Young Adult Literature Review

MiddleGrade Monday and Contest Winners

2011-11-29T11:39:00.004-06:00

First up, I'd like to announce the winners of the first ARC grab bag giveaway. These folks were chosen at random and they will need to contact me at blogger at yaliteraturereview.com to claim their prizes. The four winners are: Kristin, Braine @ Talk Supe, Dorine White, and Eric at YAvolt. Watch for another contest this Wednesday - all about signed copies!

Middle Grade Monday: The Pen Pals Series, by Sharon Dennis Wyeth

Publisher: Yearling
Pages: 144 (varies - paperback)
Reading Level: 10 and up
Enjoyment Level: High

This is one of the series that I loved growing up. I didn't get to read them all, but I devoured the ones I did have. And reading them made me want to go away to boarding school.

Description:

Four girls at boarding school meet, become friends, and run an ad in the neighboring all-boys' school newspaper for pen pals.

While I think writing for kids has kind of come a long way since the late 80s, this series is pretty well-written. There are details here and there that make me cringe a little, reading them now. But I also remember how it was to read them the first time, and as a kid (which might be more important), I never would've found anything to critique. I had characters I liked, and some that I didn't, but I never had any trouble loving the stories.

As an adult, I feel like several plots could be cleaned up, and the characters are definitely not as modern now as they felt then, although unlike some books, even the references to electronics (records, tapes, and VHS!) and other pop-culture things don't date the series for me. And, if they were to re-release these (like they are with some BSC books) it wouldn't be difficult to update the various details.

The characters always seemed older to me, but then, I was reading them as a 12-year-old. I can't say that they are realistic for 13 and 14-year-old girls. The dialogue sometimes comes off as forced. They get into trouble and have reactions that sometimes don't make sense to me.

But whatever they are to me as an adult, they were successful for me as a kid, and the books still have me reading easily as soon as I start page one. I miss having a series like this to read - the kids' market has changed so much that a lot of long-running series aren't as successful as some from back in the day.

This series is still a good one to share with middle grade girls. They might want pen pals and to go to boarding school after reading them, but there's nothing wrong with that, right?

Until next time, go read something.

~ Vilate

Super Holiday Giveaway 2

2011-11-16T09:13:00.000-06:00

It's that time again! Time to announce another giveaway for the holidays! This is the "I'm Thankful for Awesome Authors, the Melissa Walker Edition."

Yesterday, I posted my review of Small Town Sinners, by the fabulous Melissa Walker. And on the podcast, we have my interview with her from the Austin Teen Book Fest. Now it's time to give you the chance to win a signed copy of Small Town Sinners.

To enter, be a follower of the blog. Leave a comment on the review entry. Deadline to enter is November 30th. The winner will be chosen randomly.

Good luck!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Small Town Sinners

2011-11-15T13:15:00.000-06:00

Small Town Sinners, by Melissa Walker

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 288 (hardcover)
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: mid-high

I meant to read Violet on the Runway and review that with my Melissa Walker interview, but this is her newest book, and I thought it’d make a better giveaway, lol. Also, the blurb for Small Town Sinners caught my attention even before I heard Melissa Walker talking about the book at the Austin Teen Book Festival.

From Amazon.com:

Lacey Anne Byer is a perennial good girl and lifelong member of the House of Enlightenment, the Evangelical church in her small town. With her driver's license in hand and the chance to try out for a lead role in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, Lacey's junior year is looking promising. But when a cute new stranger comes to town, something begins to stir inside her. Ty Davis doesn't know the sweet, shy Lacey Anne Byer everyone else does. With Ty, Lacey could reinvent herself. As her feelings for Ty make Lacey test her boundaries, events surrounding Hell House make her question her religion.

I’m glad I felt drawn into this book enough to want to see what happened in the end. Lacey Anne, the main character, has an innocent voice that carries the story well and makes you want to get to know what’s going on. While at times she seemed younger than sixteen, I can chalk that up to the character being from a small, evangelical town, and to the innocence that is so obvious from the beginning. Lacey Anne has a good, strong development through the story and I liked the highs and lows she experienced. They felt like a natural progression, leading her to discover things about herself without seeming overdone.

The details about the Hell House had me creeped out, which might not be what the author was going for, but I believe she portrayed the whole idea realistically. That goes along with Walker’s treatment of the religious beliefs of the characters – I do feel like she tried to write this book while respecting the evangelical religions, and by the end of the book, Lacey Anne hasn’t given up her faith but also hasn’t submitted wholly without getting her questions answered. I felt that it was fair and it shows a respectfully open mind.

Overall, the story kept me interested. The characters are definitely done well. I did have some issues with some of the dialogue at times seeming unnatural or forced. While there wasn’t any time where I felt a “message” was being shoved at me, some of the conversation the kids have at the end felt stilted, as though a “moral” was being given and being unsuccessfully hidden in a page of dialogue.

Of course, that didn’t keep me from enjoying the book as a whole, and I still recommend it as great reading. The title may make you think it’s deep and hard to get through, but the writing is light and very easy to like and connect with.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Super Holiday Giveaway 1

2011-11-09T18:22:00.002-06:00

Today kicks off my season of giving stuff away! This is my "I'm thankful for all my ARCs" grab bag giveaway. You won't know what you get until you get it, but some of my ARCs include:

Tempest Rising, by Tracy Deebs,
The Lost Saint, by Bree Despain,
Trial by Fire, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and
Drought, by Pam Bachorz.

Someone may get my ARC of Crescendo, by Becca Fitzpatrick as well. For this first giveaway, there will be up to four winners.

Just be sure to follow the blog, tweet about the contest, and leave a comment on this blog post, and that enters you to win! Winners will be chosen at random after November 15th, so you have until then to enter.

Good luck and thanks for being part of my blog!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: Sisters Red

2011-10-21T10:20:00.002-05:00

Sisters Red, by Jackson Pearce

Publisher: Little, Brown
Pages: 324 (hardcover)
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: mid-high

If you haven’t already, check out my interview with the lovely and talented Jackson Pearce from this year’s Austin Teen Book Festival: http://bit.ly/p1rDWY

From GoodReads:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an axe and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

Of course I failed to read this one before ATBF and my interview with J.P. I didn’t actually finish it until about a week ago. Partly because I had a hard time finding time, and partly because it took me a while to get into the story. The beginning was slow for me, but I felt the action and plot pick up about midway through. So where the first ten or so chapters took me almost two weeks, I finished the rest of it within two days.

I had a really difficult time liking Scarlett March, one of the two sisters and voices in the novel. She was overbearing and extremely rigid for a main character, and I think she reminded me of someone I know who I consider a little insane and hard to get along with. However, as a character, she’s very rich in personality and history. I saw why she had developed her particular personality quirks and I understood, even though none of it made her a sympathetic character for me.

On the other side of that is Rosie March, and oddly enough I also didn’t like her much until about halfway through the story. I found her weak-willed and sappy. Again, she was very well-written. I just couldn’t seem to like her, and that made it difficult for me to really get into this tale.

I’ve put books down for less (Beautiful Creatures will never leave my to-be-finished pile!), but the premise of the story was too interesting, and I stuck it out to the halfway point before deciding my fate with the book. Luckily, Rosie became more interesting and J.P. added depth by moving the characters to a different city with new problems to overcome. The added tension caught my interest more, as well, and little details started coming in as mystery and intrigue for me.

And one huge detail had me on the edge of my seat – I thought I knew what would happen, but J.P. effortlessly turned my attention elsewhere, only to reveal that I was right in the first place! I love mysterious details like that.

So overall, I liked this one, and I would recommend it. Not everyone will feel the same way I did about the characters, and it wasn’t enough to stop me from reading. The ending was well worth the slow beginning.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Fantastic Holiday Giveaway

2011-10-19T09:58:00.004-05:00

Christmas is my favorite holiday, so in honor of that, I'm doing a supergiveaway. Many will play, many will win.

Some of the books will be simple comment/follow/win giveaways. Some will involve answering some trivia, or doing something in the holiday spirit and then commenting, etc. Some people will get gift cards or other bookish, fun, holiday items. One person will win a holiday basket filled with fun goodies. All the books will be kept secret until you get your package in the mail, all gift-wrapped for Christmas fun. Some books will be ARCs, and some signed copies of popular titles.

To win any of the prizes, you'll need to be a follower of the blog, so if you aren't already and you want to get a jump on it, take a moment to become a follower now. :) The giveaway event will start mid-November. It'll be one prize per person, in most cases.

And if anyone catches the Christmas spirit and would like to participate by donating books, gift cards, or anything else, let me know. The more, the merrier when it comes to Christmas. If you'd like to donate, but don't have anything specific, you can just go the monetary route by clicking our 'Donate' button in the sidebar. That will automatically enter you into all of the contests, no matter if you've already won something or not. If you donate $20 or more, you'll get a special gift, and a part of all monetary donations will go to kidsneedtoread.org. Please know that I don't want this to seem like I'm soliciting monetary or other donations - the giveaways are free to all followers of the blog. This is just an option for anyone who'd like bigger participation. :D

Other bloggers who'd like to participate on their own blogs are also more than welcome. Anyone who wants in on this will go on a list of participating bloggers and links will be posted here whenever someone posts a participating contest once my event starts.

So that's it! Check back here for updates on this event. If you have any questions and/or are a blogger who wants into the event, or if you want more info on donating, email me at podcast at yaliteraturereview.com. Happy Holidays, everyone!

~ Vilate

Sci-Fi Saturday: Human.4

2011-10-08T20:53:00.002-05:00

Human.4, by Mike A Lancaster

Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pages: 240 (hardcover)
Reading Level: 12 and up
Enjoyment Level: High

Egmont has really been hitting home runs for me lately. This is no exception. I loved getting this one along with a few other ARCs from them. Not only did I get to read it, but my brother really liked it, as well, so that’s another plus for the book.

From GoodReads:

Kyle Straker volunteered to be hypnotized at the annual community talent show, expecting the same old lame amateur acts. But when he wakes up, his world will never be the same. Televisions and computers no longer work, but a strange language streams across their screens.

Everyone’s behaving oddly. It’s as if Kyle doesn’t exist.

Is this nightmare a result of the hypnosis? Will Kyle wake up with a snap of fingers to roars of laughter? Or is this something much more sinister?

Narrated on a set of found cassette tapes at an unspecified point in the future, Human.4 is an absolutely chilling look at technology gone too far.

The premise of this book grabbed my attention while at the same time giving me an eerie feeling, right from the start. The story is narrated by Kyle Straker, who has a nice but bold voice that I think can easily resonate with teen boys. He’s introduced to us as a normal kid who has a pretty normal life in his small town. And he’s strong enough to keep it together as events and people around him become more difficult to handle.

After the hypnotism, Kyle and the other characters who were under band together and try to deal with what happened as a sort of hodge podge team. They have their hard times, but I liked the dynamic of all the characters together, working towards their goal of figuring out what has suddenly happened to their world. They’re all interesting characters separately, as well, so that helps with their chemistry together.

Although there aren’t many big action scenes, I did feel the tension and suspense of the story. I kind of knew what was going on the whole time, but still found myself anxious as I read because the characters were so real to me that I worried for them. The book blurb promised me chills, and I found them, although this is not a horror story.

What a great book for boys. And it’s a great sci-fi read and should have you turning the page to make sure Kyle gets through safely on the other side.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Austin Teen Book Festival - Review

2011-10-05T18:17:00.005-05:00

This past weekend was the awesome Austin Teen Book Festival. I dragged a high school friend up there and we hung out on Friday night with a bunch of fabulous bloggers.

Threadgills is amazing! Great food and the waitress was patient with everyone. C and I walked 6th street, but had to call it quits because we were both sick and we had to get up early-ish on Saturday for the festival. Luckily, I booked us a room at the Hilton Garden Inn. I almost booked at the Homestead, which is where a lot of other bloggers and authors ended up staying. So glad I didn't! I love Austin, but the Homestead is one destination I'll never have to arrive at.

The festival started at 10am. I was late, as per usual, but I didn't miss much. The place was packed (The Palmer Events Center). Scott Westerfeld gave the keynote address and had the audience laughing a lot. He's a wonderful speaker and he really knows how to connect with a room full of teenagers. What a great choice for keynote speaker!

After the keynote, we had time to get to the first panel session (they had five panels to choose from and three time-slots). The Palmer has one main hall and a few meeting rooms upstairs. Unfortunately, the organizers of the Festival put three of the panels in the big meeting hall with just some curtains dividing the room. So the first hour downstairs was kind of a mess. I will give them credit for realizing their mistake and rearranging panels so only one at a time was going on in the main hall. I'm sure next year they'll make other arrangements.

I was very happy with the selection of authors and panels. It was really nice to see such a wide range of genres represented there. Last year was also good, but I definitely felt like this was better, although I really enjoyed having the festival at a high school. The big event center kind of made it feel a little impersonal.

I'd say the low point came with the signings at the end of the day. They packed in the panels and didn't allow enough time for the actual book signings, which disappointed a lot of kids. Not everyone got everything signed. I think the mistake came when the allowed about the same amount of time as last year, but they this year there were several more authors. It would have been nice to have a bit more time.

But I came away with several interviews to post on the podcast, and I'll get to each one along with reviews and possibly some giveaways. I had a great time, and my hat is off to the organizers of Austin Teen Book Festival. Not many people can get something like that together without too many hiccups, and these folks did a great job with such a huge gathering of fest-goers. I can't wait until next year!

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: Supernaturally

2011-08-26T11:02:00.002-05:00

Supernaturally, by Kiersten White

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 352
Reading Level: 12 and up

Paranormalcy was one of my absolute favorite books of last year, so I was super excited for Supernaturally.

From GoodReads:

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

I'm a little torn with how I feel about Supernaturally. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but last year, Paranormalcy sucker punched me with its freshness and originality. It had that real "Wow" factor because it was so unique, not only in storyline, but in the way the story was told. Since I've already been exposed to it, I was less blown away by Supernaturally. That being said, Supernaturally still kept all the awesome elements I loved from Paranormalcy and advanced the story in a way I think will make Endlessly amazing.

Let's start with the voice. Bleeping amazing! Evie jumps right off the page and makes me jealous I don't have Kiersten White's genius. Even in the most dire of circumstances, the narrative is funny but not in a distracting way. Aaand, how cute are Evie and Lend? The book could've been entirely encompassed by their flirting and I still would've been pleased.

I'm a little surprised, but I didn't dislike Reth in this novel. I'll be honest, I hated him through most of Paranormalcy and only at the end did I start to hate him a little less (which, is due to his character, not any flaw on White's part). Reth's involvement in the story makes him more and more intriguing. I kind of want to go back and read Paranormalcy again, knowing what I know now, and see if I can like him a little more. Also, Neamh = lovely.

I think what I really enjoyed about Supernaturally--besides the amazing characters, voice, plot, and overall great writing--was the moral dilemmas. There were several of them in this book and they were examined with just the right amount of attention. They didn't overwhelm the story nor were they rushed over. I have a feeling the conclusions of these dilemmas are key for the last book and it makes me extremely excited.

If you haven't read Supernaturally (or *dies at the thought* Paranormalcy) you should go do that. Now. Even if you're not a fan of paranormal I think you'll like it.

Happy reading!

~Rose

MiddleGrade Monday: The Secret Language of Girls

2011-08-15T16:04:00.001-05:00

The Secret Language of Girls, by Frances O’Roark Dowell

Publisher: Atheneum (Simon Schuster)
Pages: 256 (paperback)
Reading Level: 9-12 (middlegrade)
Enjoyment Level: Medium

This is another one from my good friends at Simon Schuster. And it’s another one I’d seen around and heard about, but didn’t read until I got my copy from the publisher.

From GoodReads:

In the old days, when Kate had no interest in romance, she never cared what other people thought. Now, it appeared, love was turning her into a rotten human being.

Eleven-year-old Kate Faber wishes she could talk to her best friend Marylin about this. But Marylin is no longer her best friend. Or is she? Kate and Marylin had always been the kind of best friends who lived on the same block for their entire lives and who could agree on the kind of boys worth kissing (only movie stars) or who should be invited to their sleepover (definitely not Mazie Calloway or Elinor Pritchard). The kind of best friends who didn't need words to talk, but who always just knew.

But lately Marylin has started to think that Kate can be a bit babyish. And Kate thinks that Marylin is acting like a big snob. And a lot of the time, well, it feels as though they just don't know each other anymore. Somehow nothing is the same, but secretly Kate and Marylin both wish that it could be....

I think I must be losing my touch with middlegrade books. I just wasn’t terribly impressed and I think part of it is just that I haven’t read many for this age range. I know what I liked and disliked about the book, but I might be behind in what’s the norm for MG books.

I liked the characters just fine. They seemed slightly young at times for being in sixth grade, but the personalities worked for me. The author did a wonderful job at building the girls and making them pop as real people in real situations, and all of the side characters were well-rounded. I don’t usually enjoy books where the point-of-view switches between characters, but it worked all right for this storyline. I did like getting both perspectives, since the book was about both of the girls.

The plot didn’t really work for me as well, though. It fell flat in several places and left me questioning the reasons behind various plot points. The writing was sort of simplistic, which, I think, led me in feeling like the girls were younger than sixth graders. I wanted a more mature writing style to really help drive the story and tie everything together. By the ending of the book, I still wasn’t quite sure where the plot was going, and it left me hanging, but not as though it was a cliffhanger.

In my mind, I’m comparing this to Princess for Hire, by Lindsey Leavitt and I much prefer that story and writing style to this one. That’s not to say others and MG girls won’t like this one. I just wouldn’t suggest it to reluctant readers, as it isn’t as fast-paced as other books. The characters are relatable for younger readers, so that’s a definite check in the pro column. Readers will be able to identify and others may have a better time enjoying the plot than I did. It’s worth checking out if you’ve got young girls in the house.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate ~

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Across the Universe

2011-08-02T19:28:00.001-05:00

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis

Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)
Pages: 398 (hardcover)
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: Highest

There was a movie a few years ago called Across the Universe, so when this one came out, I thought it hadn’t just come out – I thought it was a book of the movie. I couldn’t figure out why everyone was suddenly talking about it. Of course, I was set straight eventually, and put it in my to-read pile.

From GoodReads:

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.

So many, many amazing books have been released lately! I feel like it’s impossible to read all of the good ones and do justice to them in reviews and interviews. Plus, I’ve been slacking in reviewing what I’ve read recently. It’s hard to know exactly what to say with a book like this one, though. It was just fabulous!

The story is dystopian, but it’s mystery, as well, with a lot of science fiction thrown in. I loved the plot – it kept me hooked. The intricacies of life on the spaceship got more and more interesting as the book moved on and mysteries were revealed. I felt like the writing was solid, and just enough information was given at any one time. It kept me turning pages (and staying up late).

Amy is a good character. I felt so sorry for her but cheered when she did what she had to. Her interactions with others on the ship drove home all the differences between what we know as modern life and what the characters knew on the ship. I can’t say that Amy was a stand-out character if she was compared to some others I’ve read recently, but for the story and her chemistry with Elder, the development is spot on. I believed the relationship between the two of them.

I did guess who the bad guy was early on. I don’t know if the author meant to be more subtle, but I was clued in at the introduction of this particular character, and the subsequent development of that storyline had me sure long before the mystery was solved. On the other side of that, the other “bad guy” character development did surprise me a little, so I felt that it was all balanced out in the end.

This is definitely a favorite for me this year, and I can’t wait to read the sequel. I’m so excited to keep reading about Amy, Elder, and the unusual lives people live on the ship. I highly recommend this one. You won’t be sorry if you read it.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate ~

Fantasy Friday: Tempest Rising

2011-07-08T14:51:00.004-05:00

Tempest Rising, by Tracy Deebs

Publisher: Walker Books
Pages: 352 (hardcover)
Reading Level: 12 and up
Enjoyment Level: medium

I love getting free stuff! At this year’s Houston Teen Book Con, they were giving ARCs away as “door prizes” as you entered. I remembered seeing the cover of this one on GoodReads at one point, and I got the last one they were giving away! Lucky me!

From GoodReads:

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

I liked this one quite a bit. The writing drew me in and kept me reading, and I didn’t feel there was anywhere the story lagged. I don’t think the plot and characters were quite as well-developed as they could’ve been, though, which keeps this book from getting my highest rating.

Tempest is the most well-rounded character in the book, and she is interesting. As she comes into her powers and realizes what awaits her as half-mermaid, I did feel like it was a natural and gradual development for the most part. There were a couple of places where I wasn’t sure what was going on and the confusion left me irritated. I’m not sure if that’s because it happened too fast, or things somehow just got jumbled.

Kai felt slightly more flat to me, although he wasn’t terrible. I think I just didn’t really feel the right kind of connection between him and Tempest. I know I was supposed to get the idea that they’re deeply connected, but that lacked a little spark or something to make it a nice, dramatic thing. I liked that Kai was a selkie, though, and the family dynamic he had gave more depth to the character.

There is a lot of action once Tempest ends up under the ocean. It helped make the story seem less simplistic. The author did give us a couple of really dramatic moments that had me holding my breath in anxiety, so full marks for the battle and action sequences.

Despite the taste of destiny, I feel like this is a lighter fantasy that will be enjoyable for a range of audiences. I may not have connected much to Kai, but younger girls will definitely find him crush-worthy, and Tempest is a strong female lead. It’s worth a read and makes for a good summer tale.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Contest Winner: Cryer's Cross

2011-07-07T12:48:00.002-05:00

Sorry everyone, for the crazy late winner here. I'm heading to Florida next week, and of course I've been running around like I have no idea what I'm doing. But, better late than never...

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. And thanks to everyone who reads the blog. I appreciate all the support and the continued readership, despite my terrible track record at putting things up on a regular basis!

So, the winner of a signed copy of Cryer's Cross is:

Maggie Desmond-O'Brien said...: Yay! I've wanted to read this one forever. =) Thanks for the giveaway!

http://twitter.com/#!/mdesmondobrien/status/66490252583383040

mdesmondobrien(at)yahoo(dot)com; May 6, 2011 8:12 AM

Maggie, please email me at blogger@yaliteraturereview.com to claim your prize. I'll need your mailing address so I can send this your way. Thanks!!!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Wild Roses

2011-06-28T08:49:00.000-05:00

Wild Roses, by Deb Caletti

Publisher: SimonPulse
Pages: 296 (paperback)
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: Mid-high

This is the first book I’ve read of hers. She was the keynote speaker at this year’s Houston Teen Book Con and she was so great! I loved hearing her speak. Naturally, it made me want to read something she’d written and this one sounded the most interesting.

From GoodReads:

Seventeen-year-old Cassie Morgan lives with a time bomb (a.k.a. her stepfather, Dino Cavalli). To the public, Dino is a world-renowned violin player and composer. To Cassie, he’s an erratic, self-centered bully. And he’s getting worse: He no longer sleeps, and he grows increasingly paranoid. Before Cassie was angry. Now she is afraid.

Enter Ian Waters: a brilliant young violinist, and Dino’s first-ever student. The minute Cassie lays eyes on Ian, she knows she’s doomed. Cassie thought she understood that love could bring pain, but this union will have consequences she could not have imagined.

In the end, only one thing becomes clear: In the world of insanity, nothing is sacred. . .

I probably should stop going into books with expectations. I thought this one would have a much more dramatic ending than it did. From the beginning, the situation that’s foreshadowed from Cassie’s retelling made me very nervous about how this would turn out. There’s a lot of building up, and of course, that made me want to read and read. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed when it came down to it.

The characters, however, are very interesting. I liked Cassie and I felt like she told her story in a way that made it accessible. I cared very much about what would happen to her and between her and Ian. I also really liked Ian, and the side characters we met along the way. We’re not meant to like her stepfather, of course, and I didn’t, but he was a well-drawn character. The only one I felt was lacking was Cassie’s mother. She just wasn’t quite rounded out enough for me.

Overall, though it wasn’t what I expected, I found the writing to be done well and I enjoyed getting to know Cassie and her situation. I can’t say this one would be great for reluctant readers, but it’s a good showing for anyone who likes straight up teen fiction. The musical element is interesting, and Cassie keeps the story going with a great voice and deep connections to her fellow characters.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

MiddleGrade Monday: Princess for Hire

2011-06-20T19:32:00.001-05:00

Princess for Hire, by Lindsey Leavitt

Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 239 (paperback)
Reading Level: 10 and up
Enjoyment Level: High

This one has been on my list for a while, and I was so excited to see her at this years Houston Teen Book Con. I picked it up and had it signed while I was there.

From GoodReads:

When Desi Bascomb gets discovered by the elite Facade Agency–royalty surrogates extraordinaire–her life goes from glamour-starved to spectacular in a blink. As her new agent, Meredith, explains, Desi has a rare magical ability: when she applies the ancient Egyptian formula “Royal Rouge,” she can transform temporarily into the exact lookalike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?

Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras. Like, what do you do when a bullying older sister puts you on a heinous crash diet? Or when the tribal villagers gather to watch you perform a ceremonial dance you don’t know? Or when a princess’s conflicted sweetheart shows up to break things off–and you know she would want you to change his mind?

In this hilarious series debut, one girl’s dream of glamour transforms into something bigger: the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time.

For some reason, I thought this would be for older kids, but it’s definitely middlegrade reading. I flew through it quickly, and really enjoyed the story. I like the unique take on the princess theme. Desi gets to live the lives of princesses, even if she isn’t one herself, but it helps her take charge of her real life, too.

Desi is a great main character. She’s fun and she’s got a mind of her own. There are some things she struggles with, which make her grounded and realistic, despite the magic of being a princess-double. Desi wants to help people and make an impact. She doesn’t always stick to the rules and she deals with the consequences of that – and things still turn out okay in the end.

The other characters don’t necessarily fade into the background, but they don’t feel like major players either, except for Meredith. There are definitely things going on with her. I like how she interacts with Desi. Despite coming across as dismissive, we get to see why she’s like that and we get to see why she makes the best agent for Desi.

If you know a little girl who dreams of being a princess, this one is for her. It’s a good one for the pre-Princess Diaries age group. The story is excellent and it’ll keep even reluctant readers reading to find out how Desi gets into and out of her spots of trouble.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: The Goddess Test

2011-06-14T22:48:00.001-05:00

The Goddess Test, by Aimee Carter

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 293 (paperback)
Reading Level: 14 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High

***Spoilers Below***

This is my first review since I got my stuff stolen out of my car! I lost a bunch of reviews I’d already written to post. Bummer, right? Well, I’m still kind of picking up the pieces, but luckily, I’ve kept my spirits up by reading some awesome books.

From GoodReads:

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

I’ve decided it’s time for me to stop paying attention to “trends” in the market, and yet, in the past couple of weeks, I’ve read two fairly-recently-published books having to do with the Greek gods. And they’ve both been fantastic. The Goddess Test wasn’t quite what I expected, either, which is always a good thing.

I liked the whole set up of the plot. Kate is a nice character who is in a lot of pain, but doesn’t let that stop her from being a good person. She’s also driven, trying to change her situation with the tools that are presented to her. She doesn’t always make the best decisions, but I like how she deals with the consequences.

The other characters were just as good. I found myself hoping Henry would win out in the end. Hoping that he would be able to care about Kate and save himself. I also really liked seeing how the other characters interacted, and knowing that all of the Greek gods would come into play, I tried to figure out who was who.

I only had one tiny grumble, and that’s about how quickly Kate decided she was really in love with Henry. I expected it to take longer and develop more slowly, but it didn’t. Other than that… I really liked how the mystery came together and how the ending met my expections but didn’t become completely predictable. It left me wanting more. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

The Goddess Test is fun and interesting. Not too deep, but certainly not just fluff. Despite it taking place during the fall and winter, it would make a nice summer read. I highly recommend it.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Cryer's Cross

2011-05-03T21:38:00.002-05:00

Cryer’s Cross, by Lisa McMann

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 232
Reading Level: 12 and up
Enjoyment Level: High

I’m not sure how to intro this one. I went to the event at Blue Willow Bookshop when Lisa McMann was in Houston – I’d never read anything of hers before, but Cryer’s Cross sounded really interesting. I tried to get in contact with her publicist for an interview, but I never heard back. Luckily, Lisa is awesome and she gave me a few minutes of her time anyway (hear the interview HERE). She gave us a great author event full of readings from Cryer’s Cross and her new, upcoming series. And afterward, I read CC and loved it.

From GoodReads:

Kendall loves her life in small town Cryer’s Cross, Montana, but she also longs for something more. She knows the chances of going to school in New York are small, but she's not the type to give up easily. Even though it will mean leaving Nico, the world's sweetest boyfriend, behind.

But when Cryer's Cross is rocked by unspeakable tragedy, Kendall shoves her dreams aside and focuses on just one goal: help find her missing friends. Even if it means spending time with the one boy she shouldn't get close to... the one boy who makes her question everything she feels for Nico.

Determined to help and to stay true to the boy she's always loved, Kendall keeps up the search--and stumbles upon some frightening local history. She knows she can't stop digging, but Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried...

This is a tense book. Pretty much the whole time, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I love that the mystery and creepiness just kept me reading. The story kept me interested and engaged, and offered a few surprises and twists that I didn’t expect.

Kendall is a great character. I love that she has OCD and deals with it the best she can. Even though I don’t have that problem, I could empathize with her. I had no trouble connecting with her personal story. Her quirks really felt like they made her who she is, and although she struggled with the disorder, she would’ve been a different person with a different outcome if she hadn’t had that trial to deal with. I love that the author writes clearly enough to show that our trials help prepare us to handle things we encounter outside of our lives and experience.

I highly recommend this one. It’s great for reluctant readers, too, since it hooks the reader quickly and keeps the tension high until the ending. It’s got a touch of the paranormal, but it’s not overstated or overdone, so readers of straight fiction and of mysteries will like it as well.

Here's your chance to win a signed copy - just follow the guidelines below.

be a blog follower
tweet, blog, or facebook about the contest
leave a comment on this post with a link to your tweet, blog, etc.

You have until May 16th to enter. Sorry, due to major budget cuts, this one is not open internationally. :(

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Middle-grade Monday: The Genie Scheme

2011-05-02T19:10:00.001-05:00

The Genie Scheme, by Kimberly K Jones

Publisher: McElderry Books
Pages: 179 (paperback)
Reading Level: Middle-grade
Enjoyment Level: Medium

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Simon and Schuster, I got a whole load of books for middle-graders to review. I’m making my way through them, and this will be the first I’ll share with you. (Lucky you!)

From GoodReads:

When Janna impulsively buys a winter hat for a bag lady, she expects nothing in return. But Janna's kindness pays off in a big way when the bag lady turns out to be a genie! Now Janna is the genie's master and she couldn't be happier, especially when she learns that the "three wishes" rule is strictly for fairy tales!

Before long, Janna's room is overflowing with clothes and gadgets -- but things aren't quite as simple as they seem. Making wishes comes with its own set of rules, and Janna discovers that "unlimited" has some...well, limits. Genies can't make something out of nothing, so everything that Janna wishes for is taken from somebody else. Oops. And then there's the problem of genie wattage -- there's only so much of it, and Janna is using it up faster than she'd like. What's a greedy girl to do?

With insight, warmth, and a refreshing dose of humor, Kimberly K. Jones puts a new twist on the old adage "Be careful what you wish for."

I can’t say this is the strongest middle-grade showing I’ve read. It’s cute, and witty in parts. The flow of the story is probably the best thing the story has going for it. I felt like the plot moved nicely along, pulling me toward the ending without any snags or points where I felt snags. From the beginning, we see the direction of the plot, and the author delivers what you expect.

That said, the main character, Janna, isn’t terribly likeable, even at the end after she’s done her growing. The point is that she grows from a greedy, selfish girl, to one who thinks of others. I think it’s poorly executed here. Janna has few redeeming qualities – the fact that she buys a hat for a poor elderly woman is the only moment that pointed to an underlying good nature in Janna, and that was at the beginning. It was difficult for me to really enjoy the book while I was totally exasperated with the main character. She also seemed much younger than thirteen.

The moral of the story is not subtle in any way. It smacks you upside the head from the beginning, and that also made it difficult to really enjoy this. Maybe I’ve gotten used to the intricacies and nuances that are in older teen fiction, but I found that I didn’t like being forced to have the theme and moral shoved in my face.

But I’ll end on a positive note and say that I loved the interplay between Janna, the genie, and Janna’s friend Albert. That gave me a few chuckles here and there. Albert is a great character and he surprised me more than once, which was a welcome thing in this book.

Although I didn’t care for the story, it’s still a decent middle-grade novel for kids who like magic. And with the pace of the plot, it’s a good one for some reluctant readers. There’s a lot of action and the flow will keep reluctant readers from losing interest.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Wither

2011-04-05T20:45:00.001-05:00

Wither, by Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 368 (Hardcover)
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: Highest, Highest, Highest

I have to thank Anna and Bernadette over at S & S publicity for sending this book to me. I wanted to read it and my wish was granted without even asking for it! I love, love, love this book.

From GoodReads:

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

So this is one where I could just put “gush, love, gush” for the entire review, but that wouldn’t be very informative, would it? You want to read about how the characters are amazing and the story is intense and interesting.

The characters are amazing. Rhine’s plight doesn’t make her whiny or pathetic. She shows a quiet strength and a lot of depth as she struggles to make sense of what’s happened to her. Her new life is hard on her, but in her world, the wealth she’s thrown into is enough to turn her head a few times. She holds on by remembering freedom and that she has a brother who needs her. I loved the grace she showed under pressure, and the way she handled her relationships with her sister wives and her “husband”.

I thought Wither would be more of a fantasy, but the plot is definitely sci-fi with it’s genetically engineered children and virus. There are a lot of questions about what’s happening to the human race. I loved the way the author handled the characters researching an antidote to the virus. Just like issues in reality, the fictional issue had people on both sides – those that said the human race needed the antidote and those who were for humans to die out gracefully. And set against this, the father of Rhine’s “husband” is determined and relentless in his pursuit of an antidote.

I started and had to finish this in just one day. I couldn’t put it down, and that’s definitely the mark of an excellent book. If you haven’t put this on your to-read list, you should. It’s well worth the read, and it’s a unique idea in the current dystopian overload.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: Dragonfly

2011-03-25T20:50:00.001-05:00

Dragonfly, by Julia Golding

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Corp
Pages: 390 (hardcover)
Reading Level: 12 and up
Enjoyment Level: High

This is another fantasy that I absolutely enjoyed. I remember more and more how much I loved fantasy novels as a kid, and I’m glad to see so many of them around in the YA market now.

From GoodReads:

Princess Taoshira of the Blue Crescent Islands is appalled when she is ordered to marry Prince Ramil of Gerfal. And he's not too pleased, either. She is used to a life of discipline, ritual, and splendor. He is used to hunting and carousing. They hate each other on sight. But both of their countries are under threat from a fearsome warlord, and the only chance of peace is to form an alliance.

When Tashi and Ram are kidnapped, they fear there's no escape--from their kidnappers or from each other. Can they put aside their differences long enough to survive ambush, unarmed combat, brainwashing, and imprisonment? And will the people they meet on their adventure--including a circus strongman, a daring rebel leader, a sinister master of spies, and the best female fighter they have ever seen--help them or betray them to the enemy?

As pure fantasy goes, this hits the spot. I loved it from start to finish. The plot kept the tension going and there were a lot of twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Adventure and danger added to the fantastical, so it wasn’t just your typical quest-type book or even hero-journey.

The characters are great. I loved the blending of cultures and personalities. Taoshira is excellent as a princess who is struggling to fit into her own world. Once she’s thrown into the land of Gerfal, all she has are the customs and rituals she’s been taught. I particularly liked watching the changes and growth she goes through as a character when her religion and faith are tested after she’s kidnapped. The faltering of her faith is natural and it gives her dimension.

Ram is also a great character. His growth and development are complemented by Tashi’s and it was so nice to see the connection between the two of them solidify as Ram learns about himself on their journey. He matures and becomes the leader he needs to be.

This book didn’t get much attention when it came out, but I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy. On the surface it appears to be a fluff piece of fantasy, but the themes of faith, maturity and love push the story to a different level.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Middle Grade Monday: The Shards of Excalibur

2011-03-14T17:02:00.002-05:00

The Shards of Excalibur: Song of the Sword, by Edward Willett

Publisher: Lobster Press
Pages: 336 (Paperback)
Reading Level: 12 and up
Enjoyment Level: Medium

This one came from the publisher as an ARC, though I’m just getting the review up now. I’m not terribly late with it, but…

From the publisher:

Ariane Forsythe’s life is in turmoil. Two years ago, her mother disappeared. She bounced from foster home to foster home until her aunt finally took her in. An outsider at her new school, Ariane quickly becomes the target of group of girls that is determined to make her miserable. And to top it all off, she is having frightening premonitions, and they are becoming more intense. The moment water touches her skin, she sees visions of a lake, a lady, and a sword.

Ariane learns that she is heir to the Lady’s power, and soon the stories she thought were legend become a real life nightmare. She and her unexpected companion, Wally Knight, are charged with finding the scattered shards of Excalibur before Merlin can get his hands on them. The infamous magician, known in this world as software tycoon Rex Major, is trying to recover the pieces of Arthur’s sword so he can reforge it and restore his limitless power. Suddenly, Ariane’s life seems to have a purpose and a clear direction – but how can a troubled teen and her brainy sidekick outwit the ancient, ruthless sorcerer?

I’m not particularly fond of Arthurian tales, as a rule. Arthur is done too often and there aren’t that many new ways to look at him – and there’s very little historical data in the first place. I surprised myself by choosing this book from the publisher, but it sounded interesting and I thought I’d give it a shot.

Song of the Sword is not a fast read. The beginning is pretty slow, and I felt like there were more explanations than were necessary. They dragged the pace a little and kept me from really getting into the plot and the characters. I definitely wished for something more interesting going on for the first part. I think it would have been great if the first four to five chapters had been condensed into one.

I did like the main character, Ariane, and her “sidekick” Wally. They were both developed well, and they felt well-rounded. Wally is particularly interesting as the nerdy kid who attaches himself to Ariane. There’s a nice dark side to him that comes out every once in a while, and it added depth to what was happening.

And the story got interesting about halfway through. Once the action actually got started, I was invested, and wanted to know what would happen. The tension turned on and was only interrupted again once by an explanation of something. Then, I was pleasantly surprised when the main character was thwarted again near the end, making the last bits unpredictable.

It was a different enough take on the Arthurian legend that it didn’t feel as tired as some. I don’t know that I would recommend this to reluctant readers, but it might make a good read-aloud story for classrooms.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Linger

2011-03-01T18:13:00.002-06:00

Linger, by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 368
Reading Level: 14 and up

Last March, I wrote a review for Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver. One of my favorite aspects of the book is it's unique layout. The cover is blue-gray ink on a white background, with blue-gray lettering on the inside. The next in the series, Linger, is similarly made. Instead of a blue-gray color-scheme, Linger has green lettering and a green cover, which is much more appropriate for the warmer weather featured in the story.

Okay, enough about the cover! Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past…and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves… and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

What I enjoyed about Linger is that it kept all the good parts about Shiver and improved upon what I would consider weaknesses. The plot was interesting with new surprises, including the introduction of two new viewpoints. While readers met Isabelle and Cole (briefly) in Shiver, their viewpoints were not expressed. I found their voices refreshing and clearly distinguished from Sam and Grace. The character development of all four teens was well-balanced throughout the story.

In Shiver, I found the pace to be a little off. For my taste, it was too slow in the middle. However, I did not have this experience with Linger. The addition of the new voices helped keep the story flowing. Also, I did not enjoy Grace's viewpoint as much in the first book. With the second story, I realize the reason I don't like Grace's viewpoint is that I could not connect with her. I still had this same feeling in Linger, but the multiple voices distracted me from this issue.

Overall, I think Linger is a great story for anyone who enjoys YA romance and fantasy. I can't wait to read the third installment, Forever, to be released July 12, 2011.

Happy Reading!

Rose

Contest Winners!

2011-02-23T20:14:00.002-06:00

It's time to announce a few winners from recent contests. Right now we've got two that need winners. The contest for The Lost Saint, and also for Dark Days.

(Winners are chosen randomly - my random of choice? Scrabble tiles!)

The Lost Saint has two winners... Congratulations to Danielle Gorman and to Jennie Englund! You each get an ARC copy of The Lost Saint and a bottle of fun, blue nail polish.

The winner of the five books in our Dark Days of Supernatural giveaway is... donnas!

I need all of you to email blogger@yaliteraturereview.com with your addresses. Thanks so much for reading and playing!

~ Vilate

Dark Days of Supernatural

2011-02-09T18:35:00.005-06:00

You may have heard about the exciting tour Harper Collins has had going around - The Dark Days of Supernatural Tour. They were nice enough to allow me to host a contest, in honor of this awesome event. (Please check out both links.)

The contest is to win a full set of five books:

- Once in a Full Moon, by Ellen Schreiber (released 12/28/2010)
- Unearthly, by Cynthia Hand (on sale 1/4/2011)
- Angelfire, by Courtney Allison Moulton (on sale 2/15/2011)
- Afterlife, by Claudia Gray (on sale 3/8/2011)
- Desire of the Dead, by Kimberly Derting (on sale 2/15/2011)

This contest is only open to US citizens. To enter, you need to be a blog follower, tweet or blog about this contest, and comment on this post with links to your tweets/blogs. Deadline is February 15, 2011.

You can find info and excerpts below for all the books offered in this giveaway. Good luck!!

ONCE IN A FULL MOON

Author: Ellen Schreiber

Synopsis: An accessible and clean paranormal series about werewolves—and the popular girl who loves one.

Celeste hangs with the popular crowd at Legend’s Run High and is being wooed by Nash Hunter, the football quarterback, but doesn’t really feel that she belongs. She only comes in contact with the new and enigmatic student, Brandon Maddox, when she passes him in classes, the hallway, and at lunch, but she suspects there is something different about him other than that he is a Westsider and comes from the wrong side of town.

On a dare, Celeste and her friends go to a psychic’s shop for a reading. When it is Celeste’s turn for a fortune, the psychic grabs Celeste’s hands and warns, “Beware of a kiss under the full moon.” Celeste and her friends laugh and mock the fortune teller. But on her way home from their outing, Celeste is blinded by a blizzard. Disoriented, she finds herself deep in the woods bordering town. She is overcome by snowfall and unable to see anything. Above her hovers the glow of a full moon. Just then, she sees beady eyes staring back through the falling flakes. She finds herself in the midst of a pack of hungry wolves. The wolves begin to howl. She can’t outrun them, and the shortest tree branch is out of reach. They slowly approach her. At the last moment, a stranger pulls her from the hungry pack. He grabs a branch and fights the pack of wolves until they retreat. In the scuffle the stranger is bitten. It is Brandon Maddox.

Celeste is enamored by her hero and can’t get him out of her mind. Where Nash is a hero on the field and court, Brandon is a hero in reality. Celeste steals away from her friends to find Brandon, and they meet on a hilltop near his home. A cloudy sky lingers above them, and Celeste realizes she has fallen in love with a Westsider. But in the next few moments, Celeste will face an even bigger challenge than falling for a guy from the wrong side of town. As the two lean in to kiss, the clouds pass, exposing the glow of a full moon. Brandon feels strange and pulls away. Something is about to change—him.

UNEARTHLY

Author: Cynthia Hand

Synopsis: Clara has known she was part–angel ever since she turned fourteen two years ago. But now she is finally getting visions of what her Purpose—a rite of passage for every part–angel—is to be, and it happens to involve a gorgeous guy. Of course, there is the raging forest fire surrounding them, too. When Clara’s Purpose leads her family to Wyoming, Clara finds the boy of her visions, Christian, but complicating her mission are her growing feelings for another guy, Tucker. As the day in her visions draws closer, Clara discovers that her Purpose may play into a larger struggle between angels and Black Wings—fallen angels who spread sadness and misery wherever they go. But when the fire erupts and both Christian and Tucker are in danger, who will she choose to save?

From debut novelist Cynthia Hand comes a riveting tale full of supernatural powers, forbidden romance, and the choice between fulfilling your destiny or following your heart.

ANGELFIRE

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton

Synopsis: When ordinary seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers—monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell—she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between Angels and the Fallen, and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will, who has been waiting sixty years for her return, reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one armed with angelfire, and capable of fighting the reapers. He is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Her soul has been reborn again and again over the centuries to fight the reapers, and he’s been there for five hundred years to protect and fight alongside her. Now that Ellie’s powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her—an assassin who has already killed her once. At the same time, Ellie is falling in love with Will, even though they know their relationship should be impossible.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper–hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to destroy Ellie’s soul forever, not to mention the devastating ramifications for human souls. Now she must face an army of Bastian’s most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives—including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

AFTERLIFE

Author: Claudia Gray

Synopsis: In AFTERLIFE, having become what they feared most, Bianca and Lucas face a scary new reality. They must return to Evernight Academy, Lucas as a vampire and Bianca as a wraith. But Lucas is haunted by demons, both personal and supernatural. Bianca must help him fight the evil inside him-and find the power to claim her destiny at last. Readers have fallen in love with Bianca and Lucas, and they will be thrilled to read this exciting conclusion to their romantic adventure.

DESIRES OF THE DEAD

Author: Kimberly Derting

Synopsis: Violet and Jay are finally dating, but adjusting to the new relationship is not as easy as Violet anticipated. Especially when she has to split Jay’s time and attention with his new best friend, Mike, and Mike’s pesky younger sister—who happens to be obsessed with Jay. Meanwhile, when Violet’s special abilities lead her to the body of a young boy, her tip to the police puts her on the radar of the FBI. Violet tries to fend off the FBI’s questions while maintaining the semblance of a normal life, but somebody’s leaving her threatening notes and an echo around Mike’s house reinforces that all is not right. Violet is forced to admit that perhaps the only people who can help her figure it out are the very people she’s desperate to avoid—the FBI.

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Matched

2011-02-08T19:28:00.002-06:00

Matched, by Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Books
Pages: 366 (hardcover)
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: Very High

The cover of this book caught my eye first (thanks, GoodReads). It’s gorgeous, and simple – it reminds me a little of the cover for Girl Parts, by John Cusick. Anyway, after the cover got my attention, I read the blurb and decided I had to read the whole thing.

From GoodReads:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

I love this book! Ally Condie has a beautiful way of writing. I flowed into the story seamlessly, and enjoyed getting to know Cassia and the rest of the characters. But I especially loved the way the poetry is woven into the plot and the development of Cassia. From the opening paragraph to the end, I felt like there was a poetic flow to the writing, and especially to Cassia’s thoughts and voice.

I could say a lot about how I loved watching Cassia grow from naïve Society member to rebel… I could talk about how I loved Xander and Ky. There are so many great things to say about this book – but I think the best way for me to review this is to compare it to a couple of my other favorite novels.

This sort of dystopia reminds me of Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series. Tally, from Uglies, and Cassia aren’t exactly the same, however, they both were perfectly happy in their respective societies until someone else gave them a reason to become something more. Neither of these characters showed much potential for rebellion early on, but the spark was there enough that when the right situation came up, they took the path of resistance. It’s refreshing for me to read characters like that.

I also thought a lot about A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle as I read about the Society. To me, the dystopias which portray “perfect” societies where everyone is the same and everthing is “fair” are far more frightening than those that are more post-Apocalyptic. So just like Camazotz, the Society chilled me, and I hoped that Cassia would be strong enough to see that the world she lived in looked perfect on the outside, but was far from it.

I cannot wait to read the second book in this series. Just one more to add to my to-read shelf!

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Delirium

2011-02-01T12:53:00.004-06:00

Delirium, by Lauren Oliver

Publisher: Harper
Pages: 441 (ARC)
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: Medium/High

In honor of Delirium's release, and the Lauren Oliver event this week at Blue Willow Bookshop, it's time to read and review the book. I enjoyed Before I Fall, and I really looked forward to Delirium. WARNING: spoilers may be contained in this review!

From GoodReads:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

I've classified this as literary fiction for teens. It definitely has the feel of literary fiction, which I don't normally like, but it has the twist of also being written for teens. Somehow, that balances out the pretense of lit fic somehow.

I'll try not to get into too much detail, since this book has just come out. I can say that I liked the characters in this quite a bit. I liked that Lena's transformation happened slowly. It happened naturally, with the seeds of ideas and love growing, instead of just springing up out of nowhere.

Lena's relationship with Alex worked for me, as did her relationship with her best friend, Hana. The characters meshed so well together, and it helped the pacing along - if they hadn't been so interesting, I might've taken much longer to read the book... The pacing jives with the pacing one might find in a literary fiction novel, so the characters saved me from being bored.

As much as I'm glad this is going to be a trilogy, I have to admit that I'm disappointed in the ending. I found it to be too fraught with drama. I realize that the ending is the impetus for the next two books, but it felt like the author forced Delirium to have this ending simply because it tied up the mentions of Romeo and Juliet. It could just as easily have gone a different way and still give the right punch to the storyline.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the series, because, despite the ending, I really did enjoy the story. Lena is a great character, full of fire, and I want to see where she goes from here.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: The Lost Saint

2011-01-28T20:52:00.006-06:00

The Lost Saint, by Bree Despain

Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pages: 461
Reading Level: 12 and up
Enjoyment Level: Very High

The non-stop sequel to The Dark Divine delivers an even hotter romance and more thrilling action than Bree Despain's first novel. Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She gave her soul to the wolf to save him and lost her beloved mother. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven. Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot - a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel begins to crumble. Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace becomes prideful in her new abilities - not realizing that an old enemy has returned and deadly trap is about to be sprung.

I started reading this book with a nervous twitch in my stomach. I knew something bad or difficult was going to happen and I didn't know if I could handle it. I had fallen in love with these people through the first book, but with my nervous twitch in place I started reading. Since this is the second book, I knew the main characters really well. Grace is a good, strong female lead even while making mistakes; maybe even because of her mistakes. Her feelings and frustrations were readily accessible and believable. I was right there with her even through the times I wanted to choke her and scream at her when she made bad decisions! Luckily, the screaming was only in my head.

Daniel was just as compelling and frustrating. You know what he feels for Grace and all that he would do for her. Knowing all that, I was screaming at him a lot, too. He was also really believable and solid.

Both of them had to deal with the decisions made at the end of the first book, and I think that they did it very realistically. Ms. Despain made it easy to be there with Grace as she dealt with her depressive mother and absent father. Although some of her choices were not the best, I believe she was doing her best.

The other characters, new and old, did nothing but help the story along at a frustrating (in a good way), but workable pace. I never thought to myself "oh my gosh this makes no sense", or "could we move along here?”

The wayward brother Jude - the main driving force for Grace is an enigma. Is he more wolf? more human? Ms. Despain does a really good job of keeping you guessing the whole time. There was no point in the book where I thought I had it figured out before Grace did.

New and old characters work together to bring frustration, chaos, hope, love, and a completely crazy ending to the readers!

Thank you Ms. Despain. I was there, nervous, the entire time. If you loved the first book I have a feeling you will agree with me. I loved this one and can't wait for the next one.

:Thyra:

We have two ARC copies of The Lost Saint to giveaway, and each one has a little bottle of blue nail polish specially designed for The Lost Saint.

To enter:

1) be a blog follower
2) leave a comment on this blog entry
3) tweet, FB, or blog about this contest (include links in your blog comment)

The deadline to enter is February 11, 2011. Winners will be chosen and announced the following Wednesday. Good luck!

Teen Fiction Tuesday: The False Princess

2011-01-25T20:10:00.002-06:00

The False Princess, by Eilis O'Neal

Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pages: 336
Reading Level: 12 and up
Enjoyment Level: Very high

It’s books like The False Princess that help me remember how much I love a straight fantasy story. I’ve seen so many urban and realistic fantasy recently that sometimes I forget that high, epic, and classic fantasy were all favorites of mine in junior high and high school.

From GoodReads:

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

I loved the characters in this. Sinda is likeable, and I found it very easy to empathize with her. She made sense to me, and her reactions to her situation felt natural and very understandable. I felt awful when she was ejected from the life she’d always known, and I cheered when she finally realized what she was meant to do.

The other characters were fun, and they complemented her well. I love Keirnan! What a great, heroic, sweet, but still somewhat frustrating guy. He made it easy to like him and made it easy to root for him with Sinda.

I found the plot a lot less predictable than I thought, which is always a good thing. I thought I had it pretty much figured out until the author threw in the kicker… I won’t tell you what it is, since this is recently published – just don’t get too caught up in thinking you know what’s going on.

This is a great book to read when you need something light, but it’s also deep enough to give you something to sink your reading teeth into. I love the fantasy elements, as well as the mystery and the adventure. And the romance doesn’t hurt, either.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

MiddleGrade Monday: Tortilla Sun

2011-01-10T22:27:00.002-06:00

Tortilla Sun, by Jennifer Cervantes

Publisher: Chronicle Books
Pages: 218
Reading Level: MiddleGrade
Enjoyment Level: Medium

MiddleGrade isn’t usually my thing, but Jennifer was nice enough to chat with my on the podcast for an episode of Writer’s Desk (check it our HERE). I like to make sure that I get reviews for authors who appear on the show…

From GoodReads:

A tender, magical story about 12 year old Izzy Roybal who is sent to spend the summer in her nana’s New Mexico village where she is soon caught up in the foreign world of her own culture, from patron saints and soulful food to the curious and magical blessings Nana gives her tortillas. In Nana’s village she meets Mateo, the adventurous, treasure seeking thirteen year old boy who lives on the other side of the bolted door in Izzy’s bedroom and six year old Maggie who is raising her cat, Frida, as a dog and sees marshmallow ghosts float out windows. When the wind begins to whisper to Izzy, she is soon led on an adventure to learn about her father’s mysterious death, who she really is, and to connect the hidden pieces of her past.

Although I liked the story, and I loved the setting details, the pacing is a little slow for me. I found myself putting the book down very easily, which isn’t just because I don’t usually do middlegrade books – there are quite a few MGs that I enjoy. I just found that Tortilla Sun wasn’t what I expected in the pacing department.

The characters are very well-done, though. I found Izzy’s journey to be natural and without contrivances to weigh her down. The mystery surrounding Izzy’s father and her mother’s past were both great incentives for her to search out answers.

I can say that the best part of the book was how well the culture was woven in to the storyline. The New Mexico setting and the town Izzy visits are vivid and bright. Definitely not over-the-top with ethnic and cultural references. It just blended so well with Izzy’s journey. And it made me hungry for homemade tortillas.

This is a good one for classrooms and school libraries. I can see a bright future for the author and I am very interested to see what she comes out with next.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Three Viewpoint Thursday: The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin

2010-12-30T00:05:00.018-06:00

On a regular basis, we get together to participate in an on-line book chat which we have dubbed: Three Viewpoint Thursdays. This time, we read Josh Berk's The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin.

Description from GoodReads:
Being a hefty, deaf newcomer almost makes Will Halpin the least popular guy at Coaler High. But when he befriends the only guy less popular than him, the dork-namic duo has the smarts and guts to figure out who knocked off the star quarterback. Will can’t hear what’s going on, but he’s a great observer. So, who did it? And why does that guy talk to his fingers? And will the beautiful girl ever notice him? (Okay, so Will’s interested in more than just murder . . .)

Those who prefer their heroes to be not-so-usual and with a side of wiseguy will gobble up this witty, geeks-rule debut.

Aly: So are we ready to start the chat?

Vi: Sounds good.

Aly: We read The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk. A 2010 debut book. What was everyone's initial impressions?

Vi: Good pacing and an interesting main character. I liked how the story developed, though I was expecting it to be a little more like a mystery, where the death didn't end up happening until quite a ways into the story. I wasn't disappointed, since the overall story was great, but it just wasn't what I first thought it would be.

Renee: I thought it was alright. It isn't the sort of book I would usually pick up, but I was surprised by how funny it was. The voice was strong and it had great humor, although story-wise it is outside my usual tastes.

Aly: I had mixed feelings about this book. First, I liked the humor. Second, I liked the story better when they got more into the mystery. I wasn't expecting a mystery at all but I liked that part of it. I found the first part a little slow. And I had a few issues with the deafness part of it. I think Anthony John's Five Flavors of Dumb which I just read spoiled me because it was such the stronger book (and also had a deaf main character.)

Vi: I'll have to read that one. I don't think I've read much where there are deaf characters, especially not main characters. I would say I thought it was handled well, but as I don't have much experience, I can't say there isn't anything better. I liked Halpin pretty well. I found the mixture of his issues as an overweight teen boy blended with his issues as a deaf boy, so overall, it worked for me.

Aly: Since I have a degree in Deaf Ed and attended Gallaudet, I can be kind of picky about the deafness piece. In some ways, I think that the deafness aspect did not add as much as I had hoped and if it was left out it would be fine. Back to this topic - did you feel that at times it seemed to stereotype boy humor?

Renee: I mean there was a lot of appropriate slang and phrases that felt "boyish" and appropriate for the age group (as far as I know) so that was one element of the story that didn't feel forced or anything.

Vi: I don't think I felt like anything was stereotyped. To me, it all felt natural for Halpin, and nothing sticks out to me as forced or sloppy. It made sense to the situations he ended up in.

Aly: I was just curious about it. I think the humor and the situations in the gym, etc. were pretty accurate.

Aly: So were there things that you specifically liked or didn't like with the book? Characters that grew on you?

Vi: I liked Devon. Even though he's the nerdy sidekick, he's also quirky, and not cliche as a sidekick. I liked the way the character was handled, and how there was still doubt as to his guilt/innocense even though he was so nice and fun. He was probably my favorite aspect of the book.

Renee: Character-wise, I liked Halpin. He was earnest and funny without being whiny or victimized. It was interesting take on a narrator with a disability. My favorite aspect of the book was probably that they included so many instant messages, newspaper clippings, letters, etc. I liked breaking up the narrative with these excerpts to keep it fresh.

Aly: Actually I thought Halpin and Devon made a good pair. Liked the references to the Hardy Boys and then Nancy Drew when Ebony joined in. The texting, and all of the fingerspelling parts were cool. I just felt that aside from Halpin and Devon most of the other characters were kind of flat? Or was that just me?

Vi: I did feel like the mystery part got a little lost because we didn't get as much of the other characters as we did of the two boys. The ending came as more of a surprise to me than I thought it should. But I liked how the "big party" wove in and out of the plot, and either including or ousting various characters along the way. So even though some of the characters felt more like they were in the background, the "big party" kind of made up for it. Also, I actually kind of thought the author might've meant to do it. Sort of a by-product of the main character not being quite in on everything and everyone else.

Renee: I felt that Ebony was also a bit developed, but not as much as the two boys, and especially someone like Leigha, who was mentioned so much, I expected more from the author when it came to character-building.

Aly: I think this is one book that I would have suggest be a tad bit longer and in the first part flesh out the other players a little more. But Vi, I like your thought about it being a "by-product of the main character not being quite in on everything". It may also be partially due to this being a first time author. I would hang in there for future books and see where he goes. And Renee, I agree I was surprised that Leigha didn't have more. The conclusion almost comes at a surprise in some ways.

Vi: I'd be interested to see where he goes next. I'd actually like to see more of Halpin and Devon. As relationships go, theirs is fun and I feel like there's a lot more to explore.

Aly: I am not sure where to go next with this. The book seemed short in some ways. Were there other things that jumped out at you? Things that struck you? Things you liked or disliked?

Renee: Well, I noticed that this book showed up on several lists of "best YA of 2010" or similar, so I was just wondering why you think this resonated so much with critics/readers? Is it just because it starred a boy with a disability or what?

Vi: I actually think it's because Halpin is a likeable guy, and the chemistry between him and Devon is great. Despite a somewhat lackluster cast of other characters, the two boys are written well. And it's something of an underdog, with an underdog main character. People tend to gravitate towards that sort of thing. Oh, and as for other things that I liked, I loved the way the other mystery, of the miner Dummy Halpin, was "solved". It was pretty great, and I wasn't expecting it at all.

Aly: Renee - I think that the humor of the book and the male character that isn't your typical popular guy is part of what attracted people. And I think that it is a mystery makes it something that people like as well. I agree with Vi in that the two mysteries and how there were solved was fun.

Vi: I just looked up Josh Berk's page, and it looks like he's working on a new mystery novel that's set to publish in 2012. Not a Hamburger Halpin book, but sounds interesting anyway. ^_^

Aly: Thanks Vi...like I said I will definitely check out a second book and see how his writing develops.

Renee: I might read more of his stuff in the future, because his prose was direct and the voice of the MC was strong and funny, but this one disappointed me a bit considering how much hype it has received.

Aly: I think there are quite a few books that get hyped up and aren't really as good as the hype. But I think because of the short chapters and that it did pick up that I would give him another shot.

Vi: I'm definitely interested in seeing more from this author, and I think Hamburger Halpin makes a good book for boys.

Aly: Yes, I think this is one book that would connect more with boys.

Renee: Yep, definitely a "boy's" book, but I think it had more crossover as being "gender-neutral" than Vladimir Todd (from what I can recall).

Aly: Thanks everyone for all their thoughts on this book. This was a great chat.

Sci-fi Sunday: Candor

2010-11-28T13:40:00.001-06:00

Candor, by Pam Bachorz

Publisher: Egmont, USA
Pages: 249
Reading Level: 14 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High

This was an impulse buy at the Austin Teen Book Festival a few weeks ago. I had a little extra cash and decided to spend it on Candor after hearing Pam Bachorz in her panel.

From GoodReads:

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

On one hand, this book is seriously creepy. Controlling people with subliminal messages isn’t necessarily a new concept, but Candor puts an interesting spin on the idea. Oscar’s father doles out subliminal messages to everyone, but he caters to wealthy parents who want to control and change their children. It pings my creepy-bone to think that there would be people out there who pay someone to subliminally alter their kids, just because something isn’t good enough.

And on the other hand, it’s not exactly a horror story. Oscar is a pretty likeable guy. Even though he aims to profit off the kids he helps, there’s still a strong thread of decency for him, which helps him as the story progresses. He makes some mistakes, but ultimately makes the right choices and he develops into a self-sacrificing guy.

The pacing of the book is good. I couldn’t put it down, but didn’t feel like I had to rush through it to find out how it all turned out. There were plenty of places where I had to put it down because of the tingly, weird feeling that someone was watching me…

This is what good science fiction should always be. It’s fiction, but it’s plausible. Strong characters drive the novel, making the science seem even more plausible. Oscar is a great male lead, and the whole thing is interesting enough to get older reluctant readers to pick it up and enjoy it.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Winner: Behemoth

2010-11-24T20:02:00.002-06:00

I am, of course, really late getting this winner announced. It's been an interesting month...

But I'm happy to say that mathsie is has won herself a copy of Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld. Please email me to claim your prize! :) blogger@yaliteraturereview.com

Thanks everyone who entered, and keep an eye out for our next contest.

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: When it Happens

2010-11-15T18:58:00.002-06:00

When It Happens, by Susane Colasanti

Publisher: Speak
Pages: 310
Reading Level: 15 and up
Enjoyment Level: medium/high

I found this book simply by browsing. I get half of my books just randomly. I liked what I read on the back cover so I got it.

Reminiscent of the movie, Say Anything, a debut novel for all those searching for The One!

Sara and Tobey couldn't be more different. She is focused on getting into her first-choice college; he wants to win Battle of the Bands. Sara's other goal is to find true love, so when Dave, a popular jock, asks her out, she's thrilled. But then there's Tobey. His amazing blue eyes and quirky wit always creep into her thoughts. It just so happens that one of Tobey's goals is also to make Sara fall in love with him. Told in alternating points of view, Sara and Tobey's real connection will have everyone rooting for them from the minute they meet!

I like a good love story. It doesn’t have to be complicated - just a love story. This is one of those. High school problems, boy meets girl, boy pisses girl off, girl forgives boy, and they run off to college together. The characters were fun and frustrating at times to me and to each other.

It all worked - there wasn’t any point in the book that I said “huh? “ I believed these people, I liked these people. They had me rooting for them and their relationship even in the moments that they weren’t. There is something so fabulous about such an uncomplicated love story.

I would recommend this book to an older audience; there are some mature situations and language in this book.

: Thyra :

Thanksgiveaway

2010-10-30T13:56:00.006-05:00

Despite getting some bad press lately, Thanksgiving embodies the idea of being grateful for what we have and for other people. This November, YALR Blogs wants to spread the joy and show our readers and fellow bloggers how grateful we are for all the support we've received.

We're also collecting donations for Kids Need to Read, sponsoring literacy among all children.

For our big Thanksgiveaway November giveaway you can enter to win one or more of the following prizes:

a signed copy of Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare
a signed copy of Glass, by Ellen Hopkins
a signed copy of Virals, by Kathy Reichs
Fall Goodie Basket (contents to be announced after the contest is over)

You can enter for all of the prizes. You can only win one book, but everyone has a chance to win the Fall Basket, even if they've already won a book. There are several ways to acquire contest entries:

leave a comment on this post - this is the one required item to enter to win and constitutes one (1) entry.
blog about this contest +3 entries
tweet about this contest +2 entries
be a blog follower +1 entry
be a twitter follower +1 entry
make a donation (via YALR) to Kids Need to Read - $5.00, +6 entries; $10.00, +15 entries; $15.00, +20 entries; $25.00, +35 entries (Higher donations can be made and will receive entries based on the amount and entrants will also receive special acknowledgement as well as YALR swag. Higher donations will also be automatically entered into our big December giveaway unless a prize is won in November.)
donate gently used books +5 entries per book

If you would like to donate books, you need to include your name, age, address and the name you used to comment on this blog entry (for verification of official entry). Books should be mailed to:

A. Vilate
P.O. Box 541812
Houston, TX 77254

To donate to KNtR, use this paypal link:

An official email will be sent to you confirming your donations and entries.

The contest deadline is November 25, 2010. The contest is open internationally. If a winner is under the age of 17, they must have a parent or guardian claim the prize.

Good luck!

~ Vilate

Three Viewpoint Thursday

2010-10-28T21:05:00.002-05:00

This week (and I apologise for being late in posting this) we're talking about A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker, which had a favourable reception from all three of us. Here is a synopsis from Goodreads:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse.

Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer.

Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

Renee: Alright. Are we ready to discuss A MATCH MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL by Kristin Walker?

Aly: Yep

Vi: Absolutely. :)

Renee: OK. What was your overall impression or opinion about the book?

Aly: It was funny!

Vi: I liked it. Only took me a few hours and it was an easy read.

Aly: Seriously, it was funny, and I needed something light. But on the other hand, I liked that it truly was an ensemble book despite being focused on Fiona.

Renee: I agree. It was very funny and I liked that it was a light, easy read, with lots of great ensemble characters. Were there any storylines that you liked more than others or any characters you didn't like?

Vi: I liked the way it all worked together. Even though there were subplots, it all felt attached to Fiona's, and it was seamless. It made it very easy to get and stay invested in all of the characters, even though I didn't like Gabe. He played his part and was important to the plot.

Aly: I think that was what was great about the book. I really liked all the characters and ones that you were suppose to change your feelings about as the book developed -- I did change feelings about. It wasn't overly predictable... parts...but lots that I wasn't expecting. And I liked how quirky it was, but that there was growth for the characters, etc. So really - overall I am very positive about it.

Renee: Reading the back of the book, I thought it was going to be a very predictable book, where the jock would fall for Fiona, all the couples would learn something new about each other, etc. However, I'm glad that the story gave some surprises (for me, at least) in the relationship department and plot-wise.

Renee: I do have to say, though, that by the end of the book, I still wasn't completely in love with Marcie, Fiona's best friend. I never really took to her in this novel…

Vi: I actually felt like Fiona was taking on a little too much responsibility for some of the bad things that happened. Even though she wasn't in any way innocent, I didn't feel like she should've taken the blame with the Marcie situation. And the one real issue I had (which was small) was the part where Fiona was told that Marcie didn't lie, she just didn't tell Fiona anything. A lie of omission is still a lie and Fiona wasn't to blame for talking about Gabe when Marcie was the one who didn't admit to what was going on.

Aly: But really, an 11 year old was giving Fiona advice at that point... HaHa! But yes, I see your point. However, I do think Fiona needed some extremes since she seemed a little clueless of emotional clues at times.

Renee: Hahahah. Fiona was a little clueless sometimes! I had a feeling from the beginning that Marcie was hiding something, but Marcie seemed to overreact to a lot of things concerning Fiona for the first half and just seemed a bit harsh, esp. since she wasn't being completely honest. I was surprised at how much I ended up liking Todd, though. I usually find those types of characters clichéd, but not the case with him.

Vi: Todd ended up being one of my favorite characters. He actually seemed much more dialed in to Fiona's personality than others. He came off as a jerk at first, of course, but I think he was almost more open to changing his attitude than anyone else. He was the confident jock but he actually rolled with the punches really well, as evidenced by his back story of losing football but going with cheerleading and making the best of it.

Renee: Yes, yes, I loved him!

Aly: I agree on the Todd part. And I loved Fiona's parents. They were present, but so very different than what you usually see in YA. I loved the scenes with her parents.

Vi: I liked her parents. They were quirky and I felt like they provided Fiona with a great foundation. I liked that they were supportive of her, although when things were going wrong, she didn't end up getting a lot of advice from them. So, I liked them and they were there, but I wish they'd been utilized just a little bit more.

Renee: I was so surprised that they were there at all! I'm so used to parents being absent or an obstacle to the young adult protagonist getting what he/she ultimately wants, that I liked seeing her parents’ quirky/flirtatious relationship present in the book.

Aly: I think by watching her parents you get an idea where Fiona gets some of her personality and spunk. And even the other adults in the book were varied. I liked that. Granted at times we want more adults... But this is YA and it is from the perspective of a teen; and my guess is most teens shut out the adults. LOL! I would have liked more for her parents to be there but just because they were so much fun.

Renee: That's true. In most YA, I usually look forward to when we can get back to the teen's POV, lol. But is there anything else anyone would like to add? I liked that the "Trying the Knot" school course actually sounded believable (with the managing a budget, etc.), so I could buy the different stories in the novel. Anything else worth mentioning? We haven't talked about Johnny…

Aly: See the "Tying the Knot" class seemed the most unbelievable to me at first, and I know I *eye-rolled* but she developed it okay. And, as for Johnny... I like when a character that you don’t expect to turn out to be one way does. I really liked him & his connection with Fiona.

Vi: He reminded me of someone I used to know, so I liked him right away. I also pegged him as the guy who'd end up with Fiona simply because he was set up with her best friend, lol. But that didn't make discovering his character less than it should've been. He was great and I loved seeing his interactions with everyone.

Renee: I liked him too. He came out of nowhere for me. I wasn't really paying attention to him, because I was keeping my eyes on the Tood/Fiona dynamic. So when Johnny emerged as a bigger character, I was like, "Hey, hey! Look at you!" :)

Aly: Well you did a good job with picking this book. It was fun...

Vi: I loved how fun it was. I didn't have to think too hard about the underlying meanings or anything, and it was refreshing.

Renee: Same here. I was ready for something that was light and not riddled with paranormal teen angst ;) Thanks for another lovely chat!

--Renée

Contest Winners Announced

2010-10-27T19:55:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm a little behind on announcing winners to a couple of the contests lately, so it's high time I got on this. Winners are chosen randomly using Scrabble tiles (the most arbitrary system I have! lol). Here they are!

Jamie (Spacecadet570) wins the signed copy of Firelight, by Sophie Jordan.

Laura, aka Booksnob wins the copy of Magnificent 12: The Call, by Michael Grant. I hope you and your son enjoy the book!

Congratulations to both of you. Please email me at blogger@yaliteraturereview.com to claim your prizes. Thanks to everyone who entered, and stay tuned for more fun giveaways!

Steampunk Saturday: Behemoth

2010-10-23T12:14:00.003-05:00

Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld

Publisher: Simon Schuster
Pages: 481
Reading Level: 12 and up *Books for Boys*
Enjoyment Level: High

I’ve been a huge fan of Scott Westerfeld for a long, long time. I’ve loved everything of his that I’ve read and after Leviathan, I couldn’t wait to read Behemoth. Then I found out that I’d get an interview with him. *Squee* Of course, I was super-professional and we had a good time. You can check out my interview with Scott Westerfeld on the podcast.

From GoodReads:

The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.

I love this book! I’ve heard mixed reviews about Leviathan, but I loved that one, too, although it’s not as action-packed as some books. Behemoth delivers the action and tension that people might’ve missed in Leviathan.

The story continues with Alek and Deryn, though this time they’re in the grand city of Istanbul (Constantinople). It’s a brilliant backdrop for the story with its vivid inhabitants and tense political undercurrents. The descriptions of the city made me want to go there. The details of the fictional story meshed so well with the true history of Istanbul that it seemed like the events in Behemoth could’ve really happened.

All of the characters jump off the page. The development deepens and people who were interesting in Leviathan are even better in the sequel. The tension for Deryn’s character (pretending to be a boy) is very heightened. I found myself biting my nails in some parts because I just knew she’d be discovered.

And I can’t do a review without talking about the amazing illustrations. How happy am I that someone thought to put artwork in a book like this? I figured I’d grown out of enjoying art in books, but now I think it’s just because it hasn’t been an option. I love seeing the beautiful illustrations in Behemoth. They enhance the story and give me intricate details I might otherwise miss.

Because I love this so much, and because of my interview with the author, I want to share the story with you. You can win a signed copy of Behemoth. Here are the rules:

you must be a twitter or blog follower
you must tweet, blog, or facebook about this giveaway
you must leave a comment on this blog entry giving us your name, age, and links to where you tweeted about the contest

Deadline to enter is 10/31/2010. Good luck!!

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: Crescendo

2010-10-22T22:32:00.003-05:00

Crescendo, by Becca Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Simon Schuster
Pages: 432
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: High

I felt like I was waiting forever for this one! I wasn’t, but anticipation had me all tied up in knots for a while. I loved Hush, Hush, and was excited when I interviewed Becca Fitzpatrick (hear it on the podcast) and heard about Crescendo.

From GoodReads:

Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away, and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch, or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

These are the things I wanted to do to the book at various times during my reading:

throw it through the window
shred it
set it on fire
burn it with acid
erase most of the words
stomp on it…

Personally, I find my reaction a sign that this book is totally awesome. Totally frustrating, sure, but I was completely invested, hence the list of ways to destroy it.

It’s a different Nora I found in this sequel to Hush, Hush. Not different in a way that felt unnatural, but I thought she was stronger for her experiences in the last book. And maybe a little more paranoid, as well. I understood her mental lapses when it came to Patch and what was going on. Her passionate new love for him mixed with her paranoia and it made me alternately feel for her and want to smack her around.

The bad guys are brilliantly hidden throughout the novel. It felt more like a good mystery than a paranormal romance, with all the red herrings, misdirections, and hidden agendas. Avoiding spoilers as much as possible, I did not suspect the real bad guy, and yet I suspected everyone at one time or another in the course of the story.

Hush, Hush was what I considered a stand-alone book, but Crescendo has burst into the series, bringing with it a deepening of Nora’s story and many, many new questions about her life. Becca Fitzpatrick gave me characters and a plot that just about did me in. The only “bad” thing I have to say about this one is that once again, I’m left on a cliffhanger.

The anticipation might give me a stroke.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Three Viewpoint Thursday: Wicked Lovely

2010-10-21T18:45:00.002-05:00

Thursdays are great days here on the blog. Aly, Renee and I get together to chat about different books. We did the Wicked Lovely chat a while ago, but with my sister's wedding approaching fast, I'm apparently getting really flaky. I thought I'd already posted this one, but it turns out I didn't! So here it is - finally.

Vi: Today we're discussing Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr. What did everyone think about the book?

Renee: I really liked Wicked Lovely. Faeries or the fae are probably my least favorite of the paranormal creatures that are coming out in fiction these days, but since I felt that Wicked Lovely focused more on the romantic elements between Seth and Ash and Keenan and Donia, I didn't mind it as much.

Aly: I would also agree that Fae are not my favorite paranormal creature. Partially because they tend to be so devious and mischievous. But I liked the characters. Well I have a huge crush on Seth so I kept reading because of him. I did feel the book took a little bit to get going though.

Vi: So this was the second time I read Wicked Lovely, and I think I appreciated it more the second time around than the first. I felt like I liked the characters more and the story held more tension for me. I remember liking it the first time I read it, but now I actually want to continue the series, whereas before, I could take or leave the other books. And I loved Seth even more the second time reading it!

Aly: I am skipping the 2nd book so I can go right to Seth in Fragile Eternity. LOL

Vi: Okay, so any favorite characters? I have to say that I love Donia, myself. She rocks.

Renee: I actually am like Aly and went out and bought Fragile Eternity (book 3) so I could get more of Seth. I loved Seth and Ash, both together and individually, and actually Donia was my least favorite character of the bunch. I kind of wish we learned more about the grandmother though... because I think she has an interesting past.

Aly: Oh I also liked Donia. I thought she offered another level to the book. And I loved Seth, and I liked Ash. I think I agree too with Renee that I would have liked to have known more about the grandmother and her past and everything with the fae.

Vi: I honestly didn't like Ash as much as I thought I would. She's okay, but as far as heroines go, Donia got to me more. And it's interesting that you two are interested in the grandmother. I'd never really thought about her at all. She's barely been a blip on the radar for me. I guess I'm sort of neutral about her. I definitely didn't like Keenan's mother, but she was a very creepy and good villain.

Aly: See that is the issue with the fae. Most of the time they are scary and creepy. They like to have fun at the expense of mortals and usually they don't have true feelings (i.e., love) and so a relationship with them is kind of limited. However, I do feel that in some ways Keenan really did care for Ash. And as for liking or not liking Ash - I didn't love her but at least she didn't annoy me. And as for the grandmother - I always love back stories.

Renee: Agreed. The fae seem very fickle, so it was hard for me to make up my mind about them, especially regarding Keenan. I agree that I think he really does have some kind of feelings for her beyond her practical purpose for the fae, but I always second guessed myself.

Vi: I got the distinct impression that Keenan cared for Ash, and that he truly cared for his people. He wanted to bring them balance and be the king he should've been. That made me like Keenan, even though I was rooting for Seth and Ash.

Vi: What did you think of how Keenan's mother didn't care at all for him, but his two advisers seemed to care for him like a son? I found it interesting, myself. Thoughts?

Aly: See this is what confuses me about the Fae. You have different courts. You have summer and winter or Seelie and Unseelie and I don't always understand if they are on the same side or different sides? It's like because Keenan was one thing and his mother a different thing, then they were enemies but the two advisers are like royal advisers or pseudo-parents or whatever. Which seems to fit most fantasy stories. But I kind of liked the two advisers.

Vi: I know that in most schools of myth-thought, there are Seelie and Unseelie courts. It's pretty typical. The mythology in Wicked Lovely has the Winter Court, the Summer Court and the Dark Court. I kind of got the impression that his mother didn't have to dislike Keenan, but she just wanted the power. But I liked that the advisers seemed to care for Keenan, even though they didn't really have to since he was technically their boss.

Renee: I liked the idea of two different courts, and thought that was an interesting way to develop an enemy with a family twist -- making it even more sinister. I guess I just felt that the non-romantic aspects were less developed in this book, and maybe later in the series once the courts have been restored you'll learn more about the fae world.

Aly: Thanks ladies... that helped explain some stuff for me. Now did anyone feel like it took awhile to really get anywhere? I felt that 100 pages in, we were still talking about some of the same things in the first couple of chapters. It was almost as if I could skip them and then picked up and continued on without missing anything. Was it just me?

Vi: I think that may have been why I didn't love the book the first time I read it. I didn't really notice it the second time, but that might be because I already knew what was going to happen. I did think that Ash hemmed and hawed a lot over certain things, like Seth, and that had she made a decision sooner, things might've been resolved quicker. Or the author could've thrown a few more bad things Ash's way to impede her a bit.

Aly: I think I agree. I was surprised at how long it took to get to the whole point of Ash and Keenan going against the Winter Queen. I kept thinking it would happen a little earlier. And yes, Ash hemmed and hawed a lot. She liked Seth. He liked her. Why not move it along a little faster.

Renee: The general pace was pretty subdued throughout for me. Don't misunderstand: I really enjoyed this book, but I never felt like it got to a point where I couldn't put it down. It was a nice little teen romance book for me and the tension about whether Keenan would find the Summer Queen and all of that never really felt monumental for me.

Vi: I feel like I've picked up several books recently with a lack of tension. I felt the same way with this one, even though I wanted to know what would happen I could put it down and do other things without feeling the craving to read more. I did like it, though.

Aly: Same here...which is why I could see you not picking up the next book for a very long time. So where there were parts that I enjoyed. It wasn't like this amazing read.

Vi: Would you recommend this out to other people?

Aly: I know a lot of teens who like it and yes, I think there are people who really like this genre and would enjoy the book.

Renee: I would definitely recommend it -- there's obviously a huge market for this kind of book in YA right now -- although I might not call it the strongest of its type out there.

Vi: I think that the romance element was strong enough to attract some girls who are less-inclined to read, and I would recommend it to those, but I agree that there are other books who do the genre better for the more reluctant readers. Any last thoughts?

Renee: Wicked Lovely gave me enough to make me want to continue in the series, and I think it does have very strong character development with less conventional teen romance elements -- doesn't Seth have multiple piercings? A refreshing change :)

Aly: I think that is part of what I liked. Seth isn't exactly the type of lead romantic character on some level (multiple piercings, etc.) but I think that is another reason I loved him so much.

Vi: Thanks for the chat, ladies! Once again, it was fun, and I'm glad we all enjoyed the book.

It was another great chat for me with these two amazing people! If you want to help us continue this discussion, please leave us a comment. We love to hear from you. ^_^ Thanks for stopping by!!

~ Vilate

Middle Grade Monday: The Magnificent 12

2010-10-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

The Magnificent 12: The Call, by Michael Grant

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 243
Reading Level: 8-12 (*Books for Boys*)
Enjoyment Level: High

It’s quite the thing these days for books, especially those for younger kids, to come complete with stuff to do online. The idea is to make it more fun for kid who love to read, and more appealing for reluctant readers. You get to become part of the adventure, which helps to bring the characters and plot to life. I could discuss this at length, but I’ll leave it alone for the time being and just give you the link to the book's website. :) Magnificent 12

From GoodReads:

Twelve-year-old Mack MacAvoy suffers from a serious case of mediumness. Medium looks. Medium grades. Medium parents who barely notice him. With a list of phobias that could make anyone crazy, Mack never would have guessed that he is destined for a more-than-medium life.

And then, one day, something incredibly strange happens to Mack. A three-thousand-year-old man named Grimluk appears in the boys’ bathroom to deliver some startling news: Mack is one of the Magnificent Twelve, called the Magnifica in ancient times, whatever that means. An evil force is on its way, and it’s up to Mack to track down eleven other twelve-year-olds in order to stop it. He must travel across the world to battle the wicked Pale Queen’s dangerous daughter, Ereskigal—also known as Risky. But Risky sounds a little scary, and Mack doesn’t want to be a hero. Will he answer the call?

It was good to know, starting out, that this book was the first of a series, because otherwise, I would’ve hated having so much left unwound at the end. (Some of you may know how much I hate cliffhanger endings these days.) Even though I was drawn into the action, I kept thinking that they’d never be able to wrap anything up by the end of the book. They did, of course, wrap a few things up, but it was easy to tell that the entire story was still left hanging.

I’m not sure how many books will be in the series, but if they can make it a full twelve, it’d be pretty interesting, considering some of the little details that are in the book – like how the monster they’re fighting has to die twelve times before she can really be killed, and the first death is in the first book. But I feel like that’ll only be cool if they make her die once in each book now.

The main character is pretty funny, and easy to connect with. He’s “got a series case of mediumness” which a lot of kids will understand, and yet he’s something of a hero right from the beginning because he doesn’t let bullies bully him, and he stands up for other people. This gives him an advantage and a head start as a hero.

The other characters are fleshed out well. The villain is properly creepy and villainous. Grimluk, the quasi-mentor of Mack, is also a little creepy, but interesting, being 3,000 years old. There’s a definite feel of ragtagness to the group who ends up together by the end of the book, and that’s fun to read.

There’s enough humor and tongue-in-cheek witticism in here to reach out to reluctant readers, plus the action keeps going and pulls the reader in quickly. The story is fun and would even make a great read-aloud selection for teachers and parents.

While I know that a lot of my blog followers tend to read more of the older teen choices, this book would make a great gift to anyone with younger brothers and sisters, or any other young person you know. And the publisher has provided me with a signed copy for a giveaway. Here are the contest rules:

Be a Twitter or a blog follower
Retweet, facebook, or blog about this contest
Leave your name, age, and why you’d like this book as a comment to this post

Deadline to enter is October 18, 2010. Good luck!

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

The Body Finder Giveaway Winner

2010-10-06T19:03:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Minamostaza! You are the winner of the signed copy of The Body Finder, by Kimberly Derting!

Please email us at blogger@yaliteraturereview.com to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered - we very much appreciate all your support!

Teen Fiction Tuesday

2010-10-05T21:58:00.002-05:00

Impossible, by Nancy Werlin

Publisher: Speak
Pages: 364
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: High

I knew this book was coming before I actually got it. I had browsed online at Barnes and Noble and saw it as a “coming soon” title, liked the synopsis and was excited to read it.

Lucy Scarborough is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. How can Lucy succeed when all of her ancestors have tried and failed? But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents beside her. And she has Zach, whose strength amazes her more each day. Do they have enough love and resolve to overcome an age-old evil? 

There are very few books out there that I love from start to finish - and this is one of them.

The author does a great job. She sucks you in from the beginning and doesn’t let go. The characters are great, the trials they go through are written so that you believe it, and the love story is beautiful. She mixed in the fantasy elements so well that I almost believed that it all could happen. It was just a gorgeous book.

I would recommend Impossible to anyone!

: Thyra :

Fantasy Friday: Firelight

2010-10-01T22:44:00.003-05:00

Firelight, by Sophie Jordan

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 323
Reading Level: 14 and Up
Enjoyment Level: Dragons!

I LOVE dragons! If you’re one of the blog’s long-time subscribers, you probably know that by now. How exciting is it for me to see another dragon book? It’s like it’s here just for me!

From GoodReads:

With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.

Even though I didn’t get the ARC myself, I read the one my sister had. I couldn’t wait! I raced through the book pretty quickly, shelving several things I needed to do that day. That should tell you pretty solidly that the story sucked me in. Bliss!

I love Jacinda. What a great character. She feels so real, and her emotions come across so well. The dynamic she has with her family and the other people around her is natural, and not once did I feel snapped out of the world by anything awkward. Though there were times I wished Jacinda would see something I did, or do something I wanted her to do, it was never out of frustration with the author. I felt so in tune with Jacinda that I wanted the best for her.

The other characters are all fleshed out well. The various depictions of family create an interesting backdrop for the story, and cause plenty of tension throughout the book. Jacinda’s love interest, Will, is amazing, and I totally want to meet him in real life.

Only one thing kept me from giving this a five-star rating on GoodReads, and that was the ending – and only because I’m so tired of cliffhanger endings. It’s not even that Firelight has a cliffhanger, but it really feels like one to me, where there are several plot points that weren’t resolved at the end. It’s mostly frustrating just because I have to wait, wait, wait for the sequel.

Now it's your turn to read it! We're giving away an autographed copy of Firelight (massive cheering can now ensue). Just follow the rules below. Deadline to enter is October 13, 2010.

Follow the blog or our twitter.
Tweet, facebook, or blog about this contest.
Leave a comment on this post with your name, age, link to tweet/fb/blog, and the reason you'd like to win.

That's it. And be sure to check out my interview with Sophie Jordan on the podcast. Good Luck!

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

(photo by whitestarphotography.blogspot.com)

An Interview with Kimberly Derting

2010-09-22T19:57:00.004-05:00

Kimberly Derting is one of my new favorite authors (one day, I'll make a list), and she was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us here at YALR. I'm sure I could've found several more questions, but with her fabulous book, The Body Finder, out now and her the sequel, Desires of the Dead, in the works, we couldn't take up too much of her time.

*********

What's the best part of having a book published (so far)?

For me, the absolute best part has been hearing from all the readers! I’ve gotten some wonderful letters (hand written even!) and emails from readers who loved THE BODY FINDER. How freaking cool is that?!?! That is by far my favorite part of getting published!

Not only is this a paranormal YA, but it's also a very good mystery novel. Did you draw on any other books for inspiration as you were writing this?

I’ve always loved a good mystery, although my original inspiration is probably more along the lines of true horror. As a teen, I pretty much read everything Stephen King had written.

Was it difficult to write Violet and Jay's relationship?

I wouldn’t say it was difficult, although when I first started writing The Body Finder, their relationship wasn’t going to play such a big role in the story. Of course, the more I got to know Jay, I simply couldn’t keep him away from Violet! :)

Why did you choose to have Jay in on the secret of Violet's ability?

Violet definitely needed someone she could confide in. And when she shared her secret with Jay (at such a young age) I think it showed just how deep their friendship went. That bond between them was important, especially when they started to explore their true feelings for each other.

There are parts in The Body Finder that are definitely on the darker side of YA. Do you ever have trouble processing those parts, emotionally? Why did you feel it was important to include the killer's perspective?

Call me creepy, but these were actually my favorite parts to write! I loved letting readers see glimpses of what was going on inside the killer’s head. The first version of The Body Finder had fewer chapters from the killer’s POV, but thankfully, my editor wanted more which made my incredibly happy! (Okay, that even sounded creepy to me!)

What do you hope readers will take away from The Body Finder?

I really hope the readers feel a connection to the characters, and I guess it wouldn’t hurt if they were a little scared here and there!

Oh, and don’t talk to strangers!

Can you tell us anything about the sequel, Desires of the Dead?

I may get in trouble for telling you this but… someone will definitely die!

Seriously, though, here’s the short synopsis: When Violet Ambrose's morbid ability to sense the echoes of those who've been murdered leads her to the body of a young boy, she draws the attention of the FBI. She is reluctantly pulled into an investigation that will endanger more than just her secret... but her relationship and possibly her life as well.

If you could put your name on any book ever written, claiming it as your own, what book would you choose and why?

Despite everything I’d tried for many, many years, my oldest daughter was simply a non-reader… until she read Twilight. Now, she’s a huge reader. So yeah, I would love to have written the book that finally hooked her! Plus, if I wrote Twilight, I’m pretty sure I could introduce my youngest daughter (9-years-old) to Robert Pattinson, which would score me some huge mommy points because she’s totally Team Edward!!

**********

A huge thanks to Kim Derting! If you haven't already, check out yesterday's review of The Body Finder, here on the blog. And if you'd like to get your own signed copy of the book, here's how:

Tweet, Facebook, or blog about this contest.
Follow us on the blog and/or on Twitter.
Leave a comment on this post with your name, age, and a link to your tweet/FB/blog, along with the reason you'd like to read The Body Finder.

Deadline to enter is September 29, 2010. Along with the autographed book, you'll receive a Body Finder tote bag and bracelet. Good luck!

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: The Body Finder

2010-09-21T20:52:00.003-05:00

The Body Finder, by Kimberly Derting

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 327
Reading Level: 14 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High

I actually didn’t plan on reading this book. However, the author showed up at an event held in Houston, and I ended up being intrigued by her answers during the Q&A part of the event. Her book was so new that she had the shortest line when the authors were signing, and I hurried down to purchase a copy of the book. After talking to her, and hearing that she’d be more than willing to do an interview for the blog, I decided to get another copy as a giveaway. So it’s time now for the review portion, and stay tuned tomorrow for the interview and the contest.

From Amazon:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

I’m so happy that I decided to take the plunge that night and buy this book for myself. I really enjoyed seeing the story and characters play out along with the mystery of the serial killer. I was sucked in, blissfully, and sufficiently creeped out by the bits from the serial killer’s point of view.

I loved the interesting paranormal aspect of The Body Finder. Although the idea might not be unique, it is to me. I haven’t read another book that didn’t deal with necromancy where the protagonist could locate dead bodies. It hooked me, and kept me interested throughout the whole novel. There were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing and second guessing, and the author even gave clues that made me suspect characters that didn’t deserve my suspicion. It was so great.

The characters made me care about them. Violet is at once vulnerable and strong-willed, and I enjoyed seeing her develop and make mistakes. Her friendship with Jay sustains a decent chemistry, though I actually felt that it was lukewarm compared to some other YA novel romances I’ve read. Jay is a great character, though, and his relationship to Violet did deepen the story for me.

If you haven’t picked this one up, you absolutely should. Watch for my interview with Kimberly Derting on the blog tomorrow. Our giveaway will be announced tomorrow, as well.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Smart Chicks Tour - Houston Event

2010-09-15T21:41:00.004-05:00

I just got back from the fabulous Smart Chicks event at The Refuge in Houston (hosted by Blue Willow Bookshop). It was awesome! I got some photos and some swag for a giveaway. So exciting!

Since it's late, and I don't feel like editing a bunch of photos, the only one I've got is the one of all the swag. One person who entered our three giveaways will win a bunch of swag, including bookmarks, a necklace signed by Kami Garcia and Margie Stohl, an excerpt from Holly Black's new book, Red Glove, and an excerpt from the new anthology, Zombies vs Unicorns.

Now what everyone's been waiting for: the winners of our giveaways!

First up, the winner of White Cat, by Holly Black. The winner is Meaghan. Congratulations Meaghan! Please email us at blogger@yaliteraturereview.com to claim your prize.

Next, our winner of Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare. Sara! Thanks for entering. Please email us to claim your prize.

And for Radiance, by Alyson Noel, the winner is April! Email us to claim your prize.

Our last winner gets all the swag from the Smart Chicks event. That's everything you see in the picture above, and the winner is Launa Sorenson. Email us to claim your prize.

Congratulations to everyone! Thank you so much for your support. Stay tuned for more great giveaways on the blog, and watch the podcast (yalitreview.libsyn.com) for our interview with the Smart Chicks.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Another Smart Chicks Tour Post

2010-09-07T22:21:00.015-05:00

Wednesdays are sort of anything-goes days here at the blog, so today I'm going to get into a couple of things. ^_^

First of all, thanks to our wonderful Aly, for passing on the One Lovely Blog award. I'll have a more detailed post up about it next week, but wanted to make sure I mentioned it now.

The rest of this post will be all about the Smart Chicks Kick It tour, which is coming around to Houston September 14th and 15th. On the 14th, they'll be at the Barnes and Noble in the Woodlands. Then they'll be hosted by Blue Willow Bookshop at The Refuge at 7pm on the 15th. That's the one I'll be attending, and I'm so excited.

Not only will I get to take part in this fabulous event, but I'll also be recording a group interview with all of the authors before the show! Yes, that's Kelley Armstrong, Holly Black, Melissa Marr, Alyson Noel, Sarah Rees Brennan, Cassandra Clare, and Margaret Stohl all in one podcast interview!

In honor of the tour and the interview, we've got a couple of fabulous giveaways. Please read carefully for the rules.

First up on the giveaways, I have Holly Black's newest book (signed, of course), White Cat. I also have a signed copy of Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare up for grabs as well as a signed copy of Radiance, by Alyson Noel. That's a total of three separate giveaways. We will have three different winners - one person cannot win all three books. Please remember that when you enter.

For the giveaways:

1. You must be a subscriber of the blog OR a twitter follower (twitter.com/yalitreview).
2. You must comment on this post stating which book or books you're entering to win.
3. You must tweet, facebook, or blog about this contest, linking back to this blog entry.

The deadline for the giveaway books is September 18th. If you have any questions, please email me at blogger@yaliteraturereview.com. Thanks, and good luck!

~ Vilate

Three Viewpoint Thursday: BEFORE I FALL

2010-09-02T20:39:00.001-05:00

Here at the Young Adult Literature Review, three of us get together every few weeks to chat about a book that we have all read. Our recent selection is BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver. This is Oliver’s debut novel. Since this is a chat, the transcript below does contain many spoilers. If you have read the book, we would love you to help continue the discussion by commenting in the comment section.

********** SPOILERS ************************

Aly: So basically what did everyone think? Did it live up to the hype? Did you like it? Hate it?

Vi: Okay. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I had bouts where I was sucked in and had to keep reading, and then the protagonist would annoy me and I'd want to leave the book forever. It was kind of a weird feeling. I'm not sure about the hype, but there's a lot in here that struck me as bordering on 'literary' fiction. The protagonist would have some deep thoughts that were very interesting, and then she'd go and do something seriously childish, so it was definitely different for me.

Renee: I loved this book, which was surprising because I was kind of skeptical going into it because I wasn't thrilled by THE LOVELY BONES, and I thought it would be the same thing. But it wasn't. I liked how strong the characters were and how different each day was that she kept reliving. It didn't feel as repetitive as I thought it would. And I agree that it had a literary fiction feel to it, which might also be why I loved it so much...

Aly: I realized about 20 pages in that I really dislike chick-lit and high school drama and mean girls and was having a "what was I thinking suggesting this book?" but probably the last 150-200 pages I couldn't put it down. I have trouble with stories where I don't connect with the main characters. Lindsey, Elody, Ally, and Sam were not girls I would ever like in a million years. But the fact that Sam seemed to learn from her experience and evolve and change helped me feel better towards the end. I know a lot of people really loved this book so I was curious to read it. Still mixed feelings but guess I am glad that I did. So, what about the length of the book and the fact that there are 7 days?

Vi: I liked that each day wasn't completely repetitious, and that they took Sam into different aspects of the day and the lives of the people around her. It helped me like her more as she came to realize that she couldn't really hide, but everyone else tried to hide things, too, if that makes sense. Despite the fact that the book is so long, it didn't feel like anything dragged. It was nice to see the various cast of players and how it all eventually worked out on the seventh day.

Renee: I agree. Since each day revealed different people's stories it didn't feel repetitive at all. And it did help me to like Sam, because as she would see the "truth" behind people, beyond her catty mean-popular girl type-casting, I felt like I kept looking forward to how things would be different the next day. And it definitely didn't drag, for me.

Aly: At first I was afraid that the days would be really similar and I liked that a chapter represented a day as the book progressed (well sort of). I did like seeing the back stories as they were revealed and the motivations. And also the "truth" but I was a little confused at the end. Is Sam the only one who dies? Did she get to change it for everyone else?

Vi: As far as I understood it, she's the only one who died. She shoved Juliet out of the way, and heard Juliet's voice as she was dying. But, if someone else has a better explanation...

Renee: I think Sam is the only one who died, as far as I know. I think that was her "mission" or something, to be like a martyr I think.

Aly: That was the part that was confusing at first it seemed that all of them died (well the 4) and then as she tweaked things it was almost as if she was trying to save everyone, knowing that she couldn't really save herself. And that was what seemed really sad. Anyway, was there something that really stood out for you with this story? A character? The writing?

Renee: I loved the writing style, but I really loved the character development. My two favorite characters were Kent and Lindsey, for completely different reasons. I loved Kent because he seemed like such a sincere guy and not the usual bad-boy-turned-good romantic male you see in YA a lot. He was just very loveable.

Renee: I liked Lindsey, because even though I didn't like her as a "person," I liked her as a character. She was very interesting and obnoxious and cruel, but she was obviously making up for her own vulnerabilities and insecurities and I thought she was very sad and complex. I liked that even though she was obviously flawed, she was a good friend to Sam and their gang and in her own way cared. I feel like so many books have girls who defeat the mean popular girls, but very few try to humanize those mean girls, so that was a nice change.

Vi: Very true about the mean girls, Renee. I felt like the author really did an amazing job at portraying all of the characters as having flaws, but good points as well. That's probably what stood out the most for me. And, of course, I had to love Kent. He's such a great character!

Aly: I think that was part of what I thought Oliver did really well. I think she portrayed the whole mean girls/high school drama very well. Not over glamorizing anything or under playing things. I was very pleased when Sam began to see Rob as a jerk. I liked that Juliet had a chance. And I adored Kent. I loved that he was more than what appeared on the surface in some ways and that Sam had a chance to see this.

Aly: So would you recommend this? Would you read more from Oliver? I know her next book seems to be getting some hype already?

Renee: I would definitely read more from Oliver, because I liked her writing style. And I would recommend this, but probably only to 16/17 yr olds or older, because the book does give a very frank (and therefore, not particularly wholesome) picture of the lives of some teens. And like Vi said, it did feel kind of literary fiction adult-ish, like Curtis Sittenfield.

Vi: I actually have someone in mind that might like this. I do think that, because of the literary feel to it, not everyone will take to it. I'm still sort of border-line, myself. I'd also definitely call this "new adult" and would not really recommend it to anyone younger than about 15, although mostly it's because there's a certain maturity in the writing that anyone younger might have trouble with, not that it's overly explicit about anything.

Aly: I think there are actually "younger" teens like Freshmen who will like it because it is chick-lit and because they read at a higher level. I wouldn't put it in a middle grade library because if you tried to limit it to 8th grade then everyone wants to read it. I think some teen readers might find it "literary" but I think it actually moves kind of quickly from the middle to the end. So if they had the attention to hang in...but I probably wouldn't be recommending it to all teens. I would more likely be selective. As for "new adult"...I'm not sure that I agree. I think DUST OF 100 DOGS is very much either new adult or adult with a crossover interest for upper teens because the character doesn't seem particularly YA...but in this case the characters are strictly in the high school age group participating in high school stuff...if you know what I mean.

Vi: I say new adult mostly because the content reminds me of that in BALLADS OF SUBURBIA. I got a more mature vibe. I wouldn't even really say it's a "crossover" novel, because it deals with more high school dramas, but the thoughts and ideas and development of the main character push it into an older category for me. Some more mature younger readers could "get" it, but I think the difference would come when some readers get the entertainment value and some get the real issues it's dealing with. It kind of makes me think of Nirvana's music - it was popular because some teens decided it was catchy, but the ones who really "got" the music were few and far between.

Aly: Any other thoughts on the book? I am kind of feeling like I am missing something but I think we covered most things?

Vi: I think we covered it pretty well.

Renee: Agreed. I think we got most of it, although I was curious about why Sam's reliving her life 7 times was never really explained. Did it have to be exactly 7 days, or if she completed her final mission/martyrdom on day 4 would that have been it? I didn't need the answer to that question to enjoy the book, but I guess I was kind of curious about it...

Aly: I thought it was kind of hinted at by Sam at one point when she mentioned some movie? Or am I making this up?

Vi: I'm not sure. Maybe? Maybe the significance was just that it was a week? She referenced GROUNDHOG DAY day at one point, but there weren't just seven days in that.

Renee: Like I said, I enjoyed it without getting an answer, and I didn't see GROUNDHOG DAY, so I didn't know if I was missing something.

Aly: I would have to check but it didn't necessarily bother me. Also didn't see GROUNDHOG DAY so it wasn't exactly as if I was checking.

*************

Thanks Vi & Renee for participating in the chat. I know that I love discussing books with other book people and in discovering new books. As usual, this was fun. Now, if you have read BEFORE I FALL, how would you respond to the questions?

* Aly

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

2010-08-31T20:23:00.002-05:00

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 304
Reading Level: 14 and up

From goodreads.com:

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens--both named Will Grayson--are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history's most fabulous high school musical.

John Green is my favorite author. I'll just get that out of the way now. I could gush about his books for days, but I'll try to contain myself. With Will Grayson, Will Grayson, I knew I could expect in-depth characters, an interesting story, and great writing. But, this book wasn't written by one author; it was written by two. Although David Levithan is another popular young adult author, I had never read one of his books before, so I didn't know what to expect. What I found was brilliance.

Each author wrote from the perspective of one of the Will Graysons in alternating chapters. I expected to love John Green's Will Grayson, and I did. Will is a typical teenager dealing with life, love, and friendship. His best friend, Tiny Cooper, is a larger-than-life character who is both extraordinary and believable at the same time. The humor and honesty in these chapters was highly enjoyable.

Even though I loved John Green's Will, I have to say that David Levithan's Will blew me away. Will is a teenager dealing with depression and I was astounded by how real the depression was portrayed. I've heard reviewers’ comment that this Will was unlikable in the beginning, but I disagree. As a mental health professional, I know quite a bit about depression and I saw Will's "unlikable" behavior as a reaction to the depression. This endeared the character to me instead of pushing me away. It has been a very long time since I've felt so connected to a character. Also, there was more plot in this storyline, so I enjoyed that aspect as well.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is that I couldn't predict the story. Specifically, there is a huge moment in the middle of the book (I won't spoil it) that completely took me off guard. I literally stared at the page for several minutes in shock. I had to re-read the previous passage a few times before it sunk in enough for me to move on. The shock and emotion that part elicited has been unmatched by anything else I've read.

I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book. It was fabulous from beginning to end. I actually stayed up till two am on a weekday, just so I could finish the story. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Happy reading!

~ Rose

Book Review - Mackenzie Blue: Friends Forever?

2010-08-30T06:00:00.114-05:00

Author: Tina Wells
Publisher: HarperCollins (June 22, 2010)
Age Level: Grades 4 to 8
Source: Publicist for Review

Description from GoodReads:

Mackenzie Blue is hitting the trails!

It's time for Brookdale Academy's camping field trip, but Zee has much more to deal with than a lesson about nature. . . .

Pros:
1. My BFF, Ally, is visiting all the way from Paris! Ooh la la!
2. My friends and I are so going to win the environmental scavenger hunt!

Cons:
1. We have to stay in teeny-tiny log cabins. How will we all fit?
2. The legendary (and terrifying) Mountain Man . . .

The Mackenzie Blue series is by Tina Wells. When I was approached by by Buzz Marketing to review the books, I was excited to read a new middle grade series that I might be able to share with my students. When the books arrived, I realized by looking at the covers and format that there would likely be a formulaic feel to each book. This didn’t bother me. As a 9 year old, I read every Nancy Drew Book, Hardy Boys, etc. Each one was really the same with just a different antagonist and different location. Many children love books in series formats. With a series, they get to spend time with favorite characters, and there is always the understanding that each one will turn out just fine for the main character and his/her pals. Maybe the best comparison for childrens book series, such as Mackenzie Blue, would be the weekly sitcom or drama. Each week, the main character faces a new challenge, learns a lesson, and everything is wrapped up neatly in 30 to 60 minutes. Or in case of the book, the dilemma is wrapped up in 200 pages.

In these books, Mackenzie “Zee” Blue is a 7th grader at Brookdale Academy. Her BFF, Ally, has moved to France and she has several other friends including a close male friend named Jasper. Each book focuses on a dilemma that Zee must learn from. In the third, and most recently published book, Friends Forever?, Zee is attending science camp with all her the other seventh graders. In addition to the common issues of being away from home, dealing with outdoor bathrooms, and camp chores, Zee is trying to figure out how to maintain her friendship with Ally (who is visiting from France) and her current friends. As if friendship troubles wasn't enough, there seems to be something up between Landon (Zee has a crush on him) and Jasper (her male BFF) - could Landon be jealous? During all this, Zee must also cope with getting her first period.

When I first started reading the Mackenzie Blue series, there were several things that struck me. A friend of mine said “You are looking at it with your educator’s eyes”. Maybe I was – maybe I always do. However, I was torn. I realized that there are many tween girls who would likely want to read these books and would enjoy them and even those that we would identify as reluctant or hesitant readers might like them. The books have illustrations dispersed through the pages and at times you see snippets of Zee’s diary or text messages. Zee is a fun main character that girls would like to know. She worries about her friends, tries to do the right thing, and faces issues that every 12 year old girl is struggling with. These are all positive elements that tween girls love.

So what was my issue? First, I cringe every time an author throws in name brands and certain things that in my mind aren’t necessary and date the book. For example, “She pulled her iPhone out of her pocket. It had a bright blue skin with a big pink Z.” (p. 28 MB #3) Do I really need to know who has an iPhone (or a Sidekick in the first book) or that one of the girls in the cabin has a Louis Vuitton bag? I can honestly answer “no”. Isn't this the concern with children watching television is that they are overly exposed to products being directly marketed to them? Not only during the commercials, but also in the product placements within the show. As I read through the books, I almost imagined that I was flipping through a tween version of Vogue magazine. I found that it often distracted from the story and placed more focus on products than on the wonderful qualities that were hidden within the pages of the book.

My second concern was the Instant Messaging (“IM”) name of “E-zee”. I am puzzled by the selection of this nickname for a 12 year old girl. I am especially surprised that Wells, a marketing expert, would not have thought about the connotations of that name.

Finally, and I know that authors often have little control over the covers of their books or the illustrations, but, often I felt that the drawing of the characters made them appear to be in late high school rather than in seventh grade.

I agonized over writing this review and I have probably spent more hours writing and re-writing this because I recognize that I am likely in the minority regarding my opinion of the books. Ms. Wells has worked hard to write books for girls. I recognize this fact. Over the course of the three books, I have also seen growth in her as a writer and I would say in all sincerity that Mackenzie Blue: Friends Forever? #3 is the most developed of her three books. However, if I can offer any input to Wells, it would be to focus more on her wonderful characters and spot on issues facing tween girls, then creating a book version of a tween television sitcom.

The Smart Chicks Kick It Tour

2010-08-25T11:49:00.003-05:00

This will be my first post on the tour coming up. I'm very excited about the Smart Chicks coming to town - and you can check out their website HERE.

The Smart Chicks will be in the Houston area on September 14th in the Woodlands at the Barnes and Noble (even though it doesn't list it on the calendar), and on September 15th, in Houston hosted by Blue Willow Bookshop.

I will definitely be attending the Blue Willow event, which will be held at The Refuge (they ask that you bring a canned good to help support The Refuge). If you're there, please be sure to find me and say hello!

You can stay tuned to the blog, because we'll be doing some major giveaways in connection with the tour. We'll have books from each of the authors as free giveaways, and we'll have a raffle with at least two prizes. You can start thinking about one giveaway now... The signed copy of City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare, will be a YouTube contest. You'll make a video showing why you deserve to get the signed copy of City of Bones. :)

Before the event, I'll be doing a group interview for the podcast with some of the Smart Chicks. You leave questions for them by commenting on this post, and I'll be sure to include all your questions when I do the interview, but you have to comment here before September 14th.

Get excited! ^_^

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Troy High

2010-08-24T11:27:00.000-05:00

Troy High, by Shana Norris

Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 256
Reading Level: 14 and Up
Enjoyment Level: Medium/High

Here come a few more gods and goddesses… Actually, this is just a fun re-telling of a large part of Homer’s Iliad. A nice departure from the fantasy realm for me – I picked it up on a recent trip to the bookstore because it sounded kind of cool.

From amazon.com:

Homer’s Iliad, the classic tale of love and revenge, is shrewdly retold for teens in Troy High.

Narrated by Cassie, a shy outsider at Troy High, the story follows the Trojans and Spartans as they declare war on the football field. After the beautiful Elena—who used to be the captain of the Spartan cheerleaders—transfers to Troy High and falls madly in love with Cassie’s brother Perry, the Spartans vow that the annual homecoming game will never be forgotten. Off the football field, an escalating prank war fuels tensions between the schools.

The stakes are raised when Cassie is forced to choose between the boy she loves (a Spartan) and loyalty to her family and school.

I’ll start this one off by just saying that parts of it fell flat for me, but not enough to make me dislike the book. It was some of the character interaction that left me hanging. Cassie’s relationship with her older brother and his character development leave a few gaps going from his original attitude to the one he’s got at the end of the story. She lets him walk all over her for most of the book, never standing up for herself until the end, and she readily forgives him without much fight, either.

I also felt like Cassie’s relationship with her best friend wasn’t as solid as it could’ve been. There are some major-blowout fights that should’ve given Cassie more pause to think and should’ve had stronger reactions, but the fights seem to blow over without many repercussions. It would’ve been nice to see Cassie dealing more with the consequences of her choices.

But I still enjoyed the overall story. It was fun to research the characters and the history of the Iliad to figure out who was who. I liked the idea of bringing Helen of Troy into the modern age. Transferring the Iliad to the football field gave it new life and made it interesting to me.

The author did a wonderful job with the Helen character, Elena, and her relationship with Cassie is one of the highlights of the book. The chemistry between the two of them is just right. Cassie learns a lot from Elena. I really enjoyed seeing their friendship develop, as it was something I didn’t expect at all.

So despite my picking at a couple aspects of the book, I did enjoy it. If you’re looking for a book that is a quick read and delivers an interesting re-telling, pick up Troy High.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: Beastly

2010-08-20T14:12:00.005-05:00

Beastly, by Alex Flinn

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 304
Reading Level: 14 and up
Enjoyment Level: High

This is the second book of Alex Flinn’s that I’ve read. I read and reviewed A Kiss in Time last year, but I think I liked Beastly more. (And it’s about time I read it, too! I borrowed this from my sister more than several months ago.)

From amazon.com:

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster. You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

Re-told fairy tales are books I generally tend to avoid. It gets less and less like re-told, and more and more like regurgitated. But I liked Alex Flinn’s take on "Sleeping Beauty" (A Kiss in Time), so I read Beastly, too. "Beauty and the Beast" has always been my favorite fairy tale. That said, I was still apprehensive to read Beastly, since I had such high hopes for it.

The plot, since this is a re-telling, follows a pretty well-established line for Beauty and the Beast. No real surprises with that. There were a few highlights where something stood out, but not much. It was really nice to have it set in NYC (my favorite city), which made for a good alternative to some countryside castle.

The characters set this apart in the re-told library. The story comes from the Beast’s point-of-view, and as such, it feels more gripping to me. Being in the mind of the Beast lends a nice reality to the plot and it makes him falling in love with “Beauty” much more natural than in other versions.

I also really like that the Beauty of the story is plain and bookish – someone the Beast, pre-curse – would never look twice at. Again, it makes the story realistic without becoming cheesy. The interaction between all the characters is great. They all make the Beast’s transformation (physical and mental) meaningful. (A side-note/rant here… I am SO upset that they picked Vanessa Hudgens to play the Beauty character in the movie. Stupid Hollywood – can’t they leave a plain character plain? She’s not supposed to be beautiful!)

Like a lot of books, I felt that the ending was just slightly too fast and neatly wrapped. I would’ve liked to see a few more of the repercussions from the events in the climax, but it’s nothing that made me dislike the book. I still wholeheartedly recommend the book to anyone who’d enjoy a good urban-fantasy version of "Beauty and the Beast". It’s fast-paced and interesting.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

We won an award!

2010-08-18T19:56:00.006-05:00

Now that we've been blogging for a while, we finally won an award! :) Thanks to Lost in Believing for thinking of YALR! I'm so excited. Probably more than I should be, lol!

So I guess now it's time to fulfill my part of the award by sharing seven things about myself. I'm not sure if they're supposed to be things most people don't know, but I'll assume not. I don't know if there are seven things to share, otherwise! ^_^

I collect Babysitter's Club books. I have about 70 of them right now.
Dragons are my favorite mythical creature and they have been since I read my first Anne McCaffrey novel.
I love to watch Friends, even though I've seen every episode several times now.
I paint ceramics, and I'm attempting to get into painting canvas.
I have a record player, and I still use it!
I've always loved to write, but I started getting serious about it when Order of the Phoenix came out.
My favorite movie is Empire Records.

And I'm also supposed to pass this award on to fifteen other bloggers, however, at this point, I think we're all running out of people who haven't gotten it yet. lol. So I'm at least going to try getting ten bloggers into this list.

Kristy Baxter's Blog
YA Book Realm
B is for Books
The Unprofessional Critic
Reading Extensively
YA Book Nerd
Girls in the Stacks
Cynthial11
Cari Blogs
The Here. The Now. And the Books!

Enjoy, everyone!

Book Review - Scaredy Squirrel

2010-08-15T06:00:00.004-05:00

Author/Illustrator: Melanie Watt
Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd (February 1, 2006)
Age Level: Ages 4 to 8
Source: Personal copy
Rating: 5 stars

Description from GoodReads:

Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. It's way too dangerous out there. He could encounter tarantulas, green Martians or killer bees. But in his tree, every day is the same and if danger comes along, he's well-prepared. Scaredy Squirrel's emergency kit includes antibacterial soap, Band-Aids and a parachute. Day after day he watches and waits, and waits and watches, until one day ... his worst nightmare comes true! Scaredy suddenly finds himself out of his tree, where germs, poison ivy and sharks lurk. But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting ...

Recently, I discovered the work of Melanie Watt, an author & illustrator from Canada. There are some authors/illustrators that you enjoy one or two books or some that you enjoy the books but don't feel the compulsion to purchase. And then there are illustrators and authors like Watt who I want to own every one of their books.

Scaredy Squirrel is one of Watt's series. There are currently four books in this series and each book follows a similar format. All begin with a small warning on the inside cover. For the first one, it reminds readers to wash their hands before reading. Scaredy Squirrel is easily frightened by life outside of this tree. He is afraid of Martians, killer bees, poison ivy, tarantulas, and of course germs. His day is pretty much the same, with a minute by minute schedule but then one day something changes. A killer bee enters the tree and then the unexpected happens and Scaredy discovers something unique and special about himself.

The formulaic manner of the Scaredy Squirrel series is far from boring or annoying. For young readers, who love to have the same book read over and over again, this pattern will provide them with a sense of comfort and predictability. Scaredy's fears and the challenges that he faces can be an excellent place to begin discussing with youngsters how they can make changes or take risks. The illustrations in the book are simple but fun and bold at the same time.

Watt is a funny, creative, writer and illustrator and I encourage you to check out all of her books.

You can find out more about Melanie and her books here: http://melaniewatt.com/default.aspx
http://www.kidscanpress.com/Canada/CreatorDetails.aspx?cid=223

Mr. Shu - a school librarian in Indiana - did a animoto video featuring Scaredy Squirrel. You can check it out here: http://animoto.com/play/M4x2UKAO5TwNAGIYL6bX4Q

Enjoy and have fun reading a book,
-aly

Three Viewpoint Friday: GRACELING.

2010-08-13T19:49:00.000-05:00

Okay, so we normally do a Three Viewpoint Thursday every few weeks, where Vilate, Aly, and I get together and chat about a book, but I messed up and am posting this late. So this week, we have a Three Viewpoint Friday chat about Graceling by Kristin Cashore. This is a young adult fantasy novel, and the first in Cashore's Seven Kingdoms Trilogy. We all enjoyed this tremendously!

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight — she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme, and in her case horrifying, skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace — or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away... a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Renee: Today we're talking about GRACELING by Kristin Cashore, the first in her Seven Kingdoms Trilogy. To begin, what are your overall impressions?

Vilate: I thought it was a nice sort of throwback fantasy. The kind I might've picked up when I was younger and searching in the adult section. It has a little of the feel of an epic fantasy story without being long-winded and full of flowery descriptions. I liked that it kept the fantasy while having a tight plot and interesting characters.

Aly: I have been reading so much urban fantasy that I forgot that I love High Fantasy. I really loved this book. I want to re-read it because I felt I read it too fast. I do have to say that I felt that it really was almost an adult book with a YA cross-over though. Just me....but still loved the book, the characters, the story.

Renee: Like Aly, I've been reading so much paranormal/urban fantasy lately, that it was nice to read a straight fantasy novel, and this one was so great! I loved the plot twists and characters. And yes, there were more adult themes in this than I anticipated, but I liked it.

Renee: What did you think about Katsa? She's a very different YA heroine -- very independent. Did you like the welcome change, or find her hard to relate to?

Vilate: I actually didn't find her to be all that different than other YA heroines. The trend is definitely towards strong and independent young women, so it wasn’t jarring for me. I found her personality to be a very good example of what might happen to a person in her situation. Even though we're more used to heroines who are feisty and independent, it felt like her situation couldn't have produced anything else, so it felt very natural and easy.

Aly: I think that she is a great heroine. Strong, but flawed in some ways. I hate when they are so perfect that there are no imperfections. I also liked that in many ways Po was also a strong character and a good match/complement to her. So I found her easy to connect with for the most part.

Renee: I think Katsa is a refreshing heroine, especially near the middle of the book when she begins to show some softness, while still being strong. At the beginning, she was a little too tough and impulsive at times.

Renee: And YES, I loved Po as a complement to her fly-off-the-handle style, with him being more calculating and rational. He was easily my favorite character.

Vilate: As much as I liked Po, I found it a little... typical of YA books these days, the connection between Po and Katsa. I didn't really feel like Katsa's development was necessarily helped by Po. I actually felt like she had a better, more natural connection to Bitterblue. I loved the time the two girls spent together and really felt like Katsa gained a lot from the interaction.

Aly: But I still really loved Po. I liked that Katsa who never saw herself as being a mother someday developing this bond with this child (Bitterblue) but I did feel that Po was a good balance. I hate when the girl is so much less than the boy or heck, even the other way around. If a "mortal" falls for an immortal paranormal with amazing abilities, there will always be an imbalance. In many ways, Katsa's gifts make her the superior to most people but Po is a good balance. He is strong, a worthy fighting opponent and then personally more social which balances out Katsa's roughness.

Renee: Definitely. Maybe it's just because Po is now one of my favorite YA male characters, but I liked that he was comfortable with a strong female. There was a definite feeling of equality, without him always being the hero or having to be superhero. I especially loved how Po brought out the gentleness in Katsa, and then at the end of the novel, it came full circle and she was able to help him on his own journey with his Grace. I liked how that worked out.

Vilate: I do like Po, don't get me wrong. :) I just didn't find anything really unique about the pairing. It's so commonplace in the books I've been reading I guess. Po is a great character, though. Of course, I especially liked Katsa's cousin. He was a wonderful addition to the cast. Blue hair! His was the character I found most exciting and unique. I want to know him in real life! lol.

Renee: We mentioned Bitterblue earlier, and now Raffin (Katsa's cousin). I felt that all of the side characters were very well developed in this book. In fact, the only character I felt wasn't developed enough was Katsa's uncle, King Randa. He seemed very one-dimensionally "mean." What do you think?

Aly: I think Randa was meant to be one dimensional in some ways but I felt he was in some ways more developed than Bitterblue's father. He had this amazingly powerful ability and we saw some of the impact of it but I was still a little confused but him.

Renee: That struck me too... Bitterblue's father kind of came in as a plot device, and wasn't fully explored (as much as I would like).

Vilate: Randa was very one-dimensional to me, but all of the kings were like that. I think it happened that way because that's how Katsa saw him. He used her so badly that it would've been unnatural for her to see him as anything but cruel. Bitterblue's father... I would've liked a little more foreshadowing for him. He's barely mentioned in the first half of the book and I particularly enjoy when the major plot catastrophe is pulled into the story as soon as possible. It did fall a little flat for me in this case.

Renee: That leads to my next point. The book is almost 500 pages long... How did you feel the pacing went? Did it slow down for you at any points?

Aly: I started with the audio book because I thought that would be quicker. I could do a cleaning project and listen. But I swear the narrator reads slower than I do and then there were 3 different speakers and it drove me crazy. So maybe when I switched to the book and actually started reading it and could go at my pace without annoying voices that if there were slow parts I didn't notice it.

Vilate: lol, Aly! I hate it when an audio book is "acted" out. I didn't find any of the pacing slow, per se, but I did have a difficult time getting into the story at first. Granted, I was very distracted, but the fact that I kept coming up with excuses not to read probably tells more than me being distracted. Once I got into it, though, it was an easy and quick read.

Renee: This might sound kind of fangirl-ish, but whenever there were extended periods where Po wasn't there, I got a little distracted, haha. But seriously, I was so absorbed with Katsa & Po's journey (with the help of Raffin, Giddon, etc.) that when they finally encountered the "villain" I was kind of disappointed. I forgot all the friends were working together for a reason, if that makes any sense... I kind of liked just watching/reading them "be." And the main plot, kind of like Vi said, happened too quickly at the end for me.

Aly: I think my hesitation in starting it, Vi, was that so many people had said how wonderful it was and that I must read it. I sometimes get a little stubborn about reading it. Also I hate to be disappointed. However once I started and left the audio, and kept going it reminded me that high fantasy was my first love and something I had read a lot more than urban fantasy/paranormal books. I mean every book can be torn apart for parts that might have been overly done or not done enough but really this was great and I am eager to read FIRE and also BITTERBLUE when it comes out.

Vilate: Absolutely. I'll have to pick up FIRE as soon as I can, and I'm sure that I'll love it. It was really nice to read the fantasy, since I love the straight fantasy world. (That's also the reason I liked SHADOW, by Jenny Moss so much).

Renee: Yes, I am eager to read FIRE, and especially when BITTERBLUE comes out, since it has several of the characters from GRACELING in it. And ultimately, I really loved this too. It lived up to the hype for me.

Vilate: Despite the hype GRACELING already has, I'll add to it - this is a GREAT book and anyone who likes fantasy should pick this up. I already have someone in mind to pass it off to. :)

Aly: Oh, I did want to ask about Katsa's resistance to marrying Po even after everything. Some people are bothered by their obvious physical relationship at the end but her refusal to marry him?

Vilate: That does sort of bother me, but only because I don't understand the commitment without marriage thing. I don't consider myself much of a traditionalist in a lot of ways, but it just seems silly that Katsa would be fine with committing but not with marrying. I think it gets to the logical part of me in that it doesn't really seem logical. But it's not the physical aspect.

Renee: Okay, this REALLY bothered me in the beginning, because I didn't understand her resistance to the institution of marriage, even if it's with someone who loves her and is okay with giving her endless freedom. Somehow near the end I became okay with it, and I was okay with it as an unconventional happy ending. What actually bothered me was after seeing Katsa interact so well with Bitterblue was her total resistance to the idea of children... After seeing her so well with a child, I expected more of a change of heart.

Aly: Well if it was present day then people are more free with this but I also think of things being a little more *traditional* in the time period this feels it belongs in. I was okay with the ending but I still am not sure that I see this as YA and it doesn't have anything to do with the physical relationship. It has more to do with the fact that Po and Katsa really seemed more like adults and not teens.

Vilate: Good point. As with several books I've read lately, I'd go with this as a crossover or "new adult" book. Both characters were on the older side and if I didn't know that publishers were making money in the YA market, I'd wonder why this didn't end up in the adult section.

Renee: True, they did feel very grown up. Hopefully we'll get to see more of these characters in BITTERBLUE.

Renee: I know Vi, you said you'd recommend this. Would you recommend this Aly and to what age group?

Aly: I would definitely recommend it. I tend not to be a big book banner. I was reading adult lit as a teen. I might not recommend it to teens whose parents I know have issues with sex in YA but I would definitely recommend it to both teens and adults. It is a beautiful book in many ways and I really enjoyed it.

Renee: Agreed. Thanks for another lovely chat!

Sci-Fi Saturday: The Dark Life

2010-08-07T20:45:00.001-05:00

The Dark Life, by Kat Falls

Published by: Scholastic, Inc.
Pages: 297
Reading Level: 10 and up
Enjoyment Level: Medium-High

This is just a random book I picked up at the store a few weeks ago. I liked that it has a male main character. And I liked the cover, so really, how could I lose?

From amazon.com:

In this futuristic coming-of-age tale, 15-year-old Ty has spent his whole life in a deep-sea colony on the ocean floor. His family and the other pioneers provide fish and other food for the Commonwealth citizens who live aboveground in stacked cities following earthquakes and tsunamis that destroyed much of the Earth. The pioneers chafe under the harsh rule of the Commonwealth, a situation made worse when those who live subsea are charged with capturing a gang of pirates that has been terrorizing Commonwealth ships and pioneer homesteads. Ty is swept up in the hunt for the bandits when Gemma, a "Topsider" orphan, comes to his community to search for her missing brother, who may have ties to the pirates.

The beginning was a bit slow-going for me, but it picked up a few chapters in and I enjoyed the dynamic between the characters. Ty is a great character for boys to relate to. He is a great big brother. His relationships are natural and they grow with his own growth as a character. The author does a great job of making readers care about Ty and his situation.

The plot leaves a little to be desired at the end, where things happen really fast. It feels like the author was rushed to get the story finished, and a lot of things that needed explaining in a logical way ended up simplistic. But up until the last couple of chapters, the mystery and details were amazing, and it kept me interested the whole way. I’d even be interested in reading a sequel, if there is one.

I feel comfortable recommending this book to boys, for sure, as I think that even reluctant readers will keep reading until the end.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Winner of the LINGER ARC

2010-08-05T22:21:00.004-05:00

Well, thanks to excel spreadsheets and random number generators, the winner of the signed ARC of LINGER by Maggie Stiefvater is going to Fiona Chan.

Congratulations Fiona. You have 24 hours to contact me. I tweeted this and also emailed you. I am excited to send it on.

Happy Reading,
-Aly

Teen Fiction Tuesday: Voices of Dragons

2010-08-03T10:56:00.002-05:00

Voices of Dragons, by Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 309
Reading Level: 14 and Up
Enjoyment Level: Dragons!

If a title has ‘dragon’ in it, I’m more than likely going to pick it up. If it has ‘nice’ dragons in it, I’m more than likely going to love it. So, no surprise here that I enjoyed this one thoroughly.

Kay lives in a world where dragons are segregated from humans. The beasts live in isolation deep in the mountains, but it’s within sight of Kay’s home town of Silver River, where her father is the Sheriff and her mother is a high-powered official. There was a treaty made between the dragons and humans sixty years ago: dragons would disappear, and humans would leave them alone. When Kay goes climbing and has to be saved by a dragon, that treaty is put to the test and Kay’s life changes forever.

Carrie Vaughn is one of those adult-type writers trying her hand at writing for teens. Sometimes that actually doesn’t work out very well, but in this case, the experience of writing for adults seems to lend a certain sophistication to the characters and plot of Voices of Dragons. This elegant story doesn’t have the edgy feel to it that a lot of others in this new category, but because of the maturity of the main character, I’d go ahead and classify this as “New Adult”.

The plot is wonderful. It takes on a hard theme of intolerance and puts it into an interesting perspective by twisting it between humans and dragons. Carrie Vaughn has done a wonderful job giving us a plot that is believable and understandable by really telling it how it is: intolerance is always on both sides of a conflict.

Not only is the theme done well, but the characters are amazing and well-grounded. Kay approaches her struggle with grace, and yet with the reaction that I would expect from a young girl whose world is turned around.

And, of course, the dragons take my breath away. There is a great amount of mythology wrapped up in this setting of a modern-day world. It’s wonderful to see how well my favorite monsters fit in (and I want a dragon even more now!). I could compare this book with Robin McKinley’s Dragonhaven. Both are exquisite and full of magic and life.

I can recommend this book without hesitation, although parts of it do get a little slow (mostly parts where there aren’t dragons, so I guess I’m just biased). This book will appeal to both readers of general teen fiction and of fantasy teen fiction, and there’s enough action for both male and female readers.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

(On a side note, I'm giving away free copies of the first episode in my short story series, The Undead Crimefighting League. If you want one, email me at vilate@yaliteraturereview.com.)

Author Event - Maggie Stiefvater

2010-07-30T00:35:00.007-05:00

This past Monday (July 26th), I had a phenomenal opportunity to participate n the Maggie Stiefvater author event. Maggie was in Southern California for several book signings. Borders/Glendale (CA) had the great honor to host one of the book signings. The Glendale Borders has some great staff. Lita, Amber and Alethea had been planning for this for weeks. They had prepped by making lots and lots of paper cranes. For those of you who have read Linger, you will get the significance of the paper cranes. Janelle and I helped Alethea decorate the store with balloons and cranes. Here is Alethea with a string of cranes.

Thanks to a number of fans who arrived early, we were able to finish putting up all the cranes in time for Maggie's visit. Participants were also encouraged to bring fan art for a contest.

I was excited to have an opportunity to hang with the staff in the back while Maggie signed stock copies of Shiver and Linger. Here we all are just before Maggie went out to meet all her fans. (From left to right:Janelle, Lita, Maggie, Amber, Alethea, and me.)

Maggie did a phenomenal job entertaining everyone. She has these amazing stories, a great sense of humor and wonderful rapport with her fans. I wasn't able to figure out how to edit my video clip or I would have inserted it into this post. Imagine Maggie doing a "stand-up comedy routine." Yah, it was funnier in person. :-)

Maggie, Amber, and Lita were the judges for the fan art contest. There was art work, a film poster, edible art (cupcakes) and one fan even wrote and sang a song. She was really good (and brave to sing in front of everyone). One lucky winner won all 4 of Maggie's books. Isn't her work beautiful?!

Anyway, I had a blast at the signing. Not only did I get my books signed by Maggie, but I got a paper crane signed, and my ARC of Linger signed, too. Of course, I got to hang with new and old friends and meet one of my favorite authors. Here I am with Maggie and my friend Juli.

To celebrate the release of Linger, I am giving away my signed ARC (it has been gently read). You can read my review here.

To enter the contest please complete the entry form (<-- click here).

Rules:
1. All entrants must be 13 or older.
2. International participants are welcome to enter.
3. You will get one entry for commenting about why you want to win a copy of Linger and completing the entry form. (Note: both are required to officially enter)
4. Ways to earn additional entries (and increase your opportunity of winning): Tweet this contest, flow this blog, post it on your blog sidebar or facebook page.

Contest ends on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

Good luck with the contest.
- Aly

Flight Explorer, Volume I

2010-07-26T05:00:00.001-05:00

Author/Editor: Kazu Kibuishi
Publisher: Villard (March 25, 2008)
Pages: 112
Reading Level: Grades 4 to 8
Source: Library
Rating: 4 Stars (Enjoy and recommend)

This summer I have been exploring the world of graphic novels and manga. Though I may have determined that manga isn't my thing (no offense to the 1000's who love it), I have come to really love graphic novels. I have been particularly on the hunt for good graphic novels to share with middle grade students. Flight Explorer, Vol. 1 by Kazu Kibuishi (editor/contributor) is definitely one of my favorite finds.

Kazu Kibuishi has followed up his popular adult graphic novel series, Flight, with this Middle Grades version. This collection of 10 stories are engaging, humorous, and beautifully illustrated. Though the stories do not appear to have the same connection to the theme of flight as in the version for older readers, the pieces each seem to have an element of adventure.

Two of my favorites included one about a young girl and a friendly monster who go out to explore a snowstorm together, and one about a boy (Cooper) and a dog who leap from giant mushroom top to mushroom top only to learn that they aren't mushrooms but something fully alive.

Kibuishi has created another graphic novel about Cooper and his smart dog which came out earlier this year and I am looking forward to getting my hands on a copy. I have also been working my way through Kibuishi's Middle Grade graphic novel series The Amulet as well which I would also recommend.

If you are looking for a series of graphic novels to engage and entertain reluctant upper elementary grade students, I would highly encourage you to check out Flight Explorer or any of Kibuishi's other offerings.

Grab a book, read, tell me about it...
-Aly

Fantasy Friday: Manifest

2010-07-23T17:13:00.001-05:00

Manifest, by Artist Arthur

Published by: KimaniTru (Harlequin) (ARC)
Pages: 256
Reading Level: 14 and Up
Enjoyment Level: Medium-High

I’m very excited to review this book mainly because it’s one of the first imprints that (looks like it) will be exclusively for African American main characters in the teen market. I was more than happy to read the book and I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did.

From the publisher:

Fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley is royally miffed. Why her mom had to divorce her dad and drag her from New York City to the middle-of-nowhere Connecticut is beyond her. She's never lived outside of The City and doesn't know what to expect. But there's one thing she never could have expected: the cute dead boy standing in her bedroom asking for help.

As she juggles being the new girl, resisting the requests of Ricky, the transparent dead boy, to find his killer, and dodging the demands of every other ghost on the planet, she can barely find time to hate her mother's new husband.

When she begins to think it's all too much, she finds comfort in a bizarre friendship with Sasha, a disappearing socialite and Jake, the telekinetic boy from the wrong side of the tracks. They both bear the same M shaped birthmark as her and the alliance of their powers seems to have a history that dates back to the 1700s.

But what are their powers for? Can they be used to get themselves out of the dangerous mess they're currently in, or will they prove to be more dangerous than anything they've ever imagined?

I did have some trouble seeing this character in my mind sometimes, but her reactions did feel natural to me. The author didn’t change Krystal’s attitude immediately just because she found out she had some new powers, which was nice to see. Often in YA, I feel like the characters don’t develop out of their depression in a way that makes sense. Krystal grew up in the right time and place. She may not be easily relatable to some readers, but she’ll be especially understandable for anyone who’s gone through parents’ divorce.

This also felt to me more like an exploration of character, rather than plot. There is a plot, definitely, but the mysteries are few and far between up until the last few chapters. I can’t even really say that I found a lot of places I felt were foreshadowing. The mystery of the birthmarks didn’t feel like part of the plot, either, but like the introduction of an overarching idea for the series.

So it’s not the plot that kept me reading. Not really. The mystery of the kids and their birthmarks overshadowed everything, and that, along with Krystal’s development made it all interesting. And I liked the resolution found for Krystal and her parents. The mystery of her new ghost friend’s death ended the book nicely and showed the three kids coming more into their powers.

Manifest will be out in stores August 1, 2010. Fans of fantasy will enjoy the urban quality and interesting premise. I definitely suggest picking this one up!

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Review of Infinitus2010 and a Raffle!

2010-07-21T19:10:00.002-05:00

I got back Monday evening from a fabulous vacation in Orlando, Florida! Last weekend was the much-anticipated Infinitus 2010 (by HPEF), and I had a great time.

The convention was held in Orlando this year to celebrate the opening of the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Yes, I got to go and it was fabulous! But I don't want to get ahead of myself here... I won't go day-by-day and give you a rundown of what transpired, but I do want to mention that my roundtable discussion on Thursday night was amazing and there were a lot more people attending than I thought there'd be (I was up against a few hours of Wrock, yikes!).

So as not to bore anyone, I'll just say that overall, I enjoyed the con, but it did have it's bad points. I felt (and I'm not the only one) that the con was overpacked with formal and informal programming. There were a lot of things I couldn't get to because it was up against something else I wanted to see. Not just in terms of presentations, but also some of the Wrock concerts and other informal programming. It was especially difficult when the overcrowded schedule also ended up with late starts. It felt more disorganized than the last two cons I've been to.

That being said, I loved the formal programming I got to. I saw some amazing papers presented by extremely talented speakers. I enjoyed the Wrock I got to see, and the ball at the end was very fun. Not only that, but I loved being in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter after the public (also known as Muggles) left. (I do have to mention, though, that I am extremely disappointed in the park people for keeping us waiting for 45 minutes in the sauna-like humidity before letting us in.)

Of course I met wonderful people and I loved being surrounded by (2400) Harry Potter fans. It's definitely not an experience I would've missed, despite a few setbacks. And the hotel was soooo cushy!

Now, at the end of the con (the Leaving Feast), I happened to end up with a broom at the auction. It was kind of unplanned, but I think I've made the best of it by having the cast of A Very Potter Musical sign the handle. It's a piece of fandom that is one of a kind, and I'm giving everyone the opportunity to win it!

Due to space (and time) constraints, I'm going to direct everyone over to the website where you can get all of the details. RAFFLE DETAILS HERE! Half of every dollar YALR receives in the raffle will be going to the Kids Need to Read foundation, so get your entries in and help support YALR and charity! Good luck to everyone!!

~ Vilate

Teen Fiction Tuesday: In Your Room

2010-07-20T22:39:00.001-05:00

In Your Room, by Jordanna Fraiberg

Publisher: Razor Bill
Pages: 208
Reading Level: 13 and up
Enjoyment Level: medium

Another one of these random books I find while at Barnes and Noble. I wanted a quick book to read with a nice love story and I got it.

Molly and Charlie have fallen head over heels in love—even though they've never met Molly is a fashion-conscious city girl in L.A. Charlie is an earthy, mountain-biking dude from Boulder, Colorado. Each of them has big plans with their respective friends for the summer—until they discover that their parents decided to swap houses!

Luckily there's no amount of homesickness that a bit of snooping can't cure. Charlie and Molly begin crawling under beds and poking around in closets to find out a little more about each other—and they like what they find.

Can Charlie and Molly's long-distance romance survive jealousy, misunderstandings—and the thousand miles between them?

I liked that this was a different story. I hadn’t read any other books where two families switch houses and their kids fall in love. It wasn’t complicated or over-dressed; it was just cute. The author did a good job of making a weird scenario not so weird-I believed her. There were no surprises, just a simple love story and I appreciate that from time to time.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good love story!

: Thyra :

Middle Grade Mondays: Out of My Mind

2010-07-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Author: Sharon M. Draper
Publisher: Antheneum (March 9, 2010)
Pages: 295
Reading Level: Grades 4 to 8
Source: Personal Copy

Description from GoodReads:

Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there's no delete button. She's the smartest kid in her whole school - but no one knows it. Most people - her teachers and doctors included - don't think she's capable of learning, and up until recently her school days consisted of listening to the same preschool-level alphabet lessons again and again and again.

If only she could speak up, if only she could tell people what she thinks and knows... but she can't, because Melody can't talk. She can't walk. She can't write.
Being stuck inside her head is making Melody go out of her mind - that is, until she discovers something that will allow her to speak for the first time ever. At last Melody has a voice... but not everyone around her is ready to hear it.

From multiple Coretta Scott King Award winner Sharon M. Draper comes a story full of heartache and hope. Get ready to meet a girl whose voice you'll never, ever forget.

For several years, I was a special education teacher working with young children with severe disabilities. Several of my students had severe cerebral palsy and others had Autism, or other Special Needs. I remember the challenges and frustration in trying to find a way for one of my students to communicate even simple thoughts or wants and needs. Also, I remember the challenges that the parents faced daily.

When I picked up Sharon Draper's OUT OF MY MIND, I was blown away at how she captured so many of the emotions, questions, frustrations, challenges facing children with cerebral palsy and the parents who love them. As I read Melody's story, I kept thinking "yes, I remember that" or "wow, that is so right on". Granted with any book that attempts to address these issues, there are some things that readers may challenge as not being portrayed appropriately, but I would have to remind readers that 1. This is a fictional novel and 2. Every child with a disability and his/her family has a different story.

While reading every chapter, I kept thinking that this book should be required reading for every special education and general education teacher out there. Though I think we are making more and more progress in addressing discrimination in many areas, I still believe we as a society still participate and support many attitudes and practices that enforce inappropriate stereotypes of children and adults with special needs. Draper has created an amazingly poignant story about discrimination and perceptions that still occur in present day. Her book will make you laugh, and cry. But most importantly it will likely make you think differently about a person trapped within a body that does not function with ease.

I highly encourage everyone to read OUT OF MY MIND. I have no doubt that it will be a contender for an ALA/Schneider Family Award (MG) for a character with a disability. This is going on my read aloud list for my students this fall.

-Aly

Chasing Brooklyn Contest has a Winner!

2010-07-13T19:30:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Vicky N. (@celeste576012)on winning the signed copy of Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder. Hope you enjoy the book. It is definitely one of my favorites.

- Aly

Middle Grade Mondays: A Place For Delta

2010-07-12T18:33:00.004-05:00

Author: Melissa Walker
Illustrator: Richard Walker
Publisher: Whale Tale Press (June 1, 2010)
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12 years
Source: Publisher for Review

Description from GoodReads:
Joseph can hardly believe what he has been asked to do. His Aunt Kate, a wildlife biologist, is waiting for him at a research station and needs his help taking care of an orphaned polar bear cub only a few months old. He will leave his friends and family and venture to the farthest northern town in the United States. As the adventure unfolds, Joseph and his newfound Eskimo friend Ada find mysteries wherever they look. The bear cub, Delta, remains in danger. Who would want a polar bear dead? Joseph will have to look to the North Georgia woods to save Delta. When his parents were kids, they too embarked on an excursion into the unknown. Their encounters with the wilderness beyond their backyard have shaped the future for Joseph and Delta. A Place for Delta is about one family's journey—a passage born in the Appalachian Mountains and leading to the Arctic.

I have mixed feelings about this book. When I read books that are directed at Middle Grade Readers (Ages 9 to 12), I really try and consider that age group while I read it. I realize that what I enjoy as an adult reader of Children's and YA literature may not be the same as the targeted audience.

Let me start with the positives:
I really loved the concept of this book. Joseph, an eleven year old boy, gets to spend the summer in Alaska assisting his Aunt Kate in caring for a Polar Bear cub. While there, Joseph gets involved in solving a few mysteries including who killed Delta's (polar bear cub) mother. The book is divided into 4 sections and the time in Alaska is contained in Section II. Joseph's relationship with his aunt and the other members of the science team is very positive. Joseph also meets the niece of one of the local crew members and together he and Ada find ways to eavesdrop on people to discover information necessary to solve several mysteries. Their friendship and enthusiasm for detective work is a great aspect of the story.

Now for my mixed feelings:
There wasn't enough of the parts that I really loved. I expected that the book would spend most of it's focus on the time in Alaska and the mysteries, but it doesn't. There is about 45 pages of background history prior to Joseph's trip that is nice information but I felt slowed the book down and unfortunately this seemed to happen again once Joseph left Alaska and returned to Georgia. There were another 40 pages that seemed to focus more on telling the reader how a new environment was created for Delta but slowed down the pace. And yet, there was a great ending to the book.

Though I am not sure that I would have just picked this one up on my own, I am thankful that I had the opportunity to read A Place For Delta. Additionally, I think children and adults with a real interest in the effects of Global Warming, and Wildlife preservation will enjoy this story. My suggestion to teachers or parents who have a reluctant reader who might be interested in the topic of this book but might not be motivated to stick with the background information would be to have the child read the Prologue and Chapter 1 and then skip to section II to get into the heart of the story. Though I don't normally recommend skipping pages, I do advocate for creative ways to keep children interested in reading a book.

Overall I enjoyed the book, but would recommend it with some reservations depending on the reader.

Happy Summer Reading,
-Aly

Three Viewpoint Thursday: The Summer Before

2010-07-09T12:11:00.002-05:00

On Thursdays, Renee, Aly and I get together and chat about one book. It's always an interesting time, even if we don't always agree about aspects of whatever we're reading. We were split this week as we discussed Ann M Martin's pre-quel to the Baby-sitters Club series, The Summer Before. Please enjoy the resulting chat! (And my apologies that this Thursday post is actually on a Friday.)

Vilate: We're talking, today, about The Summer Before by Ann M Martin. The book is the pre-quel to the Baby-sitters Club series. It's actually our first official Middle-Grade book on Three Viewpoint Thursdays... What are your initial impressions?

Renee: Well, I usually don't read middle grade books, but looking at this objectively (and not in terms of my personal interests) I found it mediocre. There were some characters and situations that made sense and seemed believable, but others that were just boring or felt out of context. It wasn't terrible, and I did like some parts, but I just feel kind of indifferent to it.

Aly: I, on the other hand, actually read a fair amount of Middle Grade books. And recently just finished one that I loved and it was so well written. I'm not sure but maybe that really influenced me while I was reading this one. I couldn't tell if my reasons for not really liking the book had to do with not having read the series as a "kid" and having an understanding as well as an emotional connection to the book or if it was just awkwardly executed by the author. I feel like I need to reserve some judgment because I haven't read the other books. Unfortunately, the prequel isn't making me want to run out and read the BSC.

Vilate: Being the one who has read the series as a child, I'll of course be the one who loves this book a lot. :) I'm not sure I can see why someone wouldn't like it, but I'm certainly not unbiased on that front. I felt like it was a definite extension of the series and I got exactly what I expected from reading it. That said, I do think that it's more for those of us who have read the rest of the series, although I know that the author really hopes that it can be something passed on to new readers from old readers.

Renee: Part of my lack of enthusiasm was a lack of character development and exposition (which I guess, if you are already a fan of the series, you already know who everyone is and what they are like). I LOVE coming-of-age stories, so I really related to Kristy's dealing with her absentee dad and Claudia's first "romance," but I felt like Mary Anne didn't really have a voice or a story worth telling (in this book) and with Stacey being in NY for most of the novel, her sections always felt like a break from the real story. For me, some parts really worked and others felt unfinished.

Vilate: I can see that. Mary Anne doesn't really come out of her shell, though, for the first few books in the series so, for me, I felt that it was natural for her to sort of fade out. I also felt like Stacey's parts were a break in the flow, but I also felt like that was natural because her story was meant to be apart from the other three at the beginning. I understand, though, that it can be jarring or 'meh' to some people. What did you think about the four viewpoints in the book, Aly? Did you like one more than others?

Aly: I think with a prequel you should be able to jump in even if you don't know the story. Technically this is the beginning and we are talking Middle Grade fiction not something more advanced. However, I felt like the “voice of the characters" were off. I kept trying to imagine these conversations happening with the sixth/seventh graders that I know. Something wasn't working for me. I understand the whole - everyone develops/matures at their own rate - which is true - but something still felt off. And I did wish Stacey's character could have been developed a little more. Not knowing the series I can't say whether it would have been better to start it more when she arrived rather than while she was still in NYC? *shrugs*

Aly: And I also liked the issues that the girls were struggling with in terms of Kristy and her dad or Claudia and boys - which are very realistic. Though Mary Anne and her father seemed strange. It seemed somewhat 1950's - ish. I wanted to like it but after reading several other MG novels that were so much better developed I had a hard time with this one. It was simple enough to read but maybe that was part of the problem.

Renee: I agree... The "voices" didn't always seem age appropriate, and they weren't always distinguishable from one another. I find that when there is alternating first person POV separating each voice is usually a problem, unless there is a guy and a girl...

Vilate: I'll admit that I'm disappointed that the two of you didn't enjoy the story more. Since I'm not able to separate this book from the others, I can just say that I felt that the characters stayed true to form with the rest of the series. Granted, there was a lot of growth for them over the course of the 100+ books, but this starting-off point jives with the first four books in the series. I liked seeing the four girls in their different stages of development, and I liked seeing them work out some of their issues here.

Vilate: Kristy was never my favorite sitter, but I felt more connected to her in this book and I thought her story was pretty strong. Mary Anne was always my favorite and seeing her starting-off point was great for me, but it was rather frustrating at parts. Claudia and I never got along as well as I read the other books, so she did annoy me a little in this one, although I still liked reading her views. Stacey was my other favorite and I definitely felt some empathy towards her situation

Aly: I wondered as I was reading it if I would see Nancy Drew differently today if I went back to read the original books. I also wonder if an adult just picked up a Nancy Drew book and hadn't read it as a 9 year old girl would they think "OMG, this is horrible". So I knew that going into this book that I might have a strange reaction. I also read the reviews on GoodReads because I was curious to see what people thought. Most of the people who read it as children (which were all the reviewers) loved the BSC and hence loved this book. However, a few of them did seem to be able to look at this one more objectively and questioned the writing.

Aly: Overall though I think most of the readers connected back with the series that they loved and I think in that way the author did her job. And I could see how as a 9 or 10 year old girl you might love these books. And find certain ones that you connect with - either because of their personality or because of the issues that they struggled with.

Aly: Just curious, did the girls age in the series or did they stay in Middle School?

Vilate: They aged over 7th and 8th grade, but after a certain point, they really just stayed in 8th grade until the last book in the series. They were in 8th for 90% of the series, I'd say. Which Ann Martin commented on when I interviewed her. I remember thinking it was weird, but as a child I liked the series too much to worry about it.

Renee: I think the personality of some characters and their stories did endear the story to "outsiders" of the BSC fan base, but I agree with Aly that having no emotional connection to the phenomena of the Baby Sitter's Club, I couldn't appreciate it to its max. (I know personally I have revisited some childhood TV shows and books this summer that seem completely foreign to me now, esp. since I usually read stories with characters at least 15/16 years old).

Aly: You were saying that it was weird that they stayed in 8th grade for 90% of the series...think about this...Nancy Drew has been 18 for 80 years with the same boyfriend too. :)

Vilate: lol! I know there are plenty of series that have the same thing about age. Honestly, I've re-read the books (especially a few of my favorites) as an adult and I still really enjoy them. But I think we've pretty much covered what we thought about plot/characters/etc., for this book. I'll give this over to final thoughts, and would you recommend the book to anyone? I think you know that I'd be more than willing to give this out to middle-graders.

Renee: Sure. If you are a fan of middle-grade books and series like THE SISTERHOOD OF TRAVELING PANTS (Ann Brashares) or the THE INTERNET GIRLS series (Lauren Myracle) books or any of Jaclyn Moriarty’s stuff, I think I might recommend it.

Aly: Oh, I can see where girls who like this type of story would love this especially if they already have read some of the books in the BSC series. So I would still pass it on. With 9 to 12 year olds, anything that gets them reading and pulls them in is fine by me.

Vilate: It's great to hear that. Great chat tonight!

Forgive My Fins Contest Winner

2010-07-07T18:36:00.005-05:00

We did the contest a little differently this time around. Everyone who entered had to give a brief paragraph about what they'd be like as a mermaid. So first of all, thanks to everyone who participated! I had a tough time deciding which paragraph to feature, but I did find a winner.

Congratulations to Erin, aka Little Dhampir91! And for everyone's enjoyment, here's her winning entry all about what she'd be like as a mermaid:

If I were a mermaid, I would mostly likely be the adventurous one under the sea. You would always find me exploring the deeper depths of shipwrecks, seeking for long lost treasure that once belonged to some explorer and/or someone important, and also go to great lengths to see a whole new, forbidden world beyond the waters – such as human land. In other words, I’d be exactly like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, wanting to know as much as I can about the mermaid and human worlds.

Thanks again, Erin and congrats! We hope you enjoy reading Forgive My Fins.

~ Vilate

Book Review: Chasing Brooklyn

2010-07-06T18:01:00.004-05:00

Author: Lisa Schroeder
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (January 10, 2010)
Pages: 412
Reading Level: YA
Source: Own

Description from GoodReads:
Restless souls and empty hearts.

Brooklyn can’t sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca died a year ago, and now their friend Gabe has died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there, waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca chasing her through her dreams.

Nico can’t stop. He’s always running, trying so hard not to feel the pain of missing Lucca. But when he begins receiving messages from his dead brother, telling him to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface.

As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest.

A few months ago I read and reviewed Lisa Schroeder’s IT’S RAINING CUPCAKES. You can read my review here. I had her YA books I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME and FAR FROM YOU and CHASING BROOKLYN on my TBR list. In preparation for her book signing at Vroman’s (check out my post on her visit here), I delved into I HEART YOU and found myself completely absorbed in Ava’s story. It was my first novel in verse and I had been hesitant to read “novels in verse” before since I tend to really not like poetry. Yet Schroeder managed to capture the emotions and mood with amazing clarity and depth. I wanted to go around handing out copies of it because it was such a powerful little story.

Next I quickly picked up FAR FROM YOU and found myself just as absorbed. I kept thinking I need to go to sleep and instead I kept turning pages wanting to know what was going to happen to Ali and her family. The emotions and feelings so real but tapered with so much hope.

I saved CHASING BROOKLYN until after Lisa’s signing. I discovered from listening to her talk about how her books came about that CHASING BROOKLYN is technically a companion novel to I HEART YOU. Schroeder indicated that her editor felt that Ava from the first book was left in a good place and was there another story that could be explored. The result was Schroeder’s story of Nico and Brooklyn which became a gift for fans of I HEART YOU. Set in the same world the story further explores loss, love, grief, and healing from a slightly different angle. Without spoiling the story for anyone, Brooklyn’s boyfriend Lucca died in a car accident. As she struggles to deal with her loss, Lucca’s brother Nico reaches out to her based on what he believes is the prompting of his brother. I will stop there because anything further will spoil it for you. However, I will say, I have a new fictional crush – Nico has some wonderful qualities and he cooks.

It was fun to watch Schroeder’s growth as a writer but how throughout all 3 books you see these deep emotions that are so beautifully paired with a message of hope. I would highly recommend her books to any teen and even reluctant readers will find her stories easy to read but with powerful lessons/messages. I have also mentioned Schroeder’s books to several counselors that I know because of the topics and how I can see the books being beneficial to a reader who is dealing with loss and grief.

I am already pining for Schroeder’s next book which she hasn’t even finished writing, but until then, I just might have to re-read Chasing Brooklyn.

As a special treat to readers of our blog, I asked Lisa Schroeder to sign a copy of CHASING BROOKLYN that I could give away in a contest. You have a chance to win a signed hard cover copy of CHASING BROOKLYN, a postcard showing all three covers, and an I HEART YOU bookmark.

To Enter the Contest:
1. You must fill out the form below.
2. You must be 14 years or older to enter the contest.
3. You must submit the form prior to 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sunday, July 11, 2010
For Extra Entries:
- Leave a comment in the comment section about why you want to read Chasing Brooklyn (1 extra entry)
- Tweet it, Blog about it, or post it on your blog or Facebook page (each item will earn you 2 extra entries)
- Follow the Blog (New followers will get 1 extra entry, Current Followers will get 2 extra entries)

Click Here to Complete the Entry Form

Review of The Hoboken Chicken Emergency

2010-07-05T13:49:00.004-05:00

Author: Daniel Manus Pinkwater
Illustrator: Tony Auth
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 112
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12

Description from GoodReads:
Arthur is sent to find a Thanksgiving turkey, but returns with a 266-pound chicken with a mind of its own in a fresh new look at everyone's favorite feathered tale. B&W illustrations throughout.

Part of my reading goals this summer is to catch up on reading a number of middle grade books on my "To Be Read" list. So far I have read about six Middle Grade books and have really enjoyed nearly every one of them. Here is one of the six that just kept me laughing...

Daniel Pinwater's The Hoboken Chicken Emergency was recommended to me a few months ago. I'm not certain but I think it might have been originally released in 1977. However, it is one of those stories that continues to work even years later. To elaborate on the GoodReads description the story is basically a tale of friendship between a boy named Arthur and a 266 lb. 6 foot tall chicken named Henrietta. Shortly after Arthur brings Henrietta home, his father tells him to take her back to her original owner. It seems that in the short time that the two were together they bonded and now Henrietta wants to find Arthur. In Henrietta's attempt to find Arthur, she proceeds to scare the residents of Hoboken and cause utter chaos. Will Arthur find Henrietta in time?

This book is funny. You can't help laughing at Arthur's attempts to train Henrietta or how everyone mistakes Henrietta for everything from a polar bear to some kind of alien life-form. The mayor and city councils' attempt to capture Henrietta is just plain comical. However, I truly admire any writer who can write humor for elementary age students. You have to have just the right combination of making it seem real and funny without going too far over the edge. Pinkwater does a great job with the humor in this story. It is funny, touching, and just an enjoyable little book.

If you are looking for a fun read for girls or boys (though boys might appreciate it more) this summer, I would add this to your list. The reading level recommendation states 9 to 12 year olds but it can easily be read by 7 & 8 year olds. The humor and easy writing style will appeal to reluctant readers as well.

Have a great summer and don't forget to grab a book and read,
-Aly

Fantasy Friday (and Contest!): Forgive My Fins

2010-07-02T16:47:00.004-05:00

Forgive My Fins, by Tera Lynn Childs

Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 293
Reading Level: 13 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High

I usually read an author’s book before I interview them, but I’m glad I waited on this one. I was actually more interested in reading it after I did the interview. (You can find the interview at www.yalitreview.libsyn.com)

From GoodReads:

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

What I enjoyed most about the book was the imaginative portrayal of the mermaids. The images the author used were amazing and it was easy to see everything (especially in Thalassinia). The mythology is great and very believable. I wanted to be a mermaid after reading this!

The characters are good, too. I’ve heard some people mention that they didn’t like Lily’s sea-inspired slang, but it didn’t bother me. I prefer it when slang and swearing coincide with a character’s background. It made Lily feel more realistic. Her reactions to conflict were also natural for someone in her position. Her co-star, Quince, is the quintessential foil for Lily. They played off each other pretty well.

Here’s a slight spoiler alert, though, so be warned. I can’t address the aspect of the book I didn’t like as much without giving a little away…

On GoodReads, I only gave this four stars because I’m really tired of the right guy/wrong guy thing. It’s been done to death and I wish that there was some way around making the guy a character despises into the guy she loves. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like the book, and I’m interested in reading the next one – I’m just done reading book with this cliché in them for a while.

All in all, this was a fun read. If you like the teen fantasy/romance, you should definitely pick this up. And here’s your opportunity… I’m giving away a signed copy of Forgive My Fins!

To enter:

1. Tweet and/or Facebook a comment and link to this contest.
2. Leave a comment here on the blog with your name, age, and a link to your Tweet/Facebook.
3. Email blogger@yaliteraturereview.com a brief paragraph about what you’d be like as a mermaid.

The contest winner will be chosen by the emailed paragraph, so have fun and be creative with it. You can include anything you’d like about being a mermaid (how it would be underwater, interacting with other people, finding a mermate, etc.). You have until July 7th to enter. The contest winner will be announced that day and a blog post with the winning paragraph will be posted on the blog.

Good luck! And until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Middle Grade Monday: The Higher Power of Lucky

2010-06-28T00:54:00.005-05:00

Author: Susan Patron
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Pages: 134
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12 years old
Source: Purchased/Own
Newbery Medal: 2007

Description of book as taken from GoodReads:

Lucky, age ten, can't wait another day. The meanness gland in her heart and the crevices full of questions in her brain make running away from Hard Pan, California (population 43), the rock-bottom only choice she has.
It's all Brigitte's fault -- for wanting to go back to France. Guardians are supposed to stay put and look after girls in their care! Instead Lucky is sure that she'll be abandoned to some orphanage in Los Angeles where her beloved dog, HMS Beagle, won't be allowed. She'll have to lose her friends Miles, who lives on cookies, and Lincoln, future U.S. president (maybe) and member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers. Just as bad, she'll have to give up eavesdropping on twelve-step anonymous programs where the interesting talk is all about Higher Powers. Lucky needs her own -- and quick.

But she hadn't planned on a dust storm.

Or needing to lug the world's heaviest survival-kit backpack into the desert.

Recently, I have been catching up on reading Middle Grade Fiction from my TBR pile. Susan Patron's The Higher Power of Lucky had been highly recommended and I knew if I could just sit down with it I would probably love it. There is something about Middle Grade stories that can be amazing and Patron's book has it all. Characters that come alive, a setting that feels like you can step right into it, and a sense of hope that reaches in and touches you in deep places. Long after putting it down, you'll find yourself thinking about Lucky and her life in Hard Pan, a teeny-tiny town out in the California desert.

Lucky lost her mother at age 8 due to an accident. Consequently, Lucky lugs around a survival bag just in case. After the death of her mother, Lucky's father arranges for his first wife to move from France to be Lucky's guardian. Brigitte misses France and Lucky is afraid that one day Brigitte will return to France and she will be forced to go to an orphanage. Inspired by the stories that Lucky hears while eavesdropping on various 12 Step Programs, she decides that if she can find her "higher power" she will know what to do. When Lucky believes that she has hit "rock bottom", she decides to runaway from home. The journey teaches her what family really is and helps her to finally deal with the loss of her mother.

As I reading The Higher Power of Lucky, I just knew I wanted to share it with my students. I want to do more than just recommend this book. Though I know both boys and girls will enjoy reading Lucky's story, I am almost afraid that some of my reluctant readers won't give it a chance. I want to make sure that students meet Lucky because I know if I can just get them to meet her they will love her as much as I do. Hence, this will be a story I use either for a book club or a classroom read aloud.

I encourage you to pick up The Higher Power of Lucky. It will make you laugh, and cry and believe just a little more.

Happy Summer Reading,
- Aly

Steampunk Sunday: Leviathan

2010-06-27T14:02:00.002-05:00

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld; Illustrated by Keith Thompson

Publisher: Simon Schuster
Pages: 434
Reading Level: 10 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High

Close friends will know that I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time. I saw Scott Westerfeld in Houston before Leviathan came out and he shared a few of the gorgeous illustrations with us. It was amazing! Now it’s time to review the book…

From amazon.com:

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. The Leviathan is a living airship, the most formidable airbeast in the skies of Europe.

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 probably should’ve known this already, but the mix of fabricated animals and machinery surprised me when I started reading Leviathan. I don’t know where my mind was, I guess, but it’s nice to be surprised! Lol. The weaving of the two “worlds” in this is seamless and makes for extremely interesting reading. I also really loved seeing how fabricated animals and machinery made for opposite sides of World War I.

I can’t really say anything about the plot or characters that can’t already be summed up in the words, “Scott Westerfeld is a masterful storyteller.” If anything, I can say that I wish I was as good as he is at intertwining character and plot, giving a beautiful setting, and staying as true as possible to history in a Steampunk novel.

So I’ll also touch on the illustrations. Really, just a touch… They’re gorgeous.

It’s a little difficult to review a book that is so well-crafted. It’s art, and that is amazing to read. Oddly enough, I didn’t find the story compelling enough to finish the book in eight hours. I didn’t feel the need to stay up until I was finished with it. I suppose that I could write a lot more about that, but I won’t here. Just know that in my head, I’m wondering why Twilight did so much more to enrapture me than Leviathan, when (sorry guys) Leviathan is the superior book.

(Don’t send me hate-comments for that, lol. I love, love, love Twilight, but we must all call a spade a spade sometimes…)

I will highly recommend Leviathan, though. It’s truly a beautiful piece of storytelling, and you won’t regret reading it. This is one that I think will appeal to boys, reluctant readers, and anyone who enjoys a good tale.

Until next time, go read something good!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: Hourglass

2010-06-25T10:59:00.000-05:00

Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperTeen (March 9, 2010)
Pages: 339
Reading Level: YA
Source: purchased at bookstore

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas seek refuge with Black Cross, an elite group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend--the vampire Balthazar--all her secrets threaten to come out.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas have orchestrated Balthazar's escape and are on the run, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they run, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything--but can it survive what's to come?

*** WARNING: THIS SERIES SHOULD BE READ IN ORDER. REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOK(S) IN SERIES.***

This third installment in the Evernight series is another knock-out. In this third book in the series, Lucas and Bianca have found a way to be together after the "fall of Evernight Academy" at the end of Stargazer, but Mrs. Bethany and Evernight are hot on their trail to get back Bianca, all the while Bianca's choice of whether to become a full vampire or not is slowly running out of time. The stakes are higher (and sharper!) in this one, for sure.

Basically, everything I liked in the first two books holds the same for this one. The character development is still exceptional, and we see different sides to these characters who thought we already knew. Mrs. Bethany has always intrigued me in this series -- I never particularly liked her, but I knew there was more to her than meets the eye -- so I was glad to see her character return. Her role in Evernight Academy and the paranormal activity around the campus is slowly revealed to us (although, I still have a few lingering questions for Book 4) and I like that I can never quite peg her as "good" or "bad." Another character we see more of in Hourglass is Bianca's best friend from the school, Raquel, since Raquel leaves with Bianca at the end of Stargazer. I really liked the direction her character went in, because up until now, she has been mostly playing the victim, and there was just a lot of anger and resentment for her character. Seeing Raquel in these new environs and being strong and having her own interests was refreshing, because her character was one of the few in the series who I previously thought was "unnecessary."

In keeping with the character growth, I really liked where Lucas went in this book. I've always loved Lucas' character, but sometimes he came off as stubborn, especially in how he reacted to his and Bianca's problem that she would/might become a vampire and he would remain human. In Hourglass, and I'll try not to go into too much detail, but Bianca's body is making it increasingly obvious that she cannot keep denying who she is supposed to be, which makes for many great scenes where Lucas is forced to put his prejudices aside and take care of her. I really loved this depth to their relationship, because while I always believed that they really cared about each other, there was always something missing. Seeing Bianca's fluctuating health and Lucas' response to that was really great and really made me like them as a couple.

There is more to this novel than the YA romance, though. Balthazar has returned and ends up in the hands of Black Cross, making for inevitable conflict and some decent action sequences. (Side note: I am not a huge fan of Balthazar's character, but I've heard that Claudia Gray is planning to write a spin-off series for his character, so if you feel that his presence is lacking as the Evernight series goes on, you might want to look out for her upcoming books.) And along with the action, is still the question of what the wraiths and vampires have to do with Evernight Academy and why both sides seem to be hunting or haunting Bianca. This storyline is not developed to its fullest, but enough information is shared to have you waiting on tenterhooks for the fourth (and I think, final) book.

Aaaah. the wait is going to be so long, especially after this ending. I would definitely classify the ending of Hourglass as "cliff-hanger." So many tensions present in the novel come to head in the last few chapters: unlikely alliances are formed, unexpected changes occur, and so much more. The pace fluctuated somewhat throughout this book, but the final pages are absolute page-turners. What are we going to do until March 1, 2010 when Afterlife comes out?

Until next time,
Happy Reading!!

Review of Shadow Hills

2010-06-22T23:42:00.005-05:00

Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Publisher: EgmontUSA (July 13, 2010)
Pages: 400
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ARC for review

Description (as taken from GoodReads):

His love captivated her... his secrets might kill her.

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.

I have been interested in reading Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus since November 2009 when I heard about it from Kami Garcia. I quickly added it to the list of the books I intended to read for The Story Siren's (Kristi) 2010 Debut Author Challenge And then in late December 2009, I won an ARC contest from Anastasia Hopcus which included the first chapter of Shadow Hills. As I came to the end of the first chapter, I felt like a cruel joke was being played on me. What?! No more to read?! Consequently, I became giddy when I actually obtained an advance reader's copy of Shadow Hills.

In an effort to write a spoiler-free review, I am going to focus on how Shadow Hills lives up to my "this is a good book" criteria. My criteria looks at readability, characters, twists on the paranormal theme, and ease in recommending it.

There were two things that quickly jumped out at me while I was reading Shadow Hills. An author should write in a way that engages the reader from the first chapter. I am pretty adamant about this. There are too many good books out there to waste time struggling through the first 100 pages of a book waiting for something to happen or for it to become interesting. Just as with reading the first chapter of the book, when I was able to finally sit down and read Hopcus's novel, I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to find out more about Persephone “Phe” Archer and the world of Shadow Hills. Part of what really gripped me was how Hopcus is able to reveal her characters' secrets without confusing me or irritating the heck out of me.

As for Anastasia Hopcus's characters, may I just say one word - Zach. Yes, hot boy with powers. I truly think I have a new fictional love interest. Despite Zach's hotness factor, what really is brilliant on Hopcus's part is that both Phe and Zach are equally matched. I am not going to reveal too much because I would then be spoiling it for readers, but let's just say that Phe is no wimpy teenage girl. I will also say I loved all of the secondary characters. There are some characters that you should really dislike and some that you should really like. Plus, I liked Phe's friends despite their very realistic flaws.

My third criteria is a difficult one for many books. There seems to be only so many twists or variations on the same theme. Shadow Hills was refreshing in that I didn't feel like I was reading the same vampire/werewolf/faery/angel book that populates the shelves of bookstores in over abundance. The history of Zach, his family and the townies and the evolution of their gifts and abilities was fascinating. Phe's ability is different than Zach's but presents with its own unique history. Though the connection between the two was not fully developed, I truly sensed that this was intentional and that in the next book we will gain a deep understanding of the connection between the two.

Can I recommend Shadow Hills? That would be a definite YES! Enough said!

After reading the book, I did have one thing I struggled with but you will probably laugh when you hear it. Let me just say, I grew up in New England. I went to college in New Hampshire and I lived in Massachusetts. And I have lived in Los Angeles. October is cold in Massachusetts. After all these years living in Southern California, when I go home, I freeze. Phe is from Los Angeles. When I think about her clothes, I just kept wanting to run after her with a jacket or a heavy duty sweatshirt yelling "You forgot something." See I told you that you would laugh?!

Shadow Hills is a great debut novel, and I am already pining for book 2. Really, Hopcus has to stop doing this to me. I am totally looking forward to seeing how Phe's abilities grow and how she learns more about her connection to Shadow Hills. And well, yeah, I want more Zach but that goes without saying.

Contest: Here's your chance to win a copy of and ARC of Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus -You will get one point for each item below (for every point you get an additional entry). The more items that you complete the more chances to win.

1. Leave a comment about why you are interested in winning the book
2. Tweet about this contest - please include @alybee930 in the tweet so I can keep track of the tweets
3. Comment it about the contest on your Facebook Page (leave the link in the comments section)

This contest is open to International Readers as well as those living in the United States.

Contest will end on Sunday, June 27, 2010.

Middle Grade Monday: Quantum Prophecy

2010-06-21T19:54:00.002-05:00

Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening, by Michael Carroll

Publisher: Puffin Books
Pages: 264
Reading Level: 10 and Up
Enjoyment Level: High

As some of you know, I am always on the lookout to find good books for boys. I have several on my shelf right now, but I’ve noticed that it’s becoming easier to find them. It was definitely easy to pick this one up, and it was more than easy to read it.

All the superheroes and supervillains disappeared ten years ago, so Danny and Colin are shocked when they discover their own powers. They’re even more surprised when they learn about a prophecy, foretold by one of the old superheroes. Now, the two boys will need to figure out all they can in order to save themselves from losing everything they know and love.

Quantum Prophecy is fast-paced, and interesting. It was really nice to get a “paranormal” book that had nothing to do with vampires, werewolves, or ghosts. And superheroes aren’t super-trendy right now, either, so reading this was quite refreshing for me.

The characters are fun. The viewpoints shift around a bit too much for my preference, but not to the point where it was confusing at all. The two boys that the story centers around are easy to like and cheer for as they encounter their conflicts. Even though I’m not a boy, I feel like boys will find these characters relatable.

The plot is very interesting, also. Like it suggests in the title, there is a prophecy, though it’s all revealed slowly and there are still nuances missing – which makes me interested to read further in the series. Plenty of action surrounds the characters and the plot. I will say that I was slightly disappointed in some of the more predictable aspects of the book, but it still wasn’t enough to make me say I didn’t like the overall story.

I highly recommend this one to young boys. So, parents, or aunts and uncles, if you’re looking for one that would make a good gift, get Quantum Prophecy. It’s still flying under the radar, but I think the concept is fresh enough and the characters are interesting enough that it’ll soon gain a good following.

Until next time, go read something!

~ Vilate

Fantasy Friday: Stargazer

2010-06-18T07:29:00.000-05:00

Stargazer, by Claudia Gray

Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperTeen (March 24, 2009)
Pages: 329
Reading Level: YA
Source: purchased at bookstore

The vampire in me was closer to the surface...

Evernight Academy: an exclusive boarding school for the most beautiful, dangerous students of all—vampires. Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one of them.

But Bianca fell in love with Lucas—a vampire hunter sworn to destroy her kind. They were torn apart when his true identity was revealed, forcing him to flee the school.

Although they may be separated, Bianca and Lucas will not give each other up. She will risk anything for the chance to see him again, even if it means coming face-to-face with the vampire hunters of Black Cross—or deceiving the powerful vampires of Evernight. Bianca's secrets will force her to live a life of lies.

Yet Bianca isn't the only one keeping secrets. When Evernight is attacked by an evil force that seems to target her, she discovers the truth she thought she knew is only the beginning....

*** WARNING: THIS SERIES SHOULD BE READ IN ORDER. REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOK(S) IN SERIES.***

Overall, Stargazer was a strong follow-up to Evernight. If you enjoyed the intrigue, romance, and mystery in the Evernight world from the first book, then you shouldn't be disappointed by Claudia Gray's bestselling sequel. The same elements and characters that you loved in Evernight return, and the plot develops in surprising and exciting ways.

Stargazer picks up a few months after Evernight ends, and because of the climactic ending of the first book, Lucas isn't at Evernight Academy. This was a little off-putting to me -- I loved the chemistry between Lucas and Bianca -- but Lucas does have a significant presence in the novel. Lucas' absence from Evernight Academy allows his character's plot line to grow from being just a love interest, to a fuller understanding of his life with Black Cross and his character's goals and desires outside of Bianca. Another character that grew in Stargazer was Balthazar. I was never a huge fan of Balthazar in the first book of the series (although I know many readers complained that they wanted more of him) but Gray does explain Balthazar more and we learn about his history and see more of his interactions with Bianca. Bianca continues to be one of my favorite characters, though, because she knows how to stand up for herself without being stubborn or petulant; she knows how to be "strong" without literally throwing punches.

A significant development in Stargazer is the focus on Mrs. Bethany and Evernight Academy. The first book skirted around the issue of why humans were suddenly allowed to attend Evernight with the vampire students, but those larger plot lines played second string to developing the relationship between Lucas and Bianca. Now that the romance is established, Gray was able to spend time building mystery around the school and the headmistress. I really loved these developments, which included the introduction of a new supernatural creature/being (that is not a werewolf). There is a lot more suspense and action in Stargazer, which made the last 100 or so pages complete page-turners. There was a lot of information shared in Stargazer without it becoming a filler-book in the series. Some of this new information, of course, had to do with Bianca's unique position as being a half-vampire who hasn't performed the change or fully come into her vampire self yet, and no is quite sure what the outcome of that dilemma will be.

I highly recommend this series. The characters are so well-developed and the storyline is so much more than boy-meets-girl, but be aware: the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, so I would make sure that the third book, Hourglass, is either on your night stand or in stock at a nearby book retailer, because the end is quite jaw-dropping.

Until next time,
Happy reading!

Renée

Three Viewpoint Thursday: THE PACE

2010-06-17T06:45:00.002-05:00

Every third or fourth Thursday, Alyson, Vilate and I get together and talk about a young adult or middle-grade book in a roundtable discussion-type forum. Our latest book chat was about THE PACE by Shelena Shorts.

Weston Wilson is not immortal and he is of this world. But, aging is not part of his existence, and eighteen-year-old Sophie Slone is determined to find out why. In doing so, she could also uncover something about her own life expectancy that she may not want to know. Suddenly, immortality will mean everything and nothing all at the same time.

WARNING: Towards the end there a few minor spoilers. Nothing that will completely ruin the plot for you, but we do reference a few scenes towards the end of the novel, so keep that in mind.

Renee: If we're ready, let's start talking about The Pace, by Shelena Shorts.

Renee: First, what was everyone's general response or opinion of the book?

Aly: My initial impressions weren't that positive. To be serious, the story had a very slow beginning for me. I kept feeling like skimming sections. But then it picked up some more about mid-way through the book when you find out about Wes and his background.

Vilate: For me, the book never really picked up. I felt like I was reading an initial draft of a story instead of a finished product. I honestly don't know if I have anything good to say about the book, which is sad because even with Going Bovine there were some redeeming qualities.

Renee: For me, it was one of those books that had the right "recipe" for a good book (mysterious boy with paranormal abilities, girl in a new environment, "forbidden love," etc.) but the finished product just didn't come out quite right. I agree with Vi that it felt like a very EARLY draft. The beginning just kind of happened; and Wes and Sophie meet too soon, before I even know who she is or whether I should care about her yet. Also, the ending felt way rushed and wrapped up too neatly.

Vilate: To be honest, I did end up skipping parts. There was a lot of relationship-building that was slow. I don't mind character development without a lot of plot as a general rule, but that takes some panache. Stephenie Meyer did it well with Twilight. She made the reader […] enough about the various connections of the characters, but The Pace had no real fire to it. Not enough to hook me into caring about her main characters.

Aly: See, that was part of my problem. I realize that Twilight has some significant issues. But Meyer does something with her story development and characters that obviously not only worked for me, but for many, many others. I think you are right in that this feels like an ARC that still needs a lot of work rather than a finished product. I also felt like there were lines and images lifted directly from Twilight and not even done as well. I wanted to like the book because of the interesting concept but it just never seemed to deliver. And the end was too abrupt.

Renee: I have read books where the writing wasn't necessarily "good writing," but I got swept up in the story anyway -- sort of like a guilty pleasure -- but something was really lacking in this book. The characters didn't have any chemistry together, and separately they seemed very flat: Wes is perfect, and Sophie is codependent and needy. But there is a growing following for this book on Goodreads (and I'm sure elsewhere) so I wonder what is it that makes some people rave about it and others (like the 3 of us) have such lukewarm or negative responses. I can't put my finger on specifically what was missing...

Aly: I see the three of us being realistic readers. We are generous on some level especially with things that we tend to like - as you said - with guilty pleasures. But I think we also can see where a book could have been improved or maybe a plot line wasn't working. So it is strange. Maybe there are just a lot of people out there looking for something like Twilight and this seemed *close* to them? I don't know. But Renee you are so summing it up for me.

Aly: What did you think about the twist with Sophie and her *past lives*?

Vilate: I'll speak to that. One word: Evermore. The idea of one guy living as an immortal while the girl he loves is reincarnated is definitely the plot of Evermore. But, again, the execution of the idea was done so much better in Evermore, even though I still gave that one a little less than four stars.

Renee: Funny that you mention the Evermore series, b/c that is exactly what I thought about when reading this book too. This *past lives* theme has been explored in YA, even in one of my favorite new authors, but it was handled differently. I will say that the *past lives* storyline was one of the few things that interested me in their story. That and the almost science-fiction explanation behind "what" Wes is.

Vilate: That did catch my interest, too. I feel like I'm just sounding completely negative in this chat, but unfortunately, as interesting as it was, it didn't keep me hooked and all the telling and non-action around it just let the whole concept fizzle out for me.

Aly: I loved the explanation of the science behind what Wes was and I think that could have been wonderfully developed and more action and other aspects pulled into the story. And I'm not sure I would have been completely bothered by the re-incarnation twist if again it was executed properly. However, it just fizzled out.

Renee: The explanation behind “what” Wes was was great for me, b/c I was expecting some sort of faerie/vampire/angel story, and I loved the originality of it. For me, it wasn't used to its fullest because he explained what he was, and then it didn't play any part in the larger plot until the last few chapters. I think if there was less time spent trying to convince the readers that Wes/Sophie was a worthwhile couple (though I wasn't thoroughly convinced), the author could have devoted more time to developing action around Wes' uniqueness and then picked up the pace of The Pace.

Vilate: I agree with that, Renee. It's very sad that I can't find much positive to say about this book because there were some good concepts introduced. But it was bogged down by things like all the exposition in the beginning, and really just the entire ending. I had to re-read the end to make sure I wasn't confused by what was happening. Not only was the kidnapping predictable, but the actual ending was very abrupt. What did you two think of the ending?

Aly: Agreed. I had to re-read it to see if maybe I was missing something. I still feel like I was missing something. But abrupt is a common word that I have seen from several people who did not feel as positive about the book.

Renee: I don't know what happened at the end. STILL. Wes and Sophie were deeply buried in this (slightly melodramatic) no-escape situation.... and then she opens her eyes and they are both fine in each other's arms. I really have no idea WHAT happened in the end, and that could have been a good place for some action scenes to build up Wes as a hero or introduce a new character for the sequel or something.

Vilate: I thought she died at the end...

Aly: I thought we were back in a dream sequence. Oh, this is bad when 3 readers aren't sure. Anyway, I did feel that the whole thing with the research and the serum could have been used for action. And that didn't seem to be developed well and then there could have been more to how that was used to end the book and set it up for the sequel. IDK.

Renee: Sadly, none of us really knows what happened at the end (which is *great* for anyone looking to read it, since we didn't spoil it). I still can't put my finger on what was so off about this book. Is there any demographic or fan base you would recommend this to (besides Twilight) since there are many people falling in love with this story?

Vilate: Yeah... Unfortunately, I can't in good faith recommend this book to anyone at this point. I'd be failing as a reviewer. However, it is aimed at the Twilight demographic.

Aly: I think there are so many books that I would recommend first to readers even within the “Twilight demographics” before this one. I realize the author has worked hard on writing a story and I realize that an agent, editor and publisher found it worth publishing. And there are a lot of 4 star reviews but I cannot in good conscience recommend this to anyone.

Renee: I don't want this to sound rude, but I would probably only recommend it to someone new to the YA paranormal genre. Being well-read in young adult fantasy, there were too many obvious parallels to other series and examples we could think of (without trying too hard) where the same concept was executed better. So MAYBE if you aren't very familiar with the genre, you could really get into it, but honestly it is not one I really feel the need to tell my friends about.

Renee: Any final thoughts? There is a sequel (The Broken Lake) being released this summer on August 19, so obviously the series is gaining steam...

Vilate: Actually, I really think it's just because the publisher is fairly new and independent... I'm pretty sure it's not because the series has enough die-hard fans to warrant a sequel. As for final thoughts... I think I've already said everything I can. lol.

Aly: I have said everything that I need to say about that.

Renee: Alright, well thanks for another lovely chat.

Until next time,
Happy Reading!

Renée

And the winner is....

2010-06-16T19:10:00.006-05:00

Last week, I reviewed Shannon Delany's debut novel 13 to Life. At the end, I gave everyone a chance to win a copy of her new book which will be released on Tuesday, June 22nd. After a week of comments and tweets, I selected a winner. Well actually my 9 year old niece selected the winner.

Here is how we selected a winner:
1. I assigned each person who commented on the review and tweeted about the contest a number.

2. I wrote the numbers and names on small slips of paper and placed them all in a bag.

3. After mixing, and mixing, and mixing up the numbers, my niece pulled out a winner.

And the winner of 13 to Life by Shannon Delany is Cynthia (@cynthia11).

Thank you everyone who participated. I had a lot of fun with this contest and I know Shannon is excited about how much interest there is in her book.

Congratulations! Cynthia you have till tomorrow to claim your prize and then I will be off to pop it in the mail. You may email me at alybee930@gmail.com

-aly

Fantasy Friday: Evernight

2010-06-11T12:27:00.000-05:00

Evernight, by Claudia Gray

Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: Harper Teen (June 1, 2008)
Pages: 327
Reading Level: YA
Source: purchased at bookstore

Bianca wants to escape.

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would."

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

WOW. I'm not sure where to begin with this book. I got this book when I was going through a post-Twilight fever for all things "teen" and "vampire" and (rather embarrassingly) just picked up anything with fangs at Barnes & Noble. I didn't have any expectations for this new author, so I was pleasantly surprised when I was hooked within the first few chapters. For me, this is one of those read-in-one-sitting kind of books, with romance, mystery, adventure, hot boys with a rebellious streak, and just a sprinkling of teen angst. I think if you have any vague interest in the young adult paranormal genre, this book will definitely appeal to you, and your friend, and your neighbor, and your mailman...

Why did I like this book so much? It's hard to say. I've read many teen paranormal books/series and quite a few of them have had vampires, or attractive young men, or boarding schools with secrets, but Evernight really stands out for me. I think a main part about that is that the protagonist, Bianca, has something different about her. I get really irritated when all I read about are normal girls who sit around waiting for some gorgeous boy/creature to come and rock her world, so I loved reading about Bianca who had her own unique connection to the paranormal world meet Lucas, who has mysterious prejudices and defenses (that aren't fully revealed until the end). The dynamic of the two of them really worked for me. Sometimes authors have the right formula for "teen romance" but the pair just lacks chemistry; with Evernight, Bianca and Lucas had great banter and interactions, and all of their scenes together were memorable and interesting to get into. The relationship in general, was just great to read about, and I kept thinking about what's-coming-next for them, long after I finished with this book.

Bianca/Lucas aside, I like that there were other characters who played significant roles in the story. Bianca's best friend at the academy, Raquel, has her own dilemma and fears that make her question the academy, which are totally separate from Lucas' reasons for mistrusting the school. Bianca's parents -- teachers at the school -- also functioned prominently into the story, and all the scenes with them having family dinners or discussions were nice, because most YA books just pretend that young people don't have families or have families that are totally oblivious. It was refreshing to read about characters who had their own things going on that didn't revolve around the "core couple." And, since I'm sure you are all wondering, Yes, there is a potential love triangle with another character Balthazar. Balthazar is the perfect "Evernight type" and a genuinely good guy, who we see a few interesting exchanges between himself and Bianca in this book, but I know this isn't the last of him...

Finally, I just really liked the concept of Evernight Academy. The school itself has an interesting past, and some of the things Bianca and Lucas learn about the academy --like that is accepts both human and vampire students -- are so interesting, that even if they are not completely answered in this book, I cannot wait to see them explored later in the series.

Evernight is the first in a four-book series. Following are Stargazer and Hourglass, with the fourth book, Afterlife, to be released in 2011. I highly recommend this series for anyone looking for a twist on the teen vampire story, or for fans of young adult fantasy in general.

Happy Reading,
Renée.

Thirteen to Life

2010-06-08T23:12:00.005-05:00

Author: Shannon Delany
Publisher: St. Martin’s (June 22, 2010)
Pages: 308
Reading Level: YA
Source: ARC for review

Excerpt from GoodReads:
Something strange is stalking the small town of Junction…

When junior Jess Gillmansen gets called out of class by Guidance, she can only presume it’s for one of two reasons. Either they’ve finally figured out who wrote the scathing anti-jock editorial in the school newspaper or they’re hosting yet another intervention for her about her mom. Although far from expecting it, she’s relieved to discover Guidance just wants her to show a new student around—but he comes with issues of his own including a police escort.

The newest member of Junction High, Pietr Rusakova has secrets to hide--secrets that will bring big trouble to the small town of Junction—secrets including dramatic changes he’s undergoing that will surely end his life early.

I am really thankful for The Story Siren’s (Kristi) 2010 Debut Challenge. It has given me a great excuse to purchase about 25 books as they have come out (yes, even though I have a review copy I have also pre-ordered the book) and also help spread the news about some great new authors. One of those authors that I have really enjoyed getting to know through Twitter and other on-line sources is Shannon Delany. Her book THIRTEEN TO LIFE was one that I was eagerly awaiting, especially since Paranormal YA stories with a romance is one of my favorite categories. So I was especially eager to read it when it arrived in the mail.

There are a few qualities that all my favorite books have in common. First, I love when I start a book and can't (or don't want to) put it down. Second, I really have to love the characters. I can forgive a lot if I enjoy the characters in the story. Third, I like little twists on traditional mythology. Fourth, I love having some humor in a book. Finally, do I think it will be an easy book to book talk or recommend. Let's see how THIRTEEN TO LIFE scored.

When I first pick up a book to read, I can’t help but judge it by how long it takes me to read the story. There is a huge difference in a book where I nearly need to set a timer in order to keep reading it versus a book where I don’t put it down until I am finished with the last page. With THIRTEEN TO LIFE, I am happy to say that I started the book at about 7 or 8 p.m. and stayed up until 3 a.m. in order to finish it. Fortunately, I didn't have work the next day or I would have been one very tired educator. I was not deadline to get it finished and I was actually on break so there wasn't exactly a lot competing for my attention, and yet, I really wanted to find out how the story was going to turn out.

THIRTEEN TO LIFE was off to a good start. So what did I think about the characters? Hot boys with accents!! Okay, to be fair to Shannon there were certainly more than just hot boys with accents. The story is about Jess, a high school junior, who has recently suffered the loss of her mother in an accident. Jess is a bright student who loves horses and has a crush on one of the boys in her high school. Pietr is a new student at school with a mysterious background. Pietr resides with his older brothers and twin sister. Jess lives on a farm with her father, and younger sister. I liked Jess and Pietr. I liked them together, and I liked the parts of the story with them together. Of course, the story would be pretty boring if there wasn't some conflict surrounding their being together. It is difficult to discuss this part without giving too much away. I will say that I had the feeling that Delany was looking for a more unique twist on the expected love triangle. Unfortunately, the one area of the book that may not have worked for me was Sarah's tie in on with the love triangle. Sarah is a friend of Jess who has an interesting connection to what happened to Jess's mother. Though this storyline did not always work for me, it didn't distract me from the main focus of the story. However, I predict that I haven't seen the last of Sarah and expect that there will be some interesting developments in later books.

Some additional thoughts about the minor or secondary characters. One of the things I can't help but notice are the adults in YA novels. I am always curious how they will be portrayed and what kind of relationship will the main character have with them. Jess' relationship with her father was believable. She had a variety of feelings about the teachers and staff at the school which was also believable and her feelings towards her father's possible romantic interest was also something that seemed natural.

I am not giving anything away in saying that the story is about werewolves. So it isn't surprising to the reader to discover that Pietr and his family are werewolves. I did enjoy Delany's explanation behind how they had come to be werewolves. The Cold War and Russian tie-ins were a nice change from some of the other werewolf stories.

Remember I mentioned above that I loved when a story had humor? There were quite a few times where I found myself either laughing out loud or snickering at a line or a scene in the story. And I especially loved that Shannon found ways to even have a little fun at the expense of paranormal stories within the story.

Finally, THIRTEEN TO LIFE will appeal to readers who are fond of YA paranormal romance. Will it persuade a die-hard vampire fan to become a wolf fan?! I am not sure I can answer this for anyone else, but I can say that this vampire girl certainly enjoyed the wolves in the story.

This was a fun read and a great debut novel from Shannon Delany. I am glad that I discovered it through the 2010 Debut Novel Challenge and I do look forward to the second book in the series.

Contest: Here's your chance to win a copy of Thirteen To Life by Shannon Delany -
1. Leave a comment about why you are interested in winning the book
2. Tweet about this contest - please include @alybee930 in the tweet so I can keep track of the tweets

I will pick one random name from those who have both commented and tweeted about the contest.

Contest will end on Tuesday, June 15, 2010.

Fantasy Friday: Magic Under Glass

2010-06-04T17:03:00.003-05:00

Magic Under Glass, by Jaclyn Dolamore

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 240
Reading Level: 14 and up

Magic Under Glass is the most enchanting novel I have read in quite awhile.

The story centers on Nimira, a foreign girl hired by a sorcerer to sing with a piano-playing automaton. Rumors that the automaton is haunted are not enough to frighten her away from this new, wealthy, and comfortable existence. But there is some truth to the rumors. The automaton is inhabited by Erris, a gentle fairy spirit. Soon Nimira is caught up in the politics of the sorcerer's world trying to save poor Erris before the automaton is destroyed.

I have to say, it was very difficult to summarize this book. Every summary I saw prior to reading the book, only confused me. They didn't do much to make me interested in acquiring the novel, either. However, this story was definitely worth the read. I was sucked into Nimira's world immediately.

For me, the best aspect of this novel was the world-building, which was so organic, I didn't even take notice of it. The characters were well-drawn and likeable, with the appropriate exceptions. Little details were revealed along the way, making the whole experience feel very complete. Everything from geographical locations, to politics, to traditional customs were explored in the novel. I also appreciated that Nimira was a foreigner. In this way, the reader was able to learn about both her native land of Tiansher, as well as the local land of Lorinar.

Another favorite aspect was the characters. Nimira is strong-willed and likeable, and I absolutely adored Erris. He was a gentleman, but also very full of emotion. It is interesting to me that the author was able to effectively show his emotions, even though he didn't have to ability to speak or move freely.

One drawback for me was the ending. I already knew that there was a sequel planned, but that didn't hinder my disappointment that the ending was incomplete. In many ways, the ending felt like the beginning of an adventure, rather than a resolution. While I wouldn't completely call it a cliff-hanger, it was definitely not a full ending.

I highly recommend this book to those who enjoys an interesting and fanciful read. I cannot wait to continue the story with the sequel, Magic Under Stone.

Happy reading!

Rose