Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all! To celebrate, I will share with you some videos that I always think of at Halloween:





Now go eat some candy. :D

Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen

[description from amazon]

Sara Black is tiptoeing across a fraying tightrope.

As the new eleventh grader at Anton High–the most elite public school in the country–she sticks out like an old VW bus in a parking lot full of shiny BMWs. But being the new kid also brings a certain advantageous anonymity.

In Anton High’s world of privilege, intelligence, and wealth, Sara can escape her family’s tarnished past and become whomever she wants.

And what’s the harm in telling a few little black lies when it can lead to popularity? That is, until another it girl at Anton becomes jealous of Sara’s social climbing.

With her balance evaporating, one small push could bring Sara crashing down.

Review:

Even though I loved the show NYC Prep because of all the laughs it provided*, I normally am not all that interested in prep school/rich kid books. Reading about a bunch of rich kids just isn't that appealing to me, which is probably why I did enjoy Little Black Lies so much. Sara isn't one of the rich kids; she hangs out with them, but she still feels really awkward and nervous around them. Her paranoid feelings are something most people feel at one point or another, whether they result from being around rich kids or not.

Although I wanted to slap Sara for being so annoying and/or stupid at times, she was a likable, realistic protagonist. Most of her feelings are familiar ones: she loves her father but is embarrassed by him, she wants to fit in but isn't always sure about it, and she wants her family and old friend to be close to her but is always afraid of how they would stay close.

Many of Sara's choices were extremely frustrating, but they kept the plot moving. With each new choice regarding mainly Carling, The Mean Girl, and her friends, new dramatic events occurred. I was happy that at least Carling had a more developed character even though she was the main mean girl; when her home life was revealed, it was a bit easier to understand why she was so mean. I can't say the same for her friends, however, since they were typical sidekicks; ones who didn't say much and pretty much only did what Carling told them to.

I wish the romance plotline would have been developed more since I was never really sure if it was supposed to develop into a full-blown relationship, or if Sara and the boy were just in the "hey, I like you *blush*" stage.

Little Black Lies is a dramatic, entertaining book, but it still lacked the "wow" factor. At least, it did for me.

*Yeah, I watched that show. Don't judge.

Links: Tish's website/twitter

Book details: Egmont USA/Hardcover/$16.99

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

[description from amazon]

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

Review:

I am a huge Scott Westerfeld fangirl; I've read most of his (still in print) books and enjoyed each and every one of them. I've read the books I have of his multiple times, and I cannot wait to read Leviathan again because I enjoyed it so much.

Leviathan is the first in a series, and it definitely reads like one. It's low on super exciting action and high in information, but it by no means boring. The alternate WWI-era universe is absolutely fascinating. Normally I would be a bit bored with all the details and world-building that Leviathan contains, but because I was so unfamiliar with steampunk* and how it works, I stayed alert and was interested while reading. I think the concept of the Clankers (those who have more mechanical war machines and such) and the Darwinists (those whose machines are part animal) was extremely original and I cannot wait to see how their history is put in to later novels in the series. But I do hope the later books have some more action too.

I was a bit frustrated with the constant switch between Deryn and Alek's stories (until they met, that is) but the switch helped to better introduce not only their character, but also their comrades and what the Clankers and Darwinists are. Alek is a bit more boring, in my opinion, but Deryn is totally awesome. I'm always a fan of the strong, kick-butt girls, and Deryn definitely fits in that category. She's not afraid to get what she wants and stand up for things. The minor characters are used more as mysterious beings; many have unique pasts and secrets that are not explored in depth in Leviathan. However, I still cannot wait to see what else they have in store.

And I must mention that the illustrations throughout the book are positively lovely and well-drawn. Love them!

It's difficult to describe why I enjoyed Leviathan so much, just like I can't describe why I love Uglies, Peeps, and Midnighters. All I can say with absolute certainty is that Leviathan is the beginning to what will most likely be another fantastic Scott Westerfeld series.

Links: Scott's website. blog/twitter/Leviathan trailer

Book details: Simon Pulse/Hardcover/$19.99

*I can't define it without sounding stupid, so here's the urbandictionary page.

Waiting on Wednesday (42)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. :D

Today's pick: Plain Kate by Erin Bow (No cover yet, BOOOO)

description from the author's site:

In a market town by a looping river there lived an orphan girl called Plain Kate ….

Kate’s is a colorful world of brokenhearted magicians, wandering gypsy clans, carved charms and stolen shadows. It’s a dark world of ghosts, fog and questions. It’s a dangerous world of witch burnings, persecution and plague. Her story is a coming-of-age story, a story about family and belonging, trust and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, death and what lies beyond. Also, there’s a talking cat in it.

A Russian-flavored historical fantasy for readers twelve and up

---

Despite the fact that I'm a bit over fantasy, I LOVE history fantasy. The Gemma Doyle Trilogy and Prophecy of the Sisters (POTS counts as historical fantasy, right?) are some of my favorites, and I am always eagerly awaiting more stuff like it. This book sounds like just what I want. Gypsies are fun, witches are cool, charms are fun and remind me of Harry Potter (which is win), and a talking cat is the icing on the cake.

Released in 2010!

Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma

[description from amazon]

If this were a movie, you'd open to the first page of this book and be transported to a whole other world. Everything would be in black and white, except maybe for the girl in pink polka-dot tights, and this really great music would start to swell in the background. All of a sudden, you wouldn't be able to help it -- you'd be a part of the story, you'd be totally sucked in. You'd be in this place, filled with big lies, mysterious secrets, and a tween girl turned sleuth....

Zoom in on thirteen-year-old Dani Callanzano. It's the summer before eighth grade, and Dani is stuck in her nothing-ever-happens town with only her favorite noir mysteries at the Little Art movie theater to keep her company.

But one day, a real-life mystery begins to unravel -- at the Little Art! And it all has something to do with a girl in polka-dot tights.... Armed with a vivid imagination, a flair for the dramatic, and her knowledge of all things Rita Hayworth, Dani sets out to solve the mystery, and she learns more about herself than she ever though she could.

Review:

After reading many rave reviews by bloggers and other awesome people (like Courtney Summers), I was afraid Dani Noir wouldn't live up to all the hype. Most everyone who read it LOVED it, so I thought all of the could possibly be right. But luckily, everyone was right, because Dani Noir is totally awesome, adorable, and made me want to go rent a Rita Hayworth movie.*

Dani is such an fabulous narrator. Her love for noir films not only makes her unique, but shows that she really doesn't care that everyone knows she has a "weird" hobby. Her uncaring feelings about what others think about her hobbies is refreshingly different from what real 13 year olds are like, but all her other qualities are so 13 that it's ridiculous. She acts a bit immature at times but often thinks she's right about everything; she thinks everyone else is unfair until someone tells her she's being annoying; she deals with her parents' separation and dad's new girlfriend with irritation and a "I hate this but I am going to act strong" attitude, like any other 13 year old would; and she's got a young sounding, fun voice.

The final result of the mystery of this book is easy to figure out, but it's still fun to see how Dani figures out the mystery. She constantly gets into all sorts of trouble with her friends and not-really friends, which makes things funny and exciting since you never know what shenanigins will ensue next.

Dani Noir is fun, well developed novel that will appeal to people way beyond its tween audience.

*Which I still haven't done...maybe I should do that soon.

Also: WHO ELSE THINKS NOVA IS AN AWESOME NAME?

Links: Nova's site/blog/twitter/the Dani Noir site

Book details: Aladdin/Hardcover/$15.99

Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein

[description from amazon]

The daughter Macbeth might have had, if Shakespeare had thought to create her…

Albia has grown up with no knowledge of her mother of her father, the powerful Macbeth. Instead she knows the dark lure of the Wychelm Wood and the moors, where she’s been raised by three strange sisters. It’s only when the ambitious Macbeth seeks out the sisters to foretell his fate that Albia’s life becomes tangled with the man who leaves nothing but bloodshed in his wake. She even falls in love with Fleance, Macbeth’s rival for the throne. Yet when Albia learns that she has the second sight, she must decide whether to ignore the terrible future she foresees—or to change it. Will she be able to save the man she loves from her murderous father? And can she forgive her parents their wrongs, or must she destroy them to save Scotland from tyranny?

In her highly anticipated follow-up to Ophelia, Lisa Klein delivers a powerful reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, featuring a young woman so seamlessly drawn it seems impossible she was not part of the Bard’s original play.

Review:

Surprisingly, I didn't actually hate Macbeth when I read it back in 7th grade. I didn't love it, but I liked it mostly because I didn't have to analyze it to death. Therefore, I was looking forward to reading this one as it expands on a play I enjoyed. And, in the end, I liked Lady Macbeth's Daughter about as much as I liked Macbeth. That is, I found it interesting and I liked it, but I definitely don't love it.

Lady Macbeth's Daughter definitely has a unique and hard-to-pull-off plot, but Albia, the daughter, fit perfectly into the story. Although Albia is not in the original play, her roles in the major events of Macbeth that are also in this book make perfect sense and help to develop more of the other characters. While it's definitely best to read Macbeth before reading this book in order to better understand what is going on and why, Albia's commentary on the witches and Banquo, among others, give them a more developed personality and make them easier to sympathize with. Albia herself is also a wonderfully created character, mostly because she kicks butt. She's a very strong person and isn't afraid to do what it takes to see Macbeth taken down, which makes her quite quite likeable.

However, despite my satisfaction with the Albia and the plot itself, a few things really bothered me. Lady Macbeth narrates a few chapters as well, and they always seemed thrown in so that what was going on with Macbeth would be explained. They did help to better explain Lady Macbeth's motivation, but still. I also was underwhelmed by Albia and Fleance's "romance"; it never really developed beyond the "I might like you" stage, but the characters still claimed to love each other, which I couldn't really believe. There was also a very small subplot that involved Albia seeing into different worlds, and it was mentioned so few times that I often forgot she even had those abilities.

Lady Macbeth's Daughter does have a few minor but annoying issues, but makes an excellent companion to Shakespeare's original play.

Links: Lisa's website

Book details: Bloomsbury/Hardcover/$16.99

*This review is a part of Traveling to Teens. (:

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea over at Pop Culture Junkie. :D

All descriptions from indiebound unless otherwise noted.

Bought:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up, he's surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade--a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got there. The next day, a girl arrives with the surprising message that Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess.

---I went to one of James's tour events on Friday, and it was super fun! I bought this while I was there and got it signed, whoo.



Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick

(description from B&N)

When Holly loses her virginity to Paul, a guy she barely knows, she assumes their encounter is a one-night stand. After all, Paul is too popular to even be speaking to Holly...and he happens to have a long-term girlfriend, Saskia. But ever since Holly's mom died six months ago, Holly has been numb to the world, and she's getting desperate to feel something, anything—so when Paul keeps pursuing her, Holly relents. Paul's kisses are a welcome diversion...and it's nice to feel like the kind of girl that a guy like Paul would choose.

But things aren't so simple with Saskia around. Paul's real girlfriend is willowy and perfect... and nothing like Holly. To make matters worse, she and Holly are becoming friends. Suddenly the realized she had.

---I went to Lauren's launch party on Saturday and got this one while I was there. :D Lauren is super nice and the launch party was super fun even though I did have to sit next to a crazy old guy.

From the library:

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Some summers are just destined to be pretty

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer -- they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everythconsequences of Holly's choices are all too real, and Holly stands to lose more than she ever ing changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

---I went to the good library this week to get some books for school, and "accidentally" wandered into the YA section and got this one.

In the mail:


Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Partnered in biology with new student Patch, 16-year-old Nora Gray starts seeing things she cannot explain. At first she's both drawn and repelled by her lab partner, but when she sees V-shaped scars on his back, Nora learns Patch is fighting an ancient battle between the fallen and the immortal.

---I've already read and reviewed this one, but I got a shiny hardcover in the mail! whooo.

I also got 4 snazzy Hush, Hush posters! They are gorgeous. Here is a blurry picture of me with one of them:


Yay bad quality webcam pictures!

From an Awesome Lady at the Bookstore:

In the Path of Falling Objects by Andrew Smith

brothers leave home looking for their father, and find themselves hitching a ride with a violent killer - here is a road trip from hell.

---The description on the back of the book is much more exciting. This one sounds intense, so I am excited to read it.





I also got a book called The Horned Viper for a blog tour, and got two books from the library for my next research paper. The books are called The Unicorn and The Truth About Unicorns.

Yes, I am writing a paper on the history of unicorns even though I am on Team Zombie. Don't judge.

*Another* Another Faust contest!

I was recently contacted by the authors of Another Faust, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, who asked if I would like to post about their new contest. Obviously, I said yes because the contest sounds awesome!

---

*Another* Another Faust Contest

Hi everyone. Dina and I are about to kick off a month-long tour for our book, Another Faust, and we want to do it by announcing a contest! We are looking for the most promising writers out there (that’s YOU). And then we want to showcase their work, so that all of the Internet can bask in their awesome writing might (and, you know, give them prizes).

HERE’S HOW IT GOES.

We want you to write your own short story, re-imagining of the Faustian Bargain. (For inspiration, check out Bedazzled, Simpsons “Tree House of Horrors IV,” and The Little Mermaid). It can be about anything you like (but let’s keep it PG-13, and under 3,000 words), and it’s open to everyone.

All you have to do is send your entry to dviergutz@gmail.com before January 31.

Rules and details can be found here:

http://www.danielanddina.com/site/2009/10/writing-contest-create-another-another-faust/

Make sure to read them so you don’t get DQed

And the winner gets all kinds of sweetness:

A signed copy of Another Faust

A handwritten deleted scene

A featured article & interview on our site

An author’s galley of the sequel Another Pan

Though we’ll feature the top five on our site for comments, the judging WON’T happen by popular vote (so basically, we don't care which contestant has the most friends). Dina and I will personally read them.

So, spread the word! Tweet, retweet, forward, thread, spread, embed this post.

Good luck!

D&D

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

[description from amazon]

What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right? With overtones of Jane Austen’s Emma and brimming with humor and heart, this sweet, frothy debut will be savored by readers.

Review:

Barista books* are one of my favorite type of books, so when I heard about this one I was quite excited. It sounded super cute, and luckily, it is! And I'm pretty sure that's the point- for the book to be fun and cute and not too serious.

The plot is definitely original and is, in my opinion, the best part of the book. I loved when Jane matched people up, since most of her pairings made sense and were so right that you couldn't help but love them. And it was great that not all of Jane's pairings ended up the way the characters thought; some of them didn't work, which makes things much less happy-happy-joy-joy.

Nearly all the problems with this book result from the book's length. It's less than 200 pages, and because of that, nothing is really that developed. Most of the characters were more two-dimensional and a few plotlines seemed like they were thrown in and rushed, especially the one between Jane and Cam. With more pages, every character definitely could have had more than a handful of personality traits and the various subplots could have been more exciting or at least more detailed.

An adorable, fun book, but it probably could have benefited from more pages.

The Espressologist will be released on October 27- this Tuesday!

No rating for this one. Thinking of getting rid of a rating system altogether, or at least getting a different one.

A short review for a short book. (:

Links: Kristina's website/blog/twitter/the Author2Author blog Kristina is a part of

Book details: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux/Hardcover/$16.99

*Yeah, that's a category now. Why? Because I said so.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

[description from amazon]

Can Cameron find what he’s looking for?

All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

Review:

I am a HUGE Libba Bray fan. I've read the Gemma Doyle trilogy numerous times and read every word of Libba's blog posts, which is something I don't do for a lot of author blogs. Because I'm such a fangirl, obviously I was dying for this one, even though it's way different from the Gemma series. Unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as I was hoping, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

One word to describe this book is "weird." I mean, based off that description, how can it not be? The book starts off a bit slow and really normal, but gets much more action packed and weirder as it goes on. There's plenty of interesting events and funny lines, but half the time I was going "um, what?" because I really had no clue what was going on. The goal of Cam's journey is to not only cure himself, but also try to save the world or something like that. That's the part I really didn't understand. It might of been because I was reading too fast because I wanted to know if the whole book was a dream, but I just didn't get it. For me, the book is one of those books I am confused by, but wonder if I'm not smart enough to get it or if it's genuinely confusing.

However, even though half the time I was confused, I still was able to realize how amusing Gonzo, the dwarf, and Cam's adventure is. Their journey is crazy and completely unbelievable, but still really fun, mostly because of how weird the characters are. Gonzo and the gnome are especially hilarious, with their snarky comments and unique backgrounds. I don't really know what to think of Camerson, since I still don't know what was real and what wasn't.

Much like this review, Going Bovine is a total WTF? But mostly unlike this review, Going Bovine is an enjoyable, confusing, wacky, wild ride.

No rating because I really don't know what to say. I'd give it 3/5 stars, I think, if I gave star ratings.

Links: Libba's website/blog/twitter

Book details: Delacorte/Hardcover/$17.99

Waiting on Wednesday (41)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. :D

Today's pick:

Stalker Girl by Rosemary Graham

The only description I could find, courtesy of the author's website:

"Rosemary Graham's STALKER GIRL, about what happens when a girl's interest in her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend turns to obsession."

---

Do I even need to explain why I want this one? I mean, it's about a stalker! Why wouldn't I want it? Stalkers are scary in real life, obviously, but in books they are positively fascinating. And if this book is from the stalker's POV? THAT WOULD BE SO GOOD. I am getting excited from all the possibilities.

Released sometime in 2010.

Dreams of the Dead by Thomas Randall

[description from amazon]

Kara’s afraid to go to sleep—until the nightmares come when she’s awake . . . .

Sixteen-year-old Kara Foster is an outsider in Japan, but is doing her best to fit at the private school where her father is teaching English for the year. Fortunately she’s befriended by Sakura, a fellow outsider struggling to make sense of her sister’s unsolved murder some months ago. No one seems to care about the beautiful girl who was so brutally murdered, and the other students go on as if nothing has happened. Unfortunately, the calm doesn’t last for long. Kara begins to have nightmares, and soon other students in the school turn up dead, viciously attacked by someone . . . or something. Is Sakura getting back at those she thinks are responsible for her sister’s death? Or has her dead sister come back to take revenge for herself? This first book in a frightening new trilogy will have teens glued the page and scared to go to sleep.

Review:

What initially attracted me to this book was the unique setting; there's not many books set in Japan, so when I heard about the setting I automatically moved it up in my to-be-read pile. And it was a good thing I was most excited about the setting, because it ended up being my favorite part of the book. The "horror" aspect of the book took a while to really begin, but the setting was always interesting. As Kara struggles with Japanese culture, it's easy to learn about the culture of Japan without making it seem boring or like a textbook.

But besides the setting, the "horror" aspect of the book was also entertaining. It took an awfully long time for Kara's nightmares to be analyzed and discussed in depth, and most of the time I was almost bored while waiting for things to get going. However, closer to the end, the action finally began. It was a rushed, though quite exciting ending. I loved how the killer's exact identity wasn't painfully obvious, and how Japanese legends were incorporated.

Character-wise, I wasn't very interested. This is definitely a plot-driven book, and while the characters seemed realistic enough, they weren't that riveting or anything. Sure, they all had their quirks and unique backgrounds, but they weren't fun enough for me to have a favorite or anything.

Dreams of the Dead is an interesting but slow book, with slightly creepy moments and fascinating mythology. A good set up for the next book in the series.

7/10

Book details: Bloomsbury/Paperback/$8.99

*And just a note: Thomas Randall is a pseudonym for author Christopher Golden.

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

[description from amazon]

You are what you eat. . . .

Cat's smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits.

As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this newfound male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .

This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves.

Review:

Honestly, I didn't expect to enjoy this one that much. I mean, a book about a girl doing science project? An interesting project, I'll admit, but still. Science? Ew. But once I began reading, I had a difficult time stopping, much to by surprise and delight.

Even though anything remotely related to science makes me want to go hide in a bush, I was interested in Cat's experiment. It was incorporated into the book well; there was never a point where the I was like "MAKE THE SCIENCE GO AWAY" because there was always other things going on that made the book exciting (and, really, there wasn't THAT much science). Many of the subplots- like Cat's romantic ventures- were quite entertaining, but a few others- like the one between Cat and her brother- probably could have been developed more, even though they were still amusing. I also enjoyed seeing the effects of Cat's experiment, since they were shown in a way that made it easy to see how everyone was influenced by it. The book got a bit preachy while Cat was describing how good healthy food is and whatnot, but it wasn't TOO distracting because of all the other fun stuff going on.

Cat was also fun to read about, since she's extremely developed. She admitted her flaws and was determined to fix them. She admitted that it would be difficult, that her project was a bit insane in theory, and that she was in denial about her "enemy" Matt, but she still was prepared to do well. She also had a bit of humor and plenty of intelligence, which made her quite likable.

I also liked how her best friend Amanda was actually a good best friend, who wanted Cat to be happy no matter what, and that the "enemy" Matt had a lot more depth than expected.

And I must mention the fabulous ending- it was unexpected, but a perfect fit for the story, I think.

8/10

Links: Robin's site, blog/twitter

Book details: Knopf/Hardcover/$16.99

In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox was started by the ever-lovely Story Siren and inspired by the tapir who blogs over at Pop Culture Junkie. :D

Not much this week, but it was WONDERFUL.

(all descriptions from B&N unless otherwise noted.)

Bought:

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Four mysterious letters change Miranda’s world forever.

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

---I actually already read this one since I was hearing such amazing things about it, and....I didn't like it that much. I didn't dislike it, but I also didn't love it. It's a 3/5 star book for me. Not sure if I'll get around to reviewing it.


Struts and Frets by Jon Skovron

Told in a voice that’s honest, urgent, and hilarious, Struts & Frets will resonate not only with teenage musicians but with anyone who ever sat up all night listening to a favorite album, wondering if they’d ever find their place in the world.

Music is in Sammy’s blood. His grandfather was a jazz musician, and Sammy’s indie rock band could be huge one day—if they don’t self-destruct first. Winning the upcoming Battle of the Bands would justify all the band’s compromises and reassure Sammy that his life’s dream could become a reality. But practices are hard to schedule when Sammy’s grandfather is sick and getting worse, his mother is too busy to help either of them, and his best friend may want to be his girlfriend.

When everything in Sammy’s life seems to be headed for major catastrophe, will his music be enough to keep him together?

---I don't think this one is *officially* out yet, but it was in stock on the B&N website so I pounced on it. I love books with a music aspect, so I am super excited to read this one!

From the publisher:

I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb

Family Guy meets Election in this hilarious young adult debut!

Twelve-year-old Oliver Watson's got the IQ of a grilled cheese sandwich. Or so everyone in Omaha thinks. In reality, Oliver's a mad evil genius on his way to world domination, and he's used his great brain to make himself the third-richest person on earth! Then Oliver's father—and archnemesis—makes a crack about the upcoming middle school election, and Oliver takes it as a personal challenge. He'll run, and he'll win! Turns out, though, that overthrowing foreign dictators is actually way easier than getting kids to like you. . . Can this evil genius win the class presidency and keep his true identity a secret, all in time to impress his dad?

---This book sounds so ridiculous that it has to be good. And it sounds super funny, and I have not read anything funny in AGES.

From Sharon who got it from Steph Su:

(description from amazon)

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

--- I very nearly died when this came in the mail. I opened up the package, gasped, twittered about how much I love Sharon, and then I sat down and read it straight through. OH MY GOSH IT WAS SO AMAZING OH MY GOSH. I was literally shaking after I read it. IT IS THAT GOOD.

Stuff!

A collection of random/housekeeping stuff:

Winners of the Cirque du Freak are Yan and Orchid! I already have Yan's address but Orchid, you can email yours to me. (email address in the sidebar!)

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HAVE YOU SEEN THIS FREAKING TRAILER?



DOES IT NOT ASTOUND YOU? I've already read the book and the book is just as fabulous, awesome, etc. as the trailer is. :D

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You all should also check out PAPAYA because it is awesome and helpful and fun even though it's technically not called PAPAYA. I just like to call it that because it is more ~festive.~

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I just finished Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers and HOLY BOLOGNA AMAZING, AWESOME, I LOVE COURTNEY, ETC. (Find more about the book here) No full review yet, but you guys NEED it when it comes out in January. MANY THANKS TO THE AMAZING STEPH SU WHO LET THE AWESOME SHARON SEND IT TO ME.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

[description from amazon]

Micah will freely admit that she’s a compulsive liar, but that may be the one honest thing she’ll ever tell you. Over the years she’s duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents, and she’s always managed to stay one step ahead of her lies. That is, until her boyfriend dies under brutal circumstances and her dishonesty begins to catch up with her. But is it possible to tell the truth when lying comes as naturally as breathing? Taking readers deep into the psyche of a young woman who will say just about anything to convince them—and herself—that she’s finally come clean, Liar is a bone-chilling thriller that will have readers see-sawing between truths and lies right up to the end. Honestly.

Review:

The unreliable narrator is not exactly a type of narrator I'm familiar with; the only other novels I've read, that I can think of, containing unreliable narrators are ones I read for school (And, because they were for school, I tended to hate them). Even then, there's only been a handful of books I've read narrated by those who might be lying. So going into this one, I didn't really know what to expect. But I must say I enjoyed Micah's narration- it always kept me guessing.

This is a hard book to review without spoiling. Much of the enjoyment, and frustration, of reading this book comes from trying to guess what exactly Micah is lying about. And trust me, there's plenty to guess. I loved how Micah's lies were so obvious, especially "The Twist" in the middle of the book, but still so unexpected. Some things were just so out-there and weird that I thought they couldn't possibly be true, but in the end some of them were. But even though I kind of guessed correctly about some lies, there were still plenty of lies Micah revealed that made me slap myself in anger because I never even considered that they weren't true.

Micah's character was wonderful as well; that her tone was almost calm, making it easier to believe what she was saying. It's often easy to see why she was lying, and because of that she made a whole lot more sense. It made sense that she lied so much, and I think if it didn't seem that way the whole book could have fallen apart.

Though "The Twist" was a bit too out there for my liking, and the ending a bit to anticlimactic because everything is spelled out, I still enjoyed Liar immensely. It may be a bit too frustrating or bizarre for some, but it's guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very end.

8/10

Links: Justine's website/blog/twitter

Book info: Bloomsbury/Hardcover/$16.99

Review copy received from publisher.

Lauren Bjorkman Interview

Today, I have an interview with the lovely Lauren Bjorkman for you all to enjoy. Lauren's the author of My Invented Life (read my review here!), a most excellent book.

So without further ado, here is Lauren's interview:

1) For the people who don't know what My Invented Life is about, can you describe it in the form of a haiku?

My sister has secrets

But pretends like nothing’s wrong

I’ll make her tell me

2) Did you always intend for the characters to perform in As You Like It? Were there ever any other play options?

At first, Roz and Eva were not drama types. But when I shared my overall premise with a critique partner, she said it sounded like a Shakespeare play. That’s when I realized that Roz should be a theater geek. As You Like It was perfect because the main character, Rosalind, disguises herself as a man for most of the play. And the play is about love, rebellion, loyalty, and friendship.

3) What was the most difficult part about writing My Invented Life?

Letting go at the end. I still read passages and want to tweak them a bit. Saying good-bye to my characters was hard, too. I started a teen advice column written by Roz and Eva (http://laurenbjorkman.wordpress.com) so that I can still hang out with them sometimes. And I hope to write a novel with Eyeliner Andie as the main character, too.

4) I would ADORE an Eyeliner Andie book! =0 So, what's this I hear about you growing up on a sailboat? Do you have any fun boat stories you can share?

One time we were anchored in a little bay in the Azores Islands. When my Dad was ashore, some local boys rowed out in a dinghy to flirt with my sister and me. We spoke English and they spoke Portuguese. So they had to gesture, sing songs, and do antics. One boy took off his shoes, and set them on the water surface. It looked like someone had been running across the bay and lost his shoes.

One shoe floated near our sailboat. My sister tried to fish it out with a broom handle. Instead, it sank. The singing and flirting stopped abruptly. The boys looked horrified. They were probably poor children of fisherman. The water was 20 feet deep and very cold.

My sister could tell this was serious. She changed into a bikini and came back on deck. Most girls there were kept inside and the women wore headscarves. I bet nobody in the dinghy had ever seen a bikini before. The boys were awestruck with admiration. She dove in and found it on her second try. Wow, did those boys cheer.

Note from moi: The above picture is of the Azores Island, where the above story takes place. UM CAN YOU SAY PRETTY.

5) Let's say you're inventing another life for yourself. What would this invented life be like?

Writing novels would be easy for me. Everyone would love my books. There’d be no world hunger, war, or environmental degradation. And would it be too much to ask for a beach with warm water and tropical drinks?

Of course, that might be kind of boring, too :D

6) The characters in the book often use Shakespearean insults. What are some of your personal favorite Shakespearean insults?

Hands off, you unchin-snouted bloodworm! But my favorite changes constantly. You can get insulted here: http://www.trevorstone.org/curse/ or click on their word list to make up insults of your own.

Sometimes you have to guess what the words mean, though. There’s a glossary of definitions by Roz at the end of My Invented Life.

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Thanks so much, Lauren! Awesome answers- especially the boat one. :D

You all should definitely check out My Invented Life, as well as Lauren's website and blog.

Waiting on Wednesday (40)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. :D

Today's pick:

( a bit spoilery if you haven't read Suite Scarlett? Not really but eh)

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

description (from amazon)

Ever since Mrs. Amberson, the former-aspiring-actress-turned-agent, entered Scarlett Martin's life, nothing has been the same.

She's still in charge of the Empire Suite in her family's hotel, but she's now also Mrs. Amberson's assistant, running around town for her star client, Chelsea - a Broadway star Scarlett's age with a knack for making her feel insignificant.

Scarlett's also trying to juggle sophomore year classes, her lab partner who is being just a little TOO nice, and getting over the boy who broke her heart.

In the midst of all this, her parents drop a bombshell that threatens to change her New York life forever...

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Have I ever told you about my undying love for Maureen Johnson? Because I LOVE HER! She's crazy hilarious and her books rock. Suite Scarlett is definitely my favorite, so I cannot wait to read this one. I can only hope it's as wacky and fun as Suite Scarlett, but I do hope there is more Spencer because you can never have enough Spencer.

Released February 1, 2010!

Questions with Sara Zarr

Today, I'm hosting Sara Zarr, author of the fabulous novels Story of a Girl, Sweethearts, and the recently released Once Was Lost, on a blog tour for Once Was Lost. I was privileged enough to be able to ask Sara a few questions. Here are her answers!

1) I definitely have my answer to this question, but why do you think there are so few "religious" YA books?

There are probably a lot of complicated reasons, but I'm sure part of it is that it seems like in general (like, as a country) we're not great about talking about religion without it turning into a fight. As soon as religion comes up, people get uncomfortable or want to have the last word and convince everyone their religion is the best or the most right. So I think that makes publishers afraid to go there. But, we should be able to talk about religion, and acknowledge it as a normal part of the lives of many people and not freak out about that. Also, one of the great things about reading is reading about characters who are different than us, so even if a reader has no interest in faith or religion, there's still a story.

2) From my own experiences, I know that a lot of kids who grow up in the church start to question their beliefs at some point. Knowing that it's a common thing, was it easier or harder to make Sam's struggles so realistic?

It's always hard to write about any kind of complex emotion, and doubt is no different. Though there might be a certain kind of universality to doubt and faith, every person's experience of it is also specific and unique. I just tried to write Sam's specific struggle in a way that was authentic for her, even if it's not exactly anyone else's experience.

3) On your website you say that Once Was Lost was inspired by the Elizabeth Smart case that happened in your neighborhood. Because it's more personal, was it more difficult to write? Especially in the more emotional scenes?

Having a real-life story that inspired me made it easier to bring in some of those details, like the ribbons around the trees and the news stories and all the rumors about who could have done it. As far as the emotion, I don't shy away from my own emotions when I write so I don't consider that part difficult, though it might not always be fun. I'd saved some old news clippings about Elizabeth, and the original flyer they put up when she was first taken, so looking at those helped me recall how sad it was during that time.

---

Thanks so much, Sara! :)

And to find out more about Sara and Once Was Lost, be sure to check out Sara's website/blog and twitter.

And's here the summary for Once Was Lost, straight from amazon:

Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother lands in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps with Sam's personal one, and the already-worn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel.

In her third novel, acclaimed author Sara Zarr examines the coexistence of affliction and hope, and what happens when everything you thought you believed---about God, about your family, about yourself---is transformed.

---

It's a fabulous book. (:

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

[description from amazon]

Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace. But lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother lands in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps with Sam's personal one, and the already-worn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel.

In her third novel, acclaimed author Sara Zarr examines the coexistence of affliction and hope, and what happens when everything you thought you believed---about God, about your family, about yourself---is transformed.

Review:

Reading "religion" books always makes me nervous. I'm not sure why- perhaps it's due to the fact that I went to a Christian middle school and currently go to a Catholic high school, and I'm always a little burned out on talking about religion. But for whatever reason, reading them always makes me anxious. So when the opportunity to read this book came about, I was a bit iffy, but it sounded good so I requested it. Thankfully, Once Was Lost was a beautiful and excellent book.

Although the book is definitely much more than a religion book, I'll talk about the religion aspect first. I loved how the Christians in the book weren't the manic type; it always seems like crazy evangelical people are the first thing think of when someone thinks or writes about Christians, but that was definitely not a problem in this book. It was nice to see that the people were normal, and, like Sam's mom, had some unexpected problems. I also felt that Sam's struggles to figure out what she really believes in to be extremely realistic. I could definitely relate, since I think anyone who has been around religion long enough like myself begins to question everything. But Sam's struggle was particularly well done because she always had that "but what else IS there?" feeling, along with just a bunch of confused thoughts about fitting in and life in general.

The book moved a bit slow in the beginning, but once the missing girl plotline came in, it became much more exciting. There were times when not much happened, but mostly it was interesting to see how the story would unfold. Sam's feelings about the disappearance mix with her conflicted beliefs wonderfully; it's easy to see the correlation between the two. And although I wasn't a huge fan of how the disappearance case was resolved, I was happy with Sam's development at the end. She was quite a realistic character even at the beginning, but a visible change happens that makes her seem even more real.

Similarly, many of the supporting characters are realistic. Although Sam has negative feelings about most of them, which makes the reader have more negative feelings about them as well, their personalities shown through and it was easy to see why they did the things they did.

Once Was Lost is a wonderful book about much more than faith, and it's sure to be a hit.

8.5/10

Links: Sara's website, blog/twitter

Book details: Little, Brown/Hardcover/$16.99

Received review copy from publishers.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

[description from amazon]

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Review:

This book has been getting tons of buzz ever since the cover was revealed. The hype only grew after most everyone who read an advanced copy called it totally amazing. I was so, so worried I wouldn't like this one because of all the things I heard that increased my expectations; I actually only read negative reviews of this book before I read it, hoping my expectations would decrease. They did, but obviously not enough because I still found this book pretty "eh."

The tagline you will be seeing everywhere for Hush, Hush is "A sacred oath. A fallen angel. A forbidden love." And because of the book description, it really isn't difficult to figure out which character is the fallen angel. Because it's so easy to figure out, the first 2/3 of the book is a bit boring since Nora doesn't figure it out until closer to the end. For most of the time I was thinking "alright, can we just get on with the angel stuff already?" I know there isn't really a better way to market the book ("A sacred oath. A mystery creature. A forbidden love." isn't the best tagline.) but geez, way to ruin the first part of the book.

Nora is your classic "I'm a good girl but I like BAAAD boys when I'm not supposed to and I am going to stupid stuff to find out more about them" girl. She's realistic, sure, with her conflicting feelings and the fact that she's school-smart but incredibly street-stupid, but I feel like I've seen her type plenty of times.

Patch....Patch will either creep you out or make you love him. He happens to creep me out. I don't find his ~type~ (I won't say what he is even though it's incredibly obvious) hot ever since we learned about them in religion class, but even if I did, I still would think Patch is creepy. He acts like a legit stalker, he's rude, annoying, and self-absorbed. He has an interesting past, which makes his CRAZY actions make a bit more sense, but his past wasn't explored much until the end.

In fact, the end was the one huge redeemer for this book, in my eyes anyway. Nora finally knows more about what is going on, and the action finally begins. There's tons of twists, turns, fighting, action, and I only wish it would have happened sooner because the end was that good.

Hush, Hush will definitely be compared to Twilight and other paranormal novels because, hey, they do have plenty of similarities, but even with it's issues it's way better than a bunch of paranormal novels out there. Though it's slow and a bit frustrating, with characters who I wanted to slap half the time, I still enjoyed it. I didn't love it, didn't hate it. I only liked it, but I'm sure everyone else will love it more than I do.

6.5-7ish/10

Hush, Hush is officially released tomorrow, but I've already seen it in the stores. (:

Links: Becca's website/blog/twitter/the Hush, Hush fansite

Book details: Simon and Schuster/Hardcover/$17.99

Received copy from publisher.

Whip It!

So I went to see the movie Whip It! yesterday, and because it's based on a YA book (Derby Girl by Shauna Cross. The book title has been changed to Whip It! though.) I thought I'd do a short review of it. (:

The trailer:



I enjoyed, but didn't love the book this movie was based on (you can see my awful review of it here) but I suspect that if I read it again I may like it more. Unfortunately I cannot do that because the book is my sister's possession, but whatever.

I don't remember the book THAT much because I read it so long ago, but from what I can remember, the movie is a really faithful adaption (most likely because the author of the book also wrote the movie screenplay.) In fact, it was such a good adaption that I didn't want to slap Bliss across the face every four seconds in the movie like I did in the book.

The characters were probably my second favorite part of the movie. Ellen Page always plays ~quirky~ characters but Bliss isn't as quirky as say, Juno, so it was nice. I was half expecting/hoping Alia Shawkat would yell "Steve Holt!" (Arrested Development, anyone?) during the movie, but even when she didn't it was fine since her character, Pash, provided much comic relief.

But Smashly Simpson was probably my favorite character, since she was hilarious. And has a fabulous derby name.

I was expecting more pageant stuff in the movie to show how much Bliss HATED it and how much she wanted to leave it, but there wasn't that much. I never really saw why she hated it so much, or why her pageant "enemy" whose name I have forgotten was so evil. I think if more pageant stuff was in it, it might have been less slow/a bit boring in some parts, but whatever. The roller derby action totally made up for it because it was INTENSE, yo. Every time someone fell down or got beat up I was like "ouch" but still like "ooooh! POW POW."

It was quite fun.

Summary of this blah review: great adaption of the book, fun cast, a bit boring at times but still full of awesome derby action. Recommended? Yes.

And a question: what would YOUR roller derby name be? Mine is Hermione Danger, as suggested by author Josh Berk.

(FTC disclosure: Saw in theater, paid $9. durrr.)

In My Mailbox (4)

A day early IMM. (:

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired of Alea from Pop Culture Junkie!

(all descriptions from amazon unless otherwise noted)

Didn't get much this week, but:

Bought:

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

---I've already read this one, and it is great! (Review soon ish hopefully.)


The Risen Empire by Scott Westerfeld (description from B&N)

From the acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author of Evolution’s Darling (Philip K. Dick Award special citation and a New York Times notable book) and Uglies, Pretties, and Specials, comes a sweeping epic. The Risen Empire is the first great space opera of the twenty-first century.

The undead Emperor has ruled his mighty interstellar empire of eighty human worlds for sixteen hundred years. Because he can grant a form of eternal life-after-death, creating an elite known as the Risen, his power is absolute. He and his sister, the Child Empress, who is eternally a little girl, are worshipped as living gods.

The Rix are machine-augmented humans who worship very different gods: AI compound minds of planetary size. Cool, relentless fanatics, their only goal is to propagate such AIs. They seek to end the Emperor’s prolonged rule, and supplant it with an eternal cybernetic dynasty. They begin by taking the Child Empress hostage. Captain Laurent Zai of the Imperial Frigate Lynx is tasked with her rescue.

Separated by light years, bound by an unlikely love, Zai and pacifist Senator Nara Oxham must both face the challenge of the Rix, and both will hold the fate of the empire in their hands.

---I've never seen this one in a bookstore, so when the Borders who hosted the signing I went to had it, I jumped on it.

In the mail:

Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen

Sara Black is tiptoeing across a fraying tightrope.

As the new eleventh grader at Anton High–the most elite public school in the country–she sticks out like an old VW bus in a parking lot full of shiny BMWs. But being the new kid also brings a certain advantageous anonymity.

In Anton High’s world of privilege, intelligence, and wealth, Sara can escape her family’s tarnished past and become whomever she wants.

And what’s the harm in telling a few little black lies when it can lead to popularity? That is, until another it girl at Anton becomes jealous of Sara’s social climbing.

With her balance evaporating, one small push could bring Sara crashing down.

---Got this one from a publicity company (thanks Rebecca!) Sounds good, so I'm super excited to read it.

Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan

First there is a Before, and then there is an After. . . .

The lives of three teens—Claire, Jasper, and Peter—are altered forever on September 11, 2001. Claire, a high school junior, has to get to her younger brother in his classroom. Jasper, a college sophomore from Brooklyn, wakes to his parents’ frantic calls from Korea, wondering if he’s okay. Peter, a classmate of Claire’s, has to make his way back to school as everything happens around him.

Here are three teens whose intertwining lives are reshaped by this catastrophic event. As each gets to know the other, their moments become wound around each other’s in a way that leads to new understandings, new friendships, and new levels of awareness for the world around them and the people close by.

David Levithan has written a novel of loss and grief, but also one of hope and redemption as his characters slowly learn to move forward in their lives, despite being changed forever.

---Got this one from a Random House publicist. (Thanks M!) I have the ARC of this one but got the shiny hardcover yesterday. I LOVE this book and really need to review it soon. (oops.)


A couple birthday gifts:

---Sorry for the bad picture. I got an awesome The Rise of Renegade X key chain (on the right) from the always amazing Chelsea Campbell. I also got a dagger charm from Sarah Rees Brennan at her signing! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH LOVE HER SO MUCH. It's so purty and pointy and I LOVES IT. (And I'm wondering if I would get in trouble for wearing it to my Catholic school.)

In other news, I'm going to see Whip It! today. Anyone see it?

So who watched the Vampire Diaries last night?

I was going to write a review for today, but I just finished watching the latest episode of The Vampire Diaries and OH MY GOSH I need to discuss it with people. (And this totally is a relevant post since the show is based off a YA series. SCORE.)

(There will be spoilers for the show in this post, obviously. Spoilers for all the episodes so far. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.)

I've read and really enjoyed the first three Vampire Diaries books (I read the fourth and thought it was unnecessary, haven't read the latest installment.) The show is very different from the books, but they are both good in different ways. I thought I would hate this show, especially after seeing the awful first episode, but it keeps getting better and better.

I'm even starting to like Stefan a bit more. He's still a bit creepy and not very vampire-looking, but he is also no longer completely fug. In fact, the whole cast seems to get better as time goes by. It's odd.

I only watched the last twenty minutes of last night's episode, but OH MY GOSH. Zoe (Zoe's Book Reviews), Catt (The Dreamer Reader), and I were all twittering while we watched, and most of our tweets consisted of all capital letters or the words like "OH MY GOSH," "SUSPENSE," "INTENSE," or "NO NO NO. "

We were so into it.

I, and everyone else, already knew that Stefan is a vampire, but when Elena was like "how can I deny what is right in front of me?" I was like "OH MY GOSH SHE KNOWS SUSPENSEFUL GET ON WITH IT." And when Damon bit Vicky? This was me: ":o NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."

It was intense.

The show is not the most faithful adaptation of the books, but dude. If last night's episode is like the rest of the season, I will watch like it's my JOB.

So, for those of you who watched: what do you think of the series as a whole? Were you as surprised by last night's episode as me? CAN YOU NOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK? I know I can't.

(FTC source thing: I watched this on my television. Durrr.)

(And thanks for all the birthday wishes yesterday!!! :D You guys are the BEST and I love each and every one of you. hugs!)

Currently reading:
Currently listening to:
Currently watching:

(that would be Modern Family)

Currently eating:
(The picture is not MY birthday cake. I'm eating cupcakes for my birthday today, om nom nom.)

Waiting on Wednesday (39)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. :D

Today's pick:

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus

description (from the Tenners site):

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.

After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.

But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

---

First off, how psychedelic is that cover? It's quite psychedelic. (I think psychedelic is going to be my new favorite positive adjective until I get a new favorite.)

Doesn't this book sound GOOD? Being the nerd that I am, I love anything with a history connection. And cemeteries are always fun. (Maybe that wasn't the best way to word that last sentence.) Plus, dead sisters and a prep school? Dude. Need this book NOW.

Out in Summer 2010- oh so far away.