Shortly after reviewing "Losing Faith " for Denise Jaden, I received an email from Denise about The Contemps. The email contained a very awesome PDF explanation; because I can't really post a PDF on blogger (that I know of), I simply copied and pasted. THE CONTEMPS: YA Authors Keeping it RealEmbrace the Real! www.thecontemps.com Introducing The Contemps!
We're a group of YA authors with contemporary novels releasing over the course of a year. We are passionate about realistic fiction because these are the books that remind us we're not alone in this real world. Our mission is simple — to spotlight contemporary fiction for young adults through blog posts, author events, and (over)sharing from our teen years.
We hope you'll help us spread the word to readers about our group! We have fun things planned on the site all year long, including a contest going on NOW through November 15, 2010.
Take the Challenge! Read 18 of our 21 books and enter to win all 21 of our books! The contest is open to anyone age 13 — 113! Visit the "Get Involved" page at www.thecontemps.com for more information. Read, Write and Celebrate Realistic YA with: Denise Jaden, LOSING FAITH (S&S/Simon Pulse, 9/2010) Kody Keplinger, The DUFF (Little, Brown/Poppy, 9/2010) April Henry, GIRL, STOLEN (Henry Holt, 9/2010) Mindi Scott, FREEFALL (S&S/Simon Pulse, 10/2010) Daisy Whitney, THE MOCKINGBIRDS (Little, Brown, 10/2010) Sarah Ockler, FIXING DELILAH (Little, Brown, 12/2010) Courtney Summers, FALL FOR ANYTHING (St. Martin's Press,12/2010) Michael Northrop, TRAPPED (Scholastic, 1/2011) Sara Bennett Wealer, RIVAL (HarperTeen, 2/2011) Lindsey Leavitt, SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD (Bloomsbury, 3/2011) Kirsten Hubbard, LIKE MANDARIN (Random House/Delacorte, 3/2011) Micol Ostow, FAMILY (Egmont USA, 4/2011) Emily Wing Smith, BACK WHEN YOU WERE EASIER TO LOVE(Dutton, 4/2011) Jo Knowles, PEARL (Henry Holt, Spring, 2011) Hannah Harrington, SAVING JUNE (Harlequin Teen, 5/2011) Lisa Schroeder, THE DAY BEFORE (S&S/Simon Pulse, 6/2011) Elizabeth Scott, BETWEEN HERE AND FOREVER (Simon Pulse, 6/2011) Melissa Walker, SMALL-TOWN SINNERS (Bloomsbury, 7/2011) Brent Crawford, Third CARTER book (Disney-Hyperion, summer, 2011) Kristen Tracy, SHARKS AND BOYS (Disney-Hyperion, summer, 2011) Sarah Darer Littman, WANT TO GO PRIVATE? (Scholastic Press, 8/2011)
I printed two copies of the PDF and have one up for my students to see (above) and one up with my own progress (which is very little right now, "Losing Faith" and "The DUFF") (below).
Since posting these I have had several students ask how they can get in on the "challenge" and what the prizes are. I've had such a great response that I have about six girls coming in after school on Wednesdays to talk about what they are currently reading and how far they have come in the challenge.
This has turned out to be a fantastic classroom activity that has really sparked the interest of my students. I only have one book on my shelf right now, "The DUFF," but students have really gone out of their way to find these books, at least the ones already released.
My class and I will be participating in this challenge, will you?
Never to Sleep (Soul Screamers 5.5) by Rachel Vincent (Harlequin 1/1/2012) Irises by Francisco X. Stork (Arthur a. Levine 1/1/2012) The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Janenifer E. Smith (Poppy 1/2/2012)
Darkness Falls (Immortal Beloved #2) by Cate Tiernan (Poppy 1/2/2012) Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook (Simon Pulse 1/3/2012) Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler (Simon Pulse 1/3/2012)
Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer (Philomel 1/3/2012) Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala (HarperTeen 1/3/2012) Pretty Little Liars: A Pretty Little Liars Collection (HarperCollins 1/3/2012)
Dreaming Awake (Falling Under #2) by Gwen Hayes (NAL Trade 1/3/2012) Charmfall (Dark Elite #3) by Chloe Neill (NAL Trade 1/3/2012) Dragonswood by Janey Lee Carey (Penguin Young Readers 1/5/2012)
Love? Maybe by Heather Hepler (Dial 1/5/2012) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Dutton Juvenile 1/10/2012) A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis (Razorbill 1/10/2012)
Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica #2) by Beth Fantaskey (Harcourt Children's Books 1/10/2012)
Cracked by K.M. Walton (Simon Pulse 1/3/2012) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (HarperCollins 1/3/2012) The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams (Simon & Schuster 1/3/2012)
Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer (Feiwel & Friends 1/3/2012) Switched (Trylle Trilogy #1) by Amanda Hocking (St. Martin's Griffin 1/3/2012) A Witch in Winter (Winter Trilogy #1) by Ruth Warburton (Hodder Children's Books 1/5/2012)
Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe (Omnific Publishing 1/10/2012) Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom (Disney Hyperion 1/10/2012) The Gathering Storm (The Katerina Trilogy #1) by Robin Bridges (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 1/10/2012)
What books are you most excited to read?
If you know of any other new releases for January 1st-15th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
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!
Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry #3) by Simone Elkeles (Walker Books for Young Readers 8/16/2011) Bargains and Betrayals (13 to Life #3) by Shannon Delany (St. Martin's Griffin 8/16/2011) Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1) by Richelle Mead (Razorbill 8/23/2011)
Sweetly (Sisters Red #2) by Jackson Pearce (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 8/23/2011) The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2) by Pittiacus Lore (HarperCollins 8/23/2011) Nocturne (Claire de Lune #2) by Christine Johnson (Simon Pulse 8/23/2011)
Hades (Halo #2) by Alexandra Adornetto (Fiewel & Friends 8/30/2010) Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna Dressed in Blood #1) by Kendare Blake (Tor Teen 8/30/2011) Damned (Crusade #2) by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 8/30/2011)
Twisted (Intertwined #3) by Gena Showalter (Harlequin 8/30/2011) The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson (Henry Holt and Company 8/30/2011) Soul Thief (The Demon Trappers #2) by Jana Oliver (St. Martin's Griffin 8/30/2011)
Possess by Gretchen McNeil (Balzer & Bray 8/23/2011) Descended by Blood (Vampire Born #1) by Angeline Kace (Accendo Press 8/23/2011) Fury (Fury #1) by Elizabeth Miles (Simon Pulse 8/30/2011)
If you know of any other new releases for August 16th-31st feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
This year we wanted to add to the excitement of Top 10 lists by making it an event! Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books and and I are hosting a top 10 week where everyone can join the fun! You can check out this post for more information. Each day you add your top 10 list to the linky (below), you get an extra entry into the giveaway for a $50 amazon gift card! Just remember, each day will have a linky for THAT Top 10 topic and your list has to be for that top 10.
First, we wanted to do a little wrap-up for the year! 117 Books Read! 36,776 pages read! 435 posts this year!
My goal for this year was 100 books so next year I'm bringing that up to 110!
Today is Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2012!
Why: I've had Divergent on every single list this week so it's obvious that I'm dying to get my hands on this book! Can't.wait!! Add it to Goodreads Summary: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
Onyx by Janenifer L. Armentrout Entangled Publishing (May 2012) Series: Lux #2 Why: Does anything by Janenifer even need an explanation anymore? Hot guys, wonderful plots, kick-butt heroines, it's all there! And look at that *points to cover*.yeah… who can resist him?! Add it to GoodreadsSummary:No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…
Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins Hyperion Books (March 13th, 2012) Series: Hex Hall #3
Why: I adored the first 2 books in this series and I can't wait to find out what happens next. Sophie is one of my favorite female characters of all time! Add it to Goodreads Summary: Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?
Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready Simon Pulse (May 1st, 2012) Series: Shade #3 Why: This series has a special place in my heart! I'm so sad to see it end but I know Jeri will not disappoint.Add it to GoodreadsSummary: No other love has burned so bright
Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced that she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves… even if that means betraying her own heart.
Why:Starcrossed was awesome and I really need to read this book! There were so many questions that have to be answered and I can't wait to see how it all plays out! Add it to Goodreads Summary: As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.
As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with a huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied—and longing for more.
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore Dial (May 1st, 2012) Series: The Seven Kingdoms #3 Why: I read Graceling and Fire a long time ago and have been checking on this book for over a year! I was so excited to see the cover and a release date, YAY! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Why: Hourglass was a whole book of greatness and I know this one will be just as good. And, I do <3 me some Kaleb!! Add it to Goodreads Summary: A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking…
Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?
Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough…
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver HarperTeen (February 28th, 2012) Series: Delirium #2 Why: Love the storyline that goes along with this series and Delirium really left me needing more! I plan to read this one very very soon! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Fever by Lauren DeStefano Simon & Schuster (February 21st, 2012) Series: The Chemical Gardens #2
Why: Another very unique dystopian and I really want to get my hands on this book to find out what happens to Rhine and Gabriel! Add it to Goodreads Summary:Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion. But danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago―surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The Two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine's twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous―and in a world where young woman only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can't seem to elude Rhine's father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion… by any means necessary.
Deity by Janenifer L. Armentrout Spencer Hill Press (November 8th, 2012) Series: Covenant #3 Why: *see answer above*: ) Actually, there is another book, Pure, coming out before this one, but I read it as soon as it entered my door so now I must have Deity.like.NOW! Add it to GoodreadsSummary: (Not available yet)
A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young Balzer + Bray (June 26th, 2012) Series: A Need So Beautiful #2
Why: Really loved A Need So Beautiful and the interesting plot in this series. It was another book that left me with a ton of questions that I gotta know the answers to! Plus, Harlin *swoon*. Add it to Goodreads Summary: Elise is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until the day she wakes up in a desert park, with no idea who she is.
After that episode, her life takes a bizarre turn. She’s experiencing unexpected flashes of insight into people’s lives—people she’s never met before. Strangers frighten her with warnings about the approaching Shadows. And although Elise has never had a boyfriend, she suddenly finds herself torn between two handsome but very different young men: Abe, the charming bad boy whose affect on her both seduces and frightens her, and the mysterious Harlin, who’s new to town but with whom Elise feels an urgent, elemental connection—almost as if they are soul mates.
Now Elise begins to question everything about her life. Why do these guys both want her so desperately? What are the Shadows? Why does the name Charlotte inspire a terrifying familiarity? And who is Elise, really? Yes, I know that was 11: ) There are so many more books too! I tried to highlight books in a series here but below are a few stand-alone books I can't wait for…
If I Lie by Corrine Jackson Simon Pulse (August 28th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Breaking Beautiful by Janenifer Shaw Wolf Walker & Company (April 24th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry Harlequin Teen (August 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Something Like Normal by Trish Doller Bloomsbury (June 19th, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt Simon Pulse (July 10h, 2012) Add it to Goodreads
Don't forget to link each day! Signing up & then linking your Top 10 posts early you EXTRA entries into the $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. The last day to share your posts is January 8th, 2012. The winner will be picked using Random.org and announced during the week of the 9th, 2012. Good Luck! NOTE: this is the SAME Linky on each of the Co-Hosts Blogs, so please only enter your Name, Blog Name and URL once. Thanks!
"This is definitely a 'Sorry, I can't hang out because I'm reading' book." — Miss Remmers
Release Date: February 7th, 2012 Publisher: Simon and Schuster/Simon Pulse Challenges: 75+ Challenge
"Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It’s a miracle…at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn’t going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he’d be able to put the pieces back together. But there’s something that’s keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable... "
Okay, can I just say — WOW! A relatively short book (less than 300 pages) that had me from the first page. But this isn't a new thing for me. Lisa McMann and I have an ever growing relationship where she hooks my interest from the first page, first paragraph, first line. I still think this has something to do with the short and to the point sentences — but anyway, the first thing you need to know about this novel is that it's awesome.
Quick things: "Mama" drives me crazy — why would a sixteen year old call his mother "Mama"! I don't get that. Also, Ethan does this hysterical laugh thing that is super weird. I understand traumatic influences etc etc — but there were whole paragraphs describing his break down. Finally, Gracie was the most adorable thing EVER!
Okay, now that I got those things out of the way — let me just say, this book is made of awesome (oh, wait, did I already say that?). Well, believe it! Like I mentioned, it does hold true to McMann's writing style in that the sentences are choppy and short — but, for me, I find it refreshingly different and captivating. I enjoyed Ethan's character and I felt so bad for everyone involved.
Do you remember that movie "The Deep End of the Ocean" with Michelle Pfeiffer, Ryan Merriman, and Jonathan Jackson (swoon) from 1999? Where the son gets kidnapped while the mom and family are at a high school reunion and then they reconnect years later and the boy has a hard time fitting in with the family? I swear I have a point.
This book is just like that. Except different.
I will say the "twist" at the end had me exploding on Twitter asking if this was a series or a standalone (any one know?). I don't want to say anything more — but let me just say, I didn't see that coming (although I knew something was up). Those last couple pages, my heart just stopped, I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't read fast enough. This is, yet again, another book by Lisa McMann that leaves me waiting for more (whether in the form of a second installment of her next book in general).
-Visit Lisa around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook
To the FTC, with love: ARC received from Publisher
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!
I'm thrilled to have Albert Borris on my blog today. He is the author of Crash Into Me.
1. What initially created your interest in being a counselor?
Being a child in a family with an alcoholic parent may have something to do with it. 2. What is the most challenging part of that career?
The most challenging part of my career has been suicides. 3. What would be the best advice you could give a teen who is experiencing problems? Talk. Talk and talk and talk. Talk to your best friend; your parents; the police; a counselor. They are places you can go for help and people who really want to help. Call 800-999-9999, a voluntary, safe and confidential helpline. 4. You have traveled to so many places. What one sticks out in your mind as your favorite adventure? One place that sticks out in my mind is India. Poverty, so much poverty, it blows my mind.
5. Crash Into Me involves the difficult issue of teen suicide. What do you hope teens and adults take from reading this book? I hope they know that are not alone and there are people and places available to teens for help! 6. What would people be surprised to know about you? My readers may not know that I had a stroke. People usually don’t become aware of that. No kidding! Also, I just renewed my marriage vows with my wife of ten years in Belize! 7. Can you share with us your general philosophy of life? What rules you strive to go by. My philosophy on life is “this too shall pass.” I don’t know who said it, but I agree.
Crash Into Me by Albert Borris Publisher: Simon Pulse (July 21st, 2009) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 257 pages Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides… and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living--or if there's no turning back.
Giveaway Prize:
1 winner will receive a copy of Crash Into Me by Albert Borris.
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 21st.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
Find Albert Borris Albert Borris / Myspace / Facebook
Purchase Crash Into Me Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Thanks to Albert Borris for the interview and The Teen {Book} Scene for the tour opportunity!
The Story of Us by Deb Caletti Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 24th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 390 pages Source: ARC from Publisher Rating: 4 of 5 stars Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancés, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war. While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her…
Review:
Cricket is going through a lot of changes. Her and her long-term boyfriend are taking a break, her mom is getting married, and she has no idea where to go to college. There are so many changes at once that she really doesn't know how to handle it all.
The Story of Us is a serious book, but there are so many hilarious moments. Cricket's family has gathered with her mom's future-husband Dan's family for their wedding and it's a little like that movie Christmas Vacation. There are so many disasters happening around every corner. Cricket's worried about her mom taking off again before the wedding but she's also dealing with her own issues which include the cute guy Ash, her evil future step-sisters, and a house full of crazy, stressed out family members.
Cricket was a good character because she does truly love her family and worry about them — even her older brother. And while she is young, she still comes off as mature and wise. She wants what's best for her mom and that has become a big priority in her life. She has started to question her relationship with Janssen. They have been together forever but she just can't get over a few doubts. Although we don't really get to know Janssen first-hand, he is still very much included in the book. Cricket emails with him often and shares their history. This gives us a great chance to get to know him through her experiences and he was a fascinating character!
Ash is there, and he's hot, and he pays attention to Cricket. He has a bit of that dark, mysterious vibe going on and that really draws Cricket to him. She just has trouble finding out if that's real affection or her just latching on to something for comfort.
The plot was really what created such a well-rounded story in this book. Each character brought so much drama and fun. I think that everyone will find at least a few characters who remind them of a person in their own family. Some parts of the story lagged a bit for me, especially with a great deal of focus on the family dog. Not that I dislike dogs, I don't, but her emails with Janssen were mostly about the dog and I just wanted to know more about their relationship instead.
This book is a real coming-of-age story, involving a girl just trying to deal with the changes in her life. As with many young adults, change is scary and it can be difficult to let go of the security of a home, boyfriend, or friend. It's a time where a person takes a big leap of faith and that's exactly what Cricket had to learn to do. Deb Caletti truly knows how to target the mind of a teenager and dive into their dreams and fears.
Recommended: People looking for something cute and funny, but with a deeper meaning.
Have you ever been to Cumberland Island, Georgia? Don’t go, if you’re the nervous type, which I am. Also, I am blessed with an active imagination.
Last summer, my best friend Jessica and I were on the ferry to the island (which is accessible only by aforementioned ferry). We were primed for a weekend of backpacking and camping—really, the only thing to do on the island, which is minimally inhabited. The place is a sandy wilderness of live oak trees dripping Spanish moss, giant palmetto shrubs, armadillos, ticks, and ferocious red ants.
So there we were on the ferry, and there was a crazy woman on with us. We knew she was crazy because she was carrying nothing but a plastic grocery bag full of Mountain Dew and pretzels. And she was declaring to anyone listening that she was going camping on the island. Most of the ride, though, she sat in a corner and mumbled to herself.
We were all off-loaded at the island, including the crazy woman, and the ferry chugged away. It was twilight, and there was no way off the island until the next morning. And the whole time we were lugging our packs to the campsite and setting up our tent, I was listening for our crazy friend. Because I’d decided that she was very likely going to come and kill us during the night. Why? Because she was crazy, that’s why.
And because I was at an isolated campsite, two miles from anyone else, except for Jessica, of course. We were in the woods and huge palmetto shrubs surrounded the site, so we couldn’t really see anything except palmetto leaves. And blackness. Or hear anything but the rustling branches over our heads, or occasionally, an armadillo crashing in the underbrush. The armadillos sounded just like human footsteps. So when the crazy woman crept up on me, perhaps, as I was bending over the fire— Yeah.
Well, you can guess how well I slept.
Oh, and it rained too.
“Don’t worry,” Jessica said in the tent, when I finally confessed my fears. “You have to enter her fantasy and become a part of it before she’d attack you. That’s what Robin says, anyway.” Robin was Jessica’s husband and a psychiatrist, so he must know. But I didn’t feel terribly reassured.
And the thing about being in a tent is that you can’t see who’s creeping up on you. And yet you have no real protection. No locks. A nylon door with a zipper. Which can be easily unzipped from the outside. Or someone with a knife could just stick it right through the side of the tent. How did Margaret Atwood put it? “Butchered like kittens in a sack.” That was the phrase.
When we made our way down to the ferry dock the next day, we didn’t see the crazy woman in with the rest of the waiting group. She didn’t appear when we boarded either. I shivered as the boat pulled away from the shore.
But, of course, it was only my imagination.
Right?
Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne Publisher: Simon Pulse (December 20th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 212 pages Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He's leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they'll never forget. But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit… off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn't seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin's dark side, and her own safety. Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a copy of Still Waters.
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 14th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
The form must be filled out to enter.
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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. Don't forget to check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post for today!
Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié Publisher: Simon Pulse (September 7th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 470 pages Source: Publisher Series: Crusade #1 Rating: 5 of 5 stars For the past two years, Janen has lived and trained at Spain’s Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun. Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Janen discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Janen is isolated — and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Janen stands to lose. Then Janen is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Janen must find the courage to trust herself — and her heart. Review: Crusade is a fabulous start to this series involving so many kick-butt paranormal beings. I would describe it as"an adult book, in a YA package", which means that it is set up like an adult series (with lots of action, characters, details) but made for YA readers.
Crusade doesn't just follow one character. We get to look at each one as we go throughout the story. It jumps from Janen, to Antonio, to the others in their group. Janen is the main focus in the book and she is such a strong character! Janen has been in training to fight The Cursed Ones, vampires who are beginning to take over the world. Many people believed they were harmless but now things are changing and hunters are needed to kill the vampires. Janen has been in Spain but after a family loss, she returns to San Francisco to see her family.
San Francisco isn't what Janen remembers and she is faced with several obstacles along the way. She is alone to fight her own battles and, although she doesn't see herself as a strong member of her group, she proves exactly what she can do.
Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié have created a frightening, dangerous world where vampires rule and humans are too scared to fight. The new group of hunters may be young but their diversity and skills make them a powerful force.
Jenn does have someone in the group she cares deeply about, Antonio. But their relationship comes with it's very own obstacles and dangers. This was an exciting twist for the story and it was interesting to see how Janen felt about Antonio, and how he felt about her. Crusade is full of action-packed adventures and heart-pounding moments! There was never a dull moment. The range of characters we meet in this book constantly amazed me. Each person had their own past that brought them on their journey to Spain and their only common element seemed to be a hatred for The Cursed Ones.
Crusade takes readers on a treacherous journey through locations where vampires hold the power and hunters are the only things keeping them at bay. Full of detailed settings and scary paranormals, Crusade will have readers at the edge of their seats!
Find out more about Nancy Holder Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook
Passion (Fallen #3) by Lauren Kate (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 6/14/2011) From Bad to Cursed (Bad Girls Don't Die #2) by Katie Alender (Hyperion 6/14/2011) Trial by Fire (Raised by Wolves #2) by Janenifer Lynn Barnes (Egmont USA 6/14/2011)
Ordinary Beauty by Laura Weiss (MTV Books 6/14/2011) The Demon's Surrender (The Demon's Lexicon #3 (Margaret K. McElderry Books 6/14/2011) Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey (Walker Childrens 6/21/2011)
A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young (Balzer & Bray 6/21/2011) Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) by Ally Carter (Hyperion 6/21/2011) Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1) by Melissa de la Cruz (Hyperion 6/21/2011)
Dead Rules by Randy Russell (HarperTeen 6/21/2011) Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma (Simon Pulse 6/28/2011) Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy (Hyperion 6/28/2011)
Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Myra McEntire (Egmont USA 6/14/2011) Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz (Harlequin Teen 6/28/2011)
If you know of any other new releases for June 14th-30th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
Halloween = Group Fun! By: Denise Jaden I’ll be honest, I had a hard time coming up with an idea for a Halloween-related post. I couldn’t think of anything that particularly scared me as a child (besides my fear of heights, but I’ve talked about that enough in interviews) and I couldn’t seem to come up with anything weird or wild or supernatural in my memories. But the idea of writing this post did make me sit back and think about all the Halloweens of years past, and I’m so glad it did! It’s been so long since I’ve thought about the time my friends and I dressed up as the entire cast of The Wizard of Oz (I was the wicked witch), or when my brother and I made Flintstones costumes, including paper mache heads for our group one year (I was Pebbles).
The thing that tied all the memories together in my mind was that Halloween, for me, was always about group activities, and my group of friends always worked together to come up with something fun costume-wise. I dug through many, many photo albums to try and find some of my ancient Wizard of Oz or Flintstones photos, but unfortunately, I didn’t find any. I will leave you with the one Halloween picture of myself I could find. Keep in mind… this WAS the eighties! And yes, my friends also sported multi-colored hair that night!
Have you ever done a group “theme” for Halloween? I’d love to hear about it!
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden Publisher: Simon Pulse (September 7th, 2010) Paperback: 377 pages Reading Level: Young Adult A terrible secret. A terrible fate.
When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don't know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.
As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith's final night… a secret that puts her own life in danger.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a signed copy of Losing Faith by Denise Jaden.
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 ONLY and ends October 20th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
- Thank you so much Denise for sharing your story and for the great book and swag donation!
Find find out more about Denise Jaden Denise Jaden / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads Purchase Losing Faith Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble Book Trailer
* Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post with Lee Nichols, an exclusive look into Betrayal, and a giveaway.
*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.
Crash Into Me by Albert Borris Publisher: Simon Pulse (July 21st, 2009) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 257 pages Source: Author Rating: 4 of 5 stars Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides… and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living--or if there's no turning back. Review: This is the heartbreaking story of 4 teenagers who are brought together by one thing; they each want to die. They start out talking through IM chats and get the idea to visit celebrity suicide sites and end their own lives at their last stop, Death Valley. Crash Into Me is from the perspective of Owen; a quiet boy who is hiding a lot of painful memories. Frank is the"sporty" guy and he has his own issues with his father. Jin-Ae is afraid to share a secret with her parents, and Audrey is the more spunky teen with a wilder past. Each person has their own place they want to visit and the road trip seems like the perfect way to end it all. Their trip has a few unexpected stops and the bond they create along the way gives them a new perspective on what's important. They begin questioning what they really want by the end of the trip. This is such a sad story and it made me think of the recent increase of bullying behaviors and suicides in teens. I'm sure that many teens today have the same thoughts these characters share. I think that Crash Into Me not only shows their individual paths, but it dives into a deeper level and shows how their thinking wasn't a"spur of the moment" decision. These teens had been through a lot and no one seemed to be able to break the hold their thoughts had on them.
This book doesn't have exact chapters. The story jumps from their past IM conversations to their current experiences on the trip. These flashbacks were very important to the story because they help piece together the puzzle of how they met. Although the story focuses on Owen, we are able to understand the other characters when they open up about their pasts. They are finally able to share something with someone who doesn't simply want to"fix" the problem. I loved the road trip idea for telling this story and the settings and experiences at each place were very well written. Albert Borris seems to fully represent each person in the best way possible. The only thing I felt I needed was more of an ending. I guess we all want that exact end for a story like this but I also understand why their sometimes can't be one. Overall, this is a difficult story to read. This subject matter is harsh but critical to the story itself. Crash Into Me takes readers through pain, friendship, love, and acceptance as these teens grow up quickly and learn to understand the importance of life.
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When I’m writing the Possessions series, I work very hard to put myself into the fear zone. I usually watch a scary movie every morning (never at night, because that’s too scary!) and listen to horror movie soundtracks. I also watch ghost cams. Ghost cams are live webcams that take real time footage of places that are said to be haunted. There are ghost cams inside abandoned buildings, in hospital basements, libraries, castles, ships’ docks—if there’s been a ghost story told about it, there’s a good chance there’s a ghost cam taping it. I think they’re especially eerie because they’re silent. They remind me of shipwrecks, also a subject with a creep factor for me. Adding to my unease, ghost cams tend to refresh at fairly long intervals—sometimes as long as five minutes or more—so there’s a possibility that I’ll see something scary that’s already happened, and for some reason, I find that even more frightening. I had a bad scare one Halloween when a friend sent me an email of one of those trick landscapes… you know the kind, where you’re supposed to focus on an element in the distance, and then once your guard is down, the head of a hideous demon fills the screen? I fell for it, and when the demon’s face appeared, I was so frightened I got a headache on the spot. I’m always afraid a ghost cam is going to turn out to be one of those practical jokes, with some awful face staring out at me; and or that someone will saunter into frame pretending to be a ghost. And I won’t know the difference. I think it would be more unnerving to see that a piece of furniture had been moved, seemingly by itself, or to spot a shadow on a wall, or a face in a mirror. Some of the cams provide a means for you to do close ups on different parts of the room, and to submit a sighting. WillardGhost.com’s submission button says, “I SEE A GHOST!” Newstead Abbey has a “Ghost Grabber,” complete with a list of ghosts who have been previously sighted. Just writing about it makes the hair rise on the back of my neck. This is why I still haven’t seen Paranormal Activity. I just don’t think I could make it all the way through… even in broad daylight! Here’s a link to a website that lists a lot of ghost-cam sites. http://www.paranormalknowledge.com/ghost-cams. Enjoy… if you dare! And Happy Halloween! --Nancy Holder
Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié Publisher: Simon Pulse (September 7th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 480 pages The ultimate battle. The ultimate love.For the past two years, Janen has lived and trained at Spain’s Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun. Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Janen discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Janen is isolated—and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Janen stands to lose. Then Janen is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Janen must find the courage to trust herself—and her heart.
Find out more about Nancy Holder Nancy Holder / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook
Purchase Crusade Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Book Trailer
Possessions and The Evil Within
Prize:
1 winner will receive a copy of BOTH Possessions and The Evil Within by Nancy Holder.
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 October 18th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
*Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post with Kathy Charles and a chance to win a copy of John Belushi is Dead.
*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.
"It's definitely a page-turner-my-palms-are-sweaty sort of book." — Miss Remmers
Release Date: May 3rd, 2011 Publisher: Simon Pulse Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge and 2011 eBook Challenge Review of "Shade"
"Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.
As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart." I kept repeating "I need the next book" when writing my review of "Shade. " This mentality hasn't changed with the second story in this series. While the plot only takes place a short time after the first book, Aura, Zachary, and Logan have all matured tremendously. The added maturity made this book uniquely feel like the characters had matured right along with it's readers (unless, of course, you read these two books back to back). By this I mean, it's been five months since I've read "Shade" and in those five months a lot has happened — I've grown as a person. It's nice to read a novel where the characters have grown right alongside me.
I'm definitely still "Team Zachary" — but I very much appreciate Logan's maturity and his new attitude. It can't be easy to be him right now; a famous ghost who humiliated his (ex-girlfriend), a shade who can't "unshade," and a young male whose love is loving someone else. Now, does this mean he is completely innocent? Absolutely not. Even in "Shade" he still makes some pretty selfish and self-absorbed decisions that impact everyone around him. But I said his character grew, not became perfect. I'm glad that he still makes these mistakes, it's what shows that me that he's still the same person.
Zachary, surprisingly, made some serious mistakes in this novel. But he was the vision of (almost) perfection in "Shade" having waited patiently for Aura to make up her mind all those months; you can't blame him for getting frustrated.
The one thing that sort of still bothers me about these stories is the perception of love (prepare for a tangent). Yes, I was "in love" when I was a teenager and no, he is not the man I'm marrying almost a decade later. In retrospect, when I was sixteen I had no idea what real love was and I had assumed that love was meant to hurt rather than run smoothly (overall). I don't deny that some people are extremely lucky to find their "Prince Charming" at the playground, but I struggle with how absolute Aura's love for these two gentleman are. It seems that she believes that if she likes someone she loves them and if she loves them that she's going to marry them. What about dating? What about, oh I don't know, getting to know each other? Why does it have to be so absolute?
But that's just me.
Overall, for any reader who loved "Shade," "Shift" is a fantastic sequel. Some questions get answered. New questions arise. It's definitely a page-turner-my-palms-are-sweaty sort of book.
-Visit Jeri around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook
Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 1st, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 399 pages Source: Publisher Series: Shade, #3 Rating: 4 of 5 stars Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves… even if that means betraying her own heart.
Review:
Reading this series has been such a journey for me. I first read Shade when it was just released and it was the book that helped me decide to be a blogger. It just grabbed me so quickly and I was blown away by Jeri Smith-Ready's talent. I'm sad to see this series end but I can't wait to read more from her.
If you've read the first few books, you know that Logan has been gone for a while, but not really.: ) I enjoyed when he would reappear. It was hard to finally let him go. Many, many tears were shed!
Aura has grown so much throughout this series. She seems much better prepared to deal with drama and the craziness of her existence. She seemed ready to face things head on and really figure out what created the shift that caused people to see ghosts. Her and Zachary visit Newrange in Ireland in order to see why it was significant that their parents happened to be there during such a critical point in time. The time that lead to their births and the shift.
I loved seeing where this plot ended up. I never felt like I knew what was coming. It was so well thought-out and explored. Shine really gave Aura her moment where she fought for what she knew was right, no matter who ended up by her side. Yes, we do get the romance but it doesn't interfere with the reason behind the plot. It was just a bonus to it all. It did take me a bit longer to get into the story, compared to the first book, but that's sort of typical for the end of a series.
I really hate seeing these characters go. It's hard to find a series where you really connect with everyone on some level. Jeri Smith-Ready is fabulous in every way and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. This series was build upon such a unique premise, I'm sure she has something else surprising up her sleeve.
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma Publisher: Simon Pulse (June 28th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult (14+) Hardcover: 464 pages Source: Publisher Rating: 4 of 5 stars Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending. Review: Forbidden is a difficult book to review. I think that each person will take something different from this story. As seen from the summary, it is about a brother and sister falling in love. That may turn off some readers but please don't let it! Forbidden is much more than what it seems.
Maya and Lochan have been more like mother and father to their siblings than anything else. That may have originally been what brought them closer together. Their mother is never there and her alcoholic tendencies seemed to get in the way of any real parenting while she was in the home. The younger siblings depend on Maya and Lochan to feed them, get them ready for school, and deal with their day to day fights with each other. They give up everything in order to make sure their family is taken care of.
Their attraction seems to begin just from the love and respect they have for each other. They realize that when looking for a partner, they want many of the same qualities seen in each other. But it's rare to find teenagers who are dealing with so much responsibility. They are both wise beyond their years and they know that no matter who they are with, no one will understand them.
Lochan has a lot of anxiety issues. He tends to avoid people at all costs. This means he puts even more focus on Maya because she is really all he has; the only person he feels comfortable with. It's not easy to read about their attractions but I found myself understanding where it came from. Although some of the anxiety issues got a little repetitive, it was a critical part of the story. It helps readers truly get a sense of what Lochan's life had been like previously to create such social anxieties.
Tabitha tackled a very taboo subject with beauty and clarity. I couldn't imagine it being represented in a better way. Forbidden is not a light read and I think that most readers will feel emotionally invested in the story at the end. This is a book that I couldn't stop thinking about long after I read it.
The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler Published: Simon Pulse (May 21st, 2013) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 352 pages Rating: 3 of 5 stars Summary: When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.
Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.
Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?
Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak… unless her sisters were wrong?
Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.
Review:
This was a really cute book. Something that is an easy read and can be devoured quickly. Jude has 3 older sisters and she's the only one still at home. It's the beginning of summer and Jude should be enjoying it with her friends. Instead, she's stuck helping her mom take care of her dad, who was recently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease.
Jude definitely portrays being the baby of the family well. She feels the burden of being left at home, alone, and being her parent's last hope, in many ways. She's all they have left and she's really amerced herself into this job. She has a difficult time realizing the severity of her father's diagnosis.
Soon she think that if they are able to fix his old bike that maybe it will help him cope, or even get better. She finds a guy to help and it sure doesn't hurt that he's so hot: ) But there's a catch, he's a Vargas. Jude's sisters have had some bad history with his family. They've gotten their hearts broken one too many times and they don't want her to go through the same fate.
This book is"cute" in many ways. Even though it has a deep meaning based around family and dealing with a disease, it's a nice romance too. I just couldn't fully get into it. I didn't buy the fact that this"oath" was such a big deal. I also didn't really enjoy all the flashbacks and found that I started skipping a few.
My favorite part was getting to know Emilio. He was such a great character and I felt he made Jude a better person. Someone who could deal with what was going on around her instead of being in denial.
I think I've read all of Sarah's books and while this one wasn't my favorite, it's still a good book to check out.
1. Your YA debut book Shade was a huge hit (and one of my all-time favorite books!), what surprised you the most once you stepped into the YA world? Thanks, Jessica! I was honestly surprised by the excitement people showed over SHADE. I mean, I loved it, of course, since it was my book, but I’d never experienced that kind of massive swell of enthusiasm for a novel before. I’ve been really touched by tales of how it made readers cry and how they could relate to Aura. 3. If you had the ability to see ghosts, like Aura and others born after the Shift, how do you think you would handle it?
I would probably try to block them out as much as possible, using any means necessary. I’d probably always have my earbuds in so I couldn’t hear them, and whenever I wasn’t in a BlackBoxed building to keep out ghosts, I’d wear as much red as possible to repel them. Then again, that’s coming from the perspective of someone who would be tossed into that world as an adult. The “post-Shifters” in SHADE don’t know any other kind of life. They’ve seen ghosts ever since they were born. So I think they take a more blasé approach to them. They’ve learned ways to blot them out, but they also refuse to let ghosts run their lives. They’re not scared of them at all (except the really creepy ones, and shades, of course, who can hurt them).
4. Do you have any other YA projects in the works other than the Shade series? I have a YA vampire short story coming out in November in an anthology called ETERNAL: MORE LOVE STORIES WITH BITE. “Thief” takes place in the same world (with the same vampire rules) as my adult vampire series, but with completely different characters and setting. The four young adult characters are Irish Travellers from South Carolina, who Since I always get attached to my characters, it might be fun to turn that into a series one day. I also have one of those Super Sekrit projects in my head, for a big stand-alone YA. Hopefully I’ll have more details on that next year. It definitely needs a few months to percolate before I start writing. It’ll be that long before I find room in my crazy deadline schedule, anyway! 5. I, like many others, am really excited for the release of Shift next May. Can you tell us a little about the book, and what else to expect from this series? In SHIFT, we’ll find out the answers to a lot of Aura’s questions about her parents and their connection to the Shift. But of course those answers will lead to more questions, as answers often do. On the personal side, the love triangle will be settled, but not until after it gets much more complicated (a love pentagon?). After that, I’m not sure how many books there’ll be. Originally I thought there would be a total of four, but after writing SHIFT, the number 3 keeps coming up as significant. So think it would be better as a trilogy. But I need to start writing Book 3 before I can be sure. I know what the main event is, but I’m not sure how far-reaching its effects will be. Which is a fancy way of saying I don’t know how it all ends.; -) But seriously, I used to know how it ended but after writing SHIFT I’m getting some new ideas, so… we’ll see. I’m very excited to start writing Book 3 and to find out how it all unfolds.
Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 4th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: Shade, book #1 Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.
Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.
Well, sort of.
Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.
It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding--and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.
As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart… and clues to the secret of the Shift.
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