An Interview with Kiersten White

Kiersten White is the author of the fabulous book Paranormalcy. It came out today and I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions. I hope you enjoy.

1. If you had Lend's ability, what celebrity would you disguise yourself as?

   Probably DJ Lance Rock from Yo Gabba Gabba, but only to scare small children. After that, I'd say Lady Gaga, but since no one actually knows what she looks like that'd be more difficult. So maybe I'd finish up with James Earl Jones, and then I'd narrate my own audio books in his voice.

   
   

2. Is there anything you can tell us about Book 2?

   It has words. A LOT of words. Sentences, punctuation, paragraphs, chapters, you name it! I really went all-out in this book.

   As far as the story, we learn more about where Evie came from, see how she does when she gets what she thinks she wants, and meet a new character, Jack, who is determined to make things more difficult for Evie. Since her life was so easy to begin with...

   
   

3. Do you think there will be a Team Lend and Team Reth?

   I never intended that to happen, but I'm sure there will be! In fact, there already is. My editor sends me little love notes about Reth, even!

   
   

4. Does Paranormalcy have a playlist? If so, what are some of the songs on it?

   
   

   I didn't have a specific playlist, but I did listen to the hellogoodbye Pandora station while writing!

   
   

5. Any crazy edit/revision stories?

   Usually you have several months to do edits, but Harper wanted to publish Paranormalcy for their fall list so my editor asked me if I could have revisions to her within a month. I delivered them in a week. Never underestimate the power of an obsessive writer! Unfortunately that set a very dangerous precedent...in retrospect I should have at least pretended like the deadline was difficult to meet.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal.

Normal is so overrated


In the beginning of Paranormalcy, I thought it was going to be a Buffy knockoff. She had Mr. Tasey opposed to a Mr. Pointy and they were both kicking some paranormal butt! As I got into this book more, the more I started seeing the differences between it and Buffy, which made me happy. Evie was a strong character, she could be annoying at times but I generally liked her. The thing I liked most about her was that she wasn’t afraid to fight for what she believed in. She also was persistent, which is a good character trait. Lend is one of the most dreamy YA male characters that I have read in awhile. He is mysterious, kind, and down-right adorable.
I like how Evie didn’t only fight one paranormal. She fought them all! Paranormalcy was a cute book that had action and adventure too. Kiersten White wrote it all, and she wrote it well! I highly recommend this book It is definitely something that will keep you reading and make you want to go back and re-read it.

FTC- Received from publisher.

Nevermore by Kelly Craegh

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Edgar Allen Poe! I love Edgar Allen Poe, even before I read this. I think that this book could have been trimmed down in pages. At times it dragged on and I was tempted to skip parts. What kept me reading was Varen. Varen was an oh-so-interesting character. He was mysterious, artistic, and dark. Isobel kept denying to herself that she liked him, I wanted to yell at her!
For being Kelly’s first book, she did well. I like how Nevermore incorporated the darkness of Poe as well as his poems. I recommend this book to almost everybody. If you like Edgar Allen Poe, mysterious guys, and dark stories. This book if for you!

PS- This cover is just plain gorgeous. It is frightening, and draws you in!


FTC- Received from publisher.

An Interview with Kelly Creagh

Kelly Creagh is the author of Nevermore. I hope you enjoy the interview!


1.Why did you choose Edgar Allan Poe?
My character, Varen, chose Poe as the focus for his and Isobel's
English project because, as a writer, he related to Poe. From there, I
began to discover all sorts of strange things about Poe and about his
mysterious death in 1849. Soon, Edgar pushed to the forefront of the story
and maintained a steady presence.

2. Did you have a say in the cover? It is gorgeous!

Thank you. I LOVE my cover. Something that does not convey very well
on a computer screen image, is the special UV effect. When you see the book
in person, the writing overlay is a glossy raised black. It’s kind of
see-through and so spooky. I didn't have a lot of say on the cover but I'm
glad I didn't. The end result of my cover blew away everything I had ever
had in mind and I could not be happier. After you read the story, if you
take another look at the cover, you may notice subtle nuances pertaining to
the story. Also, if you look very closely at Varen's collar, you can see
"Poe" written in the overlay. I love LOVE that.

3. Is there a reason behind naming the main boy character, Varen?
I like Varen because it's not a common name. It also happens to be an
anagram for "Raven."

4. What is your favorite Poe poem?
Annabel Lee

5. Is there anything that you would like to add?
For more information about Nevermore, you should check out my website
at www.kellycreagh.com. See if you can find the hidden links. Also, there
is a free song download on my “Extras” page! The song is by Varen’s
favorite band, Cemetery Sighs, and appears on page 80 of the novel.

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. U ...more Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush. Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life. When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.


This is the first mermaid book I’ve read and my oh my, I was blown away! Tera Lynn Childs wrote the perfect summer read! I couldn’t stop reading this book, not even when I had to. I just walked around my house, book in hand, reading.
I was hooked on Quincy as soon as he was mentioned. Even though he supposedly is annoying and Lily hates him, they were bound to be one adorable couple. Lily was a strong protagonist. Despite being a mermaid, I think she is easily relatable.
Even though I predicted almost everything that happened, I love it! I think that the fact that the writing was predictable made it special. Some authors can’t pull off being predictable, but Tera Lynn Childs can!
Even an hour after I was done reading this book, I didn’t want it to end. When I found out that it’s the first book in a series, I was totally overjoyed!
The dialogue in this book was lovely. All the terms that Lily used were adorable and creative.
Forgive My Fins is a special book. It will keep a special place in my heart because it is the first book I’ve read that involves mermaids, and it made me want to seek out every Young Adult mermaid book out there! I highly recommend this book!

FTC- Received for review.

Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala

Tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one…

In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.

Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.


Tell Me a Secret was a beautifully crafted book. I had put off reading it for a long time because I was afraid I wouldn’t like it. I don’t know what on earth I was afraid of! When I originally got the book, I read the back, but I had gotten it a few months before I read it so I had totally forgotten what the book was about.
I haven’t read many teen pregnancy books, but the ones I’ve read weren’t that special to me.
Tell Me a Secret is different because it isn’t just about a teen who get’s pregnant. It’s also about families and acceptance.
Cupala wrote an addicting, fast-paced, meaningful story that was tremendously addicting. The characters were realistic and their emotions were real. She wrote a story that relates to real life perfectly, and she didn’t over do it.
My only two complaints are that you have to be in a certain mood to read it, or else you won’t really click with the story, and I didn’t cry. I love to cry while reading books, but Tell Me a Secret didn’t really hit my emotional trigger and I was hoping it would.


FTC- Received from publisher.

An Interview with Violet Haberdasher

Today I am thrilled to have Violet Haberdasher on the blog to discuss her new book Knightley Academy. It's part of a tour hosted by Tales of a Teenage Book Lover.


1. What kind of research did you do for Knightley Academy and it's characters? Are the character's based on people in real life?

I actually did very little research specifically for the series. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on social classes, Victorian society and Sherlock Holmes, and I was forever doodling "Henry Grim, Knight Detective?" in the margins of my research. My poor 19th century research thesis! I think the thing is still sulking in a corner somewhere, upset that I ran off to London with its more exciting cousin, the Victorian novel, the first chance I got!

The characters aren't really based on anyone in real life, although I did find myself in the absurd situation last year of having fallen into a group of friends who seemed as though they'd walked out of the pages of the book!

2. What was the writing process for Knightley Academy like?

I had the terrible luck to spend one summer as the only girl in a mechanical engineering lecture. I was supposed to spend my afternoons deriving equations, but I used to sneak off to a cafe and work on this novel about a group of misfits at a boarding school for knights. Simon & Schuster bought the series with only about 8 chapters written, just as I was about to graduate. I moved to London's East End and had just under 3 months to finish writing the book. I was horribly frantic about it, but I finished in time and finally got to see more of the city than its coffee shops.

3. Why did you choose the setting for Knightley Academy?

I think the setting chose me, really. I've always been a bit obsessed with Victorian London, boarding schools, knights, Harry Potter, detective stories, and those bleak dystopian novels like Brave New World and 1984. I suppose if you took everything jumbled together inside my head and turned it into a setting, you'd probably get something like "Knightley Academy" every time. I suspect 'alternate Victorian era boarding schools' is my default setting.

4. Is Knightley Academy going to be a series? If so, how many books will be in the series and have you planned them all out? What else are you currently working on?

Yes, Knightley is going to be a series. Currently, there are 3 books planned, and the second book, the Secret Battle Society, should be out in June. I thought I had the third book planned, but the second book has surprised me a bit (it turned out about 150 pages longer than I'd anticipated) so everything isn't chiseled into stone just yet. I'm currently working on finishing up the edits for Knightley2, but I definitely have a few alternate history YA books whining for attention inside my head.

Censoring: It Isn't OK.

There has been a lot of hype in the blogging world about censorship with books. This has always struck a cord with me because I’m a teen and telling us what we can and cannot read is wrong. People who believe in certain things have been commenting on different reviews and posts on book blogs what they think. I don’t mind if they comment in a civilized manor stating their opinion. But, to call the blogger names and insult books and authors is horrible. Bloggers and Authors don’t go into your place of work and criticize the things that you like.
I’m sure people who believe that there shouldn’t been sex or anything paranormal in young adult books have their reasons. I just wanted to tell you a few things.

1. I’m sorry that you think your teen doesn’t know about sex. They most likely do. If they don’t know, then they will learn eventually. Why prolong it? Wouldn’t you rather they be informed than misinformed about facts?

2. A lot of young adult books are works of fiction. Why get upset over a book that talks about vampires or reincarnation if it’s a fiction book?

3. In the current world, drugs are an issue. Everyone knows this. Stopping your teen from reading a book involving drugs won’t keep them from learning about it. Open the common gossip magazine like US Weekly or People and you might find out about celebrities being charged with drug possession. It doesn’t mean that your teen will try drugs.


4. Now to one of the most controversial topics in Young Adult literature- Homosexuality. Though I strongly dislike talking about my religious and political beliefs, with this topic, you kind of have to. I personally believe that people should be able to be with whomever they want to be with. I think that humans have an unwritten right to live happily and if that involves being with someone of the same gender, than they should be able to be with the same gender.


Ellen Hopkins who has written amazing books has recently been uninvited to a book festival because of the content of her books. People have tried banning her books because they contain drugs, homosexuality, and depression. I’ve read 3 of her books (the Crank series), all 3 books deal with the main character being addicted to Crystal Meth. Reading these books actually reinforced my decision to never try drugs ever further. It shows you that doing drugs can severally ruin your life.

As long-time readers of this blog know, my favorite author is David Levithan. All of his books have a character or multiple characters that are gay. His first book, Boy Meets Boy changed the Young Adult world by widening the range of LGBT books out there. These books don’t only help teenagers come out and tell people about who they really are. They are also about hope, being accepted, what it means to be human, and so much more.

Those of you who are new to this blog. I would just like to introduce myself.

Hi! My name is Zoe, I’m a 14 year old teen who loves reading controversial books. I’m a free-minded person who believes strongly in freedom (both freedom of speech and freedom in general). I believe that people should be able to read whatever they would like to read. I believe that teens can make the right decisions for themselves, and if not, that they will learn from their mistakes. I believe that even the darkest books can make us feel alive. I believe that reading banned books makes us stronger.

My parents trust me to make my own decision about what to read. If I come across something while reading that I don’t think I can handle, be it something involving sex or violence, I take the initiative to stop reading.

If you have any comments about this post or would like to share with me your opinion on censoring. Or why you censor. Please, feel free to email me at zaser_jam AT yahoo DOT com. I strongly encourage your emails and will read every one of them.
(The AT and DOT should be replaced by the actual symbols, writing the words help prevent spam)

Everything said in this post is solely my opinion.

Winners of Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith Ready

So, I have 7 winners who will get a copy of Bring On The Night by Jeri Smith Ready. These winners are-


CAROL


YAN


SARA


JESSY


VIDISHA


DONNA


BREANNA


Congratulations to the winners!

Dear Anjali by Melissa Glenn Haber

In this realistic novel of loss and love, a 12-year-old girl whose best friend has died writes her letters as she tries to cope with life without her.

Despite this book being middle grade (which I usually don’t like), I really liked it! Every time I’ve tried to write this review I didn’t. I’m guessing it’s because it is such a meaningful story. Meredith is a twelve year-old girl (only two years younger than myself) who has just lost her best friend. The letters that she writes to her deceased friend Anjali are amazing. They capture the emotion perfectly. Throughout the story secrets get awakened which cause Meredith to doubt her and Anjali’s friendship. She explains in the letters how mad she is and the letters start morphing into how it would be if she were actually talking to Anjali.
Melissa Glenn Haber did a wonderful job writing this book. She captures how difficult it is to be growing up. The emotional turmoil, the constant wonder of who you are, and the struggle that any kid has growing up. Not only is this book about a pre-teen who has lost her best friend, but it’s also about self-discovery and what it means to have a best friend.
I love how the author didn’t play-down anything because younger kids “wouldn’t be able to handle it”. Dear Anjali is truthful and honest. When you have a friend that dies your depressed, life sucks for a long long time, and Melissa Glenn Haber wasn’t afraid to acknowledge that.
I can also successfully say that this is probably the only middle grade book that will make me cry. By the last page my eyes were watering. Melissa Glenn Haber wrote a lovely book. I applaud her for writing something as meaningful as this.

FTC- Received from publisher.

Torchwood and Doctor Who and Sci-Fi, Oh My!

Since I am trying to post something every day on here and I desperately need to write reviews because I have none. Today I'm going to talk about two of the things I love as much as books/writing. Those two things are Doctor Who and Torchwood. I know I've talked about Doctor Who in the past on here, but I don't believe that I've ever talked about Torchwood.

So, Doctor Who is about a 925 *or so* year old Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels through time and space in a TARDIS *Time and Relative Dimension(s) in Space*.In the new seasons, so far there have been 3 Doctors. Doctor #9 is played by Christopher Eccleston, #10 *and my favorite* is played by David Tennant, and #11 is played by Matt Smith.
Torchwood is a spin-off of Doctor Who about five people who help fight aliens that come to Cardiff which is on time-rift.

The leader of Torchwood is named Captain Jack Harkness (played by John Barrowman). I'm currently watching Season 2 of Torchwood and it is amazing.
These shows are two of the only science fiction type things I like. I also watch Eureka and Haven, but Torchwood and Doctor Who are my all-time favorite of all of the sci-fi show's I've seen. If you haven't seen them, I strongly recommend them.

These shows are filled with wonder, wit, and excitement.
I also wanted to share with you all something that is really special to me. A few months ago someone I know *who shall remain nameless for the sake of identity and such* surprised me with this picture.

In the picture is John Barrowman (Captain Jack on Torchwood with the occasional appearance on Doctor Who*.

One morning before I went off to school I decided to log into facebook to just check a few things. Little did I know that this picture and a video of him saying hi to me, would be waiting. Needless to say I danced around my room, instant messaged everyone who was on facebook at the time, then cried because I was so happy. To some people this may seem melodramatic. But, this picture had been posted during one of the most stressful school days I had last year.

Now it's list time!

Reasons Why You Should Watch Doctor Who and Torchwood-

-Doctor Who has been on air for over 20 years. That's proof in itself that it's an amazing show.
-Both shows talk about space and there's always a lingering feeling of getting away and seeing the world. Isn't that why a lot of people like reading? An escape? These shows are the perfect ones.
-Mystery? Action? Comedy? Time Travel? Oh yeah. They have it all.
-The acting in both shows is incredible!
-People write songs about these shows. Called Trock. Time-Lord Rock.


Other shows I enjoy watching that are Science Fiction and amazing are *as I've mentioned before* Eureka and Haven. With the occasional appearance made by Being Human.
Here is the video (it's from a few months ago so the Desperate Housewives thing has already aired)-




As The Tenth Doctor would say...

Allons-y!

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi of The Story Siren.


For Review-
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden
The Haunted by Jessica Verday
Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie


Bought-
The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa *already read this, it's amazing!*
Remember Me (three books in one) by Christopher Pike *already read*
The Fallen: Book 1 by Thomas Sniegoski

Toast Says It All

Toast Says It All is a weekly meme that I started a few months ago but stopped doing do to a busy schedule. Now, with the encouragement of Khy and Erica, I'm bringing it back. In Toast Says It All, I spotlight some of my favorite reviews, interviews, twitter accounts, and other various things from the past week. The name Toast is a nickname that some people call me.


Made of Awesome Reviews

Rae- review by Khy of Frenetic Reader
Will Grayson, Will Grayson- review by Kristi of The Story Siren
Salvaged- review by Erica of The Book Cellar
Stolen- review by Irish of Ticket to Anywhere

Made of Awesome Interviews

An Interview with Chelsea Swiggett- Interview by The Bookologist
An Interview with Kirsten Miller- Interview by Bloody Bookaholic
Twitter Accounts of the Week

@heidirkling
@hannahmosk
@juliekagawa

Favorite Blog Post(s)

Catt's from The Dreamer Reader's trailer for Boy Saves Girl by Steph Bowe


In Other News

Kristi of The Story Siren is spotlighting LGBT books and authors on her blog, which you can find here.

Books Read So Far This Week

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
The Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block
Remember Me by Christopher Pike
The Return by Christopher Pike
The Last Story by Christopher Pike
Break by Hannah Moskovitz
Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala
RAGE: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters

Currently Reading

Enders Game by Orson Scott Card *school book*

The Lack of Musicals in Young Adult Books

I am a big musical theater person. To this date, I’ve only actually bin in one play (Snow White in 4th grade, I played the dwarf Doc.) and it didn’t have singing, but let’s face it, I didn’t want to make the audience suffer.
I love watching Musicals though. And singing along (very badly, might I add).
So one day when I was listening to one of my musical soundtracks*, I thought to myself …
“Zoe, what happened to musicals in Young Adult books?”
Which got me thinking.
What HAS happened to musicals in YA books?

The only musical YA books I’ve read are-

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Castration Celebration

Even though both are amazing books, I think we need more musicals in YA!
Sure, there are books that have characters that enjoy playing guitar or are music fanatics, but none of them SING.

I would love to sit down and read a Young Adult book and suddenly the main character breaks into song while on the computer (or something of that nature).

If any of you know of any other YA Musical books, leave them in the comments!

Xo,
Zoe

*The soundtrack could have been either Wicked, Rent, Spring Awakening, or American Idiot. Possibly Glee.

The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols

Cute, available, and one cabin over.... Lori lives for summertime on the lake. She spends all season wakeboarding, swimming, and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties in the house next door. With the Vader brothers, Lori's always been one of the guys. But while Lori and the "baby" brother, Adam, are inseparable friends, she can't deny a secret crush on Sean, the older Vader boy. This year Sean's been paying Lori a lot of attention, and not in a brotherly way. But just as Lori decides to prove to Sean she's girlfriend material, she realizes that her role as girl friend to Adam may be even more important. And by trying so hard for the perfect summer romance, she could be going way overboard...



Out of all of Jennifer Echols’ books *which is all but one* I think this is one of my list favorites. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved it. But, it just seemed a bit predictable. Every time I guessed what would happen next, I was right. In some cases I think that that is a good thing, but in this case it isn’t.
The Boys Next Door was a good ole’ fashion romantic comedy novel. It’s hard not to like them because they are all the joys of a soap opera- in a book.
Me being a California Girl, loved the beach scene. It was a magical setting that made the book flow well. The descriptions were magnificent as well as the characters. I have yet to find a book written by Jennifer Echols’ that I dislike.


FTC- Bought

Waiting on Wednesday

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
April 19, 2011
Simon Pulse

Across four sun-kissed drama-drenched summers at his family's beach house, Chase tries to come to grips with his family's slow dissolution while also finding himself in a chaotic love triangle, pitted against his own brother in pursuit of the girl next door. Invincible Summer is a gritty, sexy, page-turning read from a talented teenaged author that readers won't want to miss.


Summer! Drama! Love triangles! Do I need another reason to want this?


Waiting on Wednesday was starting by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

Teaser Tuesday

This is a different work in progress, so it hasn't been posted yet. I was going to post some of the same story as my last teaser, but I couldn't find a part that I wanted to post. This is a ninja/werewolf novel that I'm also writing.... *this is in two points of view- Veronica (Rory) and Lukas* The bold is when it switches perspectives.

Rory

Dear Veronica,
The administration of ninja werewolf hunters and I are pleased to send you on your next mission. This mission will take place in Mansfield, Washington. You are set to leave in approximately eleven days. You can either convince your parents to come with you on this mission (without letting them know your real motives) or the administration at N.W.H. will be happy to find you either a host family or your own place to stay. Remember when setting up plans for this trip, you must be secretive about everything. Nobody outside of the N.W.H can hear about what you are going to do. We believe that you should cut off most, if not all of your relationships with the people here.
I will email you further information related to this mission tomorrow. You will have tonight to think about what you are going to do about your housing situation in Mansfield. You must get back to us tomorrow so we can plan everything accordingly. Good luck, we look forward to your email.

Best,
Administration of Ninja Werewolf Hunters




Lukas

Dear Lukas Wells,
We regret to inform you that your families werewolf pack is in severe danger. The Administration of Werewolf Protection (A.W.P.) believes that someone may try to threaten the werewolf population in Mansfield, Washington. It is your duty, as the youngest living member of the Wells’ werewolf heritage to stop whoever is planning the attack on the Mansfield Pack.
We believe that training the pack for this sort of attack is necessary. As you are probably aware, the Mansfield Pack is one of the most significant Packs in Washington and to compromise its status by getting everyone in it killed, would not be ideal.

Good Luck,
The Administration of Werewolf Protection

Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

The object of envy and desire, Charlotte Emerson seems to have the perfect life...but she’s been dead for almost a century. When a new romance conve...more The object of envy and desire, Charlotte Emerson seems to have the perfect life...but she’s been dead for almost a century. When a new romance converges with the return of her first love, Charlotte becomes the subject of a dark bargain that might give her the only thing she’s ever coveted—the chance to be human again.

This is the first book I’ve read by Francesca Lia Block. Her style of writing is incredibly poetic. This book had a bit of a twist. It was kind of a typical vampire book, but some of the things that happen, you wouldn’t expect. Charlotte annoyed me quite a bit. The fact that she had everything, annoyed me. For once, I would like to meet main vampire-character that lived on the street and had a really bad life. What annoyed me even more than that, was that Charlotte was modest about it. It’s common knowledge that she has a lot of material items, which is why I don’t understand why she can’t just admit it.
That being said, I liked how this book was worded and written. Like I stated previously, it was very poetic. I was hooked from the first two sentences… “Teenage girls are powerful creatures. I remember; I was once one of them.” The second line may be a bit stereotypical for my taste, but it was the perfect start to this novel.
This book is fairly small, I read it in one sitting. The characters are complex, daring, and very honest. It starts out inside the main characters direct thought process, which I always love reading. The romance in this book was ridiculously well written, it is definitely not for young teens. This wasn’t my favorite book, but I liked it a lot.

FTC- Received from publisher.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a feature that was started by Kristi of The Story Siren.


Bought

7 Souls by Barnabas Miller and Jordan Orlando


For Review

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins
Love Sucks! by Melissa Francis
Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block
You by Charles Benoit ~two copies~


Book Faerie

So Shelly by Ty Roth


Swag

A signed poster for Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
A poster that has a poem about book banning that was written by Ellen Hopkins

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER? There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up ...more WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER? There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.


Jennifer Echols is officially one of my all-time favorite authors. Forget You was my favorite book written by her. The main character, Zoey (I love Echols’ name choice, despite the spelling of course!) is written beautifully. Her emotions were realistic and put across really well. All of Jenifer Echols’ books have fantastic male leads, Doug was no different. The banter that Doug and Zoey went back and forth with was fun to read! Zoey was so oblivious to Doug’s feelings, I just wanted to jump into the book and yell at her!
The whole concept of Forget You, that involved Zoey’s temporary amnesia was really fascinating to me. It was the perfect way to add mystery to the story. A lot of the book is really spent guessing what happened.
I have re-read this book numerous times since first reading it, and it never get’s old. Forget You is sure to be a book that you will remember. Even weeks after reading it, it hasn’t left my head.
I loved this book, it is a special work of Young Adult fiction that will capture the hearts of readers everywhere. I highly recommend it, along with any other Jennifer Echols book you can get your hands on.


FTC- Received from publisher.

Rae by Chelsea Rae Swiggett

When you're fourteen and trying to deal with the highs, lows, traumas, and humiliations that go along with being a high school freshman, having severe anxiety can become all consuming. Chelsea Rae Swiggett's anxiety has affected every area of her life—school, family, friendships, and romance—ultimately pushing her to lose her voice, withdrawal from everyday life and school, and develop an eating disorder.

The sounds of planes flying overhead could spark a panic attack and something as simple as being called on in class could push her over the edge, convinced that everyone was judging her, mocking her. Faking sickness so she could stay home became her only solution, since she'd rather do anything than face the reality of what happened behind the school's double doors. Rae tells a story all-too-many teens today relate to—what it feels like to see the world through a lens of constant debilitating fear, anxiety, and stress.


Rae is a memoir that was written by Chelsea of The Page Flipper. It’s about her struggle with Anxiety and Social Phobia. As soon as I got this book, I ran to my room and started to read. When I was not-far into it, I started to realize how different the book would be from what I usually read, since I have never read a memoir before.
I found that with some things, I could relate to Chelsea and what she went through. When reading it, I didn’t feel as if I was reading about a stranger. The way that Chelsea wrote it is like she is inviting you into her life to hear about her story. Even though it’s not easy to read about what she went through, reading the book was easy. The writing was fluid and everything was explained well.
I love this book. I love the fact that Chelsea was willing to share her story with us. I love the fact that it will give teens something they can relate to. I strongly recommend reading it.

FTC- Bought.

The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols

Brace yourself for the battle of the exes... Hayden and Nick used to be a hot item, but their brief affair ended with a highly publicized breakup. Now the two are "just friends," excluding the occasional flirtation. When Hayden wins the girls' division of a local snowboarding competition, Nick is unimpressed, claiming that Hayden wouldn't have a chance against a guy. Hayden calls Nick's bluff and challenges him to a head-to-head boarding contest. Their mutual friends quickly take sides, the girls on Hayden's and the boys on Nick's, making for an all-out battle of the sexes. This friendly competition is bound to get heated—and they might end up igniting some old flames.


This book was completely adorable! Simon Pulse romantic comedies are one of my favorite things to read because reading them is so… effortless. Hayden was an interesting character, despite being a little repetitive and annoying at times. Her determination with snow boarding was admirable, and her fear of heights is something that I could personally relate to. Nick was cute! Even in the beginning when he was portrayed as being really mean, I loved him.
Jennifer Echols is an amazing author. All of the characters that she writes are perfect. The Ex Games was super addicting, I finished reading it in a mater of hours. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a nice winter- love story. I adored it and I hope you will too.


FTC- Received from publisher.

New Mockingbirds Cover!

I saw this released on Amazon and I thought I would post it...

The new cover of The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney!



I LOVE this book. It is amazing. It comes out November 2, of this year.

Waiting on Wednesday

All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz
January 1, 2011
HarperTeen

What happens when a city girl is transplanted onto a ramshackle organic farm in the middle of nowhere? Everything.

Sixteen-year-old Roar ha...more What happens when a city girl is transplanted onto a ramshackle organic farm in the middle of nowhere? Everything.

Sixteen-year-old Roar has been yanked from her city life and suddenly she’s a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one, selling figs at the farmers' market and developing her photographs in a rickety shed. And then she witnesses a crime that will throw the whole community into an uproar. Caught among the lure of a troublemaking friend, her love for a brooding boy, and her complicated feelings about her father’s human rights crusade, Roar is going to have to tackle it all. And with a camera around her neck, she’s capturing it all, too.

I loved Yvonne Prinz's previous book; The Vinyl Princess. A little known fact about me is that I love photography, which automatically made me want to read this book. Not to mention the cover. I LOVE the cover. The whole sideways-angle-camera-thing is artistic and interesting. I can't wait to read this!



Waiting on Wednesday is a meme started by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

Paisley Hanover Kisses and Tells by Cameron Tuttle

The election results are in—and totally UnExpected. Now the UnPops are picketing, the Pops are preening, and Paisley’s sophomore year is a bust—again. But when best frienemy Jen’s reputation takes a beating by viral text, Paisley’s pity party is over. She rolls out a new undercover plan to save Jen’s rep, and in the process, follows her heart into a crazy complicated love triangle.
Can she pull off the biggest coup since Miss UnPleasant turned the Pleasant Hill High social hierarchy on its big fat head? Hello double-crossers, good-bye double standards! Paisley Hanover is back—pucker up!



This book seemed to move really slow. There were parts that I tried my hardest not to skip. I liked the whole notion that the UnPops made. They were willing to fight for what they believe in, like many teens. They were UnStoppable! Paisley had wonderful charisma which made the books fun to read. I usually like sequels less than the first book in a series, and unfortunately, this was also the case with Paisley Hanover Kisses and Tells. I wanted to love it, I really did. It seemed to me that the story was amazing, as was the writing. I also loved the characters and wanted the best for them. The book just didn’t work for me because no matter how long I read it, every time I looked at how much I’d read. The progress was really little.
This book is good for people who liked the first one. The characters were well written, but it didn't really "wow" me.

FTC- Received from publisher.

Paisley Hanover Acts Out by Cameron Tuttle

Always one of the popular kids, sophomore Paisley Hanover gets a rude awakening when she’s booted out of yearbook and into the badlands of drama class. Out of her element but only momentarily out of ideas, Paisley takes action—and an unexpected liking to her drama buddies. The result? An undercover crusade that could bring down the popularity pecking order, and Paisley along with it.

This is the story of how Paisley Hanover gets wise, gets bold, and gets into a hilarious mess of trouble. With a package as fresh and clever as Paisley herself— including a cool slipcase, a fabulous novel, and Paisley’s notebook of embarrassingly funny ideas and doodles—it’s the start of a series that embraces the “Un” in UnUsual.

After hearing all of the buzz about the Paisley Hanover books, I finally decided to pick myself up a copy. At first I didn’t like the books. Paisley seemed to act a bit childish and not very intelligent. She was all about popularity and gossip. To me it seemed that the same behavior occurred throughout the book, which became a growing pet peeve of mine.
I also felt like the book would drone on in parts. I don’t really want to know what Paisley does to get ready for her day, if it doesn’t have to do with the story line in the book (I’m not saying this particular example happened, it is just an example).
That being said, I did enjoy reading it. It was a step away from my normal life, which is always refreshing. Paisley was an interesting character to read about. Even though she annoyed me, I found parts of her school life really fun to read about. She is a character that’s easy to relate to, which is also a good thing.
I think in order to read this book successfully, you need to be in the right mind-set. I recommend it to teen girls.

FTC- Bought.

Books Read in July

I read a lot of books this month *compared to how many I usually read*. Here they are in order of when they were read-


The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
Paisley Hanover Acts Out by Cameron Tuttle
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland
iDrakula by Bekka Black
Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
Killer by Sara Shepard
Heartless by Sara Shepard
Wanted by Sara Shepard
Freak Magnet by Andrew Auseon
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Rae by Chelsea Rae Swiggett
The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols
Paisley Hanover Kisses and Tells by Cameron Tuttle
The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols
Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
Forget You by Jennifer Echols
The Eternal Ones by Kiersten Miller


Total Books Read This Month- 20


Total Books Read This Year- 80