Love, Love, Love by Deborah Reber and Caroline Goode

Two sweet stories about finding your one true love.

In Language of Love, Janna is quickly adapting to life in Seattle as a high school exchange student from Hungary. Or at least Julian, the cute boy she met in a coffee shop, thinks she is. The truth is, he overheard Janna using a phony accent, and now she’s stuck playing the part….Will Julian want to be with the real Janna? Or will she discover that lies don’t always translate to love?

In Cupidity, high school is the single worst place to find a boyfriend. And Laura Sweeney is no exception. She hasn't had a date since...well, ever. So Laura needs guidance. A proven "get the guy" strategy. Luckily she knows exactly the expert to call. He's a matchmaking mastermind who actually has the bow and arrow to prove it. Let's just call him...Cupid.

 

I love Simon and Schuster Romantic Comedies and this is a compilation of two of them (yay). Both books were really fast reads, which is always a good thing. Both of them were also really adorable, which is really what I look for in a RoCom- good writing and an adorable story.

Despite the cliches in Language of Love, the characters were all really well written. I really enjoyed how much Janna transformed throughout the course of the novel. Despite it’s occasional predictability, Language of Love surprised me quite a bit. The first book in this two-book-compilation was cute, funny, and my favorite of the two.

The second book included in Love, Love, Love was titled Cupidity (I love the title!). This is a total beach read. It is cute, has Roman gods, and was humorous. The thing it was lacking was character development. The characters all seemed flat and I couldn’t connect with them. That was my singular problem with this book. Other than that, Cupidity was a cute novel that I enjoyed reading.

Out of the two, Language of Love was my favorite- because the characters were better developed and improved throughout the story. I recommend Love, Love, Love to people who are looking for two quick, cute, humorous novels!

FTC- Received from publisher on behalf of one of the authors.

Currently I’m…

I stole this from Khy, who stole it from Jordyn- so that’s fun.

Current Book: Bitter End by Jennifer Brown. Jennifer’s first book Hate List was totally freaking amazing so I’m really excited to be reading Bitter End. I’m only 50 pages in, but I’ve heard amazing things about it so I’m happy!

Current Playlist: Music has been playing nonstop in the office (I don’t really have an office, but I want a name for where I work. Let’s name it ToastHeadquarters). So music has been playing 24/7 in ToastHeadquarters which means my playlists are never-ending. The song I’ve been listening to is from the amazing and historical musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. You can find the song here, but I warn you- there are curse words. I also have a playlist account and if you want to see that, you can see it here.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: I don’t even know. Re-watching 10 Things I Hate About You and Gilmore Girls nonstop?

Current Color: Black, Purple, and the dark tealish color that is my blog background. It’s also on one of the walls of my room.

Current Drink: Hot tea. I’m nearly out of my English Breakfast Tea though, so I need to get more of that.

Current Food: I really want lasagna or pizza right now.

Current Favorite Show: I’m watching Charmed for the first time!

Current Wishlist: School to be over, my homework to be over, to sleep, to have time to read.

Current Needs: Sleep.

Current Bane of My Existance: School, homework, sleep.

Current Celebrity Girl-Crush Boy Crush: I don’t even know. There are SO MANY. *sighangstyteengirlsigh*

Giveaways and Homework Help

You know I love you blog readers. You know I also love giveaways (I mean, honestly who doesn’t love giveaways? They are amazing.)  You may not know this, but I’m out of school on June 1st. That means I have final projects and such. So this post comes to you in three parts.

Part One- Giveaways.

I have this amazing giveaway going on right now that I’m really happy about. It ends May 31st. You can be one of two winners to get an ARC of Wildefire by Karsten Knight. You can enter it here.

I also have a birthday coming up (June 17th), which means I’m going to be having a giveaway then, too. I already know one of the books I’m going to be giving away but I don’t know the other one(s). Along with something I will be talking about next, I’m going to have a form on this post where you can tell me a book that you think I should giveaway for my birthday. I would prefer it be paperback, but hardback is fun too.

Part Two- Homework Help.

So because it is near the end of school, I have a final project that I’m working on for journalism class. I would love your help on this project. I have to create a newspaper (I have to write articles, add’s, etc.) and I need help thinking of ideas for news articles. This isn’t just any newspaper. This newspaper has a theme that I’m really close to. Most of the articles that will be in it I want to be reading/writing based.

I’m going to put a form at the end of this post and I would be so incredibly grateful if you all had any ideas for news articles that I can write for my newspaper. Who knows, I may even post the paper online for you to read if you want.

Part Three- Summer.

Summer is upon us, and summertime equals reading time for me. This means that I will hopefully be working my booty off to make this blog as good as it can possibly be. If you have any suggestions for me about what you think I should remove/add/do in terms of blogging and the layout of Zoe’s Book Reviews, there will be a spot on the form to tell me!

 

Thank you all so much and I really really hope that you’ll help me with these things.

A Season of Eden by Jennifer Laurens

He's my teacher. I shouldn't be alone with him. But I can't help that he's irresistible.
I let the door silently close at my back. He stared at me, and a taut quiet stretched between us. "I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him. He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?" The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed. "Eden." My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them. "Is it okay?" I asked. His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking. "Let me stay," I said. "Please." "You're going to get me in trouble," he said.

 

A Season of Eden left me totally breathless. I had been meaning to read it for awhile and what better time to read it than for the Teen Book Scene Tour?

This novel was everything I thought it would be and more. Eden was a captivating main character and you can’t help but fall in love with Mr. Christian. I read A Season of Eden in one sitting and it had me staying up until 2am because I wanted to finish it.

A Season of Eden has an air of anticipation in every page. As the reader, I felt like I shouldn’t be liking this story because it’s a student/teacher relationship and well, those are bad. I honestly couldn’t help but fall hopelessly in love with this story. I was rooting for Mr. Christian and Eden and their wildly unconventional relationship.

Though there isn’t anything dirty or graphic, the sexual tension between both characters is there and Jennifer Laurens did such an amazing job writing it. One of the things I liked about this novel was that the characters were aware and cautious of what they were doing. They knew that nothing could happen because of him being a teacher and her being a student.

I haven’t been able to get this book out of my mind since finishing it, and that it truly the sign of a good book. I can’t recommend it enough, and I can’t wait to read more books by Jennifer Laurens!

FTC- Received from author for a book tour.

Guest Post: Micol Ostow

Today, as a part of the Teen Book Scene tours- I have Micol Ostow here to talk about the emotional part of writing her new book, Family.

 

It was really hard to write family! The voice, style, and subject matter were totally new to me as a writer. I learned quickly that the writing process would be different for this book. 

For starters, while I'd been writing mostly in public spaces -- the library, a local cafe, a shared writers' space -- but with this book, I really needed total peace and quiet. So the bulk of family was written in my home, which was a change. It's actually shifted my entire routine -- for the most part, I almost always write from home these days.

I also found that I was better off writing first thing in the morning, where in the past, I'd work after the coffee/gym/errands morning routine.family seemed to flow better before I let the rest of the world intrude. Now, on writing days, I try to get to the computer straightaway -- no email, no phone, no Internet. It makes a difference!

Personally, I also found it helpful to read things that had a similar tone or style to what I was trying to write -- dark books, books dealing with edgier themes, etc. It was an intense period -- maybe I could have used a romantic comedy break or two! -- but reading the dark stuff was how I kept myself in the right frame of mind. 

I also read a lot of free verse. I hadn't spent much time before then reading or studying poetry, and I wanted to familiarize myself with the genre as best as I could. 

And last but not least, it was important for me to have a ritual for Ending the Day, creating a separation between being in the book, and in the real world. If I could, I made plans to see friends. Or, I'd take the dog for a long walk, and pick up some wine and some food to cook for dinner for my husband and myself. Sometimes as a self-employed writer, it's hard to set limits, and to put work aside. So making the end of the day official was really helpful for me.   

Wildefire Giveaway!

Hey everyone!

Today I have two Advanced Reader Copies of Wildefire by Karsten Knight to giveaway! To enter, all you have to do is fill out the form below. Here is a little bit about Wildefire-

Every flame begins with a spark.
Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

There are no extra entries, though I would appreciate it if you tweeted about this giveaway and followed my blog.

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

 

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.
Until the accident.
Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.
She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.
Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

 

I love Elizabeth Scott’s books, I always have. When I first started reading Between Here and Forever, my first thought was that it was a little weird. Abby’s fascination with here sister was a little scary because of how obsessive it was. I loved her as a character, I really did- but at some points in the story, she just took it too far.

Reading about Abby and Eli was really interesting. I liked being able to see how each of them improved throughout the course of the story. Elizabeth Scott is excellent at making you connect with the characters in her novels, and my oh my- I felt like these characters and I were best friends for life.

My only complaint about this book is that at times I felt a little lost. I don’t have much to say about this book because I can’t find many things wrong with it. The writing was addicting and I could really feel for the characters and what they were going through. Elizabeth Scott never fails to impress me with anything she writes. I can’t recommend this book enough!

FTC- Publisher.

Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson

Three days before her drama club's trip to Italy, Jessa Gardner discovers her boyfriend in the costume barn with another girl. Jessa is left with a care package from her best friend titled "Top Twenty Reasons He's a Slimy Jerk Bastard," instructing her to do one un-Jessa-like thing each day of the trip. At turns hilarious and heartwrenching, Instructions for a Broken Heart paints a magical Italy in which Jessa learns she must figure out life-and romance-for herself.

Kim Culbertson is an author I’ve been wanting to read since her first book came out.

Instructions for a Broken Heart really captured me and a truly enjoyed reading it. It’s adorable and I love that it was set in Italy. After reading this book, I definitely want to read Kim’s first novel. Though once I got into it I really loved reading it, Instructions for a Broken Heart started off pretty slow.

Kim Culbertson did an amazing job writing all of the characters. Jessa (I love that name!) was a really unique character and I loved how much she learned about herself and those around her throughout the book.

This book remains adorable throughout the whole thing. It’s hard not to have an adorable novel when the setting is Italy, but Instructions of a Broken Heart was particularly adorable. I loved how well Kim Culbertson described the setting. I’ve never been to Italy, but after reading this, I definitely want to go there as soon as possible!

I recommend Instructions for a Broken Heart to people who are looking for a cute book that has a lot of deep meaning hidden beneath it’s well-written pages.

FTC- Publisher.

The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld

Summary for the first book in the series, Uglies (summary taken from Goodreads)-

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

When I looked and saw that I had never reviewed any of the Uglies books by Scott Westerfeld, I was outraged. So I thought that writing a review of the whole series, just in time for the new paperbacks to be released- would work well. Before I start this review, I want to talk covers.

Covers-

The old "Uglies” book covers will always hold a special place in my heart because those covers are the ones I picked up 4 years ago when I stumbled in to my schools book faire. I like how the old books were mysterious and dark and just overall good covers. However, I also really like the new ones (pictures on the right). I think they capture the feel of the series well, while still looking really interesting and following some of the trends that are now common in YA book covers.

Characters-

The characters this series are so wonderfully conflicted-and I loved them all. I admit, every time I reread these book, half the time I have an overwhelming need to slap the characters. I loved how Tally was such a non-rebel in the beginning of the first book, but I liked how throughout the series she grew to be a well-rounded character. All of the other characters who show up in the series- Shay, Zane, Peris, David- are all written so wonderfully, I can’t give Scott Westerfeld enough praise.

Plot-

This was the first dystopian novel I ever read, and it’s probably still my favorite dystopian novel (The Hunger Games and Wither are both in a really close second). I like how Scott Westerfeld took a part of society that is relevant (plastic surgery) and puts it to a drastic extreme. These books talk about things that could potentially happen in the future. It isn’t too far off that you don’t believe it, but it’s distant enough that it becomes dystopian.

Overall-

I cannot even tell you how much I recommend these books. If you are reluctant to read or enjoy just good literature, I recommend them. These books are some of the first YA books that I read, and I liked them at a point in time where I didn’t really like to read. If you have read the Uglies books, I recommend you read Scott’s other books (Peeps, So Yesterday, The Last Days, Levithan (and the other books in the Leviathan series), and The Midnighters books. I promise that you won’t regret it. My copies of all the Uglies books are completely falling apart from me reading them so much, and I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did.

Edit- Someone just reminded me of this, but the slang in these books is also really awesome. It's a mix of Australian slang and slang that Scott Westerfeld made up. After you read these books, you will be using the slang for weeks afterward.

FTC- Bought.

Best Wishes,

Zoe-la

Family by Micol Ostow

i have always been broken.
i could have. died.
and maybe it would have been better if i had.
It is a day like any other when seventeen-year-old Melinda Jensen hits the road for San Francisco, leaving behind her fractured home life and a constant assault on her self-esteem. Henry is the handsome, charismatic man who comes upon her, collapsed on a park bench, and offers love, a bright new consciousness, and—best of all—a family. One that will embrace her and give her love. Because family is what Mel has never really had. And this new family, Henry’s family, shares everything. They share the chores, their bodies, and their beliefs. And if Mel truly wants to belong, she will share in everything they do. No matter what the family does, or how far they go.
Told in episodic verse, family is a fictionalized exploration of cult dynamics, loosely based on the Manson Family murders of 1969. It is an unflinching look at people who are born broken, and the lengths they’ll go to to make themselves “whole” again.

This book is creepy. So, so creepy. I wanted to read it fast just so I could get out of the world because it scared me so much. Micol Ostow is a fabulous writer and I applaud her for writing this book because if I were writing it, I probably would have gone crazy.

This is one of my favorite novels so far this year because it is so raw and haunting. I mean, look at the cover. Really look at it. Take in everything, because when I first saw it I didn’t take in everything about it. I didn’t notice those blood stains. It’s a perfect representation of this brilliant piece of literature.

Henry was one of the most scary of all the characters. The way Melinda and her “family” idolized him was creepy in itself. I found it incredibly hard to get through Family because of it being about a cult, I was scared to read more. I think it is a book that needed to be released into the world of Young Adult literature because it can teach a lot about cults and society in general.

I think that every teen (and adult) should read Family. It is haunting, raw, and completely addicting. Micol Ostow wrote one of the best YA books of 2011 so far.

FTC- Publisher.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

I just read this series and I’m really mad at myself that I didn’t read it sooner. I had heard so many people rave about the Mortal Instruments books that I was really wary to start them. But let me tell you, once I started reading this series I couldn’t stop. Clary is so… real, despite not being like anybody I know.

I loved the whole storyline of City of Bones. The Shadowhunters and the mundanes and all of the other character-types in the story were so interesting and I loved reading about them. My only real complaint about this book isn’t really a complaint at all. I didn’t like how much sleep I lost while staying up reading the books in the series. I read City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, and City of Fallen Angels in four days- so a book a day.

Needless to say, I completely recommend this series to everyone- though only to mature readers. Cassandra Clare has quickly climbed up to being one of my favorite authors!

FTC- Bought.

Die for Me by Amy Plum

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

This book completely captured me from page one. Before reading it, I had heard tons and tons of good things about Die for Me so I had really high expectations. My expectations were completely met. Kate was written really well and I couldn’t wait to see what she was going to do next.

I normally don’t really like paranormal books because they generally seem to follow the same pattern, but Die for Me didn’t do that. It had the strong female lead that many paranormals lack, and the writing was just as amazing as the plot. Vincent was *so* lovely. He was like the paranormal version of Etienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss. It is amazing.

I read Die for Me and a night where I had to go to school in the morning, because it was just so addicting. Needless to say, I completely recommend this book to everyone. It’s addicting, well written, and completely riveting!

FTC- Publisher.

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

I should really be doing homework right now, but I felt like writing a review- so here it goes.

The Shade series are the only books I’ve read by Jeri Smith-Ready and I truly have been meaning to read her other books, I just haven’t gotten around to it. These books are the perfect ones to read if you’re looking to start a new series and you want to just dive in and be immersed in the author’s well put together world. I loved the first book in the series Shade (which is out in paperback now, so that’s even more reason you should go read it) and I loved Shift just as much.

The only real problem I have with this story is the main character Aura. She is a lovely girl and all of her emotions are written really well, I just don’t really like her. Aura can be a bit annoying at times and is really indecisive. She’s stuck in this riveting love triangle between Logan, the long-time love interest who can be a jerk and Zachary, who’s lovely and real and has an accent (ooh la la). Personally, I’m a Patrick fan so I am completely biased when it comes to talking about Logan- so I’m not really going to get into that.

Other than my dislike for Aura, I really love this series. I can’t wait for the third one, Shine to come out next year. Jeri Smith-Ready does a lovely job writing all of the characters and dealing with this crazy amazing world she has set up. I’m not a big paranormal fan, but Shade and Shift are definitely books that I would recommend to anyone.

FTC- Publisher.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

 

Another town. Another school. Another Mclean. Ever since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her father have been fleeing their unhappy past. And Mclean's become a pro at reinventing herself with each move. But in Lakeview, Mclean finds herself putting down roots and making friends—in part, thanks to Dave, the most real person Mclean's ever met. Dave just may be falling in love with her, but can he see the person she really is? Does Mclean herself know?

 

Sarah Dessen has done it again! What Happened to Goodbye is yet another spot on representation of am amazing YA book. Dessen uses the same formula for all of her books, which can be annoying for readers. But luckily, she can pull it off amazingly well. Despite how predictable Sarah Dessen books can be because of this formula, everytime a new one is released- I fall in love with it.

What Happened to Goodbye is one of my favorite books by Sarah Dessen*. I really enjoyed reading about Mclean and how she slowly but steadily broke out of her protective shell. Dave was lovely as well. I absolutely adore how they are first introduced and (like most Dessen boys) he is a sweet and adorable guy.

A lot of people agree with me on this when I say that Sarah Dessen books are my go-to comfort books. When I need cheering up or when I want to read a good love story? Sarah Dessen’s books are the way to go. What Happened to Goodbye is no exception. It is beautifully written and contains lovely characters and a heartfelt plot. At this point, I’m convinced that Sarah Dessen can’t write a book that I don’t like. I completely recommend this book so anybody and everybody looking for a sweet romance book that tugs at your heartstrings.

*My other favorites (in no particular order) are The Truth About Forever, Just Listen, Along for the Ride, and This Lullaby.

An Interview with Stacey Jay

I recently had the opportunity to interview Stacey Jay, the author of You Are So Undead to Me, Undead Much, and My So-Called Death. Enjoy!

1. Why do you choose to write about zombies? Have you ever thought of possibly trying to get a contemporary YA book published?

I've always loved paranormal stories, and at the time I wrote the first Megan Berry book there weren't any zombie books out. It was a new thing and my publishers were excited about the series. It was my first break and I'm still really happy with how the Megan books turned out. But since then I've branched out into different paranormal themes, and I would definitely consider a contemporary book if the perfect idea presented itself. I think contemporary books can be just as exciting as paranormals

2. I heard that you have multiple pen names that you write different genre's under. What do you like about writing young adult books?

I'm a young adult at heart. To me that means that I still have a lot of energy and enthusiasm and I hold tight to the belief that I can do something to change the world. I think a lot of adult books lose that hopeful note in their stories, and I miss that. I don't think we should ever stop being passionate or hopeful.

3. Will there be more books in the Megan Berry series? If so, can you tell us anything about it/them?

Razorbill canceled the series after UNDEAD MUCH? But after a tremendous reader response, I wrote and self-published a novella to tie up the loose ends at the end of that book. The novella, VALENTINE'S DAY OF THE UNDEAD, is available now for Kindle, Nook, and as a print on demand paperback with Createspace. So far the sales have been pretty good! If they stay strong, I'd definitely be up for self-pubbing more Megan books. I love her. She's one of my favorite characters that I've ever written

4. What are your favorite zombie books/movies/other?

I love 28 Days Later. Maybe the ultimate zombie film--in my humble opinion. I also love Zombieland for the mix of horror and campy humor. As anyone who's read the Zombie Settler books can tell you, I love mixing the humor and the gore.

5. Quick! Describe each of your YA books in 5 words or less.

YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME-Girl kills zombies, gets guy.
UNDEAD MUCH?-Girl loses guy, kills zombies.
MY SO-CALLED DEATH--Girl becomes zombie, solves murder.
THE LOCKET--Evil locket threatens true love.
JULIET IMMORTAL (Sept 2011)--Juliet fights Romeo through eternity

6. What is one book out today that you wish you would have had the opportunity to write?

Um...none. I fall in deep love with books all the time, but I don't ever wish that I had told those stories. I tell the stories that are mine to tell and enjoy the stories of others. Writing theirs would feel inauthentic.

7. Is there anything you would like to add?

Thanks for having me over to your blog! And happy reading to one and all.

Haunted by Joy Preble

Anne is trying her best to live a normal life, but she's still got some power sparking inside her. She's hearing and seeing things that she tries her best to ignore-like being haunted by a Russian sea nymph that claims the princess Anastasia is still alive.

That's when Ethan Kozninsky-he of the stunning blue eyes, thick brown hair, and former immortal status-returns. Anne soon realizes that everything she's been trying to forget might be impossible to bury.

 

I think this is the only time I’ve ever said that I liked a sequel better than the first book. Haunted is the second book in a series, the first being Dreaming Anastasia which I reviewed in 2009. I remember not really liking Dreaming Anastasia because it didn’t really catch my attention and it started off slow.

Joy Preble stepped it up in Haunted! In her sophomore novel, I was much more interested into Anna and Ethan and everything going on. As the title suggests, this novel was quite haunting. To go along with that it also had lovely, lyrical writing that added to the story in the best way possible. Anne was a strong female lead and Ethan was interesting and fun to read about.

Though I don’t think many authors can pull off alternating chapters, I definitely think that Joy Preble is one of the few authors that can pull it off. Though I wasn’t planning on reading Haunted, since I didn’t like the first one- I’m glad I ended up reading it and I’m excited to see the next book in this series!

Haunted was a riveting and interesting sequel to a lovely series!

FTC- Publisher.

Shadow Walkers by Brent Hartinger

Zach lives with his grandparents on a remote island in Puget Sound in Washington State. With only his little brother, Gilbert, to keep him company, Zach feels cut off from the world. But when Gilbert is kidnapped, Zach tries the only thing he can think of to find him: astral projection. Soon, his spirit is soaring through the strange and boundless astral realm—a shadow place. While searching for his brother, Zach meets a boy named Emory, another astral traveler who's intriguing (and cute).

As Zach and Emory track the kidnappers from the astral realm, their bond grows—but each moment could be Gilbert's last. Even worse, there's a menacing, centuries-old creature in their midst that devours souls and possesses physical bodies. And it's hungry for Zach.

Shadow Walkers was a short, mysterious novel with just a hint of paranormal activity. Though this story didn’t grab be right away, I quickly became addicted to the story. I loved how Brent took a bunch of different topics and mashed them together to form Shadow Walkers. I always find it refreshing to read about a boy character, and reading about Zach was no exception. I’ve always found that young adult books have been lacking in the mystery category, but I’m happy to report that Shadow Walkers is one of the good mystery books in the young adult genre.
Shadow Walkers was fast-paced, original, and addicting. I really enjoyed reading it!

FTC- Blog tour, received from author.

A Discovery of Witches Giveaway

 

Today I have the awesome opportunity to giveaway a copy of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness and some pins that relate to the book. Here is a little bit about A Discovery of Witches-

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

 

To enter just fill out the form below. This giveaway ends May 17th. There are no extra entries, though I would love it if you followed Zoe’s Book Reviews.

So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti

Scott Abrams is the love of Brooke's life. He just doesn't know it yet. So when his family moves to New York City the summer before senior year, Brooke has no choice but to follow Scott. It's her last chance to prove to him that they're meant to be together. What will Brooke do when her biggest dream finally comes true, but instead she wants something more?

Susane Colasanti has done it again! All of Colasanti’s books are lyrical and lovely, So Much Closer follows this pattern. All of Susane’s books are full of un-realistic concepts of love that are flawed, but I love them so so much. Yes, what Brooke did in this book was really unrealistic, but did I love every minute of reading about it? Yes. Yes. Yes. A thousand time yes.
The thing about Susane Colasanti’s writing is that she has the teenage voice down. Even though I rarely have something in common with one of her characters, I can always relate to them because reading about there lives is like being in a conversation with one of my friends.
It seemed like Susane could have spent more time developing So Much Closer and the characters in it. This isn’t my favorite book by her, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Susane Colasanti knows how to capture teen hearts everywhere. I can’t wait for her next book!


FTC- Publisher.

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? Giveaway

Hey, everyone! Today I have the wonderful opportunity to host a giveaway for Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? by Sloane Tanen. Here is a little of what Are You Going to Kiss Me Now is about-

High school junior Francesca Manning is an outsider, an aspiring writer and secret devourer of celebrity gossip mags. A fake essay to Seventeen wins her the celeb-schmoozing opportunity of a lifetime, but after the plane crashes, she's stranded on a desert island with five of the most clueless, self-involved headcases to escape Hollywood. Happily skewering their foibles in witty observations on her iPhone proves surprisingly educational for Francesca. The group must work together to survive-if they don't insult each other to death first.

 

If you want a chance to win this amazing book, fill out the form below. There aren’t any extra entries- but I would still love if you followed my blog. Giveaway ends on May 16th.

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

Jewish girl. Christian camp. Holy moly.
Ellie Taylor loves nothing better than a good argument. So when she gets accepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer camp, she's sure that if she wins the final tournament, it'll be her ticket to a scholarship to the best speech school in the country. Unfortunately, the competition at CSSPA is hot-literally. His name is Devon and, whether she likes it or not, being near him makes her sizzle. Luckily she's confident enough to take on the challenge-until she begins to suspect that the private scholarship's benefactor has negative feelings toward Jews. Will hiding her true identity and heritage be worth a shot at her dream?

I knew this book would interest me as soon as I read the description. Right as I dove into OyMG, I loved it. Amy Fellner Dominy got the whole nature of speech between Ellie and her grandfather Zeydeh was spot on and amazing, I felt like I was hanging out with my own family*. OyMG was both funny and smart while still remaining a good balance between the two. Ellie was an awesome main character who I really loved reading about. Her experiences and the decisions that she makes made the story even more amazing than I thought it was to begin with.

Amy Fellner Dominy did an amazing job writing a debut novel that will crush stereotypes with it’s great display of an involved family and a girl outside of her element. I completely recommend OyMG!

FTC- Publisher

 

*One side of my family is Jewish.