The Best Reader [Search results for stay] 

From Amazon.com...

"In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces — to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time."

Book Trailer:

"If I Stay" was a novel that not only hit the blogosphere like wild fire but a book that my mom recommended to me. My mom and have very similar tastes when it comes to YA so when I found my copy at my favorite used bookstore, I picked it up without question. Unfortunately, like many of my own books, "If I Stay" was a victim of shelfism. I brought it home excited, put it on the shelf, and forgot about it. When D left a few weeks ago, I decided to listen to this novel while cooking, cleaning, showering, etc via audiobook.

"If I Stay" was a fantastic audiobook to occupy my time alone. I found myself drawn into the plot first by the apparent normalcy of the family, a family similar to my own and a family like the one I hope to have someday (you know, without the car accident), and then with the life story of Mia and the rest of her friends and family. But most importantly, it was the message of this heart-wrenching novel that had me completely entranced.

Yes, the characters were likable and believable and the plot was fantastic, but the heart of this story lies with the message. Imagine a freak accident on a normal day and having to watch the repercussions of that accident as an outsider, a witness, a bystander. The brilliant protagonist, Mia, is faced with this remarkable curse/opportunity and thus must decide to stay or to go. The power of this novel for me lies in the fact that while listening to this novel, yes I was paying attention to Mia's story, but I was also imagining my own.

I imagined a horrific car accident that claimed the lives of my parents, brother, and my fiance; even just thinking about it as I type almost brings tears to my eyes and breaks my heart. If it were my parents and brother — I think I could stay. But when I add D into the picture the whole concept becomes cloudy. I mean, the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with, who I share everything with and tell everything to... could I stay without him?

Now, I've never been one of "those types" of girls with the whole "he completes me" bit; I am my own woman and I complete myself. And I know that reflex, religion, intuition tell me to say: "You must go on. You must move forward." But, really, when I think about it... if I had the option... would I stay? I don't know. I know I have things to stay for, but without my family I don't know if I'd be strong enough to stay. I don't know if I could make the socially acceptable "right" decision.

Alright, enough with my own melodrama and back to the review. This is me giving you fair warning: you will cry. Your heart will break. "If I Stay" will cause you pause and contemplation. I don't know if I could stay... could you?

Originality: 9/10 Ending: 10/10 Characters: 8/10 Plot: 9/10 My reaction/enjoyment: 8/10 Cover: 9/10
Overall: 53/60 A
-Visit Gayle around the web here: Website | Goodreads -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Nook | Kindle
To the FTC, with love: Library Loan Audio / Bought Paperback
"Where She Went" will be released April 5th!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (April 5th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 264 pages
Source: Won ARC
Series: If I Stay #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's been three years since the devastating accident.. three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future — and each other.
Review: Spoilers! I started reading this book right after I finished If I Stay. Although I wasn't crazy bout If I Stay, everyone I talked to said that Where She Went was much better. They were right!

Where She Went is from Adam's point-of-view. It's 3 years after the accident and since Mia left for New York. Adam is a famous rock-star and Mia is a musician but they haven't spoken in years.

Adam is shocked that Mia just left without a word since. Now he finds himself in New York getting ready for a tour and all the memories return. Sometimes it's difficult to find a story with a great male POV but this one has it. I really enjoyed Adam and hearing about his adventures. Even though he was far from a"good guy" he was much more likeable than Mia had been in If I Stay. I believed him more and he showed more emotion.

Adam runs into Mia and they have 1 special night together. She takes him around New York to explore the city before they both go off on tour. Their relationship is strained at first. It takes a long time for Adam and Mia to reconnect. For obvious reasons, Adam is mad. He doesn't understand how someone he loved could leave like that. To make matters worse, Mia doesn't really acknowledge his pain or what she did to him.

The setting and plot in Where She Went was much more interesting to me. We get a glimpse of New York and flashbacks of how Adam got to where he is now, but it wasn't too much. I was still able to stay connected with their present-day time together.

Again, the only downside of this book was Mia. I was furious with her! She left, didn't say a word, then ignored the subject for most of the time they were together. I believed Adam loved her, but I honestly wasn't convinced she felt the same.

Where She Went far surpassed If I Stay, in my opinion. Adam is a fantastic character and his POV truly allowed me to see his personality and his true essence.

Recommended: I would recommend readers check out book 1, If I Stay first. It wouldn't be a must but it would help to understand what's going on. Readers who love contemporary or more emotional reads would enjoy this.

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1.What made you decide to share a story involving relationship abuse?

My initial goals were less about message than story — I wanted to write something suspenseful and atmospheric, a ghost story. That said, healthy and unhealthy relationships are subjects I keep returning to as a writer, probably because of my own past experience.

While I’ve not been in a relationship exactly like Clara’s, I’ve been with an abusive partner. (You can read more about this here, if you’re interested: http://debcaletti.com/archives/59).

Now, I just have this hope, this big, giant HOPE that young women (and young men) manage to stay out of those places. I hope they’ll understand themselves better than I did, I hope that they’ll put themselves only in good hands, and, more than anything, I hope that they’ll know. There was so much I didn’t know. And how can we know all that we need to about this, with the basic messages we still get? This is why I shared this particular story. To say, please know. To say, hey, those vampire books… The ones that show dark, obsessive “love” as romantic? There’s nothing romantic in something that will slowly but surely steal your confidence, joy, and ability to act in your own best interest. There’s nothing romantic about a person who frightens you.

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

I think it’s important to be smart and know the warning signs of a potentially abusive partner. Getting involved quickly, intensity, possessiveness, jealousy — these are things that might not seem like a big deal unless you’re aware that they are indicators of serious trouble ahead. But, even more, it’s important to listen to ourselves. Things can go wrong slowly, and there are always those little red flags at the beginning, those times when we think, “Huh? What was THAT?” We ignore that voice sometimes, though, because the “love” or excitement or approval feels so good right then. We might see red flags, but not want to see. Our strong need/desire for the relationship can cause us to explain away the worrisome things we see. But, “He wants me” is not the same thing as “He loves me.” And that little voice inside going, “Hey, wait. There’s something wrong here” – it knows.

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

The first thing I would suggest if you find yourself in a situation like Clara’s (or any other type of abusive relationship) is to start talking – to friends, family, teachers, counselors. People on the bus. The mail lady. Anyone. Your reality gets very twisted up, and it’s crucial to hear voices of clarity. Having someone say, “He/she did WHAT?!” is a first step to seeing straight and getting out. Their outrage and sense of what’s normal is hugely important, as you’ve likely lost both of those things. You can also call The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline at 1-866-331-9474. One site for teens: www.loveisrespect.org.

4. What do you hope teenagers take from reading STAY?

If STAY helps readers recognize what this kind of relationship abuse looks like, how it builds, how complicated your feelings become, and the long-lasting damage it can do, then I am one happy writer. Too, I hope readers will see that anyone can find themselves in that place. Clara is “anyone.” I get really upset with the people (often other women, even more often very young women), who say, “Not me. Never me. She’s an idiot. I would NEVER… ” It’s arrogant, unkind, and naïve. The slope from here to there is slippery and complex, and the effect one person can have on another – on their confidence, strength, and their capacity to take action – can be profound and dramatic.

I hope readers will also take away the fact that abuse is always bigger than you are. The issues that drive someone to do those things are not solvable or cured by your love or reassurance or even by you setting down the rules of what you’ll put up with. There is no approach you can take to make it “work.” The most important thing is this: real love does not ever, ever cause you to feel small, trapped, or scared. Real love is safe.

Stay by Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 5th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 313 pages

Clara's relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it's almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he's willing to do to make her stay.
Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won't let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough…

Find Deb Caletti
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Purchase Stay
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

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

Courtney Cole, the author of If You Stay, is here today for an interview. You can click the banner above to see her tour stops and be sure to check out the giveaway below!

1. I have to say that the cover for IF YOU STAY is amazing. It is perfect for the book. What did you have in mind for this cover and what did you think once you saw it finished?

Well, first I'd like to say thank you so much for having me here.: ) I really appreciate it.
And my cover… I love it too. Sarah Hansen did a beautiful job. This was exactly what I had in mind. I wanted Pax to be front and center- and I wanted his vulnerability to show. I think it comes through loud and clear in this cover. And when I first saw it… I was breathless. It was perfect.

2. Pax is very strong-willed and flawed, to say the least. Was it difficult writing from his point-of-view?

He definitely is. He's stubborn, he's opinionated and he lacks the ability to be cautious or afraid of anything. He doesn't care about himself or anything else, and he definitely doesn't care how his actions affect anyone else. At least, that's how he was in the beginning. Surprisingly, it wasn't that hard to connect with Pax. I knew exactly how I wanted his personality to be, so I just tried to think that way too. I have a husband and two teenage boys, so I've been schooled on how men really think sometimes. And the thing with Pax is that in the beginning, he didn't have a filter. He said and did whatever he wanted to do.

3. Developing a character that could steal Pax's heart must have been hard. What qualities did you know Mila had to possess in order to achieve this?

Well, it wasn't really that hard. I knew it would take someone who was his polar opposite, but I also knew I had to put them in a unique circumstance so that he could really see her for the beautiful person that she is. I knew he would need to see that she is much more than a pretty face. A mere pretty face wouldn't have swayed him.

After she saves his life, he sees her as a breath of fresh air, something light which is opposite of the dark that he considers himself to be. He was intrigued from the start, mainly because he couldn't fathom that she would actually give him mouth-to- mouth in that circumstance. In his world, someone wouldn't have gone out of their way like that. But Mila did it without a thought. And that fascinated Pax.

4. Can you share a few of your favorite lines from the book?

Yikes. This is a hard one. Hmm. Toward the end, there is a great scene."Love never fails, Mila. And I'll never fail you again. That's a promise." I love that one because Pax had come so far.
Another one that I like is a thought of Pax's, from the beginning part of the book."She's like a breath of fresh air. I may be the big bad wolf, but even wolves need to breathe."

5. Can you give us a hint to what you will be working on next?

Yes. I'm working on a companion novel to If You Stay. It is titled If You Leave and it will follow Madison Hill, Mila's sister. Maddy is a pretty fascinating character and I can't wait until you get to know her better.

Thank you again for having me here with you today. It's been a pleasure!

If You Stay by Courtney Cole
Published: Lakehouse Press (February 5th, 2013)
Reading Level: New Adult
ebook: 220 pages
Summary:
24-year old Pax Tate is an asshole.
Seriously.

He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad-boy with a bad attitude to match.

But he’s got his reasons.

His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with guilt although he doesn’t understand why. What he does know is that he and his dad are left alone and with more issues than they can count.

As Pax grew up, he tried to be the kid his father always wanted; the perfect golden boy, but it didn’t work. His dad couldn’t overcome his grief long enough to notice and Pax couldn’t keep up the impossible perfect façade.
So he slipped far, far from it.

Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the ugliness, the black void that he doesn’t want to deal with. If he pretends that the emptiness isn’t there, then it isn’t, right?
Wrong.

And it’s never more apparent than when he meets Mila.
Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air to his hardened frown, the beauty to his ugly heart. He doesn’t know how to not hurt her, but he quickly realizes that he’s got to figure it out because he needs her to breathe.

When memories of his mother’s death resurface from where he’s repressed them for so long, Mila is there to catch him when the guilt starts making sense. Mila is the one… the one who can save him from his broken troubled heart; from his issues, from the emptiness.

But only if he can stop being an asshole long enough to allow it.

He knows that. And he’s working on it.

But is that enough to make her stay?

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"
I was completely brought into this novel by the suspenseful writing, 'life-like' characters, and the riveting plot." — Miss Remmers

Release Date: April 5th, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Challenges: 2011 eBook Challenge and 100+ Reading Challenge

"Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough... "

Okay, this "Stay" is another victim of me not reading the synopsis before reading the book. I began this book with no prior knowledge of it's plot and as a result was extremely surprised and enthralled. Immediately just by the tone of the book I knew something was amiss and I had to find out exactly what happened. I started picking up on the subtle clues and began to dissect and over-analyze every line.

The pacing of this novel was perfect; I wanted to know what had happened but I never felt like there was a dull moment. I waited for the "ah-ha" moment but my need to understand it was satiated a bit more with each chapter until the "big reveal." Part of this was due to the Deb Caletti's flawlessly elegant and thought-provoking language. I mean, really, on page 10 I was already thinking: "Man, I wish I had a hard copy to put sticky notes and even (God forbid) highlight in!"

I was completely brought into this novel by the suspenseful writing, "life-like" characters, and the riveting plot. It may be due to the fact that I am currently teaching Romeo and Juliet and have to teach each scene five times (five periods of English 9) and that my mind is just enveloped by R&J, but a lot of the bookmarks I made were because I wanted to share them with my students. They are currently struggling with how quickly Romeo and Juliet fell in love and I think that "Stay" describes that kind of "love" so perfectly.

It was also a bit sobering as before I met my Prince Charming I dated a few duds (emphasis on few). While reading "Stay" I remembered my first boyfriend at the age of 16 and saw some definite similarities to that relationship and Clara and Christian's. The jealousy, the rage, the anger, but most importantly the fear of being left and the addiction and obsession that came with my first "love." I remember editing myself, like Clara, in front of this boyfriend out of fear of his reaction. Like Clara, I have been addicted to love and lost myself in that obsession.

I think that "Stay" is the perfect read for any high school student and, after my book talk yesterday in class, I hope that many of my students go and pick up this book after it's release next week. When reading Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet they roll their eyes and say "that never happens in real life." While I pray that they are never in a situation like Clara or even a relationship similar to the one I had, I think it's important that they realize that this does happen but it doesn't always have to have a tragic ending.

Quick note: I think I would have really enjoyed the annotations (as that's how I tend to write, think, and talk) but on an eReader it was hard to follow.

Final Quick Note: When I was looking at Deb's website I realized that the characters are linked! I think that is SO cool — Nine Miles Falls!!! It reminds me of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Originality: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 7/10
Overall: 55/60 A

Because the language of this novel was caught my attention first and left me analyzing Shakespeare and my life, I'd like to share a few of my favorite quotes found in the ARC Galley. Please remember that any of these quotes are subject to change in the actual published novel.

"But something had already been set in motion, and I wonder and wonder how things would have been if I'd have just let that moment pass, the one where our eyes met. If I had just taken Shakti's arm and moved off, letting the electrical jolt that passed between us fade off, letting the girl return to his side, letting fate head off in another direction entirely... " (10-11).

"I had already made him into someone he would never be, and I didn't know it then, but he was already doing the same with me" (12).

"Dad was a priss about jaywalking... Or maybe he just liked to stare down what he'd testily call the "grammatical error sanctioned by the state." There is, of course, no apostrophe in the DONT WALK sign" (43).

"I tended to give a book chance and another chance and another, sometimes seeing it al the way to the end, still hoping for it to turn out different. Maybe I was confused about what you owed a book. What you owed people, for that matter, real or fictional" (49). Talk about a blogging reference!!

"I tried to read that book again before I went to sleep. I didn't like that book, but I kept going for all the reasons a person hangs in with something that isn't good — you feel bad about not giving it a chance, you've already come too far to give up now, you believe it's going to get better" (77).

-Visit Deb around the web here: Website | Goodreads
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

To the FTC, with love: Galley for Review

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (April 9th, 2009)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 199 pages
Source: Purchased
Series: If I Stay #1
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year- old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck…
Review: Yes, it's true. I just read this book a few weeks ago. I had super high expectations about this book because it has terrific reviews. I gotta say, I wasn't blown away by it. Maybe my expectations were too high? I dunno.

If I Stay introduces us to Mia. Mia is in a terrible car accident with her mother, father, and brother. One thing about this novel that grabbed me immediately was the strong bond Mia had with her family. Typically, in YA books, we may not get a great look at family relations. We only get a peak into the character's home-life and it may not be the best view. If I Stay paints a beautiful picture of a family. Mia's father and mother were loving and supportive. As Mia spends time in the hospital she remembers some of their times together.

The idea behind this novel, as well as much of Gayle Forman's writing, was terrific. She has a way of describing a setting that really helps the reader grasp what is going on around the characters.

I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks. Much of this book is series of flashbacks to Mia's memories of her parents and of Adam. Some people may enjoy this. It's just a personal preference but they make me feel really disconnected from what the"real" story is about. I don't mind learning about a character's past through their own thoughts, but this book just had too much of that.

The other downside for me was Mia herself. She just wasn't what as emotional as I would have thought she should have been. And she seemed a bit.boring. At the end I just kept thinking"Why does Adam even love her so much?" I couldn't get a good handle on her personality besides just knowing what she loves music.

Adam was the person who saved this book for me. He was interesting, caring, and passionate. Even though we really don't get to see him that much, he always managed to get my attention.

The main character and all the flashbacks were what really brought this book down for me but, as mentioned, those are just personal preferences. The plot, writing, and events that occur during the actual story were exceptional. I just wanted more from Mia.

Recommended: Contemporary fans or people who don't mind a story with a focus in the past and present.

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Hello everyone… it's time for another post for our second month of Blogger Talk: Novel Exposed!! Today we have a exciting and very different, yet fun interview with Partials author, Dan Wells. We hope you'll enjoy it, as much as we have.
A quick message: Lisa (A Life Bound By Books) and I would love to thank everyone who participated in last months discussion. We're still working out the kinks of this new feature for both of our blogs, but we believe it's been a great addition for each of us. We hope you guys will continue along with us for the journey as we bring you new and exciting books and authors each month.

Title: Partials (Partials, #1)
Author: Dan Wells
Publisher: Balzer + Bray, 472 Pages (February 28th, 2012)
Add Partials to: Goodreads
Order Here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis: Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partialsóengineered organic beings identical to humansóhas decimated the worldís population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanityís time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friendís pregnancy, sheís determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the warís origin that she never knew to ask.
Top 5 Interview:

1. Give us 5 words you would use to describe Kira?
Smart, Brave, Reckless, Temperamental, Determined

2. 5 words you would use to describe the"world" we see in Partials?
Decaying, Empty, Overgrown, Dangerous, Waiting

3. Tell us 5 ways we would know someone is a Partial?
1- They're stronger, faster, and tougher than a human.
2- They're trained in battle.
3- They heal at a superhuman rate.
4- They can communicate silently with other Partials, which also means:
5- You can tell someone's a Partial if you are a Partial yourself

4. The 5 major survival skills humans would need in order to stay safe.
1- Stay away from old houses; most of them lack steel construction and could collapse if you're not careful.
2- You can find water almost everywhere, but make sure you purify it first. The Old World put a lot of scary chemicals into the soil.
3- Most canned food is still good, so you can find food almost anywhere (but watch out for cans that are bloated or swollen--they've gone bad).
4- Stay away from Partials at all costs.
5- Partials aren't the only bad guys. Wild animals have reclaimed most of the planet, and unscrupulous humans might be the most dangerous threats of all.

5. What are 5 symptoms of the RM virus?

1- Intense fever.
2- Loss of bodily fluids (mucus, urine, sweat), and with that the threat of dehydration.
3- Hallucinations.
4- Loss of muscular control.
5- Destruction of the immune system.

Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy touring schedule to stop by today and be part of this months Blogger Talk. It was great to have you here, you're more than welcome anytime and we're looking forward to having you stop by again later this week when we share some favorite quotes with everyone.

Find Dan Online:

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Check out my review of Partials HERE!

Book Trailer:

Be sure to stop by again later this week for quotes from Partials and discussion post we hope you'll join in on to help us celebrate this FANTASTIC book and author.

Today is the start of my week-long feature Stand Up Against Abuse. This is a new feature that will highlight relationship abuse and some of the recent books that have been released that discuss the topic as well. I hope to host this event every year and highlight these important novels.

Young Adult books have the ability to change lives. Teens and young adults can see a topic in a book that may have similarities to their own life. They may learn, through a strong character, how to respond to threats or violence. I have read several young adult books that I wish I would have had as a teen. They often show strength, courage, and determination that can alter the perception of a situation. A young girl with an abusive boyfriend may finally see the warning signs and decide to break free. A young boy may realize that he, too, can be mentally or physically abused and that he shouldn't be ashamed.

Many people may feel that young adult novels shouldn't tackle these issues. They may be too violent or depressing, but the truth is that thousands of teens deal with these same situations each day. They know the violence first-hand and a book may actually be the thing that triggers their drive to make it stop.

Young adult books can save lives!
Authors Deb Caletti, Janenifer Brown, and Mandy Hubbard will be here answering some questions and they have offered up copies of their new books.

In order to spread the word about this topic, I will only be offering extra entries for links on twitter and/or blogs that link to this page. I will update this page throughout the week and link the author interviews. In addition, this page will contain the important resources that individuals can use in case they are in an abusive relationship.
Please help spread the word about this topic and share the links on this page. You can grab the button below by copying the code. It will link to this page.

Interviews
Deb Caletti
Jennifer Brown
Mandy Hubbard

List of Abuse Warning Signs

Phone Numbers

The National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE

The National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline
1-866-331-9474

Websites

The Hotline- www.thehotline.org

Teen site- www.loveisrespect.org

Break the Cycle- www.breakthecycle.org

Giveaway

Prizes:

3 winners

• 1st place
• SIGNED copy of Bitter End
• Stay
• But I Love Him
• The Six Rules of Maybe

• 2nd place
• Bitter End
• Stay
• But I Love Him
• The Six Rules of Maybe

• 3rd place
• Bitter End
• But I Love Him

• 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 July 11th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

I have read and reviewed all 3 of the books that will be mentioned this week- Stay by Deb Caletti, Bitter End by Janenifer Brown, and But I Love Him by Mandy Hubbard. You can click each title for the link to that review.

Today I have the winners for Stand Up Against Abuse. Thank you all so much for joining me in this feature and for helping spread the word about the topic. I plan to do this again next year! I also have the winner of BlogFest 2011! Sorry for the delay in picking winners. The reason for that is listed below.: )

• 1st place
• SIGNED copy of Bitter End
• Stay
• But I Love Him
• The Six Rules of Maybe

• 2nd place
• Bitter End
• Stay
• But I Love Him
• The Six Rules of Maybe

• 3rd place
• Bitter End
• But I Love Him

And the BlogFest winner is…

Abigail R (abbyra@… )
She picked a copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
News

Big news! I'm MOVING!! We bought a house and will be moving next weekend, EEK! Pretty much the only things I have packed so far are my books. Once we are settled in, I do plan to do a big giveaway to get rid of some of my extra books. I will still be posting reviews/interviews/and other giveaways while I'm moving because those will, hopefully, be set up by next week.

Guess what?!? I will be kicking off the DAMNED book tour on August 1st! You can see the full list of bloggers and other tour details on Nancy Holder's blog.

You can win a copy of DAMNED on goodreads.

And there's more!

From Nancy's blog: We will also be hosting contests online to give away special signed copies of the limited edition “rock concert style” poster for the Damned Book Tour to several lucky winners during the months of August and September. Stay tuned for details on how to win your signed copy of the poster! One hint on how to win is to visit the blogger tour stops on the dates listed.

You never know when a book or poster will be up for grabs.

To really kick off Damned‘s release, we’re also giving away free copies of “Passing,” the short story that inspired the Crusade series, to anyone who pre-orders a copy of Damned.

All you have to do to receive your electronic copy of “Passing” is to 1) pre-order Damned from any physical or online store; 2) send an email to mailfornancyholder@gmail.com; 3) include the word “Passing” in the Subject Line; and 4) tell us in the message of the email where you pre-ordered your copy of Damned.

Emails must be received by August 29th to be valid.

There is a fine line between love and sacrifice… Read the first chapter of Damned here

And, as many of you know, it is almost time for the release of CHAIN REACTION by Simone Elkeles. I am a huge fan of this series and the book trailer was just released! I also love these book trailers! I think it's so cool that they are set up like a movie and they bring in all of the characters. CUTE!

Be on the lookout for more about this new release coming up on the blog. I may have a very cool video to share with you all soon!

Chain Reaction will be released August 16th.

Please read: The post you are about to read is 100 % **Role Play
All the characters represented here ( @The_Omega_ ) with the exception of Lisa and myself are **Role Players from a group on twitter. They have agreed to role play with us to help celebrate not only our Halloween Event, but also to help share our love for the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by author J.R. Ward, as these Role Players are also huge fans of J.R. Ward's works.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT NO ONE with this site/blog, Lisa's site/blog nor the role-playing group — which you can find with the list of twitter accounts provided — is in any way, shape or form connected to or affiliated with J.R. Ward. No one present or represented here is J.R. Ward, nor is the role playing intended for any purpose other than the personal enjoyment of the Role Players involved.
My First Prank By @Vishous_BDB
In the Bloodletter’s camp there is a cave with ancient markings on the wall. Images of bison and horses and palm prints and single haunting eyes line the walls. The Bloodletter likes to keep the soldiers of the camp on edge so he convinced them the cave is haunted by the spirits of the animals. No one goes near the cave. While I was a pre-trans in camp a place I could be alone and have a few minutes of peace was highly coveted. I went to the cave to read the diary that was left behind by Darius. In camp, reading was considered a waste of time. I knew if the Bloodletter was aware of what I was doing he would destroy the book just to hurt me. The bastard got off on shit like that, especially when it came to me. During my transition the females told the Bloodletter they refused to feed me because they believe me to be cursed by the spirits. They thought my eye and my glowing hand were curses from the cave. No one wanted to be near me. My father made sure everyone knew of my curses by having warnings tattooed on my face, my hand, and my thigh. I left the camp that night, barely alive after being subjected to the most horrific forms of torture.
After many years I learned more about my curses and how to use them. Actually, I had mastered them. One night I decided to check in on dear old dad. So I went back to his camp. As I suspected, he was still there, still running camp as he always had. He continued to instill fear in the pre-trans by insisting the cave was haunted.
I decided to help him believe his own lie. I went into the cave and hid in a crevice known only to me. When I could sense him walking by on the way to the pit I lit up my hand creating a glow that bounced off the cave wall. It made the wall markings appear to dance in the light. I could hear his heart beat race with fear as he stopped and stared for a moment. It was a moment of victory for me unlike any other. To see that bastard scared speechless was indescribably satisfying. But I wanted to scare the shit out of him. So I lowered my voice as deep as it would go and threw in some bonus moaning noises. His heartbeat raced even faster.

“Bloodletter,” I called out in a ghostly voice “You have offended the Great Spirits. You must make amends.” I tried not to laugh as I heard him suck in a breath. He looked around seemingly unable to comprehend what was happening. He started to stutter unable to form a complete word. I started to bang around on the walls, the noises echoing in the cave. He finally sputtered out “What must I do?”
Since I knew he truly feared the spirits of the cave, I said “Within these walls you must stay. Until we release you”. I could smell his fear, hear his heart racing. His breathing was labored. “No. I can give you anything else. I will give you any of my men or women from the camp. Or I can kill any one of them as a sacrifice to you” he cried out.
My voice boomed,” How dare you try to bargain with me!” I could smell his fear increasing until it was so thick in the air you could cut through it. I inhaled the scent, letting it fill my nose. “You will stay in this cave or we will posses you and torment you in front of your men, making you beg us for mercy for all to see.” I let the light from my hand get brighter and brighter. The shapes on the walls continued to move and dance in the light. Finally, he gave in. As soon as he walked into the cave I stopped glowing, blanketing the cave in darkness. The Bloodletter’s fear was so great I could hear him whimper. “You must go deeper into the cave.” I whispered. As he went in deeper I continued to bang around, dematerializing and materializing all around him so he was surrounded by the movement but still unable to see the cause of it. He was so shaken by fear of the spirits that he just continued walking deeper into the cave with his eyes covered. I knew that he was afraid that if he looked upon the spirit he would be possessed by it.
Finally when I could hear him begin to cry, I said, ”You must stay within these walls until you are released. Do not try to escape or you will be punished. “Then I dematerialized out of there. I often wonder how long he stayed there. I smile every time I think of it. That was my first prank. I think it may be my best.

If you would like to follow along with the Role Players that @Vishous_BDB is part of, please USE GOOGLE to easily follow each character within the group. And trust me, you don't know what your missing! So hurry and follow today!

Find @Vishous_BDB Online:

Twitter | Facebook

@FritzDoggen_BDB Online: (updates, notes and information on the Twitter Role Playing Group)

Website | Twitter

Order All 8 books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Preorder book 9 Online here:

Amazon | Borders | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Reference:

**Role Play

–verb (used with object)
1. to assume the attitudes, actions, and discourse of (another), esp. in a make-believe situation in an effort to understand a differing point of view or social interaction: Management trainees were given a chance to role-play labor negotiators.
2. to experiment with or experience (a situation or viewpoint) by playing a role: trainees role-playing management positions.
–verb (used without object)
3. to engage in role-playing.

Thank you so much to @Vishous_BDB and all the other characters from the Black Dagger Brotherhood Twitter Role Play group for all the time and effort they have been putting in to help us celebrate not only Halloween and our event, but also our love for all that is the Brotherhood and J.R. Ward. * 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.

• Mercy
• Shift
• Invincible Summer
• The Goddess Test
• Bumped
• Stay
• Enclave
• Jane Austen: A Life Revealed
• Wither
• The Iron Queen
• The Iron Daughter
• If I Stay
• Across the Universe
• Definitely Dead
• The Iron King
• How to Say Goodbye in Robot
• When the Stars Go Blue
• Cryer's Cross
• Nocturne
• Outside In
• Inside Out
• Change of Heart
• Wake
• Delirium

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Publisher: EgmontUSA (December 22nd, 2009)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 372 pages
Source: Won from author
Series: The Dark Divine #1
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret… and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.
Review: I don't know why I waited so long to read this. I'm a big werewolf fan and this is a book I have wanted to read for a long time. The Dark Divine is from Grace's POV. She is a"good girl" with a loving family and her father happens to be a pastor. But, there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

Grace recalls the odd events that happened around the time her childhood friend Daniel disappeared. Suddenly, Daniel is back and he isn't exactly the same person who left 3 years before. Grace's family is desperate for her to stay away from him but she can't. She is determined to have him in her life and to find out why he went away.

I will say that nothing in particular about this book blew me away; however, it was a very well-rounded story. I enjoyed the characters. I never wanted to put the book down and I had no idea where the plot would take me. Grace was a good girl but she took a lot of risks. Daniel was just fascinating. I was curious to find out more about him because he started off as being very closed off and sad.

Another aspect of the story I really enjoyed was the fact that Grace's family was a critical part of the plot. That is often rare to find in YA books so I liked the fact that we get to know her father, mother, and older brother on a deeper level. It also allows the readers to see why Grace is who she is.

With Daniel's arrival, a lot of bad things start happening around town and people are blaming Daniel. Grace knows something evil is out there but she just can't believe Daniel would be the one causing the problems. The plot in this story was very creative and mysterious. I honestly didn't know what would happen and I was completely surprised many times.

Bree Despain is a fabulous author and The Dark Divine series is one that easily hooked me. Everything about this novel helped to bring the story to life and Bree's writing made me an immediate fan.

Recommended: In case anyone hasn't read this so far — paranormal/werewolf fans who like a good mystery.

This week I've been giving you some mini-reviews from Indie/New Adult books that have been released over the past year or so. I'd read a ton of them so it's easier to review a few at once. Monday had the books that got a 5 star review from me and yesterday featured the 4 star books. Today is another batch of 4 star books. Hopefully you will find a few you'd like to add to your list.

Fallen Crest High by Tijan
Add to Goodreads

As far as new adult authors go, Tijan is not one that pops up often. I happened to find this book while browsing one day and was so glad that I did. This is really one of those books where the characters stay with you. You may not love every aspect of the story, but you can't help but keep reading till it's finished. Mason and Logan (the bothers) were great in their own ways and Sam has the misfortune of living with them after her mom decided to marry their dad. This book is pretty complicated with all the plots, sub-plots, and characters but I definitely want to see what happens in the new book.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover Add to Goodreads
This one is easy to spoil because there is a lot going on. Tons of tragedy! When Sky meets Dean she has no idea of their past. Sky has been through more than many people could imagine. It was sad to see how broken she was but I was glad that Dean could be there for her. At times the drama seemed a bit too much but it was still a well written story with a lot of great moments between the characters. Dean was my favorite. You can't help but love him and hope that these characters can somehow find happiness through all the heartbreak. Not sure when/if I'll read the next one but so many people loved this one.

Play With Me by Piper Shelly Add to Goodreads
You know how sometimes you just want a light, sweet book to read? This one is perfect for those times! This was one of the cutest romances ever. Liza is a cutie! Poor girl has been in love with her best friend Tony forever and he comes back from soccer camp in love with another *sigh*. So, she has a plan to become sporty herself in hopes he will notice her. What she doesn't plan for is the soccer captain, Ryan, to start paying attention to her. They have so many of those cute moments that have you saying"awww." The ONLY complaint I had about this story was that it was just too short! I wanted more! Of course, there is now a version in Ryan's POV but still… I wish this one would have been a bit longer. But, I totally recommend it.

If You Stay by Courtney Cole Add to Goodreads
Some books say they have bad boys but this one is really bad. Pax is a jerk, 100%! He has money to burn but is rude, disrespectful, and has a whole slew of drug issues. Not the easiest character to like but I liked that there was no doubting his personality. Everyone knew immediately what type of guy he was. Mila is a sweetheart who can't help but try to help Pax. Even though she is told to forget about ever changing him, she can't help but have hope that he will get better. It took a while for their sparks to really heat up but I liked seeing Pax change. Much is the story is from his POV and it was easy to see how Mila got under his skin. Courtney Cole is a great author and I look forward to reading more from her.

Someone to Love by Addison Moore Add to Goodreads
This is a light story and a nice college-age romance but there was something lacking. Maybe it was depth for the character? Not sure. But, in this book, Kendall wants to be a player and she goes to the king of all players, Cruise, for help. She says she's determined to learn how to play guys. The overall story was fun to read but I'm not sure I fully bought the whole"wanting to be a player" thing. I think that with more work this book could have hit it out of the park but for something light and fluffy, it's a pretty good read. I've seen other people with some mixed feelings about this title.

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker Add to Goodreads
This is a very intense story. Kacey has had a really hard life and all she wants to do is find safety and take care of her little sister. They move into a rundown apartment and she starts working to try to take care of the bills. Then Trent moves next door. Kacey tries to brush off her feelings for him but they are drawn to each other. I really enjoyed this book and all the side characters/plots too. It's depressing at times but I couldn't stop reading. The overall idea is a bit predictable but I still found myself rooting for the characters and wanting to find out what will happen next. I will probably check out the next book in the series because it focuses on Kacey's sister.

After Tuesday by Renee Ericson Add to Goodreads
This book is about Ruby, a young girl dealing with an alcoholic father. I liked this book for a lot of reasons. One big reason is that her dad, although sick, wasn't a complete jerk. He seemed like he wanted to be a good dad and that's something rarely seen in YA books. Then Ruby gets to know Brent, a guy from school, and she's forced to balance her real life with that of a normal teenager. She tries to hide her issues at home but that isn't easy. Soon both collide and she has to rely on someone else. Sometimes I just wished she would have been honest with Brent early on instead of hiding things. But I did like the way the author portrayed the relationship and the issues Ruby had with her dad. He wasn't just thrown to the side like some novels do.

Breathe Into Me by Amanda Stone Add to Goodreads
This was another complex story and in the end I was scratching my head a bit. Kelsey had some really craptastic luck. She had a horrible tragedy 6 years before she heads to college and all she wants is to escape it. She has her best friend Jessi, who I loved, and soon she meets bad-boy Kane. But Kane isn't really bad. He was actually much nicer than I expected. Sometimes I wanted to shake Kelsey for being so darn trusting of guys-who-shall-remain-nameless, especially after what she had been through. Plus, I wasn't happy with the fact she judged Kane so quickly when something happened with him. I don't want to spoil anything but I do think this is definitely worth the read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Picture Perfect by Alessandra Thomas Add to Goodreads
It's pretty hard to find a good story that doesn't involve a girl who is a perfect size 4. Cat used to be a model but now she can't fit into anything in her closet. She had an accident and, after sitting for nearly a year, she's going back to school as a size 12. One thing I really liked about this story is that all of Cat's friends didn't shun her because of her size. It's not like it's the worst thing in the world so it sucks when books act like the character can't have friends if she's beyond a size 10. Cat did have friends and, really, she is the biggest issue blocking her own happiness. When Nate steps in Cat finally starts to see herself as more than a size. He helps her break down her walls and be happy again. Sometimes I just wanted her to get over things but I tried to understand where she was coming from. This book was really enjoyable and had a very unique plot (and twist).

Unbroken by Melody Grace Add to Goodreads
This book has one of my all-time favorite lines ever…
"Mom always told me there are two kinds of love in this world: the steady breeze, and the hurricane. Emerson Ray was my hurricane… "
Love it! This book is great for a summer read. Juliet is forced to go back to her summer beach home for a while and she runs into her old flame Emerson. I enjoyed this story but nothing really stood out to me as memorable. There is some cheating, which I hate, but it didn't ruin the book for me. The characters definitely have chemistry and there are several hot moments to enjoy.
ALL OF THESE BOOKS WERE RATED

Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher: ATOM (April 27th, 2010)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 323 pages
Series: House of Night #7
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames…

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampyre High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.
Review: I'll do my best to stay away from major spoilers for this series. I know that several people have stopped reading the House of Night series recently but I still really enjoy the books. I actually think that the most recent books (Burned and Awakened) were very well written and suspenseful. I was worried that this book would be filled with only Zoey's depressed emotions but it wasn't, at all!

Burned does give us several perspectives for this book. It ranges from Zoey, to Stevie Rae, Stark, Rephaim, and others. At times, this was a little too much. I thought that a few things could have been left out (not particularly with these characters but with lesser ones) and the book may have had a little better flow. I admit that Stevie Rae is not one of my favorite characters and I think that is what initially kept me away from the recent books. I knew she was going to have a much larger part as they continued. I think her accent and word choices are a little extreme and draw away from the point of what she is saying. Other than that, I've actually enjoyed her character a lot more in Burned.

Rephaim is a newer character in Burned and we really get a chance to get to know him. I wasn't fond of him, at all, in Tempted but he's grown on me. I'm excited to see what happens with him next. Stark has always been one of my favorites and he has really grown a lot over time. I need more Stark! Zoey continues to amaze me with her strength and spirit. She is a very strong character.

I enjoyed the plot in this book. It still had just as many twists and turns as the previous books. There was never a dull moment. I do think that the drama with Kalona and Neferet needs to end soon. It goes on and on and after a while it will be way too much! I think that the story could have much more going on even long after the Neferet story line is complete.

Overall, I was really impressed with Burned. I still enjoy this series a lot and the characters that I fell in love with long ago. P.C. and Kristin Cast keep coming up with unique ideas and crazy fight scenes that draw me in from page one.

Find P.C. and Kristin Cast
Website | House of Night | P.C.'s Blog | Facebook

Purchase Burned
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Author Nicole Barker was kind enough to send me a copy of "Dancing with Ana" to review. I finished it in two sittings. Be prepared for a glowing review.

"Beth is a lucky girl... she comes from a loving family, she has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she's grown up with has the most amazing green eyes... Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed.

Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat?"

I absolutely loved "Dancing with Ana." I'm so excited to say that this is the first book I've read all summer that I will be putting in the box labeled "Miss Remmers' Classroom". I am so thankful to Nicole Barker for emailing me and sending me this book. It will be a great asset to my future classroom.

It's a quick read, like I said — I finished it in a couple hours. And when I had to go to church, I found myself thinking about Beth and her friends during the extremely long winded homily (gasp!). Female students will not be able to put this book down after they read the first page. The cover won't bring them in (not a big fan), but if I challenge them to read the first two pages I know that they will need to finish it. It's a short book (170 pages) with big font. So even very reluctant readers won't feel intimidated. But don't let the size bother you — there's a lot of story between the covers of this book.

It has the right amount of romance — but the romance is the supporting issue. Teenage girls dieting is the big issue (obviously). Girls who weigh 120 pounds who decide to lose 10 pounds and try to hide it from their questioning mothers. It's been a while since high school, but I remember that game. "Dancing with Ana" is written so honestly that it's inspiring.

The language is beautiful and moving. When Beth describes her hunger for food — I was literally craving HoHos (no joke)! When Beth feels sick and guilty, I felt sick and guilty. It was astonishing. There's a lot of story in these pages and I'm glad that the book is this size — it's emotionally draining to read about eating disorders. The girls' thoughts are so honest (askew — but honest). Their relationships with their mothers, fathers, boys, and girlfriends are believable and easy to relate too.

If I could change anything — I would change the cover. It doesn't draw people in like it should for such a great book. Overall, it's an amazingly inspiring, honest, good book. But like I said, it's emotionally draining to read. But for the sake of my students (gasp) I'll suffer through it. That's complete sarcasm — I hope you got that. I'm going to email the author to see if I can set up an interview. And I'm hoping she'll send me another copy with a short letter inside for my female students so I can giveaway the original 'once read' copy of "Dancing with Ana". Stay tuned — because you'll definitely want to get your hands on this book.

If you're wondering about the title (I really was) stay tuned, hopefully Nicole will answer that question for us.

Find out what other readers are saying about "Dancing with Ana".
Tara — Tales of a Book Addict
Missy — Missy's Book Nook
The Eclectic Reader

This week's Guest Review is Ella from The Clock Monkey.

*****************************

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.

*************************

Thank you so much Ella for this wonderful review. Please stop by The Clock Monkey, share some book love, and read her original review.

"The plot isn't necessarily new and the characters aren't exactly original, but there is definitely something different about this story... somehow a generic (albeit tragic) plot with cliche characters has completely won me over. " — Miss Remmers

Release Date: September 6th, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Challenges: DAC 2011, 100+ Reading Challenge, eBook Challenge

"Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow , shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.

Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways."
"The Beginning of After" starts like almost every other contemporary YA novel that revolves around tragedy. At first the "cliche-ness" of it all really bothered me — you know, the good girl who gets straight A's, super anal-retentive, and the ultimate perfectionist who, of course, suffers some huge tragedy and along with the bad boy "gang member" who also suffers some huge tragedy. They fall in love. End of story.

Right?

Sort of. About page twenty when I felt like I had this entire story figured out I was about to put it down and say "Okay, back to paranormal fiction for me!" But I didn't. Maybe I'm stubborn or maybe I am just desperate to finish a book — but I kept reading. [I read the first half of this book in the car on the way to our "mini-moon" vacation] Soon I was annoyed when the car stopped for bathroom breaks and meals and decided that it was in my best interest (and the hubby's) for me to continue reading and skip the breaks. I couldn't pull myself away from the story — not necessarily the plot (two very different things) but the story.

Once we arrived at our destination I didn't necessarily have the time to read because of all the activities planned and of course we were surrounded by family who wanted to celebrate our first two months of marriage together and Laurel's situation slowly became a subtle rhythm (rather than a loud banging drum) in my subconscious. Until the baseball game on Tuesday night (the second baseball game of our vacation). I brought my Nook only to read during the pre-game/batting practice. But page by page (or click by click) I found myself running out of time. The game was about to start at any minute and I wasn't ready to be done reading. After the "Star Spangled Banner" I put down my Nook but by half way through the first inning I was sneaking peeks at the screen. By the end of the second inning I was down right reading shamelessly. The in-laws, friends, and my amazing husband were (for the most part) very understanding and just let me finish. I just kept saying "I'm almost done. I'm almost done."

I finished after the fifth inning. There were times when my heart literally hurt — but I have a hard time explaining why. The plot isn't necessarily new and the characters aren't exactly original, but there is definitely something different, something I can't put my finger on, about this story by Jennifer Castle. Perhaps it is the way it's told, or the subtle progression of the character's grief process — I don't know. It reminded me of "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman because "The Beginning of After" challenged me to consider my own life without my loved ones. But unlike Mia, Laurel doesn't have a choice to stay or go — she must simply continue on.

Despite the genericness of it all, I somehow found Laurel to be refreshing and easy to relate to and David mysterious and more than slightly selfish. I fell in love with the American Boy Joe Lasky. I felt for Laurel and David (although with each additional animal in Laurel's house I felt like I lost more and more of my sanity). I saw and understood the different ways that Laurel, David, and Laurel's grandmother dealt with their grief. It's almost as if Castle has somehow reinvented this plot and these characters through her fantastic story telling ability and has created something entirely different and heartbreaking.

The truth is somehow a generic (albeit tragic) plot with cliche characters has completely won me over. I highly recommend this book to any one who enjoys contemporary YA if for no other reason than to give Laurel (and Castle) the opportunity to prove that the whole "parents die in a car accident" plot is not entirely washed up.

-Visit Jennifer around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter
-BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook

To the FTC, with love: Galley from NetGalley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"'Cryer's Cross' is definitely a book I'll need to put on my classroom shelves." — Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...

"The small town of Cryer’s Cross is rocked by tragedy when an unassuming freshman disappears without a trace. Kendall Fletcher wasn’t that friendly with the missing girl, but the angst wreaks havoc on her OCD-addled brain.

When a second student goes missing—someone close to Kendall’s heart—the community is in an uproar. Caught in a downward spiral of fear and anxiety, Kendall’s not sure she can hold it together. When she starts hearing the voices of the missing, calling out to her and pleading for help, she fears she’s losing her grip on reality. But when she finds messages scratched in a desk at school—messages that could only be from the missing student who used to sit there—Kendall decides that crazy or not, she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t act on her suspicions.

Something’s not right in Cryer’s Cross—and Kendall’s about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried."

Book Trailer

After reading "Wake" by Lisa McMann, I knew I needed to read more of Lisa McMann (but no, I haven't gotten my hands on "Fade" or "Gone" yet).

The premise of "Cryer's Cross" is fantastically mysterious (just view the above Book Trailer). It's a perfect combination when the premise and the cover are equally intriguing and "grab worthy."

I'll admit that the beginning of the novel is a bit slow and I didn't feel the "need" to continue reading until I was a third through it. I didn't understand how everything fit together and (again, I'll admit) I became a bit frustrated. But then all of a sudden "weird" happenings appeared and the plot began to escalate.With this escalation my anticipation and "need to read" grew exponentially.

Something completely different about this suspenseful novel that I haven't come across in a YA book before was the main character, Kendall, dealt with OCD. At first the constant reminder of the meticulous actions seemed repetitive and unnecessary, but as the plot evolved I saw the purpose in the detailed OCD mannerisms.

While reading this book I realized I had a few OCD tendencies of my own — not necessarily straightening desks or markers, but more in my travels. For instance, in college I drove the same route to school and to Walmart as I did the first time, even though after living in Aberdeen for a while I found a shorter less congested route; I always say I'm a habitual creature. It almost pains me to switch that part of my route up. Another "for instance" of this behavior is when I fly out of the cities I always stay at the same hotel. It's near the airport, they let you park your car and shuttle you for free, and they have an epic continental breakfast! Yes, I could probably find a cheaper place to stay, but this is less that $100 and it's familiar.

Okay, back to the book. After getting through the exposition of the book, "Cryer's Cross" was perfectly timed and flawlessly executed. The suspense and mystery kept me guessing and thinking the entire time. The ending was "wrapped" up perfectly; yes, it was a quicker ending but it fit the story well. The romance was intriguing but not over done and didn't take away from the story (although at the end, I won't lie, my heart fluttered a bit).

The thriller part of the story was creepy and mysterious but the actuality of it was completely perfectly disturbing but believable at the same time — well, as believable as it could be. I was impressed with McMann's ability to write a thriller with a realistic end (see spoiler at the end). I will say that the romance between Kendall and Nico, I thought, could have been left out. He could have just been her best friend. I thought it was a bit over-dramatic how all of a sudden she had "feelings" for him once he had gone missing. Overall, "Cryer's Cross" is definitely a book I'll need to put on my classroom shelves.

SPOILER:
I loved how the kids who went missing didn't just magically appear at the end — it was morbid but it was a "real" ending.

Originality: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 59/60 A

To the FTC, with love: Received for Review (eBook)

To find out more about this series and author, visit the following links: -Visit Lisa around the web here: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads
-BUY THE BOOK on February 8th!: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Real quick, another OCD thing — I have 229 followers, I'd love to have 230. Just to make it even:)

"Not only a page turner, but a 'stay-up-all-night-to-finish' book!" — Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...

"Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.
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."

Why I read this: The cover was definitely a "draw in" for me, plus the synopsis, and the author is amazingly approachable and funny — the recipe of a great read!

Plot: Set in "post-Shift", where anyone born after the Shift can see and communicate with the dead, "Shade" is a fantastically riveting read that intrigues readers from the beginning. The idea alone that the young are so separated from the older generation because of this "dis/ability" is alluring enough when you take into consideration how anyone under the age of 17 today assumes they are so disconnected from my generation or older. The plot was unlike anything I had ever read and I couldn't get enough of it.

Characters: I really connected with Aura's character; I can definitely see why she wants to get rid of her "ability" and I love how persistent she is to find the truth. This novel is so heart-breakingly honest, especially during the trial. My emotions throughout the novel ranged from "Oh my gosh are they really... " and "Oh he didn't... " (at the beginning), to mortification and embarrassment (towards the end), and finally settled at "I need the next book!" (the last page). These characters were so real to me that I felt like I had went on this journey right along with Aura, Logan, and Zach.

Speaking of Zach, he definitely gets my vote (can you say "sweetheart"!). His whole story line was definitely intriguing, page turning, and completely surprising.

Cover: This cover is SO eye-catching and alluring, before even meeting the author or reading the synopsis I knew I wanted to read this book due to the beautiful cover.

Random Thoughts: I'm just going to say... I need the next book.

Final Thoughts: I am so upset that I let this book sit on my bookshelf for seven months. It was so fantastic! Not only a page turner, but a "stay up all night to finish" book! I definitely recommend this novel to readers of all ages who are looking for an exciting read. I love this book so much it'll be my first classroom book talk for the New Year! Definitely read this novel.

Originality: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 98/100 A

To the FTC, with love: Received at BEA 2010