Ok, here's the thing: I have had a seriously stressful week and haven't gotten things done that I need done for the blog. So today we're going to talk about contests, blogs you should read and other fun stuff! In a completely random fashion, ofcourse. No rhyme or reason to the order.
Win SUPERNATURALLY by Kiersten White
Is There a Book in Your Blog? Win a chance to find out!
Win INSATIABLE by Meg Cabot!
Visit TeenReads for all kinds of good YA stuff
50 fun things to do this summer
Do you own a WRECK THIS JOURNAL? I bought one for me and one for my 16yo daughter. We LOVE them! It's so much fun to get inventive and destroy the journal!
Does Shakespeare bore you? Try the Reduced Shakespeare Company! They're hilarious and educational - I'm going to link you to Part 1 of Romeo & Juliet, make sure you watch Part 2 also.
Romeo & Juliet Part 1
LUMP by Presidents of the United States One of my favorite songs!
Mean Kitty Song This just amuses me.
My First Kiss by 3OH3 If you put red hair on the long haired guy, he looks like a guy I dated years ago.haha I'm not sure what that says about my taste back then. But I do love 3OH3!
Bacon Bandaids Bacon makes everything better.
weheartya blog These is a group of great ladies, go read their blog, you'll love it!
Pam's blog My friends blog, she's hilarious and sweet and crafty and cooks/bakes delightful things.
Heather Brewer Have you read her books? No? Go now!
Craftster I hang here. It's cool. Seriously. You can learn to do crafts, swap crafts, envy crafts. Seriously. It's cool.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Author Interview - Tara Altebrando!
Tara Altebrando, author of DREAMLAND SOCIAL CLUB, agreed to do an interview! Did you see the book review yesterday? Go look, we'll wait. Did you love it? Me too!!!!! Isn't Tara just the cutest thing ever?!
Here we go!
Can you tell us a little bit about DREAMLAND SOCIAL CLUB and the characters?
It's about a girl named Jane that inherits a house on Coney Island from a grandfather she never met. As she explores the attic, which is full of old books and film reels about Coney, she's set on sort of an emotional journey having to do with her late mother's family. At school, she curious about this mysterious club that it turns out her mother founded years before and which seems to consist entirely of "freaks", and it is these freaks who become her new friends and draw her out of herself. There is a boy, of course. A boy with a deep passion for Coney Island who Jane befriends and then starts to fall in love with.
What drew you to Coney Island? After reading your book, I wanted to know more about Coney Island myself. It's a fascinating place! Did you get to have input on the cover - it's amazingly beautiful!
The history of the old amusement parks was what drew me to Coney as a setting for a book. I couldn't believe that Luna Park and Dreamland ever existed, with attractions like "Midget City" and a place where premature babies in incubators were put on display. It felt to me like a real case of "you can't make this stuff up." So what I set about doing was building a story around that history, about a girl whose own path to self-discovery leads her to old Coney Island.
I had no input on the entirely fantastic cover. It was the first time that I ever saw a book cover of mine and had nothing to say about it except "I love it!" I felt like the designers at Dutton just nailed it.
You write about 'freaks' in a very realistic, honest way - I love that sometimes the real 'freak' is the girl that looks the most 'normal'. Is that how you meant it to come across?
Since I was writing about Coney Island--where freaks have been exploited and celebrated historically--I thought it was something I needed to explore through the character of Jane, who is, in her appearance anyway, entirely un-freakish. Which is sort of the point, yes. We're all freaks in our own way and I think we feel that most as teenagers, when we're just really starting to come into ourselves.
You've written a lot of different things, what's your favorite so far?
Well, Dreamland Social Club is my favorite so far. It's new and shiny and I worked hard and long on it, harder and longer than on any of my other books, so it currently holds a very special place in my heart.
I understand that you worked at a historical village as a teen, do you bring any of your experiences from there to your writing? I'm sure you saw a lot of interesting things with all of the tourists!
My job at the historical village was basically the inspiration for my novel The Pursuit of Happiness, which is about a girl with a summer job at...a historical village! You should check it out! I honestly barely remember the tourists. I just remember being paid to kick around with my coworkers, baking and sweeping and feeding chickens while wearing hideously heavy colonial garb in the height of summer.
When fans found out you collect spoons from all over the world, did you start getting them in the mail?
Not yet! But that would be awesome!
You've had some interesting jobs, can you tell us about them?
I was a music journalist for a while, which was awesome, though the one time I interviewed Duran Duran I ended up with "the new guy" so that was sort of disappointing. I worked at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York as a "cataloger," which meant watching TV and writing summaries and inputting details about cast and such into their massive database. I think I've seen every episode of "Hullabaloo" ever.
What books are you reading right now?
I'm packing up for a week at the beach and I am bringing: Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma, Where She Went by Gayle Forman, and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. We all share the same editor, which is pretty incredible when you think about it!
What are your top 5 favorite things of all time?
The Wonder Wheel on Coney Island, the city of Venice, stuffed grape leaves, the ocean and the song "Anchor" by my husband's old band, Dutch Kills.
What books do you have in the works right now?
I am revising another YA novel that takes place during a senior week scavenger hunt. I am also working on a top secret project with a fellow YA author who shall not be named!
Thanks so much, Ms. Altebrando for the interview!
Here we go!
Can you tell us a little bit about DREAMLAND SOCIAL CLUB and the characters?
It's about a girl named Jane that inherits a house on Coney Island from a grandfather she never met. As she explores the attic, which is full of old books and film reels about Coney, she's set on sort of an emotional journey having to do with her late mother's family. At school, she curious about this mysterious club that it turns out her mother founded years before and which seems to consist entirely of "freaks", and it is these freaks who become her new friends and draw her out of herself. There is a boy, of course. A boy with a deep passion for Coney Island who Jane befriends and then starts to fall in love with.
What drew you to Coney Island? After reading your book, I wanted to know more about Coney Island myself. It's a fascinating place! Did you get to have input on the cover - it's amazingly beautiful!
The history of the old amusement parks was what drew me to Coney as a setting for a book. I couldn't believe that Luna Park and Dreamland ever existed, with attractions like "Midget City" and a place where premature babies in incubators were put on display. It felt to me like a real case of "you can't make this stuff up." So what I set about doing was building a story around that history, about a girl whose own path to self-discovery leads her to old Coney Island.
I had no input on the entirely fantastic cover. It was the first time that I ever saw a book cover of mine and had nothing to say about it except "I love it!" I felt like the designers at Dutton just nailed it.
You write about 'freaks' in a very realistic, honest way - I love that sometimes the real 'freak' is the girl that looks the most 'normal'. Is that how you meant it to come across?
Since I was writing about Coney Island--where freaks have been exploited and celebrated historically--I thought it was something I needed to explore through the character of Jane, who is, in her appearance anyway, entirely un-freakish. Which is sort of the point, yes. We're all freaks in our own way and I think we feel that most as teenagers, when we're just really starting to come into ourselves.
You've written a lot of different things, what's your favorite so far?
Well, Dreamland Social Club is my favorite so far. It's new and shiny and I worked hard and long on it, harder and longer than on any of my other books, so it currently holds a very special place in my heart.
I understand that you worked at a historical village as a teen, do you bring any of your experiences from there to your writing? I'm sure you saw a lot of interesting things with all of the tourists!
My job at the historical village was basically the inspiration for my novel The Pursuit of Happiness, which is about a girl with a summer job at...a historical village! You should check it out! I honestly barely remember the tourists. I just remember being paid to kick around with my coworkers, baking and sweeping and feeding chickens while wearing hideously heavy colonial garb in the height of summer.
When fans found out you collect spoons from all over the world, did you start getting them in the mail?
Not yet! But that would be awesome!
You've had some interesting jobs, can you tell us about them?
I was a music journalist for a while, which was awesome, though the one time I interviewed Duran Duran I ended up with "the new guy" so that was sort of disappointing. I worked at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York as a "cataloger," which meant watching TV and writing summaries and inputting details about cast and such into their massive database. I think I've seen every episode of "Hullabaloo" ever.
What books are you reading right now?
I'm packing up for a week at the beach and I am bringing: Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma, Where She Went by Gayle Forman, and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. We all share the same editor, which is pretty incredible when you think about it!
What are your top 5 favorite things of all time?
The Wonder Wheel on Coney Island, the city of Venice, stuffed grape leaves, the ocean and the song "Anchor" by my husband's old band, Dutch Kills.
What books do you have in the works right now?
I am revising another YA novel that takes place during a senior week scavenger hunt. I am also working on a top secret project with a fellow YA author who shall not be named!
Thanks so much, Ms. Altebrando for the interview!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Dreamland Social Club byTara Altebrando
Publish Date: May 12, 2011
ISBN: 978-052543256
Pages: 304
Blurb: Jane has traveled the world with her father and brother, but it's not until her fractured family-still silently suffering from the loss of Jane's mother many years before-inherits a house and a history in Coney Island that she finally begins to find a home. With the help of a new community of friends, a mermaid's secrets, and a tattooed love interest with traffic-stopping good looks, the once plain Jane begins to blossom and gains the courage to explore the secrets of her mother's past.
Keep an eye out for the interview with Tara Altebrando tomorrow!!
I didn't hear much about this book before it came out, but I ran across it on Amazon and the cover drew me in and the blurb convinced me. I love the colors on the cover and the mermaid (Jane) seems to be looking in but not quite a part of things. Coney Island is a fascinating place, I wish I could have seen it in its heyday. Carnis are always an interesting subject too, have you seen some of the old carnie shows? Entrancing and horrifying at the same time. It's no wonder I bought this book!
So Jane's family inherits a house in Coney Island. It's her mother's parent's house and is chock full of carnie stuff and Coney Island stuff. Jane's dad is looking to sell a roller coaster idea to the city OR the evil corporation that wants to take over Coney Island. Her brother is just doing time till he can go to college and Jane is trying to figure out how to fit in. All this goes on while no one talks about her mother. The way you become connected to Jane's mother is through Jane's flashbacks of childhood. The flashbacks are wonderful - I haven't read a book that uses them so perfectly - I felt like I really got to know her mom.
Jane and her brother have to attend high school at Coney Island. The school has it's fair share of freaks and geeks, but a little different than some schools. There's a goth dwarf, a giant guy that doesn't play basketball, a tiny doll-like girl, tattooed girl and boy, a boy with no legs that gets around on a skateboard or prosthetic legs and her tormentors - the grandchildren of her grandpa's rival. Turns out her grandpa stole a carousel horse that their grandpa made and they want it back. Jane stands out against this backdrop because she's 'plain Jane', she dresses all in gray and stays quiet. I really felt that the author's choice on Jane made her stand out so much more than anyone else. The school is pretty cool, they even have a class on the "History of Coney Island". There is a love story, but not the usual for YA, it's more of the thrill you get when your hand brushes the hand of that boy you're head over heels for. You know, first major crush and all that.
The story isn't just about Jane coming to terms with her mothers death or even about fitting in or figuring out who she is. It's about friendship and community and making the fantastic leap into the unknown. Jane's mother would have been proud.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Books Out This Week: June 27th - July 3rd
Release Date: June 28, 2011
From Amazon: Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives--and the way they understand each other so completely--has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.
Release Date: June 28, 2011
From Amazon: Amber’s life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself. Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell he’s also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets. The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now—he’s living each moment like it’s his last.
Release Date: June 28, 2011
From Amazon: Meet Arcadia Bell: bartender, renegade magician, fugitive from the law. . . .
Being the spawn of two infamous occultists (and alleged murderers) isn’t easy, but freewheeling magician Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to make the best of a crummy situation. After hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the demon-friendly Tambuku Tiki Lounge.
But she receives an ultimatum when unexpected surveillance footage of her notorious parents surfaces: either prove their innocence or surrender herself. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, an enigmatic demonologist with a special talent for sexual spells and an arcane library of priceless stolen grimoires. Their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict involving missing police evidence, the decadent Hellfire Club, a ruthless bounty hunter, and a powerful occult society that operates way outside the law. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life . . . and no amount of running will save her this time.
Release Date: June 28, 2011
From Amazon:
The end . . . or a new beginning?
As Ellie comes to grips with her destiny as the Elect One, her relationship with Michael grows tense. When she meets a mysterious boy named Rafe, things get even more complicated. Yet the time has come for the Elect One to stand against the group of evil fallen angels who are bent on destroying the world. In order to face the immeasurable malevolence heading her way, Ellie tries to put her personal life aside. But she soon learns that whoever holds her heart also holds the key to mankind’s salvation—or destruction. As the end days approach, Ellie is faced with an epic decision. Who does her heart really belong to? And is her love strong enough to save the world?
Release Date: June 28, 2011
From Amazon: Duty-bound to wed her father’s choice in successor to the throne, Princess Alera of Hytanica believes that she is being forced into the worst of all possible fates—a marriage to the arrogant and hot-tempered suitor, Steldor. When a mysterious boy from enemy Cokyri appears bearing secrets and an entirely different view of what's appropriate behavior for a young lady, Alera learns that her private desires threaten to destroy the kingdom. When Narian’s shocking past comes to light, Alera finds herself in a shadowy world of palace intrigue and ancient blood feuds, facing an uncertain future with dwindling options—and must learn to decide between right and wrong all alone.
Release Date: June 30, 2011
From Amazon: As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.
When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela's way home.
Release Date: July 1, 2011
From Amazon: It's August on Cape Cod and Willa has a lot to look forward to. Soon, JFK will return home from baseball camp, and Willa has an idea for an exciting new project that will challenge her to dream big! But life throws Willa some unexpected twists and turns: Ruby has bad news, a beloved friend leaves, a dear friend returns, her brother Will has something he does't want to talk about, and of course, there's a wedding to plan! There's also a cute boy who likes Willa . . . a lot, and Willa thinks she might like him too.
Release Date: July 1, 2011
From Amazon: For anyone who's ever survived a rite of passage or performed a mating dance at Prom . . .
The Japanese hold a Mogi ceremony for young women coming of age. Latina teenagers get quinceaneras. And Janice Wills of Melva, NC ... has to compete in the Miss Livermush pageant. Janice loves anthropology--the study of human cultures--and her observations help her identify useful rules in the chaotic world of high school. For instance: Dancing is an effective mating ritual--but only if you're good at it; Hot Theatre Guys will never speak to Unremarkable Smart Girls like Janice and her best friend, Margo; and a Beautiful Rich Girl will always win Melva's annual Miss Livermush pageant. But when a Hot Theatre Guy named Jimmy Denton takes an interest in Janice, all her scientific certainties explode. For the first time, she has to be part of the culture that she's always observed; and all the charts in the world can't prove how tough--and how sweet--real participation and a real romance can be.
Release Date: July 1, 2011
From Amazon:
Paisley and Beau are boldface names again. Last time, paparazzi called them the "Wonder Twins," two kids found alone but alive in the woods of exotic New Jersey. Three days after their mom's death -- and before their dad's criminal misdeeds.
Flash-forward to now: Their so-called lives? Suck out loud: Hating on their cougarized, Botoxic grandma, they're totally clueless about the location of ex-con Daddy. Till they discover a stash of old letters. That's when they decide to jack the Pontiac and hit the road. Holding up donut shops in Sin City might seem extreme, but if they can just get their pretty bad faces back on TV -- or TMZ -- they might wrap up their whole gaga saga with an Oprah-worthy reunion already!
Release Date: July 1, 2011
From Amazon:
Madison MacDonald is glad things are back to normal!
Madison It’s SUMMER at last -- let the good times & pool parties roll!
Location: Putnam Beach. Putnam, CT.
Madison My friends are all together again, and Nate and I are better than ever. Finally, everything in my life is working out. :)
Location: Gofer Ice Cream. Putnam, CT
Madison Even though Nate will be leaving for college in the fall.
Location: New Canaan Drive-In. New Canaan, CT.
Madison And there’s a piece of me that’s still waiting for the other shoe to drop from the prom heist.
Location: Stubbs Coffee. Putnam, CT.
Madison But everything is going to be fine! Right?
Location: On A Blender Smoothie Shop. Putnam, CT.
Madison Oh. Maybe I should take that back --
Location: Undisclosed
THIS ACCOUNT HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY DISABLED.
Madison MacDonald thinks the other shoe just dropped.
Release Date: July 1, 2011
From Goodreads (sorry not listed on Amazon!): Clarinet Reid is a pretty typical teenager. On the surface. She’s smart, but a bit of slacker; outgoing, but just a little insecure; not exactly a mischief-maker… but trouble tends to find her wherever she goes. Also? She unwittingly carries a centuries-old Druid Blood Curse running through her veins. Now, with a single thoughtless act, what started off as the Summer Vacation in Dullsville suddenly spirals into a deadly race to find a stolen artifact, avert an explosive catastrophe, save a Celtic warrior princess, right a dreadful wrong that happened centuries before Clare was even born, and if there’s still time—literally—maybe even get a date.
This is the kind of adventure that happens to a girl once every… never.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publish Date: April 19, 2011
ISBN: 978-0446563079
Pages: 352
Cover Art: supplied by Grand Central Publishing
I picked up this book as I've always been fascinated by Abraham Lincoln. He was a poor farm boy and 'pulled himself up by his bootstraps' to become President of the U.S.A. Pretty impressive, eh? Well, this book brings to light even more impressive feats by President Lincoln.
While we applaud President Lincoln for freeing the slaves and saving the Union; his other side, the Vampire Hunter, was hidden. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith got his hands on Abe's secret diaries.
The beginning of the story was a bit rough, I found myself skipping through a bit, hoping that the rest of the story was good. I'm happy to report that it is! The story is fast paced with great dialog and fascinating tidbits about Abe's life - both real and fictional. The fictional bits flow seamlessly and you can see where the story is believable. I think this story worked well as it wasn't trying to shove vampires and vampire hunting into a pre-written story. Instead the author wrote a biography of Abe's life, adding the vampire hunting in as it went. It definitely worked! As you read excerpts of speeches you can see where he could be speaking of the threat of vampires to the U.S. The extra photographic evidence in the book adds to the story and is amazing. Poor Abraham, no wonder he seemed like such a driven man. The ending was quite a surprise and I'm not sure I liked it, although it was a bit amusing. If you go into it looking for a fun read, you'll love it. Can I say that the cover slayed me?hahahahaha
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Daniel Waters "Generation Dead" Interview & Giveaway!
Daniel Waters was kind enough to do an interview with me recently and I was very excited...perhaps even fangirly! If you haven't read anything by Mr. Waters, take a look at these covers!
Aren't they beauties? I love the covers and the stories are even better! Now if you leave a comment after reading the interview, you'll be in the running for my very own hardcover copy of GENERATION DEAD. You can also "like" my facebook page and comment there for a chance to win! The winner will be chosen randomly by a computer program. The contest will run until Sunday, June 26, 2011 at midnight (EST).
Let's get the interview started!
Can you tell us a little bit about the GENERATION DEAD series and how it came to be? The idea for the series came after seeing a news magazine show about violence in schools. You can read the whole story in DEAR BULLY, an anthology from HarperTeen where 70 YA authors tells stories related to the topic of bullying.
How did you choose the term 'differently biotic'? Maybe I'm weird, but it struck me as the biggest joke about being PC ever! A number of the terms, politically correct or insulting, were just synaptic connections that came from working with the story. "DB" is one of my favorites, too.
If you had been a corpsicle as a teen, do you believe your parents would have reacted like Tommy's mom or Collette's family? I think they would have been
I love Phoebe in all her gothness, what did you draw on for her character? Thank you, I like Phoebe, too. The inspiration for her came from a number of places. I've always been fascinated with people and characters who may project one thing on the outside and yet are another on the inside--the world expects Goths to be cynical and mean and obsessed with darkness, but life provides countless examples where that isn't the case.
I understand that you're a big much buff, what do you listen to and are people surprised when they find out? For example, my college students are always trying to decide that I listen to country when I really love British punk! People would be surprised at the depths of my love for Kid Creole and the Coconuts. I'm probably a metalhead at heart, but I like all sorts of music.
Tommy's blog: www.mysocalledundeath.com is wonderful, do you enjoy writing it? I love writing it, and I especially love when people write back! My only wish was that the days had a few more hours packed into them.
What book are you working on right now? My next book is a ghost story called Break My Heart a Thousand Times.
I read that you love a nice grilled cheese sandwich, what are your top 5 favorite things?
I understand that you're a big fan of EC Comics - what is it that draws you to that particular set of comics? Do you have a favorite? The art! Some of the best artists ever to grace the comic book industry. Also the black humor of many of the stories.
Where can your fans see you next? Online? I don't get around much anymore.
Make sure to visit Dan Waters at his very own website: http://watersdan.blogspot.com/ and be sure to visit Tommy too at http://mysocalledundeath.blogspot.com/
Let's get the interview started!
Can you tell us a little bit about the GENERATION DEAD series and how it came to be? The idea for the series came after seeing a news magazine show about violence in schools. You can read the whole story in DEAR BULLY, an anthology from HarperTeen where 70 YA authors tells stories related to the topic of bullying.How did you choose the term 'differently biotic'? Maybe I'm weird, but it struck me as the biggest joke about being PC ever! A number of the terms, politically correct or insulting, were just synaptic connections that came from working with the story. "DB" is one of my favorites, too.
If you had been a corpsicle as a teen, do you believe your parents would have reacted like Tommy's mom or Collette's family? I think they would have been
like Faith. They let me stay at home even after I grew my hair long, for example.
I love Phoebe in all her gothness, what did you draw on for her character? Thank you, I like Phoebe, too. The inspiration for her came from a number of places. I've always been fascinated with people and characters who may project one thing on the outside and yet are another on the inside--the world expects Goths to be cynical and mean and obsessed with darkness, but life provides countless examples where that isn't the case.
I understand that you're a big much buff, what do you listen to and are people surprised when they find out? For example, my college students are always trying to decide that I listen to country when I really love British punk! People would be surprised at the depths of my love for Kid Creole and the Coconuts. I'm probably a metalhead at heart, but I like all sorts of music.
Tommy's blog: www.mysocalledundeath.com is wonderful, do you enjoy writing it? I love writing it, and I especially love when people write back! My only wish was that the days had a few more hours packed into them.
What book are you working on right now? My next book is a ghost story called Break My Heart a Thousand Times.
I read that you love a nice grilled cheese sandwich, what are your top 5 favorite things?
Top 5 foods? Or "Things" in general?
Foods:
1. Saag Paneer
2. Tuna Sashimi
3. A grilled cheese sandwich
4. Nachos
5. Spaghetti
Things (assuming things are "things" and not "people")
1. My iPad
2. My pool
3. My treadmill
4. My library
5, My music library
I understand that you're a big fan of EC Comics - what is it that draws you to that particular set of comics? Do you have a favorite? The art! Some of the best artists ever to grace the comic book industry. Also the black humor of many of the stories.
Where can your fans see you next? Online? I don't get around much anymore.
Make sure to visit Dan Waters at his very own website: http://watersdan.blogspot.com/ and be sure to visit Tommy too at http://mysocalledundeath.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Publisher: Hyperion Book
Publish Date: May 6, 2008
ISBN: 978-1423109211
Pages: 392
Cover Art: Elizabeth H. Clark
As always: SPOILERS!!!!!!!!
This is unlike any zombie story I've read. Even ROT and RUIN didn't treat zombies this way. It's my favorite thing in life when an author comes up with a new way to showcase something popular. Now this book was published in 2008, so Mr. Waters was ahead of the game with his zombies. I like this book so much that I will be doing a giveaway of my very own hardcover copy tomorrow, check it out in my interview with Mr. Waters!
Weirdly, all over America, dead teenagers are coming to life...sort of. They reanimate. They don't need to eat, their organs don't work and some of them are more 'alive' acting than others. How do their families react? Some better than others. Tommy's mom was thrilled to get him back and have a second chance, while Collette's parents threatened her with a shovel and left town. Oh yeah, it's only America too - none of the other countries are having this issue. Since it's a fairly new issue, there aren't any laws dealing with it yet. Reanimated teens can't get a job, a drivers license or anything else - they are officially dead. Nor are there any laws to punish anyone deciding to make sure the teens go back to being dead for good.
Mr. Waters did an excellent job with his characters. It's easy to know who is talking even if you didn't read the name. They all have very different voices. That's missing in a lot of books, I'm sure it's hard to give each character their own voice. For main characters we have: Phoebe - she's a gothy girl who listens to really loud metal music and writes poetry; Margie - Phoebe's bff, also gothy and highly emotional; Adam - Phoebe's neighbor and friend, he's a jock and keeps his friendship with Phoebe a secret because he can't be seen with her; Tommy - one of the zombies, he blogs, lives with his mom and wants to be a regular teen; the last of the main characters (as I see it) is Pete - captain of the football team, mean as a snake and hates zombies. But even Pete has a secret.
The zombies (corpsicles, Differently Biotic, walking dead, whatever you want to call them) represent, to me, all of the 'unwelcome' groups in a high school: the minority in an all white school, special ed students, goths, geeks, nerds, LGBT students, you name it. The things done to them are similar to things we've all witnessed (but hopefully not participated in) in high school, sometimes even college or beyond. The worst part are the adults that not only condone the nonsense, but push the students to it. You have to wonder what kind of teens they were themselves.
There is a little bit of a love triangle...sort of. See Phoebe likes Tommy & Tommy likes Phoebe, but both understand the issues their relationship could cause. Then there's Adam. He's changed over the summer and realizes he likes Phoebe too, but can't figure out how to tell her and then she likes Tommy and he's friends with Tommy and it's all a mess. There's no sexual situations in the story, but as you could assume there are some sexual remarks made about Phoebe dating a zombie. Be prepared to explain if you're a parent, or ask about it if you're a teen. :)
In the end, this story is about understanding people that are different than yourself and accepting them. Perhaps also that you can be dramatically different from your friends and still love them. Be sure to check this one out, there are two more after it (so far): KISS OF LIFE and PASSING STRANGE.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Books out this Week: June 20 - 26, 2011
Release Date: June 21, 2011
From Amazon:
The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.
For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.
Release DAte: June 21, 2011
From Amazon: Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed. Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time. Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.
Release Date: June 21, 2011
From Amazon:
Till death
Jana Webster and Michael Haynes were in love. They were destined to be together forever.
Do
But Jana's destiny was fatally flawed. And now she's in Dead School, where Mars Dreamcote lurks in the back of the classroom, with his beguiling blue eyes, mysterious smile, and irresistibly warm touch.
Us
Michael and Jana were incomplete without each other. There was no room for Mars in Jana's life—or death—story. Jana was sure Michael would rush to her side soon.
Part
But things aren't going according to Jana's plan. So Jana decides to do whatever it takes to make her dreams come true—no matter what rules she has to break.
Release Date: June 21, 2011
From Amazon: Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.
Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?
Long Short Story by Siobhan Parkinson
Release Date: June 21, 2011
From Amazon: Jono has always been able to cope with his mother's drinking, but when she hits his little sister Julie, he decides it's time for them to run away. Told in Jono's funny, self-conscious voice, the layers of his past and the events of his escape are gradually revealed. Amusing and touching but never sentimental, Siobhan Parkinson is a well reviewed middle-grade author who now turns her considerable skill as a writer to a young adult audience.
Release Date: June 21, 2011
From Amazon:
Detention
The best worst thing to happen to Peter Lee?
Peter and his best friend, Drew, used to be so cool (or, at least, not total outcasts) in elementary school. But now they're in middle school, where their extensive mica collection and prowess at kickball have earned them a new label: losers. Then Peter attracts the unwanted attention of the school bullies, and his plan to become popular through his older sister, the practically perfect Sunny, backfires.
Things go from bad to worse when Peter gets detention. But what at first seems to spell his utter doom turns into an unlikely opportunity for making friends and influencing people. . . .
Release Date: June 21, 2011
From Amazon: Sarah Weaver wasn't looking forward to starting at an all-girls school. But that was before she met Maddy. Maddy and her best friend, Agnes, are fun and rich and interesting-and for some reason, they seem to really like Sarah. Before long, Maddy and Agnes have moved Sarah into a big house off campus, where they cook together, buy each other presents, and share each other's secrets. So why does Sarah feel like something's bizarrely wrong? As more and more cracks start to show in Maddy's and Agnes's perfect veneers, Sarah notices some strange and disturbing things: Maddy's compulsive lying, Agnes's obsession with Maddy, and the deterioration of their friendship. And just when Sarah begins to question her own sanity, things turns deadly.
Release Date: June 21, 2011
From Amazon:
We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be forgotten.
Charlotte's best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she's cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what's really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.
But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become—her mark on this earth, her very existence—is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.
Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny—no matter how dark the consequences?
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Book Giveaways and Contests
So today I thought I'd list some giveaways on other sites for ya!
First up is a contest for a signed copy of OTOLI by Bryony Allen. The contest runs until July 3, 2011. YA Book Reads Contest
Next is a contest for a beach bag of 16 books! Included are: BEASTLY MOVIE TIE-IN EDITION, BEAUTY QUEENS, CLARITY, DIVERGENT, HEREAFTER, I'M NOT HER, THE IRON QUEEN, LOST VOICES, A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, NIGHTSPELL, PROM AND PREJUDICE, RUBY RED, SHIVER, STARCROSSED, SUPERNATURALLY, and TEN THINGS WE DID. They come with a beach bag stuffed with games, sunblock and fun stuff! The contest runs until July 18, 2011. Teen Reads Beach Bag Contest
Next is a contest to win an ARC of THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. The contest runs until June 23, 2011. Lauren Morrill Contest
Next is a contest with TWO winners! The Main Winner will receive signed copies of ONE LONELY DEGREE and THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE AND DEATH, Amazon gift certificate for $25 and a copy of MY BEATING TEENAGE HEART. The Runner Up will receive signed copies of ONE LONELY DEGREE and THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE AND DEATH. The contest runs until July 1, 2011. Fragments of Life Contest
Next you can win four books: WITHER, DELIRIUM, DIVERGENT and MATCHED. You need to friend the blogger on goodreads.com, spread the word on your blog/twitter/FB and comment on the contest. Easy Peasy! It's open till the end of June 2011. Not Very Alice Contest
Win a copy of A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE by Judd Apatow. The contest runs until July 1, 2011. Regal Literary Contest
Next, win a set of 8 HarperTeen books! They are: COLD KISS, DEAD RULES, EVE, SHATTER ME, THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS, FATEFUL, THE BEGINNING OF AFTER and TEN THINGS WE DID. The contest runs until June 30, 2011. Katie's Book Blog Contest
Next is a chance to win any June release of your choice! Great deal! You'll have to check out the link, there's too many to list! The contest ends July 1, 2011. Addicted to Novels Contest
That's all for this time - go win some books and tell me what you won!!!!
First up is a contest for a signed copy of OTOLI by Bryony Allen. The contest runs until July 3, 2011. YA Book Reads Contest
Next is a contest for a beach bag of 16 books! Included are: BEASTLY MOVIE TIE-IN EDITION, BEAUTY QUEENS, CLARITY, DIVERGENT, HEREAFTER, I'M NOT HER, THE IRON QUEEN, LOST VOICES, A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, NIGHTSPELL, PROM AND PREJUDICE, RUBY RED, SHIVER, STARCROSSED, SUPERNATURALLY, and TEN THINGS WE DID. They come with a beach bag stuffed with games, sunblock and fun stuff! The contest runs until July 18, 2011. Teen Reads Beach Bag Contest
Next is a contest to win an ARC of THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. The contest runs until June 23, 2011. Lauren Morrill Contest
Next is a contest with TWO winners! The Main Winner will receive signed copies of ONE LONELY DEGREE and THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE AND DEATH, Amazon gift certificate for $25 and a copy of MY BEATING TEENAGE HEART. The Runner Up will receive signed copies of ONE LONELY DEGREE and THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE AND DEATH. The contest runs until July 1, 2011. Fragments of Life Contest
Next you can win four books: WITHER, DELIRIUM, DIVERGENT and MATCHED. You need to friend the blogger on goodreads.com, spread the word on your blog/twitter/FB and comment on the contest. Easy Peasy! It's open till the end of June 2011. Not Very Alice Contest
Win a copy of A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE by Judd Apatow. The contest runs until July 1, 2011. Regal Literary Contest
Next, win a set of 8 HarperTeen books! They are: COLD KISS, DEAD RULES, EVE, SHATTER ME, THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS, FATEFUL, THE BEGINNING OF AFTER and TEN THINGS WE DID. The contest runs until June 30, 2011. Katie's Book Blog Contest
Next is a chance to win any June release of your choice! Great deal! You'll have to check out the link, there's too many to list! The contest ends July 1, 2011. Addicted to Novels Contest
That's all for this time - go win some books and tell me what you won!!!!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Red Glove by Holly Black
Publish Date: April 5, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0339-0
Pages: 336
Let's assume, as always,
that there will be spoilers!
The follow up to WHITE CAT is even better, if that's possible. Cassel's family is wonderfully horrible. It's mafia with magic!
Cassel has figured out how to deal with his family. Maybe. If they don't 'deal with him' first. Along the way he finds out which of his friends is a Worker and who's a true friend. He tries to do the right thing by Lila - he loves her, but can't be with her since his mom worked her to be in love with him. He has to solve his brothers murder and hold off the feds from getting their hands on the rest of his family...and finding out what kind of Worker he is.
In the second installment we meet some new characters and bring back some old ones. I thought we'd never see his brother's wife again...but she makes a small but significant showing. I love Lila/I hate Lila. I believe that the curse Cassel's mom put on her to fall in love with him wore off and she genuinely cares for him. But she knows he doesn't believe it and they can't be together anyway. Tell me what you think after you read it.
Magical Grifters for the win! Overall awesome book - the characters come across as real as the situations do...or maybe I just know weird people? Either way, I need to read more Holly Black, or at least more Cassel!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Books Out This Week: June 13 - 19, 2011
Ok, so due to some weird cosmic thing, all the books I could find for this week come out on June 14th. Must be something magical and mystical that I am not aware of. :)
You'll Like It Here (Everybody Does) by Ruth White
From Amazon: While Meggie and David Blue are from another planet, they're a lot like Earth kids, with similar hopes and dreams, and can't wait to grow up. BUT they also have GROSSLY UNIQUE qualities, such as blue streaks in their hair that pop up randomly and language skills that sound like nothing on this planet. The story takes these alien kids, along with their mother and grandfather, by accident, to a far planet in which the society is not only oppressive but hostile to individual freedom. People are kept submissive through drugs and brainwashing. The Blues, who have spent time in free societies recognize the upside-down-ness of this world. They're almost helpless to do anything, but do what they can, plan their escape, and vow to help others.
Trial by Fire (Raised by Wolves #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
From Amazon: There can only be one alpha.
Bryn is finally settling into her position as alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack—or at least, her own version of what it means to be alpha when you’re a human leading a band of werewolves. Then she finds a teenage boy bleeding on her front porch. Before collapsing, he tells her his name is Lucas, he’s a Were, and Bryn’s protection is his only hope.
But Lucas isn’t part of Bryn’s pack, and she has no right to claim another alpha’s Were. With threats—old and new—looming, and danger closing in from all sides, Bryn will have to accept what her guardian Callum knew all along. To be alpha, she will have to give in to her own animal instincts and become less human. And, she’s going to have to do it alone.
Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
From Amazon: Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.
But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.
The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
From Amazon: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. Like the fingers on a hand -- first headstrong Olga; then Tatiana, the tallest; Maria the most hopeful for a ring; and Anastasia, the smallest. These are the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, grand dutchesses living a life steeped in tradition and privilege. They are each on the brink of starting their own lives, at the mercy of royal matchmakers. The summer of 1914 is that precious last wink of time when they can still be sisters together -- sisters that link arms and laugh, sisters that share their dreams and worries, and flirt with the officers of their imperial yacht.But in a gunshot the future changes -- for these sisters and for Russia.
As World War I ignites across Europe, political unrest sweeps Russia. First dissent, then disorder, mutiny -- and revolution. For Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, the end of their girlhood together is colliding with the end of more than they ever imagined.
Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
From Amazon: At the beginning of his junior year at a boys' boarding school, 16-year-old Alex is devastated when he fails to save a drowning friend. When questioned, Alex and his friend Glenn, who was also at the river, begin weaving their web of lies. Plagued by guilt, Alex takes refuge in the library, telling his tale in a journal he hides behind Moby-Dick. Caught in the web with Alex and Glenn is their English teacher, Miss Dovecott, fresh out of Princeton, who suspects there's more to what happened at the river when she perceives guilt in Alex's writing for class. She also sees poetic talent in Alex, which she encourages. As Alex responds to her attention, he discovers his true voice, one that goes against the boarding school bravado that Glenn embraces. When Glenn becomes convinced that Miss Dovecott is out to get them, Alex must choose between them.
The Revenant by Sonia Gensler
From Amazon: When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.
Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.
Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something. . .
Sisterhood Everlasting (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Novel) by Ann Brashares
From Amazon: Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.
Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.
Belladonna by Mary Finn
From Amazon: When Thomas Rose first spots the girl hidden by the roadside, she looks as drab as a lark, with only her red kerchief giving her away. But French Hélène, who goes by "Ling," is no ordinary bird. Tiny Ling enchants Thomas with her wild spirit and tales of a circus where she danced atop her beloved horse, Belladonna. But the horse has been sold, and Ling must fetch her back. Now Thomas’s life as a clever but unschooled wheelwright’s son is about to change. Their search leads to painter George Stubbs, who euthanizes ailing animals in order to study their anatomy. Stubbs draws eerie horses that stride as if they could move out of the paper world into the real one - but he assures his young friends that their horse is safe at a nearby estate. As Ling and Thomas devise a risky plan to recover Belladonna, Stubbs hires Thomas as an apprentice, teaching him to read and write as well. In this fascinating story, Mary Finn incorporates a real eighteenth-century artist into a beautifully imagined tale of adventure and young romance.
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
From Amazon: For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
From Amazon: While Meggie and David Blue are from another planet, they're a lot like Earth kids, with similar hopes and dreams, and can't wait to grow up. BUT they also have GROSSLY UNIQUE qualities, such as blue streaks in their hair that pop up randomly and language skills that sound like nothing on this planet. The story takes these alien kids, along with their mother and grandfather, by accident, to a far planet in which the society is not only oppressive but hostile to individual freedom. People are kept submissive through drugs and brainwashing. The Blues, who have spent time in free societies recognize the upside-down-ness of this world. They're almost helpless to do anything, but do what they can, plan their escape, and vow to help others.
From Amazon: There can only be one alpha.
Bryn is finally settling into her position as alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack—or at least, her own version of what it means to be alpha when you’re a human leading a band of werewolves. Then she finds a teenage boy bleeding on her front porch. Before collapsing, he tells her his name is Lucas, he’s a Were, and Bryn’s protection is his only hope.
But Lucas isn’t part of Bryn’s pack, and she has no right to claim another alpha’s Were. With threats—old and new—looming, and danger closing in from all sides, Bryn will have to accept what her guardian Callum knew all along. To be alpha, she will have to give in to her own animal instincts and become less human. And, she’s going to have to do it alone.
From Amazon: Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.
But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.
From Amazon: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. Like the fingers on a hand -- first headstrong Olga; then Tatiana, the tallest; Maria the most hopeful for a ring; and Anastasia, the smallest. These are the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, grand dutchesses living a life steeped in tradition and privilege. They are each on the brink of starting their own lives, at the mercy of royal matchmakers. The summer of 1914 is that precious last wink of time when they can still be sisters together -- sisters that link arms and laugh, sisters that share their dreams and worries, and flirt with the officers of their imperial yacht.But in a gunshot the future changes -- for these sisters and for Russia.
As World War I ignites across Europe, political unrest sweeps Russia. First dissent, then disorder, mutiny -- and revolution. For Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, the end of their girlhood together is colliding with the end of more than they ever imagined.
From Amazon: At the beginning of his junior year at a boys' boarding school, 16-year-old Alex is devastated when he fails to save a drowning friend. When questioned, Alex and his friend Glenn, who was also at the river, begin weaving their web of lies. Plagued by guilt, Alex takes refuge in the library, telling his tale in a journal he hides behind Moby-Dick. Caught in the web with Alex and Glenn is their English teacher, Miss Dovecott, fresh out of Princeton, who suspects there's more to what happened at the river when she perceives guilt in Alex's writing for class. She also sees poetic talent in Alex, which she encourages. As Alex responds to her attention, he discovers his true voice, one that goes against the boarding school bravado that Glenn embraces. When Glenn becomes convinced that Miss Dovecott is out to get them, Alex must choose between them.
From Amazon: When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.
Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.
Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something. . .
From Amazon: Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.
Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.
From Amazon: When Thomas Rose first spots the girl hidden by the roadside, she looks as drab as a lark, with only her red kerchief giving her away. But French Hélène, who goes by "Ling," is no ordinary bird. Tiny Ling enchants Thomas with her wild spirit and tales of a circus where she danced atop her beloved horse, Belladonna. But the horse has been sold, and Ling must fetch her back. Now Thomas’s life as a clever but unschooled wheelwright’s son is about to change. Their search leads to painter George Stubbs, who euthanizes ailing animals in order to study their anatomy. Stubbs draws eerie horses that stride as if they could move out of the paper world into the real one - but he assures his young friends that their horse is safe at a nearby estate. As Ling and Thomas devise a risky plan to recover Belladonna, Stubbs hires Thomas as an apprentice, teaching him to read and write as well. In this fascinating story, Mary Finn incorporates a real eighteenth-century artist into a beautifully imagined tale of adventure and young romance.
From Amazon: For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Iron Thorn - Caitlin Kittredge
Publish Date: Feb. 22, 2011
ISBN: 978-0385738293
Pages: 512
Jacket Design: Trish Parcell
Cover Art: Lara Jade
Illustrations: Robert Lazzaretti
I really like Steampunk, but it took me a little bit to get into The Iron Thorn. However, once I got into it, I LOVED it!!
Aoife is a ward of the state and studies engineering - the only girl in engineering at her school. Her mother is in an insane asylum, her brother has disappeared and she's never met her father. Everyone in her family, at 16yo, starts going mad. Aoife is months away from her 16th birthday and is freaked out.
When Aoife receives a message from Conrad (her brother) that simply says "HELP", she doesn't question it, she prepares to leave. A second message gives her a riddle and she collects her best friend, Cal, and sets off for her father's house.
Aoife makes mistakes, accepts them and keeps going. She's not one to turn her back on friends or family in need. She learns along the way that her society is built on many lies and deceitful acts.
My favorite line: "Stories usually start true, Miss Aoife", Dean said. "A touch of truth makes a lie worth believing."
The characters are well thought out and I found myself caring for all of them - a rarity. The book ends on a disastrous note, so I can't wait for the second book: THE NIGHTMARE GARDEN, coming out 2/14/2012. It's available for pre-order at Amazon right now!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Guest Blogger: Rendezvous Rock by Rickey Bray
Publish Date: April 15, 2009
ISBN: 978-1934759257
Pages: 434
Summary by Amazon: While vacationing in the mountains, Eric meets an unusual girl, Susan, who has sparkling, emerald eyes that are unusually captivating. They are a unique, singular shade of green and seem to be imbued with an ancient fire that even a spoiled, youthfully unperceptive Eric could easily feel. He senses a strange maturity about this mysterious girl and is drawn to her like a magnet."When I said we would never be married, I meant in your way," Susan said. "Will you marry me in my way? Right now?"Even though numerous questions clamored in his head, Eric easily replied, "Of course."Eric's answer was far too easy in Susan's opinion. As she mused over his quick reply, she speculated on how to best explain their strange situation in terms that he could understand, an impossibility to do beforehand. He would have to commit himself, then learn the truth. It was unfair to the extreme, yet unavoidable under these very peculiar circumstances, and thus Eric is drawn into a mysterious world.
What Jess has to say: Let me preface this review by saying that I don't recommend this book for the younger end of YA. Not only is there quite a bit of sex and sexuality in this book, Rickey Bray's vocabulary is more suited to literary fiction than young adult paranormal.
Be that as it may, this was by far my favorite of the three books I was given to review. I was surprised, considering that Bray's debut novel is about witches. I have yet to find a book about witches that I'm thrilled about (excluding Harry Potter, but that's a different type of witch), but this one pleasantly surprised me. Not only was the plot engaging and kept me turning pages well into the night, but the structure of the Three Circles, the major religion in the book, was incredible.
I feel like Bray may have crammed too large a timeline into the book (it spans ten years), but the story was so well-paced that it often didn't matter. I enjoyed watching Susan's journey from teenage girl to mother, and Eric underwent major transformations as well. One of my favorite parts of reading novels is definitely watching the characters grow into new people, and Bray's characters did so with grace.
I'm interested to see if this is the first of a series. If so, I'll be looking for the next installment on the shelves!
Be that as it may, this was by far my favorite of the three books I was given to review. I was surprised, considering that Bray's debut novel is about witches. I have yet to find a book about witches that I'm thrilled about (excluding Harry Potter, but that's a different type of witch), but this one pleasantly surprised me. Not only was the plot engaging and kept me turning pages well into the night, but the structure of the Three Circles, the major religion in the book, was incredible.
I feel like Bray may have crammed too large a timeline into the book (it spans ten years), but the story was so well-paced that it often didn't matter. I enjoyed watching Susan's journey from teenage girl to mother, and Eric underwent major transformations as well. One of my favorite parts of reading novels is definitely watching the characters grow into new people, and Bray's characters did so with grace.
I'm interested to see if this is the first of a series. If so, I'll be looking for the next installment on the shelves!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Wild Child by Mike Wells
Publish Date: March 12, 2011
Available on Kindle: B004RVZBFW
Cover Illustration: Seron Fuller
Summary: Briana Fox is the wildest girl in school. She and Kyle have been close for a long time...almost lovers. But Kyle is afraid that if he pushes her, he'll have his heart broken and lose his best friend. When Briana challenges him to a swim across the lake, she's injured in a horrific accident, but discovers a mysterious substance in an underwater cave that saves her life. What seems to be a magical yet harmless "power drug" invokes superhuman abilities, and Briana soon becomes dependent on it for her very survival. When two government agents learn of the discovery, they will stop at nothing to find the source and turn Briana into a human experiment. Is Kyle willing to risk everything to protect his love?
WILD CHILD was a fast-paced read. I finished the book in one night - not because it was easy or simple, but because it was fast-paced and exciting. If you like mystery and drama, you'll like this story. If anything, I would have liked a bit of back story for Brianna and Kyle - I felt like I was missing out on some good stuff. However, it's not needed, I just wanted it, the story stands on its own without any back story at all. Brianna is injured by a boat and Kyle thinks she's dead but she reappears better than ever. It turns out that she's found a spring in the lake with this fantastical water - it makes you feel awesome! I really like the way Brianna's injury is described, you can easily imagine it but it's not so graphic that you're grossed out.
Brianna is kind of a brat. She tries to get Kyle to do things, like swim across the lake, by calling him chicken and teases him about him looking at her. I think I would have felt worse about the accident if she had been a nicer girl. Kyle has to deal with Brianna, his cranky dad and the police/Feds without letting Brianna die or be used for research. I was really surprised by the ending, I didn't think nice guy Kyle had it in him! It was a great twist in the story and I had to read it twice as I simply couldn't believe he did it!
To my way of thinking this is traditional science fiction - it could actually happen, who's to say it can't? There's no zombies/vampires/magical beings...just some weird water. Sometimes the best idea is to keep it simple. Too many current books go on and on and by the time you get to the end, you think 'seriously? what happened to that stuff at the beginning?'
Mr. Wells is making all of his books available in ebook format. I think that's awesome, so many people are looking for good books that they can download! Mr. Wells actually gave away all of his print copies of WILD CHILD when he moved to teach in Latvia. Unknown to him, people picked them out of the recycling and were selling them on Amazon! The book is used in ESL (English as a Second Language) classes in Latvia and other places because it is modern and has 'simple, yet engaging language'.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Books Out This Week: June 6 - 12, 2011
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: After escaping from the Brenda T. Trumball Correctional Facility for Women and stealing the identity of rich socialite, Ariana Osgood finally thought she was on the path she always believed she deserved. But her past caught up with her and she is forced right back to her old ways, making everything she wants seem further out of reach. And some familiar faces are back to make things even worse for her.
Release Date: June 9, 2011
From Amazon: Home is supposed to be a place you belong. It's supposed to be parents who are there and siblings who bug you and a life that feels comfortable. It's not supposed to be an absentee mother or a drowned sister. But that's Vera's reality, and she can't stand it anymore. So she runs. She ends up in an old mining town in the middle of the California desert. It's hot, it's dusty, and it's as isolated as Vera feels. As she goes about setting up her life, she also unwittingly starts the process of healing and-eventually- figuring out what home might really mean for her.
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship.
Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon:
Their epic love story has captured the hearts of millions and enchanted readers across the world. In this beautiful finale, their journey draws to a spectacular conclusion—where all will be revealed.
Their darkest enemies now defeated, Damen and Ever are free to embark upon their final quest—to free Damen from the poison lingering in his body. If they can just find the antidote, they’ll finally be able to feel each other’s touch—and experience the passionate night they’ve been longing for. But their fight to be together will lead them into the most formidable terrain yet…into the dark heart of Summerland.
Here in a land of scorched earth and endless rain, Ever and Damen will discover their relationship’s hidden origins, expose a secret history they never imagined…and come face to face with the true reason fate keeps tearing them apart. Only then, when the final mystery is unraveled and the last secret revealed, Ever and Damen’s future will hinge on one ultimate decision that will put everything at stake….even eternity.
Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby
Release Date: June 9, 2011
From Amazon: While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come. When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.
Hereafter by Tara Hudson
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon:
Can there truly be love after death?
Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.
Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.
He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: Ally Ryan, come on down to the Jersey Shore and forget your troubles!
Have you recently been humilated in front of your friends and family at your former best friends birthday party? Was your almost boyfriend partly responsible for that humilation by withholding some vital information about where your estrangerd father is? Did you come home to find said estranged father sitting on your stoop?
If so, then it sounds like you could use a vacation! The Jersey Shore is the place to be. Your mother may be living with her boyfriend of only a few months, but at least the stunt Shannen pulled has put some of your friends back in your court. Even so, you're still angry and what better way to get over Jake than to blow off some steam with local guy, Cooper. People will hardly recognize your new attitude, but the old one wasn't getting you anywhere, so who cares!
Jake Graydon, an exciting opportunity is waiting for you in the service industry!
Are your grades so low your parents have grounded you for the summer? Did you the girl you really like unceremoniously leave you behind? Would you rather eat dirt than see your friends again? Then a job at the local coffee shop is just the ticket! Suprisingly, Ally's father is the new manager so you get to be reminded of her nearly every day. Maybe it's time to start flirting with your best friend's ex or even taking school a bit more seriously. Especially when you finally see Ally and she's hanging around with some loser and it's couldn't be more clear that she is over you.
My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon:
Their darkest enemies now defeated, Damen and Ever are free to embark upon their final quest—to free Damen from the poison lingering in his body. If they can just find the antidote, they’ll finally be able to feel each other’s touch—and experience the passionate night they’ve been longing for. But their fight to be together will lead them into the most formidable terrain yet…into the dark heart of Summerland.
Here in a land of scorched earth and endless rain, Ever and Damen will discover their relationship’s hidden origins, expose a secret history they never imagined…and come face to face with the true reason fate keeps tearing them apart. Only then, when the final mystery is unraveled and the last secret revealed, Ever and Damen’s future will hinge on one ultimate decision that will put everything at stake….even eternity.
Release Date: June 9, 2011
From Amazon: While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come. When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon:
Can there truly be love after death?
Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.
Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: Ally Ryan, come on down to the Jersey Shore and forget your troubles!
Have you recently been humilated in front of your friends and family at your former best friends birthday party? Was your almost boyfriend partly responsible for that humilation by withholding some vital information about where your estrangerd father is? Did you come home to find said estranged father sitting on your stoop?
If so, then it sounds like you could use a vacation! The Jersey Shore is the place to be. Your mother may be living with her boyfriend of only a few months, but at least the stunt Shannen pulled has put some of your friends back in your court. Even so, you're still angry and what better way to get over Jake than to blow off some steam with local guy, Cooper. People will hardly recognize your new attitude, but the old one wasn't getting you anywhere, so who cares!
Jake Graydon, an exciting opportunity is waiting for you in the service industry!
Are your grades so low your parents have grounded you for the summer? Did you the girl you really like unceremoniously leave you behind? Would you rather eat dirt than see your friends again? Then a job at the local coffee shop is just the ticket! Suprisingly, Ally's father is the new manager so you get to be reminded of her nearly every day. Maybe it's time to start flirting with your best friend's ex or even taking school a bit more seriously. Especially when you finally see Ally and she's hanging around with some loser and it's couldn't be more clear that she is over you.
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon:
PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.
Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.
But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else decide which book I read for English. And whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!
Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.
But don’t take my word for it. Read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.
Possession by Elana Johnson
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.
But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them….starting by brainwashed Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous: everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn.
This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.
What we keep is not always what will stay by Amanda Cockrell
Release Date: June 8, 2011 (Paperback)
From Amazon: Fifteen-year-old Angie never used to think much about God—until things started getting weird. Like the statue of St. Felix, her secret confidante, suddenly coming off his pedestal and talking to her. And Angie's mother, who's busting up her third marriage for no apparent reason. Then there's Jesse Francis, sent home from Afghanistan at age nineteen with his leg blown off. Now he's expected to finish high school and fit right back in. Is God even paying attention to any of this?
Against the advice of an increasingly vocal St. Felix (who knows a thing or two about war), Angie falls for Jesse—who's a lot deeper than most high school guys. But Jesse is battling some major demons. As his rages start to become more frequent and unpredictable, Angie finds herself losing control of the situation. And she's starting to wonder: can one person ever make things right for ?someone else?
Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.
Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.
But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else decide which book I read for English. And whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!
Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.
But don’t take my word for it. Read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.
Release Date: June 7, 2011
From Amazon: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.
But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them….starting by brainwashed Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous: everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn.
This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.
Release Date: June 8, 2011 (Paperback)
From Amazon: Fifteen-year-old Angie never used to think much about God—until things started getting weird. Like the statue of St. Felix, her secret confidante, suddenly coming off his pedestal and talking to her. And Angie's mother, who's busting up her third marriage for no apparent reason. Then there's Jesse Francis, sent home from Afghanistan at age nineteen with his leg blown off. Now he's expected to finish high school and fit right back in. Is God even paying attention to any of this?
Against the advice of an increasingly vocal St. Felix (who knows a thing or two about war), Angie falls for Jesse—who's a lot deeper than most high school guys. But Jesse is battling some major demons. As his rages start to become more frequent and unpredictable, Angie finds herself losing control of the situation. And she's starting to wonder: can one person ever make things right for ?someone else?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)