Nobody by Janenifer Lynn Barnes Publisher: Egmont USA (January 22nd, 2013) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 393 pages There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.
That’s why they make the perfect assassins.
The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.
Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.
Every Other Day by Janenifer Lynn Barnes Summary: Every other day, Kali D’Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She argues with her father. She’s human.
And then every day in between.. she’s something else entirely.
Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.
When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her, and unfortunately she’ll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive.. and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.
Prize:
1 winner will get a hard back copy of NOBO DY and one paperback copy of EVERY OTHER DAY by Janenifer Lynn Barnes.
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 March 24th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
Tapping at the Castle Grave By: Adele Griffin Jeffrey MacDonald is currently in prison serving three consecutive life terms for the murders he committed in 1970 of his wife, Colette, and their two young daughters while they were sleeping in their home at 544 Castle Drive, Ft. Bragg, an Army base in North Carolina. But in 1975, when my family moved in around the corner from the MacDonald house, it was still officially an open case. You didn’t have to read the headlines, though, to know that the MacDonald house was different. For one thing, it was a crime scene under investigation. Which meant that nothing in the house had been touched since the night of the murders. In hushed voices, neighborhood Moms would pass along details “… plates and cups still on the table … smashed a hole in the wall … a tiny handprint … ” And on a street alive with blooming gardens, jetting sprinklers, and Tupperware parties, 544 Castle was the one residence where the blinds stayed down, the lights stayed off, and weeds sprang from gaps in the walkway. While nobody “officially” talked about it, rumors daisy-chained from older kids to younger kids. Eavesdropping on my teenaged babysitter was how I learned that the mother plus both girls had been beaten and stabbed—though the dad had escaped, and the killers (at the time, the theory was that it had been a Charles Manson-style crime) were still “out here.” We called it “The Murder House,” and a major truth-or-dare win was to trespass the property and collect proof—a toadstool, maybe, or a bunch of tiny white starflowers that grew wild at the MacDonald’s front stoop. At age five, I was too young to fully understand the tragedy of the murders. I just wanted to see a ghost—and I couldn’t imagine anything sadder than sister ghosts. While some of the older kids quaked, I hoped to catch the sound of sobbing, or an unearthly whisper-whisper. And then, after an afternoon Southern thunderstorm that turned the air muggy and fragrant, I decided to pay a visit all by myself. This was the year I liked to wear my tap shoes, for the satisfying click-clack-click they made on the macadam. I clickity-clacked down Shaw Street and then shortcut the large open field to Castle. The grass was slippery, I slid and skated, and as the house came into view, my eyes searched for something: a wraith, a face at the window before—yank! twist!—my breath popped from my lungs as I suddenly tripped and fell flat on the wet grass. The front tap of my shoe had caught in a rain gutter, and now my shoe (plus foot) was wedged between its iron bars. Confusion gripped me; the more I struggled to free myself, the sharper the pain. Nobody was nearby, and the gargle of guttered rainwater all at once sounded more eerie than any romanticized ghostly wailing. I cried for my mother, for anybody, and in a new, blinding panic it crossed my mind that maybe the house wasn’t finished, maybe it needed to swallow up another girl, and its stillness and its silence actually had been its secret waiting for me. And now I could scream myself hoarse, but I was no match for its will. After what seemed like an eternity but was probably closer to a couple of minutes, I found my solution, to unbuckle the shoe strap and extract first foot, then shoe, from the grate. And then I ran back to 207 Shaw Street as fast as my shaking legs could take me. My ankle was fine—not even a sprain, but my trauma didn’t mend as quickly. I never returned to the MacDonald house, and my stomach wrenched anytime I heard new gossip about it. In those few moments, I’d come closer to understanding its tragedy than any neighborhood dare could galvanize. I’d heard the sound of ghosts in my own unheard cry for help. Even to this day, I associate 544 Castle Drive with a memory that is perhaps more appropriate to the horrific events that transpired there—the raw, helpless terror of entrapment, with nobody to rescue me, or even to hear me scream.
Adele Griffin is the author of a number of books for young readers, most recently The Julian Game (www.thejuliangame.com), a novel about cyber-bullying.
The Julian Game by Adele Griffin Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (August 26th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 208 pages All new girl Raye Archer wants is a way into the in crowd, so when ice-queen Ella Parker picks her to get back at her ex, the gorgeous Julian Kilgarry, Raye is more than game. Even if it means creating a fake Facebook identity so she can learn enough about Julian to sabotage him. It's a fun and dangerous thrill at first, but Raye hadn't counted on falling for Julian herself and igniting Ella's rage. As Raye works to reconcile the temptress Elizabeth with her real-life self, Ella serves up her own revenge, creating an online smear campaign of nasty rumors and trashy photographs. Suddenly notorious, Raye has to find a way out of the web of deceit that she's helped to build, and back to the relationships that matter. Adele Griffin's riveting novel explores the issues of generation Facebook: the desire to be someone else, real versus online friends, and the pitfalls and fallouts of posting your personal life online for all the world to judge.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a signed copy of The Julian Game and a Picture the Dead t-shirt.
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 November 5th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
- Thanks so much Adele for the amazing story and book and shirt donation!
Find Adele Griffin Adele Griffin / Twitter / Goodreads / The Julian Game
Purchase The Julian Game Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
* Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post.
*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.
I am a huge fan of the Morganville Vampires series! The 13th book, Bitter Blood, was just released yesterday and I have a FABULOUS prize pack you can win!
It's also time for the Morganville Mayoral Elections!
Rachel Caine will be hosting a video contest on her website (http://www.morganvillevampire.com ) in which fans can submit their endorsement ads for their ideal Morganville Mayor! Go there and VOTE, or submit your own video!
1. I'm sure the election is an exciting time in Morganville. What do you feel are important qualities needed in the next Morganville mayor? I think what the vampires are looking for is someone who will sit quietly on the town’s council and do what they’re told … but I feel that Morganville needs something more than that. Definitely, the new mayor will need to have good survival instincts, crazy diplomatic skills, and clothes that don’t show bloodstains.
2. Can you share with us some strengths and weaknesses of each political party (Human vs Vampire)? Well, the humans seem to be disorganized and separated on key issues, such as mixed-party marriages (though to be fair, the vampires have some divisions as well). Of course, the humans will definitely bring out voters in big numbers this time around, since the candidates are so polarizing. Mostly, they’ll probably be out to vote against Monica Morrell. On the vampire side, I think their complacence may well be their undoing …
3. What can you tell us about the new TV show that makes its appearance in Morganville in Bitter Blood ? You know how many ghost-hunter reality shows there are now? A lot. And this is yet another one, desperately seeking some creepy, blurry footage and barely-credible hauntings to boost their ratings … and they’ve come to the wrong place, because Morganville’s going to give them a whole lot more than they ever bargained for. However, the ghost hunters are going to stir up a lot of trouble in the ghost world, bringing back some unquiet spirits that are both harmful and helpful. They’ll also give our most recent Glass House ghost some serious problems!
4. Which character do you think will surprise readers the most in Bitter Blood ? Well, to absolutely no one’s surprise, Myrnin will continue to be unpredictable … but for the first time, you’ll get his point of view, and it’s a delicious slice of crazy. So hopefully, that will deliver some thrills!
5. Each book in the Morganville series is so full of action and drama! What are some things you've learned along the way that enable you to keep writing such a complex series? The biggest thing is to let the characters drive not just the action, but the consequences of the action … it’s the story of how they deal with what happens, not just what happens. It’s tough to allow your characters to grow and change and become new people, because it’s a bit scary, but in a long-running series I think that’s key.
6. Do you think there is a chance this series will someday be a TV show? Because honestly, that would ROCK!: ) I WISH! That would indeed be awesome and fun, but right now, it appears that TV is a little be scared of vampires. They’ve been so scarily successful that there’s a feeling among the show-buyers that people might be over them, and the last thing a TV network wants is a show nobody will watch. Of course, it’s a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy to say, “Nobody watches vampire shows anymore,” and then not put any on TV, but there you go. These are the times in which we live. But it’ll change again. Vampires always come back. (cue dramatic music) Thanks for hosting me today, and for your support of the series! And remember: vote!
Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine Publisher: NAL (November 6th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 404 pages Series: The Morganville Vampires, #13 For years, the human and vampire residents of Morganville, Texas, have managed to co-exist in peace. But now that the threat to the vampires has been defeated, the human residents are learning that the gravest danger they face is the enemy within…
Thanks to the eradication of the parasitic creatures known as the draug, the vampires of Morganville have been freed of their usual constraints. With the vampires indulging their every whim, the town’s human population is determined to hold on to their lives by taking up arms. But college student Claire Danvers isn’t about to take sides, considering she has ties to both the humans and the vampires.
To make matters worse, a television show comes to Morganville looking for ghosts, just as vampire and human politics collide. Now, Claire and her friends have to figure out how to keep the peace without ending up on the nightly news… or worse.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a prize package that including: A signed copy of BITTER BLOOD, a Morganville Coffee Mug, an election t-shirt, and a tote bag.
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 November 22nd.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
"The characters were all fantastically real to me... I found myself rooting for them and thinking of them well after the book was closed and finished. The plot was extremely fast paced, suspenseful, and down-right addicting." — Miss Remmers From Amazon.com... "Not all dreams are sweet. For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody — notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.She can't tell anybody about what she does — they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control. Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant... "
Book Trailer I picked this book up simply because it looked good. Then I read the premise and that sounded interesting too. So I put it with the five other "these look good" books at the used bookstore; when I got home I put them on my shelf. Less than 24 hours later I felt drawn to this book, there were loads of other books I needed to get to first but I found myself looking on the shelf for this book in particular after finishing Delirium. Upon first opening "Wake," I realized that the writing is extremely choppy — and that I liked it that way. The sentences are short and to the point; it's a type of writing style I would normally discourage with my freshmen, but with "Wake" I found that it drew me in and added both mystery and suspense. The choppy writing made the story seem to move faster and with a sense of urgency. Lisa's writing style otherwise was unique and different. The different font for the dreams and the reality were helpful; the dream writing was done so in a way that I felt like I was actually seeing it. I pitied Janie for her ability, I can't imagine getting pulled into people's dreams without warning. It'd be one thing if she were sleeping too, but that she can be driving, studying, talking, and all of a sudden pass out — not cool. But speaking of cool... Cabel is hot. I've been lucky enough to read two books in a row with fantastically drool worthy male protagonists ("Wake" and "Delirium"). Even when Cabel was being sketchy, I couldn't help but hope he had a plan. On the bus with the McDonalds when he came to her rescue — I almost died of romance! The Snickers bar and the skateboard! This boy has moves and if I weren't engaged to the most romantic man I know (nonfiction wise), I'd let him put his moves on me! Cabel's "alternate" life was a little hard to buy — but it didn't deter me from reading. Lisa's characters were all fantastically real to me, even with their flaws (especially Janie's a bit unbelievable best friend). I found myself rooting for them and thinking of them well after the book was closed and finished. The plot, like I said, was extremely fast paced, suspenseful, and down-right addicting. I can't wait to pick up "Fade" and "Gone" from the library today! Originality: 10/10 Ending: 10/10 Characters: 8/10 Plot: 10/10 My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10 Theme: 10/10 Imagery: 10/10 Setting: 5/5 Voice: 5/5 Style: 5/5 Tone: 5/5 Cover: 10/10 Overall: 97/100 A To the FTC, with love: Loved and Bought To find out more about this series and author, visit the following links: -Visit Lisa around the web here: Website | Blog -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Random bit of information: Last night I had to extremely awful nightmares that I'm sure Janie is happy she didn't have to witness. Not the kind of nightmare where I'm naked — but the kind where both my parents have died and I didn't get to say good bye. I just remember wallowing in my dream pity. I'm pretty sure my face was contorted to my "crying face" while I was sleeping because now my cheeks hurt. I also dreamt that I was in a play with my three best friends (all drama majors) and I screwed around the whole time and then didn't know my lines when it came to the opening night and I let them all down. /End Rant
1. I read that you loved to write, even as a young child; can you share some of the first stories you wrote? It’s funny you should ask, because in my office at home (which I’m sitting in right now) I’ve framed the first story I wrote. It’s hanging on the wall above my desk. It’s called “The Boy With the Seagull.” It’s written in blue magic marker, and it’s absolutely ridiculous. I was five years old. And when I was in elementary school, I used to spend hours on my dad’s computer every summer, writing (mostly fictional) accounts of “What I Did for My Summer Vacation.” I’d make up these crazy vacations that my family had supposedly gone on, and I imagined how impressed my teachers would be by these fabulous accounts of my amazing experiences. And every year, when school started, I always expected my English teachers to ask us to write an essay on how we’d spent our vacation, — I was always so excited to be so well prepared! But nobody ever asked. Somewhere at my parents’ house, there’s a drawer full of those stories. The funny part is that all I really did during my summer vacations was sit around writing. I guess it’s all paying off now. 2. It’s so interested that you went to the Linsly School in West Virginia. I lived in West Virginia until 3 years ago. What did you think about the school and the area? Did your experience influence the stories you write now?
I had a great time at the Linsly school, and I can honestly say that I got a fabulous education there. They offered so many great creative writing and specialized literature classes. I felt very lucky. And my experiences there have absolutely influenced my writing – Breathless , my first novel, is based heavily on my years at boarding school. 3. Where the Truth Lies is the companion novel to Breathless . Can you tell us a little about the relationship between these books? First of all, they’re both set at boarding schools. But while Breathless is set in West Virginia, and the school in the book is based on a real place, Where the Truth Lies is set at a completely fictional school in Connecticut. Aside from that, there are a couple of crossover characters: Mazzie Moon gets a few mentions, and so does Renee (who was Katie Kitrell’s roommate at Yale in Breathless).
4. In Where the Truth Lies , Emily discovers lies that turn her world upside down. Can you tell us a little more about the deceptions Emily faces in this book? Without giving too much away, I will say that they’re huge deceptions. They basically shake the entire foundation of her life. What’s most interesting to me is that, as the story progresses, something happens to Emily that really puts those deceptions into perspective. It certainly doesn’t make them any easier for her to accept or deal with, but I think that, as she grows, she is at least able to understand the motivations behind all the lies. 5. Can you tell us what you are currently working on? Will any future books have a connection to the characters in Breathless and Where the Truth Lies ? I just finished my third novel, which is called Between . It will be out next year. I’m SO excited about it! It’s a supernatural thriller. It’s actually been pretty successful already – it’s been sold to publishers in ten different countries! I truly cannot wait to see how teenage readers respond to the story. And I’ve just started working on my fourth novel, which will be released in 2012. It’s a murder mystery, also with a somewhat supernatural element, about identical twins who share a very dark past. To answer your other question, neither of those upcoming titles have any connection to Breathless or Where the Truth Lies . I really appreciate you taking the time to answer these questions for me!: ) Thanks!
Read my review of Where the Truth Lies Enter for a chance to win an ARC of Where the Truth Lies Find Jessica Warman Jessica Warman Purchase Where the Truth Lies Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble
This week's Guest Review is Ella from The Clock Monkey.
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From Amazon.com...
" Fame It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. "Tech-heads" flaunt their latest gadgets, "kickers" spread gossip and trends, and "surge monkeys" are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of American Idol. Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules. As if being fifteen doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. But Aya doesn't care; she just wants to lie low with her drone, Moggle. And maybe kick a good story for herself. Then Aya meets a clique of girls who pull crazy tricks, yet are deeply secretive of it. Aya wants desperately to kick their story, to show everyone how intensely cool the Sly Girls are. But doing so would propel her out of extra-land and into the world of fame, celebrity... and extreme danger. A world she's not prepared for." I just loved this book. It had everything I expect to read in a YA book: romance, mystery, friendship, trouble, promises... Overall, a wonderful read.
The story begins by introducing Tally and her desire to become Pretty. Like everyone else around her, she thinks she's ugly, and that the only way to be happy is to get the surgery that will transform her, on her 16th birthday.
Enter Shay. She's the rebel that shows Tally there are other ways to live your life. They become best friends, and Tally is heartbroken when Shay announces that she's escaping, right before her 16th birthday (same as Tally's) to go and live in The Smoke.
Tally stays, and waits to be transformed, so she can join her old friends in the city of the New Pretties. But she's still worried about Shay. Her birthday's come, and Tally learns she won't be getting the surgery. She can either stay ugly, or go after Shay, and bring her back, but not without giving away The Smoke's secret location.
And like this begins Tally's adventure. Once in The Smoke, Tally will learn there's more to people than meets the eye, the meaning of true love and friendship, and she'll have to make a big decision: stay in The Smoke, pretend like she's been one of them from the start, tell everyone the truth, and say she's sorry; or betray those who've shown her how things really are.
Although this can be put in the Sci-Fi genre, that was one of the last things I noticed. Yes, there are flying vehicles, and instant food, but it just felt necessary to have those element there.
The things I did notice were the values this book teaches, values of family, love and friendship, above being a pretty face.
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Thank you so much Ella for this wonderful review. Please stop by The Clock Monkey, share some book love, and read her original review.
Today is the release day for 2 amazing books -- Sweet Venom and Vanish. To celebrate this, Tera Lynn Childs and Sophie Jordan are here today to share some of their favorite romantic novels.
Favorite Romantic Novels Favorite Romantic Books by Tera Lynn Childs
Romantic books have been such a big part of my life and my career, it’s hard to narrow this down to a manageable list. I have about fifty romances on my forever keepers shelves. But if I have to pick some favorites, here goes:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I first read this in my freshman Lit Hum class at Columbia and it turned my world upside-down. Here was a book I loved—swoon, Darcy, swoon—and it was considered important enough to be studied in an Ivy League literature class. This is the moment that I realized a book can be both popular and important. And a romance novel, to boot.
The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey. When I first decided to try this whole writing thing, I literally devoured the romance section at my local bookstore. Johanna Lindsey was my first auto-buy author. She is the master of The Moment, that line that just takes your breath away. In this book, it’s Warren (after Amy’s been chasing him the entire book) saying, “You can’t give up on me!”
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn. I cannot begin to describe in a few sentences how much I love this book. It is just one of the most powerful romances I’ve ever read. Julia Quinn is genius at creating characters who absolutely cannot possibly make it work, and then making it work. Simon and Daphne are a close second to Darcy and Elizabeth for my favorite romantic couple of all time. I dare anyone to read this book and not cry a dozen times. I always do.
Favorite Romantic Books by Sophie Jordan
What’s my favorite romantic book!?!?! Wow – that’s like asking a food junkie to pick her fav dish (which would be tough for me, too)! There are just so many choices – especially since romance has been my favorite genre for so long. Okay, here’s my list: The Magic of You by Johanna Lindsey. It’s a historical romance featuring one of the strongest, take-charge heroines ever! It’s really a stand-out historical romance. When I first read it years ago it felt so new and fresh. And when I reread it now, I can still say the same thing. It has that universal, timeless appeal.
Second choice would probably be … Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey. Another historical romance. The books are connected, too. I just love the tension of a girl disguising herself as a boy. Oh, the fireworks when the truth is revealed! Hm, contemporary romance would have to go to Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s Nobody’s Baby But Mine. It features an outrageous premise … but is an amazingly emotional and very “real” story. My favorite romantic suspense novel is Linda Howard’s Open Season – it has the perfect balance of suspense and romance, but at its core it’s an ugly duckling story. I know these qualify as my favorites because they’re all books I’ve read multiple times. That’s always my gauge.
As for young adult novels … hm, there are so many where the romance is really strong and at the core. They might as well be called a young adult romance. I’ll choose The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Both books have some hot boys and empathetic, likeable heroines. But it’s no easy road to a happily ever after for these characters. Just like in the adult romance books I listed above, you get tons of agonizing conflict. And in the meantime tons of tension and steamy chemistry that sizzles on every page. These are the titles that pop in my head right off the bat … but ask me a year from now and I’m sure I’ll have new titles to add.
Vanish by Sophie Jordan Publisher: HarperTeen (September 6th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 304 pages Series: Firelight #2 To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?
In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.
Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (September 6th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 352 pages Series: Sweet #1 Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.
Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.
Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.
These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.
Sophie and Tera Lynn’s upcoming tour stops: September 7 @ 7 PM Blue Willow Bookshop Houston, TX September 8 @ 7 PM Books & Co Dayton, OH September 9 @ 7 PM Magic Tree Bookstore Chicago, IL October 1 Austin Teen Book Festival Austin, TX The next blog tour stop: Thursday, September 8 – The Bookish Brunette About the authors: Tera Lynn Childs (Authora neo) is a newly discovered species of author fish who always dreamed of being a mermaid, but never got closer than a career as a competitive swimmer. She loves to spend as much time as possible in and around water (right up until her fingertips turn all pruney) in the vain hope that one day her legs will magically turn into fins. When stuck on land, Authora neo can be found writing in coffee shops across the country, prowling for cool mermaid gear on Etsy, and spending way too much time online. Visit her at http://teralynnchilds.com. Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler. Visit her at www.sophiejordan.net.
Rachel applied the last stroke of mascara and turned the power off on the stereo. The music that pumped from the speakers stopped and silence fell around her. This was the first time in her life she’d lived on her own without roommates and getting used to the solidarity was taking longer than she expected.
A loud bang sounded behind her and she jumped. Darkness filled the hallway behind her and she stared into the shadows. Chills ran down her spine as the hairs rose on the back of her neck, and she crept forward.
“Hello?” she asked, but naturally there was no answer. Her bare feet pressed into the carpet as she stepped closer to the edge of the hall. The silence was a weight bearing down around her and she jumped as something moved in the shadows. A dark blur slid from one room across to the other, and she shivered. Rachel swore the chill wasn’t just in her bones, the room was colder now.
As she came to the opening of the hallway she reached for the light switch but hesitated. The thought of dipping her hands into the shadows for even a moment had her on edge. Images of a rotting hand with sores and callouses pulling her into the darkness flashed through her mind and she pulled her hand back.
Cool air tingled along her neck like someone was blowing against her skin and Rachel flinched, quickly flicking the light switch up and turning around, but there was nothing there. She rubbed the side of her neck and found her skin cool to the touch. She shivered again and stared down the now well-lit hall.
This wasn’t the first time she’d had a strange feeling about this place, but the rent was cheap and cheap was what she could afford. Not having roommates was a little harder on her bank account. “This is ridiculous. Get yourself together,” Rachel said, storming down the hall and flicking on the lights to each room. With the exception of the bathroom and her bedroom, all the other rooms were empty. No furniture and definitely no corpses that roamed in the shadows.
She turned the lights off and went back to the kitchen, slipping on her high heeled shoes. A loud horn honked from the street outside and her pulse leapt again. A checkered yellow cab idled on the street, waiting to take her to the party.
Tucking a loose strand of hair that dangled around her face behind her ear, she adjusted her outfit in the mirror. After a quick once-over of her ensemble she gave a silent nod of approval. She took a few items out of her purse and transferred them into a small clutch, taking only what she needed for the night and snapped it shut. Smoky, her poised black cat leapt onto the table, rubbing against her arm and pawing at the clutch. A single white tuft of hair formed a triangular patch on her chest and she meowed in protest.
“I’ll be home soon, baby,” Rachel whispered, scratching Smoky just under her chin. The purring response was immediate.
The horn sounded again and Rachel sighed. “I’m coming!” she yelled, as though the driver could hear her scream from inside. “You be good.” She smiled and gave Smoky a long, smooth stroke along her back before moving towards the door.
As she walked past the mirror she’d just spent hours in front of something moved in the reflection. She took a few more steps and then stopped, debating whether or not to take a second look.
After getting herself worked up in the hallway she refused to be pushed around by her own imagination and she gave into her curiosity. Stepping back in front of the mirror she found a long couch and a single painting of the ocean looking back at her.
“I told you,” she said, looking herself in the eye.
She tore her gaze away as Smoky meowed again. The cat sat perfectly poised on the table, studying her face with vibrant green eyes. The horn honked again and Smokey released another meow. “I’ll be home later,” she said, trying not to sound annoyed and turned back towards the mirror.
The couch and painting were gone, blocked by a mass of decrepit faces and bodies that filled her living room. Solid white eyes stared back at her, while flaps of skin dangled from their faces. Green rot and blood-stains filled in the gashes along their skin, and they stood silent, staring into the mirror. Rachel screamed and ran into the kitchen. Her heels clacked twice along the tile before she slipped.
One shoe folded out sideways beneath her and her leg twisted hard and fast to the side. She lost her balance and pain split across her ankle. She fell to the ground and hit the kitchen table with her hands, pushing it a few inches in the opposite direction.
Adrenaline pulsed through her veins and her heart palpitated like it was going to be torn from her chest. A gut-wrenching pang twisted in her stomach and she turned onto her back, skittering backwards across the floor. But to her surprise, nobody was after her. In fact, her living room was empty.
Heavy pants slipped through her freshly painted red lips and her eyes panned the room. She could hear a pounding in her ears as her heartbeat raced. Smoky stood between her and the living room and hissed at the air. Goosebumps trickled down Rachel’s shoulders and she trembled.
She took a few deep breaths before recomposing herself. She slipped her shoe back on and climbed to her feet. Her ankle hurt, but not enough to cancel a night of fun with the girls. She’d been waiting far too long for this, plus, it was her favorite night of the year: Halloween. Nothing was keeping her down. Not tonight.
She cautiously approached the mirror and the goosebumps prickled up and down her arm with each step. She looked into the living room, then took another step forward and peeked into the mirror. A sign of relief filled her as the painting and couch were back in the reflection or a near-empty room.
She let out a deep breath. “What’s gotten into me?” She asked, looking down at Smoky. “I need this night out more than I thought.” She grabbed her clutch and disappeared out the door towards an impatient and aggravated cab driver.
After hours of dancing, drinking, and laughing with friends, Rachel returned home feeling renewed, exhausted, and more than a little off balance. She fiddled with her keys and stumbled into the doorway, kicking her shoes across the floor. Smoky meowed, awaiting her arrival on the kitchen table.
“Hey kitty,” she said, the words somewhat slurred from her mouth. She threw her clutch and keys on the table and ran her fingers through the cat’s fur. Opening the fridge she grabbed a cold bottle of water and flicked off the kitchen light. “I may have had one drink too many,” she said, pausing to stare blankly at the cat. After a moment she snapped out of her daze and smiled. “Bed time, Smoky, let’s go.”
Drinking half the water bottle in her first gulp, she screwed the cap on and placed it on the bedside table. She tore her clothes off piece by piece and left them strewn about the room. While pulling back the purple and red duvet on her bed, a strand of crispy hair fell from its place on her head and danced along her shoulder.
“Dammit. I can’t go to sleep with all this crap in my hair.” Rachel sighed and ran her hands through the sticky hair-sprayed locks.
The bathroom was already full of steam as she dropped her underwear to the floor and stepped into the shower. Hot water nipped at her skin while her body adjusted to the temperature, and all the warm feelings of her evening began to wash away. She tilted her head back and water splashed over her face and hair, breaking down the product she’d invested hours of time putting into it.
As the buzz of alcohol began to run down the drain, images of what she’d seen in the mirror flashed through her mind. Both of her eyelids shot open and tension crept into her shoulders. Hard streams of water beat against her skin as the fear returned and she felt something slide over her shoulders.
She paused, standing still in the water, telling herself it was all in her head. She tried to picture something else, remembering the tray of shots they’d had at the club. When that didn’t work she pictured the young kid who still appeared to be in his ‘awkward’ phase hitting on her. One cheesy pick-up line after another echoed through her head, but even that memory was overrun with anxiety when she realized the feeling wasn’t leaving.
The water seemed to tighten its hold, squeezing her skin. That gut-wrenching pain filled her stomach again and her breath caught in her throat. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. This isn’t happening, she thought to herself. It can’t be. She slowly lifted her eyes and glanced down at her shoulder, but there was nothing there. The water continued to splash against her skin, and although she couldn’t see it, she could still feel something squeezing against her skin.
The feeling vanished as Rachel turned in the shower, and her fear faded. She was looking at a tile wall littered with drops of water that looked back at her — there was nothing in there with her. “I’m having serious issues tonight?” She shivered and let the water rush over her face, but even in the heat of the shower, the chill didn’t leave her bones. It ran down her arm and along the sides of her body, only to find its way back up to her neck.
She stayed in the water until after the hot had turned cold. She let the stream snap her back to reality and sober her up. When she finally summoned the courage to move, she leaned forward and turned off the water.
Pulling back the shower curtain in a rush, she stepped onto the fuzzy bathmat and turned on the ceiling fan. The steam drifted upwards and as the room cleared, she saw what looked like hand prints in the foggy mirror.
She tried to ignore them. It was nothing. She didn’t know what she’d seen earlier. Maybe it was just the hype from Halloween. She was excited, she’d had a few pre-party beverages and now, after more drinks than she could count, she was over-tired and intoxicated.
Living on her own had her imagination running wild and tonight, she was letting it play tricks on her. She’d lived here for four months and every once in a while she got these strange feelings. So far, she’d just chalked it up to the adjustment. No roommates, no boyfriend, just her and Smoky; the way she wanted it to be. It was a big change and all of this was just part of it. As she got used to being alone, it would fade. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.
As she crawled into bed, the duvet felt cool against her skin. Rachel squirmed against the silky white sheets and let them wrap themselves around her.
“Come on, Smoky,” she called, but the cat didn’t come. Strange, she thought. Smoky is always waiting in bed for me. She waited a few moments and called out again, but still, nothing. “Suit yourself.”
Rachel turned in the bed, spreading out along the cool sheets and stirring as she tried to find the perfect position. She tried her left side, then her right, and finally her back, but she couldn’t get comfortable. It was like there was something bulging from her mattress that refused to allow her comfort.
Using her shoulders and feet, she lifted her body up and dropped it against the bed. Over and over again her body hit the mattress until she was certain she’d broken in her spot and found a way to get comfortable.
She pulled the blankets up to her chin, glanced at the clock, and closed her eyes. It was after three in the morning and the house was silent. She fought to keep her eyes closed, hoping she could bask in the quiet and fall asleep, but when the bed creaked, the stillness of the room became overwhelming. She waited to hear the footsteps of Smoky crunching across the duvet, but they never came.
The creak came again and the muscles in Rachel’s shoulders tensed. Deep breaths in and out were all that kept her from jumping out of bed. This is all in my head. I’m getting myself all worked up, and thinking about it is only amplifying everything. She flipped onto her back and repeated those thoughts again and again.
The bed squeaked and this time she felt something putting pressure on the far end of the mattress — more pressure than a cat could manage.
That’s it. I can’t do this. She tried to sit up, but her body wouldn’t comply with the demand. Cold air brushed her feet as the blanket lifted slightly and her pulse became thick in her throat. She wanted to pull her feet back but she couldn’t. She couldn’t move at all.
Chills shuddered across her shoulders as something trickled across her ankle. With the panic that lunged in her chest came the pain of twisting it in the kitchen all over again. She gasped and tried to scream, but all that came out was air.
The blankets moved again and more cool air washed over her legs. She could feel the weight of something… someone, moving up the bed beneath the covers. The blankets shifted and moved and she felt fingers sliding up the outside of her ankle.
This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.
The fingertips walked higher, moving along both sides of her legs.
This is just a dream. No, it’s a nightmare.
The fingers’ pressure increased as they scaled her body, digging into her flesh. Her heart flung from one side of her chest to the other, ready to burst at any moment. Sweat had gathered on her brow and she realized she was moving, but it wasn’t in the way she wanted. Her body trembled and shook violently as beads of salty sweat ran down her face.
On three, I’m going to wake up.
She winced in pain as the fingers turned into full-on grabs.
One.
Fingers nipped at her hips and tore themselves up her torso.
Two.
The duvet moved again and the cool air touched her skin as another set of hands joined the first. Three! She shouted in her head, but nothing happened.
The second set of hands squeezed against her calves and Rachel cried out silently, her voice ensnared in her throat.
Stop. Please stop.
The mattress shifted as something climbed higher up the bed.
Smoky! She screamed the name in her head. Smoky where are you?
The first set of hands pulled at her breasts and moved higher over her chest. She could feel the invisible intruder’s fingers reaching for her throat. Tears streamed down her face as her body convulsed. She was sobbing uncontrollably but there was still no sound escaping her lips. Cold, unseen fingers wrapped around her throat. She screamed silently for Smoky again. Please come. Please help me…
The hand began to squeeze and the air was slowly stolen from Rachel. A loud hiss came from the door way and the hand around her throat pulled away. The cold fingers slid down her body and across her stomach before they vanished. Another hiss came, this time it was louder, and the mattress moved as something heavy moved across it.
Smokey jumped onto the bed and the duvet crunched beneath her paws. It was too dark to see, but Rachel could feel a strange energy coming off the feline. She was so close and the cat gave off an aura of protection. The mattress shifted and something retreated as Smoky stalked across the bed until eventually, Rachel felt whatever it was slip off the edge.
“Oh god, thank you, Smoky!” she said, and the words managed to spill from her lips. She tore her body up from the mattress and covered her face, crying so hard it hurt.
Smoky meowed and crawled up the blankets, nuzzling her head against Rachel’s chest. “Thank you, baby, thank you,” she whispered, pulling Smoky close. Her limbs were still shaking and her heart hammered inside her chest, but as the cat began to purr, it pushed calmness inside her.
Rachel didn’t move from her bed for the rest of the night. She sat perfectly still, gripping Smoky against her body. She watched as the red digits on the clock changed every so often until sunshine crept through her blinds, breaking away the cold energy of the room. Only then did she have the nerve to pull the blankets back and move.
When she finally managed to coax herself out of bed, she found red scratches, swollen skin, and finger-shaped bruises that covered her from her neck to her feet. A chill had instilled itself inside her bones and no matter what she did, she couldn’t shake it.
She called her friends later that day and tried to explain what had happened, but naturally, nobody believed her. They claimed she must have had too much to drink, or perhaps it was a nightmare. One of them even asked if she’d taken any drugs that night. Rachel wasn’t surprised by their reactions, but she knew it was none of those things. It was something in this house and if it wasn’t for Smoky, well, she didn’t like to think what might have happened if Smoky hadn’t been there. One thing was for certain, whether her friends believed her or not, she wasn’t staying here. The next day was the first of November and the perfect time to find a new place to live.
Shift by M.R. Merrick Published: February 1st, 2012 Reading Level: Young Adult Series: The Protector, #2 Devastated by a terrible loss, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back, and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her inner witch. It’s something else—a monster threatening to tear her apart.
As Chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about, or if protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a n ebo ok of Exiled (book #1).
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is International and ends November 16th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
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Where the Truth Lies by Jessica Warman Publisher: Bloomsbury (September 28th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 320 pages On the surface, Emily Meckler leads the perfect life. She has three best friends, two loving parents, and the ideal setup at the Connecticut prep school where her father is the headmaster. But Emily also suffers from devastating nightmares about fire and water, and nobody knows why. Then the enigmatic Del Sugar enters her life, and Emily is immediately swept away—but her passionate relationship with Del is just the first of many things that aren't quite what they seem in Emily's life. As the lies she's been told start to unravel, Emily must set out to discover the truth regarding her nightmare; on a journey that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about love, family, and her own idyllic past.
This companion novel to Warman's critically acclaimed Breathless proves that sometimes the biggest lies are told to the people you love the most.
Giveaway Prize:
1 winner will receive an ARC of Where the Truth Lies by Jessica Warman.
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 October 26th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
"Courtney Summers has successfully created a universal character that anyone can relate to on some level." — Miss Remmers
From Amazon.com...
"Perfect Parker Fadley isn’t so perfect anymore. She’s quit the cheerleading squad, she’s dumped her perfect boyfriend, and she’s failing school. Her parents are on a constant suicide watch and her counselors think she’s playing games…but what they don’t know, the real reason for this whole mess, isn’t something she can say out loud. It isn’t even something she can say to herself. A horrible thing has happened and it just might be her fault. If she can just remove herself from everybody--be totally alone--then everything will be okay... The problem is, nobody will let her."
This book is a beautiful, heart breaking, honest read. The plot and the characters are flawless. I feel like I know Parker, Chris, Becky, Jessie, and Jake. I haven't felt so connected to the characters (all of them, even the secondary characters) for such a long time. The most impressive aspect of the book, in my opinion, is the distinct voice or tone. I loved the dialogue (especially in regards to Parker). Besides the dialogue, the overall tone of the novel is witty but real. Sometimes when characters are witty they lose the realness (who is ever really that witty anyway). But Courtney Summers successfully created a witty and real character.
The plot was catching, I had to find out what happened; I told myself one more chapter and then finally had to shut the book (in order to sleep) eight chapters later. I cried more than once and Parker's pain and I was able to follow her train of thought (scary, I know). I saw a lot of myself in Parker, not the suicidal part, but the "perfect"/anal retentive/ type A personality part. But the other part of her, the guilty and hurting part, anyone could relate to. It is precisely this, I think, that makes this book a phenomenal read. Courtney Summers has successfully created a universal character that anyone can relate to on some level.
I'm sad that this is a library book and that I have to return it. Despite the bit of foul language and the minute allusions to sex — I think this book would be a great book to inspire a non-reader to read recreationally. I will definitely be purchasing a copy for my classroom. And while I was going to wait a while to read "Some Girls Are" — I think I'll read it next!
Favorite Quote: "I've never met a girl so content to be a growth" (124).
Today my English 9 class read Chapter 4 of "To Kill a Mockingbird." This is the chapter where Scout and Jem find the gum and the Indian-Head pennies. This was the first chapter that really grabbed me into the novel so I wanted to celebrate with a new bulletin board.
Notice the whole in the "tree" (it's a pretty poor tree). All week I had a few "passes" on a homework assignment, but nobody bothered to look inside.: ( Oh well, maybe next year.
The 2nd annual Authors are Rockstars tour has started! You can see the stops by going here.
I am lucky enough to feature Janenifer Castle. I adore her! I read her book The Beginning of After and was completely blown away. it was such an emotional story and I fell in love with Laurel and David. You can read my review of the book here.
Now, Janenifer has more awesomeness out in the wild! You Look Different in Real Life was released in June and Playing Keira (a novella) was released in May. I haven't had a chance to read these yet but I will be very very soon!
Today, as part of the rockstar tour, I have Janenifer here for an interview about her book You Look Different in Real Life. Don't miss the giveaway below for a signed copy of the book!
INTERVIEW WITH JaneNIFER CASTLE
What made you decide to write about teens involved in a movie of their lives?
I’ve always been fascinated by what happens to reality TV and documentary film subjects after the cameras go away. Do they live their lives differently, like someone’s always watching? Does the way they’re portrayed on screen change the way they see themselves in real life? The possibilities of character and story seemed so juicy, I couldn’t resist. Then I started thinking about how the rise of blogging and social media has allowed pretty much everyone to make themselves the “stars” of their own documentary. Every time we post a status, a photo, check in at a location… we’re building a narrative of our own lives. I think it’s scary-easy to share so much of ourselves, to think so obsessively about what we’re putting out there for the world to see, that we lose track of who we really are.
So the documentary film premise seemed like it was relevant on a couple different levels, and something I could really have fun with. After many years of working on THE BEGINNING OF AFTER, I needed some fun. I was ready to do something where nobody dies. That might have actually been the first note to myself about this book: “Dear Jane: Please don’t kill anyone.” You have to start somewhere.
2. What's one word you'd use to describe each character (Justine, Rory, Nate, Felix and Keira)?
I love you for this question, and also I hate you for this question. This was tough. But the good tough. Justine: Lost Rory: Found Nate: Underestimated Felix: Overlooked Keira: Who?
3. With so many reality shows out these days, would you ever agree to have a portion of your life taped?
It’s funny, because while I was writing YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE, I spent an afternoon carrying around a small digital video camera, shooting everything that went on in my house. I just wanted the experience of choosing which moments to record and being conscious of this extra eye observing us. I only lasted a few hours, because it freaked me out that our family’s craziness, the absurd stuff that happens with me and my husband and my kids and my pets every day, was actually being saved for posterity. But maybe it would be cool to have strangers see this absurdity and say, “Yup, we are like this too. You’re normal, because there is no normal.” In the end, it would probably come down to whether or not I had to clean the house and put on something besides ripped sweatpants.
Do you have a favorite line from YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE?
Love/hate question! Again! I have many favorite lines, but most of them are in the later part of the book and might do some spoiling. I do have a soft spot for this early passage where Justine describes her connection to the others, because it’s generally how I feel about my own long-term friendships: Sometimes I think of an invisible cord connecting Nate and Keira and Felix and Rory and me. It’s made of something thin and deceptively powerful, like the stuff Spider-Man squirts out of his wrists. Then I wonder who spun it. Was it Lance and Leslie? Was it everyone who’s ever watched the Five At documentaries? Or maybe it was me. All I know is that it’s always there. It stretches and winds but will never break.”
5. Can you share with us what you are currently working on?
With both THE BEGINNING OF AFTER and YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE, I loved writing the romantic storylines. Especially the kissing. Is there anything better than writing about kissing? Ah…
I’m sorry. Where was I? Oh yes. So my current project (which is still untitled, because I suck at titles) is a romance, pure and simple. It’s about what happens when a killer crush actually leads to something, and you have to navigate that intersection of fantasy and reality. It’s about figuring out what love actually is, when you don’t have any good examples in your life to base it on. And it’s got a cute guy who is amazing but not flawless, craveable but problematically complex, because “perfect” boys in YA lit really bug me. I’m hoping it will be done in time for an early 2015 release. Until then, I plan to squeeze out one or two digital short stories or novellas, like I did with PLAYING KEIRA. I like mixing up the long projects with shorter ones. It’s like creative snacking.
You Look Different in Real Life by Janenifer Castle Published: HarperTeen (June 4th, 2013) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 355 pages Summary: For the rest of the world, the movies are entertainment. For Justine, they're real life.
The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There'd be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star.
Now sixteen, Justine doesn't feel like a star anymore. In fact, when she hears the crew has gotten the green light to film Five at Sixteen, all she feels is dread. The kids who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who hardly know one another. And Justine, who was so funny and edgy in the first two movies, feels like a disappointment.
But these teens have a bond that goes deeper than what's on film. They've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how it feels to have fans as well as friends. So when this latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to see yourself is through someone else's eyes.
Smart, fresh, and frequently funny, You Look Different in Real Life is a piercing novel about life in an age where the lines between what's personal and what's public aren't always clear.
I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution."
I'll admit it, I picked this book up because I downloaded the sequel, "Outside In," on my Nook from NetGalley. I like the dystopia genre and I could use both books towards the Dystopia Reading Challenge.
Book Trailer: At first, I was extremely confused; Snyder jumps right into the plot and this society and offers little to no expository information. As I think about this, I guess most dystopian novels don't offer much information about the society — it's just something you pick up on. It could be that I struggled with Inside's society because it's unlike anything I've ever read. I couldn't picture the setting and for the longest time, for lack of a better idea, I assumed they were underground. This confusion kept me from becoming completely sucked into this novel because I didn't understand a lot that was going on; as I continued to read I slowly pieced together this unique society and was able to focus better.
Snyder's characters were developed well; I felt like I knew Cog and Trella and the plot was intriguing. But there was just something missing about this novel, I didn't connect to it and I don't have any emotion invested in it. I felt the neither need to keep reading nor that urge to not put the book down. As odd as this sounds, I just wasn't passionately involved with this book, but there really isn't a reason why... I just wasn't. The writing was good, the plot was well paced, the characters were believable and even likable. I just didn't connect. Definitely a good book, just not one that I'm rushing out to purchase. I definitely recommend this novel to any fan of dystopia.
To find out more about this series and author, visit the following links: -Visit Maria around the web here: Website | Blog -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Nook Download | Kindle Download
This year's very first Guest Reviewer is Esme, from Chocolate and Croissants!
******************* From Kathryn Stockett... "Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step. Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone. Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken. Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own. Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed."
Sometimes you read a book that speaks to you from the heart, The Help is one of those books. Author Kathryn Stockett brings to life the story of three women living in Jackson Mississippi in the early 60's as the civil rights movement was reaching the deep South.
For me, I was able to picture the women, the homes they lived in and their friends. First time novelist, does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life. The women are seemingly as different from one another as can be, but come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
Each woman has her own cross to bear and social graces to maintain. Skeeter, a recent college graduate returns to her parent's home after graduation. Yearning to be a journalist, her mother is more concerned about Skeeter's clothes and hair and the trust fund that she find her a suitable husband. Hoping to land a job at a publishing house Skeeter writes the stories of black maids in Jackson. Her main ally is Aiblileen, an older wise maid raising her seventeenth white child. Aibileen is troubled that the children she raises may become an extension of their parent's racism. Suffering from the loss of her own child, she empowers Mae Moberly to realize, she is important, smart and beautiful. At the risk of being fired she teaches the little girl lessons about Martian Luther King and that love comes from what is inside of you. Minny, Aibileen's best friend is the best cook in Jackson, but loses her jobs because she sasses the missus back. Together the three women rally the black maid community to tell their stories. What fascinated me about the book was the author's impetus for the story. Raised in Jackson herself. Her family had a maid, Demetrie. Stockett loved her maid, after her parents divorced her maid was a surrogate mother for her. Someone's shoulder she could cry on or a lap to crawl on.
To quote Stockett " Our family maid, Demetrie, used to say picking cotton in Mississippi in the dead of summer is about the worst pastime there is, if you don't count picking okra, another prickly, low-growing thing. Demetrie used to tell us all kinds of stores about picking cotton as a girl. She'd laugh and shaker her finger at us, waring us against it, as if a bunch of rich white kids might fall to the evils of cotton-picking like cigarettes or hard liquor." Demetrie was born in Lampkin, Mississippi, in 1927. It was a horrifying year to be born, just before the Depression set in. No-one ever asked Demetrie her story, what it was like to work for a white family.
There is one line in The Help, the author truly prizes, which brings home the point of the book. We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought.
If you can fit one more book onto your bookshelf for the year. Chose The Help. ********************** Esme, thank you so much for the great review! Please stop by Chocolate and Croissants and share some book love! Check out her original review here.
Kim Purcell has stopped by today to share the scary statistics of human trafficking. Her novel, Trafficked, explores the life of a girl in one of these situations.
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When I first learned about the scope of modern-day slavery, I knew I had to write a novel about it. I couldn’t believe that someone could do that to another human being, especially in westernized countries. So, I wrote TRAFFICKED, about a girl who comes from Moldova to America to be a nanny and ends up a modern-day slave.
People often want to know what the stats are behind modern-day slavery and sadly, due to the nature of this crime, it seems nobody knows. The stats vary greatly, depending on who’s reporting them. The biggest reason is that it’s such a hidden crime. Modern-day slaves are disposable. If they manage to escape, they have a lot of incentives to stay hidden. They fear their captors. They fear the government. Often, they come into a country illegally and they fear imprisonment and deportation. Maybe their family members have been threatened. Sometimes they’re ashamed. So they never come forward. This is why it’s difficult to get exact numbers.
In any case, here are some stats, which most people agree upon, though they have all been disputed by different NGOs and government organizations.
This information can be found in more detail on two anti-trafficking organization websites: Stop Child Trafficking Now: sctnow.org and Free the Slaves: freetheslaves.net. If you’d like to learn how to help trafficked teens, go to my website: http://kimpurcell.com/Help-Trafficked-Teens
The Stats:
Child/Human Trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world. Child/ human trafficking is the world’s second largest criminal enterprise, after drugs. U.S. State Department The global market of child trafficking is over $12 billion a year with over 1.2 million child victims. UNICEF
The average age of entry for children victimized by the sex trade industry is 12 years. U.S. Department of Justice
Approximately 80% of human trafficking victims are women and girls and up to 50% are minors. U.S. State Department
Research conducted with Free the Slaves found documented cases of slavery in over 90 cities in the US.
Human Slaves are cheap. In 1850 the average slave cost $40,000 in today’s money, presently a slave costs an average of $90.
In its 400 years, the transatlantic slave trade is estimated to have shipped up to 12 million Africans to colonies in the West. Free the Slaves estimates that the number of people in slavery today is at least 27 million. 600,000 – 800,000 people are bought and sold across international borders each year; 50% are children, most are female. Most of these victims are forced into the commercial sex trade. U.S. Department of State, 2004, Trafficking in Persons Report, Washington, D.C.
14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States each year. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country is even higher, with an estimated 200,000 American children at risk for trafficking into the sex industry. U.S. Department of Justice Report to Congress from Attorney General John Ashcroft on U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons
Based on hundreds of cases that filter through their agencies, advocates estimate that domestic workers account for about one-third of the total. In other words, about 5,000 migrant domestic servants take jobs each year in homes where they are highly vulnerable to abuse by their employers.
There have been only 100 prosecutions for involuntary servitude or labor trafficking since the passage of the 2000 anti-trafficking law. US Justice Dept.
Trafficked by Kim Purcell Publisher: Viking Children's Books (February 16th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 352 pages A 17-year-old Moldovan girl whose parents have been killed is brought to the United States to work as a slave for a family in Los Angeles.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a copy of TRAFFICKED.
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 March 10th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
Where the Truth Lies by Jessica Warman Publisher: Bloomsbury (September 28th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 320 pages Rating: 5 of 5 stars Source: Publisher On the surface, Emily Meckler leads the perfect life. She has three best friends, two loving parents, and the ideal setup at the Connecticut prep school where her father is the headmaster. But Emily also suffers from devastating nightmares about fire and water, and nobody knows why. Then the enigmatic Del Sugar enters her life, and Emily is immediately swept away—but her passionate relationship with Del is just the first of many things that aren't quite what they seem in Emily's life. As the lies she's been told start to unravel, Emily must set out to discover the truth regarding her nightmare; on a journey that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about love, family, and her own idyllic past.
This companion novel to Warman's critically acclaimed Breathless proves that sometimes the biggest lies are told to the people you love the most. Review: Where the Truth Lies is a wonderfully written tale involving Emily, a junior, who begins her school year with many firsts, obstacles, and discoveries. The story begins with us getting to know Emily, her friends, and the details of the dreams that leave her breathless most nights. I thought that this book would focus heavily on these mysterious dreams Emily faces but I was wrong. While this is an important aspect of the story, Where the Truth Lies contains way more than this mystery. Early on Emily meets Del, a bad boy that immediately seems drawn to her. Their relationship puts her at odds with her parents and her friends, but deep down, Emily can't help but want to be with Del. Their secret encounters lead to much more than Emily ever anticipated. As Emily faces unimaginable decisions, she finds out that Del may not be the person she thought he was. In addition, her parents, whom she has always trusted, may be hiding a dark secret that breaks apart the steady foundation that used to be her life. Emily's own strength and determination may be the only thing she can truly rely on. Where the Truth Lies is not a quick read but I was completely submerged into Emily's story. The layers of the plot kept me guessing and gripping the pages. As I tried to piece together my own perception, the story would twist into a place I never considered. This, along with the outstanding characters, kept me wanting to read more. Jessica Warman's writing style is fantastic. She knows how to bring realistic situations to each page. Her descriptions, characters, and plot stayed true to what I imagine many teens face when dealing with love, friends, and family secrets.
Characters: Emily was very much like a typical teenage girl, struggling with school but enjoying her time with her friends and exploring love along the way. She, like many others, was not resistant to making mistakes or misjudging situations. As her story progressed I could see her grow and change into a stronger young lady. I enjoyed the light interactions she had with her best friends and seeing how they learned to deal with their own personal drama. Del was amazing because his personality didn't fall too much into one particular category. He wasn't too bad, too good, too perfect. He was mysterious and maybe a little damaged by his past, but I continuously wanted to know more about him. Emily's friends, and the wonderful"swoon" worthy Ethan, were all a great addition to the story because they were very multidimensional as well. Together, these characters made the perfect blend to bring together Emily's story.
Cover: I like this cover. I feel that it sums up the mystery aspect of the book with the school far in the background and the girl's hidden face.
Where the Truth Lies is the incredible story of a young girl, facing the challenges of life, and learning how to get past the lies in order to find the truth.
Find Jessica Warman Jessica Warman Purchase Where the Truth Lies Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble
I am "stealing" this from The Story Siren. If you want to find out more about it in my blog. Anyway, these are books I got this week at the bookstore, library, and in the mail, of course. This week I went to the Oak View Library Sale in Sioux Falls, and after hearing all of Sheila's stories at One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books I was somewhat prepared for the hot mess that was "The Sacred Library Sale." It reminded me slightly of BEA (on obviously a much smaller scale) — there were SO many people pushing and shoving for books! Used books! Books with broken spines, missing pages, and YEARS of germs all over them! It was fantastic! I think I did rather well for myself. At $2 a bag I spent $6 on a trunk full of books! I'm very excited to put them add them to my classroom or private shelves! For Review: Won:
From the library: Purchased from the library sale:
"The Clique: Massie"
"Gossip Girl: Would I Lie to You"
"Notorious: An It Girl Novel"
"Lucas"
"Dial L for Loser: A Clique Novel" (three copies)
"PS I Loathe You: A Clique Novel"
"Gossip Girl: You Know You Love Me"
"Gossip Girl: Nobody Does It Better"
"SPEAK" — VERY EXCITED
"Perfect"
"Vampire Academy"
"The Little History of a Star"
"Spells and Sleeping Bags"
"The Au Pairs"
"Cut Back: Impact Zone"
"Princess in Waiting"**
"666: The Number of the Beast"
"The Princess Diaries"**
"This Lullaby"
"The Book Thief"
"L8r, G8r"
"What Girls Learn"
"Dr. Franklin's Island"
"The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle"**
"Teen Idol"
"Hunger"
"Goddess Boot Camp"
"Donorboy"**
"Jason's Gold"
"I Was a Teenage Fairy"
"Princess in Love"**
"Tangerine"
"The Ransom of Mercy Carter" — I ADORED this novel when I was younger. I was going to name my daughter Mercy I loved it so much!**
"Frostbite: A Vampire Academy Novel"
"The House Next Door"
** — Books I read as a middle/high school student
Before we entered the Sacred Library Sale
After the Sacred Library Sale: Three Bags Later I'm practicing the "guilty" look I'll be giving my fiance when he gets home from work!
