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.
Here is the fabulous cover for Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala. Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: October 8th, 2011 Summary: Joy Delamere is suffocating.
From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.
Joy can take his words—tender words, cruel words—until the night they go too far.
Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe… if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.
Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.
To celebrate, she's having a giveaway! 3 lucky winners will get a signed copy of her first book, Tell Me A Secret.
To enter: Leave a comment here and at other participating blogs for 1 extra entry each. All blogs are listed below. Include your email address in your comment. Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL Must be at least 13 to enter. Must comment by 11:59pm CST tonight.
Find Holly Cupala Holly Cupala | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads Pre-Order Don't Breathe a Word Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble
The other blogs having participating in the cover reveal today Kari at A Good Addiction Steph Su at Steph Su Reads Blogs that participated in the cover sample pieces on Monday. Kristi (http://www.thestorysiren.com/) Angela (http://www.readingangel.com/) Lena (http://addicted2novels.blogspot.com/) Eve's Fan Garden (http://evesfangarden.com/blog/) Lauren (http://laurenscrammedbookshelf.blogspot.com/) Danielle (http://www.theresabook.com/) Sarah (http://sarahbear9789.blogspot.com/) Andye http://www.readingteen.net/)
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver Publisher: HarperTeen (February 28th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 375 pages Source: ARC from Publisher Series: Delirium #2 Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame. Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.
Review: SPOILERS!! Pandemonium may be just one of the many dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels we have seen recently; however, it will always stick out to me simply because of the complexity of Lauren Oliver's writing.
I admit, it took me a while to get into the groove of this book. The chapters alternate between"now" and"then" and I had a hard time figuring out when was now and what was then. Yes, slightly confusing. About mid-way into the story I felt more comfortable with that structure. It gave us a glimpse of what Lena is doing now, compared to where she was once she first got into the Wilds. Lena"then" was more weak, a bit whiny, and sort of got on my nerves. Then again, she is dealing with the fact that Alex is not with her so I tried to understand her struggles to fit into this foreign world.
If anything, Lena's time in the Wilds showed her exactly what she needed to survive. She learned how people take care of each other and the true dangers of living away from everything she knew.
The"now" part of the story takes place months later with Lena in New York. I won't go into a lot of details of this section because it was part of the surprise of the book. I was fascinated reading what was going on and how Lena was involved. But I will say that this is the part of the story where the love-triangle begins and we meet Julian.
Lena and Julian do have a very unlikely connection and I liked that a lot. I felt Julian was a wonderful character to add to this story; but, I have a difficult time with this particular relationship. Part of the enjoyment of Delirum was the honest, true love story between Lena and Alex. I feel that is a bit tainted now. This made me become irritated towards Lena during the end of this book and question her feelings. Plus, the cliffhanger didn't help. I like to have a book end during a good place where I can feel good about what I just read. I didn't really feel that way at the end of Pandemonium.
Although I didn't like this sequel nearly as much as Delirium, Lauren's writing still continues to amaze me. Each new plot line or setting is beautifully crafted and it really transports the reader into the story.
Loving Emily by Anne Pfeffer Published: October 2011 Paperback: 278 pages Reading Level: Young Adult Source: Purchased Rating: 4 of 5 stars Ryan Mills is torn with guilt over the death of his best friend, and it's all because of Emily Wintraub. If Ryan hadn't seen those incredible gray-blue eyes, hadn't pegged her as a Potentially Amazing Woman, he would never have gone looking for her at the party that night. He would never have left his wasted friend Michael alone, when Michael needed him and asked him to stay. And if Ryan hadn't left, Michael would never have driven off, totaled his car, and taken the cosmic rocket ride into death.
As far as Ryan's concerned, when you’ve done something terrible, you don’t deserve to be happy. He tries not to fall for Emily, but he can't help it. Before long, he is"completely, gonzo, out-of-control in love."
Ryan then learns that Michael died with a secret. Still grieving, he feels compelled to take on his friend's unfinished business. When Emily begins to question where his commitments really lie—with her or with Michael’s memory—Ryan is forced to examine his choices. What does he owe to Michael, to Emily, and to himself?
Review:
Although Loving Emily does focus heavily on a serious topic, this is a cute book in a lot of ways. When we first meet Ryan he is trying to deal with a long-time crush on Emily, and the devastating habits of his friend Michael. I immediately felt bad for Ryan because he was faced with the decision to let Michael's actions alter his plan to talk to Emily. The consequences of his choice will haunt him and be something he can't seem to get over.
Michael's death hits Ryan hard, obviously. He can't shake the feeling that he shouldn't have walked away. It doesn't help that Michael seemed to have something he wanted to share with Ryan. For a while Ryan seems to just float from day to day. He spends time with Emily but holds back from really telling her how he feels. Ryan's relationship with Emily was sweet and romantic. It wasn't all"hot and heavy" from the beginning like some stories. They really seemed to slowly build upon their connection with each other.
Loving Emily doesn't just give us a sweet romance between 2 characters, we really get a good idea of Ryan's life. He has a life that may seem perfect from the outside but he doesn't have the best relationship with his parents, especially his mother. Even though Michael dies early in the story, Ryan shows us how their friendship developed and it was easy to see why Ryan thought so highly of his friend. This was what really seemed cute to me. His accounts of the childhood events he shared with Michael really helped me see how they were just two little boys trying to figure out life.
I won't give away what the secret is but it really puts a whole new spin on this story. At the same time, it made me dislike Emily in a lot of ways. She didn't seem to really grasp what Ryan was going through or why he was so focused on his"task". I thought her actions, while mostly realistic for a teenage girl, made her just seem selfish and uncaring. I'm a hopeless romantic but there were times where I thought that maybe she wasn't even needed in order to have a super strong story. Maybe it should have just been Ryan's journey to make peace with himself.
On the plus side, I adored Ryan's point-of-view and I honestly didn't want to put the book down. I felt very invested in the story and finding out what Ryan would do in his situation. It was gripping, heartbreaking, and realistic.
Loving Emily is honestly a beautiful story. It's so much more than a romance and, even though it deals with a serious topic, it wasn't dark and depressing. A very enjoyable read.
Recommended: People wanting a realistic teen read dealing with death.
Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles Publisher: Flux (September 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 302 pages Source: Publisher Series: Leaving Paradise #2 Rating: 5 of 5 stars Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.
Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself.
But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them.
Review:
We all know that Simone Elkeles is a brilliant author. Her stories are always raw, honest, and emotional. I picked up Leaving Paradise (book 1) after reading the first two books in her Perfect Chemistry series and while I didn't fall in love with this story as much as those, it was still amazing.
I was excited to see where Caleb and Maggie end up after finishing Leaving Paradise but it took me a while to get to read this book. I was still able to dive right in and pick up where book 1 left off without being confused or forgetting many of the details. Return to Paradise takes place 8 months after Caleb left Paradise. He has tried to escape the town, his parents, and the pain of seeing Maggie. But, as we know, you can't hide from your problems. Caleb is soon in trouble again and his own real option is to go on a summer trip with some other teens.
Maggie has somehow gained even more strength since Caleb left. She was hurt, but found ways to heal. She even joined a summer trip to help share her story of the accident, but she never expected to see Caleb there.
When Caleb and Maggie see each other again I could literally feel their anxiety. As much as they may have thought they had moved on, it was obvious that the feelings were still there. I admired Maggie's determination and resistance of Caleb. He attempted to push her buttons but she remained composed and refused to let him rule her emotions. The trip opens up the thing they each tried to keep locked up — the accident and what happened after Caleb got out of the juvenile detention center. But, with some help from the other teens on the trip, they do eventually learn a lot about themselves.
Endings can make or break and entire book for me. I despise if an ending (especially of an entire series) is rushed. I was extremely satisfied with this ending. I obviously won't say what happened, and there are several surprises, but it was gratifying.
Don't think that this is just a clear-cut story. Simone placed a lot of surprises and twists along the way. And, we meet some new characters that bring a lot of life to the story.
Recommended: Contemporary readers looking for something with a deeper plot. Read Leaving Paradise first. Also, if you haven't checked out Simone's other series, Perfect Chemistry, go do that.NOW!
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain Publisher: EgmontUSA (December 22nd, 2009) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 372 pages Source: Won from author Series: The Dark Divine #1 Rating: 5 of 5 stars Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.
The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.
The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret… and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul. Review: I don't know why I waited so long to read this. I'm a big werewolf fan and this is a book I have wanted to read for a long time. The Dark Divine is from Grace's POV. She is a"good girl" with a loving family and her father happens to be a pastor. But, there is a lot going on behind the scenes.
Grace recalls the odd events that happened around the time her childhood friend Daniel disappeared. Suddenly, Daniel is back and he isn't exactly the same person who left 3 years before. Grace's family is desperate for her to stay away from him but she can't. She is determined to have him in her life and to find out why he went away.
I will say that nothing in particular about this book blew me away; however, it was a very well-rounded story. I enjoyed the characters. I never wanted to put the book down and I had no idea where the plot would take me. Grace was a good girl but she took a lot of risks. Daniel was just fascinating. I was curious to find out more about him because he started off as being very closed off and sad.
Another aspect of the story I really enjoyed was the fact that Grace's family was a critical part of the plot. That is often rare to find in YA books so I liked the fact that we get to know her father, mother, and older brother on a deeper level. It also allows the readers to see why Grace is who she is.
With Daniel's arrival, a lot of bad things start happening around town and people are blaming Daniel. Grace knows something evil is out there but she just can't believe Daniel would be the one causing the problems. The plot in this story was very creative and mysterious. I honestly didn't know what would happen and I was completely surprised many times.
Bree Despain is a fabulous author and The Dark Divine series is one that easily hooked me. Everything about this novel helped to bring the story to life and Bree's writing made me an immediate fan.
Recommended: In case anyone hasn't read this so far — paranormal/werewolf fans who like a good mystery.
Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein Publisher: Entangled Publishing Date: May 15th, 2012 Add it to Goodreads Summary: Sometimes date is a four-letter word
Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.
Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.
I'm really getting into these cover reveals and Entangled Publishing has just been full of awesomeness lately. Here is the cover for PRETTY AMY and honestly, this book sounds hilarious!
Here is an excerpt!
I was just about to put out my cigarette and go back inside when I heard a skateboard coming down the street. It sounded like waves, like a conch shell against your ear. That full, empty sound. Maybe it was Aaron. I conjured up my stupid daydream, the one I used to fill my head when I couldn’t deal with any of the other stuff in there—that he would find me, that he would apologize, that he would tell me that prom night hadn’t been his fault. The difference this time was that when I looked toward the sound, he really was there. It was him.Aaron. He was skateboarding down the sidewalk like it was made of water, wearing the same loose, worn jeans from his Facebook picture. He carried a backpack, like he might have been coming from the library, but I doubted he ever went to the library. I lit another cigarette with the end of my last one; any excuse to stay put. Then I remembered I was wearing a suit. “ You got another one of those?” he asked. His eyes were blue. I hadn’t noticed that in his picture. My hands shook as I gave him a cigarette. He brought a silver-and-black Zippo to his mouth, flipped it open with one hand, lit his cigarette, and slapped it shut. The whole thing took seconds, but it felt like he was doing it in slow motion. “Thanks,” he said. Maybe he had just stopped to get a cigarette. Maybe it had nothing to do with me. It probably had nothing to do with me. “ I know you,” he said. “Where do I know you from?” I couldn’t tell him. Telling him that he’d stood me up for my own prom would have been way too embarrassing. It would tell him that I still cared enough to remember. “ I’m friends with Lila and Cassie,” I said, wishing that my hair wasn’t pulled back in a headband like I was a nun. “ What are you all dressed up for?” he asked. Of course he didn’t know me. If he had, he would have known that I’d just come from court and that I was trying to do everything I could to forget it. “ I work here,” I said, thinking fast. “I’m supposed to be a librarian.” “ You don’t have to lie,” he said, laughing. “I’m Aaron.” “ Amy,” I said, waving hello with the cigarette in my hand. He smiled. “Though you do make a cute librarian.” I tried to keep myself from coughing. “This suit sucks,” I said. It seemed cooler than saying thank you. It seemed cooler than getting all squishy over what he said, even though that was how I felt. I looked at his skateboard. “You wanna try it out?” he asked. The deck had a mural of blue sky and white-capped mountains hand-painted on it. The wheels were covered with stop-motion birds, so that when they spun it must have looked like the birds were flying. There was more to this boy. More that I wanted to know. “ I guess I could,” I said, but then I remembered my mother. She would come looking for me soon. I shook my head. “I should go.” “You got a cell phone?” he asked. “ Not that I’m allowed to use anymore.” “ Parents,” he said. He pulled a sketchbook from his backpack. Maybe he had painted that beautiful mural. He ripped out a piece of paper, wrote something down, and handed it to me. It was his phone number. I tried not to act surprised, tried to act like boys gave me their numbers all the time, especially when I hadn’t asked for them. “ See you around, Amy,” he said. He dropped the skateboard next to him. It landed perfectly on its wheels like a cat would on its legs. As he skated away, I looked at his number; the paper was as soft as fabric. I folded it smaller and smaller and hid it in my bra. Maybe he hadn’t said what I wanted him to say, but he had found me. He had found me. And, what's even more fun?In addition to the PRETTY AMY cover reveal, Lisa and Entangled Publishing will be hosting a Worst Prom Photo contest in the weeks leading up to AMY's release on May 15. So make sure to dust off your old prom photos—the more tulle, bows, and big hair the better!—and watch Lisa's site, http://www.lisaburstein.com, for details on how to submit/enter to win a beauty package.How cool is that??
I'm so happy to have 2 of my favorite characters, Alexis and Tristan, from Purpose here with me today. Thank you both for being on my blog. I have some questions for you.
What was the first word that popped into your minds when you first saw each other? Alexis: Beautiful. Tristan (raises an eyebrow): I don’t think it’s appropriate to say. What’s the rating on this blog? Alexis (blushes): And you say I’m incorrigible?
What are some of your favorite memories from when you were dating? Alexis: Cooking together. Tristan: Cooking? Really? Alexis: Yeah. What’s wrong with that? Tristan: It’s just so… domestic. Alexis (with a slight smile and a shrug): I think it’s sexy. Especially with you. Tristan: Hmm… I’ll have to rethink my favorite memories then. (Pauses) Nah. Still on the beach… on the boat… pretty much any time you were in a bikini. Maybe you can cook in a bikini… Alexis: Can you be serious? Tristan: I am. Alexis: (glares) Tristan: Okay, if you really want to know… darts. Alexis (blushes again): Next question, please.
You've had some hard times together as well, what advice would you give couples for ways to overcome that? Tristan: I’m not exactly the right person to be giving relationship advice. I certainly don’t deserve what I have because of anything I’ve done right or well. Alexis: Yeah, me either. It’s not like either of us have much experience. We’re still learning what works for us. But, I think, trust is a big thing for every relationship. You have to be able to trust each other. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but I think it’s necessary.
Tristan, when you first met Alexis when she was young, did you ever think you'd be where you are now? Tristan: Not at all, but not because of her age or anything else so irrelevant. For me to have a relationship with anyone was at one time unbelievable, but with someone like her… with Alexis, who she is and who she’ll become… I never expected it would come to this between us. I never knew happiness before, let alone love. And now look at us.
Alexis, you are an amazing writer. Can you explain to us what writing does for you personally? Alexis: It’s always been an escape for me, really. I’ve never felt like I belonged in this world. In my writing, I get to be someone else, feel like I’m living a different life. It’s like reading a really good book with a story that’s exactly what you want to read… but no one else has written it, so you get to.
Tristan, what did you think when Alexis finally allowed you to read one of her stories? Tristan: Well, I knew when she would finally let me read one, it would mean she really trusts me. That’s what I care about, more than anything. Alexis: You care about more than that. You read it. And admit it… you liked it. Tristan: Yeah, I did, but I’ve always known you were talented. Of course I’d like it. Alexis: Even though it’s about witches and werewolves? Tristan: You are, obviously, weirdly infatuated with the monsters. But, it’s your thing and I’ve come to accept that.
Alexis, how difficult was it to learn the truth from your mother after all these years? Alexis: I still don’t know everything. In fact, I feel like I hardly know anything at all. But what I do know… it was pretty shocking at first. To the point that I had a hard time really grasping it all as real. I mean, Tristan showed me some of his abilities and told me what he was he able to, what he’s not bound to keep secret, but it still didn’t feel real… not until Ian showed his disgusting self, anyway… and then Edmund and that… thing. I guess that’s when it really hit home that not all things in this world are as they seem. Do you still worry that she may be hiding important things from you about your history? Alexis: Ha. Of course, she’s still hiding things. I know there’s much more to everything about us. But as I’ve been told repeatedly, I have to wait until the Ang’dora. It’s frustrating and annoying, but even Tristan won’t tell me, though I know he would if he could. They’re bound too tightly and nothing I do can break that bond, apparently. Besides, right now, I’m just concerned about us… being safe… staying together… maybe living a somewhat normal life while we can.
Tristan, what was the worst part about keeping secrets from Alexis early on? Tristan: I was trying to earn her trust. It’s kind of difficult to do when you know yourself that you’re untrustworthy. The only thing I had going for me was that she kept secrets, too. I hoped she’d understand.
Did you expect to feel so connected to Alexis immediately or did it come as a shock to you? Tristan: She definitely shocked me. Alexis (with an embarrassed giggle): I did shock you! Or you shocked me. Tristan (chuckles): Yes, that is the right word… in so many ways. I really didn’t expect anything at all, especially anything so strong, except maybe immediate abhorrence. If you look at it the way some of the others do, it all makes sense. But I, personally, don’t understand it. Our connection doesn’t make sense. Alexis: Of course it does! We’re meant to be together. That’s just how it is. Be honest, what bugs you the most about each other? Any pet peeves? Alexis: Actually, Tristan’s so dang beautiful, it can be annoying. We can’t go anywhere without all the females gawking, like animals in heat. Between him and my mother… I don’t know who’s worse, men or women. And then everyone looks at me and you can tell by the look on their faces that they’re wondering how the heck I’m with him. Tristan: Because you deserve better. Alexis: And then there’s that. It’s like he doesn’t even notice. Sometimes I feel like he puts me on this pedestal and I’m the last person who deserves to be there. One day he’ll open his eyes and see exactly how wrong he is – about me and himself. Tristan: Oh, my eyes are open. I know what I see. But you don’t see yourself clearly, either. You have no idea what you do to people, especially to me. And your potential… I guess you’ll just have to wait and see for yourself. Alexis: And that’s another thing. How he knows things I can’t know yet. That bugs the crap out of me. Tristan: You’re talking about me like I’m not here. Alexis: Huh? Tristan: That’s one of the things about Alexis that can get to me. She can go on such a rampage sometimes, words spilling out of her mouth without realizing how absurd she’s being. It makes me laugh, though. Alexis: I’m not being absurd! How can you— Tristan: And defensive. She can be quite defensive. Alexis: (crosses her arms, opens her mouth, then closes it again) Tristan: See, she doesn’t know what to say because she knows I’m right. I like how she does that, though. It’s kind of cute. So is this. (winks) Alexis (eyes glaze over for a moment and rendered speechless) Well, this has been such a fun interview! I am so glad you could be here today Tristan *wink* … oh… and you too Alexis *clears throat* … anyways, I have a friend over at A Life Bound By Books and I know she would love to get a chance to talk to you too. Think you can pay her a visit soon?
Alexis: Of course.
Tristan: Anything for you. *wink*
(Okay, okay… so maybe Tristan didn't actually say that last part)
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
Yes, it's true. The End is HERE! Don't be afraid. We have prepared for this and have all the necessary tools for survival. Want to know more about THE END? Check out this link to Epic Reads. I am the blogger for the UNEARTHLY series by Cynthia Hand. It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the series. I even wrote my very first letter to a character in my review of HALLOWED. HALLOWED and UNEARTHLY were both amazing books and I was super excited to get my hands on BOUNDLESS. Even though it is the end *tear!* I will never forget this series! Today I have an interview with the lovely Cynthia Hand. Be sure to check out the giveaway below for a chance to win UNEARTHLY and HALLOWED!
1. What originally inspired you to write about mythology?
Actua lly, it was a single verse I remember puzzling over in the Bible, years and years ago, something about the Nephilim, the children of angels and men, and how they were the “heroes of old, men of renown.” I was like, whoa, that’d be a lot of pressure, to know that you’re part ANGEL. So when I was writing about Clara, and I knew that she was something supernatural, that verse came to mind, and angels seemed perfect for the story I wanted to tell about destiny and free will.
2. What has been the most surprising thing a fan has done for you? I am always so thrilled when a fan has come a long way just to meet me. There was also a fan who made me a necklace with little charms for each of my book covers, which was so wonderful and sweet.
3. How do you feel now that the series is wrapping up? A little nostalgic and teary, truth be told. It’s hard to be at the end. But I’m also excited for the big wide world that’s opened up in front of me, and all that I could write.
4. Clara is such a strong character. When you first started writing this series, what were the most important qualities you wanted her to have?
Well, first of all, I wanted Clara to be flawed. I wanted her to have a lot of room for growth over the course of the series. And I wanted her to have doubts, about herself, about her purpose, about everything. She wonders if she’s a coward, but when push comes to shove, she can be incredibly brave—that sort of thing. I wanted her to love the people around her—her mother, her brother, her friends, deeply and truly, but also for her to struggle sometimes with being selfish, and having to overcome that selfishness. And, maybe most of all, I wanted her to have a good sense of humor, so that we could laugh as we went down the hard roads together.
5. Readers have strong feelings of either being Team Tucker or Team Christian. I know this is difficult, but if you were Clara and had these two hot guys after you, who do you think you would choose? Hmm, if I was Clara.. I think I’d go with Christian, because I would believe him if he looked at me with those gold-flecked eyes and said we belonged together! Seriously, though, I think I would probably do the good-old pros and cons list, and go with Christian, because his pros list would convince me over the cons. And then I’d throw out the list and ride off into the sunset with Tucker. But then I might like to FLY off into the sunset with Christian. ACK! I don’t know!!!!! Poor Clara!!!!!
Boundless by Cynthia Hand Publisher: HarperTeen (January 22nd, 201 3) Re ading Le vel: Young Adult Hardback: 438 pages Series: Un earthly #3 The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.
Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her.. even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California — and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.
As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one.. With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.
In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.
Prize:
1 winner will get a Hardcover copy of UNEARTHLY and HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand.
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 February 6th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
The form must be filled out to enter.
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Amazon | Barnes & Noble REMEMBER: Check out EPI C READS for more fun s tuff about 'The End is HERE' books.
Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey (Walker Childrens 1/17/2012) The Asylum (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #5) by L.J. Smith (HarperCollins 1/17/2012) Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand (HarperCollins 1/17/2012)
Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr (Speak 1/19/2012) Try Not to Breathe by Janenifer R. Hubbard (Viking Juvenile 1/19/2012) Havoc (Deviants #2) by Jeff Sampson (Balzer + Bray 1/24/2012)
Fallen in Love (Fallen #3.5) by Lauren Kate (Delacorte Press for Young Readers 1/24/2012) Daughter of the Centaurs (Centauriad #1) by Kate Klimo (Random House Books for Young Readers 1/24/2012) Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James (HarperTeen 1/24/2012)
The Way We Fall (The Way We Fall #1) by Megan Crewe (Disney 1/24/2012) Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick (Lerner Publishing Group 1/28/2012 Destiny and Deception (13 to Life #4) by Shannon Delany (St. Martin's Griffin 1/31/2012)
Lenobia's Vow (House of NightNovellas #2) by P.C. and Kristin Cast (St. Martin's Griffin 1/31/2012) Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton (Katherine Tegen Books 1/31/2012)
Fracture by Megan Miranda (Walker & Company 1/17/2012) Halflings (Halflings #1) by Heather Burch (Zonderkidz 1/17/2012) Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross (St. Martin's Griffin 1/17/2012)
Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic (HMH Children's Books 1/17/2012) Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton (Balzer + Bray 1/24/2012) Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows (HarperCollins 1/31/2012)
Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmons (Tor Teen 1/31/2012) New Girl by Paige Harbison (Harlequin Teen 1/31/2012) What books are you most excited to read?
If you know of any other new releases for January 16th-31st feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
Today I have the tremendously talented, GOAT (greatest of all time), superhero of writing (he made me say these things!), Jay Clark!
But seriously folks, Jay is probably one of the funniest people I've ever emailed to and he really knows how to perk up an interview. You'll want to read this one, I promise!
Sign up below for a chance to win an ARC!
Bookaholic:"Can you share with us a few words you would use to describe each main character in The Edumacation of Jay Baker?"
Jay: "Jay Baker: Snarky-but-lovable man-boy whose heart is usually in the right place at the wrong time.
Cameo Appearance Parnell: Beautiful disaster who’d rather keep things fresh-‘n-flirty than drab-‘n-Debbie-Downerish.
Caroline Richardson: Mysterious, super-focused tennis goddess whose past is about to play mind games with her.
Abby Baker: Frighteningly popular homecoming queen who’d take a bad outfit to the chest for her brother, Jay.
Ms. Lambert: Earth-motherly, heavy-meddling history teacher whose bark is bigger than her “Bite me.”
Mike Hibbard: Half-teen/half-barn-animal (?) with a surplus of “Bullying for Dummies” put-downs to mask self-esteem shortage."
Bookaholic:"How much of this book is based upon your own experiences?"
Jay: "I thieved quite a bit of the plot from my very own walk-in skeleton closet. A few guilty bystanders will have a bone to pick with me, but I’ll be sure to write them all an apology email from my computer in hell. P.S. This makes me seem like I’m too lazy to reinvent the literary wheel, and that would be accurate. Lately, however, I’ve been thinking of writing about a magical land where a bespectacled orphan becomes a wizard and … $%#!, that’s already been done, hasn’t it?"
Bookaholic: "Do you think hell has free wi-fi? And, could you provide an example of the individuals you may enrage or offend with your book (names can be changed to protect the guilty)."
Jay: "Hell hath no fury like me if it doesn’t! No, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say Sa-to-the-tan has kept up with the technological times. How else would #cometosatanbaby be trending on Twitter right now? Weird, my index finger just burned up in flames."
Well, okay: The character Rene Rotrovich’s nickname, “Rene Rottencrotch,” was inspired by an old friend who was called that particular surname all throughout school. Not that I ever said it myself, or even thought she had a rotten crotch (yet to be proven in court, I might add). I just thought it captured the vibe of my class to perfection and had to include it." *Ducks*
Bookaholic: Tell us 5 funny facts/events from your life.
Jay: "Dude, I tried out for American Idol. Twice. The first time I sang “Your Song” and Elton John called to ask for it back. The second time I sang “Flake” and very nearly made it my own. But then the bored-looking prelim judge asked me to sing something else, and I was like, “Huh?” I bombed that one like there was no tomorrow."
Bookaholic:"So apparently you do NOT work well under pressure huh? Go ahead, sing for us, right now!" *sits back in her chair, sipping on her Coke*.
(Photo: Close.but not Jay)
Jay: "I always accuse my sister of being a choker during board games and flip-cup and such, but maybe it’s been me all along. Nothing like a little healthy projection to give oneself a false sense of confidence. Anyway, sis and I do a great rendition of “Summer Nights,” from Grease. It gets kind of weird when I sing, “Well, she got friendly, down in the sa-ha-haaand,” and then bend my knees like John Travolta, but there’s something to be admired about that kind of commitment—just not sure what it is.
(Photo: Again, totally not Jay) I’m a longtime basement dweller who’s basically lived underground since graduating college. In other words, tornadoes haven’t stood a chance since ’05 (booyah). Besides, who needs fresh air when you have Glade PlugIns and a decent supply of snacks?" Bookaholic:"That depends. What sort of snacks? Are we talking chocolate?"
Jay: "Chocolate schmocolate. I discovered this great vanilla yogurt/raspberry sorbet combo made by Haagen-Dazs (had to look up that spelling and didn’t feel like adding the accent mark) a few months ago and have been killing pint after pint ever since. It’s annoying when I have to go upstairs to get it from the freezer, though. I need a little ice box or something. And an unlikely endorsement deal, because that crap’s expensive!"
Barf alert: I was born with simple syndactyly of the second and third toes, on both feet. I had a complex about it—cue: groans—until seventh grade, when a podiatrist took a scalpel and… why am I talking about this? My fiancé tries to touch the scars sometimes, which I am not a fan of. She’s welcome to go to town on my corpse, though."
Bookaholic: EEK *runs away hiding eyes* I am not a foot fan.
Jay: "Everyone’s a critic!
I come from a family of gamblers. None of us know when to hold ’em, fold ’em, or walk away, but we have a blast in Vegas every year—not to mention our drinks are totally free!"
Bookaholic: *slowly re-enters the room*"Okay okay, so are you any good when you gamble? Or, do you end up broke on the street begging for change?"
Jay: "Lady luck and I have our intimate moments, for sure. She can also be a real wildebeest—especially when her hormones kick in and start blanking out the slot machine. Not that I don’t deserve it."
I have a drinking problem that starts and ends with Mountain Dew. I’m intentionally trying to lower my sperm count, because I hate children.
Bookaholic: Yumm, Mountain Dew is my favorite pop! But seriously, you hate children? How is that possible? Don’t you want a little mini-you someday?
Jay: "When you put it that way, how can I resist?! I do think kids would help round me out and make me less inclined to worry about dumb crap, but the fact that I just typed “me” twice is a bad sign."
(Photo: Jay's future child)Bookaholic:"If you were a superhero, what superpower would you have?"
Jay: "Introducing Paranoia Man! Paranoia Man is all anxiety, all the time, and one-hundred-percent evil. In fact, his sole purpose on Planet Earth is to transfer his nervous energy to the far-more-rational beings who walk among him. Beware the plethora of panic attacks at his disposal, and no matter what he says, don’t accept anything from his prescription bottle. Otherwise, you may find yourself asking the following questions to no one in particular:
Why hasn’t this person responded to my email yet?! Is my dog mad at me, or what?! Wow, the Starbucks barista is being hella-weird today, am I right?!"
Bookaholic:"Haha, that’s funny. But why are you staring at me like that? Do I have something on my shirt? OMG, you think I’m a horrible interviewer, don’t you??"
Jay: "It’s working! I’m feeling calmer already."
Bookaholic:"What are some of the major differences between the writer Jay, and the character Jay?"
Jay: "They laugh alike, they talk alike, sometimes they even have IBS alike. Differences? As much as it pains my fragile male ego to admit, I think Jay Baker has more of a way with the ladies than Jay Clark. He’s a baller in sheep’s clothing. I mean, Jay Clark is obviously better-looking, but in high school he couldn’t get the pole out of his b-hole long enough to let his freak-flag fly. Jay Baker is more of a come-what-whatever risk-taker, and that’s why he has his own book while Jay Clark remains chopped liver." (Photo: Could be Jay. I'll have to ask.) Bookaholic:"Okay, here is a test. I want you to tell us some pick-up lines. Tell us one YOU would have used during your pick-up-line days (before you got old and settled down)… and then one from the character Jay (the youthful risk-taker).
Jay Clark: “Hey… you. Wanna come over to my house after school so I can make you some toast with my grandma’s strawberry jam on it?” (This actually happened and, shocker, was not followed by a hookup session.)
Jay Baker: “You have a thing for my man-bangs, don’t you?” *Points to hair* “’Cause there’s a lot more where that came from.”
Bookaholic:"I'm even more shocked that you have a fianc é! Now, tell us 3 things you wish you could go back to high school and do?"
Jay: "I say this without an ounce of sarcasm: Seek out my future fiancé, Caroline. I started shedding a lot of my unnecessary habits when I found her. Good stuff. Spend even more time with my family. It’s a shame the measures people take to avoid their relatives, but maybe I’d feel differently if I had <insert your psycho-sibling here> snipping off locks of my hair in the middle of the night.
Tie myself to a tree until they build some freaking tennis courts on school grounds. That’s kind of an oxymoronic way of going about it, but the tree and I will cross that bridge when we come to it—unless we need to actually build a small bridge to the tennis courts, in which case I’ll turn to the tree and say, “Nice knowing you, sucker!”
Bookaholic:"You were wilder in college, right? Did you do anything insane then?"
Jay: "Not really… I’ve pretty much always been a snoozefest."
Bookaholic: *Yawns*"Since you are just a sweet, innocent, unaware-of-all-the-bad debut author, what scares you the most about the writing world? Be honest, are you most afraid of us angelic bloggers?" *whips out her halo*
Jay: "People on the internet are terrifying, yes. Especially bloggers hiding their true identities behind wide-eyed avatars or extreme close-up pics of their cat/dog (maybe I should double-check your website before mentioning that). But, really, it’s hard for me to complain. If someone’s taken the time to read my book, then they can say “He blew it!” all over the internets till the cows come home. Then they can go blow a cow, for all I care. Kidding! I blame this horrible answer on your question."
Bookaholic:"HEY, my avatar is offended by your comment. She does not have wide eyes! Okay… maybe she does." Thank you Jay for being on my blog and for sharing such fascinating details of your crazy life. You are so much fun (I know, I can't believe I said that either!)."
The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. (January 24th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 272 pages A few “sexy” bullet points about Jay: • He is in love with a cheerleader named Cameo “Appearance” Parnell • He is forever losing “Love-15” to tennis-playing goddess Caroline Richardson • He rocks a touché array of pop-culture references, jokes, and puns • His family-life cookie is about to crumble. Live vicariously through Jay as he faces off against his mortal enemy, gets awkward around his dream girl(s), loses his marbles in a Bermudian love triangle, watches his parents’ relationship implode, and, finally, learns to get real and be himself(ish).
Prize:
1 winner will receive an ARC of The Edumacation of Jay Baker.
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US only and ends February 10th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
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!
Jordyn by Tiffany King Published: A.T. Publishing (February 9th, 2013) Reading Level: New Adult Kindle Edition: 280 pages Series: A Deamon Hunter Novel, #1 Rating: 5 of 5 stars Summary: Hand to hand combat training: Check Cardio and strength training: Check Daemon hunting: Check Anomaly: Check
Check, check, check, check… That's all my life is. There's nothing ordinary about me. I'm"special." I know this because I'm reminded of it every stinking day. I can kick a Daemon's ass with both hands tied behind my back. I can run up a mountain without breaking a sweat. Know what I can't do? Get guys to notice me, or hang out with friends like normal people do. I can't just be ordinary because I have an Arch Angel for a mentor who is always breathing down my neck, and a family of angelic Guides and Protectors who scrutinize every little thing I do. Just for a day I want a life where I'm no longer some anomaly, where I don't have to feel like a lab rat.
And then I met Emrys. Okay, so my mentor and family hate him, but probably for good reason. After-all, he is a Soul Trader, and they aren't the most trust worthy beings. But, he is sooo hot with his green eyes, leather jacket and the sexiest tattoo you've ever seen running down his back. And-he doesn't treat me like a project.
I've got myself in quite a little quandary here. Choosing between my responsibilities and the Trader that holds my heart is something I didn't sign up for. Torn between two different worlds, I must now decide who to trust and who to walk away from. What's a girl to do? See what I mean? I am an anomaly. I am Jordyn.
Review:
Woah!!! LOVED the entire story and all the twists and turns. Plus, it doesn't hurt that a certain male character is so darn SMOKIN' HOT!! And, I truly loveeee Jordyn and how real she is! She is such a strong character that doesn't take crap from anyone. I honestly CAN NOT WAIT to read the next book!
… …
I was serious…
…
I CAN'T WAIT …
IS BOOK 2 READY YET????: )
Okay, back to the review. This book has a huge amount of detail for such a small package! We learn a lot about Jordyn, her"family", their world, and what it's like being a Deamon hunter. Jordyn really kicks butt. I loved her! She was just so bad-ass and awesome! She's a tough girl with a strong personality. She has guardians who are training her and it was great to really get to know each one of them.
Then, of course, we have Emrys. He is a Soul Trader, which is not something her guardians are happy about. The more they try to keep Jordyn away from Emrys, the more she feels drawn to him.
This book mostly seemed like a set up for an epic battle coming up. We learn a lot about Jordyn's world and what she can do. Then we get to enjoy the building chemistry between Jordyn and Emrys. He is very mysterious indeed, and I can't wait to find out more!!
Do you like to establish relationships with authors? Do you ever have"fan-girl/boy" moments?
I love it when an author contacts me about their books, especially when I've read their books before. There are some authors that are extremely popular that talk to me, and I go total fan-girl. But I also like when a little known author contacts me to send me their book and I end up loving it, It's great for me to find a new great author (Lauren Mechling, Megan Kelley Hall, and Brooke Taylor to name just a few). — Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog Oh, yes. I think that's one of the things I like best; being able to just talk to authors. (Julie Kagawa, I'm looking at you.) And I definitley have fangirl moments. I sobbed when I met Laurie Halse Anderson and spazzed a little the first time Gail Carriger tweeted @ me. It's fun! — Nicole at WORD for Teens I am a TOTAL fangirl. I get giddy at author events or when authors reply to my tweets or blog post. You should have seen me when I met Holly Black! I'm pretty sure she may have started the process for a restraining order; ) — Heidi at YA Bibliophile I'm brand new to the book blogger community so I haven't established a rapor with too many authors yet. The few that I have are amazingly friendly people and I'm very thankful they take the time they do to respond to my comments and questions. My most recent fan-girl moment was with Chef and Author Robert Irvine. I wrote on his Facebook page and he responded with a great comment which made me squeal like a tween girl at a Justin Bieber concert when I got it. — Kelli at Scarlett's Scraps I've yet to be lucky enough to establish relationships with authors, but I'd love to in the future. I do have one ARC winging its way to me, so hopefully that will become my first 'author relationship'. I've sort of had a fan-girl moment about Jasper Fforde recently- I can't stop telling people how good his books are and how nice he is in person. — Abigailann at The Story Factory Reading Zone I like to talk to them on twitter sometimes, or on their blogs but I'm very shy and get intimidated really easy so I leave the talking to my friends whenever we go to book signings. I have gotten very fangirly where I get really nervous and freeze, but nothing crazy like crying in front of them and stuff like that. — Cynthia at A Blog about Nothing I do a little. Since I have started I have been chatting to a few authors not just about there books but about everyday stuff and it just feels like having a girly chat with a person rather than one of your fave authors. I have had one fan girl moment when one of my fave authors at the minute L.A. Weatherly said she loved my review of her book Angel and was glad I loved the characters so much I didn't even know she would see it. — Megan at Reading Away the Days Of course, there always those authors that your just WOW, i cant believe im talking with them!!!! They are amazing and much more down to earth than I originally expected Reagan at Star Shadow Blog I have a few authors that I have exchanged ideas, emails, and tweets with. I can't say that I am particularly close to any of them. But I love to see what they have to say! — Lisa at Bookworm Lisa I never thought that I could have a relationship with my favorite authors, but it is possible. I talk with authors all over and even met some of them. It is just so awesome! I have had a fan-girl moment before. Every time I email a new author, asking him/her for an interview or something of that nature, I always freak out. (Is that weird?) Nora can tell you all about it, I stare at the SEND button and start smiling. Authors are like celebrities, that I can talk to and I love it. — Gina at The Bucket List I think most of us at one time or another has some sort of fan-girl/boy moment. Right?! And yes, I love interacting with authors and helping them interact with others. That is one of the driving factors in Read.Chat.Love, a Author-Blogger Chat and Event blog I am a co-founder of. — Stacey at Flippin' Fabulous — A Reader's Record I get SOOO fangirly if an author comments on my blog or seeks me out for a review/interview. Right now, I think my favorite moment was when Jo Knowles commented on my post about My Most Awesomely Horrifying Reads of All Time (I'd just put Lessons from a Dead Girl on the list) with a book suggestion for the list. The fact that I have actual, real-live authors reading my blog just blows my mind! -Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian Absolutely! I have read some amazing stories that I would not have read otherwise. I have become fans of some great authors and continue to stalk them accordingly. — J.L. at J.L. Jackson Not really, it'd be nice but isn't necessary. I do have a few author's who's blogs I follow though. — Ellen at Silver Tabby Books I am not one who actively seeks relationships with authors. I do reach out through Twitter and will interact that way, but I still consider authors to be celebrities and therefore somewhat remote and untouchable. It is a ridiculous notion but one I have never overcome. I have fan-girl moments every single time I get a comment from an author or an e-mail from an author or even a response on Twitter. My biggest moment was visiting a booksellers' trade show last October and was surrounded by authors. I felt privileged to be there but definitely felt I wasn't worthy to be in the same company! — Michelle at That's What She Read I haven't met or established relationships with many authors, so no. I love following my favourite authors on their blogs though. — Cole at Through the Book Vine As an author myself I have many friends who are authors. I’m not sure if fan-girl is a correct description, but I do have a great admiration for authors who persevere. — Ann at Cozy in Texas I don't generally go seek them out — I blog for myself because I like it, so I don't like to feel obligated to post a good review or anything like that. I don't review every book I read due to time constraints, but the ones I don't like or don't finish, I generally won't officially review, especially with some of the recent drama I've seen about negative reviews. However, I do follow a couple of my absolute favorite authors, and would be open to relationships with any of them. — Cat at Cat's Thoughts Yes, but it makes me nervous because I'm not the most outgoing person (Me= VERY shy). Absolutely, anytime an author replies to a tweet or the few times I've exchanged emails with one. I always have to step back for a moment just to compose myself before I can even think about replying back. My fan-girl moment would have to be the time that Robin McKinley @ replied me on Twitter. I was like so shocked because she's like one of my all-time favorite fantasy authors. — Orchid at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia This is sort of a grey area for me. As a reviewer, I'm supposed to maintain a cool, professional distance from the authors whose books I review. Not only is it necessary for readers to trust in a critic's candor and impartiality, it's also easier for the reviewer if he/she is not emotionally tangled with feelings for the author when sitting down to write the review. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way. Lately, I've been a social media butterfly, striking up"friendships" with writers on Twitter and Facebook in an almost whorish manner. Only in a few instances have those connections spilled over into"real life;" for the most part, I only"know" the authors through their Twitter and Facebook accounts. Since I started The Quivering Pen, however, I've had several authors contact me through the blog and I've established several online relationships that way, too. I hope I'm still unbiased enough to give their books an honest review, when it comes to that. Favorite fanboy moment? It would have to be the email I received from novelist Sheri Holman not too long ago telling me that because of what I wrote about the cover of the Advance Reading Copy for her new novel"Witches on the Road Tonight," the design team at Grove/Atlantic decided to go with a different cover (which, in my opinion, is a huge improvement over the original design--a scan of which you can still see on my blog). Whether this was completely true or not--I mean, I'm just one little blogger out here in the world and I really don't think I carry all THAT much weight--it still pumped me up for the better part of a week. — David at Quivering Pen Blog I do like establishing relationships with authors, but I’m also totally nervous about it! I feel like my 12-year-old self trying to talk to a cute boy and saying the lamest things ever. I admire so many authors and I feel so thankful to them for the awesome reading experiences they’ve given me. I fangirl all the time, much to my embarrassment. I’m super shy though, so most of the time I’m just speechless. — Small at Small Reviews I'm actually really shy when it comes to authors. I follow several, but I have only ever conversed over the internet with a few, and then not for any lengthy period of time. Authors intimidate me, even though logically they shouldn't. Authors are people, too. Luckily, I've managed to avoid embarrassing fan-girl moments! — Rachel at Jacob's Beloved's Books Sure! It's nice that authors are really approachable and opennto their readers and fans. For me, it is an additional appeal for the readers. Especially now that there's twitter and facebook, even international readers and bloggers can sort of create a relationship and communicate w/ authors. I'm a big fan-girl myself. So I had those moments of serious fan-girling. To maintain a sense of dignity i shall keep those instances to myself. *whistles* — Len at Musings of a Reader Happy I am surprised every day at how big and active the book blogging community is. I love knowing that through the good times and the bad times that there is a group I can lean on for book recommendations, a listening ear or just to share the same hobby. — Kristin at Kritters Ramblings Haha, I'd love to establish relationships with authors, but I still regard them with a certain hoi-paloi status that is above me. I do however know a few people personally who are published authors and are local to me; that is pretty awesome! However, the farthest I've gone with an author is email/twitter fan girl squealing. I do have fan-girl moments! The best one was when Sherrilyn Kenyon was answering questions on the FaceBook page for her Chronicles of Nick series and she replied to mine. Fan-girl scream! I took a picture of the computer screen. I framed it. I'm proud of it. — Nora at The Bookery Not really applicable as I haven't established any relationships with authors, but I would. It'd be fun, I think, to be able to pick the brains of published/ to-be-published authors. — Kim at Book Munchies I do love it. Before blogging, I never even thought about contacting an author. Having a relationship with authors is always surprising and wonderful. I have a lot of fangirl moments. — Lindsay at Just Another Book Addict Yes. I have fan-girly moments all the time! I love when an author takes the time to respond on twitter or like my review on Good Reads. - Shannon at Books Devoured
*Part 3 of 3 will be posted soon. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.
Hey everyone. We wanted to do a wrap-up post to thank everyone for all your hard work. You have blogged, vlogged, facebooked, and tweeted about our team, changed your avatars to Dauntless buttons, added the buttons to your pages, shared your fears and accomplishments, and truly showed your Dauntless pride! We cannot thank you enough for your effort. You all went above and beyond to help us out and it was so incredible to have so much support. We will post the Street Team winners on the 1st. Now, it's time to share more answers to the question"Why do you want to join the Dauntless faction" Dauntless are the brave, they don't let anything define them! They are free and determined. I want to join the Dauntless faction because I am free and determined and this is where i belong! - Book Sisterhood
I wish to join the Dauntless faction because it feels like I would belong there. <3 - Carina's Books
In Diveregent, I related most towards the dauntless faction I try to as determined as possible, sometimes it can even be a bad thing. I am impulsive like the dauntless of the book. - Danasquare
I want to be Dauntless because I believe courage and bravery are the most important qualities a person can have! It's not always easy to be courageous; in fact, it's one of the hardest things for a person to do. I admire bravery more than anything else in the world. Also, I really like ziplines! - Freeverse
I have become fearless in the face of being a single parent. I have faced a parents worse fear in seeing my son be treated as the"second-best" to his fathers DOG. To seeing him take all his daily medications without so much as one complaint. (What a trooper). I am lucky enough to know he is smart and more intuitive then I ever was at his age. I have been able to stand up to his father and say,"Hey! That's not how you treat your kid! Get your act in gear and man up." I've faced him in court and maintained my dignity and in the face of loss and also in keeping calm when I have also been victorious. I am a mother and I stand up for what I believe is right, even in front of many. - Picked by Poison
To be brave and face all fears is what everyone should strive for! Who better than to FIGHT for what is right than the DAUNTLESS?! - Booksforme2
Because I value bravery and courage. Plus Dauntless is just awesome! What other reason should there be? - Sam C.
I want to join team dauntless because I want to be brave. I might not be all the way but I want to be free and dauntless will push me to be how I want to be. - Janenifer Lee
I'd rather be brave and do something than sit in an Ivory Tower like the Erudite. I would rather fight than be passive and always give myself to others like Abnegation. I would rather be able to lie when I need to as opposed to Candor, and I would like the option of defending myself as opposed to doing nothing with Amity. - Birth of a New Witch
I want to join DAUNTLESS because I enjoy the rush and excitement of taking risks and facing my fears. - Doodle's Book Blog
I want to join the Dauntless because I want to do things that I never thought I could do and be a part of something strong. - Em and Em's Reviews
I want to join Dauntless because they believe in freedom from fear, and I'm sick of being afraid. I hate being scared or cowardly, it makes me feel weak and useless, and helpless. I also want to join Dauntless because I believe in shouting for those who can only whisper, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. I believe in action, and I believe in ordinary acts of bravery. I want to be brave. I want to face my fears and laugh and conquer them. I'm sick of sitting idly by and watching while others act, while others are brave. I want to join then. I WILL join them. Even the thought of Dauntless makes me brave. Dauntless has quite literally changed my life. Since choosing Dauntless, I have become more confident, bolder, less afraid. I know where I belong, and, sure Erudite has a pull for me, but I do not belong with them. I belong among the bold and brave. I belong in a place where I am free from the fear that has tied me down for years. I believe in realizing the extent to which fear rules us, and denying it the chance to change my decisions and control my life. I believe that no other virtue is more important than bravery. - Shout for Those Who Can Only Whisper
Besides the fact that Tris and Four are members, the Dauntless are brave and determined, which is what I am. I have had to be brave and strong to deal with my medical problems, so clearly Dauntless is where I belong. - Shooting Stars Mag
I love the idea of Dauntless, this team seems to encompass many values found in the others teams, but makes those values"their own." - Live to Read
I admire people who are brave and willing to do what must be done to accomplish great things. I want to be more brave and courageous in my actions. - Hope Love Happy Endings
Divergent and Dauntless has saved me from going crazy, and this fandom tooootally needs to be bigger than it is because it was such a deserving book. - Divergent for Life
Something exciting is always happening. It is challenging. You fight for your place. Its YOU who gets to decide. That's why i want to join Dauntless. - Nic
Because I abide by the Team Motto. - Reviewing Shelf
Because its the best team ever!: ) - Monica
We stand up and face our fears. We never back down, no matter what. A person can be truthful or smart or charitable, but it takes real courage and determination to face the worst of the days. And that's what Dauntless is about. - Raven Fic
Dauntless is by far the best faction! I've always had a thirst for adventure and to be carefree and strong so Dauntless is the best faction for that! =] - Booktastic Reviews
I am Dauntless! Nothing will stop me from standing up for what I believe in! - Words from the Tampa Bookworm
Why? Hmm… well, I'll start out with this. At first, I thought I was Erudite because I like reading about things, but then, I analized myself, and I can't say I like the fact that's all they ever do. I like adventure and risk, even if I still can't do some of them because I'm underage. (Which sucks). Anyway, what I'm saying is, that I value bravery a bit more than knowledge, both are important, but I feel that anyone can have knowledge, no matter what it is. Dauntless is a faction that promotes bravery, which is something not everyone has. I feel that with Dauntless, I can more so face my fears and kick butt while doing so. Plus, I can't be selfless, I'm not a fan of total peace, and I can't only tell the truth.: ) There you have it. - Reading in Paradise
Because I am Dauntless! =) - Orchid
Because I'm fearless, strong, determined! I have the strenght to be in this faction! #TEAMDAUNTLESS TILL DEATH! - Trayche
I am fearless! I also love Divergent! - Diana
Because it is the best faction!! I am brave and fearless. Team Dauntless is where I belong. Faction Before Blood!! - Book Loving Mom
Because I AM DAUNTLESS - F.
I want to join Dauntless because I believe everything I do in my life makes.me not only strong but brave too. - Dee
It suits me well or at least better than anywhere else - Taylor
Because of my obsession of divergent (soon to be insurgent also!), tris, four/tobias, and most of all because i am totally DAUNTLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Janena
I want to be a part if the Dauntless faction because I want to be with othets who share my respect for bravery and fearlesness and are both of those qualities: ). - Halee
This faction is the most powerful in the sense that they're fit in their minds and bodies. They're poweful in multiple aspects, while other factions are solely based on one. I want this faction to make me well-rounded and able to defend the people of my faction and those inside the city. - Maela
“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.” Need I say more? - Thoughts of the Chronically Indecisive
I'm fearless, and LOVE to take risks! - Just a Girl Geek
Cuz we all need to let go and face our fears, no matter how large or small - Heather
Because being on the street team is the next best thing to actually being in the Dauntless faction! Not to mention being as close as possible to Four… - Christa
Because Dauntless is in my blood. -Kayla
Because I was raised not to be afraid. To be strong and fearless. If I lived in Tris and Four's world I would absolutely be Dauntless! Go team Dauntless!!! - Book Addictions by Christina
Bravery is something to value. I LOVE Four which is just one fabulous reason to join! - Nocturne Romance Reads
Cauz I can stop a blackwidow spider with one stomp. - The Optimistic Pessimist
I want to join the DAUNTLESS faction because I believe courage and standing up for the things you believe in is most important. You have to not be afraid to change the world for the BETTER and save it from the worse. I do not believe violence is DAUNTLESS but rather being able to change the world without it. I am strong. I am courageous. I AM DAUNTLESS. - Sophie
Tattoos - Colleen
Because I wish that I could be so brave IRL, lol. Also, there's FOUR. My heart has always been drawn to Dauntless. FACTION BEFORE BLOOD! - Book Breather
Life is too short to let fear overcome your chance to be brave and truly live. - Cupcake Girly
Because I AM Dauntless =] - The Consumption of Books
Dauntless has always seemed like the most exciting faction to me. To be honest, I've never really been very into the other factions. I always wanted to learn more about Dauntless and was kind of sad when I never really did.: ( Plus, I work part-time in an independent bookstore (Next Chapter Bookshop) so I would love to give people even more reasons to buy Divergent. - Zoey's Uncreatively Titled Blog
Because they fight their fears. They have courage. - My Life is a Fairy Tale
Because I am not afraid to take risks, to enjoy life, and to face the world and stand up to what I believe in. How more dauntless can one get?; ) - Maji Bookshelf
They say the Dauntless are brave and bold.They say the Dauntless are not afraid of heights and have few fears. Well, I want to show them that, though I may have fears, they won't be a problem when the time comes for me to be the bravest person on earth. - Melissa
Because I believe that everyone needs a little bravery in their everyday life. There's a quote by Winston Churchill:"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." Standing up for your beliefs is something that takes guts to do, and guts are exactly what Dauntless has to offer. - Brave New Shelf
I choose Dauntless because I believe that selflessness, knowledge, peace and kindness are worthless if you don't have the courage to stand up for your convictions and for others when it comes to the test. - Songs and Stories
Above all else bravery is the quality that I value most in myself. I also want to see that quality strengthened even further. That is why I want to join the Dauntless faction! - The Hapa Chick
It's SO obvious that this the best faction of them all. Tris was in that faction too so it has to be DAUNTLESS: ) - Mina
The Dauntless are fearless. They love to challenge themselves, and have a streak of adventure. But at the same time they are loyal, fierce and strong, and that is what makes you Dauntless! - The Girl in a Cafe
I love that the Dauntless are so fearless and brave. I also love that Dauntless is somewhat intertwined with Abnegation. The Dauntless seem to have lots of fun and seem to care a lot about one another. - Reviews from the Hammock
I want to join because in Divergent the Dauntless are strong and unforgiving. Also, they jump on trains! Don't you tell me that's not cool. - Tara
Because i believe in bravery and the freedom to choose my own destiny. - Fatoch
Everything worth having is worth fighting for. You can hope you don't have to fight, but you have an obligation to be ready. - Claire G.
Because I like to think of myself as brave. - Srvaid
Because Dauntless is fearless, their badassery is just soo.inpiring. And the fact it can kill you is just… WOW. Dauntless also is far from perfect, but out imperfections let us rise. - Kandee
I want to join the Dauntless faction because I love what Dauntless stands for. Like the manifesto says I believe in facing my fears, and in ordinary acts of bravery. I believe that if people were brave enough to speak their minds, the world would be a scarier, but better place. Out of all my friends, I was always the one who seeked adrenaline, the one who was not afraid, the one that was always the first person to go on the tallest and scariest roller coaster. Ever since Veronica Roth came out with the Dauntless manifesto, I stood by it. - Nancy
I would love too join the Dauntless faction because being dauntless is about being fearless, brave and courages. I believe I am all of those and would support the faction at all costs. - Ashleigh
I was born Dauntless. Trust me. (Or ask my Dad--I'm 1/2 of him). - Nicole
My reason for joining undaunted is: i wanted to be surrounded with like minded people. i believe in justice. i believe in courage. i believe there is no point in limiting life. no point in silence. - Travis
I want to be brave, courageous, determined, and strong. Thought at first people might not think I am that but deep down inside, I am brave, courageous, determined, and strong! - FireStarBooks
I am a brave, courageous person and will fight for what I believe is right. - Vicky's Volume's
Because I love taking new risks, and because it's the closest place to Four. (; - Christa
Bravery is only as good as the fears one stands up to. I don't want to be fearless. I want to be brave. - Eldabee
Because recently my life has been full of challenges and I've had to take crucial and important decisions with no fears. Specially if I have to protect my family. That's how I noticed I can be Dauntless. Well, there's also the test, of course xD It confirmed I'm Dauntless all the way! - Librarian Mouse
To be brave is to be strong, loyal, and face your fears. This is a constant struggle for those who face it head on and what i try and do everyday. Being dauntless means being able to protect not just yourself but all those you love and to be able to help those you don't know. This is what i strive to do. - K.D. G.
Being Dauntless, in my opinion, means something beyond just having courage and no fear. You can be courageous, but now what? What you do with that courage is what really matters. That courage should be used to correct the unbalanced, unfair, corrupt world we live in. Tris inspired me to be Dauntless. I FELT it when she came to that revelation. I decided to stand up for the little guys. In my life, I've displayed Dauntless qualities. Recently, the Board of Education and High School administrators in my town have committed an injustice. Currently, I, along with my senior class, are fighting against that injustice. I am living a Dauntless life. I already am Dauntless. - Amy B.
Why do I want to join Dauntless?? Here's why: 1) Tris and Four!!!!!!!!! 2) In a hypothetical, unrealistic situation where they are cut off from all their sources and forced to live on their own, the Dauntless will survive. 3) They're cool and badass. 4) If you were to throw this faction into the Hunger Games, it'd be one heck of a show. They'd definitely be the ones to beat. 5) They're cool. 6 This is probably the only faction where training involves a paintball fight. 7) Probably the most fun to join. And they're all physically fit. 8) You can get tattoos and battlescars and stuff. 9) Even the name"Dauntless" sounds awesome. 10) They're cool. - Anna V.
There is nothing more important than bravery. It leads us to stand up for what is right when no one else will. It allows us to be ourselves and defend ourselves. To be Dauntless means to be free. Plus, they clearly have the most fun. - Not So Epic A.M.Y.- A
I wanted to join dauntless to remind me that to truely live you must be brave. You must let go of your fears to make way for experiences. You must find the strength and the courage to build yourself up again when you are knocked down. And you must grasp every opportunity as it comes to you or risk never getting the chance to again. - Mischievous Pixie
I need to face my fears! - Amy's Book Den
I've always wanted to be brave. - Farin
I've always felt like I fit in with the Dauntless! I've been slowly overcoming some of my fears and I want to continue to be brave and overcome the rest of them! And not to mention, The DAUNTLESS ROCK!: ) - Hope, Faith, and Books
Dauntless are brave and not afraid to fight for what is right. They live on the edge and experience life to the fullest. - Lai
I love adventure. I love risk. Sitting in one place isn't me, I want action. - Anastasia
Because I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives on person to stand up for another. - The Maniacal Bookworm
I admire the bravery in this faction. Not only that, though I firmly believe in fighting for what you believe in, no matter what the cost may be. - Geraldine
I want to stand up for other people, I want to be braver. Only the Dauntless faction can give me that! - Isabella C.
I have vowed to be in the Dauntless faction because this is the faction I belong in! I like to believe I'm a thrill seeker but I know I'm not — I want to be and I want to be able to face my fears. Having that courage will allow me to take risks and maybe one day be as brave as Tris and Four. They risk their very lives for what's important to them; be it friends, family, or love, and I want to be in a faction that promotes that type of bravery. I am ready to be Dauntless!! P.S. So when is knife practice? - The Bookworm is Here!
I want to join Dauntless because they are brave and exciting. - Page Turner
They are brave people. Willing to do what needs to be done. They can do big things and understand whats important. Plus they are super cool! - R. Mae
Well hells bells! Why wouldn't I? Slight addiction to tattoos? Check. Willingly jumps out of perfectly good airplanes? Check. Been known to have a problem with 'following the rules?' Check. Busts out in mama bear mode when someone I care about is being brought down? Check. Dauntless is to push the boundaries of WHO you are and WHAT you are willing to do to get what you want/need. Dauntless is to lead, not to follow. Dauntless is to DO when others say it can't be DONE. Dauntless is — ME. - Panic Written
Who wouldn't want to be Dauntless!!!!!!!!!!! Like its the best faction out there!: ) - Yasmine
I want to join cause I have very few fears, I love archery and things that gt my pulse going. I find life boring without things that scare me so im always bored. I am good with knives and a bow, I am decent with guns. This also seems fun - Nitro
The Dauntless faction represents not only fearlessness, but bravery and selflessness. All of these things are important to me as I continue to grow in my life and in the book worlds created by many wonderful writers. The least I can do to represent how important Divergent has been in my life is to join TEAM DAUNTLESS! - Miranda B.
I believe that Justice must be served in any way possible, and bravery is one of the most important traits, for how would anything ever have been done without someone being brave, taking a risk? Everyone is weak, but we can be strong if we believe, are brave, and take those chances. - Rachel M.
It's where I belong! - Ciji
I am in Dauntless because i will be brave and strong no matter what comes my way. - Kendra
Because cowards can not be tolerated. because there needs to be justice, and i will fight till the end to see that justice is served. because i will fight for my brothers and sisters just as they will fight for me. because you don't always know where you stand until you know that you wont run away, and this is where i make my stand this is where i make my choice to stand shoulder to shoulder with my Dauntless brothers and sisters and prove there is nothing to fear, except fear itself. - Mohawk
Why I want to join: 1. Because I believe that justice is more important than peace 2. Because I want to be free from fear 3. Because I believe in ordinary acts of bravery 4. And in Tris's words,"It was just because of the food.": ) - The Journey of a Young Writer
I personally love Dauntless. The strong, the brave, and the AMAZING all join together in one fabulous faction. I love to think that I'm all of the above. And the other factions? Well, they're going down. DAUNTLESS ALL THE WAY! - My Adventures in Wonderland
I am brave like the Dauntless. I am the kind of person who takes things head on and not care what happens. - Cole R.
Thanks again for helping #TEAMDAUNTLESS for #DivergentNation!
Do you like to establish relationships with authors? Do you ever have"fan-girl/boy" moments?
Yes, I think its very important to build some kind of relationship with them. Its even nicer when you actually become friends. Oh yes I have had those fan-girl moments and plan to have more soon. — Yara at Once Upon a Twilight Not really, I do tweet reviews and occasionally I've sent fangirl (like they were FANGIRLY) emails to a few: ) I guess I'm just not cool enough to build up author rapport: P On the fangirl moments. they occur… too often: P — Audrey at holes In My brain I love to! I actually have the"fan-girl" moments often. Any time an author I love replies on Twitter, or comments on a blog post or Facebook status, I get deliriously happy. — Amanda, Another Book Junkie I've emailed authors with questions and chatted with them but I wouldn't nessarly call it any thing else. lol yes all the time I end up rambling to these authors before asking the question its so embarrassing. — Kate at Ghost of the still I love talking to authors! I still totally fangirl when they reply to me on Twitter. Janenifer Echols responded to a couple of my tweets once and I about DIED!: ) I have had a few comment on blog posts and that is just as thrilling! — Missy at Two Readers Reviews
I love getting to know authors, many that I have met are fans like me and just enjoy reading and creating something for everyone to enjoy. I have had two major fan-girl moments and I know all have many more to come. One was meeting Laurell K Hamilton at comic con one year, she was super sweet and was so happy I enjoyed her writing. The other was Sherrilynn Kenyon, my goodness she was such an awesome person and we chatted a bit about those awesome Dark Hunters in her books. - Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews I kind of like to establish a relationship with authors. I always feel like a fan-girl. — Darla at DforDarla's Definite Reads I like to host all kinds of events on the blog, and feature new authors, so with time I build a relationship with a couple of authors. Living so far away, I can't attend signings which really saddens me, but at least my favorite authors are easily reachable through internet =) I'm a complete fan girl for Richelle Mead, Jeaniene Frost, Cassandra Clare & Rachel Vincent, to name only these, but I try to tone it down when talking to them haha. — Tynga at Tynga's Review
I’ve really only met one author. Maria V. Snyder just happened to have a book signing for her first book (Poison Study) at the gift shop where I was working. She was super nice and so down to earth and I thought it would be neat to have a signed book so I bought one without ever having heard of her. I’ve been hooked ever since. I have all of her books (signed) as do my mom, grandma and quite a few friends. I guess you could say if I have one on one contact with an author (and if I like their writing) I have more loyalty to them and I’m more likely to read/buy all of their books rather than just a book here and there. I think I’m also more likely to encourage my family/friends to check them out. My fan-girl moment happened a couple weeks ago at one of Maria’s book signings. I hadn’t been to one of her signings for a while so I had a backlog of books to get signed for me and my family. I walked into the signing with a bag full of books… literally a grocery bag FULL, haha. She was awesome and was totally fine with signing them all! — Jane at At Random
I do! But I also fear that I might be viewed as a pest trying to establish a relationship (not for free goodies purposes) so I tend to get really shy even when trying to write an email. But I have established relationships with a few indie authors and I love talking to them! Oh, have I ever had a fan-girl moment! Everytime I get a tweet/comment/email from an author about my blog or review or responding to a tweet I get those moments. I can't help but feel overjoyed. - Aimee at Coffee Table Press I love getting to know authors. My favorite of all is Maria V. Snyder--I feel like I've known her my whole life! My weakest-kneed fan-girl moments are definitely elicited by Neil Gaiman--whom I've never actually met because whenever he's around I get a totally irrational fear response and run the other way. Someday I will actually be in the same place with him at the same time, and retain my composure long enough not to embarrass myself… yeah. Someday. — Alethea at Read Now Sleep Later
My blog is fairly new, so I don't have any relationships with authors, but I have fan-girl moments all the time. If an author re-tweets my review or responds to a comment I made on their blog, I nearly faint with excitement. — Jessica at Brief Book Reviews I would like to and I think I have while preparing book tours for some of them. I admire their strengths and individuality. They are all an inspiration to me as they have followed their dreams and made them come true. A lot of the authors I do reviews for are self-published, which seems to be a growing trend. — Shirley at My Bookshelf got a note from Kathi Appelt thanking me for highlighting her book and hosting a giveaway. I was soooooo excited! — Jill at The O.W.L This hasn't been one of my main objectives, though when it happens, it's amazing. The first time an author replied to me on Twitter I think my heart nearly beat out of my chest. I'm totally a fangirl, but my ultimate freak out would be if I ever got to talk to Sarah Dessen. — Ashley at Book Labyrinth I want to, but I'm always afraid that I'll come across as being stupid or boring or just say things that they've heard a thousand times before. I do like talking to authors, though, when I get the guts to. It's fun to have a little bit of a brush with greatness. And yes, I fangirl, but not to the authors themselves. I fangirl on the inside, though! — Ria at Bibliotropic Oh, definitely! If you can't tell already, I love authors. I have extreme fan-girl moments, especially when they talk about upcoming books. — Lucia at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books My twitter stream often has authors talking back and forth with me. This week I @'ed with Kiersten White of the Paranormalcy series, anytime I talk to her I go all fan girl. — Rie at Mission to Read To be honest, I'm still a bit scared to talk to authors. I've spoken to some on twitter though and once Julie Kagawa responded to a tweet I sent to her which promoted a small freak out dance… on my wheeley chair… yep, that ended well, but I was happy! The few I've actually worked up the guts to talk to are crazy nice though! I love how easy twitter makes approaching authors, it really slams home the idea that they are actually people too (which I sometimes forget in my giddiness). — Lisa at BaffledBooks I never thought I would, and then it was happening accidentally. Now it's one of my favourite things about the blogging experience. So far my most embarrassing fan-girl moment was when I met Suzanne Collins. I was nearly incoherent and I'm not even positive what I said, but I think it was something like"I can't believe you're here, I love these books". Hahahahah! — Rhiannon at The Diary of a Bookworm I follow authors on Twitter mostly, but I've never really tried to talk to them too much, I think I'm still a little overwhelmed with the fact that I 'can' talk to them at all. I've totally had fan-girl moments, every time an author follows me or replies to me on Twitter I totally freak out, and I have a smile that last for at least half an hour.; ) I'm also friends with some authors on Facebook.: ) — Ambur at Burning.x.Impossibly.x. Bright I haven't actually established any relationships with authors, I email from time to time asking some questions but I'm not close to any of them. Sad I know. I definitely have fan-girl moments when someone like Lauren Oliver (Delirium) emails me back! — Katie at Books are Dreams At this point I like having a professional relationship with authors. I do have the"fan girl" moments. Last year I met James Patterson and I think I blacked out during it because I was so nervous. LOL. — Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! Before I started blogging I didn't really think that it was possible to establish relationships with authors. To me, authors were these people who wrote the amazing books I read but weren't necessarily people I had a chance to talk to or connect with. I always find it amazing when an author comments on my review of their book and I basically start squealing in front of my computer screen. And if I get the chance to meet them in person it's even better. Unfortunately there aren't that many authors who come to my area though. — Emilie at Emilie Book World I have had more opportunities to connect with writers on a writing level than as a reader, however, I did have a squealy fan-girl moment with Miriam Toews. She is so cool. She seemed so young, all jean-jacket and sunglasses on her head, then she mentioned she just dropped her daughter of at university. I also had a lovely correspondence with Steve Heighton for a while.He was very encouraging of my work, really kind to a newbie. When I finally did meet him, I was pretty nervous."I'm just a regular guy," he said. Yeah, sure, a regular guy who can write poetry and short stories like no other. — Kim at Fresh Fish and Foolishness
I haven't established too many author relationships. I'd love to do more and I'm working towards having interviews and such on my blog. I may not act like a 'fan-girl' to their face, but when I have a signed copy of their book, my friends and family must definitely consider it a fan-girl moment. — 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.
Infinity by Sedona Venez Published: January 15th, 2013 Reading Level: New Adult eBook: 218 pages Source: Author Series: Valkyries: Soaring Raven #1 Rating: 3 of 5 stars Summary: Infinity discovers a dark secret from her past that rocks everything she knows to be true.
A troubled 22-year-old superstar singer, Infinity has a bad reputation for drugs and hard partying. Now, she is on the road to a comeback with her controversial tour. But everything about doing the concert feels wrong from missing employees, to anonymous threats about ruining her career. She is dealing with a powerful corporation that is determined to kill her and everyone she loves. She is also battling for control of her life and career from a relationship that crossed the fine line between love and obsession. Infinity knows too much, even though she doesn't realize it. Secrets have been kept and these secrets are powerful enough to destroy her and everyone she loves.
Now she must put her safety and trust in the hands of sexy, tattooed and delicious Torch Channing and Boulder Vigari, hired to keep her from getting killed. Boulder wants to make her his. He won't stop until he claims her. Torch struggles with his primal need to possess her and his hatred of everything she represents.
Infinity is determined to protect her heart while dealing with the pressure of pulling off another successful tour without spiraling into another mental meltdown.
Review:
Infinity held such a great premise and I'm excited to see what comes next in this series. Infinity is a 22 year old singer who is known for her reputation. She's definitely a different type of character. It's not really easy to love her completely. She knew her popularity and that confidence level was a bit much at times. But overall, her intense personality did keep me interested in the story.
Her relationship with her mother was another interesting area. They didn't have a typical mother-daughter relationship. But they do seem to have a great bond. The world we get to know in this book is very complex. There are several paranormal creatures — Valkyries, vampires, werewolves, other shifters and more!
Infinity's friends, Zoe and Diego, were fabulous! They had some fantastic interactions and I felt it allowed us to really see more of Infinity's personality. I was first interested in this story because of the paranormal elements. It's rare to see a New Adult story with a paranormal twist. I really enjoyed learning about the world, but at times I was a bit confused. Sometimes it was hard to keep up with the plot and I had to go back and slowly read through it again. It's important to do that with this story because there are times when a lot is told to us quickly.
Overall this was a solid story. There are parts that could have been taken out, or altered a bit to make it better. Some things were a bit repetitive but I will still read book 2!
I am so happy to be part of the 12 days of Morganville Madness tour! The Morganville series by Rachel Caine was one of the first I picked up, and even after a few years, I still find myself hooked to this series. I am featuring the 10th book in this incredible series, Bite Club, and Rachel is here to tell us a little about it. Be sure to sign up below for a SIGNED copy of Bite Club and a Black Dawn bookmark.
Tour Stop #10 – BITE CLUB 1. What kicked off the concept for this book?
You know, it seemed pretty obvious to me that Shane had anger issues to work through, and that he’d jump at the opportunity to join up with people who promised to provide a way to fight vampires. And that it would go badly, somehow.
2. Which character do I think stood out in this book, and why? I think this was Shane’s book, through and through; it was also the first time I ventured into his point of view, because I knew that what he was going through wouldn’t be nearly as understandable if we just say what Claire saw. We needed to feel how he felt about it. And luckily, he had a lot to say. 3. Five things I loved about writing this book:
A. Changing POV. After 8 books written exclusively from Claire’s POV, this was a great way to break free and experiment. B. This was a seriously dramatic turn of events – Shane, suddenly beginning to turn on his friends, and lose control of his temper. And his friends doubting him. C. Fencing! I love fencing. D. I really enjoyed finally pitting Shane and Claire against Bishop in a cage match. E. Oh, hey, Mr. Bishop! Where you been? 4. Five things I didn't love about writing this book
A. Mr. Bishop. Man, that guy is no fun to write. B. Shane’s descent into Angry Shane was difficult for me, since it contrasted so sharply with his usually snarky, funny tone in my head. C. It’s surprisingly difficult to write a bunch of ‘roided-up angry people in groups, too. I just don’t know that many of them in real life. D. I wanted more fencing. MORE. E. There is no E. 5. If I could do this book over, what would I do differently, and why? I would probably make Michael a little edgier, but I was intending to save that for the future. 6. Favorite quoted passage from the book Myrnin sent a message through the portal — well, more of a rock with a note tied to it, which rolled across the floor and scared Eve into a scream before the portal snapped shut. Eve kicked the rock resentfully with her thick black boots and glared at it, then the wall. Claire, who was coming down the steps, gave her a what-the-hell kind of look. "Your boss," Eve said, and reached down to grab the rock,"needs to figure out texting. Seriously. Who does this? Is he actually from the Stone Age? 7. What I learned from this book I need to go to the gym more. A lot more. 8. Fun research moment
I ended up Googling all kinds of strange stuff for some reason, including fencing videos, which rekindled my love of movies with swords. Win!
Short Review I wanted to share a short version of my review. The full review will be posted later today.
I'm not sure how Rachel Caine is able to keep this story flowing so well. There are so many series out there that seem to lose their spark after a few books. That is not the case with the Morganville series! The characters are so spectacular that you can't help but want to know what will happen to them next. Claire continues to change and grow, and the rest of the Glass House is just so darn entertaining that it makes you wish they were part of your group of friends. Yes, even though Michael is a vampire: ).
Bite Club by Rachel Caine Publisher: NAL Hardcover (May 3rd, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 340 pages Series: The Morganville Vampires, #10 After discovering that vampires populate her town, college student Claire Danvers knows that the undead just want to live their lives. But someone else wants them to get ready to rumble.
There's a new extreme sport getting picked up on the Internet: bare—knuckle fights pitting captured vampires against each other—or humans. Tracking the remote signal leads Claire—accompanied by her friends and frenemies—to discover that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a SIGNED copy of Bite Club by Rachel Caine.
Rules:
You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
Name and email must be provided.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US only and ends May 13th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
The form must be filled out to enter.
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | LiveJournal
Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble Next Tour Stops April 30: LAST BREATH (Book 11) http://www.literaladdiction.com/ MAY 1: BLACK DAWN (Book 12) http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/
Are you ever surprised by the large book community bloggers are apart of? What part of that do you enjoy the most?
I love reading a review about a book that I didn't even know existed and thinking,"I have to read that now!" I also love sharing new releases with others in hopes of giving debut authors a boost on their"book birthday." -Jessie at The Daily Harrell
ISALYS: Oh God, yes!! I used to think that bookworms were an dying breed and if you were lucky enough to find another one, that you had to grab them, put them in a glass bottle and protect them from the world. It makes me so happy to know that there are still LOTS of us who love to read for the simple joy of it. Hands down, my favorite is meeting new people; bloggers and authors. I love that most authors are so connected with their fans. They're not like the typical celeb that lives in this far-away land called L.A. and are completely unreachable. I love it when you chat or meet with an author and be reminded that they're a real person. Oh, and I loveee to meet bloggers that I can just gab about books with all day long: )
VANESSA: I'm amazed EVERYDAY! Especially on twitter. I've found thousands of new blogs and absolutely love browsing through them. I honestly never thought the book blogging community was so huge! — Isalys & Vanessa at Book Soulmates The book blogging community grows everyday and with it I meet great new people all the time. It does surprise me often at how great bloggers are, with everything from coming to the aid of others, donating their time and effort and so much more… This is a huge part of what I love about the community as a whole. If not for all the kindness I’ve found from everyone it just wouldn’t be the same. I think besides all the amazing books, this would without a doubt be the part I enjoy the most. I’ve met some great people and we’ll be friends for a long time to come. — Lisa at A Life Bound by Books All the time! I keep finding 'new' blogs, some who have been blogging for years, but because I book blog world is so big, I never found them before. — Chris at Chrisbookaram I love being a part of the community. I love hearing about new books — bloggers often have the inside scoop months in advance, which is great. It certainly makes my TBR pile out of the world both in length and awesome books to read. — Janenifer at YA Book Nerd Before I started blogging I had no idea such a community even existed. So I was pretty surprised that what I thought was just a little hobby of reading, was really not that little at all. I had no idea that there were thousands of book blogs out there, or that you could talk to authors and publishers, or that their were book conferences where you could go and meet all these people. I just love being a part of this community. And the internet has made it so easy to be connected with everyone, which is probably the best part. — Jessica at The Firefly Book Loft Yes! I had no idea this community existed until a couple of months after I started blogging. What I love the most is the support, and the love that we all share. If I'm reading something amazing, and try to talk to my IRL friends, they look at me like I'm crazy. But if I blog or tweet about it, I get tons of"I know exactly how you feel" responses! I love that! — Andye from Reading Teen I am stunned by the book blogging community! There is such a huge range of bloggers out there; I don’t think there enough days/months/years to keep up with them all! However, the ones I do follow (there’s a big list on my blog) are all fantastic. They are all so supportive and generous! — Katelyn at Kayelyn’s Blog Yes. I thought I was one of very few who loved books as much as I did and the internet proved me wrong! I am just so thrilled that there are others out there who share my love of all things literary! — Emma at Emma Michaels Oh my gosh, YES! I'm amazed at the book blogging community on almost a daily basis. Everyone is so wonderful and I'm honored to be a part of it. — Theresa at Fade Into Fantasy I think at first, I was surprised, or maybe"in awe" is a better way to describe it. The community is HUGE. I enjoy getting to know other bloggers as well as the authors. — Raenice at Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication Honestly yes I am quite surprised. I had always seen reading as unique and that kind of made me feel special, which was something that was basically shot into oblivion when I started my blog and realised how many people also blogged, even today I'm still surprised by the amount. I guess it is nice that the blogging community is so large, for me it gives me the opportunity to write a negative review without particularly feeling bad because there will always be someone who writes a good review on that particular book. — Kayleigh at OnceUponABookNerd I was really amazed when I discovered just how vast the book blogging community is – even the number of strictly YA book blogs astounded me! I really love connecting with other readers and discussing our reactions to books (whether or not we agree!) — Danya at A Tapestry of Words I don't think I am really. I went into blogging knowing that it was a huge community because I'd been reading blogs for a while. I'd say I'm surprised at how fast the community continues to grow. The part I enjoy most is the collective voice of bloggers, alone we reach out to the number of followers who actually read our blog, but together we make an impact on the bookish world. It's nice to know you’re a part of such a close knit community. — Khadija at Black Fingernail Reviews I’m not really surprised by the community of bloggers but more surprised by how welcoming, kind and protective bloggers are of each other. My blog started out as a very solitary thing. I had no idea there was this community of book bloggers out there but they are my lifeline. They are a constant source of recommendations and advice. I don’t read magazines or newspapers for books recommendations, I go directly to other bloggers. They have never steered me wrong. — Grace at Books Like Breathing The list of people I follow on Twitter grows everyday as does the list of blogs I follow. But I can't possibly keep up with all of them as well as read, write and oh yeah the day job again. I enjoy connecting with people and the sharing of hints and tips. Sharing in people's success is fun too. One book blog I really enjoy is 'Diary of a Bibliophile' — I enjoy Jesi Lea's reviews and have purchased a number of books on her recommendation (that I hope to get around to reading one day). Also the sexy angel photos are quite nice too; o) — Kirsty from Kirstyes Yeah, it is surprising how big it is — I didn't realize it until I started blogging myself. I enjoy the convos on Twitter the most I think — some of these bloggers are hilarious and so friendly and willing to help with anything! — Michelle at Hooked on Books I'm surprised everyday by it. It continues to grow. I love that so many people love to read and want to share it with someone else. I enjoy discussing books with people who feel the same way I do. I like meeting with people from all walks of life. - Page at One Book at a Time Yes! I love that there are so many people with a passion for books. There is such a phenomenal network of book readers and writers, and I love being a part of it. The best thing about book bloggers is that they are helping authors get the word out about their book. It gives authors another (cooler) option when it comes to book marketing. Pus, it is a more personal approach to book marketing, which I love. - Bridgid at Inky Fresh Press I really am! I mostly enjoy the support book bloggers offer each other. I'm sure it's out there, but I have never seen anything catty or obnoxious going on. — Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn in Bookland Oh, yes! I am very surprised at the large book community, I didn't think these many people shared the same passion that I do. Mostly, I enjoy the interaction with both bloggers and authors on media sites. I love sharing my love for books for so many people and embarrassingly having"fan girl" moments when I talk to my favorite authors. — Alex at More Than Just a Book I was very surprised in the beginning. I attended BEA last year as a new blogger and was impressed with the amount of bloggers who also attended and the enthusiam they had for blogging and reading. I enjoy most meeting new bloggers through Twitter and/or following new blogs I find through recommendations. I also like learning more about bloggers I have already met, whether it be personal or through their reviews. -JL at An Avid Reader's Musings Not really, maybe at first but it's been over a year now, and although I love seeing new bloggers it doesn't surprise me at all because I can completely understand why blogging is so popular and loved by many because most of us are blogging for the very same reason. Apart from sharing my thoughts on books and movies I just love talking with other book — lovers and bloggers. Finally being able to share my thoughts on books has to be the highlight of blogging for me. — Aly at Fantasy4eva
*The second question from the authors will be posted tomorrow. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.
Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (August 28th, 2001) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 298 pages Series: Jessica Darling #1 Rating: 3 of 5 stars “My parents suck ass. Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps me sane?.. I don’t see how things could get any worse.”
When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?
Review:
I really wanted to like this book. I had heard it was great and I had high hopes it would be. I just couldn't get into it. I kept waiting for it to really grab me but that just didn't happen. Sloppy Firsts is from Jessica's POV. She is a 16-year-old girl who just had to deal with her best friend moving. She doesn't know how to be happy anymore, or how to deal with her other friends at school.
The idea of this book was a good one. I usually enjoy stories where young girls are faced with new obstacles, especially when a lot of humor is involved. While this book is funny at times, it wasn't enough to really make me all that interested. I guess mainly I didn't understand why Jessica surrounded herself with people who she really didn't like. But Jessica was a really funny character.
She had a lot of great qualities and I completely believed how devastated she was after Hope moved. I also really liked her interactions with Marcus. Marcus may have had issues but he did seem very realistic. Their slight friendship seemed to really make Jessica question a lot of what was going on around her. I loved that. The situations were also true to what many teenagers go through: friends leaving, crushes that lead to heartbreak, questioning what you really want.
I think that if the story wasn't portrayed as journal entries I would have definitely been more invested in the book. But I just mainly felt like it was being told to me instead of really seeing the story from the character's point-of-view. I'm very visual and I just didn't get enough of that in this book. Megan McCafferty did do a great job portraying the obstacles a typical teenage girl goes through, and I could really see the differences in Jessica's personality by the end of the book.
I know a ton of other people who enjoyed this more than I did so don't count it out! It does have a lot of perks.
Recommended: Contemporary fans looking for a cute, coming-of-age story.
