The Story of Us by Deb Caletti Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 24th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 390 pages Source: ARC from Publisher Rating: 4 of 5 stars Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancés, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war. While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her…
Review:
Cricket is going through a lot of changes. Her and her long-term boyfriend are taking a break, her mom is getting married, and she has no idea where to go to college. There are so many changes at once that she really doesn't know how to handle it all.
The Story of Us is a serious book, but there are so many hilarious moments. Cricket's family has gathered with her mom's future-husband Dan's family for their wedding and it's a little like that movie Christmas Vacation. There are so many disasters happening around every corner. Cricket's worried about her mom taking off again before the wedding but she's also dealing with her own issues which include the cute guy Ash, her evil future step-sisters, and a house full of crazy, stressed out family members.
Cricket was a good character because she does truly love her family and worry about them — even her older brother. And while she is young, she still comes off as mature and wise. She wants what's best for her mom and that has become a big priority in her life. She has started to question her relationship with Janssen. They have been together forever but she just can't get over a few doubts. Although we don't really get to know Janssen first-hand, he is still very much included in the book. Cricket emails with him often and shares their history. This gives us a great chance to get to know him through her experiences and he was a fascinating character!
Ash is there, and he's hot, and he pays attention to Cricket. He has a bit of that dark, mysterious vibe going on and that really draws Cricket to him. She just has trouble finding out if that's real affection or her just latching on to something for comfort.
The plot was really what created such a well-rounded story in this book. Each character brought so much drama and fun. I think that everyone will find at least a few characters who remind them of a person in their own family. Some parts of the story lagged a bit for me, especially with a great deal of focus on the family dog. Not that I dislike dogs, I don't, but her emails with Janssen were mostly about the dog and I just wanted to know more about their relationship instead.
This book is a real coming-of-age story, involving a girl just trying to deal with the changes in her life. As with many young adults, change is scary and it can be difficult to let go of the security of a home, boyfriend, or friend. It's a time where a person takes a big leap of faith and that's exactly what Cricket had to learn to do. Deb Caletti truly knows how to target the mind of a teenager and dive into their dreams and fears.
Recommended: People looking for something cute and funny, but with a deeper meaning.
Hey everyone! Today kicks off the Baby, It's Cold Outside blog tour! Aimee, Kate, Heidi and Amy have stopped by today to do a few fun"This or That" and Fill in the Blank questions. Be sure to check out the giveaway below for a $10 Gift Card! A new giveaway will be featured during each week of the tour.
FOLLOW THE TOUR
AIMEE CARSON This or That List:
Hot or Cold: Cold! I grew up in Florida and I hate hot weather. Hot Chocolate or Coffee: In answer to your question, I lugged my espresso maker all the way to last year’s Romance Writers of America conference in Anaheim. I’ll be taking it next year too. Real Tree or Fake Tree: Real. You just can’t beat the wonderful scent of pine on Christmas morning. Spending time by the fire or Spending time in the snow: I’m gonna be greedy here and say I want to play in the snow and then snuggle up in front of the fire afterward. The two kinda go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Fill in the Blank: My story is perfect for the holidays because_______ my feisty heroine has just suffered through the worst year of her life when she runs into the hero on New Year’s Day. ‘Tis the Season to be Tempted is all about new beginnings, and having the courage to start over. My characters begin the story as (friends, enemies, strangers, etc.)_______ Hmm, this is a tough one. My hero is best friends with the heroine’s older brother. They grew up together, with the hero always being a little disapproving of the heroine’s questionable choices. She’s … ah, kind of a nonconformist. And there’s always been this lingering unspoken attraction. Of course, they were too different to consider a romantic relationship. So… friends? Sort of. Enemies? Sometimes. Strangers? In all the ways that really count. This book is about them revealing their true selves. A perfect gift for the characters in my story would be_________ a gourmet set of kitchen utensils, but you’ll have to read the book to find out why! *insert evil laugh* If I could spend Christmas with any celebrity it would be_________ Conan O'Brien, because he makes me laugh!
KATE HARDYThis or That List:
Hot or Cold Cold — I can't sleep if I'm too hot!
Hot Chocolate or Coffee — Coffee (especially if it's a skinny latte — though after my one proper coffee a day I tend to drink instant whole bean decaf)
Real Tree or Fake Tree — I would love a real one, like the one we had when I was a child, but we have a fake one which is narrow and doesn't take up quite so much room
Spending time by the fire or Spending time in the snow — as long as I don't have to drive in it, snow (otherwise, please let me stay by the fire with a good book!)
Fill in the blank
My story is perfect for the holidays because _________ it's all about second chances and learning the true meaning of Christmas
My characters begin the story as (friends, enemies, strangers, etc.) ___________ total strangers
A perfect gift for the characters in my story would be __________ exactly what they get — each other!
If I could spend Christmas with any celebrity it would be _________ Antonio Banderas, because he's utterly gorgeous (as well as coming across in interviews as a really, really nice guy) and he dances the tango beautifully (see 'Take the Lead' for details): o) And as we're learning the tango in ballroom dance class next term, I would love to dance the tango with him. (Or the waltz. I bet he waltzes perfectly, too!)
HEIDI RICE This or That
Hot or Cold: Cold (and snuggly)
Hot Chocolate or Coffee: Coffee with Skimmed milk when I'm being good, Hot Chocolate with cream when I'm being bad (I'm usually bad!)
Real Tree or Fake Tree: Real tree, gotta be, it's not Christmas if you can't smell the Norwegian spruce in our living room.
Spending time by the fire or Spending time in the snow: Time by the fire (after time in the snow!)
Fill in the blank My story is perfect for the holidays because _______ it'll whisk you away to a luxury department store on Fifth Avenue where there are no queues, you can have anything you want without paying for it and there's a hunky guy on hand to rub your feet when you're done! And there's a really hot romance in there somewhere, too!
My characters begin the story as (friends, enemies, strangers, etc.) ______ strangers with misconceptions about each other.
A perfect gift for the characters in my story would be________ Each other! If I could spend Christmas with any celebrity it would be _______ Pierce Brosnan who would take me to Mauii. Why? Because I've heard he looks super cute in a sarong!
AMY ANDREWS This or That Hot or Cold — Hot Hot Chocolate or Coffee — Hot Chocolate Real Tree or Fake Tree — Fake Spending time by the fire or Spending time in the snow — By the Fire (whilst watching the snow out the window)
Fill in the blank My story is perfect for the holidays because _it’s about two strangers in a snowed-in cabin, perfect for long, lazy days snuggled up in bed!______ My characters begin the story as (friends, enemies, strangers, etc.) ___strangers. A perfect gift for the characters in my story would be ___a super-size box of condoms! If I could spend Christmas with any celebrity it would be _George Clooney because I couldn’t think of any other celebrity I’d want to kiss under the mistletoe quite as much as George!
Baby, It's Cold Outside by Amy Andrews, Aimee Carson, Kate Hardy, and Heidi Rice Published: Entangled Publishing (November 19th, 2012) Reading Level: Adult
Four novellas from four of the biggest names in romantic fiction!
Kate Hardy's 'TIS THE SEASON TO KISS SANTA
With the help of a sprig of mistletoe and some snow angels, a recently single pastry chef teaches a highly successful and sexy Scrooge the true meaning of the holidays on a snowy Christmas Eve that quickly heats up.
Heidi Rice's 'TIS THE SEASON TO GO SHOPPING
When a Christmas Day blizzard strands an up-and-coming marketing manager and her boss's very off-limits, very hot playboy son in his department store, the two toe the line between naughty and nice as they unwrap their holiday presents—and each other!
Amy Andrews’s ‘TIS THE SEASON FOR KISSING
A down-on-her-romantic-luck kindergarten teacher plans to drown her New Year’s Eve sorrows in a gallon of spiked eggnog, but the arrival of her best friend's sexy brother threatens to melt the snow piling up outside the tiny Vermont cabin.
Aimee Carson’s ‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE TEMPTED
After the worst year ever, a jilted music manager rings in the New Year alone, swearing off men forever. But things get complicated when her brother's best friend, the perfect man with the perfect body, tempts her to break her vow—if only for one hot night!
Are you ever surprised by the large book community bloggers are apart of? What part of that do you enjoy the most?
I think its amazing! I have met so many great bloggers and authors because of this community. — Yara at Once Upon a Twilight Yes! Like wow, it's pretty crazy now, there's so many bloggers out there. I like discovering new blogs, especially discovering bloggers who have the same taste (like, Melina Marchetta-worship). Then it leads to a bit of blog-stalk, then blog-love, then blogger-stalk, then blogger-love. Then I *hopefully* have a new internet friend xD — Audrey at holes In My brain Yes! I had no idea going into this, that there were so many book blogs out there. My favorite part is talking to everyone. Some of the people I talk to on a daily basis are book bloggers who live on the other side of the country. I consider them friends. Is that weird?: p — Amanda, Another Book Junkie Yes I am I'm more surprised at some of the ages because in school I was always the bookworm and almost no one else was so its nice to see that I'm not the only one in or around my age who reads. I enjoy reading the reviews the most I love getting other peoples opions on books before I read them or even just because its nice to see what someone says about a book — Kate at Ghost of the still The book blogger community is HUGE! I love it! I have made so many new friends it is unreal. It is so fun to be able to talk about books and have people understand what you are talking about! People in my everyday life thing I am a nut when I gush continuously about a book, but other bloggers with gush right along with me! — Missy at Two Readers Reviews
Over the years I've noticed the growing population of book bloggers and it doesn't surprise me because the books that have been written lately have been spectacular. I enjoy the most getting to know fellow bloggers who have the same genre interest as I do, then I have someone who gets excited about those particular books like me. Also because with more bloggers, more and different books are promoted that I might not of heard of and now I'll find out about them, - Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews It always surprises me by the number of bloggers are in the book community. I always enjoy talking to fellow bloggers about anything really. It's always fun to make new friends. — Darla at DforDarla's Definite Reads I was actually very surprised when I started blogging to find so many book lovers like me! What surprised me even more was the amount of people signing-up to read my ramblings lol I really love the community and I actually met someone from my area through blogging and I'm very thankful for it =) — Tynga at Tynga's Review
Heck yeah! I’m amazed every day! It’s a never ending supply of book bloggers! I most enjoy finding bloggers that share similar tastes in books! I have quite the list of blogs that I follow and I know I’m not even skimming the blogosphere surface! - Jane at At Random
I was at first, but I have learned that book bloggers stick together and seem to be great people who get along fanastically. Of course, I've run into a few people who weren't nice or who only associate with other bloggers that are extremely successful (tons of followers, etc) or authors only. But I've made tons of friends through my blog and the community and I've been very happy ever since. - Aimee at Coffee Table Press Occasional enmity really surprises me--like that recent brouhaha about the"YA Mafia". But the best part of this community is when you find someone who loves a book that you love too--you almost don't have to use words to express that love because they've internalized the material just like you did! — Alethea at Read Now Sleep Later
When I first started out I never imagined there were so many book bloggers. I became a little disheartened to realize that this would make attracting readers even more difficult, which is something I'm still struggling with. The fantastic thing about the community is the plethora of books I learn about on a daily basis. I always have dozens of books at a time that I'm excited to read, and that is thanks to the amazing blogs out there. — Jessica at Brief Book Reviews I love that so many people are out there blogging about books!!! I am part of a community of book lovers and being able to share that love, discover new books and authors, and write about it, are all things that I enjoy. — Shirley at My Bookshelf I love the sharing that happens! People are so friendly! — Jill at The O.W.L I'm happily surprised by how many people there are taking an active interest in reading, but I think it's even more surprising how insular the community is as well. The thing that I enjoy the most about the book blogging community is how, for the most part, everyone is so supportive and kind. — Ashley at Book Labyrinth Not surprised, but definitely impressed. I enjoy getting to meet new people, since I'm so freaking bad at that in real life, so getting to meet so many people with so much in common is pretty novel for me, if you'll excuse the pun. I also like seeing just what book-lovers can do when they put their minds and heart together, like awareness that can be raised and the support given in times of crisis. We start off as common bibliophiles, and in the end, we're a bunch of friends. It's pretty cool. — Ria at Bibliotropic Yes, I was very surprised by the size of the book community, but sometimes now when I read a book's praise quotes in the front I'm like"Hey, I know that person!" or"I've visited their blog before!" It's very cool. And everybody's super nice. I love how we're just so tight *raises crossed fingers* with authors and their books. — Lucia at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books There are so many friendly people that I've gotten to know. Everyone is always willing to help others. My favorite part would most likely be twitter. People are on at all times of the day and night talking about what they are reading and what they like about the book they are reading. — Rie at Mission to Read Going into it, I had no idea that there were so many book bloggers out there! I'm constant amazed by the lovely, supportive community that has been formed by the shared love of books, it's truly amazing and I am proud to count myself in as a member of it! I most enjoy the friendships that spring up over a twitter conversation or a comment left somewhere, I have made some great friends this way. — Lisa at BaffledBooks Always. It transcends age, location and book preferences. Right now I'm looking forward to the BEA so that I can meet some of these great people in person. — Rhiannon at The Diary of a Bookworm I was very surprised when I started blogging to see how big the book blogging community was and how friendly too. I love that when you ask for advice from other book bloggers they're extremely gracious and just want to help you out. I think I enjoy that most about blogging, it's not about who reads the most books or who gets the most ARCs, it's about the love of reading, and that's something that we all share. — Ambur at Burning.x.Impossibly.x. Bright It was definitely surprising at first because I had never known about the community and than the next day there were a bunch of bloggers that I found. I enjoy talking to fellow bloggers because everyone is so nice and we all have the same goal in mind: getting the word about books out. — Katie at Books are Dreams I am surprised that the community IS so large. I love meeting people that share the same love for books as me. — Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! I am always surprised by the size of the book blogging community. I have a number of blogs that I follow and visit regularly but every so often I stumble across a new blog that I had no idea even existed. The part I enjoy the most about the book blogging community is how friendly everyone is. There is always someone out there ready to help even if they don't really know you. I have yet to come across a book blogger that was mean to me. — Emilie at Emilie Book World I'm not really surprised at the size of the book community bloggers take part in. Readers love to share good books they've discovered. Blogs and Twitter have made it even easier for like-minded book fiends to connect. — Kim at Fresh Fish and Foolishness Absolutely! I am very impressed with all of the connections! How cool is it that people who love books can get together so easily! I love the Memes that people do. I haven't done any of my blog, due to some inconsistencies in the past. But I'd love to get started! They are fun to read. I also love giveaway hops! I think they are so clever and it's like a book-lover's Christmas. — Jackie at Teen Book Guide
*Part 2 of 3 will be posted soon. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.
Hey everyone. I have a big pile of books from this past month. These include review books, Christmas gifts and purchased books too so there is a lot! Thanks to all the wonderful publishers (and Lisa from A Life Bound By Books!) for sending these fantastic books!
Review The File by Angelyn Stark Extraordinary by Adam Selzer Finding Somewhere by Joseph Monninger A Sharp Time by Mary O'Connell Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan Blood Sun by David Gilman Don't Expect Magic by Kathy McCullough Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer Pretty Little Liars: Pretty Little Secrets by Sara Shepard Girl Meets Boy by Various Authors Hallowed by Cynthia Hand Fracture (ARC) by Megan Miranda The Way We Fall (ARC) by Megan Crewe Slide (ARC) by Jill Hathaway (2nd copy) Immortal Beloved (ARC) by Cate Tiernan Switched by Amanda Hocking The Ivy: Rivals (ARC) by Lauren Kanuz Glimmer (ARC) by Phoebe Kitanidis The Last Echo (ARC) by Kimberly Derting Forbidden by Syrie James and Ryan M. James (2nd copy) Partials (ARC) by Dan Wells (2nd copy) The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #5: The Asylum by L.J. Smith Masque of the Red Death (ARC) by Bethany Griffin The Calling by Kelley Armstrong The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont Unraveling (ARC) by Elizabeth Norris The Invisible Sun (ARC) by David Macinnis Gill Social Suicide (ARC) by Gemma Halliday Thumped (ARC) by Mean McCafferty Temptation (ARC) by Alisa Valdes Dark Eden 2: Eve of Destruction (ARC) by Patrick Carman The Selection (ARC) by Kiera Cass Everneath by Brodi Ashton Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters (ARC) by Meredith Zeitlin The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
Purchased Crossed by Ally Condie Ruling Passion by Alyxandra Harvey Royally Crushed by Niki Burnham Kiss Me Kill Me by Lauren Henderson How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles
Gifted Ashfall by Mike Mullin Eve by Anna Carey Crash Test Love (SIGNED) by Ted Michael Anew: The Archers of Avalon (SIGNED) by Chelsea Fine Unbreakable Love (SIGNED) by Angela Carling Dollhouse (SIGNED) by Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe Kardashian
I got Dollhouse from the BookPerk website. If you haven't signed up yet, DO IT! They have a ton of great offers and signed books come up all the time. It's a great site: ) This is the 2nd signed copy of a book I've purchased. The first was a copy of I Am Number Four signed by the MOVIE CAST!: )
What did you get in your mailbox this week?
*IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.
A perfect family gift, ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMASland ed on Blu-ray and DVD November 26 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and features the original voice talents of Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Sean William Scott. Available for a low price ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS arrives on single disc DVD and a Blu-ray, DVD and digital copy combo pack with extra features, making it a great holiday stocking stuffer for the whole family to enjoy.
In ICE AGE: A MAMMOTH CHRISTMAS, America’s favorite arctic herd is busy decorating for the holiday season. In his rush to help, Sid (John Leguizamo) destroys Manny’s (Ray Romano) favorite decorations. Manny is so upset he convinces Sid he is now on Santa’s naughty list. Sid, Crash (Seann William Scott), Eddie (Josh Peck) and Peaches (Ciara Bravo) take off for the North Pole to plead their case to Santa (Billy Gardell). Meanwhile, Manny, Ellie (Queen Latifah) and Diego (Denis Leary), worry over Peaches’ safety and race to find her. Back at the North Pole, Sid and his crew accidentally destroy Santa’s Workshop on Christmas Eve, and it’s up to these newfound friends to orchestrate a Christmas miracle. The instant holiday classic, directed by Karen Disher, also features the voice talent of Chris Wedge, T.J. Miller and Judah Friedlander.
With over $4 billion in box office, home entertainment and consumer products sales, the “Ice Age” franchise is a perennial hit, and continues to grow with next summer’s all-new animated feature “Ice Age: Continental Drift.” From Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios, the film features new characters voiced by Janenifer Lopez, Wanda Sykes, Keke Palmer, Aziz Ansari and Drake, among others. Share in the all-new adventure as they join the original cast voiced by John Leguizamo, Ray Romano, Seann William Scott, Queen Latifah and Denis Leary. “Ice Age: Continental Drift” arrives in theaters everywhere July 13, 2012 in 3D.
I've always been a fan of the Ice Age movies and this is a super nice addition to the collection. This is a short movie, only 26 minutes, but if you are looking for something new to add to a child's Christmas movie list, this is a cute pick. The outstanding cast, enjoyable story line, and incredible visuals really bring this movie to life. My 4 year-old daughter highly enjoyed the characters and Santa, of course. Plus, the glimpse at the new Ice Age movie “Ice Age: Continental Drift” made me super excited to see it this summer. You can find Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special on amazon and in stores. It's very inexpensive and if you or your child is an Ice Age fan, you gotta get this! Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt
Today I am featuring the top 10 book boyfriends of 2012. You may notice that I haven't posted anything yet for this event yet but I've had a really sick child since Christmas: ( I will be catching up on the posts though so stay tuned for that. Top 10 Book Boyfriends
Title: Deity Author: Janenifer L. Armentrout Publisher: Spencer Hill Press Add to Goodreads "History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time."
Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner… and so is Aiden.
If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time"training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.
But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed… and destroyed.
Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate.
Title: In Honor Author: Jessi Kirby Publisher: Simon & Schuster Add to Goodreads Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn’s celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.
Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn’s last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn.. and ruggedly good-looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?
Title: Pushing the Limits Author: Katie McGarry Publisher: Harlequin Teen Add to Goodreads No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with"freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.
Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
Title: Easy Author: Tammara Webber Add to Goodreads A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?
When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.
Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.
When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.
Title: Unlikely Allies Author: Tiffany King Add to Goo drea ds Eighteen-year-old Kimberly gets the shock of her life when she learns the father she thought was dead is not only very much alive, but never even knew she existed. Angry with her mother for lying all these years, Kimberly flies to Colorado to meet the father she knows nothing about before heading off to college in the fall.
Her father’s world turns out to be nothing like she expected. Rather than the typical nine to five lifestyle, Kimberly’s father runs a summer foster camp that teaches young children skills to build their confidence and self-esteem. The Colorado Rocky Mountains are a different world than the sunny shores of California, taking Kimberly completely out of her element, and causing her to second-guess her spur of the moment decision.
Never being one to quit anything, Kimberly is determined to show her father that a surfer girl can fit into this rugged mountain wilderness. That is if she can deal with Mason, an arrogant nineteen-year-old guy who has made it his mission to point out every mistake she has made since her arrival. While she would love nothing more than to rub it in his know-it-all face, Kimberly can’t deny the feelings he stirs up inside her, or the chemistry between them, even during their verbal assaults.
When a tragic accident leaves them stranded in the mountains, Kimberly must use her shaky skills to save Mason and survive the elements. Suddenly, fighting is the last thing on their minds as they must rely on each other if they want to live. In their struggle for survival, they realize what they thought they knew about each other isn’t true after all.
Title: The Edge of Never Author: J.A. Redmerski Add to Goodreads Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.
Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.
With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.
But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?
Title: Destiny's Fire Author: Trisha Wolfe Publisher: Omnific Publishing Add to Goodreads It's the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind-part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez's newfound power rockets out of control, it's a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.Dez's guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.
Title: Sweet Evil Author: Wendy Higgins Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads Embrace the Forbidden
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?
This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?
Title: Lucid Author: P.T. Michelle Add to Goodreads Once Nara combines her prophetic ability with Ethan’s power to outsmart Fate at his own deadly cat-and-mouse game, she’s more determined than ever to help Ethan learn the meaning behind the raven sword tattoo that suddenly appeared on his back after their confrontation with Fate.
During her quest to uncover the tattoo’s secrets, Nara enlists the help of some new friends and discovers her own surprising connection to Ethan.
While Nara digs deeper into the mystery, her desire for answers leads her down a dangerous path full of powerful and ruthless enemies. Swept into an age-old battle, Nara quickly learns that keeping one’s enemies close can be a necessary evil, making an intangible enemy she can control far more preferable to the human enemies she can’t.
Title: A Girl Named Digit Author: Annabel Monaghan Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Add to Goodreads Farrah"Digit" Higgins may be going to MIT in the fall, but this L.A. high school genius has left her geek self behind in another school district so she can blend in with the popular crowd at Santa Monica High and actually enjoy her senior year. But when Farrah, the daughter of a UCLA math professor, unknowingly cracks a terrorist group's number sequence, her laid-back senior year gets a lot more interesting. Soon she is personally investigating the case, on the run from terrorists, and faking her own kidnapping-- all while trying to convince a young, hot FBI agent to take her seriously. So much for blending in.
Now it's YOUR turn! Link up your list using the Linky below! I am hosting the giveaway for today!!Enter below for a chance to win $15 to The Book Depository. Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is International and ends January 10th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
The form must be filled out to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Note: This is the SAME Linky on all FIVE Co-hosting blogs.
Today I am a tour stop for Janenifer L. Arme ntrout and her book Opal.
Be sure to check out the post and DO NOT miss the giv eaway. I have a copy of O pal SIGNED by J ennifer and cov er mo del Pepe Toth!
A List of what Katy bought the people in her life for Christmas. What did Katy buy:
Daemon — Besides me??? Season 5 of Ghost Hunters
Dee — Pink toe socks. Take that, Daemon
Dawson — Um, not sure. Will have to talk to Daemon about that.
Mom — Dummies Guide to Cooking and Not Killing Yourself
Ash/Andrew — New personalities. Can I get that on Amazon? You can order everything on Amazon.
Opal by Janenifer L. Armentrout Publisher: Entangled Publish ing (December 11th, 2012 ) Reading Level: Yo ung Adult Paperback: 452 pages Series: Lu x, # 3 No one is like Daemon Black.
When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well… There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.
But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.
After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different… And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.
Together we’re stronger… and they know it.
Prize:1 winner will get a paperback copy of OPAL signed by Janenifer L. Armentrout and cover model Pepe Toth.
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US Only and ends January 11th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
Purpose by Kristie Cook Publisher: Ang'dora Productions (December 15th, 2010) Reading Level: 17 and up Paperback: 377 pages Series: Soul Savers, book #2 Source: Author Rating: 5 of 5 stars Lost in despair, Alexis teeters on the edge of an abyss, her lifeline of hope fraying into a thin thread. If it snaps, she’ll plunge into complete darkness. With the help of her son and her writing, she’s been able to hold on. Until now. Erratic impulses, disturbing delusions and her own demonic blood threaten her sanity. When she’s forced to choose between hanging onto hope or letting go to serve her Amadis purposes, she faces a decision with inconceivable sacrifices.
Alexis runs to the one place she thinks will provide answers, only to find herself at the center of another battle of good versus evil, not only with the Daemoni, not only within herself… but also against the worst opponent imaginable. But even if she wins, what will she lose? Review: It's funny because I'm siting here trying to come up with adequate words for this review when really I feel like saying"hot… wow… amazing… yippy… ohh… nice… need to fan self… HOT"… You think that's good enough? For those of you who have read this book already I know you are shaking your head YES because you fully understand what I am referring to. For those of you who haven't read Purpose, please do yourself a favor and purchase a little of Tristan for Christmas. You won't be disappointed. I'll try to get back on track and get the sexy pictures out of my head so I can write this review. I also don't want to spoil this book for people who may not have read Promise yet… (again, read it soon!). Purpose starts out in the present-day and we learn what Alexis has been forced to deal with over the years. She is in a dark place and her emotions jump off the page. It's easy to see how badly she is suffering and Kristie did an outstanding job at depicting this dark time. We get a more complete look into the world of the Amadis and Daemoni. More questions are answered and the history is explained which opens up this series for what will come up next. I do have to say that I fell in love with Owen in this book and I am currently in talks with Kristie to try to have him for myself… I really am! I swear. But Owen would have to be one of my all-time favorite side characters and he came around at the perfect time. Purpose started off with drastically different emotions than what we experience while reading Promise; with it's hope of new love and romance. We had to get through the clouds in order to see the sun and oh wow, did the sun come out! Parts of Purpose brought tears to my eyes and other parts … "rocked me like a hurricane"… (you will know what I mean after reading the book). It was like being on a rollercoaster until the very end. I never thought that any other book could make my heart pound like Promise did but I was wrong. Purpose exceeded all expectations and presented a story that kept my emotions on high-alert. A true masterpiece that will appeal to all paranormal romance fans.
So are you wanting to read it yet? If so, Kristie announced some great news yesterday. The Kindle edition of PROMISE is now only $4.99 and PURPOSE is only $5.99. Trust me, you will not be disapointed in these books and if you want more proof, check out her awesome reviews on Goodreads.
Don't forget to check out the Re-Cover contest of Promise and Purpose. Entries must be in 12/18.
Find Kristie Cook Kristie Cook / Promise / Goodreads Purchase Signed Copies of Purpose
Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Simon & Schuster, Random House, and Jeri Smith-Ready.
I have finals coming up next week (a 25 page paper on Educational Psychology, EEK) so I won't have an IMM next week, boo: ( But I do have things planned and ready to go so no worries! Lots of exciting tours, reviews, interviews, and parties coming soon!
Review Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky Vixen by Jillian Larkin Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
Purchased The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson Take Me There by Carolee Dean Kiss It by Erin Downing
Picture Book Feature Sweet Moon Baby by Karen Henry Clark Mommy Hugs by Karen Katz Surprise Shade bookplate and bookmark (signed) from Jeri Smith-Ready.
And here is my Christmas tree! I bought new stuff for it last year after Christmas so I was super excited to get it put up: ) Now, I just need gifts under it!
What did you get in your mailbox this week?
*IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristie at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.
This year we have 23 authors that I'll be featuring over 7 days and each day you'll have a chance to enter to win! There's also a scavenger hunt going on, so be sure to check out The Crossroads Tour Post to see what questions will be asked, what blog you'll be able to find the answer on and enter to win! Today I am featuring Dorothy Dreyer, Sarah Bromley, and Ty Drago. Be sure to check out the rafflecopter giveaway, too!
1. Tell us what makes Zadie such a great character. What are a few things we need to know about her personality?
Zadie is no ordinary girl, as one might be able to gather from the book blurb. She has powers, though she doesn’t quite know how to control them. But I don’t think it’s her powers that make her so great; I think it’s the love she has of her family. She would go to any lengths to protect them, to save them, and to keep them alive. She has a big heart she just has to learn to trust it.
2. Share with us your favorite line from My Sister’s Reaper.
The leather cover was smooth under my fingertips, worn with age, but the photograph tucked along its binding grated against my heart like sandpaper.
1. A Murder of Magpies will be coming out next year. What can you tell us about the book?
I wrote the book in 2008 after a hiatus during which my first two children were born. Vayda and Ward were both so strong in my head, and I knew there was no putting off their story. I am firm believer that the things our parents do can trickle down and, in some cases, taint us. Curse us. Vayda and her twin, Jonah, experience a lot of that, and Ward does as well. Vayda and Jonah come from a background of murder and scandal and have been in hiding in Black Orchard for two years. Ward is the first person either of them has grown to trust, and they know it can go terribly wrong in a heartbeat. They fight against expectations placed on them, but as they do so, they all uncover secrets about their families, truths they weren’t prepared to face.
2. Can you share an excerpt from the story?
I can! My publisher, Month9Books, LLC, has been gracious in letting me give you the first sneak peek at the book with the entire first chapter of A MURDER OF MAGPIES! __________________
Chapter One
Vayda
I always swore Jonah would blow our cover, and today looked ideal for a catastrophe.
We’d seen disasters, somehow crawled out of the rubble and lived. They didn’t just happen, all explosive and bombastic at once so that we had no doubt everything had changed. No, a real disaster began with a slip-up, a spark of fire that rose in the air and snuffed out. But when the ash landed, it was still hot enough to burn, and from that ember, everything we knew went up in flames.
It had happened before. I had reason to fear it would happen again.
My fingers drummed on the time-scarred armrest on a chair in Monsignor Judd’s office. Someone etched a cross into the wood five, ten, maybe twenty years ago. In an ornate stained glass window, there was no comfort in the saint’s face, only my guilt for not knowing the saint’s name. Outside the office, Monsignor stood with his fingers steepled while the heating vent blew the draping of his cassock. His ear turned to the young nun whispering with him over the manila folder of Jonah’s permanent record. Curls snaked out from her nun’s habit, and her eyes slid to watch me. Dull, dark. Nearly dead.
My hands grew warmer. I forced my breathing to slow. Calm down, Vayda girl. Nothing to get too worked up over yet.
Not easy when I was literally a magnet for emotion.
Slouching low in his chair, Jonah fidgeted with a hole in his blue trousers. A bruise purpled his cheekbone. His heat, a mix of emotion and energy, radiated with an intensity that further prickled my hands until they were scorching. I needed to cool down, put everything on ice to stabilize both myself and Jonah. I exhaled in hopes for a cold breath. I wasn’t built to absorb my twin’s fury.
You outdid yourself this time. I pointed the thought to his mind like a laser. Do you honestly think fighting with Marty Pifkin is worth all this trouble?
He avoided eye contact, naturally. That didn’t mean he didn’t hear me. And he answered soon enough, silent to all but me. Dad’s already gonna read me the riot act. Don’t give me any grief, especially since I was defending you.
Defending me from Marty Pifkin of all people. Let it go. What’s done is done. I didn’t know whether to give my brother a good wallop upside the head like our mom would have or pray we’d skate on by. Keep at it, Jonah, and people will notice what you can do. Deliberately throwing a desk without using your hands isn’t exactly wisdom for the ages.
Why don’t you keep that in mind the next time you lose it and break all the light bulbs in the science lab? He swiped a rogue strand of long, dark hair from his face. You lack subtlety and finesse, Sis.
Subtlety. Finesse. Words sixteen-year-old boys knew oh-so-much about. I choked on a laugh and lowered my eyes to the natty, blue Chucks I paired with the Catholic school-issued plaid, wool skirt and tights. Even when I wasn’t in school, I wore long skirts most days. I could move my legs and didn’t feel so caged in.
Brushing away the glass dust on my skirt, I overlooked the blood drying on my hands and clasped them together. They were less dangerous that way.
The door to the office lobby opened. The new nun’s floor-length dress gave her the look of a black dandelion seed gliding into Monsignor’s office. He followed then finally my father walked in last, the scent of wood dust clinging to his clothes. Most parents visiting St. Anthony of Padua High School rolled in wearing suits or golf attire, and then there was Dad with his New Glarus brewery shirt and vanish-splattered jeans—evidence he’d been working on restorations when called to the school.
Even if the fight between my brother and Marty hadn’t already strained my mental barriers, I would’ve noticed the disappointment coming off Dad. He had so many of what he termed cardinal rules for Jonah and me, and right then, one whispered in my conscience: There’s a devil on every man’s shoulder, whispering in his ear. Only he decides if he’ll throw salt at the devil or feed him his soul.
“What happened, Magpie?” Dad asked, a Georgia-born drawl buttering his voice, as he checked out the cuts on my hand.
“Broken glass,” I answered.
“You ought to be more mindful, don’t you think?”
His question had everything and nothing to do with breaking glass.
Monsignor cleared his throat. “Sorry to have you back in my office so soon, Mr. Silver.”
“Twice in one week is overkill.” Dad stood behind Jonah and me, a hand on each of our shoulders.
“I’ve spoken with our new staff psychologist, Sister Polly Tremblay.” Monsignor introduced the new nun. “She was hired this year after Dr. Fernandez took a position in Madison. Sister is a licensed practitioner, educator, and bride of Christ.”
Dad raised an eyebrow. “Is she now? That’s all very impressive, Sister. Do you go by Sister Polly or Sister Tremblay?”
The nun blinked twice, no emotion registering on her face. “Sister Tremblay. Polly is from my past life.”
Monsignor grabbed the manila folder from the nun’s hands and hurried through his words. His hurrying, seemingly to get us out of his office and be done with us, made blots of sweat rise along my widow’s peak. “Sister Tremblay has acquainted herself with Jonah’s file and feels he may benefit from some sessions with her. Mr. Silver, your family came to Wisconsin two years ago, but of the people I’ve spoken with, no one really knows you.”
“I see you’re a widower running an antiques business,” Sister Tremblay added.
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Dad snapped.
“The adjustment period after moving, especially when grieving and moving, can be prolonged. In that regard, two years isn’t very long at all,” Sister Tremblay answered. “Teenagers tend to cope by acting out. And if you’re as busy as I suspect—”
“I’ve got time for my kids,” Dad argued. “Always.”
The heating vent blasted more hot air into the office. My brother beside me, silent, burned with frustration, and my shoulders tightened. I crackled my knuckles, all too aware of how the lights dimmed as I did so.
Monsignor let out a sigh. “Sister Tremblay is only suggesting that talking to someone away from family could be good for Jonah.”
There was no outside the family. There never was. Hard to make friends and get past the New Kid stigma when we were either cooped up at home or at Dad’s shop under his watchful eye. No wonder our classmates thought we were weird—we were.
The hairs on the back of my neck stiffened, and I shifted in my chair for a better view into the lobby where another boy waited to talk with Monsignor. His hair curling near his jaw was the color of liquid cinnamon dashed with espresso, and a wire umbilical cord tethered an iPod to his ears as he held an icepack to his bottom lip.
Jonah’s sort of friend, Ward.
He averted his eyes from mine.
My hands grew hot again, and the overhead lights flickered, this time drawing everyone’s eyes to the ceiling. Dad’s grip pumped my shoulder.
Jonah stretched his legs. “I’m not seeing no damn shrink. Marty Pifkin’s got everyone wrapped around his finger.”
“Here we go again,” I muttered. “Jonah, stop it.”
“That guy is a creeper, and—”
I looked to Dad for sympathy. “Marty asked to compare answers on our homework and Jonah lost it.”
“—he was bothering Vayda,” my brother talked over me. “Guys like that shouldn’t be talking to her. He’s gaje. I didn’t throw the first punch, didn’t ask for Ward’s help. I barely know the kid.”
Monsignor waited until Jonah and I both quieted down. “What’s gaje?”
Jonah gave Dad a pleading look, but Dad confessed, “It means outsider, though it seems we’re the outsiders here.”
Monsignor gave a satisfied nod. “Marty claims Jonah threw a desk. That’s not behavior that will go unpunished.”
“And the physics’ lab? Every light was broken.” Sister Tremblay crossed her arms.
I sank into my chair and hid behind my hair. Those dull eyes couldn’t be avoided. I wanted out of the office. Now.
The flickering of the overhead lights grew faster. I shuddered, not cold but burning up. The poster of a kitten clinging to a clothesline cheering “Hang in there!” obviously didn’t know how fragile my grip was when so many emotion flooded a room. Usually, I could keep it together with mental barriers to deflect the constant flow of others’ feelings, but so much tension …
“You’re seriously suggesting a couple of kids broke every light bulb just like that?” Dad’s voice rose. He gestured to the palsied lights above our heads. “Y’all would be better off hiring an electrician before the school burns down.”
The room skewed left, and my vision blurred and head dizzied. Too hot, cluttered. My hands—I shut my eyes.
Energy. Rising. Must release!
Crack! A fracture drove down the length of the fluorescent light above the desk. Sister Tremblay yelped and snatched Jonah’s folder to her chest.
“Hell of a power surge.” Jonah’s black eyes searched for a way into my mind. I flung up a barrier to keep him out. Not gonna let him in, not this time. He was worried, but nothing was wrong. Except that I felt like I could spew red, white, and blue.
“Vayda, go get some fresh air,” Dad ordered. “You look flushed.”
Monsignor dismissed me, and with the expected curtsey before hoisting my backpack onto my shoulder, I cracked my knuckles one last time to diffuse the energy swelling in my hands. I stepped out of the office, out of the glow of the stained glass window, and paced near the chairs where Ward waited. Jonah started this whole mess. Marty had done nothing to me. This time. Marty never listened until Jonah made him last spring. Ever since then, Jonah had his eyes and his anger on Marty. Anything Jonah felt, I felt ten times worse. When he was happy, he was very happy, but when he was angry, he was furious.
Mom had been the same way.
“I promise you won’t go belly-up if you hold still.” Ward’s voice was deep, raw honey. His head rested against his chair, eyes shut, yet I knew he’d been watching me.
His left eye opened a crack, and I gave him a weak smile. My ears liked his voice.
Ward had been at our school only since Monday, and already he’d been cast into the same social boneyard where Jonah and I had roamed since we transferred in after Christmas break nearly two years ago. We’d tried blending with the nameless, faceless uniforms, but it wasn’t so simple. The other students never warmed to us, or we to them. We weren’t from here. We didn’t look or act like them. We were among the Avoided. But, as of yesterday, we had a shadow. A gaje shadow.
“How’s your hand?” Ward asked.
I eyed my brother and father talking to Monsignor. That Jonah hadn’t chased off Ward was a tacit tolerance of him. “A few cuts. I’ll live.” I twisted my black hair, which was long enough to skim my hips. “You hardly needed to play the white knight. Marty’s not much of a dragon, more like a salamander.”
“Maybe I like fighting salamanders.”
Chipped gray polish colored his fingernails. Artsy in an I-don’t-give-a-damn-I’ll-wear-it-if-it’s-clean way. If Monsignor noticed, that’d earn him a detention or two.
“Listen, gajo.” He didn’t deserve to be shoved to the outskirts all because of my cavalier brother. He needed to back off. While he still could. “Marty won’t bother you if you don’t bother him. Tangling with him will never be forgotten.”
His mouth twitched, neither a grin nor a frown. “I don’t scare easily.”
He slipped on his headphones and closed his eyes once more. Must be nice to be so untouched, unfazed. Must be peaceful.
“Hey,” I called. He lifted one side of his headphones. “What are you listening to?”
“Music.”
Smart ass.
Thud!
Ward’s eyes popped open and landed on the overturned chair in Monsignor’s office. A chair no one had been sitting in. Dad’s muffled voice came fast as he pulled Jonah by the arm. From the dark expression on his face, we were in for a major talking to.
“We need to leave. Now,” Dad said as he steered Jonah out of the office.
There would be no explanation to Ward of why we were leaving so fast. Dad whisked my brother and me out of Monsignor’s office, past the sanctuary where our footfalls echoed on wood floors polished by nuns until glistening. The school was a dour extension of a century-old Catholic parish. The walls in the language arts’ wing were painted rich blue, the Virgin’s color. Hung between classrooms were carvings from the Stations of the Cross, thick with dust except for the Christ’s eyes, which followed us and knew my family’s secrets and sins.
Outside was better. Riding in the car, the windows were lowered to allow in the fire-musk smell of mid-October leaves, but there was something else, an odor of buried things deep in the black earth. Dad steered into a parking lot by a grocery store. With the silence in the car, I couldn’t push back the memory of the last time we pulled over like this. Instead of a parking lot, it’d been off a highway in a forest in northern Georgia and, with the haze of morning fog guarding the Chevy we’d escaped in, Dad had vowed we were going straight to Wisconsin. There, we would start over.
Find someplace new. Claim different names.
Dad pushed his fingers through his black hair streaked with silver and set his green eyes, the same shade as mine, on my reflection in the rearview mirror. “This stops now. Your mama might’ve called what y’all do Mind Games.” The last two words were spoken slowly. “But I won’t play.”
“Yes, Sir,” Jonah and I answered.
“Mind Games, if you must work them, are private. Working them in public is how your mama found trouble.” He twisted his wedding band. “We can’t risk a repeat of Georgia.”
I jerked my head to look out the window. Black Orchard, Wisconsin. Such a pretty town despite its eerie name. Easter egg colored Victorian homes lined the streets, and people spoke with northern accents that sounded friendly no matter what was said. But pretty towns and nice people could turn on you.
Last time that happened, we escaped with nothing but our lives.
If it happened again, would we even have that?
1. What can you tell us about the third book in The Undertakers series?
SECRET OF THE CORPSE EATER raises the Undertakers’ adventures to a whole new level. The Corpses have launched a daring new scheme down in Washington D.C.: they’ve somehow replaced a sitting U.S. senator with one of their own, a trick that’s supposed to be impossible. But when Will and Sharyn go undercover as Senate Pages to foil the plot, they get even more than they bargained for. Because something haunts the hallowed halls of the U.S. Capitol Building. Something big and strong and impossibly fast. Something that seems to have a taste for Corpses!
But can the enemy of your enemy truly be your friend?
2. Can you tell us one word you’d use to describe Will and each of his friends?
I’ll try!
Will Ritter: Reckless Helene Boettcher: Courageous Dave “The Burgermeister” Burger: Loyal Tom Jefferson: Noble Sharyn Jefferson: Fearless
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So, everyone who knows me, knows that Halloween is my favorite time of year, which is really weird, because I hate on things scary. I avoid horror movies. I steer clear of horror books. And video games that are creepy? No. Freakin. Way! So why do I avoid these and still love Halloween? Easy. I live my own horror story. It started as a kid. When I was six, I was CONVINCED that there were ghosts living in my basement. I refused to go down there if no one else was. In all actually there probably wasn’t, but it was creepy as heck. Then we moved. And I had my first real, live experience with a ghost. We moved to this really old house. And at first I was supposed to share a room with my brother. It was only supposed to be for a few months until they fixed up the walk-in attic into a third bedroom. Then I’d get the ENTIRE thing to myself. Of course, I was ecstatic. Here I was 8 years old and absolutely in love with the fact that I’d get the entire 2nd floor to myself. That was until I realized how creepy the stairway was. It didn’t seem to matter what time of day it was or whether or not lights were on, that stairway was ALWAYS PITCH BLACK. Even when my parents installed lights in the stairway, they’d burn out. Or break. Or something. So they eventually gave up. They’d fix it later. But I knew I no longer wanted to be in the attic. Something was trying to keep me out of it. That’s why the light was always broken and why I always got the heebie jeebies whenever I went up with my parents to move the junk the other people left behind. So they continued fixing up the attic for me, but in the mean time I had to stay in the room with my brother. He slept on one side, furthest from the door. While I slept on the other, which was directly in front of the door. The headboard butted up against the window. At first it was really cool. In fact, it was darn right FREEZING. Even in summer that room was cold. And in winter? Forget it. You needed fifty blankets to keep warm. My parents blamed it on the really old furnace that looked like a freakin’ octopus. It was scary. I was sure one day it was going to grab me with its tentacles and then eat me, but I knew better. There was just something about the way it creaked and moaned and groaned. I was sure it was something evil. Well, it so happened that I had to have surgery on my foot right before Christmas, so I was confined to either my bed or the couch. Not that I wanted to be any where else. The basement had the furnance, octopus, demon and the attic was haunted. One night, I went to sleep as usual, bundled up under a dozen or so blankets. The wind howling behind my head through the window. And snow falling like crazy. Well, it wasn’t too long after I fell asleep that I heard, “Jessica. Jessica.” Thinking it was just my dumb brother, I rolled over to face the wall. “Shut up, Steven. Leave me alone,” I mumbled. Again, I heard, “Jessica. Jessica.” I ignored it this time. I wanted to sleep. It was cold and I was pretty sure the snot was going to freeze to my face, so I covered my head with the blanket. Then I felt a slight tug on the blanket and again I heard, “Jessica. Jessica.” I whipped off the blanket and sat straight up, glaring across the room to where my brother was. “Steven,” I said. “If you don’t go to sleep and leave me alone, I’m going to hit you with my crutch and you can’t tell mom, because you’ll get in trouble for bothering me.” He didn’t respond so I was pretty I’d put the fear of God into him. Smug with myself, I lay back down, watching my brother this time. I closed my eyes, but kept them slitted open so I could smack my brother if he tried bugging me. Then, I feel the tug again and my name, “Jessica. Jessica,” but this time I’m staring at my brother and I KNOW it’s not him. In fact, he takes that moment to roll over with a snore, so I can see he’s dead asleep with his mouth hanging open and drool coming down his chin. Freaked out now, I don’t know what to think, but I know I don’t want to know what’s tugging on my blankets. But it happens again, “Jessica. Jessica.” Scared, but knowing I have to do SOMETHING, I roll over and look to where the voice is coming from. Then I open my mouth to scream, but no sound comes out. There at the top of my open doorway, is a FACE. Just a face. There’s no body. No arms. No neck. Nothing but a floating head, taller than anyone in my family. The face was pure white, with eyes as black as coal. It smiled at me, when it saw I saw it, and it was the most terrifying smile I’d ever seen. I can’t even describe how scary it was. I just knew that if I didn’t get off that bed. Right. Then. I was going to die. I didn’t know what to do though. I was trapped. The only way out was through the door the face was occupying. So I grabbed one of my crutches and THREW it at the face. It sailed right through it, landing with a thunk. Of course, I did the only sane thing I could think of. I bolted. Using my only crutch, I hobbled as fast as I could out the door and bolted into my parents room. They were both sleeping and no amount of sobbing, screaming, or shaking would wake them up. I finally gave up and crawled onto the couch, where I curled into a ball, sobbing. I did eventually cry myself back to sleep. Only to be assaulted with nightmares about a man who’d murdered his children and shoved them into the furnace in the basement. The next morning I told my parents what happened, but they didn’t believe me. But it wasn’t long after that, that my parents blocked off that room and my brother and I slept on the floor in their room. A few months later, we moved back to Green Bay. I’ll never know what that was all about, but I remember it to this day and I still think about doing research to find out if those dreams were true, but I don’t think I want to know.
Jessica currently has a few books in the works. Here is a blurb from one of the titles. After millennia of war, one has been chosen to save humanity from the creatures that mean to destroy it. But a choice must be made. A choice that will determine the course of history. But how do you choose when one path leads to Hell, and the other leads to death?
Brianna Ridley always knew she was special--a Halfling, born of parents from two separate worlds. But when she's yanked out of bed on the eve of her 18th birthday and rushed halfway across the world by her panicked mother--because her people are being picked off one by one--she realizes special has a price. Another book is a YA steampunk Dystopian — Renegade. Evelyn Winters has been trained from the age of three to be an Enforcer--a trained assassin--and the only child of the Governor and Governess of the underwater utopia know as Elysium. But, when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, finds his way into her comfy little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. The happy little bubble she’s lived in all these years has just popped and the person she knows as Mother is a monster. She must now find a way to rescue Gavin from her murderous mother’s hands, regain control of her body and the implanted instructions constantly urging her to kill, and somehow find a way to start a new life with Gavin on the surface.
- Thanks Jessica for the great story! Find Jessica Souders Jessica Souders / Blog / Twitter
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