Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle

Persephone and Penelope Leland are twins in early nineteenth century London. To the rest of the world, they are beautiful young women who are about to make their debut into society and then search for suitable husbands. But what most people don’t know is that the women of the Leland family are known for their magical abilities. The twins study magic under the careful tutorage of their governess Ally.

While they are usually very close, Persephone and Penelope start to have secrets from each other. Penelope is extremely excited about making her debut into London society, but Persephone would rather continue studying magic. But one day, Ally suddenly disappears. The twins get repeated nightmares about their governess, which leads them to think Ally is in grave danger. So, with the help of their younger brother Charles and also Ally’s family, they try to devise a plan to find out Ally’s whereabouts.

Now, I don’t want to start gushing in an overenthusiastic way, but I have to say that Bewitching Season had everything I was looking for in a book. The characters were very realistic, and so was the description of London society. The magical aspect of the book never seemed phony, which was refreshing. I enjoyed reading the story which was primarily told from Persephone’s perspective, and the romantic twist was the cherry on top of a delicious read. What I particularly enjoyed was that the storyline was never too predictable; I have read so many books now that I can often guess what will happen next in the story. But Bewitching Season truly kept me guessing, and I loved how the ending was not what I expected.

I highly recommend this novel, especially for fans of the A Great and Terrible Beauty series by Libba Bray and The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. I also cannot wait until the continuation of the story in Maiden Voyage. Look for Bewitching Season on shelves in April.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from personal collection

March Giveaways and Contests

I’ve decided to continue with my list of contests for anyone who is interested because I found that it helps me organize which ones I have entered, which ones I haven’t, and which blogs to check to see if I have won. Now, I have won a lot over the last month, and that has made me really happy. Maybe it’s good karma…or maybe it’s just luck. Anyway, here’s the list.

Of course, the list is always being updated, so be sure to keep checking back!

And, if you know about any contests that aren't posted here, please let me know, so I can post them!!

Book Contests

http://purplehearts.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/honorary-heartlettes-mary-buckham-and-dianna-love/
(1) winner gets: a set of (5) Break Into Fiction templates
(1) winner gets: a critique of your query or cover letter contest ended

http://jessicaburkhart.blogspot.com/
There are usually author Q & A’s and giveaways every Friday.

http://www.melissacwalker.com/blog/
Melissa has a Win-It Wednesday, check back there for prizes.
Current contest: (1) winner gets: a signed copy of A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian. (ends next Wednesday)

http://www.elizabethwrites.com/blog/
Elizabeth has weekly contests on her blog and MySpace.
Current contest: (1) winner gets: an iPod nano OR a $200 gift certificate to the bookstore of their choice.
(20) winners get: a $20 gift certificate to the bookstore of their choice. (ends 5/02/08)

http://sarahantz.com/blog/2008/03/11/presenting-melissa-walker-2/#comments
(1) winner gets: Violet by Design by Melissa Walker. contest ended

http://teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com/2008/03/release-day-musings.html
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Violet by Design by Melissa Walker. (ends 3/07/08) contest ended

http://alexayoung.blogspot.com/2008/03/alexas-arcwin-yours-today.html
(1) winner gets: an ARC of Frenemies by Alexa Young. (ends 3/10/08) contest ended

http://girlsjustreading.blogspot.com/2008/03/win-copy-of-change-of-heart.html
(2) winners get: an signed copy of Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. (ends 3/12/08, midnight EST) contest ended

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=56001531&blogID=362907160&Mytoken=4EABC9B4-D684-4CD8-81F9C7F26E1F785559649046
(10) winners get: a signed copy of You Know Where to Find Me by Rachel Cohn. (ends 3/15/08) contest ended
*You have to be her MySpace friend.

http://yafresh.blogspot.com/2008/03/caption-it-were-running-contest-this.html
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of either How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferraro OR Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra. (ends 3/16/08, 5 p.m. PST) contest ended

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=191670455&blogID=365296048&indicate=1
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Not Anything by Carmen Rodrigues. (ends 3/16/08) contest ended
*You have to be her MySpace friend.

http://thepageflipper.blogspot.com/2008/03/wakelisa-mcmann-spotlight.html
(1) winner gets: Wake by Lisa McMann. (ends 3/17/08) contest ended

http://www.teenreads.com/features/wom/word-of-mouth.asp
(1) winner gets: Airman by Eoin Colfer. (ends 3/20/08, noon) contest ended

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=205076665&blogID=367785699&indicate=1
(8) different prize packs, see link for what you can win. (ends 3/21/08, 8 p.m. EST) contest ended
*You have to be her MySpace friend.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=209663486&blogID=367647634&indicate=1
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of The Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith. (ends 3/23/08, 9 p.m. EST) contest ended
*You have to be their MySpace friend.

http://thestorysiren.blogspot.com/2008/03/win-copy-of-city-of-ashes.html
(1) winner gets: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare. (ends 3/26/08, midnight) contest ended

http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/2008/03/march-book-of-month-luxe-by-anna.html
(10) winners get: The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. (ends 3/26/08, midnight) contest ended

http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/03/25/you-had-me-at-halo/
(1) winner gets: You Had Me at Halo by Amanda Ashby. (ends 3/27/08) contest ended

http://wordforteens.blogspot.com/2008/03/win-signed-copy-of-frenemies.html
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Frenemies by Alexa Young. (ends 3/28/08) contest ended

http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com/features/calonita/index.html
(1) grand prize winner gets: $500 shopping spree gift card, $200 spa gift card, a makeup kit, Secrets of My Hollywood Life series by Jen Calonita (1-3).
(10) runner ups get: a makeup kit, Secrets of my Hollywood Life: Family Affairs by Jen Calonita. (ends 3/30/08) contest ended

http://harmonybookreviews.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/easter-book-giveaway/
(5 - 10) winners get: (1) of a variety of books. (ends 3/31/08) contest ended

http://www.jerismithready.com/blog/2008/03/interview-with-rachel-vincent-author-of.html
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Rogue by Rachel Vincent (ends 3/31/08, 5 p.m. EST) contest ended

https://subscribe.hearstmags.com/subscribe/seventeen/14998
(20) winners get: Violet by Design by Melissa Walker and Lancome Juicy Tube lipgloss. (ends 3/31/08, 9 p.m. EST) contest ended

http://www.ancientmirrors.com/
(5) winners get: a signed copy of Dragon Queen by Jayel Gibson. (ends 3/31/08, 7 p.m. PST) contest ended

http://thepageflipper.blogspot.com/2008/02/march-prize-pack-giveaway.html
(1) winner gets: The Unspoken by Thomas Fahy; Fake Boyfriend by Kate Brian; Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter; Here, There Be Dragons and In Search for the Red Dragon by James A. Owen; Tweak by Nic Sheff. (ends 3/31/08, midnight) contest ended

http://yawriters.blogspot.com/2008/03/pick-your-own-favorite-aka-win-win-win.html
(1) winner gets: an ARC of Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs. (ends 3/31/08, midnight PST) contest ended

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/ShadowMountainContest.html
(25) winners get: The Thirteenth Reality: A Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner.
(25) winners get: Fablehaven and Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull and Brandon Dorman, and a Fablehaven poster. (ends 3/31/08) contest ended

http://prettytough.com/2008/03/11/screwball_contest/
(3) winners get: Screwball by Keri Mikulski, a Pretty Tough profile, subscription to Fastpitch Forever magazine. (ends 3/31/08) contest ended

http://www.maggiemarr.com/contest.php
(1) grand prize winner gets: a signed copy of Hollywood Girls Club and a signed ARC of Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr.
(2) winners get: a signed copy of Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr. (ends 3/31/08) contest ended

http://freshfiction.com/contest.php?id=1019
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr, a signed ARC of Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr, and a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card. (ends end of month) contest ended

http://ibteens.blogspot.com/2008/03/contest.html
(1) winner gets: Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith and a signed bookmark.
(4) runner ups get: a signed bookmark. (ends end of month) contest ended

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Contests.html
Check back here monthly for a list of books you can win and how to enter. (ends end of month) contest ended

http://www.yabookscentral.com/
(5) winners get: The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriot.
(20) winners get: a signed copy of Rose by Any Other Name by Maureen McCarthy.
If you can’t find the contests, they are on the left panel under “YABC Giveaways!”
*be sure to answer the question asked. (ends end of month) contest ended

http://freshfiction.com/contest.php?id=998
(1) winner gets: The Devil's Footprints by Amanda Stevens, an Original Sin (fig leaf fragrance) candle from A Scent of Scandal, and a CD of The Devil’s Footprints theme by the German band Breathe. (ends end of month) contest ended

http://classof2k8.com/index.php?id=80
three books from the authors of the 2k8 class.

http://www.insideadog.com.au/winstuff/index.php
to win: the first two books of the Girlfriend Fiction series, and an annual subscription to the Girlfriend magazine.

http://cheeseandbooks.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-my-first-contest.html
(3) winners get: Teach Me by R.A. Nelson and a Japanese snack. (ends 4/01/08)

http://readingkeepsyousane.blogspot.com/2008/03/contest-win-pretty-little-devils.html
(1) winner gets: Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder. (ends 4/04/08, 12 p.m. Central)

http://thestorysiren.blogspot.com/2008/03/win-copy-of-airhead.html
(1) winner gets: an ARC of Airhead by Meg Cabot. (ends 4/09/08, midnight EST)

http://livsbookreviews.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-first-contest.html
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Jinx by Meg Cabot. (ends 4/12/08, midnight Central)

http://kimberlypauley.com/2008/03/06/win-an-advance-copy-of-sucks-to-be-me/
(1) winner gets: an ARC of Sucks to be Me by Kimberly Pauley. (ends 4/15/08)

http://www.teenreads.com/community/contests/0802-gammaglamma.asp
(20) winners get: Gamma Glamma by Kim Flores. (ends 4/21/08, 11:59 p.m.)

http://www.teenreads.com/features/grab_bag/contest.asp
(5) winners get: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, Hotlanta by Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller, How to be Popular by Meg Cabot, Quest for the Lost City of Gold by Stephen Biesty, Yoga for Teens Card Deck by Mary Kaye Chryssicas, and a Teenreads.com tote bag. (ends 4/23/08, 11:59 p.m.)

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=163318678&blogID=371545300
(2) winners get: By Venom's Sweet Sting by Tiffany Trent. (ends 4/30/08, 10 p.m. CST)

http://jvibe.com/headcase-contest
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Head Case by Sarah Aronson. (ends 4/30/08)

http://www.marycastillo.com/contest.html
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta.
(1) winner gets: a $15 gift certificate to Amazon.com. (ends 4/30/08)

http://www.michaelspradlin.com/contest.php
(1) winner gets: Spy Goddess: Live and Let Shop by Michael Spradlin. (ends 5/01/08)

http://www.megcabot.com/winprizes.php
(5) winners get: Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls by Meg Cabot.
(1) grand prize winner also gets: an ARC of Airhead by Meg Cabot. (ends 5/01/08, 11:59 p.m. EST)

http://www.teenreads.com/community/contests/0803-cathysbook.asp#form
(25) winners get: Cathy's Book by Sean Stewart. (ends 5/14/08, 11:59 p.m.)

http://www.harperteen.com/contests.asp
Current Contests:
(20) winners get: MySpace/OurPlanet. (ends 6/01/08, 5 p.m. EST)
(12) winners, (1) each month, get: an iPod Shuffle. (ends 12/31/08, 5 p.m. EST)

http://www.pickapoppy.com/contests.html
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Bratfest at Tiffany's by Lisi Harrison and a silver charm bracelet.
(10) runner ups receive: a collection of Clique books. (ends 7/25/08)

http://freshfiction.com/contests.php
a list of various book contests

http://writerspace.com/contests/index.html
a list of various book contests

Writing Contests

Call for Orb28 Submissions
http://orb28.blogspot.com/2007/12/call-for-orb28-submissions.html
great if you are creative, see link for details

Little Truths writing contest
http://litpark.com/2008/02/20/oronte-churm-and-a-little-contest-between-litpark-and-mcsweeneys/
see link; scroll down for details and prizes. (ends 3/07/08) contest ended

PUSH novel contest
http://www.thisispush.com/write/index.asp
possibility of publication. (ends 3/14/08) contest ended

St. Patrick's Day writing contest
http://www.childrencomefirst.com/onlinewriter.shtml/
see link for details. (ends 3/31/08)

poetry contest
http://www.teenreads.com/community/contests/seaman_poetry_award.asp
$500 cash prize and publication in literary journal Hanging Loose. (ends 6/01/08)

Return to Luna short story contest
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=24910
winning stories published in an anthology Return to Luna, possible inclusion in Best of the Year science fiction anthologies, free 1-year membership to the National Space Society.
Grand prize winner also get: a review of their short story in NSS's magazine Ad Astra, and on the NSS and Hadley Rille Books websites. (ends 6/15/08)

Gift Certificates (Monthly)

http://thebestreviews.com/contest.php
(1) winner gets: a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com or BN.com.

http://www.sandyblair.net/contest.shtm
(1) winner gets: a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card.

http://www.barbarabretton.com/contest.shtml
(1) winner gets: a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com.

http://www.emmaholly.com/CONTESTS.htm
(1) winner gets: a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com.

http://www.sarahmccarty.net/contest.html
(1) winner gets: a $15 gift certificate to Amazon.com.

http://www.bertricesmall.net/contest.shtml
(1) winner gets: a $25 gift certificate to Borders Books.

http://freshfiction.com/contest.php?id=1014
(1) winner gets: a $25 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble.

http://freshfiction.com/contest.php?id=959
(1) winner gets: a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com and a tote bag.

Non-Book Contests

http://www.prettylittleliars.com/contests.vm
(1) winner gets: a Tiffany & Co. toggle bracelet with a heart charm like Hanna's from Pretty Little Liars. (ends 3/30/08, 11:59 p.m. EST) contest ended

http://www.privatenovels.com/contests.vm
(1) winner gets: a Billings pendant necklace. (ends 4/29/08, 11:59 p.m. EST)

http://forms3.createforms.com/51421/form_2_1.html
(1) winner gets: an Eiffel Tower necklace with Swarovski Crystal and white gold. (ends 5/01/08)

http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/enter/twelvesweeps.html
Twelve Ticket to Teendom sweepstakes, see link for prizes and rules. (postmarked 5/16/08, received by 5/23/08)

http://www.mypromstyle.com/publics/win/
some non-book contests here

http://www.alloy.com/archive/1/7/
a couple of non-book contests

100+ Challenge

I've joined my first challenge!! It's pretty easy, all I have to do is read 100 or more books in one year. I think I'll be able to complete that, and I already am nearly one-third of the way done!! Maybe I should just see how many books I can read in one year...

Wish me luck!

An Open Vein by J. M. Warwick

He’s a doctor, of course I trust him. Or I did, once.

Doesn’t that one sentence just pull you in? It did for me. That sentence lets the reader know that this book is all about betrayal and confusion.

Main character John Banks is sixteen and already a graduate of high school. He plans to spend the summer with his “uncle” Kane in New York before heading off to USC. Kane isn’t actually related to John; he’s more of an honorary uncle. But they’ve known each other so long that it seems like they’re family.

Kane is a strange and rather inconsistent character. Sometimes he acts normally, and sometimes he seems like a complete psycho. At first, John jumps the chance to get closer to his uncle. But Kane is so mysterious, and it seems like he’s harboring a secret. And there’s been mysterious letters threatening John. He keeps saying that he is protecting John, but John can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right.

This novel was very thought-provoking for me. As Kane threw everything John knew to be true into question, so the same went for me. I found it a little strange that John seemed so lacking in common sense at times, even though he is a genius. The whole part about “reading people” that Kane supposedly taught John to do was very confusing for me to read. And Kane’s character I think was mentally sick to pull off those sorts of things that he did.

Overall, I did find myself losing interest at times. I felt that the story tried a little too hard to go deep, and that didn’t work for me. But it might’ve been that I didn’t completely understand the story. I was a little disappointed with the story, but not to the point that I hated it. I did like the ending, because the story leaves you off with a sense of forgiveness and understanding. I do not recommend this novel unless you are interested in psychology.

Rating: 3.0

Review copy from author J.M. Warwick

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

One day, Virginia Blackstone, or Ginny, receives a letter from her dead aunt with instructions to go to a Chinese restaurant. There, Ginny receives a bundle of twelve letters, for a grand total of thirteen, thus naming the novel. Four simple rules are laid down by Peg, Ginny’s aunt, and there are more instructions enclosed in each letter, to be opened at a specific place and time. All Ginny needs to do to begin her journey is fly to London. And so she does.

Ginny embarks on a crazy, all-over-the-place trip that takes her around Europe, to places that were significant to her aunt Peg. Along the way, she meets a playwright and used-to-be-thief named Keith, who she maybe falls in love with, many old friends of Peg, some new friends in various cities, and even an uncle she never knew she had. And during this journey, Ginny learns a lot about herself and her aunt Peg.

I found 13 Little Blue Envelopes to be a very well-written novel. Maureen Johnson is an amazing author and has proved herself again. I especially liked traveling with Ginny to all those amazing European cities and feeling like I was there beside her. Ginny's relationship with Keith is especially cute too. There were some parts of the book where I was a little confused, but the issue was always cleared up soon after. The idea behind the novel is original, and I found myself wishing I had a crazy aunt to send me on a strange trip to Europe. This was a realistic and very enjoyable read. I highly recommend this, and other Maureen Johnson books.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy from personal collection

How Not to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler

Maggie Dempsey is a pro at fitting in. That’s because she never stays in one place for more than eight months. And that’s because her parents are all about “going somewhere.” They don’t see it as “leaving,” unlike Maggie, who’s had to leave behind a best friend and a boyfriend in Portland, Oregon. Maggie is tired of being hurt, so she comes up with Operation Avoid Friends: she’s going to be unpopular.

This is harder than it sounds. Maggie has to come up with ridiculous schemes in order to seem like a complete freak that no one should hang out with. But the hottest guy at the school won’t leave her alone. Maggie is starting to form friendships with members of the Helping Hands club. And people start to copy her elaborate and crazy costumes that she wears to school. It’s almost seems that Maggie is…popular.

I thought that How Not to be Popular was one of the best and most refreshing books I’ve read in a while. Maggie’s character is laugh-out-loud hilarious, and so are her parents. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Maggie’s story and her struggles between wanting to have the easy way out and being herself. The plot was easy to follow and fun to read, although some parts of the story were more emotional. I highly recommend this book for teens, and I hope Jennifer Ziegler writes more fabulous novels like this one.

Rating: 4.75

Review copy from personal collection

Lucky by Rachel Vail

Phoebe Avery is about to graduate from middle school, and she couldn’t be more thrilled. But it’s mostly the graduation party that she’s excited about, because it’s a chance to be with her best friends having fun in a fabulous dress. But something goes wrong. It turns out that Phoebe’s mother has lost her job. Now the family is in a financial crisis. Phoebe can no longer afford to pay her share for the party.

She’s too embarrassed to tell her friends her economic situation. Even though she’s been friends with these girls since elementary school, she doesn’t quite trust them completely, especially her friend Kirstyn, who seems even more self-centered than usual. Phoebe isn’t very close to her two older sisters, so she can’t really confide in them. Her parents are too stressed out. To top that off, she’s not quite sure if she like likes Luke. Phoebe has no one to turn to. She needs to stick it out by herself.

When I first read the summary for Lucky, I thought that it was going to be another book like Gossip Girl, but I was wrong. The summary says that there is a “family scandal,” but I thought that a rich family losing money was hardly scandalous, though that is just my opinion. I was actually glad that Lucky wasn’t one of those shallow teenager books, and it was a refreshing read.

Lucky was a thoroughly enjoyable book for me even though it would be better for the middle school crowd. Phoebe’s character is funny, and while she isn’t extremely deep, she isn’t shallow either. It was easy to sympathize with her. The ending was a little too cheesy for my taste, but I appreciated that Phoebe was making amends with her family, friends, and potential boyfriend. I was glad that Phoebe could find her inner strength. My overall favorite part was the references to a gorgeous green Vera Wang dress that is displayed on the cover because of its symbolism.

I definitely recommend this novel to all young readers. I also look forward to more books from Rachel Vail, especially more from the Avery sisters.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy from publisher HarperCollins

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

As a child, Jennifer Harris was a social outcast. She was nicknamed the Fattifier, because she was chubby, and made fun of for her lisp. Her only friend was another outcast named Cameron Quirk. They were always there for each other, and Cameron made everything bearable for Jennifer. And when he suddenly leaves without even saying goodbye, Jennifer is devastated. She thinks that he is dead, and no one tells her otherwise.

Now Jennifer Harris is Jenna Vaughn. Her mom got married and Jennifer changed her name and her personality. She’s got friends, a first boyfriend, and a loving family, all that she could ever want. But she can never forget Cameron, and memories of him haunt her constantly. So when Cameron just shows up one day at school, everything is changed for her.

Throughout the story, Jenna has flashbacks to when she was Jennifer. And Jenna is not quite sure if she likes who she is now, and not sure if she wants to become Jennifer again. When Cameron was her best friend, she could be anyone she wanted to be, but as Jenna, her whole life seems to be a lie.

Sweethearts was a beautiful story about how the strongest bonds of friendship can span any distance or amount of time. It was one of the saddest and most romantic books I have read in a long time, and it made me cry. It was filled with such raw emotion that I felt I was inside Jenna’s head, living her life with her. And while the ending isn’t perfect, it is filled with contentment and hope.

I highly recommend Sweethearts to everyone, especially girls who can’t let go of their childhood sweethearts. It was a beautiful story, and I am glad I took the time to read this incredible story. I hope all of you get to read it too.

Rating: 4.75

Review copy from personal collection

Violet on the Runway by Melissa Walker

Violet thinks she’s been plain and practically good at nothing for…forever. She’s always tried to fit in, but when you are taller than everyone by a good margin, that’s kind of hard to do. So when she’s approached by a representative from Tryst models, who offers to whish her off the fashion world in New York, she accepts. Because this might be her chance to shine.

Through the course of the novel, Violet learns a lot about herself, her friends, and the competitive nature of her fellow model and roommate Veronica. She gets lost in all the glamour from time to time, and grows accustomed to the wonderful world that is New York City. When she becomes a successful model, she starts to realize that she doesn’t have anyone to turn to but herself. Her parents are in another state, her real friends back home are mad at her, her fake friends back home are boring her, and she doesn’t have any real friends in NYC. And when she finally takes a look at herself, she realizes that she doesn’t like what she sees.

Violet on the Runway was one of my favorite books to read for several reasons. First of all, reading about the fashion world was very fun. Though the lingo was sometimes hard for me to understand because I am not a fashion junkie, it made the book more realistic. What I really like though, was how the story went deeper than just the competitiveness of models and fashion. I also loved the characters, especially Violet, whose name inspired many alliterating nicknames. The ending leaves plenty of room for more books in the series, and I cannot wait until Violet by Design and Violet in Private are released.

I recommend this book for fans of Poseur, because they are both about the fashion world. Even if you are not a fashion lover, you can still get into this book, because it was amazing.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from personal collection

A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian

For Ruby, her friends are like her lifeline. First, there’s Beth, the girl who has been with Ruby through all of her family problems and is always there to offer good advice. There’s also Maria, who is the most experienced with boys and is very supportive. The latest addition to their group is Katherine, the bad girl, who is going through family problems of her own and seems to not like Ruby that much.

Things go askew when Ruby’s father, who abandoned her family many years earlier, shows up for her sixteenth birthday party. All the feelings and memories that Ruby has been trying to bury resurface. Ruby seems to have a fear of hooking up until she meets the new guy Charlie. But her mom is acting strangely as well as her best friend Beth. Things only get worse when Ruby finds out that Beth stole a letter her father left for her.

Throughout the story, Ruby realizes that she can’t always rely on her friends, because no matter how much she wants to think that they are always loyal, they are bound to let her down sometimes. Ruby also comes to terms with her mom, and the terrible secret that broke up her parents’ marriage so many years ago. Although her reunion with her father isn’t perfect, it is the best that can be expected under such conditions.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story, especially because it was through Ruby’s perspective. It was easy to understand her point of view and feelings in most situations she was in. This novel was truly heartfelt, and I even cried at several points. I recommend this book to fans of Sarah Dessen, because the stories are similar in many aspects. I look forward to more books from Siobhan Vivian, because this debut novel was amazing.

Rating: 4.75

Review copy from personal collection

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

One day Clay Jensen comes home from school to find a shoe box package with no return address. At first he’s excited, but when he opens the box, he finds seven cassette tapes. And when he plays them, he finds that they were recorded by a classmate named Hannah Baker, a girl who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

Recorded on the tapes are thirteen reasons why Hannah chose to end her life. The reasons are all linked to specific people, and the tapes are passed onto those people in the order they are on Hannah’s list. They are all, in some way, responsible for Hannah’s death. Clay stays out the whole night, listening to the sounds of Hannah’s voice leading him throughout the town, basically reliving select experiences from Hannah’s life that lead up to her decision to end it.

Hannah’s narration is interwoven with Clay’s actions and memories, which sometimes makes the story confusing to read. However, it does help to better understand both Clay’s and Hannah’s emotions. Hannah’s reasons for suicide are hard to read for Clay, who alternates between blaming himself and blaming Hannah for not letting Clay reach out to her. It was hard for me to read as well, and I cried many times while reading.

For a debut novel, Thirteen Reasons Why is exceptionally well written for such a serious topic. It is often difficult to address things such as suicide because many people don’t want to discuss it. However, I think this book was wonderfully written. This novel thoroughly demonstrates the consequences of even the smallest actions and what the piling up of problems can cause, which Hannah refers to as the snowball effect. There are so many life lessons to be learned from this novel. I highly recommend this book because it has truly changed the way I think.

Rating: 5.0

Review copy from personal collection

I've Been Memed!

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews? Honestly?
I am not quite sure…I usually like all the books I pick to read, and I don’t really look at the reviews. But they would have to be books by Diana Wynne Jones. I started reading Howl’s Moving Castle and couldn’t finish it. And even though people recommend her other books to me, I don’t want to read them.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?
Those three characters would probably be Edward Cullen, Alice Cullen, and Gemma Doyle. I would take them on an indefinitely long cruise around the world, because I love traveling, and because I want to be with these characters, especially Edward, for a very long time.

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
Some kind of old and really long book. I don’t have any good examples, but that would suffice.

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?
Uh…I don’t know. Wait a sec, I do. It was The Kite Runner, because I didn’t want to read it for my book club, so I looked on Spark Notes instead.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book?
Uh, no, but I have forgotten that I read a book and then went back and reread it only to find that I remembered reading it the first time.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP.)
There are too many books to recommend, but first and foremost would be the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. It’s a vampire romance story. There so much suspense packed into these books, and I guarantee that once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it back down. The story is amazing, and if you are a girl, then you’ll be sure to wish Edward was proposing to you.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?
Probably Italian. I don’t know why. I could’ve chosen Spanish or French, but oh well. I like Italian, and I am sure there are tons of amazing (but old) books that are in Italian…like The Inferno. Or maybe not.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?
I think I would go against Twilight here, because I have already practically memorized the story. I would reread The Sweet Far Thing because I loved that book (even though it was so tragic).

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art—anything)?
Probably a bunch of new authors. Like Jennifer Brown and D.M. Cornish, to name a couple. If some of these people (or reviewing companies) didn’t ask me to review their book, I would never have read them before.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead—let your imagination run free.
My perfect library would have every single book that I have ever read that I loved. I really don’t care what the binding is, as long as they are all in pristine condition. And if they’re all signed, that wouldn’t hurt either.

I was memed by Reader Rabbit. I am going to meme Cassidy over at Reading is for Lovers. Actually, I though I posted this earlier, but I guess I didn't.

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz

Alex Rider is back on another mission even though he swore he was finished with the spy business. Right after literally dropping out of the sky, he is picked up and sent to the Australian Secret Service, who wants to enlist his help. At first he refuses, but when he finds out he could be working with his godfather, he realizes he wants to find more out about his dead parents.

The mission is to infiltrate a dangerous snakehead, or gang, in Indonesia to find out how they smuggle people into Australia. They are disguised as Afghan refugees. Things go wrong almost from the start. Because what Alex doesn’t know is that the head of the organization, Major Yu, also a member of Scorpia, already knows that the young Afghan refugee named Abdul is actually Alex. And Yu’s just biding his time until he can end Alex’s life.

Through the mission, Alex meets unexpected allies, more enemies, and discovers a horrible secret about his godfather Ash. I thought that Snakehead was the most exciting out of all the Alex Rider books yet. It was jam packed with action throughout the entire novel. Alex is constantly using his ingenuity to get out of sticky situations, and there are so many unexpected turns that make the story even more suspenseful and thrilling to read. My only complaint is that sometimes the story crosses over the line between credible and incredible, but other than that, this series is amazing.

I highly recommend this book to all action and adventure story fans. It might seem like more of a guy book on the surface, but girls will get into this series too. If you have read and like this book, then I also recommend the Gallagher Girl series by Ally Carter (see review for Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy here).

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from library

Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish

The Monster Blood Tattoo series continues with this next installment. Lamplighter is twice as thick as its preceding story, Foundling, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is twice as good.

For those of you who haven’t read the first in the series, main character Rossamünd is a foundling who embarks on an adventure to reach a city called High Vesting in order to begin training as a lamplighter. On this journey, he encounters a wide cast of characters including leers, massacars, lahzars, and even monsters.

The second book continues immediately after the first left off. Rossamünd makes it to High Vesting in the nick of time to begin his training. The first time he goes out to practice his lamplighting with the other prentices, they are set upon by a large monster, a horn-ed nicker to be specific, and two others. With the aid of a group of calendars, they manage to destroy the monsters. However, with that, they also learn that there is to be a female prentice named Threnody. Rossamünd and Threnody become unexpected allies as they train and work together. Many characters from the first book come back into play, such as Europe the lahzar, Master Sebastipole, Master Fransitart, Master Craumpalin, and Freckles the glamgorn bogle. New characters include Mister Numps, and numerous others employed as lamplighters or related services. I found that it was very hard to keep track of all the different names. I found Lamplighter harder to read than Foundling for several reasons, but mostly because of sheer size. The second story was about twice the size of the first. The wording was strange at times, the descriptions repetitive or drawn out and boring. The new terms used made the story hard to understand, especially where the new monetary system and months were concerned. There were a lot of subplots within the story that were hard to keep track of, and unlike the first book, there wasn’t a clear goal of the story. It merely followed Rossamünd’s journeys, but I couldn’t really find a point to those journeys. I also felt that this story was a bit too much like Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and Eragon, although fans of those stories would probably like this one.

What also bothered me was that Rossamünd was also called clever, but to me, he never seemed to be. I figured out many unsolved problems of his before he did. Rossamünd also seemed to contradict himself a lot and could never seem to make up his mind unless it was done for him. His relationship with Threnody was awkward at best and very repetitive. Reading this second book almost discouraged me from wanting to read the rest of the story when it comes out.

However, I did like the ending of the story. The last hundred pages or so redeem the story’s other faults. If the books are named after Rossamünd’s occupations during them, then there is good reason to believe the third book will be called Factotum. Despite the length of this book, I am looking forward to the next installment in the series, and I hope the sheer size of this book will not daunt others from reading it.

Rating: 3.25

Review copy from publisher Penguin

February Giveaways and Contests

I’ve decided that since I love free books so much, that I will compile a monthly list of all the book giveaways (in links) I know about so that everyone else can win too! If anyone knows about any other contests, please let me know, so I can add to my list.

Book Contests

http://jessicaburkhart.blogspot.com/
There are usually author Q & A’s and giveaways every Friday.

http://www.melissacwalker.com/blog/
Melissa has a Win-It Wednesday, check back there for prizes

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=55000085&blogID=357229639
Elizabeth has weekly contests on her blog and MySpace.

http://purplehearts.wordpress.com/2008/02/03/honorary-heartlette-tina-ferraro-2/
(1) winner gets: How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferrero. (ends 2/08/08) contest ended

http://www.elizabethwrites.com/blog/
(1) winner gets an autographed copy of Wake by Lisa McMann. (ends 2/08/08, midnight EST) contest ended

http://thepageflipper.blogspot.com/2008/01/go-figure-giveaway.html
to win: Go Figure by Jo Edwards. (ends 2/10/08, midnight, only US residents) contest ended

http://nineteenteen.blogspot.com/2008/02/mystery-object-contest-2.html
(1) winner gets an ARC of Bewitching Season. (ends 2/11/08) contest ended

http://bookburger.typepad.com/bookburger/2008/01/the-biggest-giv.html
(5) winners get: Gossip Girl Prequel: It Had to Be You, Poseur, Sealed With a Diss: A Clique Novel, Beautiful Stranger: An A-List Novel, and Lucky: An It Girl Novel. (ends 2/12/08, midnight) contest ended

http://author2author.blogspot.com/2008/02/sharing-love-book-giveaway-contest.html
daily contests from 2/11/08 to 2/15/08. (entries must be received by 9 p.m. PST each day, US residents only) contests ended

http://www.teenreads.com/features/wom/word-of-mouth.asp
to win: Runemarks by Joanne Harris. (ends 2/21/08, noon) contest ended

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=133311971&blogID=360932644
(1) winner gets: an ARC of Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott. (ends 2/26/08, midnight EST) contest ended

http://teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com/2008/02/promo-book-giveaway.html
(1) winner gets: a signed copy of Secrets of my Suburban Life by Lauren Baratz-Logsted. (ends 2/26/08) contest ended

http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/2008/02/februay-book-of-month-ashleys-by.html
(5) winners get: The Ashleys by Melissa de la Cruz. (ends 2/27/08) contest ended

http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/2008/02/super-tuesday.html
(1) winner gets: Dumped by Popular Demand, The School for Cool both by P.G. Kain, and Class Favorite by Taylor Morris. (ends 2/29/08) contest ended

http://thepageflipper.blogspot.com/2008/02/prize-pack-of-books.html
(1) winner gets: The Interns: Fashionistas, This Will Go Down on Your Permanant Record, Derby Girl, The Secret Life of It Girls, Perfect, and Sisters in Sanity. (ends 2/29/08, midnight, only US residents) contest ended

http://www.bardacademy.com/contests.html
(5) winners get: a signed ARC of Moby Clique by Cara Lockwood. (ends 2/29/08) contest ended

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/30Valentines.html
(5) books given (Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies) away each day this month, (145) total. (ends 2/29/08, midnight) contest ended

http://www.christine-norris.com/contests.htm
(1) winner gets: The Crown of Zeus by Christine Norris, and a prize pack. (ends 2/29/08, midnight) contest ended

http://www.jvibe.com/hackingharvard-contest
(4) winners get a signed copy of: Hacking Harvard by Robin Wasserman. (ends 2/29/08) contest ended

http://thestorysiren.blogspot.com/2008/02/study-series-giveaway.html
(1) winner gets: Poison Study, Magic Study, and Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder. (ends 3/01/08, midnight) contest ended

http://www.teensreadtoo.com/Contests.html
check back here monthly for a list of books you can win and how to enter. (ends end of month) contest ended

http://www.yabookscentral.com/
(10) winners get: The Second Virginity of Suzie Greem by Sara Hantz
(10) winners get: The Best Thing by Jennifer Anna
(2) winners get hardcover signed copies of: Beige, The Queen of Cool, and Boy Proof all by Cecil Castelucci
If you can’t find the contests, they are on the left panel under “YABC Giveaways!”
*be sure to answer the question asked (ends end of month) contests ended

http://www.harperteen.com/contests.asp
current contests:
(3) winners get: “The Ultimate Road Trip Kit” and a signed copy of How to Be Bad; (5) runner ups get a signed copy of How to Be Bad. (ends 3/01/08, 5 p.m. EST) contest ended
(1) winner gets: $500 Alloy shopping spree and a signed copy of She’s So Money by Cherry Cheva; (4) runner ups get a signed copy of She’s So Money. (ends 3/01/08, 5 p.m. EST) contest ended

http://www.ancientmirrors.com/
(5) winners get: a signed copy of Dragon Queen by Jayel Gibson. (ends 3/31/08, 7 p.m. PST)

http://classof2k8.com/index.php?id=80
three books from the authors of the 2k8 class

http://www.michaelspradlin.com/contest.php
(1) winner gets: Spy Goddess: Live and Let Shop by Michael Spradlin. (ends 5/01/08)

http://www.pickapoppy.com/contests.html
(1) winner receives: a signed copy of Bratfest at Tiffany's by Lisi Harrison and a silver charm bracelet; (10) runner ups receive: a collection of Clique books. (ends 7/25/08)

Writing Contests

Call for Orb28 Submissions
http://orb28.blogspot.com/2007/12/call-for-orb28-submissions.html
great if you are creative, see link for details

Little Truths writing contest
http://litpark.com/2008/02/20/oronte-churm-and-a-little-contest-between-litpark-and-mcsweeneys/
see link; scroll down for details and prizes. (ends 3/07/08)

PUSH novel contest
http://www.thisispush.com/write/index.asp
possibility of publication. (ends 3/14/08)

poetry contest
http://www.teenreads.com/community/contests/seaman_poetry_award.asp
$500 cash prize and publication in literary journal Hanging Loose. (ends 6/01/08)

Online Gift Certificates (to bookstores)

http://thebestreviews.com/contest.php
monthly contest to win a $25 gift certificate to BN.com or Amazon.com

http://www.writerspace.com/contests/shirleyjump.html
to win: $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com, and a traveling mug or a tote bag

http://www.sarahmccarty.net/contest.html
to win: $15 gift certificate to Amazon.com

http://www.barbarabretton.com/contest.shtml
$100 gift certificate to Amazon.com, Godiva chocolate, signed books

Non-Book Contests

http://forms3.createforms.com/51421/form_2_1.html
to win: an Eiffel Tower necklace with Swarovski Crystal and white gold. (ends 5/01/08)

http://www.pickapoppy.com/contests.html
a couple of non-book contests here

http://www.alloy.com/archive/1/7/
some more non-book contests