In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. (: Descriptions and such from goodreads!

First off: happy Halloween! Please enjoy these songs whilst you read this post:







Bought:

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Three teens who have attempted suicide meet in a psychiatric hospital, battle their demons, and begin to heal.

The handsome son of wealthy parents, Connor has everything anyone could want-except his family's love and affection. Jailed for years after killing his mother's child-molesting boyfriend, Tony is confused about his sexuality. Manic-depressive Vanessa cuts herself. All three stories intertwine in a brutally honest story about pain and resilience.

---I went to Ellen Hopkin's book signing a week ago and bought this and Identical to get signed while I was there. I love her books so I can't wait to read this one!

My mom also bought me Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, but I've already read and loved it. I wrote a little post about it here, but my full review should be up this week.

For review:

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on… but some questions should be left unanswered.

---I screamed when I opened the package this book was in. I HATE how I haven't been able to read it yet-- I think my teachers somehow knew I got it, and they assigned so much homework that I wouldn't have time to read it this weekend. Courtney is one of my favorite authors and I am DYING to read this. It's sitting on my bedside table, mocking me because I can't read it yet.

oh, the pretty

New covers are oh so very exciting, and I couldn't resist sharing these with you:

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

My fellow MJ fans are looking at this and going "A FACE! SHE HAS A FACE!" Even if the cover was ugly I would be excited if it had a face, but it's a pretty face filled cover! yay.

Plus, MJ announced news about her other upcoming series and OMG SO EXCITED.

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

In my experience, covers with yellow tend to be a bit...blah, but not this one! I bet it will look better in person-- I hope they make it sparkly and shiny because it looks like it will be shiny. I love shiny.

Also, does anyone else think the girl looks kind of like Claudia Schiffer? I'm not crazy for thinking that, right?

IN OTHER HALLOWEEN NEWS: Hocus Pocus is on at 8:00 and 10:00 on ABC Family tonight. You're welcome for this info.

SPOOKEH

Last week I asked for your suggestions for spooky/creepy/festive to read at Halloween time books, and today I thought I'd give my own (for my full reviews, click the book title!):

1. Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall - Deals with mean girls, but the mean girls in this book are especially CRAZAY. They take their mean-ness to insane levels. They're creepy and there are some supernatural, spooky shenanigans going on as well, which is why this book is on this list. Plus, I read some goodreads reviews to refresh my memory on what happens, and they've reminded me that something BIG goes down on Halloween. Fitting! (And now I realize that I STILL need to read the sequel. Must get on that.)

2. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - One word: witches. Not the green, wart covered witches, but the fun kind-- like Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Definitely not a ~creepy spooky~ read but there are WITCHES! Witches are an essential part of Halloween.

3. Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender - Ghosts are also an essential part of Halloween and this book has plenty of them. This book also has dolls; frankly, dolls are way scarier than any creature. (Excluding the bogeyman, maybe. Did you see the Disney movie Don't Look Under the Bed with the bogeyman? SO SCARY, not going to lie.) This book also has more creepy elements later on, but I will not spoil it for you.

4. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting - You can't have a Halloween book list without including a book with a serial killer. The main character, Violet, can also sense where murdered bodies are. If that is not creepy I don't know what is.

5. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves - You also can't have a Halloween book list without including something crazy. This book also includes an insane town, and Halloween/creepy/spooky things should always take place in weird towns. I also had the feeling of "is this real or what? what's going on?" while reading this book, which is perfect for Halloween time reading.

Kiss Me Deadly Anthology (Part Two)

Part one can be found here! This post was getting long too so I'll review the last few stories next week, most likely.

[description from goodreads]

If you can possibly thirst for more mysterious metaphysical accounts of love, Trisha Telep has organized some of the greatest and most thrilling tales of paranormal paramours since The Eternal Kiss. She presents the acclaimed literary talent of thirteen unique authors, creating a collection of stories that will undoubtedly capture the imagination of every soul who dares to read them. Werewolves, ghosts, zombies, vampires, and fallen angels drive the plot of these riveting romances.Kiss Me Deadly includes the exceptional writings of several authors, including:

• Sarah Rees Brennan (faeries)
  
• Becca Fitzpatrick (angels)
  
• Caitlin Kittredge (witches)
  
• Karen Mahoney (vampires: sequel to story from The Eternal Kiss)
  
• Daniel Marks (ghost kids)
  
• Justine Musk (sorcerers)
  
• Diana Peterfreund (unicorns)
  
• Michelle Rowen (demons)
  
• Carrie Ryan (zombies)
  
• Maggie Stiefvater (werewolves)
  
• Rachel Vincent (banshees)
  
• Daniel Waters (zombies)
  
• Michelle Zink (gothic ghosts)

Review:

Dungeons of Langeais by Becca Fitzpatrick - This story is set in the same world as Becca's novel Hush, Hush, and I must say that I liked this story more than the book. It's dark, exciting, and mysterious. I wish there was more because it ended very quickly, but I quite liked this one.

Behind the Red Door by Caitlin Kittredge - Not that interesting until the end. I liked the end but while reading the beginning I was a bit "la dee da." Nice mystery, though.

Hare Moon by Carrie Ryan - Like The Forest of Hands and Teeth by the same author, this is a very quiet-sounding story with nice writing. The events happen very fast in the beginning but the end is quite exciting. A bit confusing, though, especially, I imagine, if you haven't read the book series.

Familiar by Michelle Rowen - I never really understood what people meant when they complained about unrealistic dialogue until I read this story. Some of it felt awkward and forced and I can't imagine people saying some of these things in real life. Fun idea, though-- I love witches. It was also a bit too fast but has a fun plot.

Book details: Running Press Teens/Paperback/$9.95

Source: sent by publisher for review

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog posts...

Remember how in my review yesterday I said I was going to attempt a loose Halloween/spooky theme this week? Well, I've thrown that out the window because now I just want it to be Christmas, because I just read this book:

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Anything David Levithan touches is gold, and this book is no exception. I'll post a full review sometime soon, but since I just finished it, I felt the need to share my love with the world. IT'S SO GOOD, GUYS. LIKE, OMG.

It takes place in the few days before and after Christmas, and now I wish it was snowing so that I could wear scarves and comfy warm clothes. I also wish I was in NYC so I could go on scavenger hunts and walk through the aisles of the Strand. I want it to be Christmas so that I can reread this book at the most festive time.

love love love.

Kiss Me Deadly Anthology (Part One)

[description from goodreads]

If you can possibly thirst for more mysterious metaphysical accounts of love, Trisha Telep has organized some of the greatest and most thrilling tales of paranormal paramours since The Eternal Kiss. She presents the acclaimed literary talent of thirteen unique authors, creating a collection of stories that will undoubtedly capture the imagination of every soul who dares to read them. Werewolves, ghosts, zombies, vampires, and fallen angels drive the plot of these riveting romances.Kiss Me Deadly includes the exceptional writings of several authors, including:

• Sarah Rees Brennan (faeries)
  
• Becca Fitzpatrick (angels)
  
• Caitlin Kittredge (witches)
  
• Karen Mahoney (vampires: sequel to story from The Eternal Kiss)
  
• Daniel Marks (ghost kids)
  
• Justine Musk (sorcerers)
  
• Diana Peterfreund (unicorns)
  
• Michelle Rowen (demons)
  
• Carrie Ryan (zombies)
  
• Maggie Stiefvater (werewolves)
  
• Rachel Vincent (banshees)
  
• Daniel Waters (zombies)
  
• Michelle Zink (gothic ghosts)

Review:

My review of this book was turning very long because I'm talking about each story in the book, so I decided to split it up into parts so it wasn't so overwhelming. Here are my short reviews of the first 5 stories:

The Assassin's Apprentice by Michelle Zink - I don't often read anthologies because I always want more from each story. This happened here. I like anything with assassins and hoped to figure out more of the mythology and such incorporated into this story's setting, but it was over so soon! I liked it though-- just wish there was more.

Errant by Diana Peterfreund - It's no secret that when it comes to unicorns, I am not really a fan. (Team Zombie FTW.) However, Diana Peterfreund's killer unicorns are much more tolerable (and at times, cool). This story was great, and I loved that it tied into the Rampant series but was set in a different time. Again, I wish it was longer because I liked the setting, but still: two thumbs up.

The Spirit Jar by Karen Mahoney - Moooore! (Do you sense a pattern yet?) This story is awesome, as it involves both vampires and djinn/genies. Original, action packed, intriguing, fun, MOOORE.

Lost by Justine Musk - Again, mooore. Top ten reasons I don't like short stories: no time for anything to be explained. This one definitely could have been expanded, because the twist in the middle happened so fast that it was a little "lol wut." Intriguing, though!

The Spy Who Never Grew Up by Sarah Rees Brennan - The most bizarre story thus far, but I expect nothing less from Sarah Rees Brennan. A bit confusing since it jumps around, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Anything with spies is awesome (as is anything with Peter Pan).

Part 2 will (most likely) be up later this week. I'm attempting to have a very loose spooky books~ theme this week because of Halloween, and I think this book fits in nicely.

Book details: Running Press Teens/Paperback/$9.95

Source: sent by publisher for review

The Space Between Trees by Katie Williams

[description from goodreads]

Not your everyday coming-of-age novel

This story was supposed to be about Evie how she hasn't made a friend in years, how she tends to stretch the truth (especially about her so-called relationship with college drop-out Jonah Luks), and how she finally comes into her own once she learns to just be herself but it isn't. Because when her classmate Elizabeth "Zabet" McCabe's murdered body is found in the woods, everything changes and Evie's life is never the same again.

Review:

The Space Between Trees is, in a word, interesting. I'm not too sure how I feel about it-- it was good but not great, but not bad. It's realistic and well-written and yet there are so many things that could have been done to make it better.

I do enjoy murder mysteries, but this was not the typical murder mystery. I'm used to mysteries being all about the solution and the road getting there, but this book used the mystery more as a backdrop and excuse for Evie to develop new relationships. Which would have been fine if most of her new relationships made much sense-- I particularly didn't understand the fascination with Jonah. I could see why Evie and Zabet's friend Hadley started hanging out and I liked seeing their relationship grow, but I often didn't understand some of Hadley's actions; however, perhaps that is because Evie, in her first person narration, didn't know either. The most emotional relationship, the one between Evie and Zabet's father Mr. McCabe, also wasn't explored as much as I would have enjoyed.

The mystery is also a bit lackluster. For a while, it seemed like the investigation was going nowhere, and that no one particularly cared about it. It wasn't until the end that all the mystery really came into play until the end; however, it was a surprisingly realistic, albeit far too quick, ending that I didn't see coming, which I appreciated.

And yet, despite these complaints, there's something I like about this book, but I can't exactly put my finger on it. The writing was lovely and helped make an enticing spooky mood, and Evie was easy to relate to even when she was being spectacularly awkward. I was often reluctant to put it down because I wanted to know how things ended up.

If we were playing buy it/get from the library/skip it, I'd say get it from the library. People who especially appreciate good writing, more character driven stories, and stories that make them think will probably enjoy it more than those who don't. It's definitely not for everyone, but I think its fans will be extremely devoted.

Book details: Chronicle/Hardcover/$17.99

Source: sent by publisher for review

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. (: Descriptions and such from goodreads!

Bought:

Elixir by Hilary Duff with Elise Allen

As the daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington D.C. politician, Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. And though she dreads the paparazzi who track her every move, she herself is a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world.

But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful young man begin to appear in Clea’s photos—a man she has never seen in her life.

When Clea suddenly encounters this man in person she is stunned—and feels an immediate and powerful connection. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance and discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond.

Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fate, together they race against time to unravel their past in order to save their future—and their lives.

---Bought this at the signing I went to and got it signed! YAY! I'm curious to see how it turns out-- I've heard some good things but chapter one did not impress me very much.


For review:

Freaksville by Kitty Keswick

High school is hard enough when you’re normal. There’s peer pressure, book reports, the in crowd and the enormous zit that has a life of its own. Having a family whose skeletons in the closet lean toward the paranormal is not a topper on anyone’s list. Sophomore Kasey Maxwell is busy juggling the typical teen angst. Add visions, ghosts and hairy four-legged monsters into the mix and you get FREAKSVILLE. It’s a wonder Kasey has survived.

Every woman in the Maxwell family has the gift of sight. A talent sixteen-year-old Kasey would gladly give up. All she wants is a normal life. Shopping and talking about boys with her best friend and long-time sidekick Gillie Godshall consume her days. Until Kasey has a vision about Josh Johnstone, the foreign exchange student from England. The vision leads her into new waters, a lead in a play, a haunted theater…and into the arms of the Josh. Yet, both Kasey and Josh have secrets lurking in dark corners. Can Kasey’s new romance survive FREAKSVILLE?

---I got this for a special upcoming blog tour. It is written in blog format so I am especially excited to read it! Blogs are awesome.

so this one time

I met Hilary Duff! She had a signing for her recently released novel Elixir nearby me this past week so I went.

I think most of us are well aware that Hilary did not write this book entirely herself, and there is a good chance it probably is not that good. But do I care? NO. Because she is Hilary Duff and she played LIZZIE MCGUIRE on the best Disney show EVER. Plus, I listened to her CD and alarmingly large number of times as a child, but we won't go into that. My eight year old self would have never forgiven me if I didn't go to this signing.

ANYWAY. Here is the signing story plus some (very bad) pictures.

I got to the bookstore a few hours before the signing to buy the book and get a wristband, but even though I was there early, I got a wristband letter G. This would later mean that I would have to wait in line for FOREVER.

After my father and I got dinner, we went back to the bookstore and I stalked the YA section because that is what I do. A girl came up to me and was like "were you at the Smart Chicks tour event?" and I was like "YES" and we chatted for a minute and then she had to leave and go do something in some other area and then I kind of hid because I am a socially awkward individual. I do not know why I told you this story but felt it was necessary to share.

The signing was supposed to start at 7 but Hilary didn't make it out until like 7:20, and then there was a crazy ten minute paparazzi photo explosion. I don't know how she didn't go blind, because I was far away and the never ending flashes of light still hurt my eyes.

The bright light in the background = the camera flashes. I don't know what I was thinking when I attempted to get a picture of that moment because it obviously didn't work.

Because I was so far back in the line, I had to wait a while. I tried doing homework but that was lame, so I started reading Elixir. I think that when I read the whole thing I am going to play "Count the Cliches" because I already found like five in the first chapter.

Hilary signing some stranger's book.

Hilary looking and smiling at...something.

Random picture!

I'll skip the boring part of the story: me standing in line and looking at all the weird bargain books. When I got to go up and get my book signed, I was basically like "so awesome to meet you I can't wait to read the book! And see your trailer! I know the girl who's making it and she's been posting teasers and they look awesome." (Because I do know the girl who is making the book trailer-- it is VANIA of VLC Photo! I am basically a Vania pimp and did not know what else to say to Hilary so I figured discussing Vania's awesomeness was a good idea.) She was like "oh that's so cool, I've seen the rough cut of the trailer and it looks really good!" And I got a (bad) PICTURE with her (squee!):

I hate tables and how awkward they make photos. But who cares? I got a photo with Hilary! Whee!

SUMMARY: I met Hilary Duff, she was super cool and nice. Though she did seem a bit alarmed when people brought her GIANT GIFTS. One guy brought her a huge poster of something and she was a bit O_O (At least, this is what I OBSERVED from afar.) But still, she and the signing were awesomeness.

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl Interview

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl are the authors of Beautiful Creatures and the recently released sequel Beautiful Darkness. Though they are busy being their fabulous, New York Times Bestseller (!!!) selves, they took a minute to answer a few thing about their new book. (More about it over on goodreads and sites to buy it, such as indiebound.)

This short interview is especially exciting because they both had different answers for every question! If you have ever seen them in person or watched a video of them, you know that they think like the same thoughts. But not today!

1. Favorite charm on Lena's necklace?

Kami: The sparrow from Beautiful Darkness

Margie: The orange soda pop top from Lena’s grandmother

2) Which Beautiful Darkness video teaser of Vania's is your favorite?

Kami: Death.

Margie: Life. (What does that say about us?)

That you are awesome? I am fond of the Death one, myself.

3) I know you both love Harper Lee- which character from To Kill a Mockingbird do you think would transition into the world of the Caster Chronicles the best?

Kami: Calpernia

Margie: Atticus Finch

---

Thanks, Kami and Margie!

Readers, I hope this is enough to remind/entice you to pick up either Beautiful Creatures or the sequel, Beautiful Darkness! They're both great.

You can also:

Keep up with Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl & The Caster Chronicles at http://www.beautifulcreaturesthebook.com/.

Join the fansite Caster Girls & Boys at http://www.castergirls.com/.

Visit Little, Brown’s Beautiful Creatures website: http://www.somelovesarecursed.com/ for excerpts, downloadables, a map of Gatlin & more!


This interview is also a part of the Novel Noise blog tour-- more tour dates over on their website.

Author photo by Vania Stoyanova.

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Slight potential spoilers for the first book in the series, Beautiful Creatures, ahead!

[description from goodreads]

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

Review:

Like its predecessor, Beautiful Darkness has a slow beginning that's totally worth it in the end.

The first third of the book is mostly spent on introductions. Though it sometimes doesn't feel like it because it the beginning is short in comparison to the rest of the novel, it does take a while to get to the heart of the mystery. I wished that the beginning would speed up, but as I read further and more of the mystery unfolded, I didn't notice the slow pace as much. Each of the new characters introduced in the book definitely bring something unique and exciting to the story, so their long introductions were worth it in the end.

I loved the new mystery brought into this book; I felt it was much more intriguing, exciting, intense, epic than the one in Beautiful Creatures. Everything seemed to turn upside down in this book-- the new characters are not always what they seem, but neither are the "old" ones. Though I was sometimes confused by the actions of some of the characters, like Lena, I loved most of the new twists everyone's personalities and relationships took. There was never a dull relationship moment, particularly near the end and with fun minor characters Link and Ridley. Similarly, the Caster world is taken to a whole new level. No spoilers, but I will say the new aspects of the magic and powers that are explored are fabulous and fascinating.

Once you get past the slow beginning, Beautiful Darkness takes things to a whole new level with a richer world, deeper characters, and a more intense mystery.

Book details: Little, Brown/Hardcover/$17.99

Source: BEA

#reviewingsequelsishard

yo!

^ Those are the type of titles I come up amidst studying.

Even though I am watching Hocus Pocus right now* it does not seem like Halloween-time. Do you have any SPOOKY BOOK suggestions to make it seem more Halloween-y? These are all the books I have but haven't read, if you can find anything spookyish in there.

Or if you do not have SPOOKY BOOK suggestions, feel free to fangirl Hocus Pocus or any other Halloween movies that come to mind.

*BEST HALLOWEEN MOVIE THAT IS NOT ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES! LOVE IT SO MUCH. It used to terrify me as a child though.

Waiting on Wednesday: 2011 Debuts

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. Descriptions and such from goodreads.

This week, two debut novels that are coming out in 2011.

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

For Nick Pardee and Silla Kennicot, the cemetery is the center of everything.

Nick is a city boy angry at being forced to move back to the nowhere town of Yaleylah, Missouri where he grew up. He can’t help remembering his mom and the blood magic she practiced – memories he’s tried for five years to escape. Silla, though, doesn’t want to forget; her parents’ apparent murder-suicide left her numb and needing answers. When a book of magic spells in her dad’s handwriting appears on her doorstep, she sees her chance to unravel the mystery of their deaths.

Together they plunge into the world of dark magic, but when a hundred-year-old blood witch comes hunting for the bones of Silla’s parents and the spell book, Nick and Silla will have to let go of everything they believe about who they are, the nature of life and death, and the deadly secrets that hide in blood.

---

The bloodthirsty side of me reads this summary and only thinks "BLOOOD." The sane side of me reads this summary and thinks "BLOOOD. And witches? And murder? SIGN ME UP."

Also: awesome cover.

Released April 26.

---

Warped by Maurissa Guibord

A love story that crosses centuries...and hangs by a thread.

"By warp and weft I bind thee..."

Tessa Brody doesn't believe in magic. Or Fate. But all that changes the day she discovers a dusty unicorn tapestry in a box of old books The wild, handsome creature woven within it draws Tessa, and frightens her too. When she pulls a silver thread from the tapestry, Tessa accidentally releases a terrible secret-one that has been contained for centuries. She also meets William de Chaucy, a young sixteenth-century nobleman with gorgeous eyes, an odd accent and haughty attitude to spare. His fate is as inextricably tied to the tapestry as Tessa's own. Together with Will, Tessa must overcome a crafty, ancient enemy. That is, if she can get along with "his lordship" long enough. And do it before her whole life unravels.

---

I hate unicorns but seeing them paired with a "terrible secret" intrigues me.

Also: de Chaucy is a classy name.

Released January 11.

Plus by Veronica Chambers

[description from goodreads]

"This is the unbelievable story of how I went to college, gained twenty-five pounds, got dumped by my boyfriend, failed physics and became a worldfamous supermodel."

So begins the Cinderella story of Beatrice Wilson, whose life changes overnight when she’s discovered by a scout for the oldest, most prestigious modeling agency in America—for their plus-sized division.

Now she must find the confidence to vanquish skinny rivals, fend off sleazy photographers, and banish scheming frenemies in her rise to superstardom, all while trying to get her ex-boyfriend back. But Bea learns that to win prince charming, you first have to find a way to love yourself.

Review:

Plus is a wonderfully fun, light read. It was a delight to read, as it gave me a nice break in between homework assignments. I love reading about famous people because of all the scandals and drama, and if you know me you know I am a not-so-secret lover of things that might as well be soap operas. Plus definitely provided me with plenty of drama-- there was never a dull moment, and I had my best "oh no she did NOT" face on plenty of times. I did wish that a few of these scandalous things never happened though, as they were a result of Bee being stupid and frustrating; however, because she was so funny and lovely most of time, I didn't mind *that* much.

On to the negative: there were some parts that I found unrealistic. I know nothing about the ~modeling world~ but certain things, like Bee's rise to fame, happened so fast that I was skeptical. There were some extremely predictable story lines that also tended to disappear then resurface at random times, which was odd. I also felt like I was being hit over the head with the "embrace your inner beauty accept yourself etc." message. It's a nice message but sometimes it was so glaringly obvious that it got on my nerves.

Plus is not the type of book that will stick with me, but it is a nice, light, fun read nonetheless.

Book details: Razorbill/Paperback/$8.99

Source: sent by publisher for review

The Julian Game by Adele Griffin

[description from goodreads]

All new girl Raye Archer wants is a way into the in crowd, so when ice-queen Ella Parker picks her to get back at her ex, the gorgeous Julian Kilgarry, Raye is more than game. Even if it means creating a fake Facebook identity so she can learn enough about Julian to sabotage him. It's a fun and dangerous thrill at first, but Raye didn't counted on falling for Julian herself and igniting Ella's rage. (The next bit is kind of spoilery, but if you wish to read it, feel free to highlight.) As Raye works to reconcile the temptress Elizabeth with her real-life self, Ella serves up her own revenge, creating an online smear campaign of nasty rumors and trashy photographs. Suddenly notorious, Raye has to find a way out of the web of deceit that she's helped to build, and back to the relationships that matter. Adele Griffin's riveting novel explores the issues of generation Facebook: the desire to be someone else, real versus online friends, and the pitfalls and fallouts of posting your personal life online for all the world to judge.


Review:

Upon finishing The Julian Game, my first thoughts were "hmm." I liked the book, but I feel as if it could have been so much better if it was a bit longer.

The book is only about 200 pages long, and because it's so short, things happen fast. This is both good and bad-- good because there's no time for dull moments, bad because things felt rushed. The story starts off quickly, which I appreciated, as drawn-out beginnings are some of my least favorite things. I was enjoying the book very much until I got to the middle, when things started to go a little crazy. There were so many things going on in such a short amount of space that I often never knew what I was supposed to focus on, or if I was supposed to focus on anything at all. The book seemed to switch between discussing Raye/Julian, Raye/Ella, Raye/Natalya, or Raye/Parents. It took a while for all these things to weave together and feel cohesive.

It may have been a bit more enjoyable to read if the story lines were better developed. Julian was not appealing at all and I never understood why Raye was interested in him-- he literally had nothing going for him except that he works in a place that sells food. It always seemed as if Ella was going to be developed beyond the typical mean girl, but her quirks and home life, while mentioned, were never expanded upon. Natalya, the only interesting one, is gone much of the time and accordingly does not have much personality.

Still, The Julian Game has an interesting, unique premise and explores some intriguing issues that occur online. I liked seeing the widespread effects of the girls' actions. I also felt that the book dealt with mean girls more realistically than some other things I've read, though most of the individual girls were flat. The ending, too, was realistic and fit the book perfectly.

I felt that The Julian Game was good but not great-- there was loads of potential but it fell flat for me. If we were going to play "buy it/get it from the library/skip it," I would say get it from the library first to see how you like it.

Book details: Putnam Juvenile/Hardcover/$16.99

Source: sent by publisher for review

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. (: Descriptions and such from goodreads!

Fun week!

Bought: I bought a paperback of Going Bovine by Libba Bray because my review is quoted in it! I was left at B&N for a while on Monday and started flipping through books looking for quotes from bloggers I know, as it is always exciting to see someone you know quoted! (Plus, no publishing people tell anyone they're quoted, so we kind of have to find out ourselves or have someone else tell us.) I always looks to see if I know anyone and I was quite surprised to find myself in Going Bovine! It was a fabulous surprise though. I now choose to believe this makes me one degree of separation from Libba Bray, whom I love.

From Sarah (yay Sarah!):

Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala

Tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one…

In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.

Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.

In this powerful debut novel, stunning new talent Holly Cupala illuminates the dark struggle of a girl who must let go of her past to find a way into her own future.

---I've heard spectacular things about this book, so I cannot wait to begin!

Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

Natalie Sterling wants to be in control. She wants her friends to be loyal. She wants her classmates to elect her student council president. She wants to find the right guy, not the usual jerk her school has to offer. She wants a good reputation, because she believes that will lead to good things.

But life is messy, and it's very hard to be in control of it. Not when there are freshman girls running around in a pack, trying to get senior guys to sleep with them. Not when your friends have secrets they're no longer comfortable sharing. Not when the boy you once dismissed ends up being the boy you want to sleep with yourself - but only in secret, with nobody ever finding out.

Slut or saint? Winner or loser? Natalie is getting tired of these forced choices - and is now going to find a way to live life in the sometimes messy, sometimes wonderful in-between.

---*insert same caption as the one for Tell Me a Secret here*

For review:

Contagion by Joanne Dahme

In her fourth novel Joanne Dahme creates another page-turning tale in which a youngwoman named Rose strives to rid Philadelphia’s water of the deadly typhoid bacteria. Set in the late 19th century, Rose Dugan is a young wife who is actively involved in her community. But when her best friend is killed while working at Philadelphia’s Water Works' gardens, the mystery around her death pulls Rose in. Will she save the city from a deadly typhoid outbreak that is threatening the city’s water system? Will Rose unravel the mystery behind her best friend’s murder—a fate that was actually meant for her?

---I cannot wait to read this as it has been ages since I've read a great historical fiction book.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone—one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship—tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

---Yessss! I've been dying to read this. I can't remember the last time I read a sci-fi YA that wasn't a dystopia. Anything summary with secrets and murder captures my interest.

part two!

The second half of yesterday's post! (Sidenote: spammers are CRAZY. That post got attacked with spam that didn't even have the right blog name in it. Ag. ) Same drill as yesterday- discussing this article's choices on potential YA movie franchises. Let's jump right in, shall we?

6. Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead - I love this series so much and would love to see it on the big screen! I think that if/when a movie gets made it will have to be AMAZING and get spectacular press coverage, otherwise people who are sick of vampires won't go anywhere near it. I think it could be extremely exciting to watch if done right, and I'd love to have a real Adrian to stare a...I mean, what?

7. Wake series by Lisa McMann - This would definitely be a very dark film, which I think would be interesting to watch. The writing style of this series is different than the norm, so I think kit would be difficult to adapt it so a movie has the same tension as the book does. If done correctly, I think it would be an AWESOME movie. However, if Miley Cyrus would star as previously announced/speculated, this movie would be screwed.

8. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - If done right, it would be good. If not, it would suck. There would have to be a lot of changes made due to the length of the novel, but I think the producers/whoever could make it work. Not sure that it would be the most exciting movie until the second half, but if they set it up right and made the mystery as intriguing as possible, it would be good.

9. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - Maybe it's because I haven't read this book in a while and I'm fuzzy on details, but I'm not sure how well it would work as a movie. A movie would definitely appeal to girls (and the boyfriends they drag along) so it would be a financial success, but the setting and writing plays such a huge role in the book that I think it would be hard to translate to screen and get the ~full effect.

10. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - This would be the type of movie that may win an award or two but would not do well at the box office, I feel. It's too slow and heavy to have mass appeal. It would be a movie for the SRS BUSINESS moviegoers.

In which I discuss a new-to-me article

An article was posted on Reelz Channel a while ago about some YA novels with "next Twilight or Harry Potter" movie franchise potential. (I am bad at summaries.) I stumbled across this article today and thought I would have fun posting my own thoughts on their choices. Their article is located here, if you wish to read it. (And clicking on the below series/book title will take you to their individual articles.)

1. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins - Ok, there's no way at least the first book in this series won't be a movie. The series is too huge. I think the first book would make a good movie, but I'm not as confident about the other two. I've felt that the series got a little less action-packed and more political as they went by, so it would take someone extremely talented to make it just as exciting to watch for the cliche moviegoer with a short attention.

2. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare - A City of Bones, the first book in the series, movie would be fab. I think a movie series would get better as the sequels were made, because the first book introduces a LOT of new mythology/characters/evil/etc. And I think the series would make a pretty good television series too, since there is SO MUCH going on.

3. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr - These books are definitely more quiet-- not as much action, more political-y stuff. I would love to see Seth on the big screen but I'm not sure how it would work. Even if done right, I feel as if a movie based on this book would not have mass appeal. In my head, people who would see this movie are not exactly indie movie fanatics, but appreciate quirky/weird/different movies. I DON'T KNOW, IT MAKES SENSE IN MY BRAIN.

4. Maximum Ride series by James Patterson - I can't see this series being turned into a teen movie. I think that it would turn into a family/tween movie that would eventually be replayed on ABC Family and Disney Channel. It would probably be good (way better than those hamster movies or whatever the kids are watching nowadays) but perhaps a bit too young for a lot of the series' intended audience.

5. Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld - Make it happen! A movie based on this book/series would be SO AWESOME. It would cost a lot to make because of all the necessary special effects but it would be worth it, I think. However, I foresee a fandom explosion if casting ever starts to happen because everyone would be complaining about how none of the actors are pretty enough.

I think that's enough for today-- the article has 5 more on their list, so perhaps I shall discuss those tomorrow.

serafina67 *urgently requires life* by Susie Day

[description from goodreads]

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1

OMG, shiny new laptop! Shiny new blog! Behold my interestingness!!!

Rules for blog:

This is a proper blog for real friends, so spill everything. Except the Incident, when...ahem...*explodes with embarrassment*

NO SHOUTING IN CAPS LOCK. Except when ranting about mental paraentals and the Stepmother.

Do not post about patchworkboy

*blushes*

*thinks about patchworkboy*

*blushes again*

Do not be boringly emo all the time.

Identify the woo-woo mystery-shrouded comment poster. Girl? Boy? Friend? Foe?

Gooey chocolate goodness?

Um...erm...AND SO THERE SHALL BE BLOGGING!

:-D

posted by serafina67 @ 6:48PM/ 0comments

Review:

I love blogs, I love humor, I love British people, and, therefore, I love this book. serafina67 *urgently requires life* deals with some heavy subjects in a light, humorous way, though it sometimes encroaches on preachy territory.

serafina's manner of speaking (typing?) will probably get on some people's nerves, but I didn't mind at all. Throughout the book, she sounds even more extreme than the above summary, so if you can't handle that, maybe this book is not for you. (If you've read the Georgia Nicolson series, she sounds like Georgia, only in blog format.) However, I thought her crazy speak was HILARIO. Her wacky, sarcastic, witty, funny commentary and rants were a blast to read. I was giggling and smiling nearly the whole way through, even when serafina's life was going down the drain. The comic relief was much appreciated among all the SRS BUSINESS.

Because the book is written in blog posts, there is obviously a bit of character development lost. Only serafina's (very biased) perspective on everyone is given, so it is sometimes a bit difficult to get a sense of what everyone is *really* like. The comments on the posts definitely helped with this, though. The comments were some of the best parts because I got to see serafina actually interact with people, rather than her simply telling me about her real life interactions after they took place. Some of the action is also a bit lost, but it's not as distracting because of serafina's fabulous way of describing the events going in her life. However, there were times I wish she would have expanded upon certain occurrences. After a while, some things just kind of disappeared even though they were BIG DEALS, but serafina couldn't discuss them in detail because she is on the internet. Oh, the internet.

The only thing I really didn't like was that the ending was like BOOM MESSAGE. Throughout the whole book, there were some darker elements, but always some serafina humor. But, at the end, the tone completely changed and I almost felt like the message was hitting me over the head. However, the change in tone was brought about by a giant plot twist, so it was not all bad.

serafina67 *urgently requires life* is, in a word, funtimes.

Book details: Scholastic/Paperback/$8.99

Source: Jordyn from Ten Cent Notes gave this to me because she is bestest.

Waiting on Wednesday: New books from beloved authors

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

Today, two upcoming books by authors I already love!

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

Happiness is a bloody knife.

Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.

It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities....

---

This book sounds intense, yo. And just as crazy/weird/fabulous as Dia Reeves' debut, Bleeding Violet. I don't think it would be possible for a book about a murderous rampage to *not* be awesome.

Released January 4.

---

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

---

Elizabeth Scott always manages to take the most unassuming premises and make them totally awesome. I can't wait to see what she does with this storyline.

Released May 24.

How I know the end of the year is approaching: most of the books I want are coming out next year.

best site!

Hey, you! You should go visit brightlywovenfan.com RIGHT NOW, especially if you (like me) enjoyed reading the fabulous Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken.

I know for a fact that something epic will be beginning over at the site relatively soon, so add it to your reader and whatnot so you don't miss it.

*stares* DO IT.

My Ace Gang

If you have read the fabbity fab Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison, you know what an Ace Gang is. But in case you haven't read the books, here is an explanation: in the series, the Ace Gang consists of main character Georgia and her besty pals, BASICALLY. There is a handy list on the series website with all of her pals' names. "Ace Gang" is a much more fun term than "me and my friends."

I was reading a book with a narrator that reminded me of Georgia (serafina67 *urgently requires life* is the book) and then I thought about how she would totally be in my fictional people Ace Gang. Then I got to thinking of who else would be in my Ace Gang. I thought I would share my list with you (I will basically copy format of the list on the website but include my own people and reasons).

The Ace Gang

Georgia Nicolson (Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging plus sequels by Louise Rennison) - I can't make an Ace Gang list with including the creator of the term! Georgia is fabbity fab, marvy, gorgey, and her diaries always make me laugh like a loon on loon tablets. She would make an excellent addition to any Ace Gang, with her hilario personality and all the crazy shenanigans she gets herself into.

Ruby Oliver (The Boyfriend List and sequels by E. Lockhart) - Ruby Oliver is like my soul sister. She writes letters to goats! And writes lists! And like movies! AND IS AWESOME!

Anna (Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins) - Anna wants to discuss movies with Robert Osborne. I want to discuss movies with Robert Osborne. Therefore, we are the same person (don't question my logic). She and Ruby would get along fabulously so she would make a wonderful addition to the Ace Gang.

serafina67 (serafina67 *urgently requires life* by Susie Day) - The inspiration for this post must be included! She is BRITISH and BLOGS. This is really all I want in my friends.

Paisley Hanover (Paisley Hanover Acts Out and sequels by Cameron Tuttle) - Between Paisley, serafina, and Georgia, half my Ace Gang will be full of hilario people. Hooray! Paisley would totally be my spastic jazz hands buddy.

+ me, obviously.

Honorary bloke members:

Dave the Laugh (from the aforementioned Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison) - he's a laugh! Therefore he is in my Ace Gang.

Dexter (This Lullaby, the best Sarah Dessen book I AM JUST SAYING) - Dexter would play us songs and be his adorably awesome self. Also: hate spinnerbait.

Spencer Martin (Suite Scarlett and sequels by Maureen Johnson) - Spencer is like my favorite male character EVER. He can't NOT be in my Ace Gang.

Trainee members:

Gianna Z (The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z by Kate Messner) - I feel like Georgia and her boy troubles would scar poor young Gianna, but Gianna is so awesome that she must be included. Since she is young she is of course a trainee member, but she will probably be promoted SOON since we are like the same person. We would totally procrastinate on stuff together.

Dani Callanzano (Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma) - Another awesome young'n! She would totally watch old movies with Anna, Ruby, and I.

Who would be in your fictional people Ace Gang, lovelies?

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. (: Descriptions and such from goodreads!

Got a bunch of lovelies this week. Yay!

Bought:

Among the Ghosts by Amber Benson - I haven't heard anything about this one so I am excited to start it.

Poison Study by Maria V. Synder - I haven't heard anything but good things about this series, so we shall see if I like it too.

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers - The excerpt I heard was intriguing so I cannot wait to read the rest!

The Karma Club by Jessica Brody - This book sounds super funsies.

Rose Sees Red by Cecil Castellucci - This one sounds like could be AWESOME so I can't wait to see how it is.

For review:

Spray by Harry Edge - Sounds super original!

Violence 101 by Denis Wright - Had no idea this was coming and I hadn't heard of it before it came. It sounds interesting though.

From Zoe (yay Zoe!):

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys - This one sounds fabulous and I cannot wait to read it. :D

If I made the rules...

I'm assuming that most of you have seen the teen pages on sites like Barnes and Noble and Borders? Usually these types of pages have recommendations based on genre, such as in the case of B&N. They have, for example, New Releases, Coming Soon, Paranormal Romance, Edgy Teen Stories, and Great Teen Reads. Each of the links takes you to the direct page, but on the main teen page they have select books pictured. There are more pages, but those are the ones featured.

I'm not sure how they pick their choices, but from the looks of it, they seem to pick books that already sell wonderfully. They have some great books up, but I think most of their choices are expected and therefore a bit boring.

If I got to choose what they featured, here's (some of) what I would pick:

New Releases:

I don't know when the cutoff for "new" is, but at my local B&N, they put things over a year old on the "New Releases" display. However, their page seems to have things that have been released in the last month or so, so I'll stick to that.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - A super fun, original paranormal story. I think B&N needs a little more originality in their picks.

Zombies Vs. Unicorns - Okay, technically I haven't read this one. But there are zombies and a bunch of awesome authors in it.

Grace by Elizabeth Scott - It's Elizabeth Scott! It's awesome! It's Persnickety Snark approved! It deserves a spot on my list.

This section is very depressing because I haven't had the chance to read any new books lately. School is evil.

Coming Soon:

Their definition of "soon" seems to mean "out by the end of the year" so I'm using that as my guideline.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (December 2) - THIS BOOK IS SO AMAZING. I think I've mentioned it at least once a week on my blog since I finished reading it. IT'S THAT GOOD.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (October 19) - B&N has this listed on the second page of this section of their site, but I think I'd move it up a little. I really enjoyed this one -- nice world-building, intriguing mythology, awesome characters. (My full review will be up...sometime this month. Hopefully.) I think it's going to be a hit.

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler (December 1) - This book is amazing! I loved it. It's beautiful, lovely, fabulous, etc. I need to reread it soon.

Paranormal Romance:

I really don't know what I would put here! Most of the books I can think of that are paranormal and have romance don't seem to fit in this category. Also, I haven't read much paranormal romance lately. I'm sick of it.

Edgy Teen Stories:

What the heck does "edgy" even mean? Like, they have Crank listed, which is edgy, I guess. But they also have If I Stay listed. I love If I Stay, but I don't think it's necessarily "edgy." Whatever, here are a few of my choices.

I'd keep their choice of Willow by Julia Hoban. I have a special fondness for this book, as I think many other YA book bloggers do. I continue to love hearing about its success!

The Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff - I still haven't reviewed this one yet (I'm working on it!) but I think it most definitely counts as edgy. It's sad but lovely and quite awesome.

This category is too hard. If I knew what qualified as edgy I could probably pick a few more things.

Great Teen Reads:

I could talk forever about this category, but I'll limit myself to three. Almost all of their choices are contemporary, so I'll stick with that.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - This book is fabulous! In my review, I said, "It's a wonderful, heartbreaking, uplifting, novel that will be adored by many." Read it!

Sea by Heidi R. Kling - One of my favorites of the year! Beautiful, sad, amazing, and it has Deni. It rocks.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers - Courtney is one of my absolute favorite authors. Everything she touches turns to sparkles. I couldn't NOT include one of her books somewhere on this list.

I had fun making this post, so I hope you liked it! Also, if you agree with my choices or have others, share! Sharing is caring.

Books LIE

I have been 16 for six whole hours now, and I have not found out that I am a fairy, Specials have not taken me away to do insane amounts of plastic surgery, and none of my childhood wishes have yet to come true.

What's up with that?

Grace by Elizabeth Scott

[description from goodreads]

A fable of a terrifying near future by critically acclaimed author Elizabeth Scott.

Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate.

Told in spare, powerful prose, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after they've reached the final page.

Review:

Grace is a departure from Elizabeth Scott's other novels, but that does not make it any less wonderful. It's the kind of book I wish I had enough time to read in one sitting in order to get the whole impact-- even though I was forced to pull myself away many times, I always wanted to return and read more about Grace's journey.

I wish that Grace was longer if only so that I would be able to read more about the politics and inner workings of the world of Keran Berj, the dictator of the area. I was fascinated about the power he maintains, the destitution of the cities, and the rebel group Grace is a part of. However, though I wish I knew more, the included glimpses into the lives of the common people were handled extremely well. Grace and Kerr encounter different people on the train and in their flashbacks, and though each meeting is short, they are detailed enough so that it's easy to grasp the magnitude of each person's situations. It's those kinds of details that make a book.

Grace is being marketed as a dystopian novel, but it's unlike any other dystopian novel out there because it's more quiet. The writing is some of the best Elizabeth Scott writing I've read, and it fits the novel perfectly. The short, seemingly simple sentences perfectly reflect Grace's conflicted, always-changing thoughts about the world around her.*

The only things I didn't like about Grace was that the ending didn't have the same "oomph" that the rest of the book had. Maybe it was because I read the ending on a different day than the rest of the book, but it lacked some of the emotion and power the rest of the book had. I also had a bit of trouble following along in the beginning because new details about the rules and powers of the people were revealed as time went by, rather than many facts at once.

In my hierarchy of favorite Elizabeth Scott books, Grace is right near the top. An emotional, powerful, fascinating read.

*Can you tell I'm going back and forth between writing this review and doing my English homework?

Book details: Dutton/Hardcover/$16.99

Source: BEA and one from the publisher for review

Crank Winner + off topic

The winner of Crank is Kailia Sage! Congrats! Email me (khyrinthia@gmail.com) with your address please so I can send it out to you.

In unrelated news, it's my mommy's birthday! My mom is the bestest. She is so supportive of me and my blog-o. She rocks.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

OC Children's Book Fest Funtimes

On Sunday I got to go to the Orange County Children's Book Festival. Here are photos and such from the event!

Cecil Castellucci reading from Rose Sees Red:


Have you read Rose Sees Red? I bought it and am very excited to read it! It has my favorite red/black/white cover in the history of red/black/white covers.

Lauren Kate reading from Torment, the sequel to Fallen:


Catt was with me and neither of us have read Fallen, so we were a bit confused during the reading and kept looking at each other like crazy people.

Heidi R. Kling reading from Sea:


Heidi, Catt, and I:

I loooove Sea so I'm always happy when Heidi does an event around here. It was lovely to see her! She gave out some gorgeous Sea posters and tank tops to people who asked questions during the Q&A. I asked about her A Visitor's Guide to Mystic Falls (an anthology about The Vampire Diaries TV show) essay. Hers is about the Salvatore brothers and their relationship. Cannot wait to read it!

Becca Fitzpatrick reading from Crescendo, the sequel to Hush, Hush:


Becca read a short bit from the end of Crescendo, where Patch and Nora leave off on some suspenseful territory, if I remember correctly. dun dun dun.

Robin Benway reading from The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June:

AMJ is a fabulous book and Robin is a fabulous person, so I was obviously excited to hear her read and get my book signed.

Amber Benson reading from Among the Ghosts (if you are wondering why her name may sound familiar, it is because she played Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer):


Amber talked about imagination before reading from her book, and the whole time I thought of that one episode of Spongebob. Yeah.

Hers was probably my favorite reading of the day because she ~utilized the entire stage:


Afterward I got my copy of Among the Ghosts signed. Amber was super cool and she mentioned that "Khy" is an awesome name (I agreed). And then she talked about how "Khy and Catt" sound very good together, because Catt was still with me at the time before she had to run away and leave. The illustrator of the book, Sina Grace, drew a picture in the book for me. I would take a picture and post it but I am lazy. But trust me: it is awesome.

At the end of the day, Lisa Desrochers read from Personal Demons:


The excerpt she read was definitely intriguing. Can't wait to read the book! She also mentioned that there will be a new model on the cover of the second book of the series, so if you (like me) thought the first was too old, you're in luck!

An awesome day! Always lovely to see Catt, Heidi R. Kling, Robin Benway, Jessica Love, and meet cool bloggers like Cade from Braintasia Books!