The ABC’s of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro

It all started when Parker Stanhope didn’t make the varsity soccer team junior year. She was one of the only two JV players to not get moved up, and Parker sees this as unbelievably unfair. Now Parker’s where she’s been for the past two years, slumming it seems with the freshmen instead of chilling with the rest of the juniors and seniors. To make matters worse, Parker’s so-called friends, all of whom got moved up to varsity, have turned against her, determined to make her life more miserable than it already is. Enter the plan: for Parker to trick her way into a spot behind the kissing booth at her school’s annual sports fair, the varsity soccer booth. This, hopefully, will permanently place her among varsity ranks. Everything is in place except for the catch—the kiss has to look real. What’s an inexperienced girl like Parker to do? Hire a kissing coach of course!

Ferraro pulls off yet another sweet, romantic, and memorable story in The ABC’s of Kissing Boys. Parker is a girl with a plan, but predictably, the plan becomes hard to stick to once Parker falls for the wrong guy, the last guy in fact she ever thought she’d like. Parker’s world is made more realistic through friendship and high school drama, and odd family feud between her and her neighbor’s fathers, and of course, the romance. It seems like such a strange combination, but it works efficiently for this novel. In the end, I liked how it was less about the sports than it was about relationships, between Parker and her parents, her friends, and her freshman neighbor. It made the harsh treatments from her so-called friends forgettable and the ending all the more sweeter. Despite the predictability of the plot and Parker’s character, The ABC’s of Kissing Boys is still a wholly enjoyable romantic read that will leave the reader sighing in happiness.

Fans of Ferraro’s previous novels, especially How to Hook a Hottie, will enjoy The ABC’s of Kissing Boys. Readesr who like Catherine Clark’s and Rachel Hawthorne’s romances, as well as the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies, will not want to miss this cute novel either.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from BookDivas

Who's RAD? L. Diane Wolfe!

Warm welcome to Ms. L. Diane Wolfe, author of The Circle of Friends series, a set of books about love, friendship, and finding a way to succeed.

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Random Q&A:

If you won one million bucks, how would you spend it?
Taxes would take 40% immediately, but as for the rest- I would tithe 10%, take 10% or so to pay off house and cars, spend 5% on family & friends, and invest/save the rest.

What's one thing you don't like about yourself but can laugh about?
I’m only 5’3’ and rather petite, which makes clothes shopping difficult – it’s tough being so small! My husband and I joke that one day I’ll design a line of clothing and call it “Elfin.”

Describe yourself in 3 words.
Spunky, energetic redhead!

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the guest blog:

The Five Keys to Achieving Dreams!

Living life to the fullest requires determination. We must possess purpose and drive. We need to set goals and maintain a positive attitude. Fear must be conquered. Leadership traits and people skills are vital. To live a life filled with enrichment and satisfaction, we need some spunk!

I was aware of the elements of success but had no working formula. To break out of mediocrity, I devised the five keys of overcoming. These keys work in conjunction with one another to unlock the secrets of personal success. However, all five elements need to be mastered if the formula is to work properly. There is no one key to true success! We must become proficient in all areas if we hope to achieve our dreams.

Life is full of uncertainty. There are few things in life we can truly control. We can’t control our environment or the challenges we may face. We certainly can’t control other people and what they may say or do. However, there is one thing we can control- our attitude. This is the first key to success – developing a positive mental attitude. How we respond to situations and people is the only thing we can truly master. Almost every outcome and end result will be determined by our attitude. A negative attitude will only hold us hostage, but our chances for success and happiness increase with a positive attitude. For me, optimism made all the difference! To transform our world, we must adopt this outlook on life.

The most important trait we can develop is skill with people, which is the second key. The great Andrew Carnegie claimed he valued an employee who worked well with others over all else. If a billionaire believed people skills were that essential, then perhaps we should work on fine-tuning those skills! I was fortunate to receive training, but what we learn occurs mostly through trial and error. Many never even grasp the concept. If we want to succeed in life, though, we must be able to properly interact with other human beings. We need to understand basic human truths, develop conversational skills, and learn to truly appreciate others. If we close ourselves off to people, we lose access to so many great ideas and benefits.

A healthy self-image is the third key to success. I struggled with this for a long time. Our self-esteem is basically how we view ourselves. This inner opinion affects everything from our relationships to our accomplishments. It controls our confidence or lack thereof. We are either set free or held hostage by our self-image, and we can never grow beyond its level. A poor self-esteem is evident in our speech, mannerisms, and actions, and unfortunately, most people accept us at our own self-appraisal. We need to break this cycle of pessimistic defeat. If we are to achieve more and live life fully, we must raise this personal opinion of ourselves.

The greatest obstacle facing success is fear. No other single force prevents us from accomplishing our goals as effectively as this negative emotion. It controls and binds as if we were prisoners. Most fear stems from past experiences of failure, and I can testify this is true! To conquer this great demoralizer, we must recognize and understand all facets of fear and eventually gain the strength to overcome. Overcoming our fear is the fourth key to success. The only way to conquer fear is to take action. Pushing through our fears is ultimately less frightening than living with them, too. If we are to achieve our full potential, we must be willing to take risks despite our fears.

This leads us to the final key- setting goals. Goals are what give us purpose in life. Equipped with a target and a plan, our existence holds meaning. Without dreams and aspirations, we simply drift through this world like a leaf on a river. Many times our dreams become lost in the daily shuffle, and my author dream lay dormant for years. To reinvigorate our purpose, we must redefine our goals and keep them in front of us at all times. We need to create stepping-stones of success by setting short and long-range goals. This gives us the opportunity to build upon our accomplishments and make adjustments if necessary. Armed with a vision, we can accomplish anything in this world.

Success is not by chance- it is by choice. To realize our dreams, we must focus on these five keys- a positive attitude, people skills, raising self-esteem, overcoming fear, and setting goals. They will ignite our passion and prepare us for success. The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire and I am ready to burn!

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Wow, talk about an inspirational blog! It definitely gets me pumped up and excited for the future, whatever may lie there.

Visit L. Diane Wolfe online at her websites: http://www.spunkonastick.net/ and http://www.thecircleoffriends.net/

A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell

Since the death of her older and beloved if reckless brother Nate, Cora has been a little lost. Sure, she can skillfully sketch beautiful maps of foreign places, places she’ll probably never see, but she doesn’t know how to think or act. Her parents don’t seem to notice much anymore unless Cora breaks one of their many strict rules, and even Cora’s best friend Rachel seems distant. It’s all Cora can do just not to get lost within her fried and confusion. The start of high school brings its own trials, but surprisingly, it also brings Cora some solace in the form of art class and Damian, the boy who was Nate’s best friend—the only person who was there when Nate died. Cora finds herself drawn to Damian and his artwork, even if her parents forbid their association because of Damian’s connection to Nate’s death; but Cora can’t stay away, especially after Damian reveals a side of Nate that Cora never knew existed. In this beautiful story lies a truth of loss, love, and finding the strength to move on.

A Map of the Known World was so much better than I ever expected. Sandell’s writing is so beautiful that I could go on praising it for quite a long time. Her words paint vivid pictures in the reader’s mind, her lyrical prose is like flowing music, her writing is art. There is something so captivating about Sandell’s style that brings her stories and characters to life. Sandell successfully captures the awkward transition between middle and high school in a way all teens can relate to, complete with the family and friendship problems, and the inclusion of art and its importance to Nate’s memory is woven in so gracefully. Cora’s and Damian’s characters are so wonderfully constructed, although they did have their awkward moments. There are so many scenes that are so well written and beautiful that they made me cry for these characters that I felt such a connection to. A Map of the Known World is just one of those incredible stories that makes one appreciate the beauty in life.

A Map of the Known World is a novel for artistic types or anyone looking for a moving and hopeful read. Despite its dreary subject of death, this story isn’t depressing at all, and fans of Alyson Noël’s Saving Zoë will enjoy it. I consider A Map of the Known World pretty close to being a masterpiece and a huge step up from the similar Goldengrove by Francine Prose.

Rating: 4.75

Review copies from Amazon Vine and publisher Scholastic

Interview with Siobhan Vivian

I was very fortunate to be able to interview one of my all-time favorite authors recently (she is definitely one of the most talented in my opinion at least!). So, here it is!

What inspires you to write?
I think I am most inspired by the idea of maturing / growing into yourself…and the fact that sometimes who you think you should be doesn’t actually match up with who you become. I also love thinking about friendships evolve and the expectations people face from their friends and family.

You write a lot (at least, in the two novels you've published so far) about teens. How did your teen years influence you and your writing?
Well, I think that anyone who has met me in real life would say that I am barely grown-up. I still feel much the same way as I did in my teen years—uncertain, skeptical, moody, and passionate. So in a way, I think my personality is what helps me write YA novels…I can commiserate with my characters and understand them deeply, because we’re honestly not too different.

One of my favorite parts of your writing is how realistic it is, everything from the characters and their personalities to the situations they find themselves in. How do you make your stories so vividly real?
Why thank you! I studied Screenwriting in college, so I was trained to be a very visual writer. In screenplays, you’re not allowed to go too much into internal character emotion…everything needs to be shown physically. When I am writing a scene, I try to imagine it like a movie, and then transcribe all the things I see going on.

I noticed you like to incorporate art forms in your writing (photography in A Little Friendly Advice and drawing in Same Difference). Does this reflect on yourself? Or are you just an art fan in general?
I like creative people, and I love making stuff! I also went to art school. So I guess that’s just an extension of my personality coming out on the page.

Both A Little Friendly Advice and Same Difference contain some sort of friendship rift or dispute. What was it like to write about these?
Writing about friendship drama can be really emotionally taxing. I can vividly remember how awful it was to fight with my friends, how sick and sad and, sometimes, scared it would make me feel. So putting my characters through those same experiences can be very hard.

One of the reasons I enjoy your writing so much is that you include such subtle emotion. How do you create this?
Hmm. I think again it comes from the screenplay training! But I take that as a huge compliment. I want my books, my characters to feel as real and true-to-life as possible. Sometimes, when emotion is too big, it feels forced.

Which of your characters, from either A Little Friendly Advice or Same Difference, can you relate to the most?
I can definitely relate to Emily in SAME DIFFERENCE. Her story is partly based on my life.

I'd just like to say that you are so fortunate to have such beautiful covers for both your novels. How did these come about?
Well, for SAME DIFFERENCE, I chose the cover shot. I found it online and just loved how the image spoke to the character’s journey. I also liked that the girl looked like a real teen…not some made-up too-beautiful princess. I was lucky that my publisher felt the same way.

For ALFA, they had asked me to type up some character sheets to use at the model casting, and then had me explain how I might imagine the girls would pose for a picture. They absolutely nailed it. It’s like those models crawled right out of my brain.

What is the best part about being a YA author?
I love hearing from girls and then sending back little presents in the mail.

What's do you plan on writing next? I am definitely eager to know what's next from you!
Yay! You make me so happy! I’m working on a new novel that’s called PAST PERFECT. It will be out next year…in the fall, I think. It’s about a good girl named Natalie who tries to “rehabilitate” a slutty freshman girl, while hiding her own first sexual relationship with a boy, because she’s afraid of what people might think of her. It’s totally juicy!

Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott

Hannah is invisible, and she likes it that way. She made herself like that on purpose because everybody knows, it seems, who her parents are. Ordinarily, this might not be such a bad thing, but because her father is Jackson James, an older used-to-be-celebrity famous for partying with his scantily clad and much younger girlfriends, and her mother is Candy Madison, a has-been known for being clothed in naught but a pizza box in a commercial, attention is not something Hannah wants or needs. All Hannah wants to do is get her super cute crush Josh to notice her, but that’s much easier said than done. And with family drama and the attention of annoying Finn, it’s going to take some time for Hannah to realie who really cares about her.

Scott is by far one of my favorite teen romance authors because of the skill and passion shown by her writing, and Something, Maybe is definitely up to par. I love how Scott places her protagonists in such unique situations that make her stories so moving, emotional, and memorable. Hannah is a realistically drawn character, but even if I can’t empathize with her life story as I’m sure most readers won’t be able to, I can definitely related to her fear of taking risks and desire for something real she can count on. I was rooting the whole way for Hannah to sort out her life and find some happiness. I did feel that Hannah’s friendship with Teagan was a little haphazardly thrown in there, but everything else is almost perfectly placed. Both predictable and surprising, Something, Maybe is a sweet romance that will evoke emotional response as well as happy sighs from all readers.

Fans of Scott’s writing, especially in Bloom and Stealing Heaven, will not want to miss her latest in Something, Maybe. Readers who enjoyed When It Happens by Susane Colasanti or anything by Sarah Dessen will also like this romantic novel.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from publisher Simon & Schuster

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

Fourteen-year-old Iris isn’t really looking forward to summer in Ondine, Louisiana. She lives in a small and boring town with virtually no entertainment—unless she makes it up herself. That’s what she and her best friend Collette have been doing for all their lives, making up spells and playing make-believe. But when the friends cast a spell to summon the spirits of the dead and it actually works—well, for Iris at least—they know nothing will ever be the same. A ghost is haunting Iris, and little by little, the friends get drawn into the mystery surrounding the disappearance years ago of a boy named Elijah because Iris is convinced that’s who the ghost is. Iris won’t be the first to wonder what really happened to Elijah, but she just might be the first to actually find out.

Shadowed Summer is a fun and unpredictable mystery with a paranormal twist. The plot is very enjoyable to read because of the supernaturalism involving the ghost, connections back into the recent history of Ondine, and the inclusion of Iris’ friends and family which made solving Elijah’s disappearance so much more personal for Iris. Friendship disputes and jealousy were well interspaced within the main plotline to make the story more interesting and Iris’ character more realistic. Even if some of the little details in Shadowed Summer don’t completely add up in the end or remain obscure, this novel is still one of the better mysteries I’ve read in a while that also explores the strength of friendship and intolerance in small town America.

Readers of most ages will enjoy Shadowed Summer, especially fans of Invisible Touch by Kelly Parra, The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong, and Wake by Lisa McMann.

Rating: 4.25

review copies from author Saundra Mitchell and publisher Random House

3 Willows by Ann Brashares

Friends Polly, Jo, and Ama have gradually grown apart over the years, despite a strong bond since they were little. Polly is the dreamer, often lost in books. Jo is the lost one, looking for friends in more popular older girls. And Ama is the academic one, unsure of what else she’s good at. It’s the summer before they start high school, and each will change, whether they want to reinvent themselves or not. Polly wants to fix her physical appearance, Jo wants to evade the tough parts of her life by cementing her social standing for the upcoming year, and Ama is stuck in a wilderness camp instead of the library. But despite their changes, one thing remains, their friendship, because their bond is the true kind that’s more than tough to break.

I’ll admit that 3 Willows was hard to get into at first. I kept getting Polly, Jo, and Ama mixed up because I felt that their backgrounds and personalities were kind of forced on me, and they took a little to get used to. However, as the story progressed, I warmed up to each girl as I began to understand who they were. The plot and telling of the story is a little scattered and hard to follow at times, especially with all the references to this or that minor character, but it was still amusing, moving, and heartwarming. Ultimately, though, despite the sometimes boring plot and large cast of characters, I really liked 3 Willows. It tells a story of friendship that is so strong, it survives every hit that comes at it, no matter how big or small and every separation, no matter how long or far; it’s a friendship that connects people on a deeper level and eventually changes them for the better, even if those people were a little derailed before. And it’s a beautiful thing, what Brashares has done with 3 Willows, only made more poetic by the frequent references to the three willow trees Polly, Jo, and Ama planted when they were younger. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever read a novel that portrays the beauty and strength of friendship as well as Brashares does in 3 Willows.

Though I have never read any of Brashares’ novels, especially The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, I’m sure if those books are anything like 3 Willows, fans of Brashares will be eager to read this new one. Fans of other books touching on the bonds of friendship, such as Faking 19 by Alyson Noël, A Little Friendly Advice and Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian, and The Temptress Four by Gaby Triana, are sure to enjoy 3 Willows as well.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from Amazon Vine

Who's RAD? Sandy Lo!

Please welcome Ms. Sandy Lo, author of upcoming novel Lost in You which mixes romance, modern music culture, and pop musicians.

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Random Q&A:

A genie decides to grant you three wishes. What are they?
A long writing career that's both profitable and self-fulfilling, to meet John Travolta, and for one more day with my mother.

What is your idea of the perfect vacation?
A beach, beautiful ocean, swimming, dancing and still have time to write. I'm always inspired on vacation!

What's the most embarrassing outfit you've ever been caught in? Or, if you are so fashion forward, what outfit would you not want to be caught dead in?
Ooh, there have been quite a few doozies in high school. Now I consider myself fashion forward, but then...I wasn't sure what I was doing. For my eighteenth birthday, I wore a silver pleather skirt with a sequined top. I looked like I was from outer space!

How does your everyday environment influence who you are?
My everyday environment has always involved my crazy family. I mean crazy in both good and bad ways. I have always been someone who observes the people around me and decide which qualities I love about a particular person and wish to obtain, and which qualities I dislike and hope I don't develop.

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the guest blog:

Fame, Love and Chick Lit Romances

Some would label me a chick lit author. I have no problem being that. However, the dreadful connotation of the genre is something to be ashamed of. Being a fan and an author of romance novels, I resent anyone who calls it "fluff". Can they be unrealistic? Sure. So are most books in any genre unless it's a biography, and I'm sure even they are exaggerated half the time. Romance novels give hope to those who haven't found love. And faith to those who have it. If men read more romances and actually took them as lessons on how to make women happy, the world would be a better place.

I'm not going to continue on ranting and sticking up for an over saturated literary genre...but I would like to explain where my book Lost In You fits in. Skeptics probably think the thought of a famous music group as the lead male characters is a little far fetched. I suppose for me, it's not. As an entertainment journalist, I meet celebrities all the time and are friendly with many of them. They date normal people like anybody else. For millions of die-hard fans, Lost In You fulfills their fantasies of marrying their favorite celebrity.

I wanted to explore fame in Lost In You without exploiting it. I never make the fact that Ryan and JT are pop stars interfere too much with the love story. I could have made their fame its own character, but this is more of Cooper Jackson's story. She's the star of the book and doesn't get too smitten with the celebrity factor. I felt that was important. She has enough problems without being clouded by their fame.

The funny thing about Cooper is when I created her, her mindset was farther from mine than any other character I ever wrote. Now, in hindsight, somehow part of me turned into Cooper. She foreshadowed my own life. In Lost In You, Cooper's mother died and her father abandoned her. Well, where I am now...my mother passed away from cancer in 2007 and shortly after, my father and I had a falling out. As far as Cooper's fear of love, I share that, too. I'm afraid to get hurt the way my father hurt my mother. Writing Lost In You has really helped overcome my own fears, though, and it has made me stronger.

This is why I write. I'm amazed at what I can create with my mind. I'm even more amazed at how much my own mind can teach me about myself, about others, and about life. Learning while entertaining myself and hopefully my readers makes writing my greatest gift. I won't pay attention to labels on my writing just like I don't believe what tabloids say about celebrities. Both are here to entertain and cynics should allow that to happen, no strings attached.

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Ah, the great romance novel, I love thee, and I totally agree with Ms. Sandy Lo’s view of this lovely genre.

You may visit her online at her website: www.sandy-lo.com

Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Vladimir Tod doesn’t have much to look forward to in school. As a skinny pale boy in eighth grade, he is often subject to taunts and bullying. To make matters worse, the principal probably hates him and his crush probably likes his more popular best friend Henry. But puberty and teen angst aren’t all Vlad has to worry about; in fact, those are the lesser of his problems because Vlad is only half human—the other half is vampire. The disappearance of a well-liked teacher and the appearance of not only a strange and nosy substitute teacher but also a mysterious and likely dangerous stranger alert Vlad that someone knows his secret—and is out to get him. But in order to fully understand what’s happening to him in the present, Vlad has to drag up painful memories of the past and learn vital information about a vampire world he never knew existed before.

Eighth Grade Bites is a hilarious debut to an intriguing sounding vampire series that successfully combines supernatural dangers with the trials of being a teen. I just have to say that I love Vlad as the protagonist; he has emotional depth as well as determination and spunk, when he needs it. I really enjoyed reading alternately about Vlad’s vampire mischief or woes and his “human” crushes on girls and struggles with being bullied. The plot is interesting enough, mostly told from Vlad’s perspective thought with occasional flashes from other characters, with a nice balance between action and internal maturation. I truly enjoyed the unpredictability and suspenseful nature of the story as it kept me eagerly reading. The concept of a hidden vampire world isn’t quite so unique because it’s used in similar novels, and its background could’ve been better explained, but it is still an interesting addition that I hope to learn more about in the continuation of this series. Fast and funny, though a bit disappointingly short, Eighth Grade Bites is an excellent choice of vampire lore to read.

Readers who enjoyed Kimberly Pauley’s Sucks to Be Me will want to start Brewer’s vampire series, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. I can’t wait to read more of Vlad’s story in Ninth Grade Slays and the not-yet-released Tenth Grade Bleeds.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from personal collection

Several Awards

Sadly, I have been a very lazy book blogger of late, so I don’t feel I quite deserve these awards, but nonetheless, I have been nominated.

This one’s from Juiciliciousss Reviews and A Book Dork:

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award."

And I in turn nominate: Bookluver-Carol’s Reviews, Book Chic, Harmony’s Book Reviews, Liv’s Book Reviews, Reading Keeps You Sane, The Story Siren, Reviewer X, and The Book Vault. I’m pretty sure these fabulous bloggers are much more deserving than I.

Second is Premio Dardos (which is SPANISH!! not Italian) from Bites, which is awarded for “recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing” (ha, I stole that and the following rules from Bites).

The Rules:

1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog.

2) Pass the award to another 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment, remembering to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.

Ack, so many, and unfortunately, I haven’t been keeping up with reading other blogs (gasp! Sacrilege, I know), so I honestly don’t know who to award. Tragic and horrible of me (and sadly, this probably means I don’t deserve this award either). So can I just do a free for all sort of thing? Please? (Besides, if your blog deserves this award, then I’m sure you know it).

Also, Carol nominated me for some award which I do not know what it is called, but it has to do with fabulousness, so I'll leave it at that.

The Rules:

List five things you are obsessed with/addicted to and then nominate five other fabulous blogs to pass this award on to!

1) Books. Love ‘em to the max, everything about them, reading them, getting them in the mail (my birthday + all other holidays), just looking at them.

2) Email. This one is actually rather unfortunate, considering I have been having spotty internet access of late. But I can’t help it. I’m addicted.

3) Reading comments on my blog. Even if they’re the smallest little things, they always cheer me up, hearing from people who read my reviews.

4) Writing. I don’t actually get much time for this, but it’s definitely a big part of who I am. Stories, poetry, anything pretty much. Love it.

5) Sleeping. Strangely, I always feel like I need more sleep even when I get lots of it. Thus, I love sleeping. Absolutely love it.

For this award I nominate Book Chic, The Compulsive Reader, Hope's Bookshelf, The Story Siren, and Bookluver-Carol.

And last but not least, there have been even more rounds of the I Heart Your Blog Award. Whoopee (and I mean that in a totally nonsarcastical way). I've been nominated by Just Your Typical Book Blog and Book Junkie. And since I did a post on this like five months ago, I'll just link to it again, lazy as I am.

The Devouring: Sorry Night by Simon Holt

Reggie is a horror fan; she figures reading all those scary books and watching all those scary movies is a sort of preparation for the real thing, real fear. But for Reggie, real fear is just arachnophobia for example, something real she can name. So when she stumbles upon a mysterious journal detailing the horrors of certain demonic beings called Vours that take over human bodies, she dismisses it as a work of fiction. But she can’t deny the strange coincidence of her little brother Henry acting very strangely—and after Sorry Night, the only time that Vours can invade bodies. And when Henry’s behavior becomes more erratic and destructive, Reggie realizes that she had no idea what real fear was before—because now, she’s living it.

The Devouring is a suspenseful paranormal novel with elements of horror. Its strongest point is by far its unique plot, which I found exciting, original, and unpredictable with its combination of mystery, familiar problems, and all-encompassing fear. The characters, on the other hand, are a bit hard to connect with, even Reggie with her fierce determination. She was a little too easily blinded by cute popular boys and seemed to be spooked easily despite her claims to have conquered her fears. Another problem I have was that I often felt removed from the story despite vivid and horrifying details because it felt so unreal. Part of this is due to how fast paced The Devouring is; Reggie had to adapt, almost too quickly sometimes it seemed, to each new situation. I am a little disappointed, because thought The Devouring would’ve been better, but it is still an interesting read with a scientific twist to fear.

Fans of Peeps and The Midnighters trilogy, both by Scott Westerfeld, and The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong will likely enjoy this intriguing read.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy borrowed

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

When Lucinda Chapdelaine was just five years old, her parents left for the royal ball—and never came back. Since then, she has had no taste of her old fancy life, forced instead to work for her cruel aunt at a jewelry store. Then, as if by fate, a mysterious woman and her equally mysterious jewel enter the shop, and Lucinda’s life is irrevocably changed. This chance meeting and others acquaint Lucinda with a varied cast of characters including the Amaranth Witch, a street thief named Peter, and even the royal prince, who land her in a set of wild situations. And along the way, Lucinda will make a few friends, escape evil clutches, learn about herself, and even discover the truth about her parents’ death.

The Amaranth Enchantment is truly a delightful and amusing read. Lucinda is so easy to relate to and sympathize with, especially because of the miserable situations she often finds herself in, and her quick thinking and wit make her a joy to read about. And the other characters, especially Peter the thief, provide much amusement as well. There are several exciting elements of fantasy, especially in the form of the Amaranth Witch, that will no doubt thrill readers. My only disappointment was that the Amaranth Witch’s world was not fully delved into and explored, which I would’ve appreciated. I also found it a little off when Lucinda declared her love for the prince after nearly just meeting him. But I did love how Lucinda’s little adventures took her everywhere from jail cells to the royal court. This novel is definitely a satisfying and entertaining tale.

Fans of Catherine Murdock’s Princess Ben will also enjoy Berry’s debut novel, even thought the Amaranth Enchantment isn’t as good as the spectacular Princess Ben. Fantasy and romance lovers will also like this cute story.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy from publisher Bloomsbury USA

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

All Megan Berry wants is a normal life, but since she’s a Settler by birth, it’s her job to send Undead back to their final resting place, the grave. And even is her powers did lapse for a few years, giving her just a taste of normalcy, they return stronger than ever when fifteen-going-on-sixteen Megan is just about to go on a date with the hottest guy in school. And now that Megan has her Settler powers back, her chances of going to homecoming and making the pom squad are severely diminished, especially because someone at school is using black magic to raise Reanimated Corpses or Zombies. And as the RC attacks become more frequent and dangerous, Megan starts to realize that the plot is more sinister than she could ever imagine, even if her fellow Settlers don’t believe her. And so, it’s all up to Megan alone, it seems, to save the day, and homecoming, before it’s too late.

You Are So Undead to Me is a story with a unique idea but unfortunately subpar execution. My main problem were the characters; they were much too stereotypical. Ethan is the characteristic crush who eventually falls for the heroine, Monica is your typical evil popular girl in the way of said heroine’s plans for rising on the social ladder and getting the guy, and Megan is the girl who fights against what she is. Also, it’s been a while since I’ve had to call a character annoying, but that is what Megan is; her snarky and shallow thoughts soon get old and her boy distractions are too common and only distract from the main storyline. The plot was mostly predictable except for one commendable twist. I felt there some gaps in the story’s background that bothered me; for example, Settlers are born with power, but how do black magic practitioners, who aren’t born with that power, then gain some to perform their evil spells? In all, You Are So Undead to Me is amusing for a light read but not so great once you look beneath the surface.

You Are So Undead to Me may be popular among fans of the supernatural. Readers who enjoyed Revealers by Amanda Marrone will also like this novel.

Rating: 3.0

Review copy from BookDivas

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

Annika Truman is an intuitive girl with a knack for telling stories. She generally uses those tales for good, to cheer up her little brother Jeremy. But when she convinces him that one of her little yarns is actually real, she enters a world of trouble. In her story, Jeremy wishes to meet the real Teen Robin Hood from his favorite TV show, and now Annika has to play genie. Telling Jeremy the truth just isn’t an option as Annika can’t let Jeremy down, not this close to his surgery. So, she does what any other loving sister would do: she hauls her butt all the way over to Burbank, California in order to convince Steve Raleigh, the actor who plays Teen Robin Hood, to come home with her and visit her bother. Annika hopes that this will provide Jeremy with confidence that will make the surgery go well. It’ll be a struggle, but this witty heroine just may have what it takes to write a happy ending to her own story.

Read the rest of my review at Reader Views Kids.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from Reader Views Kids

(Very) Belated Winners and Other News

Yes, I know, I know, I have been very bad in posting the winners for the various contests I've hosted of late, so here goes.

The winners of the 40000 Hits Contest are:

First Place: Erika Lynn
Second Place: Lucile and Holly
Third Place: Korianne, Liviania, and Shalonda

The winner of the Ranger's Apprentice giveaway is:

purdypirate

I'll try to post the winner to my February contest soon, but I haven't even picked a winner yet (procrastination...)

In other sad news, I have been so busy lately that I haven't been able to keep updating my contest list. I will not be able to continue with it unfortunately. I won't delete it right away (or at all), so I urge you contest seekers to use any of the repeating links there to your advantage (sadly, I am much too lazy to paste them here).

Congrats again to the winners, and good luck to all of you in your quest for contests!

Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian

Emily is searching for something real. Summer in her hometown of Cherry Hill doesn’t feel fun anymore as it should, especially since her best friend Meg got a boyfriend. So she decides to attend an art program in nearby Philadelphia. She figures that since she’s always liked drawing, this will be a chance to discover herself without everyone else’s expectations weighing her down. But is a change of scenery really all that Emily needs to forge her own identity? Because it seems like Emily keeps running into the same old problem with friendship, boys, and personal insecurities no matter where she goes.

As she did in her debut A Little Friendly Advice, Vivian crafts a realistic portrayal or life as a teen. Readesr will be swept up in Emily’s life, in all her awkwardness and struggles to define herself because of Vivian’s vivid writing. At some point, I stopped thinking of Emily as just a character and her life as just a story all due to how real Vivian makes Same Difference seem, and this made me care about Emily even more. Vivian does a fantastic job of capturing a point in a young woman’s life where nothing is definite and personal identity is just beginning to blossom in a way I was especially able to relate to. The incorporation of art only adds another dimension of depth to Emily. I truly enjoyed the juxtaposition of Emily’s city life versus her life in suburbia, including the friendship spites and boy troubles, because it demonstrated in a way that humanity with all its blessings and flaws is universal and that escape can’t define who you are.

Fans of Vivian’s fantastic first novel A Little Friendly Advice, as well as Readers who enjoy Lisa Yee, Courtney Summers, Sarah Dessen, and Deb Caletti, will most definitely want to check out her latest. Readers who like Vivian’s writing will likely want to check out A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell, which will be released early April.

Rating: 4.75

Review copy from publisher Scholastic

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the nation of Panem, the only civilization left in the ruins of North America, fear is power. The Capitol keeps each of the twelve surrounding districts on a tight leash by exploiting this fear, particularly through a cruel and vicious ceremony known as the Hunger Games, a yearly contest for survival. Each district is required to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to compete in this fight for life that is televised live for all of Panem to bet on and enjoy.

Things are going fine for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen of the poorest part of District 12. Her family is doing relatively well and Katniss hasn’t gotten caught hunting in the forest or poaching, crimes punishable by death. She even has a trustworthy partner in her illegal activities, a real friend. But when her younger sister is randomly drawn to be a contestant in the Hunger Games, she volunteers to take her place out of love and desperation. And even if Katniss doesn’t think she stands a chance, coming from the dumps of the poorest district, survival is part of who she is. But in the Hunger Games, there is no room for the luxuries of friendship or even humanity, because there can only be one victor.

The Hunger Games contains a shockingly disturbing view of the future in which humanity has progressed backward even if civilization and technology continues. It is a completely dystopian future where wealth is unevenly distributed to an extreme degree, starvation is commonplace, and fear rules people’s lives. Yet, in the midst of this harsh and unforgiving atmosphere, small amounts of humanity to persevere, especially in the form of spunky heroine Katniss. The fight for survival drives her to the edge between right and wrong, and Katniss struggles between feeling compassion for her human competitors and ruthless killing like a machine in order to win. I felt Collins illustrates this precarious balance very well through this action packed and thought provoking novel. The inclusion of romance and Katniss’ confusion over her feelings, even if that part gets rather annoying, only further demonstrates the struggle of humanity against a cruel regime of power, because love and friendship are the most human one can get. Suspenseful and full of hidden meaning, this page turner wills stick with readers beyond the last page and leave them craving more.

If the “End of Book one” on The Hunger Games’ last page is any indicator, this must read will soon be continued in a sequel or series. Fans of other dystopian novels including the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Shift by Charlotte Agell, Unwind by Neal Shusterman, Cherry Heaven by L.J. Adlington, and The Giver by Lois Lowry will not want to miss The Hunger Games.

Rating: 5.0

Review copy from publisher Scholastic

Circle of Friends giveaway

CONTEST CLOSED

It’s time for another contest, just because I love them so much. (Trust me, it’s probably more exciting for me than it is for you, even though I’m not the one winning things).

This one is to win a copy of Book 1 in L. Diane Wolfe’s The Circle of Friends series, Lori, courtesy of Dancing Lemur Press, LLC. It’s about living, loving, and accomplishing your dreams.

To enter, just leave your name and email address. Comments without one or both of these will be deleted and not counted in the contest. Winner must be a US or Canadian resident. Contest ends 3/18/09 probably around noonish.

Want an extra entry? Post link about this contest and leave a working URL in your comment. One extra entry per entrant.