The Best Reader [Search results for Flux] 

  • Crossroads Tour: Linda Joy Singleton

    Crossroads Tour: Linda Joy Singleton

    1. You have written about characters ranging from psychics, aliens, and ghosts to clones. Where did you first get your interest in the paranormal?
    When I was little I loved to watch any TV shows with magical characters; witches, ghosts, superheroes. I’ve always felt like there was more to life than what we see and was intrigued by psychics who claimed to know about the Otherside. I like to hear lots of different opinions so I can decide for myself what is possible.
    2. In the Dead Girl trilogy, Amber finds herself jumping into other bodies, what would you do if you had that ability?
    Tough questions because I’m basically a nice person who wouldn’t want to cause trouble for anyone else. But I also would love to live a lot of different experiences; to really understand other people and lifestyles. So I might jump into different bodies for quick trips, like getting in a car and taking a weekend vacation. But I’d always return to my real life and self because I like who I am.

    3. The Dead Girl trilogy has now been optioned for TV. What did it feel like when you heard the news? If it were completely up to you, who would you cast in the show?

    I was thrilled that a small production company bought the option and I hope they’ll go to the next step and make a pilot. That would be amazing! I have to be realistic, though, and accept that most options don’t go very far. Still if I could choose, I’d love for the producers to cast all unknowns (except maybe for the adult parts – it would be cool to have some major stars as parents, teachers, etc.). But when I create characters, they don’t look like anyone on TV to me. The images in my head are of unique people that I’ve created. Like Amber has curly dark hair, a pretty smile but otherwise average shape and looks, maybe a little hippy. I’d love to see who the producers would cast.

    4. The Magician’s Muse is book

    6 in The Seer series but it is out three years after book. Was there a reason for the longer wait for this book?
    Yeah, the reason was the editor and publisher felt that five books are enough. They hired me to write the DEAD GIRL trilogy and I worked on that for 2 years. I really wanted to write another SEER, though, and when I had the chance to propose one more book, I was thrilled when they agreed. So I did my best to put in mystery, murder, romance, danger, and an ending that ties up lots of plots. It’s out Oct. 1st. Then in 2011 there’s a spin-off with Thorn as a main character solving a murder mystery.
    5. What projects do you have in the works right now?
    I’m finished rewrites for a middle-grade novel then I hope to write another Thorn book. No word yet, though, if Flux will ask for another one. If they don’t, there’s a futurist book I’d like to write. I always have at least one book churning in my brain. And next year I have two essays in YA anthologies coming out, which excites me. One is a Harper non-profit book about bullying where YA authors share stories, poems, experiences, etc. The other is GIRL ON FIRE, an anthology about HUNGER GAMES with 13 YA authors writing essays on the trilogy. I’m so honored to be included in these books and can’t wait for them to come out.

    Magician's Muse by Linda Joy Singleton Publisher: Flux (October 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: The Seer, book #6 The Final Book in Linda Joy Singleton's Popular Paranormal Series, The Seer

    A whisper, too soft to swirl wispy candle smoke, carried across time, beyond life and death—and was heard."Our bargain is sealed. My secrets will be yours-when the girl dies."

    In the thrilling climax to The Seer series, Sabine's psychic abilities, sleuthing skills, and courage are pushed to a dangerous edge as she deals with the mysterious disappearance of her ex-boyfriend Josh, a new threat against her boyfriend Dominic, evil magicians (both living and dead)—and a coldblooded murder.

    To find out more about Linda Joy Singleton Linda Joy Singleton / Blog / Goodreads / Twitter

    Purchase Magician's Muse Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

    I will be giving away a signed copy of Magician's Muse during the tour!

  • Haunted Halloween with Linda Joy Singleton

    Haunted Halloween with Linda Joy Singleton

    BRIDAL BONES

    (a juvenile ghost story by Linda Joy Singleton )

    THE SCAVENGER BRIDE


    "Scavenger hunt! Split into teams of two or three!" Kristen's chirpy,
    annoying voice rang out. She smoothed her spiky black hair, then began
    handing out papers.
    One look at the list I'd been given and I groaned."A spider web, an
    old bone, a tooth … You can't be serious!"
    "I'm dead serious, Shanna." Kristen grinned wickedly."It's almost
    Halloween and we're in a house that's over eighty years old. Once my Uncle
    Elmer saw a ghostly bride through the attic, so this house might be
    haunted. Hunting for spooky stuff will be so cool."
    "So immature, you mean. Count me out." I pushed back a wild strand of
    my long blond hair and folded my arms across my chest."I'm not scavenging
    anything, except maybe some more barbecued potato chips and a TV with cable."
    "But you HAVE to play," Kristen whined.
    "No way." I shook my head defiantly, knowing my best friend Laura and
    the others were watching to see if I would back down. Kristen was real good
    at bossing everyone around.
    But not me. At fourten, I was too mature for baby stuff like
    sleepovers. I didn't want to wake up and find my bra frozen in the fridge.
    I hated goofing off with makeup and plastering gobs of lipstick, black
    eyeliner, and blush on my face. And I definitely didn't want to play dumb
    kiddie games.
    I hadn't even wanted to come to Kristen's party. I'd only come because
    of Craig--Kristen's tall, athletic, fifteen-year-old brother. If only he
    would notice me…
    "Hey, did someone mention a scavenger hunt?" a boy's voice cut in.
    "Where do I sign up?"
    I turned and stared at the high school hunk of my dreams. Craig Andrew
    McLaughlan. For a year I'd been his adoring shadow. I'd watched him fall
    in and out of love, always with someone else, never with me. But I wouldn't
    give up.
    "Craig!" I exclaimed in delight.
    Kristen scowled at her brother."What are you doing here? This is my
    party. I thought you'd be at a movie with Daniella."
    "Daniella's cramming for an algebra test." He shrugged."So I thought
    I'd see what a scavenger hunt is like."
    Before Kristen could tell Craig to get lost, I clasped his arm."You
    can be my partner. I just LOVE scavenger hunts!"
    Laura, who knew me too well and thought I acted like a jerk around
    Craig, gave me a dirty look. She sighed deeply, then turned away and paired
    up with Ashley.
    The game was on. I didn't care if my team won or lost. Being Craig's
    teammate was better than any first place ribbon.
    "Here's our list," I told Craig. The party-goers were already filing
    out of the living room, some going to neighboring houses and others flipping
    through magazines for pictures of bats, ghosts, or vampire teeth. If a team
    couldn't find the actual item, a picture would count.
    A weird look settled over Craig's dark eyes, and he stroked his chin
    thoughtfully."An old bone, a tooth, a letter, a spider web, a gold ring, a
    squashed bug, and a jewel box. Freaky stuff. But I have an idea."
    "Yes?" I asked a bit breathlessly.
    "We're going to win this contest, and I know exactly how." He led me
    to a side staircase."We're going to the attic."
    "The at-attic?" I stopped in place, my heart racing."Wait a minute.
    NO ONE ever goes there. Kristen says it's locked since the … you know …
    the murder."
    "It's locked, but I know where the key is." Craig chuckled."Besides
    you don't really believe that lame ghost story, do you?"
    I bit my lip. I didn't exactly believe a ghostly bride haunted the
    McLaughlan's attic. It was just a rumor. I'd never seen the ghost or heard
    the haunting wedding music. Of course, before the McLaughlan's moved in a
    year ago, the gothic-styled house had been stood eerie empty for decades.
    I forced a smile."Only babies believe in ghosts."
    I waited while Craig went to find a flashlight and the key. Then I
    followed him up three flights of stairs, down a narrow hall, until we
    reached the forbidding attic door.
    "At last!" Craig pulled the key from his pocket, an odd misshapen key
    that looked like a crooked finger, beckoning us to come inside."I've been
    waiting for a chance to check out the attic. Finally I'll find out what's
    up here."
    An electric shiver zapped through me and I had a strong urge to turn
    around and run back to the safety of the living room."Maybe we should go
    downstairs-"
    "And lose the contest?" His voice was low and tense. He aimed the key
    at the lock and slowly turned it.
    Click.
    The soft sound seemed as dangerous as an explosive stick of dynamite.
    Then the door breezed open; a silent invitation to enter, to explore, to
    learn the attic's secrets.
    I peered through the doorway and saw another flight of stairs. I tried
    to see past them, only everything was black. Like night. Like pure evil.
    "What a great place to find spiders and bones!" Craig exclaimed."Hey,
    you look kinda pale, Shanna you better not chicken out."
    I wanted to be with Craig, so I wasn't turning back. To show him how
    brave I was, I boldly walked through the doorway, into the darkness.
    BANG! The door slammed shut behind me.
    I screamed and whirled around. Pitch black musty air wrapped around me
    in a strangle hold and I pounded on the hard wood."Let me out! Please!
    Craig, open up!"
    The door opened. And there stood Craig, laughing so hard his face
    reddened."Not chicken, huh?"
    "You didn't have to shut me in!"
    "I didn't do anything. Must be a draft." Craig snapped on the
    flashlight with his free hand."Geez! If you're gonna freak over a closed
    door, let's forget this whole scavenger game."
    "No." I gritted my teeth, my nerves raw, yet my heart hungry for
    Craig. I wanted him to admire me, to grow to love me instead of Daniella.
    "Aim the flashlight and I'll go ahead."
    I didn't want him to see my fear, so I hurried up the narrow, rickety
    staircase. After two steps, a cottony, creepy veil fell on my face.
    Panicked, I clawed at my skin and screamed,"Something is on me!"
    "What? I don't see nothing."
    "Just get it off!" I shrieked, slapping at my cheeks and pulling
    sticky, clinging stuff off my hair.
    "Chill out, Shanna." Craig blinded me with the flashlight."It's just
    a cobweb."
    "A … A cobweb?" I repeated, pulling back my hand and seeing silvery
    webs dangling like tinsel from my fingertips.
    Craig used the flashlight to break up the rest of the large spider web
    that stretched across the staircase. Then he reached out and tenderly
    pulled cobweb strands off my hand.
    "Do you know what this means?" he asked.
    That you care about me, I thought hopefully."What?"
    "We have a cobweb. Our first scavenger hunt item!"
    "Oh. Lucky us." I shuddered."You can hold it."
    "No prob. But from now on, I better lead the way. My ears are still
    ringing from your scream."
    Disappointment hit me. He still didn't care. Oh well, at least we
    were together. It was a start.
    At the top of the staircase was another door. It was already open a
    crack. A harsh creak came from rusty hinges as Craig pushed the door, the
    sound echoing like a warning: DO NOT ENTER. DANGER. BEWARE.
    I followed Craig inside the surprisingly large attic. Moonlight
    streamed through a high round, giving cobwebs, dust, and old
    furniture a silvery glow. The room was empty of life, and yet I felt
    uneasy, as if Craig and I weren't alone.
    "Let's spread out and hunt for items," Craig suggested."You can start
    with that old chest and I'll check the dresser."
    I stared uncertainly at the ornate dusty chest, wondering what I'd find
    inside: clothing, jewels, or human bones.
    Craig, who had already checked two drawers, glanced over at me.
    "What's taking so long? Are you afraid of an old chest?"
    "Of course not!" I snapped.
    "Then stop trembling and just open the dumb chest."
    "Fine!" I reached out and lifted the lid. No bones or jewels. Just
    yellowed, tattered linens. This must have once been a bride's hope chest.
    Towels, sheets, and pillowcases that had never been used, because the bride
    had been murdered.
    Unfortunately, linens weren't on our scavenger list. And the only
    thing Craig found in the dresser was a dead beetle. Gross! Add one more
    creepy item to our scavenger hunt. Still, we needed a gold ring, a bone, a
    letter and a jewel box. So I suggested we go downstairs to search.
    "Not yet," Craig protested."There has to be more up here. Wait!
    Look at the wall by the. Do you see it?"
    Craig crossed the room, and I followed. As I drew closer, I could see
    a faint outline of a square door in the wall. Only there wasn't a knob.
    "Weird," Craig murmured as he pushed and tapped on the wall door.
    "There's no way to open it. I wonder what's inside."
    "More dust and dead bugs. Yuck! Let's leave."
    "Yeah." Craig looked disappointed, but he turned to go.
    Relieved, I started to leave when a flash from the floor caught my eye.
    I bent down and picked up a tiny treasure: an ornate gold and diamond ring.
    "Craig! I can't believe it! It's so beautiful!" I rubbed dust off
    the ring, then held the glittery gem out to Craig.
    "Cool! Another scavenger item. And afterwards, I'll give it to
    Daniella. It's her birthday next week, this will be a great gift." He
    reached out to snatch it from me, but hearing Daniella's name made me angry.
    Why did Craig have to love her? Why couldn't he love me?
    "This isn't for Daniella. I found it, so it's mine." I pulled my
    hand back and held tightly to my precious ring."It's like it was made for
    me. See, it fits perfectly."
    As I slipped the ring on, I felt strange. Tingly shivers raced up and
    down my skin and the attic room suddenly exploded with swirling shadows and
    bright bursts of light.
    "Shanna! What's happening?" I dimly heard Craig ask.
    I couldn't think, my brain was foggy. The floor beneath me quaked and
    shifted. I reached out to lean against the wall so I wouldn't fall … and
    the wall door opened.
    The shadows, lights, and quaking stopped in an instant.
    Craig's eyes were wide with fear as he pointed at the opening in the
    wall."How … How did that happen?"
    My ring glittered like golden fire and made me feel strong. Craig was
    now the frightened one, but I was brave. And I knew there was something in
    the secret doorway, something special waiting for me.
    "Give me the flashlight," I told Craig.
    "Why? Let's just leave. This place is too weird."
    "Don't chicken out. You wanted to win the scavenger hunt, so you can't
    quit now. Just give me the flashlight."
    Wordlessly, Craig obeyed. Then I shined light inside the wall which
    was the size and shape of a coffin. Inside there was dank musty air, more
    cobwebs, and a lavender velvet box.
    "A jewel box!" I rejoiced."Another scavenger item!"
    When Craig didn't say anything, I glanced behind and saw him smiling at
    me with a new intensity in his gaze.
    I brought the jewel box out."Now this is cool. Maybe there'll be
    another ring in here. One you can give to Daniella."
    "Daniella?" Craig repeated in a flat tone."Who's she?"
    "Yeah, right!" I snorted."Daniella is your girlfriend. You're
    always talking about her. This isn't the time for jokes."
    "I do not jest with matters of the heart." Craig reached out and
    gently touched my hair."Such golden tresses. It is no wonder you have
    captured my soul. Shanna, you are my only love."
    Now I really stared at Craig. What was going on?
    "Marry me, Shanna. Promise to be mine for eternity," he went on."I
    have waited so long. I love you more than life."
    Craig loves me! I felt dizzy and ecstatic. But this couldn't actually
    be happening. Why would a sixteen year old guy propose marriage to a
    thirteen year old girl? Unbelievable!
    But there was Craig, bending down on one knee, and reaching out for me,
    as if to propose marriage.
    And suddenly I felt afraid. I wasn't ready for marriage. Craig was a
    hunk, but that wasn't grounds for holy matrimony.
    I stepped back and realized I was still holding the jewel box."Don't
    open it!" Craig ordered. But I ignored him and lifted the velvety lid. No
    jewels inside, only an old letter.
    "Be my bride, Shanna," Craig said in a coarse whisper; a voice that
    didn't sound like Craig at all.
    Desire and fear swept through me. I had longed to hear loving words
    from Craig, and now he was speaking them.
    Read the letter, a soft woman's voice echoed in my head. Read the
    letter before it's too late…
    "What? Who?" I looked around and only saw Craig.
    "Marry me, Shanna. Be my bride," Craig repeated eerily.
    Confused, I unfolded the letter.
    "Don't read that!" Craig growled. He lunged for the paper, but I
    jumped back."Do not believe lies from the unfaithful."
    Craig came closer, menacingly. He was bigger and stronger and I knew
    he meant to destroy the letter. I looked for a place to hide and only saw
    one: the opening in the wall.
    Without thinking, I climbed up and backed inside the dark hole, holding
    desperately onto the flashlight and letter.
    BANG! Craig slammed the door shut.
    I was trapped inside the wall!
    "Agree to marry me and I'll let you out," he threatened. Only now I
    knew the voice didn't belong to Craig. Someone else was speaking through
    him. A ghost. A dangerous ghost.
    Thank goodness for the comforting golden glow from the flashlight.
    Huddled in a ball, I read the letter:
    I must marry Jonathon this day, it is the wish of my parents, but alas,
    I cannot go through with my marriage. I have tried to love Jonathon, only
    his smile is evil, his voice low and hoarse, and his eyes are cruel. I fear
    him greatly.
    Soon I will tell Jonathon I cannot marry him. His temper will be
    fierce. I am afraid. God help me, Roshanna
    Roshanna. She must be the murdered bride. Jonathon's temper had been
    very fierce. Poor, poor Roshanna.
    And now poor, poor Shanna.
    The dark walls seemed to close in on me, as if I were being buried
    alive. And I knew how Roshanna must have felt before she died. Trapped and
    terrified.
    I could hear Craig outside, tapping on the door, offering me love,
    romance, and marriage. Only I knew Craig wasn't Craig. He was Jonathon,
    come back from the dead to marry and murder again. And like Roshanna, I was
    afraid.
    But I couldn't stay in the wall. I could barely breath in the cramped
    space, and the flashlight's batteries were already dimming. Unfortunately,
    there was only one way out.
    "All right, Jon … Craig." Breathing in my dark prison became more
    diffcult and my words came out in low gasps."I'll … I'll mar-marry … you."
    Like a miracle, the door opened. I was free! I gulped air hungrily,
    then hurriedly scrambled out of the narrow hole, leaving the jewel box behind.
    "My lovely bride!" Craig clutched my hand."I love you, dearest
    Shanna. Let's proceed with the marital ceremony."
    "Here?" I looked around the dusty attic."Impossible!"
    His grip on my hand was tight, causing the gold and diamond ring to
    burn into my skin. I tried to pull away, but couldn't.
    "A love as strong as ours makes everything possible. I have waited
    long for you, Roshanna."
    Terrified, I stared into glittering evil eyes and a cruel smile. There
    was no escape, except death.
    "NO! Craig-Jonathon, whoever, I'm too young for marriage!" I dropped
    the flashlight and pulled away from him. I looked at my hand, suddenly
    hating the golden ring. I tugged hard at my finger."I don't want this
    stupid ring."
    "The ring binds you to me! You are my bride!" he raged.
    "I don't belong to anyone except myself! So just stay away you gross
    ghost!" I jerked the ring off and looked around for some place to throw
    it--somewhere Craig couldn't get it. I spied the hole in the wall. The
    perfect place!
    Craig seemed to realize what I had in mind and lunged for me."NOOO!"
    he hollered. But I was quicker. I flung the ring as hard as I could into
    the hole. Bingo! I heard it ping at the far end of the back wall. Then I
    reached out and slammed the door shut.
    Immediately, dark swirls of color and smoke filled the room. The floor
    and walls shook like an earthquake. I lost my balance and stumbled against
    the hope chest. Everything went dark…
    When I opened my eyes, Craig was bending over me, looking worried.
    "Shanna, you okay? How come you fell down?"
    His dark eyes no longer shone with evil, still I didn't trust him. I
    would never be able to trust him again.
    "I think I'm okay."
    "I'm not sure what happened, but I feel major weird. This attic gives
    me the creeps. Let's get out of here. I'll help you up."
    "NO!" I shouted."Stay away from me."
    "What's the matter with you? I thought you liked me. I mean, you're
    always following me around. And you are kind of cute. I was even
    considering asking you out sometime."
    "Daniella can have you." I hurried to the staircase."And you can
    forget the scavenger hunt. I don't care who wins."
    Then I ran down the stairs and raced to the door. The sooner I got out
    of the attic, the better. It was a creepy, haunted place. I was just glad
    to be alive and unmarried.
    I reached for the door, my hand encircling the knob.
    But suddenly I stopped and stared in horror at my hand. On my third
    finger, where I'd worn the gold and diamond ring, there was a circular
    glowing black mark. I tried to rub it off, but the ghostly tattoo
    remained; branded into my skin.
    "You're always be my bride, Shanna," I heard an unearthly coarse
    whisper in my ear."TILL DEATH TO US PART!"
    The End. *Story taken from Linda's site with her permission. To access original story location, USE GOOGLE.

    Magician's Muse by Linda Joy Singleton Publisher: Flux (October 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: The Seer, book #6 The Final Book in Linda Joy Singleton's Popular Paranormal Series, The Seer

    A whisper, too soft to swirl wispy candle smoke, carried across time, beyond life and death—and was heard."Our bargain is sealed. My secrets will be yours-when the girl dies."

    In the thrilling climax to The Seer series, Sabine's psychic abilities, sleuthing skills, and courage are pushed to a dangerous edge as she deals with the mysterious disappearance of her ex-boyfriend Josh, a new threat against her boyfriend Dominic, evil magicians (both living and dead)—and a coldblooded murder.

    - Thank you so much Linda for allowing me to share your short story on my blog.
    To find out more about Linda Joy Singleton Linda Joy Singleton / Blog / Goodreads / Twitter

    Purchase Magician's Muse Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

    *Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.

  • Crossroads Tour Begins Today!

    Crossroads Tour Begins Today!

    For the third year in a row I am participating in the Crossroads blog tour! This tour will feature 13 outstanding authors and people who follow along with the tour will have a chance to win a KINDLE. The kindle will be preloaded with a title from each author!

    To be entered, your readers MUST complete all the research questions (a new one will be posted each day) and email their answers to judithgraveswrites@gmail.com by midnight on October 30th — correct entries will go into a draw for the grand prize.

    You can find more details here.

    Twitter chat will be: Monday the 29th from 8-9 CST / 9-10 EST. Hosted by Mundie Moms
    PARTICIPATING AUTHORS
    Judith Graves – Leap Books – Under My Skin, Second Skin, Skin of My Teeth, Killer’s Instinct

    Joy Preble – Sourcebooks – Dreaming Anastasia, Haunted, Anastasia Forever. Soho Press (forthcoming May 2013) – The Sweet Dead Life

    Stacey Kade – Hyperion – The Ghost and the Goth, Queen of the Dead, Body & Soul

    Amanda Ashby – Speak – You Had Me at Halo, Zombie Queen of Newbury High, Fairy Bad Day, Demonosity

    Lucienne Diver – Flux – Vamped, Revamped, Fangtasic, Fangtabulous

    Kiki Hamilton – Teen / Macmillian – The Faerie Ring, The Torn Wing

    Jackie Morse Kessler – Harcourt Graphia – Hunger, Rage, Loss

    Christine Fonseca – Compass Press – Transcend, Libera Me

    Carrie Harris – Delacorte Books for Young Readers -Taste In Boys, Bad Hair Day

    Dawn Dalton – Leap Books — SPIRITED Anthology, Killer’s Instinct

    Leanna Renee Hieber — Sourcebooks – Darker Still (Magic Most Foul, #1), The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart (Magic Most Foul, #2)

    Ty Drago — Sourcebooks – The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses, The Undertakers: Queen of the Dead

    Janet Fox – Speak – Faithful, Forgiven, Sirens
    ______

    PARTICIPATING BOOK BLOGGERS: Late Bloomer Online
    A Simple Love of Reading
    Scribing Shadows
    For What It’s Worth
    Confessions of a Bookaholic
    Mundie Moms Book Reviews
    Most-Wanted Monsters
    A Life Bound by Books

    The tour Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crossroads-Blog-Tour/218310244897337?ref=hl And Twitter account: @TheCrossroadsBT

  • Crossroads Tour: Lucienne Diver

    Crossroads Tour: Lucienne Diver

    1. In the series Vamped, Gina is a total fashionista. If you suddenly became a vampire, would you make sure you were at least a stylish one?

    Oh, I would absolutely take vampirism as a mandate to express my inner goth. Right now, I keep it a little on the inside, but I kind of love skull motifs, gothic crosses, Celtic and tribal designs.
    2. If you could pick another paranormal character (from the books of one of our fabulous Crossroads tour participants), who do you think Gina would like to “make-over” the most?

    Probably Will Killian from Stacey Kade’s excellent The Ghost and the Goth. His co-main character Alona describes him as,"total loser material, skin so pale he practically glowed, and shaggy black hair that hung down in front of his creepy blue eyes. Seriously, they were so pale, they were almost white. And hello, he acted like such a freak, always wearing headphones and pulling the hood of his sweatshirt up, even inside the building." Gina, my heroine would say, “Didn’t anyone ever tell him that the Unabomber look was out? As if it was ever in. I’d totally scrap the hoodies and get him into a nice graphic tee and a pair of jeans strategically ripped, not just battered by wear and tear. You can say “Bite Me” to the world so much more effectively with a message tee or some stylized skulls. They tend to freak out the powers that be, but really, fashion is all about getting noticed.”

    3. Can you share with us some tips to being a fashionable vampire?


    I’ll let my heroine tell it like it is, as she always does!
    Paraphrased from Gina’s Rules for Surviving Your Senior Prom: #1. On the off chance that the fanged and fabulous are fact rather than fiction, it’s always a good idea to have a death plan. It’s kinda like an emergency plan, but, you know, for death. For example, make sure there’s absolutely nothing in your closet you wouldn’t be caught dead in, because it’s a flippin’ guarantee that’s what they’ll dress you in for the viewing. You also may want to leave some kind of instructions behind about not being buried for four days—at which point you’re either risen or beyond caring—because digging yourself out of the ground, not to mention prying open the damned coffin, is hell on your manicure.
    #2. Blood is never fashion forward. Chances are as a newly risen vamp, you’re going to be a bit indelicate in your feeding, so you may want to eat first, shop later.
    #3. Here’s where it gets dicey. Vamps have no reflection. Yeah, don’t even get me started. No way at all to fix your hair and make-up. Who wants to go through eternity a total shlub? I mean, what a cosmic joke, right? My recommendation: turn your own stylist, start an entourage, whatever it takes.

    4. Can you tell us the scoop on Vamped book 2, ReVamped? What is in the future for this series?

    In ReVamped, Gina and her boyfriend Bobby are sent undercover to infiltrate a New York high school where some seriously weird stuff is going down. Worse than that, Gina’s new super-secret identity is as goth-girl Geneva Belfry. No color palette to speak of. More chains than a bike rack. And don't even get her started on the shoes. At least she won’t be too worried about blood spatter when kicking the butt of her newest nemesis, who’s decided that the high school makes a perfect playground. The next book in the series will be Fangtastic. I don’t have a publication date yet, but in it, the real vamps and the lifestylers meet, issues between the Feds and the fangs come to a head, and Gina and Bobby have to decide which side they’re on. Fangtabulous will come after that. I’m still plotting this one out and have a trip planned this fall to sink into the setting!
    5. What other fashionable stories do you have planned for us readers?

    I have werewolf and vampire short stories out in Esther Friesner’s Strip-Mauled and Fangs for the Mammaries anthologies. Next summer, Samhain will also be bringing out my urban fantasy, tentatively titled Bad Blood. It’s for the adult market, and a bit racier than Vamped or ReVamped, but the same kind of fun and fantasy. Tori Karacis, my fledgling private eye with about the strangest family conceivable, is not nearly as fashionable as Gina. In fact, her idea of couture is all black with a splash of color… easy to mix and match, no fuss, no muss. Black pantsuits, running suits, business suits… you get the picture. In LA that makes her a fashion rebel.

    Vamped by Lucienne Diver Publisher: Flux (May 1st, 2009) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 340 pages Series: Vamped, book #1 Gina Covello's Perks and Pitfalls
    of Vamp Life
    1. Hello?! Eternal youth and beauty!

    2. Free. Designer. Clothes.

    3. My hot new boyfriend Bobby went from chess dud to vamp stud.

    4. No reflection! First order of business: turn my own stylist to stop the downward spiral from chic to eek.

    5. Vampire vixen Mellisande has taken an interest in my boyfriend, and is now transforming the entire high school into her own personal vampire army. If anyone's going to start their own undead entourage it should be me.

    I guess I'll just have to save everyone from fashion disasters and other fates worse than death.

    Find Lucienne Diver Lucienne Diver / Blog / Goodreads / Twitter

    Purchase Vamped Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

  • Crossroads Tour Giveaway

    Crossroads Tour Giveaway

    I have had a wonderful time with the Crossroads tour. I can't believe it ends Sunday! It feels like we just got started: ) But now it's time for the CONTEST!! The authors were kind enough to donate some swag and a book for the tour and the book I have to give away is Magician's Muse by Linda Joy Singleton. In order to sign up to win this prize pack just fill out the form below. This is a quick contest! It will end at midnight (ET) on Halloween!

    Magician's Muse by Linda Joy Singleton Publisher: Flux (October 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: The Seer, book #6 The Final Book in Linda Joy Singleton's Popular Paranormal Series, The Seer

    A whisper, too soft to swirl wispy candle smoke, carried across time, beyond life and death—and was heard."Our bargain is sealed. My secrets will be yours-when the girl dies."

    In the thrilling climax to The Seer series, Sabine's psychic abilities, sleuthing skills, and courage are pushed to a dangerous edge as she deals with the mysterious disappearance of her ex-boyfriend Josh, a new threat against her boyfriend Dominic, evil magicians (both living and dead)—and a coldblooded murder.

    Giveaway Prize:

    • 1 winner will receive a signed copy of Magician's Muse by Linda Joy Singleton and swag from the Crossroads tour participants!

    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/CANADA and ends Sunday night, October 31st.
    • Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
    • The form must be filled out to enter.

    * Linda's Crossroads post can be found HERE.

    Also, for the huge prize pack giveaway, each day of The Crossroads Tour, a new research question will be revealed here on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page (http://judithgraves.com/events/the-crossroads-tour/), and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the 16 different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all 16 answers by the end of the tour, on Halloween.

    YOU MUST send your answers to judithgraves at ymail dot com by midnight on October 31st

  • Stand Up Against Abuse: Mandy Hubbard

    Stand Up Against Abuse: Mandy Hubbard

    1. What made you decide to share a story involving relationship abuse?
    I had a pretty tough relationship when I was 17 years old that was *NOT* physically abusive but was pretty hard to go through. I really wanted to channel the same emotional truth of that situation into a book, and BUT I LOVE HIM is the result.

    2. What do you think teens should know in order to stay safe in a relationship?

    Oh, tough. You know, I think its just that you should never give up yourself for someone else. Hang onto your friends, your hobies, your family. A boyfriend (or girlfriend!) should be one part of a full life, not the only part of it.

    3. Are there any resources for teens that you would recommend? (websites, phone numbers, groups, etc.)

    I'm really impressed by the group that runs loveisrespect.org

    4. What do you hope teenagers take from reading BUT I LOVE HIM?
    You know, this is tough, because I wrote it for a lot of reasons. For one, I wanted to illustrate that abusive relationships are rarely black and white. It's not as if some perfectly normal guy just has"an anger problem" and is a real villain. Connor, in BUT I LOVE HIM, has some very deeply rooted issues far beyond anger. Secondly, I wanted to help people understand why a girl stays when, from the outside, it seems so wrong. And yet, at the same time, I wanted a reader to walk away realizing that it didn't matter what she did, how much she wanted to help him-- he was going to continue to hurt her. I guess I wanted a reader to walk away understanding that"sticking it out" isn't going to do anyone a service. It's just going to continue the abusive cycle.

    5. BUT I LOVE HIM is told in reverse chronological order. Can you tell me why you wrote it this way?
    Mainly, it was because I feel that readers (and people in real life) do place a judgement upon victims of domestic violence for"choosing" to stay. There's always that voice that says,"I'd never let a guy do that to me" or"I'd drop him so fast… " And when they read a book in normal chronological order, they pick that moment where they think they would have left (often the first hard insult, hit, etc). By reversing the story, the reader doesn't have that ability. They have to just sit back and read.

    But I Love Him by Amanda Grace (Mandy Hubbard) Publisher: Flux (May 8th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 264 pages Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap.
    At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything — and everyone — in its path.
    This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong.

    Find Amanda Grace (Mandy Hubbard)
    Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

    Purchase But I Love Him
    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

    Remember to check out THIS PAGE to sign up to win a copy of this book and the other books mentioned during"Stand Up Against Abuse" week. Help spread the word about the links and phone numbers listed on that page.

  • Review: But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

    Review: But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

    But I Love Him by Amanda Grace
    Publisher: Flux (May 8th, 2011)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    Paperback: 264 pages
    Source: Publisher
    Rating: 5 of 5 stars

    Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap.
    At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed. Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything — and everyone — in its path.
    This evocative slideshow of flashbacks reveals a heartbreaking story of love gone terribly wrong.
    Review: But I Love Him tells a story from a very unique perspective. The story begins in current day, where Ann is at the breaking point of her relationship. It shows how broken she has become due to her relationship with her boyfriend Conner. As the chapters continue, it takes us backwards through their relationship over the past year. It is fascinating to watch Ann in this way because we can see what slowly broke her down. We get to see who she was, whole, at the beginning of her relationship, presented at the end of the book.

    With any book that focuses on abuse it's easy to say"why didn't he/she just get out?" As we know, it's not that easy. Individuals who abuse their partners know how to manipulate. We get a good look at how that can happen in this book. Conner was a master at getting Ann to do what he wanted. But Conner wasn't all bad. People can look into a relationship and only see the downside but Ann saw the good in Conner. He was a victim of abuse himself and as much as he may have wanted to stop the cycle, he wasn't able to break away.

    But I Love Him is very raw and intense. Mandy does not shy away from the reality of abuse. Ann simply wanted love and affection. Conner gave her that and a million promises of their future. After she gives up so much she wonders if any of those promises will ever come true. By the end of the book it was surprising to see who Ann was"before". Before Conner, before the abuse, before being broken. She was someone with a fun personality and great friends.

    Mandy Hubbard did a fabulous job on this story. But I Love Him looks at teenage relationship abuse from a new angle, and it's impossible to not get pulled into this story.

    Find Amanda Grace (Mandy Hubbard)
    Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

    Purchase But I Love Him
    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

  • Crossroads Tour: Karen Kincy

    Crossroads Tour: Karen Kincy

    1. What do you think was the biggest influence on your passion for writing and the creativity of your stories?
    Probably not a what, but a who. My mom homeschooled me and my two sisters from when I was in second grade onward. Before that, even, she bought us tons of books and amassed a sizeable library. Being homeschooled gave me the time to chase inspirations, research endlessly, and actually sit down and write novel-length manuscripts. Couldn’t have done it without my mom!
    2. You wrote a lot of stories at a young age. Do you ever think you will revisit those characters for a later book?

    I’m definitely tempted, sometimes. In a manuscript called Celandine’s Wings, there’s an albino winged girl named Celandine who lives on a tropical island. She would be interesting to revive; there’s also Red Janenet, a fiery redheaded pirate from the same story as Celandine, who likes to wield two pistols and stock her ship with plunder, like any good pirate. Also, even farther back, there’s a medieval minstrel named Wendel who happens to be a werewolf cursed with a disease that will kill him if he changes. I think pieces of Wendel crept into Bloodborn, actually…
    3. If you could be a shapeshifting spirit, what creature would you like to be?
    Why, a pooka, of course. All the quality shapeshifters are pookas nowadays.

    4. What has been the most surprising part of this process? What has shocked you the most since Other was released?
    Most surprising… hmmm. That would probably be being asked to write a second book, Bloodborn, and then a third, Foxfire, months before Other even came out! After Other released, I haven’t been very shocked, but pleasantly surprised at all the good reviews.
    5. Bloodborn, the sequel to Other, will be released in 2011. Is there anything you would like to share about this upcoming book?
    Have you wondered what happened to Brock, who hunts werewolves in Other, and ends up getting bitten and turned into a werewolf himself? Or what life is like within the Bitterroot Pack? Or even how Others in different states live? All these questions—and more—will be answered in Bloodborn …

    Other by Karen Kincy Publisher: Flux (July 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: Other, book #1 Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.

    When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate-into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and-most importantly-stay alive.

    Find Karen Kincy Karen Kincy / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

    Purchase Other Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

  • Review: How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles

    Review: How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles

    How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation by Simon Elkeles
    Publisher: Flux (November 8th, 2009)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    Paperback: 257 pages
    Series: How to Ruin #3
    Rating: 5 of 5 stars
    In the third book of this bestselling series, Amy Barak-Nelson misses her boyfriend Avi, who is in the Israeli army. Her grandmother convinces Amy to sign up for two weeks in a military training base. Not her idea of fun, but what's worse? Her team leader turns out to be Avi.

    Review:


    I think this was my favorite book of the series! If you haven't read the previous 2 books, you may want to skip this review. How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation picks up a few months after How to Ruin My Teenage Life. It's summer time again and a full year since Amy first met Avi. She's now on her way back to Israel but this time she will be joining her friends at a military training base.

    Nathan, Jessica, and Miranda are joining her and they get into quite a few hilarious situations. Amy isn't sure what to expect when she gets to the Israeli training base but she seemed to have no idea it would be so hard. The teens are treated like real soldiers and are forced to"rough it" just like everyone else.

    The big surprise is that Avi is one of Amy's team leaders. They realize quickly that alone-time may not be possible on the base. And, while Amy may have thought Avi would be easy on her, she was wrong. He pushes her to do her best, while being absolutely adorable whenever she needs help. What is cuter than a tough team leader rushing to the aid of his girlfriend in front of all his friends? Nothing, I tell ya! So cute!

    But, Avi made me angry in this book. Actually, very angry. I felt so invested in this story and Amy and Avi's romance that I really started mumbling things like"OMG how could he do that? That is so wrong! He'd better stop that!" LOL. Yes, I might be crazy, but I guess that's a good sign because I really connected with the story and cared about what they were going through.

    There are a lot of physical and mental obstacles Amy and Avi must face in this story. Simone Elkeles really knows how to weave together a brilliant romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and serious moments throughout a story. I read this book in just a few hours and never even put it down. I am so sad to see it all end. *sigh* I'm glad we get the chance to get to know Amy's friends in this story and it all seemed to come together to show us the full picture of Amy's and Avi's experiences.

    Recommended: EVERYONE. Pick up this series immediately. It's funny, romantic, and so well written. Start with How to Ruin My Summer Vacation so you don't miss a moment of Avi (and Amy, of course).

    Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

  • Crossroads Tour: Lucienne Diver

    Crossroads Tour: Lucienne Diver

    1. What has been the most surprising thing to happen in your writing career over the past year?

    I’m surprised and so thrilled every time I get fan mail. The fact that someone would take the time to write and let me know how much they’ve enjoyed the books means I’ve made a connection, and that’s a priceless thing.

    2. When did you first start writing?

    I started writing when I was around eleven. I’m pretty sure I used every cliché in the world, but at least I got them out of my system! My teacher was tremendously encouraging, and I blame, er… credit… him for the fact that I have voices in my head to this day <g>.

    3. What is one of your favorite lines from Fangtabulous?

    Hmm, I don’t know whether I can pick a favorite, but here’s a small taste:

    Second note to self: never buzz someone into an apartment building without knowing exactly who they are. They might be some fearsome, fanged creatures of the night up to no good. Not in our case, of course, but you never knew when someone might bust into your place to feng shui your furniture or rearrange your internal organs. Caution was just common sense.

    4. If you were going out for Halloween this year, what would you go as?

    I was toying with Black Widow e from The Avengers. I’ve always wanted to rock a catsuit. Plus, you just don’t get much cooler. I mean, she’s smart, gorgeous and deadly. My kind of gal!

    Even though I don’t get to trick-or-treat this year, I do get to dress up for my cousin’s Halloween-themed wedding. I’m going to be a pirate queen Win Some. I’ve tried to convince my husband to go as my pirate king Lose Some, but for some reason he’s balking.

    Fangtabulous by Lucienne Diver
    Publisher: Flux (January 8th, 2013)
    Reading Level: Yo ung A dult
    Paperback: 288 pages
    S eries: Vamped, #4
    Can a fanged fashionista take out a deadly Salem spirit?

    Being on the lam from the Feds and the vampire council with no money is not as glamorous as it sounds, especially when I, Gina Covello, fashion queen of the undead, am forced to abandon my wardrobe. Salem, Massachusetts, seems like a great place to hide our supernatural gang. But who knew the city would be crawling with ghosts? The nasty spirit of George Corwin, infamous sheriff from the witch trial days, is on a killing spree. It's up to us to take down the breath-stealing phantom-without blowing our cover.

    Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter

    Amazon | Barnes & Noble

    HOW THE TOUR WORKS Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page: http://judithgraves.com/events/the-crossroads-tour/crossroads-2012/ and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour.
    Answers are to be emailed to judithgraves @ ymail dot com by October 28th at MIDNIGHT. Winner of the grand prize will be announced on OCTOBER 31st – HALLOWEEN.
    The GRAND PRIZE you’re vying for? A brand new KINDLE, preloaded with a title from each of the participating Crossroads Blog Tour Authors. That’s right folks, a free KINDLE and 13 free EBOOKS!

  • Going Into the Wild: Exploring New YA (May 1-31)

    Going Into the Wild: Exploring New YA (May 1-31)

    I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler (Sourcebooks Fire 5/1/2011) Shift (Shade #2) by Jeri Smith-Ready (Simon Pulse 5/3/2011) Bite Club (The Morganville Vampires #10) by Rachel Caine (NAL Hardcover 5/3/2011)

    Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth (Katherine Tegen Books 5/3/2011) Everfound (The Skinjacker Trilogy #3) by Neal Shusterman (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 5/3/2011) So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti (Viking Juvenile 5/3/2011)

    But I Love Him by Amanda Grace (Flux 5/8/2011) Bitter End by Janenifer Brown (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 5/10/2011) What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (Penguin Young Readers Group 5/10/2011)

    Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs (Walker Books for Young Readers 5/10/2011) Tighter by Adele Griffin (Knoph Books for Young Readers 5/10/2011) The Lucky Kind by Alyssa B. Sheinmel (Knoph Books for Young Readers 5/10/2011)

    Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott (Simon Pulse 5/24/2011)

    Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 5/3/2011) Die for Me (Revenants #1) by Amy Plum (HarperTeen 5/10/2011) The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski (EgmontUSA 5/10/2011)

    Flawless by Lara Chapman (Bloomsbury 5/10/2011) The Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisner (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux 5/10/2011) Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 5/23/2011)

    Starcrossed (Starcrossed #1) by Josephine Angelini (HarperTeen 5/31/2011) Blood Magic (The Blood Journals #1) by Tessa Gratton (Random House Books for Young Readers 5/24/2011)

    If you know of any other new releases for May 1st-31st feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!

  • Review: Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

    Review: Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

    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!

    Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

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  • Review: In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

    Review: In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

    In Too Deep by Amanda Grace
    Publisher: Flux (February 8th, 2012)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    Paperback: 228 pages
    Source: Publisher
    Rating: 4 of 5 stars

    I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Wellesley. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That's how rumors of rape started.
    Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone's on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger--forcing me to make a terrible choice.

    Review: Amanda Grace (aka Amanda Hubbard) really knows how to put a spin on contemporary themes. This is a quick read but as with Amanda's previous book But I Love Him, it is highly emotional and significant for teens.

    Sam seemed like a typical teenage girl. She wasn't super popular, great with the guys, or someone people noticed often. She does have a fabulous best friend, Nick. She likes Nick and just wanted him to notice her as more than a friend. She takes a chance by going after a popular guy, Carter. She takes her chance at Carter's party and is horribly embarrassed when he not only turns her down, but says some mean comments as well. Since she's drunk she falls down, rips her shirt, looks a mess, and runs out of his room crying. A girl sees her and makes some assumptions for what went on in the bedroom. This one event causes a string of events that change a lot of lives.

    I liked that Sam was relatable but I do think she made some bad decisions when it came to setting the record straight. She had some times early on where it seemed it would have been easier to tell the truth than to put up with what was going on around her. Plus, she wasn't exactly shy. She wasn't afraid to tell people off most of the time. If she would have been really shy I might have believed her more when she just seemed too afraid to tell the truth.

    I loved how this story comes from a completely different perspective on a situation that, sadly, happens a lot. Usually the girl may be trying desperately to get people to believe her. Now, we see a group of teens that turn on a guy for the wrong reasons. Sam had all the support she could ever want from her peers.

    One of her biggest supporters was Nick. Nick was wonderful. You could tell he had a deep love for Sam and that showed a lot with his actions. Sam didn't have a lot of affection at home and her dad was pretty much a jerk so I think Sam turned to Nick a lot to just feel the love she craved.

    In Too Deep is a book with an important message for how rumors can get out of control. It is a great book for teens who may not feel the truth is worth telling. Rumors can drastically change lives and it may be impossible to get out of the cycle.

    Recommended: Great book for teens and contemporary lovers. Quick read with a great message.

    Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

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  • Review: How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles

    Review: How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles

    How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkeles
    Publisher: Flux (June 8th, 2007)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    Paperback: 281 pages
    Series: How to Ruin #2
    Rating: 4 of 5 stars
    In this sequel to How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, EVERYTHING in sixteen-year-old Amy Nelson Barak's life is going wrong! Her mom got married and moved to the suburbs, and now they are going to have a baby. Amy moves in with her dad in Chicago and signs him up for an online dating service. His first four dates are that night..
    What else? Her dog Mutt impregnated her grumpy neighbor's prized poodle, so Amy will actually have to get a part-time job to pay for half the veterinary bill. And there's this totally annoying boy, Nathan Rubin, who just moved into her apartment building. Luckily, Amy has a cute boyfriend named Avi. Only he's more like a non-boyfriend considering Avi is in the Israeli army for the next three years.
    What's a girl to do when everyone is conspiring to ruin her life?

    Review:

    I started reading this book directly after How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, and while I didn't enjoy it as much, it was still incredible. If you haven't read the first book, you may want to skip this review until you do.

    Amy is now back in Chicago after her summer in Israel. She has little contact with Avi because he is now serving in the Israeli army and she isn't sure what to make of their dating status. She refers to him as her"non-boyfriend". On top of that, Amy's mom is now married and expecting a baby. Amy doesn't really feel she belongs in the house with her mother and stepfather. Instead, she moves in with her father so they can build a better relationship.

    I really enjoy Amy's no-nonsense attitude but she did make a few silly decisions in this book. Signing her dad up for the dating service was one of them. He had no interest in dating and it only proved to get her into a lot of trouble. It did seem that while this was a heavy focus in the book, it was just thrown in without real meaning. I wanted to know more about Amy's school life, friends, and experiences.

    There is a new guy in this book, Nathan, and he was a fun character. Amy isn't fond of him from the beginning and then he starts giving off some very mixed signals. She is confused as to what he wants from her and what she wants with him. After a huge surprise, things get even more complicated for her.

    I liked that this book lets us get a better idea of Amy's new life. How she deals with her father, who is very strict, and how she deals with Avi being away. I feel that by the end of the book Amy really understands herself much better than she did before. Her and her friends were a fascinating group to get to know! This book has nearly as many laugh-out-loud moments as the first one. Now, I have to get my hands on How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation! It sounds amazing! That review will be up soon… (update: soon as in, tomorrow).

    Recommended: Contemporary fans who love Simone's writing. Be sure to read book 1, How to Ruin a Summer Vacation first.

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  • Haunted Halloween Wrap-Up!

    Haunted Halloween Wrap-Up!

    Well, Haunted Halloween is officially over and we had a wonderful time! First, We'd like to thank all of the authors who took time out to write posts and to send donations. You all are amazing!! And we have to thank all of our readers. You guys made this event way more than we expected and we cannot thank you enough for visiting each day and leaving so many great comments. Now, it's time for the wrap-up!

    Totals

    2 Bloggers
    +
    65 Authors + 2400 Comments + 146 books given away! =
    An amazing book-ish Halloween!!

    We also want to thank the following publishers for making many of the donations possible

    Harlequin
    Flux
    Hyperion Books for Children
    Penguin
    Simon & Schuster /MTV Books / Simon Pulse
    Macmillian — St. Martin's Press / Feiwel & Friends / Henry Holt and Co.
    Egmont USA
    Candlewick Press
    Llewellyn
    Chronicle
    Leap Books
    Sourcebooks

    We plan to have Haunted Halloween again next year and hope to make it even bigger than this year! We will be setting up an information post soon that will provide more information.
    Thanks everyone! Hope you all had a great Halloween!

  • In My Mailbox (21)

    In My Mailbox (21)

    This was the best week of books EVER! First I have to thank Simon and Schuster and Ellen for your epic awesomeness! I was so thrilled to get these books!

    AND Kristie Cook, author of the fabulous book Promise, for the"O-M-G FREAKING OUT" surprise I received yesterday. (PICTURE AT THE BOTTOM)

    Also, thanks to Janenifer DeLucy who is super sweet and offered a copy of her books, Brenda Pandos, Disney, Flux, T.K. Richardson, RandomHouse and Valerie from I Should Be Writing.

    Simon and Schuster awesomeness!

    Review
    The Mortal Instruments (BOX SET) by Cassandra Clare
    The Haunted by Jessica Verday
    Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
    Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
    Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (2 copies)
    Invincible Summer (ARC) by Hannah Moskowitz
    Stay (ARC) by Deb Caletti
    The Fallen 1: The Fallen and Leviathan by Thomas Sniegoski
    The Fallen 2: Aerie and Reckoning by Thomas Sniegosky
    Freefall by Mindi Scott
    Vanished by Meg Cabot
    Haven by Kristi Cook
    It's Not Summer Without You by Janeny Han
    Elixir by Hilary Duff
    Wither (ARC) by Lauren DeStefano
    Darkness Becomes Her (ARC) by Kelly Keaton
    -----------------------------------
    The Sapphire Talisman by Brenda Pandos (signed and bookmarks)
    Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz
    Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan
    Hate List by Janenifer Brown
    A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler
    Whisper of Light by Janenifer DeLucy
    Other by Karen Kincy
    Return the Heart by T.K Richardson (signed and bookmarks)
    The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

    Won — from Valerie
    When It Happens by Susane Colasanti
    The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
    I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder
    Scribbler of Dreams by Mary E. Pearson
    SURPRISE!
    Purpose (ARC) by Kristie Cook (signed and bookmarks… and… )

    My very first BLURB!! And it means so much to me. I adored Promise and can't wait to read Purpose. Thank you a million times over Kristie for this surprise!!: )

    What did you get in your mailbox this week?

    *IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristie at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

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