Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

Perry Stormaire never wanted to go to prom. He wants to play the gig his band finally landed in New York City. Heck, he’d probably rather write more college application essays than go to prom. But then his parents get involved, and now, Perry finds himself stuck on a date with the Lithuanian exchange student named Gobi Zaksauskas that his family is hosting. Only, Gobi isn’t actually the shy, awkward girl in baggy clothes she’s pretended to be all along—she’s a sexy, tough, trained assassin. And tonight, prom night, is the only night that her five targets will be in New York City. So, instead of dancing the miserable night away in the school gym, Perry finds himself speeding through the streets of New York City with Gobi in his father’s Jaguar. He’ll be shot at and beat up, almost wreck his father’s precious car, and learn some surprising things about his family and himself, but there’s no question that this night will be one that Perry won’t ever forget.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick is like many of those mediocre action flicks with guns, mobsters, long buried secrets, and revenge, only in book form. Basically, this novel relies heavily on a fast paced and action packed plot that is just full of action sequences, weapons of varying degrees, secret identities, and the like. All this, of course, makes this Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick very exciting to read. What Schreiber brings to the novel, though, to lighten things up is a fresh voice and a good sense of humor. It’s so entertaining to read from Perry’s perspective, especially since he breaks the story of prom night up as answers to college application essay questions. The seriousness of the ending didn’t quite feel like it went with the more humorous and ridiculous tone of the rest of the novel, but I did appreciate the growth in Perry’s character. And though Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick doesn’t really have that much substance, it is still a quick, fun, and undoubtedly thrilling novel to read.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick appeals to fans of Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood and Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.

Rating: 3.25

Review copies from BEA and publisher Houghton Mifflin 

A recap of the latest events I attended

It's been a busy month, but I still managed to attend some pretty awesome events!

A few weeks ago, I went to the October Teen Author Reading Night at the Jefferson Market Library branch of the NYPL. I got there super early, but that just meant I had more time to chat with awesome people, such as Sam from Living Little Women as well as many of the night's featured authors, including Kody Keplinger, Michelle Hodkin, Jocelyn Davies, and Anna Heltzel.

Leila Sales, Jocelyn Davies, and Anna Heltzel (hmm, why does this combo look so familiar?)

Cecily Von Ziegesar, Anna Godbersen, Michelle Hodkin, and Kody Keplinger

This fantastic panel also included Cecily Von Ziegesar (who was running a little late to the event), Anna Godbersen, and Leila Sales, if you couldn't tell from the photos above. I quite enjoyed hearing each of them read from their books and the great Q&A afterward. I especially enjoyed mobbing (okay, not quite mobbing) Cecily Von Zeigesar to ask her to sign my copy of Gossip Girl Psycho Killer and tell her how awesome a concept it is. I also got to chat briefly with the head of Poppy, an imprint of Little Brown Books for Young Readers, and author Leila Sales before heading out to dinner with Kody Keplinger, Kody's agent, my boss, and others.

Then, two Thursdays ago, I headed on over to Brooklyn with Kody Keplinger to see A.S. King at the Brooklyn Public Library. I was especially excited for this event because I have been waiting to meet A.S. King for about three years, ever since I read and loved her first book The Dust of 100 Dogs. We got there pretty early and got to chat with two of the coolest librarians ever.

When A.S. King arrived, I immediately went over to introduce myself, because I was so excited to finally get to meet her! She is just a seriously awesome person, in so many ways, which made her event so much more enjoyable. She talked a lot about her background, her writing, and her newest book Everybody Sees the Ants, read a bit, and answered some Q&A.

A.S. King reads from Everybody Sees the Ants; notice her awesome shirt and awesome publicist in the background

I was able to get the ARC I gave away in a contest signed for its winner and even snagged another one for myself from the prizes for everyone in attendance. And Kody and I also got to chat with A.S. King's lovely publicist and editor. All in all, it was a very cool event. I'm so excited that I got to meet the A.S. King! I think I'm still in awe of her awesomeness. :)

Finally, last Saturday, I went to two more events. The first one was a big event at Books of Wonder for seven authors: Sarah Beth Durst, Alison Goodman, Jeff Hirsch, Jon Skovron, Scott Westerfeld, Maryrose Wood, and Gabrielle Zevin. Even though I knew the store would be super packed because Scott Westerfeld is so popular, I still arrived a little late with my usual belated punctuality.

Jeff Hirsch, Maryrose Wood, Sarah Beth Durst, & Scott Westerfeld

Gabrielle Zevin, Alison Goodman, & (behind the pillar) Jon Skovron

I only had one book to get signed, but I spent the rest of the time chatting with lots of wonderful people, including authors Marianna Baer, Kody Keplinger, Sarah Beth Durst, Maryrose Wood, and Gabrielle Zevin; bloggers Genna from Reading, Writing, and the World of Words and Erica from The Book Cellar; and a couple of awesome interns, Adam and Jennifer.

Later that day, I made my way over to Brooklyn again with Kody Keplinger for Cecily Von Ziegesar's launch event for Gossip Girl Psycho Killer. Even though I already saw her earlier this month, I knew I couldn't miss the opportunity to hear Cecily read again from her newest book, as it was quite hilarious the first time and sure to be just as much the next.

Cecily Von Ziegesar reads from Gossip Girl Psycho Killer

But don't take my word for how funny she is. Here's a video so you can watch for yourself:

And thus ends this recap of the books events I went to this month!

Win Destined by P.C. & Kristin Cast

CONTEST CLOSED

Here's your chance to win the latest book in the House of Night series!

Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet–which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together–if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow…

But there are new forces at work at the House of Night. An influx of humans, including Lenobia’s handsome horse whisperer, threatens their precarious stability. And then there’s the mysterious Aurox, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous teen boy who is actually more–or possibly less–than human. Only Neferet knows he was created to be her greatest weapon. But Zoey can sense the part of his soul that remains human, the compassion that wars with his Dark calling. And there’s something strangely familiar about him…

Will Neferet’s true nature be revealed before she succeeds in silencing them all? And will Zoey be able to touch Aurox’s humanity in time to protect him–and everyone–from his own fate? Find out what’s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

(1) lucky winner will receive Destined by P.C. and Kristin Cast
courtesy of publisher Macmillan



Other details:

• US/Canadian mailing addresses only.
• Contest ends 11/05/11, at 9 p.m. EST.

Remember, you must complete the form to be entered, and only one form submission per person will be counted. If you have any questions about this contest, see my contest policy, or contact me and ask away.

Some Winners

Congrats to...

Rowena

who won My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Karen

who won a *signed* ARC of Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

and

kayla merritt

who won lots of prizes in my Book Launch giveaway

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade by Maryrose Wood

Jessamine Luxton has lost faith in both men she has ever loved. Her dear Weed has left her even though he professed to love her. This has left her alone with her father, a man whose desire for knowledge is so powerful that he will stop at nothing to learn and know. With no one else to turn to, Jessamine looks to Oleander, Prince of Poisons and her would-be-murderer, for help. She knows that once she allies herself with Oleander, she will be irrevocably changed for the worse, but she no longer cares. She won’t be satisfied until she has her revenge. But is her immediate satisfaction worth the price of becoming Oleander’s deadly tool—and truly losing Weed forever?

I was truly swept away by the imaginativeness and swooning romance in this novel’s prequel, The Poison Diaries, and its tragic ending made me impatient for Nightshade. I wanted to see more of Jessamine’s independence, Weed’s sometimes misguided loyalty, and the treachery of the Poison Garden. However, what Wood delivers in Nightshade is not quite that. Jessamine’s anger and grief transform her into an unrecognizable girl who is really Oleander’s puppet. It bothered me that Jessamine could go from such a strong character to one so easily manipulated and willing to deceive. That combined with her prolonged separation from Weed made me not like this story very much. I won’t deny that Wood still knows how to tell a very good story and that I enjoyed how the narrations alternated between Jessamine’s and Weed’s points of view, but I was a little disappointed with the plot itself.

Nightshade will be enjoyed by fans of its prequel The Poison Diaries as well as by readers who liked Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder.

Rating: 3.5

Review copy from BEA

Amplified by Tara Kelly

The one thing that Jasmine Kiss wants more than anything is to be a musician. But when she picks her music over college, her father kicks her out of the house, leaving Jasmine with no place to live and a whole slew of new problems. She finds a nice room to rent, but now she needs to convince the three other guys living in the house that she’ll be the best roommate. She finds a band looking for a guitarist, but now she needs to show them that she’s worth their time.  Too bad Jasmine the band’s bassist has doubts about Jasmine’s skills. Too bad Jasmine’s seriously starting to have a crush on the same guy. And most of all, it’s too bad that Jasmine has a serious case of stage fright.

I was a big fan of Kelly’s musically inspired debut Harmonic Feedback, so I had high hopes that I would be similarly impressed by her second novel Amplified. And for the most part, I was. Kelly’s portrayal of a girl on her own for the first time is so genuine. Readers will be able to truly sympathize with Jasmine’s struggles to take care of herself and determination to be true to her dreams. It’s so interesting to see how music is both Jasmine’s greatest source of joy as well as one of her greatest sources of fear; she is so passionate about her music but performing in front of others is at times too much pressure to handle. I love how Kelly thoroughly explores Jasmine’s relationships with those around her, because I got to see how these evolved and responded to different hardships. However, I thought Kelly could have spent a little more time on Jasmine’s relationship with her father, because he is a relatively small character in this novel despite the huge impact he has on his daughter’s life. I found the lack of discussion of family dynamics a little odd, especially since Jasmine’s father was really the catalyst this story when he kicks Jasmine out of the house, and think that one would have made the story that much stronger.

Amplified will be enjoyed by fans of Harmonic Feedback, also by Tara Kelly, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert, and Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph.

Rating: 3.75

Review copy from publisher Macmillan

Win Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write

CONTEST CLOSED

Are you a teen who likes to write? Or just someone who likes to write? Or someone who knows someone who likes to write? Well, then, I have an awesome giveaway for you!

Do you wish you had a published writer's secrets at your fingertips, ready to help you achieve your goals of publication, success, and the chance to be the next great teen writer? In Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write, Victoria Hanley, award-winning author of young adult fiction, spills the secrets for bringing action, adventure, humor, and drama to stories. All of the elements of fiction, from creating believable dialogue to exciting plots, are laid out clearly and illustrated with examples taken straight from story excerpts by excellent writers. The book is packed with writing exercises designed to encourage teens to tell the stories that are theirs alone.

In addition, other published authors of young adult literature share their insights about the writing life. Teens can gain firsthand advice from accomplished writers T. A. Barron, Joan Bauer, Hilari Bell, Chris Crutcher, David Lubar, Lauren Myracle, Todd Mitchell, Nancy Garden, and many more.

(3) lucky winners will receive Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write by Victoria Hanley
courtesy of Prufrock Press Inc.



Other details:

• US/Canadian mailing addresses only.
• Contest ends 11/11/11, at 9 p.m. EST.

Remember, you must complete the form to be entered, and only one form submission per person will be counted. If you have any questions about this contest, see my contest policy, or contact me and ask away.

Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle

Penelope Leland has come to Ireland to further her studies in magic. She hopes to become as good a witch as her dear twin sister Persy, and so she devotes all her energies to being studious. But once Pen meets Niall Keating, that is so much easier said than. Niall is both gorgeous and charming, and Pen is a little surprised when he shows so much interest in her. And she should be, because Niall is only courting Pen at the orders of his mother, a powerful sorceress who needs Pen’s help with a dangerous spell. But what began as false pretenses blossoms into real feelings for both Niall and Pen. And when Niall realizes that he loves Pen, he knows he cannot continue deceiving her. But will Pen ever be able to forgive Niall for taking advantage of her in that way? And will Niall even act in time to prevent his mother’s evil plans from coming to fruition?

I just loved Bewitching Season when I read it years ago, so I knew that I had to read its companion Betraying Season as soon as I got the chance. I’m happy to say that for the most part, Betraying Season was just as fun and enjoyable as Bewitching Season. Doyle uses the new setting of Ireland well, capturing and beautifully portraying how its customs and people are different from those of the London Pen is from. I loved how Pen’s magical and personal journey was so connected to ancient Irish lore, because it allows readers to see magic from a fresh perspective. I was a little less satisfied with the central romance, because something about it felt a little inconsistent. I never thought there was any question that Niall was in love with Pen, but I kept waiting for him to prove that love by being honest with Pen, something that took a very long time. I also didn’t really like how easily Pen seemed to be tricked into taking part of Niall’s mother’s evil scheme; she seemed a little too clever to be manipulated that easily. Despite those two issues, though, Betraying Season was still a quick and entertaining read.

Fans of Bewitching Season will not want to miss its companion in Betraying Season. This novel also appeals to readers who enjoyed La Petite Four by Regina Scott and The Season by Sarah MacLean.

Rating: 3.5

Review copy from publisher Macmillan

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell by Crickett Rumley

After being expelled from thirteen boarding schools in the past five years, Jane Fontaine Ventouras is finally returning home to Bienville, Alabama. Jane can’t believe she’s back in her grandmother’s house after all this time, along with the sweet tea, good old southern hospitality, and all the pearl-wearing and perfectly primped pageant hopefuls. She couldn’t feel more out of place in her hometown, and her plans of blending into the wallpaper unnoticed are dashed when she is forced to compete in the annual Magnolia Maid Pageant. Jane is anything but a southern belle, but when she’s chosen as a Magnolia Maid, she realizes she’ll need to step up before the pageant turns into a bratfest. She’s going to have to try really hard to be a lady, but there’s no doubt she’s not going down without a fight.

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell is one of those books whose title perfectly captures the flavor of the story: charming and funny.  I always find southern debutante/pageant books so enjoyable to read because I can expect the pageants and balls to be over the top, but I can also expect the resisting protagonist to be a little ridiculous in her attempts to escape this torture. Rumley does humor in her debut novel very well, and I was giggling throughout the entire book. I was a little bit less pleased when it came to the characters. The more minor characters, though undoubtedly colorful and entertaining, tended to be rather flat and for me, ultimately uninteresting. What I found slightly more irritating was Jane’s character. I loved her in the beginning of the story because of her attitude and humor, and it was great seeing her grow into new friendships with her fellow Magnolia Maids, but something felt a little strange by how she seemed to buy into the entire pageant thing at the end of the book. The changes in Jane’s mentality weren’t so smooth where this transition felt natural. However, even though the characters could have used a little work and the romance was very predictable, I found Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell is quick and entertaining read.

This novel is sure to be enjoyed by fans of The Debutante by Kathryn Williams, Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee, and The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch.

Rating: 3.25

Review copy from publisher EgmontUSA

Swear by Nina Malkin

It’s been six months since everything happened, six months since Sinclair Youngblood Powers disappeared. Dice misses Sin more than anything, but she’s afraid that he might actually be gone forever—from existence. Still, she tries to have a normal life, playing music with her friends and trying to connect with new ones, especially Tosh, her attractive new band made. But just when everything seems back to the plain and ordinary, strange things start happening again. Little snatches of melody, plants that seem to come alive, weird weather, and the disappearance of her best friend’s boyfriend all point in one direction for Dice: to Sin. He’s back. Dice is sure of it, but she’s also sure that I can only mean trouble.

Reading Swoon by Nina Malkin a couple years ago was an interesting experience for me, to say the least, and I can’t tell you what made me pick up its sequel, Swear. I guess I was just curious to see where Malkin would take the story. What readers get in Swear is a lot more bizarre than everything that happens in Swoon. The plot just kept getting weirder and weirder and continuously made me wonder what the point was. Additionally, I’ve always felt a little distanced from Dice’s story because of Malkin’s writing. I’ve come to realize that I really don’t like her writing all that much; in Swear, the descriptions were sometimes a little vulgar, the humor was forced for me as the reader, and there seemed to be an overemphasis on the extremes of teen behavior, such as doing drugs and holding séances. Despite all of the problems that I had with this book, I still found the story incredibly sexy. The one thing that Malkin does very well is develop Dice’s relationship with Sin, and I did enjoy reading along as they worked out their personal issues. Overall, reading Swear was perhaps not the best investment of my time, but, as I said before, it was certainly an interesting experience.

Fans of Swoon by Nina Malkin will likely want to pick up its sequel, Swear, as will readers who also enjoyed Ruined by Paula Morris and Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready.

Rating: 3.25

Review copy from Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas

Nothing has been the same since Rose’s mother died. Rose misses her more than anything, and her absence makes Rose’s entire life feel off kilter. When Rose finds a Survival Kit that her mom made especially for her, she realizes that she needs to at least try to heal. Her mother left her a paper bag containing a picture of peonies, a crystal heart, a box of crayons, a paper star, an iPod with an empty playlist, and a paper kite, and Rose owes it to her mother to make the most of what she’s been given. It’ll take time, but with help and comfort from a surprising source, Rose will come to realize that even though she can’t change what’s already happened, she can still look forward to new beginnings and happiness.

The Survival Kit is a beautiful look at coming to terms with the absence of a loved one. I’ve read a good amount of novels similar to this one, and despite the similarity in storyline, I love The Survival Kit just as much as those other books. Freitas’s strength is by far her ability to so realistically capture the emotions of the moment in each of her characters. Her writing, both delicate and beautiful, draws readers in and refuses to let them leave Rose’s story until it’s over. Though I completely love this story, I’m not sure if the strength of Freitas’s writing is enough to distinguish The Survival Kit from other stories like it, if only because my favorites from these stories have been equally as well written and moving. There is no doubt though that this novel is a truly powerful story of healing that is worth reading.

The Survival Kit appeals to readers who also enjoyed The Alison Rules by Catherine Clark, A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell, Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabeley, and Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from publisher Macmillan

Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi

Ever since her father died four years ago, Donna has felt a little lost. She barely knows how to deal with her friends, let alone her own mother, and she has no idea what she wants to do after high school. Her lingering grief has prevented her really feeling anything or even caring. It isn’t until she’s standing in front of a classmate’s dead body at Brighton Brothers’ Funeral Home that she realizes that she does care. She cares about honoring the deceased and comforting others in the wake of death—she cares so much she might want to be a mortician. This realization gives Donna’s life a whole new purpose and meaning. She finds herself opening up, making new friends, and discovering new things about old ones. Nobody else understands her choice in profession, but Donna knows that learning about and respecting the dead is where she needs to be, and that it may be the only way for her to come to terms with losing her father.

Putting Makeup on Dead People is a beautiful story of loss and love. Violi portrays protagonist Donna so wonderfully; as a result, I was drawn to her story from the very first page. Donna can be funny, but what really struck me was how shy, insecure, and scared she mostly felt. These are emotions that every teen has grappled with, in this and other capacities, and they make Donna feel all the more realistic to the reader. The plot is admittedly a little slow, but that’s because the main focus of the story is one Donna’s growth as a person, especially in how she deals with friendship, her family, and romantic relationships. It was certainly a beautiful process to watch as Donna found strength within herself to stand up and pursue what she believed in as well as find the humility to admit her wrongs. Rich with emotion and vividly believable characters, Putting Makeup on Dead People is a thoughtful and very well written debut from an author to watch.

Putting Makeup on Dead People will be enjoyed by readers who also liked The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, and A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from publisher Disney-Hyperion

Winners, winners, winners!

Congratulations to...

muggie

who won All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

Melissa V. @ Coffee, Books and Laundry

who won an All These Things I've Done audiobook

and

cindy gates

who won Dreamland by Alyson Noël

I've been interviewed!

Have you ever wondered what The Book Muncher was up to when she was The Intern? Well, so did Creative A from *Headdesk*, so she interviewed me all about it.

Intrigued? Mildly curious? Then I encourage you to head on over to see what I have to say about my summer internship at Macmillan!

Link here: http://headdeskforwriters.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-with-intern-bookmuncher.html

The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Megan is used to moving around with her dad, but never has a move taken her as far as a tiny town in the south of Ireland. But her dad seems to really like the place, and so Megan does her best to settle in. She makes friends, gets used to a school system that’s foreign to her, and listens to her father. But throughout all of this, she still can’t get one thing out of her mind, and that’s Adam DeRís. His entire family is shrouded in secrecy, but Adam is another mystery. Megan finds herself increasingly drawn to him, though she’s not quite sure why. There’s something strange about Adam and his family that may be connected to a tragic event in her past, something that binds them all together. It’s with the DeRís family that Megan discovers her true destiny and finds herself in a new world of power, magic, and corruption.

I will preface the rest of this review by saying that I had really high hopes for this novel. It is currently the only book to have been “discovered” on InkPop, a community writing site, which is exciting on its own, but it has also been surrounded by a lot of hype otherwise. And, unfortunately, with such huge expectations, I was bound to be disappointed. The Carrier of the Mark certainly does have its merits, and I can see why the HarperTeen editors wanted to snatch it up. Fallon has a way of transporting readers to the lush landscape of coastal Ireland with her flavorful scenic descriptions. Her ideas that back the supernatural element of the book are certainly unique, and I don’t think I’ve seen the type of magic in this story elsewhere except in my own dreams. However, everything else in this novel needed work. I had difficulty connecting with the characters because they felt just shy of truly realistic and likable. The dialogue was similarly off and felt inauthentic compared with the rest of the feel of the story. Transitions between scenes are poorly done, especially the flashbacks. Sadly the combination of all these little details really added up and lessened the quality of the book. What really irritates me is that these problems are ones that could have been cleaned up; I feel like more time, editing, and revision could have made this story so much better. Even though it is very exciting that this novel was found online, that doesn’t mean it should be rushed to be published. With its fascinating ideas and given more time, The Carrier of the Mark could have been really great, but sadly, for me, it misses the mark.

The Carrier of the Mark will still be enjoyed by fans of the Dark Elite series by Chloe Neill, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier.

Rating: 3.25

Review copy from BEA

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

At first glance, Cas Lowood might seem like an ordinary teen. But when you take into account his completely and utter lack of friends and the frequency with which his family moves, it seems there’s more to Cas than meets the eye. And there is, because being friendless and moving all the time are just hazards of his occupation: killing the dead. Like his father did before him, Cas follows rumors and local ghost stories to keep the murderous dead at bay and send them to where they need to go. When Cas moves to Thunder Bay pursuing a dangerous ghost known as Anna Dressed in Blood, he has no reason to expect this job will be any different from all the other ghosts he’s killed before. But it soon becomes clear that there’s something about Anna that makes her stronger—and crueler—than the other ghosts he’s faced. Since her murder in 1958, Anna has gruesomely murdered every person to step foot in the old Victorian which used to be her home, but for some strange reason, she spares Cas’s life.

Anna Dressed in Blood is a wicked awesome story of magic, hauntings, and killing ghosts. Blake does a fantastic job of crafting an undoubtedly exciting, action packed, and well written plot, but I have to admit that what really drew me into the story was Cas’s voice. Despite the outward attitude and sarcasm, Cas is actually a really considerate guy who kills ghosts not necessarily because he wants to, but because he feels it’s his duty. I thoroughly enjoyed reading from his perspective, especially as he got to better know the ghost called Anna Dressed in Blood. Cas makes this story such a thrill to read, even as some of the details got a little to gory for my taste. I’ll admit that I was a little thrown off by the rather abrupt change in plot direction midway through the book; though I ultimately liked where Blake took the story, the transitioning could have been smoother. Despite this and not particularly well developed supporting characters, Anna Dressed in Blood is overall a thrilling and fresh take on ghost stories.

Anna Dressed in Blood is sure to be enjoyed by fans of Ruined by Paula Morris, The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong, and Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from publisher Macmillan

Win My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

CONTEST CLOSED

Hey all! Are you looking for a seriously fun book to read? Then this giveaway is for you!

PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else be the one to decide which book I read for English. Or whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich Maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: Chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.

But don’t take my word for it, read the book and decide for yourself. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll scream in frustration. Or maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s my life.

And don't forget to check out the hilarious book trailer!






(1) lucky winner will receive My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody
courtesy of Macmillan



Other details:

• US/Canadian mailing addresses only.
• Contest ends 10/14/11, at 9 p.m. EST.

Remember, you must complete the form to be entered, and only one form submission per person will be counted. If you have any questions about this contest, see my contest policy, or contact me and ask away.

Win an ARC of Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

CONTEST CLOSED

Hey all! I have an extra ARC of a really fantastic book, that being Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, to give away. Yes, I know final copies of the book just came out, but hey, a good book is a good book in any form! If you don't care what format your books come in, then this contest is for you!

Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their family is fine. And he certainly didn't ask to be the recipient of Nadar McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

Lucky has a secret—one that helps him wade through the daily dysfunction of his life. Grandad Harry, trapped in the jungles of Laos, has been visiting Lucky in his dreams—and the dreams just might be real: an alternate reality where he can be whoever he wants to be and his life might still be worth living. But how long can Lucky remain in hiding there before reality forces its way inside?

Printz Honor recipient A. S. King's distinctive, smart, and accessible writing shines in this powerful novel about learning to cope with the shrapnel life throws at you, and then taking a stand against it.

(1) lucky winner will receive an ARC of Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
courtesy of Little, Brown



Other details:

• US mailing addresses only.
• Contest ends 10/18/11, at 9 p.m. EST.

Remember, you must complete the form to be entered, and only one form submission per person will be counted. If you have any questions about this contest, see my contest policy, or contact me and ask away.

Everybody Sees the Ants Blog Tour: A Letter from A.S. King

Dear Book Muncher,

You’ve supported me from the very beginning and I watched you ROCK IT on Wheel of Fortune with my kids who think you’re famous. Because we go way back, I kinda feel like I can write this totally mellow post and not overly push my new book EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS because sometimes people just want to read totally mellow posts. Here’s what I call this one:

Four random things I thought of. . .seven and a half days ago while sitting on my red couch. (Because I’m writing this on September 27, 2011, a week before I go on tour for EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS. It’s 10:04pm. If you want, you can pretend that this post is magical and takes you back in time.)

1. I keep buying white button-down shirts and I never wear them. I now have four white button-down shirts that I have never worn. I can’t figure out how this keeps happening. I’m not a shopper. I only go shopping when I have to. Think I went four times in the last two years. And every time I bought a white button-down shirt. I do not understand this.

2. This week (it will be last week by the time this message gets to you) is Banned Books Week and it always makes me want to say stuff like this: STOP TELLING OTHER PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND TAKE A MINUTE TO SEE HOW SELFISH AND WEIRD YOU’RE BEING. < ---------that’s what I’d say to people who ban and challenge books. I love ironic banned books. Like Animal Farm and Fahrenheit 451. That’s always a laugh. How come Big Brother in real life never sees itself as Big Brother?

3. This month is Bullying Prevention month and I want to tell readers how they can help. It’s really easy and if everyone did this, then we could actually change the world. Ready? All you have to do is walk up to a bullying victim and nicely say, “I saw that. It wasn’t cool.” (Or any variation of this.) you can learn a lot more here: http://www.pacer.org/bullying/

Related random thought: Every so often, ask yourself these questions: Do my friends treat me nicely? Do they treat other people nicely? Do they really support me or do they live to tear me down?

Surround yourself with winners. It’s easier to change the world when surrounded by winners.

4. Completely random: Mr. King and I have been watching the original Star Trek seasons on Netflix. I am now obsessed with Star Trek. When I could have been watching reruns of this, I was too young to understand how completely boss it is. (You do know I’m part Vulcan, don’t you, Book Muncher? I haven’t mastered the nerve pinch yet, but I’m going to keep trying.) Anyway, we’re about to watch episode 26 right now.

Here ends my random mellow post to you. Thank you again for always being so supportive and for your awesome attitude and for your awesome blog and for being awesome on Wheel of Fortune and giving my kids the impression that I know totally famous people. YOU ROCK. If ever you need a white button-down shirt, you know who to call.

Sending a virtual herd of goats,

Amy

Attached: herd of goats

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

Dysfunction can be defined in many ways, and some of these definitions might be accompanied with a picture of Lucky Linderman. At least, that’s the way Lucky sees it sometimes. He sees himself stuck in a life that he’d rather not have, with a barely present father who never got over his own father’s disappearance in the Vietnam War, a mother who swims laps in the pool to avoid confrontation, and half a lifetime’s worth of bullying from Nadar McMillan. Sometimes it seems that the only place that things are okay, even when they’re clearly not, is in Lucky’s dreams, because that’s where Granddad Harry is. In Lucky’s dreams, he has a purpose: to rescue Granddad from the jungles of Vietnam. In his dreams, he knows what dangers await him and how to avoid or defeat them. But no matter how real these dreams are, they don’t make up all of Lucky’s life. He can’t hide with Granddad forever—he can’t give up hope on everything else.

I have absolutely loved each and every of the three novels that the spectacular A.S. King has thus put forth, but I’ve come to realize that I don’t necessarily love reviewing them. I always find it a little hard to articulate the raw brilliance and power behind her words, though I attempt to anyway. Most of what I love about King’s writing, especially in Everybody Sees the Ants, is that it is both literary and accessible. I would attribute the literary side to the incorporation of certain elements, such as Lucky’s dreams of Granddad or the ants, that, taken out of context, would sound really bizarre, but mean so much more within this story, either as developments to complicate the plot or a symbols and metaphors. The accessibility is without a doubt due to Lucky’s voice, which is so painfully honest in sharing his hopes, fear, and frustrations. Despite the very particular details of Lucky’s circumstances, there will be something about him that every reader will be able to identify with. That is what I believe this novel really comes down to. At some point, everybody has wanted to escape their life. At some point, everybody has had something bad happen to them. In the words of King herself, everybody sees the ants. But at the same time, perhaps that’s what unifies us.

Fans of A.S. Kings first two novels, The Dust of 100 Dogs and Please Ignore Vera Dietz, will not want to miss her spectacular third. I’d give other recommendations, but I’ll be perfectly honest: I think everyone should read King’s books, especially Everybody Sees the Ants.

Rating: 5.0

Review copy from publisher Little, Brown

A Week of Launch Parties

This past week or so, I've had the privilege of attending some really amazing launch parties!

Last, last Saturday (as in, not yesterday), I headed on over to BookCourt in Brooklyn for the launch party of Frost by Marianna Baer. I arrived super early with a couple of friends and got to help Marianna set up the extreme quantities of snacks that she had brought. Then we all got to mingle and chat before it was time for the event to officially start.

the lovely Marianna Baer

Marianna read from the first chapter of Frost and took questions from the audience. I was especially excited to hear a little bit more about the novel that she is currently working on, Immaculate. It's basically about a modern day immaculate conception...maybe. Nonetheless, I am clearly more than excited for when that one comes out!

In addition to monopolizing Marianna's time for five (or ten) minutes, I had a great time talking with Sam from Living Little Women, our publishing friend Ruth, and picture book author Kate Hosford. It was truly a fantastic event, and not just because there were yummy cupcakes involved. Marianna is just a super fantastic and talented person. I always love running into her at other events, and I am so happy to have been part of her very own.

Then, that next Tuesday, I headed on down to Books of Wonder for Maureen Johnson's launch of The Name of the Star. I, of course, forgot how popular Maureen Johnson is, so when I arrived, barely on time, the store was already really crowded! BoW of course already accounted for this and didn't set up chairs, so there would be more space to pack people in.

Maureen arrives, with much fanfare

Maureen talks; notice the abundance of swag on the table before her

I have to say that Maureen is a pretty hilarious person to listen to. She apparently never plans what she's going to say, but she's so naturally entertaining that it doesn't even matter. Instead of reading from her book, she chose to instead talk a while, take questions from the audience, and then play a quick round of trivia.

That's right, trivia. Basically, she needed a way to give away the "YA Saves" t-shirts that she brought. I luckily snagged one of these awesome tees by knowing which of Justine Larbalestier's books involved killing a small supernatural creature (that being How to Ditch Your Fairy). You can get your own "YA Saves" tee (and you should) over at DFTBA, and all proceeds will go to Reading Is Fundamental, a great cause!

I got to hang out with all sorts of cool people at this event, including Genna from Reading, Writing, and the World of Words, Sam from Living Little Women, Rachel from Bookshelf Lust, Beth from Bookish Bethie, and more! Also spotted in the audience were authors Libba Bray, E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, Robin Wasserman, Justine Larbalestier, and David Levithan. All in all, it was a great crowd!

Then, on my way out, while chatting with my favorite Books of Wonder employee Kaila, I picked up a really cool magnet set. Here it is, deconstructed:

Zoom in to the top left corner to see the clever phrase I made with my new magnets!

More on that later...

Then, yesterday, I headed back to Brooklyn to Community Bookstore, a cozy little bookstore I had not yet previously been to. This event was to celebrate the launch of three awesome books by three awesome people: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies, Circle Nine by Anne Heltzel, and Past Perfect by Leila Sales.

the super awesome Jocelyn Davies, Anne Heltzel, and Leila Sales

Each of these lovely ladies read a little bit from their books and then answered some questions from the audience. Then it was signing time! Unfortunately, I didn't have any copies with me to get signed, but I did have a lovely time chatting with each of the featured authors as well as with Courtney Sheinmel and my former manager at Macmillan (ah, I miss those days!). Sadly, I couldn't stick around as long as I wanted to because the joys of being a college student were calling to me....

Anyway, now that we've wrapped up the descriptive part of this post, it's contest time! I was able to pick up a little something at all most of these wonderful events (as in, I forget to get something from the last launch) for some very lucky person. A signed book, some swag, heck, I'll even throw in a "Team Adam" pin from the Brooklyn Book Festival!

CONTEST CLOSED

(1) lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Frost by Marianna Baer, a set of Maureen Johnson magnets, a "Team Adam" pin, and more!

To enter this contest, please fill out this form:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEFGSURnYVh1MFNyR19PQmFZeHVTSEE6MQ

Other details:

• US mailing addresses only.
• Contest ends 10/19/11, at 9 p.m. EST.

Remember, you must complete the form to be entered, and only one form submission per person will be counted. If you have any questions about this contest, see my contest policy, or contact me and ask away.