kept flashing back to the cheesy, campy zombie books I read during my Zombie Week in October. Warm Bodies was a welcomed surprise.

Zombies falling in love usually leaves me with an icky feeling, but not here. Warm Bodies is told from the perspective of R, a zombie. He seems pretty typical in his world of zombies. He moans and groans, he craves human brains. But Marion has created a breed of zombies who still retain some of their human qualities. His zombies have some capacity to think, and even speak, although it is limited and slow. He pushes the boundaries of what zombies are capable of, while staying true to their primal urges.

After eating the brains of a young man, R is bombarded with memories of the man's girlfriend. This is played as a typical reaction to eating brains and Marion explains that it's this experience that actually drives the zombies' desire for brains. With these memories overwhelmingly strong than normal R protects Julie, and forms an attachment that he is desperate to understand and hold on to.

There were a few issues with the end that had me scratching my head, but not enough to distract from the real story of R and his hope for something more.

What's even better is that the stills from the movie look amazing!! Here's a sneak peek!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

2012-02-25T22:36:00.000-08:00

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Published: 2009
Publisher: MTV Books and Pocket Books
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it, Charlie is navigating through the strange worlds of love, drugs, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", and dealing with the loss of a good friend and his favorite aunt.

Review:

When I originally heard about this book, I had very little interest in reading it. A boy's coming of age story just didn't hold much interest for me. It wasn't until Emma Watson was cast as Sam in the movie version that I decided to read it, although I did read through a lot of reviews beforehand.

Charlie is an interesting narrator. He is not the overly mature voice that a lot of YA authors give write. Instead he looks at things in a very simplified manner. Charlies wants to belong, to fit in, and he rides the line between childhood and adulthood. There is a simplicity in how he looks at things, such as the rape scene some many reviewers had a problem with. Charlie is no older than eleven when a guy rapes his girlfriend in front of Charlie. A lot of the reviews claimed it was stupid of Charlie not to understand what was going on, but I thought it was a realistic event. Charlie had no knowledge of sex, living a sheltered life, and was scared. he knew something was wrong but not what or even why.

The supporting characters were interesting, they had distinct personalities Charlies interactions with them felt real. There was a bit of a question as to why these seniors wanted to hang out with a kid younger than them, but in their first meeting it seemed like Patrick and Sam were amused with Charlie's naivety, and he just gradually melded into their group of friends.

Charlie does beginning to wear thin after a while, and despite the professed intelligence that his English teacher credits him with, there is a question of whether he has not only emotional problems but psychological ones as well. He allows his friends to use him and strives to be anything and everything they want him to be. I actually found Sam's speech to Charlie at the end of the book to be a very revealing look into her character and why she was so accepting of Charlie.

While I enjoyed the book, I think the movie has the potential to be even better, although my Hermione Granger love may be influencing me :)

Gil Marsh by A.C.E. Bauer

2012-02-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

Gil Marsh by A.C.E. Bauer
Published: February 28, 2012
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Good looking, athletic, and smart, Gill Marsh is the most popular kid at Uruk High School, even though he is only a junior. When Enko, a new kid from Montreal, shows up, Gil is wary. Yet Enko is easy going and matches Gil's athletic prowess without being a threat. Soon, the two become inseparable friends, practicing, studying, and double-dating.

Then suddenly, to everyone's shock, Enko succumbs to an aggressive cancer.

When Enko's parents take his body and return to Canada, Gil is unable to even say good bye. He is inconsolable. Determined to find Enko's grave, Gil sneaks away and heads north.

Closely based on the ancient story of Gilgamesh, the Sumerian King from 3000 BC, A. C. E. Bauer has carefully woven the classic elements of myth to follow Gil's quest and explore the grief and growth of a young man.

Review:

I feel horrible about writing a review on a book I couldn't read all the way through (although I did get halfway and then skimmed the rest in hopes that it would get better). Gil Marsh sounds interesting. The cover looks interesting. The concept of basing it on the story of Gilgamesh is interesting. Gil Marsh is anything but. From page one I was bored. The writing was dry, events told to us as opposed to shown, and I felt like the author was striving for a high literary style and fell far short.

In addition to the extremely unnatural and forced writing, there was a complete lack of character building. Gil is good looking, athletic and smart. At least this is what the reader is told. I didn't see any evidence of this, apart from him being athletic. He doesn't get the hot girl, he's judgmental, conceited, rude, and once he makes his plans to go to Canada he is a complete idiot as evidenced by his utter lack of knowledge about there being homeless people living in one of the largest cities in Canada and his plans to camp in the city park. Gullible would be a better description, especially when he practically gives his money away to a con artist.

When Enko's character was first introduced I thought I was suddenly reading a paranormal gay romance. Gil is obsessed by Enko's body and his body hair right from the beginning and I wondered if Enko was going to turn into a werewolf. There's one scene when at Enko's house where Gil admires Enko's hairy half naked body. Gil repeatedly says that he loves Enko, and despite that fact that I'm pretty sure the story is supposed to be about this strong brotherly love I couldn't help but think that Bauer has never even spoken to a high school boy. If the story had been set two hundred years ago, I would have accepted it as a brotherly love, but in the modern world guys (straight or gay) just don't talk like that.

I can understand that she was trying to remain true to the story of Gilgamesh, but cultures and people change. Look at Beastly or even Red Riding Hood, both are modern retellings and manage to be successful because of the changes that were made. Gil Marsh had the potential to be a great adventure into self discovery and the true value of friendship. Instead it came out stale, stilted and lack luster.

Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1) by Lauren DeStefano

2012-02-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1) by Lauren DeStefano
Published: March 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

At age 16, Rhine Ellery has four years to live. Thanks to a botched effort to create a perfect race, all females live to age 20 and males live to age 21. On the cusp of her 17th birthday, Rhine attempts to flee, but what she finds is a society spiraling out of control.

Review:

This was a really bizarre read for me. There were parts that I absolutely loved and then others I just couldn't stand. Regardless of those parts that I didn't like, I am definitely going to read the second book in the series.

The story starts off fairly depressing. Rhine is kidnapped and being forced into an arranged polygamous marriage, the other girls being 18 and 13, to a boy/man of 21. I refuse to say man because Linden is completely clueless and acts like a child, which considering the world they live in seems pretty unlikely.

So what did I love about it? Rhine. She is one of those characters that is flawed enough that you don't hate her, but not enough to annoy you to death. She goes through so many different stages before and after she is married and while I didn't necessarily agree with the choices she made, they made sense in her world and with the societal constraints she is faced with. While to Linden she seems to be accepting her new lot in live, she is constantly planning and scheming for escape. I loved that even though she has sympathy for Linden she does not let that control her and is brave enough to take chances and risk her life for the one thing she desperately wants - Freedom.

What did I not like? The suggestion that the relationship between Linden and his 13 year-old bride Cecily is one of love absolutely sickened me. I get that their world is completely screwed up, but still, child abuse is child abuse and any idea of Linden actually being a viable love interest for Rhine became absolutely revolting. Too bad the other love interest was so forgettable that I can't even remember his name. He felt more like a third wheel. Or in this case a fifth wheel since Linden and his three brides makes four. Maybe he'll make more of an impression in the next book.

Mesmerize by Artist Arthur

2012-02-17T22:31:00.000-08:00

Mesmerize (Mystyx, #4) by Artist Arthur
Published: January 2012
Publisher: Kimani Tru
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Starting over is nothing new to diplomat’s daughter Lindsey Yi. She’s grown up changing schools the way other girls change clothes. Still, moving to Lincoln, Connecticut, is different. Although she’s still reeling from the loss of her parents in an accident, Lindsey is finally in a place that feels like home. Because here, Lindsey’s ability to read other people’s thoughts doesn’t make her weird. It makes her one of the Mystyx.

When Dylan Murphy—hot, popular and a senior—starts to notice her, things get serious, fast. But even as she’s figuring out how she really feels, the Mystyx realize that they’re not the only supernaturals in town. There
are other gifted teens who have different motives. And they are hoping to get close enough to the Mystyx to convert them—and the world—to Darkness…

Review:

First off, this book is being added to my list of annoyingly inaccurate covers. Yes, it is a nice cover, if Lindsey weren't a young Korean girl. Why would the publisher choose to not represent the character as written? Multiculturalism should be a selling point, not something thrown in to say they're doing it, only to back off during the marketing.

The book itself is interesting. I didn't realize it was the fourth book in a series until I started reading, and there are multiple references to previous events, but I didn't feel completely lost, which is a credit to the author.Things flowed and there was enough background information scattered throughout to make sense of what was happening. I think if I had read the previous three books in the series I would have felt a stronger connection with the characters and a more emotional reaction to some of the events that unfold.

What made this book hard to read was that Lindsey was all over the place. Lindsey is not an easy character to follow. One moment she's giving details about the horrific death of her parents and then the next she's standing at the door day dreaming about a hot guy. But don't worry because within the first fourth of the book, you'll hear it again and again. Her thoughts are completely random and it makes it hard to know what is really happening. There's even one point where Lindsay has just gone through a test and is getting ready to describe her terrifying ordeal when she starts thinking about going sledding down a hill and then acknowledges she doesn't know why she's thinking of that! It makes me think the author needed to up the word count and decided to add in random descriptions.

The ending confused me a bit and I wasn't quite sure why at the end Lindsey still felt the way she did. I won't say about what because I don't want to spoil the ending, but it really drove me nuts. I was fine with the events, I just didn't get Lindsey's thought process.

One thing I will say for Arthur is that she is not afraid to take risks and make her readers furious. As a new reader I was shocked by some of the things that happened to characters that were probably central ones in the previous books, but it worked here. This was a solid book, and although not a complete stand alone it was enjoyable. I would recommend reading the Mystyx series in order and even though I have yet to read them I'd say it would be worth the time.

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

2012-02-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
Published: August 2010
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Three angels – Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human – are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They must work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments.

Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong. Then comes the brooding and popular new transfer, Jake Thorn... who just so happens to be in Bethany's class. Something about Jake seems to be hiding something darker, something more powerful than expected. That thing, and Xavier, distracts Bethany to a point that Gabriel and Ivy are concerned.
The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

Review:

wow. And no, I didn't forget to capitalize that. This book was so underwhelming. When I first picked it up, I was so excited. I loved the cover and it was going to be my first read of a female angel lead. I wish I'd skipped it.

Let me start off by saying that I actually liked the opening. There were some absolutely beautiful descriptions, but as the book progressed it seemed like Adornetto was more focused on continuing that writing style than actually writing a story that progressed in any interesting way.

The characters started off interesting, but quickly became cardboard cutouts. Bethany is sooo angelic, we constantly hear about how beautiful she is, how fair and blond and slender she is. Which is made even stranger by the fact that the book is told in first person. She's supposed to be on a mission to save this sleepy little seaside town from evil, but once she meets Xavier a pretty boring guy, who of course is the hottest and most unavailable guy at school, she completely forgets about doing anything other than experiencing romantic love. She whines about pretty much anything, she ignores orders from her superiors, lies to and manipulates her fellow angels and yet we're supposed to believe she's this perfect angel.

The whole reasoning behind these three angels being there is stupid. There's no other way to describe it. there are horrible, tragic events happening all over the world, within our own country, and these angels are sent to a sleepy, small town with zero crime and only a suspicious fire and some recreational drug and alcohol use by the teens. Please. No wonder the three angels seemed completely oblivious to everyone. the only angelic thing that did was go to church, Ivy does some work at a Senior center, and apparently Gabriel taught some hymns to his public school students (Yeah, no way would that happen), Wow, how earth shattering amazing are their actions, definitely needing the power of angels to do.

Jake, the villain, doesn't even show up until about page 200! And then it's just plain ridiculous. Bethany, gets burned by his touch, in annoyed by him, gets a bad feeling around him, but in a nauseating display of folding to the pressures of stereotypical YA, Adornetto makes Jake attractive to Bethany. I mean really, going to prom with him, and the being kissed by him? By this point I wanted to tear the pages of the book out. Frankly, by the end of the book, I was just plain confused by what the point of it was. On Goodreads, I gave this three stars simply because I enjoyed the opening chapters. Everything else would have garnered a two. This book just dragged on and on and on.

Breaking Dawn DVD - A Guy's View

2012-02-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

I am proud to say that I was not one of the people standing at Target during the midnight release of Breaking Dawn Part One. I did however make a special trip to Walmart yesterday in order to get my copy, and yes I made my husband and daughter watch it. Which leads to the very idea for this post.

First off, I don't consider myself a Twi-hard, although I admit to reading the books and watching the movies multiple times. I don't stalk the internet for info on the actors, and frankly I completely disagree with any idea for Meyer to write another book in the series. When I watch the movies I suspend any expectation of Oscar winning acting, scripts and special effects. This lets me watch the movie and get exactly what I want - an escape from reality. I had my own issues with the movie (You can check out my post about it here) so I wasn't surprised when my husband started making comments.

Now he has seen the other three movies and has a general idea of the storyline, but he usually keeps his mouth shut. Yesterday was an exception. The first words out of his mouth "Is she a vampire yet?" were repeated continually throughout the movie as he wandered between watching and eating. But my favorite came when he watched the scene with Bella and Jacob dancing privately at the wedding. "That's so gay." He said it in a completely guy way about five times throughout the scene. He didn't get why Edward would let it happen, why Jacob would even be interested in doing it, and why Bella would do that to Edward. I tried to explain about how romantic it was supposed to be, how in a natural world Bella would have been with Jacob, and his response was "That's so gay".

As the movie progressed, he kept up with the "Is she a vampire yet?" and interspersed it with questions like "why would she die?" and "What's wrong with her?"

I usually find his running commentary frustrating when I watch my movies, because he unfailingly manages to take what I find cheesy and sweet and turn it into a glaringly annoying aspect of the movie. This time I tried to actually listen to him. He is right. Four movies in and Bella is still not a vampire. He never did understand why Edward didn't just let Bella turn in Twilight. It is cheesy how Jacob and Bella have these extremely private moments, where they discuss their feelings while in very unfriend like physical contact. He looks at it and sees what girls (and women) don't want to - that the majority of men (I'll take a guess and say 99%) don't dance around in private with a girl they love the day she's married another man and tell her yet again how much they love her. They wouldn't stick around for that.

Throughout the movie I couldn't help but laugh, because I realized just what he must be thinking when we're watching one of his movies and I just don't get why the actresses have to be half naked.

On a side note, I can't believe they picked such a horrible picture to use as the DVD cover. Kristen Stewart looks completely weird.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2012-02-11T21:58:00.000-08:00

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Published: February 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Review:

I loved the concept behind this book. The idea of love being a sickness that ultimately causes ones death and needs to be cured was one I just loved. There was a part of me that wondered just how an entire society could suddenly make such a shift in thought about love, and it did feel like that background wasn't developed enough, but Oliver did make up for that in showing how the society continually enforces that views of deliria being fatal. Throughout that book there are excerpts from the literature and texts that the citizens are exposed to. Propaganda that the governing forces indoctrinate the people with. It made things more believable.

Lena was an interesting enough character. At first she seemed a bit dull, and predictable but as the story grew and her inner struggles built she really took shape. By the end I wanted to just give her a final push in the direction I wanted her to take. The friendship she had with Hana was perfect, the way that they view each other and the effects the cure has on their relationship felt real. Alex's appearance was a bit predictable and his not being cured very obvious. But he was a great character. He had such a different view of the world from Lena, and Hana and the rest of the cured. There was enough likability and genuineness to him that he didn't feel like a forced love interest, but rather an important character to the story.

The only issue I had with Delirium was that there was a sense of been there, done that to the plot. If you've read Matched by Ally Condi, then this might almost seem a rip off. I don't think it is and by the end I didn't feel that way, but there were some similarities that occasionally had me shaking my head. If you can get past the slight similarities then it's a great read.

Replication: The Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson

2012-02-04T20:35:00.000-08:00

Replication: The Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson
Published: December 2011
Publisher: Zonderkidz

Available: Amazon

Blurb:

When Your Life Is Not Your Own Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky. Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars. As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.

Review:

When I first read the blurb I loved the concept (and the cover!). As much as I love zombies, paranormal, and dystopian books, cloning just seems much closer to what is happening in the world, and a much more possible event . Which is actually scary in an entirely different way.

The opening chapter hooked me immediately. Martyr (Marty as he eventually becomes) has such an amazing view of his world, and even with the point of view shifting between him and Abby, it's Martyr's perspective that Williamson's writing really shines. It's had to make a love interest out of a guy who has an obsession with colors and loves the red socks with green trees on them. But she accomplishes this. Martyr's innocence about the world and his belief in his role in it is what makes him such an amazing character. It just made me wonder if his thoughts are really how little kids think the first time they see things. His devotion to the 'Brokens' and Baby was so sweet, it was hard not to fall for him.

Abby was different. The first few chapters did have me rolling my eyes, and I was not a fan of hers until she meets Martyr. That's when she really came alive for me. She was no longer the whiny daughter who is too good for the locals, but a girl who has knowledge of the horrible things her father has done and she is dealing with what he is doing now. I did love how she she handled JD, the local football start who pursues her hot and heavy almost immediately. And best of all, I love that even though she's attracted to him, she's pretty honest about the facts that she can't stand him. It's nice to read a book for a change that doesn't have the heroine lusting and supposedly loving the guy who is a complete creep.

There is a twist concerning the and it was really interesting to see how Abby dealt with it and how it made her view Martyr and JD. I don't want to give away too much, but while at first it seemed like something that would come up only in relation to how Abby thought about Martyr and JD, but it comes back at the end in an unexpected way.

There is a level of predictability to the plot and as with most science fiction (at least that I've read) there is a need to suspend you disbelief in the scientific details that are really secondary to the moral issues Williamson was attempting to address. Something I thought was best seen through the eyes of Martyr and what we see happening to the other 'Jasons' and the 'Brokens'.

For those readers who are atheists this probably is not a good choice (pretty obvious considering the reference to God in the blurb), but if you don't mind a bit of religion in your books, you'll be fine. There wasn't an overwhelming amount of God talk, and what is there seems to fit in with the heart and message of the story.

Grey Eyes by B.Alston and Quinteria Ramey

2012-01-30T21:35:00.000-08:00

Grey Eyes by B.Alston and Quinteria Ramey
Published: March 2011
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

15 year old Anastasia Adams has spent her entire life on run. She and her mother have never spent more than 18 months in any one location, often times leaving with just the clothes on their backs. Despite the havoc that this is wreaking on Ana's social and academic life, her mother offers no explanation as to why it is they're constantly moving, or even what it is they're running from. But that all changes one night in the woods of Pelion, SC--the night the terror catches up with them.

Fearing her mother dead, and having barely escaped with her own life, Ana is whisked away to world of privilege and tradition. It’s a fairytale come to life. The poor girl used to living out of a suitcase is now a resident of one of the most exclusive addresses in the world. The people there adore her and she catches the eye of a young guardian who sees her as a refreshing change to the girls he’s grown up with.

If only they could find her mother. If only she knew the consequences of being born a “conjurer.” If only she knew who that green eyed stranger was, the stranger who’ll tell her about a past too romantic, and too tragic to be real. In the end, she’ll have to choose between the boy who has captured her heart and the stranger she can feel down in her soul, assuring at least one of them an almost certain death.

Review:

I'm trying right now to focus on my review, but my eyes keep straying to the blurb. The extremely long blurb. There's a definite problem if you can't sum up your plot in two paragraphs. With Grey Eyes it wasn't so much that the plot was overly complex or even lacking an interesting concept. Witches at war with vampires seemed pretty interesting, especially considering who Ana turns out to be. It was just too much of, well, everything.

The story starts off with some great action and mystery. Then it shifts into a love triangle that just seems too forced. Ana discovers she's some kind of witch royalty, a princess of course and she immediately draws the attention of the hottest guy at school, all while having a secret relationship with a hot vampire. She's rich, has someone to turn her into a beautiful princess and even has a bunch of parties where she is the center of attention (even her mother's birthday party is all about Ana). It all became a bit too eye rolling worthy.

Ana doesn't have a stand out personality. She's okay. Her love interests are typical. Tristan, the vampire, is mysterious, constantly running hot and cold, the only unique things about him is, well nothing. The love story between them is straight out of Fallen by Lauren Kate only with a vamp thrown in, and then mixed with Twilight and Edward's obsession with Bella's soul. Darren is the local hot guy all the girls lust after that instantly falls for Ana, because she's not like the other girls he's been with. Gee, the fact that she's a princess and rich and powerful doesn't hurt does it? The best part of the love triangle are the choices Ana makes. There's a few twists and I actually liked her final choice and reasoning.

Secondary characters were actually a bit better. London is the popular girl who everyone thinks is a b****h but is really nice and I wish she'd had a bigger role. Then there's Taylor, oh how I wish Texans could be portrayed with something other than stereotypes.After living in Texas for almost ten years, I only ever saw young girls wear their cowboy hats to the rodeo. And most of the Texans I know do not have thick southern accents. It's like assuming all people from California are blond surfers who talk in slang.

Probably what I loved most was the origin stories behind witches and vampires. The explanation behind the vampires was especially interesting, and felt unique. The reasoning behind vampires not going into the sun actually made sense, something I think is pretty hard to do without making them sparkle.

The action really speeds up near the end, almost to the point that if I tried to skim a page, I'd be lost by the next. And it's at the end where it really feels like the authors went to far. Already the story had so many typical YA paranormal elements and then angels were added in and I became completely confused as to the point of the story. It was like the author's wanted to hit all of the YA trends at once, and POW! we're hit with it and are supposed to just go along with them. Which I feel is a real shame. I think if there had been more focus on the witch and vampire war things would have worked better.

This is the first in a series and even though there were things that bothered me about this book, I would be interested in continuing to read the series.

Blog Hop Giveaway ~ Switched by Amanda Hocking

2012-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

I'm really starting to love giveaways! I've joined a YA Giveaway Hop for my first Giveaway of 2012! I really debated on giving away this book because I loved it, but in the end I looked at my overflowing bookshelf and decided to go with it. So the book I'm giving away is an ARC of Switched by Amanda Hocking. It was just released to stores on January 24th and best of all the other two books in the trilogy will be released very soon after (2/28/12 and 4/24/12).

So enter for your chance to win Switched by Amanda Hocking and then check out the other blogs participating in the YA Giveaway! Good Luck!

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Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish

2012-01-23T21:18:00.000-08:00

Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish
Published: April 2011
Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab TM
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Savannah Grey needs to keep moving. She doesn't know why, but she can't let herself get tied down by too many people. It's almost like she's being chased by something. And now something strange is happening with her neck—with her throat.Savannah Grey never thought she'd meet someone like Reece—a guy who seems to understand her. He even knows about her neck. The same thing is happening to him. It's as if their voices are becoming weapons, warming up for some kind of attack.Savannah Grey has no idea what might be chasing her or why her voice suddenly feels like the most powerful weapon on the planet, but she's about to find out.Nature is preparing for battle with the universe's ultimate monster. The time to fight is almost here. The weapon is Savannah Grey.

Review:

I was expecting creepy when I picked this book up (based solely on the cover, which I think is amazing!), but I didn't quite know what it was going to be like. This was beyond creepy. Maybe it's because I have a bit of a neck phobia, with fears of choking. McNish does an excellent job of describing exactly what Savannah is going through and it really brings to life her terror over what is happening to her.

Savannah was a likable enough character, believable in her fear and in her sudden crazy desire to protect what is in her throat. She confused and scared pretty much the entire book and it works well to keep the suspense going, wondering if the thing inside of her is good or evil.

But it's the monsters that are amazing. They are described in a way that brings them to life and unlike so many other storybook monsters we get inside their minds and are able to understand what is driving them to do what they are attempting. McNish does such a good job of this that there were points that I even felt sympathy for them.

The best part is that I was completely surprised by the ending. Looking back I can see the little things that would have pointed me in the right direction, but even then I wouldn't have expected it. Wonderful book and definitely a read for anyone looking for a bit of creepiness.

Switched by Amanda Hocking

2012-01-23T07:37:00.000-08:00

Switched by Amanda Hocking
Published: January 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

Review:

As an author, the success of Hocking's self published series was fascinating. Until her million dollar book deal, I'd never even heard of her. What I heard after was a mix of fanatic love and disdain for her writing style. In the end I refrained from reading her self-published works because of the editing issues I'd heard about. Then I won an Arc of Switched.

Switched is not ground breaking in its concept, but it is a good read. Wendy is a likable character, and although she is set up as having a disagreeable nature, she's not a b***h. I actually liked the idea that part of her trylle (troll) nature is to not to be overly emotional.

The trylle world and culture was done well. It's set as a hidden part of the human world and I really did enjoy the background into how and why they use changelings to keep their lives they way they desire. Wendy becomes more likable once she starts to understand the injustice of their methods, especially after she realizes that one of her new friends is the human who's place she took. There is some cheese to the story, pretty much a Cinderella concept, but it's not overwhelming, and Wendy's reaction to everything keeps it within a reasonable dose.

The love interest with Finn, starts off pretty typical for YA paranormal. He's portrayed as being good looking, but creep with all of the staring he does. He's a bit rude and she's a bit put out but there is something undeniable between them drawing them together. Once the romance gets going it is entertaining, and it did get me cheering for them to be together.

The ending was a nice touch. Not entirely what I expected and I really hope that Wendy's choice is developed in the second book of the series. I will definitely read the next in the series.

Lark by Tracey Porter

2012-01-21T19:32:00.000-08:00

Lark by Tracey Porter
Published: May 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

When sixteen-year-old Lark Austin is kidnapped from her Virginia hometown and left to die in a snowy forest, she leaves behind two friends who are stunned by the loss. As Lark's former best friend, Eve can't shake the guilt that this tragedy was somehow her fault. Meanwhile, Nyetta is haunted each night by Lark's ghost, who comes through the bedroom window and begs Nyetta to set her soul free. Eve and Nyetta realize that Lark is trapped in limbo, and only by coming together to heal themselves will they discover why.

Review:

Let me start off by saying I hate sad books, and if I'd read the blurb before reading the book, I probably wouldn't have picked Lark up. As it was, the cover reminded me of Maggie Steifvater's The Wolves of Mercy Falls series. That said I am so glad I did. This was my first read of 2012 and I managed to finish it in under three hours. The chapters are short, and it is an extremely fast read.

Part of the fast read is that the characters are engaging. The three points of view made everything even sadder by how close they were to what was happening. There is very little in the way of extras. We learn about Lark's relationships with Eve and Nyetta, what they were like together, what drove them apart and ultimately how they really felt about each other. Nyetta's perspective was especially moving because she is younger and struggling with something that the adults in her life can't even begin to comprehend.

Listening to Lark relive her death and her relentless efforts to get Nyetta to help her move on was heartbreaking. The idea Porter builds around what happens to girls who die in the woods was really interesting. I don't want to say more for fear of giving away too much, but this is definitely worth a read.

The Truth About Guys by Chad Eastham

2012-01-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

The Truth About Guys by Chad Eastham
Published: January 2012 (ebook)
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Okay, it's a fact. God made guys and girls different in more ways than just the physical.

But how different could we really be? After all, we are all made in His image, right? Well, yes, but let’s just say that guys and girls view the world in such different ways, that it’s a miracle we communicate at all. What’s worse is that girls this age often think they know what makes guys tick. That couldn’t be more wrong!

Chad Eastham tells it like it is . . . to girls . . . from a guy’s perspective. As a popular presenter at Revolve conferences, he is known for his ability to speak truth and to give girls clearer perspective about guys and themselves as well as understand their own value. Chad explains, “You are incredibly valuable and worthy simply because God created you.”

Review:

So, this was an interesting read. When I received the galley copy for review I was really excited. I'm no longer in my teens, but even with a husband there are things about guys that I just don't get. So, I thought this was going to be some great insight for when I'm writing my male characters. Well, not so much.

I was almost halfway done the book before it even started talking about how guys think, and even then it's not much. This is really a book about girls, and how they should act if they want positive, healthy relationships when they are older. It had some great advice on how girls should love and respect themselves, and how they should have the expectation that guys do the same. I would want my niece to read this. I would want my daughter to read this (when she can read, of course). And most importantly I would want to talk to them about it. This is really a group reading book for female teens on respecting yourself and even has discussion/reflection questions at the end of chapters.

Yes, there are small pieces of how guys think, such as if you don't respect or love yourself then neither will guys. But I wanted to be in the brain of a guy, and understand what drives him. There is also a lot about girls having a deep relationship with God, and an entire section on their fathers (Which had absolutely nothing about how guys think, even though it would be a great place to talk about how guys view their own parents). Eastham goes on about guys loving fire, video games, anything dangerous, etc. and I wanted to know what are guys thinking when they're doing these things? What drives guys to laugh when they have gas? What is up with everything they do?

I don't think this is a terrible book, or even remotely bad, but I do think it is mis-titled. This is not the truth about guys. It is simply a girl's guide to staying unharmed in the dating world of teens and young adults. There were a few funny parts, but overall it didn't really come through for me. I discussed some of the points with my husband and even he was in doubt about the few 'truths' shared about guys.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

2012-01-11T22:32:00.000-08:00

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
Published: October 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

Review:

Okay, so let me start off by saying that although I read the second book in the series, I have absolutely no recollection of what happened in that book, which is why I don't have a review posted on my blog, although apparently I gave it a 3/5 on Goodreads. That's not to say I didn't remember things as they came up in Silence, but I couldn't tell if they were from Hush, Hush or Crescendo.

Luckily for me that didn't matter.

It didn't matter because Nora doesn't remember either. Yes, her memory has been wiped clean by some dark magic, and even Patch is gone. Oh, the book blurb is completely misleading. It makes it sound like Nora and Patch are together and spend the book fighting which is pretty much not what happens. The blurb actually gives you a hint about the last quarter of the book.She goes through the first half of the book, closer to two-thirds actually, having pretty much no memory of anything that had happened since meeting Patch. Which makes this novel very convenient if you didn't read the previous two books, or have forgotten them, because Fitzpatrick pretty much spends all of those pages reviewing what most of her readers already knew. Even with forgetting some of the events I found it boring.

I couldn't believe how stupid Nora was in this book. Even with her lost memory she couldn't make the connection between Jev and Patch, and after finding an angel feather she wants answers, demands answers from Scott, but never brings it up to Jev/Patch.

Oh, there is new stuff added in, especially with Nora being enraged by her mother dating Marcie's dad. Which was interesting with him being the known villain, but it was overwhelmed by her petty fighting with Marcie. It was just too pathetic. What's even worse is the way her mother acts. What mother has time to find a boyfriend and date in the three months her teenage daughter is missing???? ( I really wanted to put some bad words there, but I've refrained from cussing here) I get that she's under some kind of spell, but she wasn't the greatest mother to start with in the other books either, so I doubt she would have really fought against the spell that hard.

I just didn't get it. Patch had started out as a bad boy who was sexy, arrogant, and actually bad, who turns good. In this one he's just an idiot, and his reasoning behind not wanting Nora to remember anything was plain stupid. That he seeks her out and then tells her to forget him was totally pointless.

I'm going to end this review now, before I start tearing the book apart more, because it wasn't as awful as I could make it sound. I just thought the majority of this book was pointless.

Cardsharp: A Vincent Ward Adventure by Paul Westmoreland

2012-01-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

Cardsharp: A Vincent Ward Adventure by Paul Westmoreland
Published: December 2010
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Burning houses. Daring robbers. Motorway chases. Exploding boats. Flying daggers. Brutal policemen. Ruthless pirates. Beautiful women. Deadly bullets. Racing hearts. International Criminals. Narrow escapes. Tricks, stings and electrocutions. And a priceless painting by one of art’s world’s most notorious masters.

Welcome to the adventures of Vincent Ward, where getting through each day alive just isn’t enough.

Review:

Overall I thought this was a pretty good read. There was a lot of action, and the sequences were detailed and fast paced. The writing was solid, although as a Canadian American the British terms used sometimes threw me off. There seemed to be something going on with the kindle formatting of the novel as the letter l was missing consistently from words with double l, such as wall, filling, etc.

I thought the description of the art central to the plot, a piece by Caravaggio named The Cardsharps, was well done, and I loved how Vincent was constantly seeing comparisons between himself and the young man in the painting. I think Westmoreland's ability to be so descriptive not just with the actions scenes but also with an art that is so visual is a definitely strength.

The only aspect of the story that I struggled with was its intended audience. YA is a genre that can be hard to define, and I'm not sure Cardsharp falls into that genre, yet I don't see it as an adult novel either. First, Vincent is well out of his teens. He's graduated from university and is working full time at the National Art Gallery, a number of times he appears at a bar drinking wine (not that drinking can't be part of YA, but it needs to be realistic) and most importantly he does not deal with any young adult issues. Instead he is dealing an international theft ring, that endangers his career and life.

That said, it is not an adult novel either. Even though Vincent is an adult, he often thinks like a child, like his continued belief that the man wearing a suit and tie, driving with a police siren is a real police officer, despite trying multiple times to kill Vincent, breaking into his hotel room, and never once identifying himself the way a police officer is legally bound to do. The love interest plot line is chaste, and the over all readability is more appropriate for a younger teen audience.

Then again, I'm not a teen age boy, and I think that is who this series is geared more for.

Growing Pains: Kendra's Diaries by K.P. Smith

2012-01-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

Growing Pains: Kendra's Diaries by K.P. Smith
Published: May 2011
Publisher: Do It Publishing
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Growing Pains; Kendra's Dairies is the first book in the series chronicling the journey of Kendra Foster from adolescence to adulthood.

I aspire to encourage, entertain, and inspire young adults. Life has its ups and downs, its bumps and its bruises. But with perseverance, determination, and faith you can be all you were born to be.

Never Give Up!

Review:

There were certain elements of this book that I really loved and others that drove me nuts! So, let me start off with the things I loved :)

Kendra. She is flawed, she is real, she is African-American and she is facing real problems that many other young girls face. Kendra's one of those characters that isn't overly perfect and can be related to easily. I love that she is an African-American living in New Orleans, because it is representative of the population there and, although she could easily have been written as white, it is a nice change in a market flooded with white protagonists. (As a teacher this is a very frustrating fact). I especially love that she is a normal 13-year-old girl that isn't obsessed with one boy, and constantly going on about how he is her life.

The other characters in the book are also believable and again the situations were believable and relateable for a younger teen audience. Kendra goes through a number of experiences that most girls will. Preparing to enter high school, first crush, fighting with her best friend, first kiss, jealousy, arguing parents. Her life is very normal. And that leads to my first issue.

Normal can be, well, boring. There was no sense of urgency in this novel. Things happened and Kendra learned to move on. We didn't necessarily see or feel her confusion or despair when her dad walked out on them, and the love interest is only mildly developed. As much as I am for non-obsessive teen love, preteen and younger teens tend toward the obsessive, especially with first love. I think more narration about her feels would have given more importance to the issues she was facing.

Setting was another area I thought the author should have given more consideration to. New Orleans is a city full of life and culture. Sadly there wasn't really any details that made New Orleans different from any other city in the US. But more important was the time frame. It took me until I was almost half way through the book to realize this story was taking place during the 1980's. Later on there were references to 80's specific people or items that made it clear, but then it felt more like a trip down memory lane for the author. Will today's teens really want to read two pages of comparisons between the the love lives of Kendra and her friend being compared to those on Dallas?

The dialogue was the final area I felt that needed strengthening. Listen to any teen, even way back in the 80's and they spoke casually, using contractions and slang. Everything the characters said sounded very formal. And from my experiences living in the South for over ten years, people down there are anything but formal in their speech. I just wanted to shake these characters and tell them to speak normally. This is Smith's debut novel, and I think that as the series continues Smith will find a more natural voice for her characters.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

2012-01-04T23:06:00.000-08:00

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Published: July 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Press, Inc
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Review:

I was really looking forward to reading this book. Shiver was amazing and Linger was one of those books that I felt just went in a complete circle. I had high hopes that Forever would actually move the story forward.

While I didn't love Forever as much as Shiver, I did love how Stiefvater handled it. With Grace turning at the end of Linger, I was really worried that she was going to drag out the separation between Grace and Sam. There was separation, but it felt so important to the story because you know how much these two characters love each other and that with every day the possibilities for them to be together become harder. When they finally come together, it's in such a simple and comfortable way. I love that they're aren't constantly gushing over each other or doubting each other just to make it more dramatic. They are a simple love story and I love that.

But even with Grace and Sam keeping things simple in the love department, Cole and Isabel bring the drama. They fight, love, despise, lust. And they finally feel like solid characters that are developed enough to share in Grace and Sam's plot.

I've read a number of reviews by people who were disappointed in the ending of this trilogy, but for me it was perfect, at least for Grace and Sam. Now Cole and Isabel are a different story. I would have liked one more chapter for them, but it comes back to who's story is it? Grace and Sam's.

Tempest by Holly Hook

2012-01-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

Tempest by Holly Hook
Published: September 2010

Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old Janelle never thought the gray spiral birthmark on her arm meant anything special. That is, until she meets Gary, a boy her age with a birthmark exactly like hers. Gary’s attractive, brooding, and perfectly normal…except for the fact that he materialized out of a dangerous hurricane right in front of her. Janelle’s certain of only one thing. Gary’s mark—and hers, too—mean something, but he’s reluctant to tell her what.

At last she squeezes the truth from Gary about their markings. And the truth is utterly terrifying: Janelle and Gary are more connected to the destructive power of nature than she ever dreamed possible. And learning the truth about herself is only the start of her nightmare.

Review:

I really loved this concept. The idea of hurricanes as people was really interesting and I think that it's an original idea in a market flooded with vampires, angels, and witches. The action gets going right away and there's very little down time in it. It really felt like a fast read and that was a nice change after some of the other books I've read lately.

The characters were interesting and I really liked that there was no love triangle. The only issue I did have was with Janelle's voice. It was hard to believe she was sixteen, especially during the first half of the book. She definitely felt much younger and I had to go back to the book blurb to see just how old she was. This does seem to clear up later in the book.

The last third of the book moves very fast and I think it could have been fleshed out a bit more, slowing things down just to get more time for an emotional reaction. Then again that would have taken away some of the urgency. I think this is a pretty solid start to the series, and the resolution in this book definitely leads to another book, while not being frustrating by leaving the reader hanging.

Unidentified by Rae Mariz

2012-01-01T11:47:00.000-08:00

Unidentified by Rae Mariz
Published: May 2010
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Available: Amazon

Book Blurb:

Kid knows her school’s corporate sponsors not-so-secretly monitor her friendships and activities for market research. It’s all a part of the Game; the alternative education system designed to use the addictive kick from video games to encourage academic learning. Everyday, a captive audience of students ages 13-17 enter the nationwide chain store-like Game locations to play.

When a group calling themselves The Unidentified simulates a suicide to protest the power structure of their school, Kid’s investigation into their pranks attracts unwanted attention from the sponsors. As Kid finds out she doesn't have rights to her ideas, her privacy, or identity, she and her friends look for a way to revolt in a place where all acts of rebellion are just spun into the next new ad campaign

Review:
So this was one of those books that the library recommended for people if they enjoyed The Hunger Games. Well, I'm not sure the person recommending it had ever read both books. It's not that this isn't a good book, because it is. It's just that they are not comparable. The only thing I could see as a similarity is that they are both set in the future.So if you've seen a similar recommendation be prepared.

There were a lot of things I loved about this book. The concept is awesome. It's one that I could actually see happening in today's society. A school funded by companies, used to push test and push their products, is a viable concept. I can remember in high school having a vote about whether we would have Coke or Pepsi products on campus. In the end, the school administration decided based on how much money the company would pay to be exclusive. Tweens and teens are probably the most influential consumers. Would your parents or grandparents really have the technology they have if the younger generation was there to introduce it to them, teach them how to use it?

Mariz took the idea a step further. Students weren't just using or trying out the products, they were also becoming the testers and creators, and this is where I see the idea as becoming practical. I've read a few reviews of this book that said they were playing games and had no real classes. But what is more real than the application and evaluation process?

The characters were for the most part interesting. Kid seems like that perfect mix of an outsider who doesn't want attention but wouldn't mind it at the same time. She is fine with her social standing and actually thinks the 'branding' process is stupid. But once she is 'branded' she doesn't mind the benefits it brings her. Kid is average. And this makes her very easy to believe and relate to. Her friends Cory and Hannah are complete opposites of each other. Cory is more of a nerd, and he is a believable and likable character, there are a few inconsistencies with his character, but he's not constantly being followed and so we can't be 100% sure what is going on with him. Hannah though, is a complete bitch. I have no idea why Kid and Cory would even want to hang around with her let alone be her best friend. She's rude, snotty, stuck up and she bails on them countless times, until she finally stabs Kid in the back because of jealousy. She contributes nothing to the storyline that I can remember and is so unlikable that every time she was mentioned I wanted to skip ahead.

The mystery of 'the Unidentified' is slow to start and and once it does it becomes pretty obviously very quickly who is part of the group. What drags on is the question of what are their ultimate motives. It's during this last quarter of the book that things start to get convoluted. I felt like Mariz had been told to cut a few thousand words and the pieces that connected and made the story flow ended up cut.

Overall, this is a good read. Not amazing, but solid and worth the time.

Winners of the Best of 2011 Giveaway!

2012-01-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun hosting this giveaway and I loved being part of the blog hop! The winners were randomly selected through Rafflecopter and they are:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Sidne
Tempest by Julie Cross - Beth Chantille Good
Torn by Erica O'Rourke - Alaina

Thanks to everyone that visited my blog and entered the giveaway. I am hoping to do another giveaway in a month or so, maybe in time for Valentine's Day :)

Best of 2011 Giveaway!

2011-12-26T22:42:00.000-08:00

I am sooo excited to be doing a giveaway as part of the Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop! I feel in love with so many books over the year, and really over the last few months. But I wanted to pick just one that I'd read and decided on Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. Even though there were a few books I loved more, this is the one I'm most excited about with the movie coming out in mere months! So the Grand Prize of my giveaway will be a new paperback copy of The Hunger Games.

The other two books I chose to include were not really among my favorites, but they have had such amazing reviews on Goodreads that I wonder if they wouldn't be appreciated more by other readers. Torn by Erica O'Rourke and Tempest by Julie Cross. The copies of Torn and Tempest have been gently used by me as they were parts of giveaways.

Good Luck and remember to come back daily to earn more entries! Please note this is open to US and Canada only.

Check out some of the other blogs included in the Giveaway Hop and enter to win more great books! (Songbird can be found at 89. Prissy Fit)

Contest for Aspiring YA/Middle Grade Authors

2011-12-23T21:21:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to be sharing this opportunity! Keep reading for more info about a chance to win feedback on your manuscript and aid in UNHCR's development of libraries in refugee camps.

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

You could win a manuscript critique from:

Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

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

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

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

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

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

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

Good luck and best wishes,

Logan Kleinwaks
President, Book Wish Foundation

What You Wish For (ISBN 9780399254543, Putnam Juvenile, Sep. 15, 2011) is a collection of short stories and poems about wishes from 18 all-star writers: Meg Cabot, Jeanne DuPrau, Cornelia Funke, Nikki Giovanni, John Green, Karen Hesse, Ann M. Martin, Alexander McCall Smith, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joyce Carol Oates, Nate Powell, Sofia Quintero, Gary Soto, R.L. Stine, Francisco X. Stork, Cynthia Voigt, Jane Yolen. With a Foreword by Mia Farrow. Book Wish Foundation is donating 100% of its proceeds from the book to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to fund the development of libraries in Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad.

Good Luck!

Review of Tempest by Julie Cross

2011-12-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

Tempest by Julie Cross
Published: January 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

ISBN: 9780312568894
Available: Amazon (for pre-order, available January 17, 2012)

Blurb:
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun. That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities. But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him. Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

****
I really wish I could say that the blurb or the cover attracted me to this book, but neither of them did. I entered a free drawing through Goodreads and it seemed mildly interesting. It also had a lot of interest so I assumed good things. Well, after finishing it, I cannot understand why. According to the ARC version I received there is a HUGE amount of marketing going into this book, and it already has a movie deal signed. But I'm at a total loss as to why?! This book was a complete mess. From the cover to the last page.

First the cover is a complete rip off. Okay so it's in color, but there is absolutely no way the publishing company didn't see an eerie resemblance to Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush cover. What is wrong with cover artists today? The cover doesn't even depict a scene from the book!! There's one moment it seems close to but still, where is the originality?

On to the plot. Time travel? I'll go with it. I'm not a huge fan (apart from Back to the Future movies), but it's not being over done in today's market. The problem is that this came off as a mesh of Time Cop, The Butterfly Effect and Jumper. And not only that, but what seems to be original is a complete mess. There is absolutely no logic to the time jumps happening. The hero Jackson jumps into the past, then into the future, then creates an alternate past and still manages to jump into a future similar to the one he was first in, but not like the one he was going to be in after going into the past and creating an alternate. Confused? Yeah, well so was I. And what's worse is there is absolutely no point to anything he does after the big jump he initially takes. Everything could have been solved if he'd simply stayed there, because no matter what he does in the past, it won't change the future, except when it creates an alternate future (which apparently makes sense in this book).

Oh, the characters, or character I should say. Jackson is a boy. No, he really is. I say that because I think the author forgot this fact at moments (many moments). Like when he goes into the past and thinks about how all the college kids he sees would be surprised that Jon and Kate broke up. Really? Teenage boys know and care who Jon and Kate are? And they assume a mass of other college kids will too? Please. Teenage guys care about very few things. Sex, sports, technology, girls, working out. Any of these I could believe, but a middle aged married couple with eight kids? Anytime there was an opportunity for Cross to address even the faintest physical contact it's glossed over, and it didn't feel like she was trying to shield her young readers, but that she didn't know how to describe it from a boy's perspective. What a cop out. If you're writing from a boy's perspective, and having it centered around a romance (which this book supposedly is), then get me in the mind of this boy, and be honest about it. (This is exactly why I have yet to attempt writing from a male's point of view.)

Jackson is also a flake. And not one I would want as my boyfriend. Here he is with this amazing ability to time travel and instead of telling his girlfriend, he stands her up multiple times, pays off her roommate with his credit card (oh, boy did I mention that he's uber rich?), and then when she's shot and laying dying in his arms he time jumps back too far. So there's the big problem he faces. Not that his girlfriend, Holly, is dying in his future, but that he's stuck in the past. At first he tries to get back to her, but within a couple of chapters, he's trying to see his dead sister, uncover his father's secret government job, and date the younger version of his dying girlfriend, because really, why try and get back to help her when he can have a younger one?

Review of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ranson Riggs

2011-12-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ranson Riggs
Published: June 2011
Publisher: Quirk Publishing

ISBN: 9781594744761
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

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

***

It's hard to put into words what I felt when I finished ready this book. I absolutely loved it, but it was nowhere near what I thought it was going to be. As always, I fell for the cover. The creepy girl levitating in black and white was enough to get me interested, that it takes place in Wales was just a bonus.

Throughout the book are scattered photo's that tie into not just the characters, but also the background story of Jacob's grandfather. They were creepy and dark, and some of them were disturbing, despite their innocence. The photo's alone were enough to keep me turning the pages. I felt like a kid again with my first chapter book, frantically reading just so I could figure out the meaning behind the pictures.

Photo's aside, the story is solid. Although it starts out a bit slow with information, it did have some immediate action that made me curious enough to not to skip pages. Jacob's character has some typical boy moments and he comes across as a believable and likable character. The other characters are a bit more on the eccentric side (apart from Jacob's parents). The mix of Peculiar's was great. Yes, there was almost an X-Men feel to them, but they have a believability to their reactions to their situation. Emma is the only one I found hard to follow. She swings back and forth with her feelings about Jacob and his grandfather, and frankly the idea of Emma and Jacob in a romantic relationship was the creepiest part of the book.

Riggs does do an amazing job with the time travel aspect of the story. I've always found time travel books a bit frustrating (check out my upcoming review of Julie Cross's Tempest for more about that), but Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children manages to explain it and still make it understandable. The idea of loops that allow a pause in time while the present continues on was intriguing.

I did feel as though the author was trying to leave it open for a sequel but I really don't feel like I'd want to read any further. My interest in the Peculiars was satisfied, and unless the concept sounded amazing I'd happy with the way this one ended. Sometimes, it's better just to stop while things as good. and I can't see this story getting better than it already is.

This is a definite recommend, and although it looks like it would be for older teens, I think younger teens would find it more enjoyable.

Review of Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

2011-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Published: July 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Press

ISBN: 9780385739689
Available: Amazon

Blurb:

Someone's been a very bad zombie.
Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town . . . and stay hormonally human.

**
First, I absolutely love this cover! I just wish it was a bit more representative of the story. It gave me a dark, serious vibe, but the book was definitely more on the humorous side.

The book does funny well. It's not the flat out kind that gets annoying fast, but it has a touch of self deprecating humor that pops up through Kate and her out look on life. Kate's character really is what keeps this story together. She's smart and knows it. And best of all she's not afraid to show it. Her access to the football team is due to her future goal of going to medical school and she uses her medical knowledge to help her figure out what's going on.

Kate's brother Jonah is great as the annoying younger brother that ends up not being so bad. Their relationship felt natural and he didn't end up as just a plot device. He played an important role in the story and there were a lot of moments throughout the book that he makes great.

Aaron is Kate's love interest and even though he's portrayed originally as the super high school hunk, he ends up coming across as a pretty normal guy. Kate has a lot of nervousness dealing with him at first that makes him seem aloof, but once Kate relaxes, Aaron's character becomes a lot clearer.

The best thing about Bad Taste in Boys is that it doesn't shy away from the blood and guts that is the heart of a good zombie story. So many humorous YA zombie books I've red have played it safe, glossing over the gross factor of zombies, even avoiding any part of it by changing the essence of what zombies are. Harris stays true to zombies and gives us the gore. If I didn't want gore then I wouldn't read about zombies!

This is definitely falling into one of the better zombie books I've read.

Interview with the Author and Illustrator of Cardsharp, Paul Westmoreland (POW)

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

I am very excited today to be interviewing author and illustrator Paul Westmoreland (also known as POW) and discussing his Young Adult novel, Cardsharp.

Cardsharp's Goodreads Blurb:

Burning houses. Daring robbers. Motorway chases. Exploding boats. Flying daggers. Brutal policemen. Ruthless pirates. Beautiful women. Deadly bullets. Racing hearts. International Criminals. Narrow escapes. Tricks, stings and electrocutions. And a priceless painting by one of art’s world’s most notorious masters.
Welcome to the adventures of Vincent Ward, where getting through each day alive just isn’t enough.

Did you always want to be an author?

No, I wanted to be a film director. But when I started writing stories that I hoped would become movies, I realized how much fun you can have just writing. With movies you have limits like, Can you film a robbery in the national Gallery? Can you blow up a luxury yacht? In a book you can do it from the moment you decide you want to, and no one can stop you. Writing is still the most liberating place to be creative. Your only limit is the alphabet, and it’s free!

Tell us a bit about Cardsharp.

My novel, Cardsharp is a roller-coaster thriller set in the art-smuggling underworld. It follows Vincent Ward as he travels across Italy to save a lost painting by Caravaggio from a ruthless organization of international criminals. It’s edge-of-your-set action all the way through, with a healthy shot of art history so you can look cleaver after you’ve read it.

How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

I’ve always been interested in art, and I find the art world fascinating. Because paintings are worth so much, people with a lot of money – many of them bad people – will go to extraordinary lengths to get their hands on paintings. All this makes it a rich area for writing exciting stories, and I went from there. I always start with an interesting artist and a goal for Vincent, and the story grows from there.

If you got the chance to spend a day with any character from your books, who would it be and why?

I would choose Mr. Masters, my curator of the National Gallery, because he could open the vaults and show me all the pictures no one else ever gets to see. Though I’d probably chicken out of a day with Vincent, my main character, because too many people shoot at him and there’s always trouble chasing him.

What drew you to the YA genre?

Again it’s freedom and creativity. I always wrote for adults, but then my dad told me about a competition for writing YA books, I tried it, didn’t win, but it was so much fun I didn’t want to do anything else. You can do anything with YA, so long as it’s exciting! And I love writing like that.

What do you hope readers will get out of your novel?

I hope readers get a taste for art. Most people, especially my adult readers, have enjoyed it and learned something new, and some of my young readers have dragged their parents to galleries.

Where do you like to do your writing?

My favourite place to write at home, in my kitchen. But I can write anywhere – on the train, in a coffee shop – last week I even wrote while I stood in a queue at the post office.

What are some of your favorite YA books or authors? Non-YA?

H.I.V.E., CHERUB and Young Bond are all great. I also read adult books and biographies by interesting people. I also re-read Tuesdays With Morrie every few years because it’s full of lessons in life.

Are there any books and stories that have influenced or stuck with you from your childhood or youth?

I had a short version of The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle when I was little and read it over and over. There are some scenes in that which had an effect on me that I try to put into my stories. The fear of dinosaur attacks and adventures with nerves of steel – they’re great ingredients for fiction.

Do you have any other works published and how do they compare genre/style wise with your current work?

Sadly I don’t. I have a story set in the circus that nearly got published, but alas, it didn’t happen. I’d like to go back to it, but Vincent’s next adventure is taking up all my time right now!

Do you have any current writing projects? Can you tell us a bit about them?

As I mentioned, the next adventure for Vincent sees him racing across France and battling an insidious art dealer who is trying to re-write art history. I also have a TV series going to the BBC, which could be very exciting!

If you would like to know more about Cardsharp, read a few sample chapters, or get a copy, visit www.powbooks.com

Cardsharp is available for Kindle on Amazon, or as a paperback from Lulu. There are also links on my site.

Thanks for reading. POW

Thank you, Paul!

I'm really looking forward to reading Cardsharp. Look for my review coming later this month!

Review of Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011-12-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Published: May 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

ISBN: 9780062024022
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place her in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

***

I avoided this book at first, mainly because I thought it would simply be a spin off of The Hunger Games. There were a lot of comparisons online and having enjoyed The Hunger Games I was hesitant to read a rip off. I am so glad that I finally picked it up. Yes, it is a dystopian series, but for me that is where the similarities end. For me The Hunger Games trilogy felt a bit forced, the idea of creating a special games for the sequel just for Katniss wasn't logical or believable. Divergent though is a much better premise for a series, it ends with action, grief, and hope to carry us into the sequel. But there is no real finish to Divergent. It's more of a beginning to Tri's story.

Roth does a wonderful job in putting us inside Tris's head. Tris is likable and she's faced with a choice that she never expected. She had assumed that she would be a part of her family's Abnegation fraction, but when her qualities are tested, her results are erratic and the tester's nervousness causes Tris to question her place in Abnergation. When her turn to choose comes she leaves them behind forever to join Dauntless. And after she makes her choice, she commits to it. She doesn't waiver in her attempts to earn her place in Dauntless. But what once seems like the noble and courageous path, has become riddled with pride, ruthlessness, greed and a struggle for power. It is in Dauntless that she discovers the reason behind her strange results. She is Divergent. A sixth fraction in which the people are all fractions together. But they must hide from society and are most often put to death in fear that their existence will disrupt the status quo. Tris really struggles to understand herself and what she faces feels authentic.

The supporting characters are as well developed as Tris. They are flawed and their choices have a profound impact on Tris and her belief in their society. They didn't feel placed there to simply fill space. Even Tris's love interest has a solid roll in what is happening, and the love story could even have been taken out, and his part would have been just as important.

The major conflict is entirely believable within the parameters of the setting. That these fractions can survive independently while still depending on each other, and not allow for interaction between them is impossible. Roth shows how the separation causes problems within their world, the fear, the anger, the feelings of superiority are slowly tearing them apart.

The only part that I had a hard time dealing with was the violence. I would definitely not recommend this book for younger readers. Tris and the rest of Dauntless are submerged in an atmosphere of violence. They are in a perpetual battle for life and are expected to physically, mentally and emotionally fight for their place in Dauntless. Tris does not always win. And it was disturbing to think of her being beaten so badly, not just in fair fights, but also when she is attacked by someone she considers a friend. But the violence is necessary to the story. Divergent does not pussy foot around it. Tris's world becomes a violent, scary place that demands she make decisions that will change everything. There were deaths in this book that I never saw coming and a few twists that made the ending perfect.

This was probably one of the best books I've read this year and I can't wait for the sequel. With the current trend of book to movies for YA I'm really hoping that this is the next on the list to make that transition.

Review of Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby

2011-11-28T20:13:00.000-08:00

Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby
Published: March 2009
Publisher: Puffin

ISBN: 9780142412565
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

Quiet, unpopular, non-cheerleading Mia is blissfully happy. She is dating super hot football god Rob, and he actually likes her and asked her to prom! Enter Samantha - cheerleading goddess and miss popularity - who starts making a move for Rob. With prom in a few days, Mia needs to act fast. So she turns to her best friend, Candice, and decides to do a love spell on Rob. Unfortunately, she ends up inflicting a zombie virus onto her whole class, making herself their leader! At first she is flattered that everyone is treating her like a queen. But then zombie hunter hottie Chase explains they are actually fattening her up, because in a few days, Mia will be the first course in their new diet. She's sure she and Chase can figure something out, but she suggests that no one wear white to prom, because things could get very messy.

***

When I initially read this book I was quite happy with it. A solid 4/5 I would have given it, But in the days that have passed since I finished it, I've found that my memories of the book have diminished. There are bits and pieces that I can remember, and not all of them are good, so in the end I would have to say that 4/5 would have been extremely generous.

What do I recall? There's the voodoo ritual Mia does that creates the zombies, and I love that they're not out and out zombies right away. Mia was a bit annoying with her constant references to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, maybe that's just because I hated the television show, but it didn't make me think she was cool for being into that retro stuff. I just felt sad for her pathetically boring life. Candice was at least funny. Her obsession with her health is what keeps the zombie virus from being the typical stuff. As for Chase, he was boring, even after his true identity is revealed.

The best part of this book was the way the soon to be zombies were attempting to fatten Mia up. I loved the way she was completely oblivious at first and then when she clues in, she goes to some extreme lengths to keep them from attacking her.

The end was a bit too obvious for me, even with the attempted twist. I think the ending was what ultimately made this a forgettable book. There was nothing there to draw me back in to reading it again.

Breaking Down - Breaking Dawn Movie Review

2011-11-20T21:41:00.000-08:00

I went today to see the Breaking Dawn Part 1 movie and WOW! Yes that is a wow in all capital letters :)

Now, take that wow with a grain of salt, because it's not an all round one that applies to any great movie I've seen, but as far as the four Twilight movies so far, this is my ultimate favorite.

So, what worked better this time around? Special effects/make up. there were of course the continued use of the CGI wolves, which irritate me, but they fixed a lot of other little things that were driving me nuts. Bella's hair, actually looks real, as does Jasper's. Too bad for Rosalie because yet again her's sucked. The movement of the vampires was good, although I do think the effects in Eclipse were a bit better. Anything of course was a step up from the horrible ones used in the first movie.

For me though, the make was amazing in the deterioration of Bella. I don't remember the books seeming so harsh on her body, except of course for the hunger. But the movie showed such a progression during the pregnancy, and at one point you look at her and see just skin and bones. It was quite sad to think what she was going through, and yes I did cry (I'm just glad the hubby wasn't there it ask me loudly if I was). The effects used on Bella at the very end were even better, and a perfect plug for her Kristen Stewart's new movie Snow White and the Huntsman. Just awesome!

The wedding was really good. knowing how Bella feels about getting married, how she feels about being the center of attention, it was so fascinating to see her start her walk down the aisle. I'm sure people will blast Stewart for her lip biting, half open mouth, but that terrified look on her face is what Bella would have been wearing those first few steps. I loved the change she goes through when she sees Edward waiting for her. The reception was hilarious, awkward, unfunny speeches, which made it all the more funny, each one staying true to the character speaking.

The ending, this was what I had wondered about, where would they cut it. And frankly I think the moment director Bill Condin chose was perfect. And better yet was they way he did it. I won't give spoilers, but definitely a more dramatic ending than New Moon or Eclipse (I won't include Twilight, because for me that was suppose to be a gentle, bittersweet ending).

Leah, and Seth. For me the two of them saved the wolf pack. Seth was cute and charming in a boyish way, completely missing Jacob's obvious hints to take a hike and he is easily the most likable character in the series. He has a conscience and a willingness to do what it takes to do the right thing. With Leah I liked her much more than in the books. There we only ever really learned about her through Jacob's eyes and here we get to see the difficult and devastating position she is in and how she longs for escape. That she will fight with her enemy to do it makes it even more sad. Yes, I cried when she opened up to Jacob about it.

The music was probably the biggest thing for me, because in the previous movies it has been used so well. I loved that here, we didn't just get a whole slew of new music, but we were also given snippets of music form the first movie. Just hearing the music brought back memories of the first, which was obviously the point. There were even times when different pieces sounded blended together, which was even better. So, the music did not disappoint.

Now on to what didn't work.

The wolves, oh the wolves. As humans they did great, the acting was good and the pretty much had the least cheesy lines of all. But the CGI, and the CGI talking wolves. Absolutely the worst moment of any of the movies. It felt as if I were watching a children's cartoon with the thought voice overs from the pack and even though I know the books have the characters communicating like that I think it would have been a wiser move to have them in human form for the movie version.

The wedding dress. I was so disappointed. It was beautiful, well at least the back was, but didn't suit Bella's character a bit, and Stewart looked uncomfortable in it as well.Alice's dress was pretty hideous, too and even though her hair looked real, I hated the styling. They were obviously paying homage to her characters flapper days human life, but it didn't suit Greene.

Overall, I was so happy with this movie. The cheesy lines were fewer and further between (although not completely gone), and the actors had much better direction. I am now sitting her, feeling the urge to check out the release dates of the DVD and of Part 2.

Breaking Down

2011-11-17T18:40:00.000-08:00

Oh, Twilight, how I have missed thee and the eternal turmoil you inflict as I debate how much I love and hate you. I've resisted doing a complete review of the Twilight Saga, simply because it is such a hot point between readers, authors, movie goers and just about anyone who is aware of the series and I am a firm fence rider. But as the title of my post suggests, Breaking Dawn is where I am breaking down, at least in a way since this is more about the movies than the books.

As far as the books go, Breaking Dawn was probably my second favorite book of the series, Twilight being the first. I'm hoping it will be a much better movie. When the first Twilight movie came out, I loved it and I still do, even when I am cringing at the bad special effects, and the cheesy lines. I was watching it while at the gym yesterday and had to change the channel a few times because I was blushing so bad, embarrassed for the actors having to say some of those lines.

With this saga (both in book and film form), I've always been one of those people who walk the line. I can easily see why teenage girls and women are obsessed with it. This is a story of undying love, self-sacrifice, and fierce protectiveness and that can attractive, especially if it's wrapped up in gorgeous packages like Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. That said, I am also a fierce hater. There was a serious need for this series to be edited, and the length of Breaking Dawn in book form is just proof that once you hit it big you can do anything you want. How did not one signal editor chop out 50-60K off that book?

Sticking with the movies, if the first movie was cheesy and had bad special effects, and much of it has continued through the series, then really I should only expect more of the same in Breaking Dawn. New Moon has been my favorite movie so far. Even with the reduced screen time for Pattinson, I thought it actually had the best direction. Sure there was cheese and plenty of eye rolling moments, but there was just something about it that for me was different. I've thought about it a long time, and essentially I think it's all come down to the music and change in special effects.

The music in the first three films has been perfect. I think I could just listen to the sound tracks of the films and be able to pinpoint moments from the movie (and no, I do not watch them compulsively or even often). This is really where I can see myself loving or hating Breaking Dawn part 1. But what I've heard so far has been beautiful. So my hope for the movie is that it will live up to that one expectation from me. With that I leave you with the first music video from the Break Dawn soundtrack, A Thousand Years by Christina Perri.

Review of Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-11-13T22:28:00.000-08:00

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Published: July 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press

ISBN: 9780545123280
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

****
There were so many things I expected of this book and I don't know if they were completely delivered. Regardless there were so many things i
loved about this book.

To start if you have not seen the book trailer check it out. For me the trailers for all three of the books are wonderfully done and tell so much about the books, some of which I didn't make complete sense of until I read the books.

The tone of Stiefvater's first Mercy Falls book Shiver is continued perfectly here. Linger is poetically and beautifully written. Stiefvater's writing flows smoothly and her occasional use of poetic style is well done. The one problem I had was that things moved sooo slowly. I wish things there had been more of a sense of urgency.

Grace and Sam's love is tested even as it builds. There were moments where I felt like there was a gap between them that didn't feel natural for two young lovers, but Stiefvater was able to pull them back together. Grace's parents drove me nuts in their suddenly inconsistent behavior, but in a way it worked to build some suspense. Hopefully there will be some resolution to their actions in the third book.

The additional focus on newcomer Cole and Isabel was probably where I found myself the most conflicted. While their story lines were interesting and I really enjoyed the interactions between the two of them, I found them a distraction to Sam and Grace's story. Shiver was really about them discovering their love, but here with the added multiple points of view I just felt less connected to them.

The ending was a bit hard for me to take. About two thirds into the book, I knew what was going to happen and I wasn't happy with it. While the first book in the trilogy left me with hope and a light feeling, Linger was anything but. There was a confusion of action and then boom! it was over exactly like I expected. I have hope the third book will work better for me.

Review of Torn by Erica O'Rourke

2011-11-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

Torn by Erica O'Rourke
Published: June 2011
Publisher: Kensington

ISBN: 9780758267030
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

Swirling black descends like ravens, large enough to block the glow of the streetlights. A dull roar starts like a train on the 'L', a far-away rumbling that grows louder as it pulls closer, until it's directly overhead and you feel it in your chest, except this doesn't pass you by. Verity, white-faced and eyes blazing, shouts through the din, "Run, Mo!"

Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend's murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo—quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo—will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she'll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys—protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?

***

Okay, so from the blurb it sounds like the book is going to open with some action, right? Well it doesn't, because guess what? The first half of the blurb happens before the book even starts! Yeah, how exciting. I don't even care that this wonderful friend is dead, because I never even meet her.

This though, is the least of the problems I had with Torn. I'd like to start with something positive and I'm finding it hard. That's not to say the book was horrible. It wasn't. It was just okay. I received this from a LibraryThings give away and it's taken me almost a month to read it. I finally forced myself to take it to the gym and read on the treadmill, just so I could finally get it out of the way.

There were so many things I wanted to like about it, but I just couldn't. So, starting there, the first thing was the cover. The cover put me off, right away. I know I shouldn't judge the book by the cover, and in this case I truly didn't. I hate the cover. The girl looks boring, and pasty, and I hate the weird part in her bangs. And what was up with the cloth wrapped around her head? The blurb is what made me want to read this book, and I hope that the next book in the series has a better cover, because this one didn't do the book any favors.

Moving on from the superficial...

The characters, oh how they drove me nuts. Mo, or Mouse as random people call her, is supposed to be nice. Yes, nice. We're told multiple times throughout the novel that she is nice one, while Verity is the energetic, pretty, vibrant, friendly, outgoing, special one. The problem with nice is that it's boring and we never really see Mo do anything or even say anything that would label her as super nice. She has very few interactions with people other her own age, other than her love interests. She doesn't seem like the nice type. She's mildly rude to her mom, her uncle, her lawyer, the police and even her love interests, and only hangs out with another friend because she doesn't want people to talk about her not being nice and normal. I'll get to her love triangle in a bit.

Luc is the first love interest to appear, and oh what a tangled mess she gets into with him right away. He's weird, and is pretending to be a doctor, and he might have been dating her dead friend Verity. But what's so bad about that? It's perfectly normal, and nice of course, to lust after your dead friend's boyfriend at her funeral, right? (See why I don't buy the whole, Mo is sooo nice aspect? I was seriously trying to keep the characters separate from the love triangle, but it's not working) For the first half of the book, Luc is weird, annoying, frustrating and filled with a superiority complex. Nothing appeal at all about him, yet apparently he's hot and that is enough for Mo. The second half he gets a bit better, although he becomes a bit boring and predictable then. O'Rourke, it seemed, couldn't decide who Luc was. One moment he's talking as if he were an old fashioned, middle aged man, and the next he's using the word ain't. Considering the sometimes unusual (not is a good way) vocabulary O'Rourke chooses to use instead of a well placed common noun or verb, I'm think she was often pulling things from the dictionary just to sound smart. Maybe this is what happened to Luc.

I did like Colin. He was independent, distrustful of everyone, even Mo, and he seemed to have a believable attitude to the world he was living in. Too bad O'Rourke had to ruin his consistency by having him fall for Mo. Considering he's a few years older, and obviously has more maturity from his life experiences than Mo, I couldn't figure out why she appealed to him in the least. The kiss between them was steamy though and I'll give O'Rourke props for that.

The plot dragged. Seriously dragged. Like cut the first hundred pages of Mo flip flopping between lusting for Luc and then trying to focus on her dead friend's death all while lusting after Luc just to remind us that Mo is a mature high schooler who doesn't want to be trapped in her hometown forever (Oh, sucks to be you Colin -who-will-never-leave-his-hometown)

The action once it starts in the last few chapters, is confusing and lacking specific details. The magic blasted into her, the magic blazed around them. The nebula consumed me. Let the nebula consume me. (Yes, that nebula consumed her twice within two pages!) There was also something about lines and were actually an infinity of worlds and lives that crisscrossed, and they were beautiful. I wished I could have visualized what O'Rourke was seeing as she wrote the final scene, but alas, she didn't give me any details!

This is obviously part of a series, but sadly I will not bother picking up the next book. I value my time too much to be bothered spending another month of time struggling to be interested in these characters and a magical world that I have to create on my own.

Early Reviews!

2011-11-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

So excited! I've finally received my advanced copy of Julie Cross's Tempest and now I just found out that I'm going to be getting an advanced copy of Amanda Hocking's Switched. I've never read any of Hocking's other work, so I'm really interested to see if all the hype is justified. Look for the reviews of Tempest within the next few weeks and of Switched hopefully by the end of the month!

Review of The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1

2011-10-31T14:54:00.000-07:00

The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn

Published: May 2009

Publisher: Image Comics

ISBN: 9781607060765

Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb (This is the blurb for only the first issue of The Walking Dead, so as to not give any spoilers):

An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months, society has crumbled: There is no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. Rick Grimes finds himself one of the few survivors in this terrifying future. A couple months ago he was a small town cop who had never fired a shot and only ever saw one dead body. Separated from his family, he must now sort through all the death and confusion to try and find his wife and son. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally begin living.

** Be warned that I would recommend this book for only mature YA readers who are not disturbed by graphic violence or sexual content. **

So I have to say that my only interest in reading this was because I love the AMC show. Zombies had never really been a genre that I wanted to read at that time, and comics ranked even lower. However, I wanted to know where the characters were headed as well as seeing what was different.

I'm very glad to say that my love for the TV show did not cause me to dislike anything about the comic. In fact it made me appreciate the interactions between the characters (both in the comic and on the show) even more. I do have to admit that I missed Daryl and T-dog who do not appear in the comics, but the comics have a much quicker revolving door of characters, although the core characters of Rick, Lori, Carl, Carol, Andrea, Dale and Glenn stay consistent.

There were so many differences that to me the comic and the show are separate entities, and I hope that the show doesn't stick too much with the comics. Both are dark and character driven, but the comic is a much more disturbing look at human behavior. The sexual content and truly disturbing violence builds as the issues progress, and although I really enjoyed the beginning issues, the later ones seemed like they were trying too hard to push the boundaries of what people will read.

This compendium ends in a way that I would never have expected. I was shocked and definitely not prepared for some of the deaths that occur. But in order to move the story and characters forward it had to be done. I just wish it hadn't felt like such a massacre. I'm debating now if I want to read more issues and I think I'll probably wait. I enjoy the show more than I liked the comic and show producers have said that eventually the show will follow some of the same story lines. I want to be surprised and at this point my heart is with the show.

Review of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

2011-10-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Published: October 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

ISBN: 9781416989417
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

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...until Patch comes 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 whom 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 far 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.

***

So the cover of this book is amazing. The story not so much. It felt too much like the author read Twilight and then sat down and wrote the story the way she wanted it to happen. The whole thing about suddenly being seated beside a new mysterious, strangely acting, guy in her bio class was straight from Twilight. Although I have to say that Fitzpatrick definitely made her 'hero' a bit more lively.

Nora was pretty blah, and in fact I find it hard to remember much about her other than she made some pretty stupid decisions. She seemed to be constantly flip flopping and it drove me nuts. I can get that she is supposed to be confused, but I just wanted her to make up her mind about something! She is constantly switching between believing Patch is stalking her and then thinking he would never hurt her. It's the same with Elliot, and pretty much everyone else she interacts with. At least in Twilight Bella took a stand in believing and loving Edward despite what he was capable of.

The ending was a jumble of action, that seemed too obvious and in fact was so predictable that I wanted to skim to the conclusion. In fact there was a lot I wanted to skim in this book. The scenes with Nora's best friend Vee start out interesting, at least until Vee starts acting like a complete moronic b***h.

Patch is the only thing that saved this for me. I loved him for the simple fact that he was a horrible, manipulative, sarcastic, and all-round bad boy. He hides his intentions pretty well behind his lecherous behavior and although I can't see why Nora falls for him so hard, or why she believes he'd never hurt her (at least part of the time), I liked him. He is unapologetic and is the only character that is consistent throughout the book, even though it's as a prick.

That said, I think Patch and Nora's 'love story' is an excellent example of what is wrong with YA books. Patch sexually harasses Nora repeatedly, he stalks her, he forces her into uncomfortable situations and Nora never once says no. She attempts to deflect his comments, she makes excuses for herself and for him, but not once does she stop him and tell him 'No'. In fact, by the end she finds his aggressive and offensive behavior a sign of his affection. Even Bella told Jacob no, when she became uncomfortable. Even Bella told Edward to stop hiding things from her.

I am willing to try more from Fitzpartick and have already read the second book in the Hush, Hush series. I'll be posting that review soon followed by my review of the third book, which I am getting ready to read.

Review of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

2011-10-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Published: April 2001
Publisher: Puffin

ISBN: 9780141310886
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

When Melinda Sordino's friends discover she called the police to quiet a party, they ostracize her, turning her into an outcast -- even among kids she barely knows. But even worse than the harsh conformity of high-school cliques is a secret that you have to hide.

*** this review may contain minor spoilers***

Tales of rape usually hold little appeal for me, mainly because when I read I like to escape from the harsh realities of our world. But I'd heard so much about Speak over the past year, particularly when it appeared on a list of books to ban. The reviews were glowing and it seemed as if this would be a book worth crying through.

What it was, was a bit more complicated for me. There were definite parts that moved me to tears, the beginning especially was wonderful. At first Melinda is very sympathetic. She's obviously gone through a traumatic experience and doesn't feel like she can talk to anyone about it. She acts wounded and her reactions are believable.

Around halfway through the book, I was getting pretty tired of it. I wanted her to really show a change in her attitude and actions. I wanted her to take action. But she doesn't. It's just an endless stream of her being ignored or teased by her former friends, of her moping about how no one understands. When she finally does take some action, when her rapist moves on to a new girl, she does it in a way that is so immature that I couldn't blame the other girl for reacting with skepticism.

There's a major emphasis on her being an artist like her father and like her art teacher believes her to be. And maybe it's poor description by the author, but the art Melinda creates sounds as if it looks like crap and it is literally made from garbage. Maybe it was supposed to be symbolic of how Melinda felt about herself, but I always felt that art made from garbage is usually garbage art, especially since Melinda doesn't really put any thought into her work, she simply does it and suddenly her teacher and another students are amazed. Makes me think of when a child's stick figure is sold for thousands of dollars.

The end was no surprise and in fact it gave me a bad taste in my mouth. It felt convenient and too much of a happy ending. Speak started out as such a deep and realistic story, but by the end it just felt hollow. I didn't cheer for Melinda, because to me her story stopped feeling authentic. I thought this book would have been a wonderful opportunity for the author to address the need to report rape and sexual assaults, but Melinda never does that. She just adds it to the rumor mill.

This book had so much more potential, and frankly it has put a sour taste in my mouth for other books by Anderson.

Zombie Week is Over!

2011-10-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

Zombie week is over and yes I am having a delayed reaction! It's been five days since my last Zombie post and I'm still thinking and dreaming Zombies. Yet, despite the restless sleep I've been getting I really enjoyed it. Until I decided to go ahead with devoting that much time and energy to Zombie books, I hadn't really known what to expect from them. It was a very revealing look at my own tastes.

I've always been a romance fan, and if there's no romance in a book then there's very little chance that I'll love the book. Of course there are a few exceptions, but I didn't think the zombie genre would be any different. But it was. With the exception of Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth series, I didn't really care for the romance angles in the zombie stories. Zombies always have that ability to stand on complete opposite sides of the genre line. Either humorous or dark. The darker novels definitely appealed to me and hovered in the realm of realistic. Maybe that's why the romances in them drew me in. Even with Maberry's Rot & Ruin the side plot romance was interesting.

Zombies need to be Zombies, yes the idea of Zombies being more humanly functional is interesting, but it losses something the more normal they appear. Zombies are suppose to be single minded in their desire for human flesh, and reading about a zombie walking around looking normal, thinking logically and even making out with a living person, was really, well...gross, and not the good gross I want from a Zombie.

Now, the straight out funny was good as well, Ware's Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb was pure fun and although obviously written for a younger male audience it was fun and didn't try to be something it wasn't. ware recognized his subject matter, stayed within the rules of Zombies, and did it in a way that would appeal to his core audience.

There are still a few Zombie books I'm planning to read and review, but I'm glad that I'm going to be able to take my time with them. For now I'm going to enjoy watching The Walking Dead on repeat and reading something a little less blood thirsty!

Review of Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb by MJA Ware

2011-10-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb by MJA Ware
Published: September, 2011
Publisher: Self-Published

ISBN: 2940013006850
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

When life gives you lemons, kill zombies -- turns out lemon juice neutralizes the undead.

After a failed attempt at running away, best friends Nathan and Misty return home expecting to face angry parents. Instead, they discover the military has destroyed the bridges out of their rural town and everyone's fled--except a small horde of the living dead. The stress of flesh-eating zombies may be more than their already strained relationship can handle.

Even with the help of the town geek and lemonade-powered Super-Soakers, there's not enough time to squeeze their way out of this sticky mess. Unless the trio eradicates the zombie infestation, while avoiding the deadly zombie snot, the military will blow the town, and them, to pulp.

Their only shot is something with a lot more punch. Something like the Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb. But even if their friendship survives, there's another problem: Someone has to lure the undead into the trap.

***

This book was the perfect blend of 'B movie' humor and the zombie gore I love, and I say that with all the positive feeling I can. I loved this book! The characters were fun, and refreshing. The violence was necessary, bloody, and at times funny.

Obviously this was written for slightly younger audiences than the other Zombie books I've been reading, but it's probably the one that I had the most fun reading. It definitely doesn't fit the horror genre, but Ware has hit the nail on the humorous angle of zombies.

Parts of the plot are similar to what you would expect in any zombie movie, but Ware acknowledges this and has fun doing so. The best part is that he works with what he has. These are young teens, preteens really, and they don't have access to guns or other weapons, and they certainly don't start off with mature survival instincts. Their first idea is to go to the mall. Too bad it's a strip mall. Then they head for Walmart, which is a much better idea. But even then they do some silly things, the first night the get a TV, and then set up a generator inside. His concept for lemon juice to be lethal to zombies is great. It gives his characters something to work with that doesn't seem too obvious for them, especially since they discover it by accident.

I was surprised by the ending, and had thought it would end a bit differently, with a perfect happy ending that most lighthearted children/middle grade/YA novels do, but Ware gave us a happy ending that is still sad.

Overall, an awesomely fun read, and I would definitely recommend this for ages 9 and up, particularly boys.

Review of The Spooky chronicles: The Crooked Man by Kevin Ranson

2011-10-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Spooky chronicles: The Crooked Man by Kevin Ranson
Published: May 2011
Publisher: Self-Published

ISBN: 2940011333040
Available: Smashwords

GoodReads Blurb:

A child on his death bed is visited by a mysterious "crooked man" who returns him to the land of the living. Upon returning, the young boy realizes that his mother was taken in his place and that he must endure his new life as a "dead" boy.

"At the age of six, the pale little boy became ill, and although he was already small and thin, he grew smaller and thinner still. His skin turned a pallid gray, but the smile never left his face and his mother never left his side. When he turned seven, the tumor in his chest finally overtook his heart, and he died.

"It is whispered that everyone dies alone. But the pale little boy wasn’t alone when he died, and on the other side, he met a crooked man with a crooked stick who pointed at the dead little boy with a crooked finger. The dead little boy opened his eyes only to find those of his mother closed. Somehow he knew that his mother had taken his place and that the crooked man had caused it; what he didn't know was why."

***

This was an interesting one to read and review. First off, I wouldn't classify this as a typical zombie book. Spooky is a zombie in the sense that he's the walking dead, but other than that he's nothing like a zombie. He grows, speaks, thinks, and feels. And he is not consumed by the desire to feed on human flesh. This is however, a nice way to introduce younger readers to the horror genre as it really is more creepy than scary. No blood or guts, but still a darker story.

What makes this hard to read is that the author's strength is also his weakness. Ranson does an amazing job with the narration. He has a wonderful ability to describe what is happening and Spooky is an interesting enough character to keep you ready.

The narration is also the downfall. Or more specifically the lack of dialogue. Even when there is an opportunity to reveal more of Spooky's world, such as when he is having his tarot cards read, everything is through narration. It was a little tiring simply being told everything through Spooky, instead of hearing and seeing it. This does get better towards the end, but I wish it had been built in throughout the story. I think it would have helped me experience the story better.

Interview with Author Kevin Ranson

2011-10-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be interviewing author of The Spooky Chronicles: The Crooked Man, Kevin Ranson.

Author Bio:

Kevin A. Ranson is the creator of MovieCrypt.com as well as the “ghost writer” for the site’s host, Grim D. Reaper. He is a member of the Online Film Critics Society and has film reviews appear weekly on RottenTomatoes.com. With numerous credits in the role-playing game industry, he has also recently entered the realm of horror fiction with “The Spooky Chronicles” in addition to working on a novel for his “Kindling Moon” fantasy setting. Kevin’s current creations and personal blog are always visible on ThinkingSkull.com.

Did you always want to be an author?

I’ve always wanted to be a lot of things, including a writer. I remember making my own comics as a child, but I also started writing a lot of fiction for extra credit in seventh grade English class. At the same time, I’d already found my mom’s Stephen King paperback collection, so the influences were there.

Tell us a bit about your novel.

The Spooky Chronicles are about a child who comes back to life as a zombie but continues to grow up. Having already overcome personal tragedy in his life, his unique condition also makes
him aware of (and draws him into) a secret underworld he never asked to be a part of.

How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

A friend and myself created the initial details and idea behind the character as a superhero
in a school that secretly trains children with unique gifts (a la Xavier’s School for the Gifted) for a role-playing game. After it concluded, I wrote a back story from the character’s point of view in a
world of the occult instead of superheroes, and that became the basis of the first book, The Crooked Man.

If you got the chance to spend a day with any character from your books, who would it be and why?

“Spooky” Spencer himself! There’s a lot of me as a child in the character, something I didn’t realize until after I went back and re-read it later just before deciding I could run with it as a book series. I envision The Spooky Chronicles as a television show, so the books run about the length of an episode in my mind.

What drew you to the YA horror genre?

Nothing in particular. I didn’t set out to write YA or horror, it’s just the story that came out. I wasn’t
even very familiar with the term “YA” until after I began researching to market this work.

What do you hope readers will obtain from your book?

I see Spooky as an inspiration and a bit of a role model. Bad things happen to good people, even kids, and overcoming them is part of life. Spooky had a very good, loving home life during his formative years before becoming very ill at the age of six and actually dying on his seventh birthday. He loses someone important to him while the remaining parent becomes distant afterward, but he’s a caring and resourceful young man with a very strong sense of protection for the people he cares about.

Where do you like to do your writing?

At home, in a corner office. The walls and shelves around my desk are filled with creepy Halloween decorations I’ve collected over the years, from a Hellraiser “lament configuration” puzzle box to a glass “crystal” skull. Some of these items are sneaking their way into the Spooky Chronicles as well.

What are some of your favorite YA books or authors? Non-YA?

For YA, I’d have to say the Harry Potter books by JK Rowling, although I admit to not being terribly familiar with the peers in my genre. For non-YA, everything from Clive Barker to Stephen King to Edgar Allan Poe.

Are there any books and stories that have influenced or stuck with you from your childhood or young-adulthood?

I recently rediscovered a Scholastic Record series that I remember listening to in kindergarten that stuck with me, with creepy titles like “Mother Ghost Nursery Rhymes” and “Georgie (the Ghost).” I’ve always found creepy to be somewhat cool.

Do you have any other works published and how do they compare genre/style wise with your current work?

I have run a movie review website for almost fifteen years called MovieCrypt.com where I critique films under the pen name Grim D. Reaper. Many of these reviews are in the horror genre, and the work helped to improve my writing as well as establish a narrative voice that I have used to write fiction with.

Do you have any current writing projects? Can you tell us a bit about them?

Other than the Spooky Chronicles and MovieCrypt.com, I have been working on a fantasy novel called Kindling Moon for a while as well as other stories in publications that include Savage Insider
magazine (“Crypt of the Crystal Lich” serial) and have flash fiction included in the recently published 66 Tales of Terror.

The Spooky Chronicles official site: http://spookychronicles.com

Where can you find Kevin Ranson?

Personal Blog: http://thinkingskull.com
Film Critique: http://moviecrypt.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kevinaranson
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ThinkingSkullCreations
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5658754-kevin-ranson
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KevinARanson

Thank you, Kevin, for stopping by. Look for my review of The Spooky Chronicles: The Crooked Man later today!

Review of Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

2011-10-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Published: October 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

ISBN: 9781442402324
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

***
I was a bit unsure what to expect from this book. Novels with male protagonists aren't my normal taste, but the cover and blurb really drew me in. What I found was the male version of Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Not that they are similar as far as plot or characters go, but the underlying message seemed to be alike, that we can't shut out the rest of the world.

Benny at first seems very immature and sheltered, considering the zombie infested world he lives in, hanging out with his friends and looking for a job that pays great but requires little effort. Once he's forced into working with his brother, his character begins to grow and that for me carried the story. There were parts of the plot, such as the zombie games, that seemed a bit stereotypical post-apocalyptic movie, but it's how Benny comes to his realizations about himself, his brother, and his world that really kept me reading.

Benny is a true three dimensional character. We see all sides of him, and the way Maberry mixes the darkness of a horror story with the sometimes humorous thoughts of a teenage boy is refreshing. I didn't feel like Benny' was being forced down a path by circumstances. He actively chooses his path to the end of the book.

Maberry managed to keep a certain lightness to much of the story, and it's partly because Benny isn't aware of the horror in the Rot & Ruin where the zombies continue to dwell. The violence isn't over done and Benny's brother Tom manages to humanize the zombies in a way that actually makes the ending so sad to read.

This is the first of the Benny Imura series, with Dust & Decay the second book and he has a few other Zombie books out as well. I'm already looking forward to reading more by Mr. Maberry!

Review of The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

2011-10-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Published: March 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9780385738590
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

***This review contains spoilers (particularly for the second book in the series)

Here is the sequel. While The Dead Tossed Waves was more of a series book, The Dark and Hollow Places was really a continuation. There are parts to this story that I found to be better than the first two books, mainly that Annah felt more believable and more beaten down. While Mary and Gabry carried their scars on the inside, Annah is forced to carry them inside and out. She feels guilt from leaving her sister in the forest, and despair and anger from being abandoned by Elias. When she glimpses Gabry entering the Dark City, she finally has a piece of hope. the hope builds when she meets Catcher, starts to think that someone can see past her scars.

Annah's story is the more typical romance angle. Girl falls for boy, boy finds another girl, girl finds another boy, but that boy wants the other girl too. That did keep me interest because I really felt that Ryan worked hard on developing the characters more. In the previous book, Elias is show only through the worshiping eyes of Gabry, and while Annah initially does the same thing, his flaws start to come out and it's sad to see how she realizes that the only person she's loved for years would be willing to sacrifice her for Gabry's life.

What I didn't like was that some of the actions sequences, especially near the end seemed to be over done and drawn out. Ryan seemed to have sacrificed some of her beautiful visuals in favor of trying to adhere to some Zombie movie scenarios.

The ending was still left open ended to a certain degree, but there was hope, not necessarily the human race, but at least for the characters left. I can't wait to read more by Ryan!

Review of The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

2011-10-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
Published: March 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9780385736848
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

**** This review contains some minor spoilers.

I loved this book much more than the first in the series. Gabry was so different form Mary. Mary was always looking out, wanting to leave and discover what she was missing. Gabry is full of fear of the outside, and doesn't understand why her mother is drawn to the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But Gabry is forced into the forest and although she has her weaknesses she conquers them in order to be with the boy who risked everything for her and her best friend.

There is a love triangle aspect that I felt worked much better than in Mary's story. When the story starts Gabry is just starting to realize that she may have feelings for her best friend's brother, Catcher. He's an appealing character, good looking, fun, brave, and ultimately self-sacrificing. When he's infected, in part due to Gabry's action, she takes a stand against her fear of the outside. Although she does make some silly choices, it made her a bit more likable than Mary. The other love interest is Elias. He's the mysterious stranger that appears, noble and her own personal hero. He's as likable as Catcher, and although they are different in many ways, there are enough similarities to see how she could be attracted to both. I really feel that I would have been happy with Gabry ending up with either one of them.

I think that labeling this book a sequel is an injustice to this book. The Dead Tossed Waves isn't a continuation of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. The story is set nearly twenty years later, and although Mary is present, her role is minimal. You could read only this book and not feel lost in the references to the first book. I loved having Mary back in this book and that Ryan chose to go back and give Mary some happiness and hope, along with information about some of the other characters from The Forest of Hands and Teeth.

The action in this book is equal to that of the first. Both have some terrifying visuals and I think that is Ryan's greatest strength. Even weeks after reading these stories I can clearly visualize specific scenes. This truly is a dark and somber zombie movie on paper.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

2011-10-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Published: March 2009

ISBN: 0385736819
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

***This review contains minor spoilers.

I freely admit to being a zombie addict. I have a zombie apocalypse plan, and am constantly bombarding my husband about various ideas I have for evading the relentless flesh eaters. So, The Forest of Hands and Teeth immediately appealed to me. This isn't a badass slasher flick turned book though. It's an intense look at what happens years after the zombies take over.

This is a dark tale and at times I felt so hopeless while reading it. I wanted a happily ever after for Mary and the other survivors, but that isn't what happens in zombie tales. There are points where I questioned Mary's actions and decisions, but what I realized is that there was a touch of madness in her. Her obsession with finding the ocean, even her seemingly thoughtless actions towards Travis and Harry, were simply manifestations of a slow descent into madness. And that really is what made this tale so scary. How would we all cope if our only existence was behind a fence and after being tempted into believing there was more out there, we were confronted with the realization that there is nothing.

I really wanted a full round happy ending, but I know that if I had gotten that I would have been disappointed. Mary didn't need the perfect ending, and part of me thought that she didn't really deserve it after the way she acted. Ryan left readers with just enough hope for Mary that it didn't feel like a sequel hanging cop-out.

Zombie Books - Do's and Don't Bothers

2011-10-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

With all of my Zombie reading I have to admit that I didn't get to everything I've wanted to. I have a a couple that I'm still reading and another I'm waiting for but I've also passed on a number of them. What makes a good Zombie book has been the question that has really plagued me since I came up with the idea of Zombie week.

When I think of Zombie movies I've always categorized them as either dark and violent, or humorous and bloody. With books it's obviously a little harder to classify them. Especially with YA there seems to be the assumption that a humorous telling shouldn't include any real violence (a few minor exceptions) and while the darker books have the gore, the humorous ones have been falling flat. It's almost as if the author's are trying to make Shaun of the Dead for teenage girls, but without any of the fun violence that should ensue when being chased by Zombies! So, while I still have a few more reviews to go, I'm going to go ahead and post a short list of some Zombie books I'm reading, waiting on, or gave up on.

What I'm Reading with Hope:

Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby
Witty and enjoyable so far, with an interesting twist on how the zombies are created and how they react to the virus. However, I'm on chapter 8 and not one hint of blood yet. The plot seems vaguely similar to that of I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked it and I find it a bit sad that these female protagonists are so insecure and obsessed with popularity that they would do nearly anything to obtain that perfect prom/dance to secure their place in the soon to be faded memories of high school.

What I'm Waiting On:

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
The cover alone makes me excited to read this one! What I like about this one is that it's not portraying the protagonist as the originator of the virus, nor is she interested in keeping anyone that way just for the sake of boosting her popularity. Although, I have yet to read it so I could be wrong. Look for a review near the end of October!

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
This seems to be an slightly more serious take on the love with a zombie tale and I hope that it ends up more appealing than the others I've read. For me the idea of kissing a zombie is extremely revolting, but maybe this will be the one to change my mind.

Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry
This is the sequel to Rot & Ruin which I'm review later this week, so I'm not going to say why I'm looking forward to this one, but the fact that I'm going for the sequel should tell you something about the first in the series.

What I Gave Up On:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen
I've never been interested in reading anything by Jane Austen and I thanked God every day during high school that I was never forced to read her work. It doesn't appeal to me. I love romance, and I love historicals, but I have no desire to read a romance that at it's time was considered contemporary. I've never even watched a movie based on her books, although I think Bridget Jones' Diary is inspired by Jane Austen's work (not something that inspired me to go out and pick up one of her books). But this had ZOMBIES!! I was so excited when I picked it up, and although the cover was boring, I loved that there were pictures spread throughout the novel. Sadly it wasn't enough to keep me interested. Even with the added action of the Zombies, it was dry and boring and felt so stuffy in the actions of the character and the dialogue. I know that it was true to how they behaved and spoke back then, but still it bored me to death, well, almost. The only people who would love this are people who have a love of Zombies and Jane Austen.

Feel free to comment or email me with recommendations for YA Zombie books!

Interview with Nuayma Jeggels, Author of Raven

2011-10-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

I was so pleased to have the opportunity to interview Nuayma Jeggels, debut author of the YA Zombie novel Raven.

GoodReads Blurb:

When Shardaie wakes up, she doesn’t know who she is, why she can’t understand emotions, why she has been unconscious for nearly nine of her thirteen years, or why the dead just won’t stay dead. The only clue to her past is a locket, but the Plague, which finally stretches its unnatural hand to her village, forces her to leave and to learn to protect herself. But everything has a cost: the protection against the undead reveals a secret that Shardaie and her classmates just don’t want to accept, and at the end, Shardaie realises that some secrets shouldn’t be revealed. Secrets have the power to destroy, and the power to change her view on humanity for ever.

GoodReads Author Bio:

Nuayma Jeggels lives in South Africa with her imaginary cat named Pookie. When she isn’t writing or reading, she is battling mathematics and gravity. Her favourite colour is violet. Her favourite meal is lasagna.

Did you always want to be an author?

To tell you the truth I didn’t know what I wanted. Some know what they want at a young age -- a doctor, a firefighter, a superhero -- but not me. I wanted to be a receptionist, then I wanted to be a tour guide or work in a hotel, but they were all ideas and not ‘dreams’. But I finally discovered my passion, my dream, at age thirteen when I watched the Fellowship of the Ring, staring wide-eyed up at the theatre screen. Then I knew: I wanted to write something like that. So I began writing, and I haven’t stopped.

Tell us a bit about your novel

Raven is about a thirteen year old girl who wakes up and realises that she doesn’t know who she is and that she can’t understand what she is feeling. She hears that the dead are walking among the living, and when the first signs of the zombie Plague finally appears in her home, she is sent away to learn to protect herself. Raven, the first book in the Violet Jewel series, is about secrets and how they can change people.

How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

I started writing Raven when I was fifteen, and back then I only knew that my main character would have violet eyes. That’s it. There wasn’t an event or a dream that suddenly pulled out an idea. I started to write and slowly the story grew; the plot changed, the world changed, the characters evolved. Seven years later I had finally completed the first book in the Violet Jewel series.

What drew you to Zombies and the YA genre?

Desperation. Will I be next? Anxiety. Fear. What people might do in such situations. The moral decay. The emotions and the actions that appear in a zombie novel. Why? Why? Why? A good zombie novel takes control of your emotions, and when you sit back and imagine how a zombie outbreak could be like -- well, what would you do? And what if there was something more to this zombie outbreak, this virus? Lies and secrets? What would you do?

Some people say that writing YA is the chance to rewrite being a teenager. Change high school experiences? Live in a mansion? Have superpowers? A good-looking love interest. Mysterious? Hot? Who cares, anything is possible! But others like that it’s ‘clean’ or safe and not safe. That we meet the character in his or her defining years. Between the children and adult section. But that -- between the children and adult section -- felt perfect for my series, so I decided, alright! Young Adult! Safe and not safe.

Would you define your book as traditional zombie horror or more of a humorous telling?

Raven is not a humorous telling and, seeing that we’re in the beginning of the series, the before-the-world-falls-apart (Raven takes place in the ‘early’ stages of the zombie Plague), it isn’t the traditional zombie horror. Yet. But will there be guts and blood? Yes.

If you got the chance to spend a day with any character from your books, who would it be and why?

If I could spend the day with one of my characters it would mean that I would be able to explore their world, so really any one of them would be perfect. But it’s difficult to answer your question because if I could take Nathaniel I would be able to look into his world of the rich and privileged nobles. Kaylou? Explore his underground city which used to belong to the sector’s slaves. Lord Shiro, a ruler and protector; ask him for his history books and attempt to dig into his head, pull out his secrets. But then there’s Shardaie, my main character. Poor confused little girl who doesn’t understand what she’s feeling. So I would definitely want to be with all of them.

What do you hope readers will obtain from your book?

One. It isn’t good to keep secrets, even if it’s supposed to be protect the person you love. The truth may hurt in the beginning, but the pain will eventually fade. Two. Pray that we will never experience a zombie outbreak! Hold on to your knickers.

Where do you like to do your writing?

What are some of your favorite YA books or authors? Non-YA?

YA: Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld. Tamora Pierce. Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman. Tomorrow series by John Marsden. Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery

Non-YA: A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Shogun by James Clavell. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

Are there any books and stories that have influenced or stuck with you from your childhood or young-adulthood?

The Lord of the Rings and A Song of Ice and Fire. Period.

Raven is now available in Kindle format at Amazon.

You can find Ms. Jeggels at:

Twitter
Facebook
Blog

Thank you, Ms. Jeggels, for stopping by and good luck with Raven!

Review of Zombie Blondes by Brian James

2011-10-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

Review of Zombie Blondes by Brian James
Published: June 2008
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

ISBN: 9780312372989
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

From the moment Hannah Sanders arrived in town, she felt there was something wrong.
     A lot of houses were for sale, and the town seemed infected by an unearthly quiet. And then, on Hannah’s first day of classes, she ran into a group of cheerleaders—the most popular girls in school.
     The odd thing was that they were nearly identical in appearance: blonde, beautiful, and deathly pale.
     But Hannah wants desperately to fit in—regardless of what her friend Lukas is telling her: if she doesn’t watch her back, she’s going to be blonde and popular and dead—just like all the other zombies in this town. . . .

***

Come on! What is up with YA authors wimping out on the true strength of Zombies? What has happened to the good old zombies needing to feed? The constant craving they have to devour human flesh? The fact that zombies are supposed to be the risen dead?!!

The cover should have been my first warning that this book was not going to go the logical and traditional route of zombies. Don't get me wrong, I think the cover is brilliantly done and definitely drew me in, but what you see on the cover is the exact way the zombies look. No rotting flesh, no dirt and blood covered skin. Just pretty, blond girls.

So, I get that the author is trying to say something about society's need to follow the leader, especially in high school, but it just seemed over done. What non-popular kid in high school hasn't thought of or joked about the popular kids being zombies, or clones of each other? There was potential with the story, but James couldn't pull it off. Maybe it has to do with the fact that he has no idea how teenage girls think.

Hannah starts fairly likable. She's obviously had a rough time constantly moving around the country with her father, and she's like most teens, wanting to fit in, to be popular. That is where I see the similarities ending. Hannah is obsessed, which could have been humorous, if the novel had been going in that direction, and if Hannah hadn't been such a self-absorbed, selfish, and downright rude character. Despite being constantly snubbed by the popular blond girls (zombies) she keeps going back for more, complaining about not having friends, then being a complete b***h to the few students who do try to befriend her. She was stupid and frankly I wish she had died at the end (sorry for the spoiler, but I'm just to angry to not put it in!).

I'm going to skip all of the abusive friendship and romantic relationship stuff because I would simply rant about it forever.

The plot is left with huge dangling threads. There's an almost constant reminder (every single chapter mentions it at least once) that her father was once a police officer, but is now on the run, and yet at the end nothing. We never find out what he did. There's no closure to this story, just a big cop out by James, maybe he was hoping for a series. I sincerely hope not.

The actual writing style has it's downfalls as well. James has a habit of dropping the subjects of his sentences. This can work occasionally. Occasionally. Here are some examples I randomly pulled:

(p40) We take a few steps over the grass together before Diana tells me she's got to go the other way. Says good-bye but doesn't walk away.

(p58) He adjusts the tape that wraps around the remote to hold in the batteries. Taps it gently against the palm of his hand...

(p.82) I snatch my backpack up off the ground. Start to stomp up the driveway toward our dilapidated brown house with...

There's just so many I wonder if an editor even read through it. What scares me the most is that one of my 3rd grade students just read one of his children's books and I'd hate for her to think he utilized the same style and she though it was an example of good writing.

As sad as I am to say this. Skip it.

Review of I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer

2011-10-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
Published: January 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9780385735032
Available: Amazon

Amazon Blurb:

For 18-year-old Algonquin "Alley" Rhodes, living in an era in which vampires, werewolves, and zombies are the norm is not what it's cracked up to be. Unlike most human girls at her high school, dating, especially the undead variety, is the last thing on her mind. Alley just wants to leave Cornersville Trace, go to college, and make something of herself. But then, while critiquing a local band for the school newspaper, Alley the Ice Queen falls head over heels for the guest singer. Like Alley, Doug truly loves music, and she feels as if he is singing just for her. They begin dating, and Alley overlooks what is obvious to everyone else. Doug isn't just a Goth—he isn't even human—he's a zombie. As Alley's world is turned upside down, she must make decisions with major ramifications for her future.

**
First I have to say that since I've been tackling the YA Zombie bookshelf, I've been very disappointed with the lack of blood and guts. I'm not sure if this is because authors and publishers are hesitant to publish those types of books for teens or if there isn't the demand for them. I can only speak for myself when I say that as a teen I would have loved a good bloody Zombie book!

As for I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It, there's zero blood and guts. There's the suggestion of it, but no description, no battle that the reader gets to read, just one character telling another that it's not a pretty scene.

Lack of gore aside, I actually enjoyed this book. It had a strong female character who even though she initially waivers in her beliefs, ultimately figures out that life is worth living to the fullest. There was a predictability to parts of the plot, but I was never exactly sure what would happen in the end. Alley's character really does struggle with her decisions about love, life and death. It doesn't seem forced and the ending, despite the tears I shed (Yes, I cried while reading a seemingly humorous zombie book), didn't leave me feeling sad. I thought that Selzer handled Alley and Doug's choices well, and Alley shows actual growth of character, an aspect that seems to be missing from so many popular YA books.

This was definitely an enjoyable book and I'm hoping to find more from Adam Selzer.

Review of Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by E. Van Lowe

2011-10-09T08:34:00.001-07:00

Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by E. Van Lowe
Published: November 2009
Publisher: Tor Teen

ISBN: 9780765320407
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

Principal Taft's 3 Simple Rules for Surviving a Zombie Uprising:

Rule #1: While in the halls, walk slowly and wear a vacant expression on your face. Zombies won't attack other zombies.

Rule #2: Never travel alone. Move in packs. Follow the crowd. Zombies detest blatant displays of individuality.

Rule #3: If a zombie should attack, do not run. Instead, throw raw steak at to him. Zombies love raw meat. This display of kindness will go a long way.

On the night of her middle school graduation, Margot Jean Johnson wrote a high school manifesto detailing her goals for what she was sure would be a most excellent high school career. She and her best friend, Sybil, would be popular and, most important, have boyfriends. Three years later, they haven't accomplished a thing!
Then Margot and Sybil arrive at school one day to find that most of the student body has been turned into flesh-eating zombies. When kooky Principal Taft asks the girls to coexist with the zombies until the end of the semester, they realize that this is the perfect opportunity to live out their high school dreams. All they have to do is stay alive....

***
I was so excited when I found this Zombie book! There were so many things I loved when I first saw it. The cover had the perfectly creepy, yet still appealing zombie boy on the cover wearing vintage prom clothes. The title spoke very clearly to the humorous tone of the book. And the blurb itself was very appealing. Normally I'm a guts and gore type of Zombie girl, but this just seemed like the kind of Shaun of the Dead style story that I couldn't resist.

The opening was good, and it was easy to see why an agent or editor would keep reading. The main character, Margot and her best friend, Sybil, are quickly established and fleshed out ;-) The girls have an honestly refreshing friendship that feels real, well, for a while at least.

The action starts fairly quickly, although some of it was pretty predictable. The predictability continued as the story progressed and for me the character of Margot just seemed to flop after a bit. I couldn't wrap my head around her reasoning behind some of her actions. This is what truly kept me from being absorbed into the story. I could take some of the unexplained acceptance the girls have of the zombies, and even the obvious plot turning points, but Margot becomes completely obsessed with the idea of popularity to the point of nearly getting herself and her best friend killed. And even then she doesn't learn her lesson. It's only when she learns that the popular bitch is as one dimensional as herself that she realizes what she's doing is crazy. That's when the pace of the book really picks up and Lowe wraps up the story in a few more pages.

Overall, it was a fun read, but not enough blood and gore for me (NONE!), and even the knowledge that it's a humorous approach to zombies, it was just too unbelievable light.

Review of Soulless by Christopher Golden

2011-10-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

Soulless by Christopher Golden
Published: October 2008
Publisher: MTV

ISBN: 9781416551355
Available: Amazon

Amazon Blurb:
Times Square, New York City. The first ever mass seance is broadcasting live on the Sunrise morning show. If it works, the spirits of the departed on the other side will have a brief window—just a few minutes—to send a final message to their grieving loved ones.

Clasping hands in an impenetrable grip, three mediums call to their spirit guides as the audience looks on in breathless anticipation. The mediums slump over, slackjawed—catatonic. And in cemeteries surrounding Manhattan, fragments of old corpses dig themselves out of the ground....

The spirits have returned. The dead are walking. They will seek out those who loved them in life, those they left behind...but they are savage and they are hungry. The horror spreads quickly, droves of the ravenous dead seeking out the living—shredding flesh from bone, feeding . But a disparate group of unlikely heroes—two headstrong college rivals, a troubled gang member, a teenage pop star and her bodyguard—is making its way to the center of the nightmare, fighting to protect their loved ones, fighting for their lives, and fighting to end the madness.

**

When I first saw this on a library Zombie list, I was sure it had been mislabeled simply because the title didn't bring Zombies to mind. The blurb is what did it for me. Golden seemed to have a truly unique concept as to the origins of the Zombies.The idea of Zombies being brought back by a seance only made this even creepier for me, solidifying my absolute certainty that I will never be involved in any seance or use a Ouija board.

These Zombies truly are an uprising, brought back to speak to their living relatives, to gain closure, but their bodies are empty, and their pure souls gone for good. At first they seem pretty typical, simply saying things like "I'm so empty" or "Hungry". It after the Zombies have been around a bit longer that they turn from hungry to vicious. Their spirits hunger to see those familiar to them, and they seek out their loved ones, and it's this same awareness that allows them to remember details of relationships and try to use that to gain access to the flesh their bodies crave. One of the saddest scenes is where a father dies and rises as a zombie, trying to trick his daughter into letting him in and when she does he starts berating her for the choices she made in life.

The violence in this story isn't overwhelming, but Golden also doesn't water it down for us. We get what we need to in order to understand the horror of what they are seeing. There are moments where the state of the Zombies and what they are doing is important to the story and he goes with it, giving us the blood and gore that Zombies bring with them. At others, he keeps it simple and focuses on the emotional ride the characters are on. It's a wonderful balance.

The only aspect of the novel that I didn't like was the constant changes in point of view. I didn't mind the different groups of people, but there were so many main characters it was hard to connect with some of them, in fact with the characters Nate and Matt, I kept having to go back to where they were first introduced in order to figure out who was who. I would have preferred if Golden had picked one character from each group to focus on.

Zombie Week Begins!!

2011-10-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

Starting this afternoon, and continuing until the evening of Oct 16th, I will be reviewing YA Zombie novels and even have interviews with a couple of YA Zombie Authors!

Zombie week came to me when a fellow author emailed me about reviewing his new novel for his blog tour in October while I was watching a preview for Season 2 of The Walking Dead. It seemed like the perfect idea to devote a week to Zombies. I now wish I'd gone with Zombie month! It took me a bit of time to find YA Zombie novels, as the vocabulary used to describe Zombies is vast (Zombies, walking dead, undead, risen dead, unconsecrated, dead risen, reanimated, soulless). It was almost as if authors were worried that using the Z-word would deter readers. Once I figured out some of the code used, I ended up with a huge pile of books to read!

Since I started reading Zombie novels about a month ago, I've found it to be really interesting and I have to say that some of the more popular and commercially pushed books were my least favorite. The stronger stories tended to be from the smaller publishers. This really had me wondering if this tend is because the bigger publishing houses are simply more hesitant to publish the darker, or more gory books due to their belief in what the YA readers wants, or if I am entirely out of touch with teens and Zombies! That idea makes me sad. Horror can be such a fun genre in movies and as I've discovered in books. Until Zombie week, I'd never thought reading horror would be as good as watching a scary movie, but there have been a few gems within the pile and they definitely made wading through the crap to find them!

Here is the schedule for Zombie Week:

Saturday, October 8: Review of Soulless by Christopher Golden
Sunday, October 9: Review of Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by E. Van Lowe
Monday, October 10: Review of I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It by Adam Selzer
Tuesday, October 11:Review of Zombie Blondes by Brian James
Wednesday, October 12: Interview with Nuayma Jeggels, Author of Raven
: Zombie books I passed or gave up on, and a list of ones I plan to read
Thursday, October 13: Review of Carrie Ryan's Forest of Hands and Teeth Series

Friday, October 14: Review of Rot and Ruin by Jonathon Maberry
Saturday, October 15: Interview with Kevin A. Ranson, author of The Spooky Chronicles and a review of the first two books in the series.
Sunday, October 16: Review of Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb by M.J.A. Ware

I'd also like to thank M.J.A. Ware for the initial inspiration for Zombie week!

Review of I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

2011-10-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Published: August 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN: 9780061969553
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I Am Number Four is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth.

***

So, this was an interesting one to review. I probably never would have picked it up if it hadn't been for the movie. When I did finally, I went for the audio book. Well, that was just a plain disaster (see my post titled Audio Hell). Since I've had the pleasure (and suffering) of watching, listening and reading this book, I figured I would review all three.

The movie:
I think the casting directors made an excellent choice in casting Alex Pettyfer. Not that he's am amazing actor, but he's definitely not hard to look at :) I also think that in order to appeal to a larger teen audience they had to made him a bit older. Having a main character of fifteen is much less appealing to teen viewers than one of seventeen or eighteen. The effects were good and they kept the story moving at a clear and quick pace. Things move a bit faster than in the book, but the story doesn't feel lacking with parts of the book missing. The Mogadorians also look much cooler than they sound in the book, and I love the way the movie shows how they are able to conceal themselves within the human population.

The audio book:
Avoid this at all costs! It was absolutely dreadful. I've only listened to one other audio book, but if they are all like this one I don't think I'll ever like them. The narrator sounded like a middle-aged man and when it came time for the female characters to speak, it was the same middle-aged man suddenly trying to sound like a fifteen-year-old girl. The voices continued to go down hill from there and it didn't help matters that the narrator sounded like he was reading the book for the first time, pausing in the wrong spots, weird intonation. I made it to chapter seven before I couldn't handle any more, and I almost didn't go for the print version.

The book:
This was much better than I thought it would be after suffering through part of the audio book. There were certain elements in the book that I liked much better than the movie, such as Henri having an accent. In the movie there wouldn't have been a natural way of explaining why he portrayed himself as French, but in the book we get the background. That is really what made me like the book and movie equally. The book's pace was a bit too slow for me, while the movie missed some of the depth in the world building.

My recommendation would be to read the book, then see the movie and don't even bother with the audio book.

Interview with YA Christian Author Mary C. Findley

2011-10-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing half of the writing team behind Hope and the Knight of the Black Lion Mary C. Findley.

Author Bio:

I grew up in rural NY and Michael is from AZ. We met at college, taught school in AZ, MO and PA, homeschooled, and created videos for church and commercial productions and curriculum for church and school. We have three 20-something children, and now travel the 48 states together in a tractor trailer.

Did both of you always want to be authors?

I started out wanting to be an artist, but my pictures always had stories behind them, and by Junior High I had switched over to writing. Michael says he went through many plans for occupations while young, one of which was to be an author. We both believe God has given us messages to communicate for the Glory of God and the edification of believers.

What is it like writing as a team?

Sometimes we argue over what needs to be done, such as priorities and projects. Sometimes we disagree on how to do it. But in the end, we find that our abilities and skills are complementary. I was an editor and proofreader, and am an artist and "creative" person. He is the facts and accuracy person, the organized thinker and "corrector." And we both want to produce a finished product that serves the Lord. This particular book is my work for the most part, but Michael has a Masters in Church History, so he had input into making the setting and historical references accurate.

Tell us a bit about your novel

Seventeen-year-old Hope rebels against her family's arranged marriage plans and her uncle's strange beliefs in Medieval England. She must fight sexual temptation and put her trust in a mysterious returned Crusader and his Arab friend when her home is attacked and her family kidnapped. A cryptic diary and a relentless enemy keep Hope off-balance but growing in reliance on God and her true knight.

How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

I love Thomas Costain's The Black Rose, Scott's Ivanhoe, and other books about that time period. I wanted to write about the Crusades and life in medieval England, but with a strong message about true belief and learning obedience to your family.

If you got the chance to spend a day with any character from your books, who would it be and why?

Sadaquah (an Arab companion to the returned Crusader in the book) still fascinates me. I am thinking about writing more about him, about his life in Egypt, and how he would adjust to remaining in England.

What drew you to the YA genre?

I write for all ages, but this story attracted me because I wanted to deal with teen rebellion, how we often don't appreciate our families, and what happens if they are taken from us. I also wanted to explore how to handle sexual temptation and the influence right teaching can have on making right decisions even in a crisis.

How does Christianity factor into your books, if at all?

Christianity is a key factor. Hope's uncle is patterned after early reformers and seeks to teach Hope truth from the Scriptures in an era when the Church controlled life and belief but didn't offer true "hope."

What do you hope readers will obtain from your book?

I want to support family teaching, obedience, paying attention to Scriptural truth and wise counsel so you have the tools to make the right decisions, trust the right people, when difficult times come.

Where do you like to do your writing?

Curled up in bed, or, when I was growing up, in the branches of a big old pine tree about a half mile from our house.

What are some of your favorite YA books or authors? Non-YA?

There is a book called "Shadow Castle" that I read in Junior High, a fantasy about a young fairy prince and his life. I loved that book. I think of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit books as geared toward YA, and I liked them. Jane Austen and Charles Dickens are my favorite authors. I wish there were more and better Christian books for the YA age group.

Are there any books and stories that have influenced or stuck with you from your childhood or young-adulthood?

The works mentioned above, plus Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene, a long allegorical poem I studied in college that inspired Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Bunyan and other Christian fantasy/allegory writers.

Do you have any other works published and how do they compare genre/style wise with your current work?

We have 8 titles published, two of which have illustrated versions. 2 are non-fiction, Biblical Studies a compilation of Bible study materials and Antidisestablishmentarianism, a 630-page work about Secular Humanism and its history and effects on culture and true Science. Michael has a Sci-Fi book, the Space Empire Saga. I have one children's book, Benny and the Bank Robber, the beginning of a pioneer Americana series, and three adult romances. I tend to write about similar subjects in fiction no matter what the genre. Family or male-female relationships, putting the protagonist through a devastating physical hardship that forces him to rely on God and the help of others, the need to grow in Christ and to overcome temptation and trust in God no matter what.

Do you have any current writing projects? Can you tell us a bit about them?

We are writing homeschool curriculum, making a revision/expansion of the Biblical Studies book. We also started a blog recently, dealing with Secular Humanism, Science, History Christian womanhood, and writing. I have some fiction projects I work on from time to time, sequels to Benny and the Bank Robber, a story inspired by the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but dealing with distinctively Christian characters from the books of Alcott, Kipling, Dickens, Stevenson and Doyle. I especially want to do a graphic novel fantasy/allegory dealing with persecution and the need to protect and share the Word of God.

Where can you find Mary C. Findley?

Blog

Smashwords

Findley Family Video Facebook Page

Website

Amazon Author Page

Second Amazon Author Page

Here is a sample page from the "illuminated" version of Hope and the Knight of the Black Lion Mary C. Findley:

Review of All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz

2011-10-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz
Published: December 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN: 9780061715808
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

Things were complicated enough for Roar, even before her father decided to yank her out of the city and go organic. Suddenly, she’s a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one, selling figs at the farmers’ market and developing her photographs in a ramshackle shed. Caught between a troublemaking sidekick named Storm, a brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A. boy, and a father on a human rights crusade that challenges the fabric of the farm community, Roar is going to have to tackle it all—even with dirt under her fingernails and her hair pulled back with a rubber band meant for asparagus.

***
This was one of those random books I picked up. There wasn't anything that particularly inspired me to read it beyond the fact that it was a new release for the library. The cover was nice, but no wow factor for me. Even the blurb was just okay. Despite this I was willing to read, mainly because I needed a break from all of the paranormal and zombie books I've been reading lately.

In All You Get is Me, Prinz attempts to tackle some serious social issues and manages to do so without coming off as preachy. Illegal immigration is a touchy point with me as I am an immigrant myself. But I didn't feel like she was trying to promote illegal immigration, just make the reader aware of how those people are viewed by some.

Prinz also has a great way of bringing a setting to life. This works wonderfully some of the time, and in fact the first few chapters really held my attention, so much so that I stayed up until midnight on a work night reading. After the opening chapters though it became a bit too much. I lost interest and began skimming. I don't like skimming books, mainly because it's too easy to miss conflict and then you end up confused and just need to go back and read it anyways. Not the case here. There was so little conflict that I could have skipped over multiple chapters and not gotten lost.

Roar's relationship with her father feels the most realistic and important. Even though many of their conversations are only described, it's easy to see the resentment roar feels for him and how he has absolutely no idea how to interact with his teenage daughter. When she discovers he's been hiding information about her mother from her, I was disappointed that there wasn't more anger and hurt from Roar or more regret and sorrow from her father. He talked about still loving her mom and it was evident that he was grieving about that, but his actions made me think he was trying to protect Roar. Yet he didn't seem to grieve the fact that his daughter was suffering from a second abandonment from her mother.

The romance between Forest and Roar was just blah. There was no spark there, and although Forest started out a bit mysterious, he was just a basic, nice, overly perfect boyfriend. There was no drama between them, even when he finds out that she's been hiding the fact that her dad is filing a lawsuit against his mom. The ending was too girly. He's been recording the process of falling in love with her since before they even spoke and now he wants her to read it? but wait, even better is the fact that he'll wait a year and he'll come and work on her family farm the next summer to be with her? Gag.

There was also an over abundance of secondary characters. Characters that kept popping up and have long, boring interactions with Roar, yet never lead anywhere. Her best friend Storme is only there to constantly bring up Roar's "extra-virgin" status, Steve provides a bit of eye candy that we never get to see, and there are so many others that popped up that I can't even keep their names straight. It was all just filler. The hardcover comes in at 288 pages and could easily have been closer to 200.

Perhaps the most annoying thing about the book was the names. Roar (Aurora), Forest, Storme? Really? It just screams trying to hard to be unique.

Wouldn't bother reading this one again, and I'm doubtful that I'll pick up any thing else from this author.

Review of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-09-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Published: August 2009
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc

ISBN: 9780545123266
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

***

So, I have to start off by saying that the book blurb is absolutely horrible. Siblings? Really? And I'm supposed to find that attractive in a romance? Thank goodness there is no hint to that type of relationship between them in the actual book!

There were some very strong points that had me loving the book so much that I was able to put aside the frustrating and over used YA scenarios. The first is Stiefvater's beautiful poetry. It's spread throughout the novel and truly captures the essence of what the characters are feeling and how their worlds are changing. The second is that, despite this riding the coat tails of Werewolf craze courtesy of the Twilight phenom, it was a unique take on werewolves. I didn't feel like I was having to read someone's version of Jacob's story. I was completely absorbed into Sam and Grace's lives. The final thing I loved (actually two things) is the cover and book trailer. Both are so beautiful. The cover isn't depressing, or try too hard, and the trailer gave me chills. although, it makes much more sense if you watch it after reading the book.

So what didn't I like? Well, here come the over used YA scenarios. Good girl meets bad boy, who really has a heart of gold and would die for her. Boy obsesses over girl that never notices him, until one day that randomly changes. Girl's parents are artsy and completely uninterested in her life, not even noticing that her boyfriend now lives with them. Girl and boy immediately (upon finally noticing the other) realize this is their soul mate.

Like I said, lots of over used scenarios, but if you can get past that and simply enjoy the beautifully lyrical writing of Stiefvater this is a very enjoyable read. Make sure you go in with the knowledge that it is a trilogy and don't expect complete closure at the end of this one.

Review of Matched by Ally Condie

2011-09-23T22:29:00.000-07:00

Matched by Ally Condie
Published: November 2010
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

ISBN: 9780525423645
Available: Amazon

Goodreads Blurb:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

***
So, to start I loved this cover. It's what initially drew me to this book. Unlike so many of the books on the YA shelf, it's bright and has a clean feel to it. And the best part is that after reading the book, the cover makes even more sense.

There were parts of this book that I loved. The characters of Xander and Ky are perfect. They have distinct personalities and the world they live in really sets up when makes Xander desirable to Cassia, and why Ky is such a forbidden element in her world.

The world itself is interesting. Even though there were parts that seemed a bit too familiar to the dystopian genre, it managed to stand apart. There was a freshness to having the world not so dark, and depressing, while still maintaining a mysterious and ominous feel.

The one part that I didn't connect with was the character of Cassia. She's very wishy-washy and I just felt that she never truly took a stand in her love for Ky. She let Xander cover for her and Ky, all while letting him think she loved him. The only time I felt that she had any true strength was at the end, when she does make a choice.

I'm looking forward to the sequel, but am a bit worried that the strength that Cassia finally found near the end of the book will be lost for the sake of developing a love triangle. I don't mind triangles when they feel natural and are central to the development of the plot. Twilight is one of those examples where the love triangle is what keeps the reader interested (for the most part), not because you can't guess who Bella will end up with, but because her conflicted emotions seem genuine. Cassia's feelings for Xander just didn't develop enough for me to think that there could be a real love between them. But then again, maybe Ms. Condie will prove me wrong.

Interview with Jeanne Bannon, author of Invisible

2011-09-19T07:00:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to have had the opportunity to interview Jeanne Bannon, author of the newly released YA paranormal novel Invisible.

Here's the book blurb for Invisible, followed by a Q&A with Jeanne:

Lola’s not pretty. Lola’s not popular. Lola wishes she could disappear … and then one day she does just that...

For seventeen-year-old Lola Savullo, life is a struggle. Born to funky parents who are more in than she could ever be, Lola’s dream of becoming a writer makes her an outsider even in her own home. Bullied and despised, Lola still has the support of her best pal Charlie and Grandma Rose.

Not only is she freakishly tall, Lola’s a big girl and when forced to wear a bathing suit at her summer job as a camp counselor, Lola’s only escape from deep embarrassment seems to be to literally vanish. Soon after, she discovers the roots of her new “ability”.

Slowly, with Charlie’s help, Lola learns to control the new super power. The possibilities are endless. Yet power can be abused, too…

Then, when tragedy strikes, Lola must summon her inner strength, both at home and at school. She has to stand up for herself, despite the temptations and possibilities of her newfound super power.

A coming-of-age story that will warm the heart.

_____________________________________________________________

Did you always want to be an author?

Yes, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write.

Tell us a bit about your novel

Invisible is about a 17-year-old girl named Lola. Lola is bullied at school and feels like she doesn’t fit in in her own family. She wishes she could disappear; blend into the wood work and one day, she does just that.

How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

In a small way, Lola’s story is my own. I was bullied in grades 7 and 8 after moving to a new neighbourhood and I know what it feels like to want to disappear. The story came to me out of the blue one day while I was at my daughter’s swimming lessons. I couldn’t wait to get home to write the outline. It only took four months to write!

If you got the chance to spend a day with any character from your books, who would it be and why?

It would be Grandma Rose, Lola’s beloved grandmother because I loved my grandmother very much and miss her like crazy. Besides, Grandma Rose is fun and artistic and very loving and kind.

What drew you to the YA paranormal genre?

The paranormal has been a part of my life for as far back as I can remember. I’ve seen ghosts and had several prophetic dreams. And I’m obsessed with the idea of where we go after our time here on the Earth is over. I think about this everyday. It’s as if I live with one foot already on the other side of this reality. So, writing about the paranormal comes naturally to me.

What do you hope readers will obtain from your book?

More than anything, I hope readers connect with my characters. The target audience is teenage girls, so I hope they learn that it doesn’t matter that high school is sometimes hard because kids can be mean. One day you’ll be done with it and you have to have plans and dreams for the future to keep you going.

Where do you like to do your writing?

I write in my bed on my laptop. It’s my favorite place to write and I love being in the sanctuary of my bedroom where the energy is calm and serene.

What are some of your favorite YA books or authors? Non-YA?

The only YA author I really like is Suzanne Collins, author of the Hunger Games trilogy. I don’t really read a lot of YA and the funny thing is I don’t write in any of the genres of my favorite authors. My favorite authors are Betty Smith (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), John Irving and Stephen King.

Are there any books and stories that have influenced or stuck with you from your childhood or young-adulthood?

As a teen, I read a lot of Stephen King. I love all of his novels because he is a master of characterization. So, Mr. King was certainly an early influence.

Do you have any current projects? Can you tell us a bit about them?

I’m trying to finish up Dark Angel, a paranormal thriller. It’s certainly not YA and I actually started it long before I began Invisible. I’m on the final edit and hope to be shopping it around shortly.

Where can we find you?

Blog: http://beyondwordsblog.blogspot.com/

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeanne-Bannon/182120961844916

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/user/jbannon4398

Twitter: @JeanneBannon

Invisible is now available at Amazon!

More about Jeanne Bannon:

I’ve worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years. I started my career as a freelance journalist, then worked as an in-house editor for LexisNexis Canada and currently work as a freelance editor and writer.

I’ve had several short stories published and won first place in the Writes of Caledon Short Story Contest. My novels, The Barely Boy and Dark Angel were finalists in the 2010 and 2011 Strongest Start Contests. One of my short stories “Thom’s Journey” is part of an Anthology entitled A Visitor to Sandahl and is available at Amazon.com.

Invisible, my debut novel, is about a teenage girl who isn’t happy with herself and wishes she could disappear. And one day she does. Invisible is available on Amazon, Smashwords, and the Solstice Publishing website.

When not reading or writing, I enjoy being with my daughters, Nina and Sara and my husband, David. I’m also the proud mother of two fur babies, a sweet Miniature Schnauzer named Emily and Spencer, a rambunctious tabby, who can be a very bad boy.

Thank you so much Jeanne and I can't wait to start reading Invisible!

Zombie Review Week Coming in October!

2011-09-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

I have often and freely admitted that I am a zombie addict. I will watch even the worst movies made if they have anything to do with zombies. So, it shouldn't be surprising that I am anxiously awaiting the return of The Walking Dead in October. I loved the graphic novels, but for me the show is even better, the characters more developed and the horror of what is happen more real.

My zombie reading though is sadly lacking. I've read Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth series and loved it. I've posted my review of the first book already, and am working on the other two. When I was offered the opportunity to review Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb by MJA Ware I jumped at the chance (Look for it to coincide with the return of The Walking Dead). It seems like a completely different style and take on zombies than Ryan's work and I'm completely open to that.

The closer it gets to The Walking Dead return, the more I want zombies! So, I've decided to actually devote the entire week leading up to it with a review of YA zombie stories. If you know of a YA zombie book (or short story) that I should check out, drop a comment here, or if you're an author and would like me to review your YA zombie work email me! (My email is available through my profile page)

Review of Not So Snow White by K. Sean Jennkrist

2011-09-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

Not So Snow White by K. Sean Jennkrist
Publisher: Self-Published through CreateSpace
Published: August 2011

ISBN: 9781463551445
Available: Amazon

GoodReads Blurb:

Beware! This isn't your average fairytale ... Take one troubled teen, add some magic, a touch of romance, a few evil witches, and an elfin-sized sidekick named Duane, and you have NOT SO SNOW WHITE. "My name is Winter Snow and I have a secret." When her dad mysteriously disappeared, Winter couldn't help but be depressed, and she began to have strange experiences that caused many students to say she was a freak. Of course, with the voice of a tiny dwarflike creature she calls Duane and dream images of the future constantly invading her mind, who could blame them? Determined to bring her life back to normal, Winter decides finding her dad is the only solution. When a fairytale book on Snow White comes unexpectedly into her life, along with its owner, Lucinda Mayhem, events take a bizarre and witch-magical turn. Weird coincidences that tie the Mayhem and Snow families together somehow manage to bring Winter closer to finding her dad and to accepting her special gift in this teen modern-day fairytale. NOT SO SNOW WHITE is part of a series of modern fairytales that includes CINDERELLA GEEK.
*****
*This review contains minor spoilers*

This could have been so much more than it was.

I purchased Not So Snow White because it sounded like it had an interesting twist on Snow White tale. Sadly, it was just okay. Typically I read a book straight through in one sitting, with this one I read it over a few nights and by the end I was nearly skimming the pages, which consisted of White being TOLD EVERYTHING all at once. I felt like there were so many questions that were brought up along the way with no answers until the last few pages when we get an info dump after a few paragraphs of action.

I liked the main character White, but I didn't entirely feel her. She just didn't seem to have any depth and her personality sort of flip flopped throughout the story. What really got me was that at the end when she believes that she has forever lost the primary love interest she had the entire book, she is suddenly dating someone else. Almost as if the author realized that the teens picking up her book would want a happy ending. Uh, what was the point in even having a romantic element if it's going to be dropped like a hot potato without any emotional reaction? Fine, kill off the character but at least SHOW us a reaction.

There's a whole subplot line going on with the school bully. It seemed to be a lot of filler, and although it gave White an outlet for her magic, I just felt like it never went anywhere. I'm not sure if the point was to teach victims to fight back by getting even (which is what White does) or to teach them that a bully never stops (Since the bully doesn't stop). White's guardian elf seemed to be trying to teach White a lesson on not using her powers for revenge, but when you think she's learned her lesson, she does it again.

The drama teacher is also a mystery. As an educator (and yes, I'm stepping onto my soapbox), I wish that there were more accurate portrayals of teachers dealing with bullies. Here the teacher witnesses several instances of bullying, yet does nothing. Having students pick at each other or argue is one thing, but the blatant bullying that White and her friends are on the receiving end of is a lawsuit waiting to happen. It just made it frustrating for me, since I don't know a single teacher (I've worked with at least two hundred in my 11 years teaching) that would not respond to that type of bullying.

For me, I think this book didn't try hard enough to not be middle of the road. On one hand, it's not dark enough to make it suspenseful and on the other it's not light enough to make it a fun romp.

I love the concept of the modern fairytale with a twist, and had looked forward to buying her other book in this series, but now I'd definitely have to think hard on spending my money.