Inked Books

Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

2012-02-06T14:03:00.000-08:00

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

I'm just going to put this out there: Across the Universe and A Million Suns are probably the best Sci-Fi YA titles on the market right now. I've got friends who don't read this genre raving about these books. If you haven't read them get on it now.

As for AMS, it goes above and beyond AtU. It felt like every other chapter I was finding out that what I thought I knew was a lie. This book constantly kept me on my toes. I can't wait to see what happens in book three.

Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green

2012-01-05T19:55:00.000-08:00

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Looking for Alaska is one of those rare books that, after you finish it, makes you sit back and think about life. I knew what was going to happen, so I wasn't expecting much, but the book honestly blew me away. The characters felt so real (although I kept imagining them older than the book states they are) and it was very east to relate to them. I expect that this book will be taught in schools and read and loved for many years to come.

Review: Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

2012-01-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

I'm not going to do a long review of this, because if you've read the first two books you're probably going to pick this one up regardless of what I say.

Bloodrose definitely is a perfect end to the series I can honestly say I didn't see the ending coming at all, and I loved it. If you haven't read the series, now is the perfect time to start because since this is the final book you won't have to wait to find out what happens.

The Book I'm Most Grateful For

2011-10-31T17:18:00.000-07:00

Beth Revis is having an awesome contest, and all you have to do is tell her what book you're most grateful for.

I'm most grateful for the Harry Potter books, because without them all of the other awesome books that are out now probably wouldn't be here.

YallFest

2011-08-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard, Kami Garcia and Margie Stohl (authors of the Beautiful Creatures series) have put together an AWESOME event - YallFest. On November 11 - 12 in Charleston, SC, TWENTY authors are going to share in an all day YA extravaganza. Who's going to be there? The list hasn't been fully revealed yet, but here are a few names to get you interested: Carrie Ryan, Beth Revis, Andrea Cremer, Ellen Hopkins, David Levithan and SO MANY MORE.
I'll keep you updated with any big news, but if you absolutely can't wait, here's the official site. I'll see you there!

Review: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

2011-08-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

There are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

The Near Witch is one of those books that completely envelopes you from the beginning. The prose is perfect and the story is fantastic. I absolutely loved every aspect of this novel. The setting feels real, but at the same time it has a fairy tale vibe going on which suited the story perfectly. This is an outstanding debut novel and I'll definitely be reading anything else Victoria puts out!

5/5

Review: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

2011-06-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended.Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered.

But then the Searchers make her an offer,one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack and the man she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Short review: If you liked Nightshade, you'll LOVE the sequel.

I read this book in one sitting. It was so engrossing and action packed, even more so than the first book. It kind of reminded me of an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in a good way. It's filled with loads of magic and fighting and plotting. I know everyone's always focused on "teams" and when it comes to Ren and Shay, I'm still Team Shay. Especially after this book. This one ends with another cliffhanger, but it's not quite as extreme as the ending of Nightshade. Overall I liked it better than Nightshade, and can't wait for book three!

Book Trailer: Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker

2011-06-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

I love Melissa, and I can't wait to read this one!

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

2011-06-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

I was expecting this book to be creepy. It's not. Some of the pictures are, but when you take them in context with the book, they become less creepy. The idea of taking real pictures and writing a story around them is awesomely unique, and it adds a lot to the story. The story does drag in a few places, and the pictures are a nice diversion . The story is solid, but I felt that the main character talked and acted like he was a lot older than he should have considering his actual age in the book. The issues I had don't outweigh the positives, though. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a different, unique read.

4/5

Review: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

2011-06-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

This book is complex. It's a little confusing to start (especially due to the fact that there isn't a map of Inside in the book) but as you read it gets easier to understand. The story follows the typical Dystopian formula, but that doesn't detract from the amazing setting and world building. The thing I liked about this book over a lot of the other Dystopians I've read is the fact that the main character isn't the only person getting things done. As the book progresses, you can sense the growing tension in all of the characters and the payoff is very satisfying. There's a tiny cliffhanger, but the sequel is already out, so no waiting!

Recommended if you like The Hunger Games, Divergent, Across the Universe

4/5

Book Trailer: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

2011-06-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

I've got this book in my TBR pile, so whenever I get to it I'll have the review up. I just had to share the trailer with you guys because it's one of the best I've seen. What do you think?

Review: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

2011-05-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

I had high expectations for Brightly Woven. I've been wanting to read it for a while, but I never seemed to be able to get my hands on a copy. The other day I was at the library, and I saw it sitting on the shelf. I practically ran to get it, even though nobody else was around.
I'm a fan of Fantasy, and this novel didn't disappoint. The concept was original, and the characters were fun and interesting. I probably wouldn't call it my absolute favorite, but I can see myself rereading this one. If you like Fantasy and magic and politics, you'll wanna give this one a try.

4/5

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011-04-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

If you haven't heard about this book yet, where have you been?

I've seen people talking about it all over Twitter and in the blogosphere, and after reading it I know why! This is one of those books that sucks you in and doesn't let up until the end. Since it is dystopian, it's easy to relate it to The Hunger Games. There are a few similarities, but this doesn't feel like a copy. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who loved The Hunger Games, Delirium, or Matched. I recommended it even if you didn't like those books.

On the official Divergent Facebook page, there's an aptitude quiz just like the one in the book. You can take it to see which faction you would be in.

I got Erudite. ;)

Review: Red Glove by Holly Black

2011-04-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

Yay Red Glove! Ever since I finished White Cat, I've been anticipating this one. It definitely lived up to the hype. Normally when I start a new book in a series, it takes a while for me to get back into the swing of the book. Even though it's been almost a year since I read WC, it was super easy to jump back in.

I love, love, love the world Holly has built in the Curse Workers series. I also love the cons. I was kind of worried that with all the story threads going on that the cons would get pushed to the back, but that wasn't the case. I have so much love for this book and this series and I can't wait for Black Heart!

5/5

Review: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

2011-03-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

Carrie has outdone herself. This book is haunting, violent, and beautiful at the same time. If you've read either of the first two books you know that Carrie has a way with words. I can't really explain it, but just the way she chooses to describe things is amazing. I found myself rereading paragraphs because they were just that good. I don't want to say too much about the plot other than it's kind of a continuation from The Dead Tossed Waves, only told from a different perspective. If you haven't read this series, go out and get on it! Just don't be surprised when you find yourself unable to stop.

5/5

Cover Alert! The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

2011-03-04T10:45:00.001-08:00

Cover Alert! Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

2011-03-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

Cover Alert! Pledge by Kimberly Derting

2011-03-01T19:33:00.000-08:00

This cover is AMAZING. What do you think?

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2011-01-31T16:51:00.000-08:00

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

The concept for Delirium sounds similar to a few books out on the market now. I didn't know what to expect from this one, but I loved Before I Fall, so I decided to give it a go.

You will want to read this book. The writing is smooth and lyrical, and the story is captivating. The only negative point I have is that the main part of the story didn't pick up until about 200 pages in, but it wasn't boring. This is the first book in the series, and I can't wait for book two to see what happens next!

Recommended if you like: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, Matched by Ally Condie, Across the Universe by Beth Revis

5/5

Review: Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

2011-01-20T18:22:00.000-08:00

Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.

It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities….

Let me preface my review by saying that I haven't read Bleeding Violet (although I do have it). I've been told that while this isn't a direct sequel to BV, it makes this one even better and easier to understand..

This book is very morbid. I enjoyed it, but some people might be put off by all of the violence, language and other content.

The town of Portero is very interesting. They have demons everywhere. People getting killed in the street by a monster is a regular occurrence. So regular, in fact, that the demons are mentioned off-handedly in the story, which threw me off a bit. Normally if monsters are going around decapitating people, someone freaks out or something. Not in Slice of Cherry. It took me a little while to get used to the storytelling side of this book, but it was worth it.

The synopsis doesn't do the book much justice, because there is so much more going on here than two sisters who kill people. I don't want to get into any of the extra things, because it's fun to see the story unfold for yourself. The further into the book I got, the more engrossed I became in the story. It's definitely not for everyone, but give it a try!

4/5

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

2010-12-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone--one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship--tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming

I don't even know where to start. This debut novel is fantastic. I don't normally read novels set in space, but I'm very glad I gave this one a shot. It's told in alternating chapters from Amy and Elder's perspectives. Normally when I'm reading a book like this I get more attached to a particular narrator, but I pretty much liked both characters equally.

The book did drag a little for me in the middle, but it quickly picked up the pace again. Once I got past that, I was hooked. The mystery is great, and the character relationships are very interesting.

This is the start of a trilogy, but it does a GREAT job of giving you just enough of a conclusion so you don't feel ripped off, while still giving you plenty to look forward to.

5/5

Review: Contagion by Joanne Dahme

2010-11-28T09:40:00.000-08:00

This is a guest review from my friend Katie.

Set in the late 19th century, Rose Dugan is a young wife who is actively involved in her community. But when her best friend is killed while working at Philadelphia’s Water Works' gardens, the mystery around her death pulls Rose in. Will she save the city from a deadly typhoid outbreak that is threatening the city’s water system? Will Rose unravel the mystery behind her best friend’s murder—a fate that was actually meant for her?

Warning: This book alternates between two first-person perspectives. So if that really bugs you then be aware and don’t say that I didn’t warn you. I’m not really one who finds it annoying to read a book with alternating perspectives. They can be awesome if done well. That being said this book had a few glitches on that front. One of the perspectives is female and the other is male. The chapters told from Rose’s perspective work well. The ones from Sean’s perspective were a little harder to adjust to. A woman is trying to write what goes on in a man’s head and is obviously having a hard time doing it. But Sean’s chapters get better as you go along so give it a chance.
Another negative thing about this book is that it sort of drags in places. The plot itself does not drag but the amount of detail given slows the book down. I felt that I got too much detail about buildings, places, and other things that were not really important. I know that the author did all of this research to make her book historically accurate and the use of all of these detailed descriptions is her making that work worthwhile. Unfortunately it would have been better to provide less description about some things because it would have made the book better overall. The reader would have been able to focus more on the interesting plot instead what City Hall looked like.
Well there’s a heaping helping of negativity. Anyway you may be surprised because I think that this was a pretty awesome book. It has a great plot full of twists and turns. It is sort of like a really interesting history lesson mixed with a mystery that keeps you guessing. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out something else happens that puts you right back where you started and leaves you more confused than ever. Your desire to figure out what is really happening gets you past the slow parts. This is a great book so if you have the opportunity to read it do so.

My Disclaimer:
This book is historical fiction. There is no vampire or zombie or werewolf or fairy or witch or wizard or dragon or well you get it. So if you require every book you read to have one or more of those things this is not the book for you. Again if that bothers you choose another book.

If you like Ann Rinaldi or really any historical fiction you’ll like this book.
Maybe even books like A Great and Terrible Beauty but without all of the supernatural stuff.

I give it a 4/5.

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

2010-11-24T21:39:00.000-08:00

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

This story is completely engrossing. It's a little slow to start, but the world is so intriguing that I had to keep reading. There's not a lot of action to speak of, though. Some people may be put off by that, but the internal struggle of the main character as well as the increasing odds against her will keep you hooked.
The futuristic world built by the author is very believable. At first, everything seems great, and it even feels like a place that I might like to live. As the novel progresses you begin to see cracks in the system, and things don't feel quite right. The ending was a little rushed and open ended, but here's hoping the sequel isn't too far off.
The movie rights have been bought by Disney, so be on the lookout for this story on the big screen!
Matched is a perfect read for fans of The Hunger Games and Uglies.

4/5

Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

2010-11-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Before reading Nightshade, I participated in the Shay Doran Shadow Days promotion for the book. It was weird reading the book after seeing videos of Shay, but it was interesting because it's a prequel of sorts to Nightshade. You don't need to read the blog to read Nightshade, but it's fun.

When I started the book, it took me a while to get into it. It was that same problem I had with Graceling. The story starts and you're dropped in the middle of everything with not much explanation at the beginning. Once I got into it though, I couldn't put the book down.
Calla, the main character, is a Guardian - a person with the ability to shift into a werewolf. Her whole life is planned by the Keepers - magicians who control the town and gave the Guardians their powers. She's set to marry pack leader Ren and control the new wolf pack. But when she meets Shay, her world is turned upside down.
The story in this book is fantastic, and the characters are amazing. They are awesomely well developed. Nightshade is funny, suspenseful, and so, so good. It's a must read.

5/5

As a bonus, here's the cover for Nightshade's sequel, Wolfsbane!

Cover Alert! Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker

2010-11-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

Melissa's cover for her newest book Small Town Sinners has hit the blogosphere, and I'm excited to be sharing it with you! Contemp YA isn't my normal genre, but I love Melissa's books, and can't wait to read this one!

Awesome isn't it? Here's the synopsis:

Lacey Anne Byer is a perennial good girl and lifelong member of the House of Enlightenment, the Evangelical church in her small town. With her driver's license in hand and the chance to try out for a lead role in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, Lacey's junior year is looking promising. But when a cute new stranger comes to town, something begins to stir inside her. Ty Davis doesn't know the sweet, shy Lacey Anne Byer everyone else does. With Ty, Lacey could reinvent herself. As her feelings for Ty make Lacey test her boundaries, events surrounding Hell House make her question her religion.

The cover story will be on Melissa's blog soon, so keep your eyes out!

Spooky Swap Package

2010-10-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

This is what Katie received from the Spooky Swap.

Spooky Swap Package

2010-10-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

This is the package Jasmine received:

I received my package today from Jeremy from Novel Thoughts. I'm so happy with everything! He did such an awesome job!

Here is what I got:

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening
The Ghost Hunter's Handbook
The Witch's Handbook
A 4 pack of scary movies
Halloween Stickers
2 cute Halloween bowls
A Halloween pail
Dark Chocolate Raisinets
Dark Chocolate Reese's
And cute pumpkin garland

Thanks again, Jeremy! :)

Spooky Swap Package

2010-10-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is the package Jacinda received:

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent (on my TBR list and now I own a copy!)
Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love by a ton of great YA authors (can't wait to read this one!)
2 bags of caramel apple candy corn, YUM!
Caramels, also YUM!
and a candle that smells wonderful!

Scott Westerfeld Signing!

2010-10-24T18:22:00.000-07:00

This past week I had the opportunity to go to a Scott Westerfeld signing. I've been reading his books for YEARS, so the opportunity to finally meet him was amazing. So many people came to see him, and there were even steampunk cosplayers! His wife, Justine Larbalestier, was also their and she was nice enough to sign all of her books that I brought, AND pose for a picture!

Here's a video from my friend Vania of VLC Media about both signings Scott did in Atlanta this weekend:

I had an extra copy of Justine's first book Magic or Madness that I'll be giving away soon, so keep watching for that.
(I know I have a TON of books I need to give away, but I need to get a job so I can pay for shipping.)

Spooky Swap

2010-10-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

Jo White got her package, and doesn't have her own blog to post, so here's her post!

"I received my package from Misha...what a surprize it came all the way from India.

She sent a beautiful scarf, book, gorgeous beaded mirror and a couple of bracelets that actually are worn on their feet. How cool is that! She said they don't celebrate Halloween in India, but they do have Halloween parties."

Spooky Swap

2010-10-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

Jeremy from Novel Thoughts got his spooky swap package, but his computer is broken, so I'm posting a picture of what he got in the mail here.

Construction

2010-10-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have a new blog layout. Yes, I know the page buttons aren't centered. Yes, it bugs an OCD person like me. Thank you guys for the emails telling me that they were off! Jessica's working on it, and it should be fixed by the end of the week!

A big thank you to Jessica for the new layout. I think it looks great, don't you?

If you want some work done on your blog (buttons, headers, whole layouts) check her out! She's super easy to work with. She didn't even kill me when I told her to make changes. I knew she wanted to though. She probably still does.

New Cover Alert! Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

2010-10-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

I have this book sitting in my TBR pile just itching to be read, and now the amazing cover makes me want to read it even more! I love it even more than the cover for Hex Hall.

I also have an extra ARC of Demonglass to give away, so keep your eyes out in the coming months!

Cover Alert! Huntress by Malinda Lo

2010-10-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

I loved Ash, and can't wait for the prequel! I had no expectations for the cover of Huntress, but even if I did, this one would have blown them out of the water! Look how amazing it is!

Also , it gets a bajillion bonus points for having a person of color on the cover. Let me know what you think!

The Official Spooky Swap Package Thread!

2010-10-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

The packages are starting to be sent out for the Spooky Swap, so here's a linky where you can post a link to your blog so everyone can see what you got! If you don't have a blog where you can post this, then you can email pictures and a post to Jessica or myself and we'll post them.

Review: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

2010-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.
Sometimes life-ending.
Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

If you liked Beautiful Creatures, and are wondering if book 2 can even compare to the first, don't worry. It's just as good, if not better, than BC.
This book is dark, but I guess you could figure that out by the title. I honestly didn't know what to expect when going into it, and that was a very good thing. The atmosphere is the same as the first book, with an underlining feeling of unrest. There are lots of twists and turns, and many questions from the first book are answered. Kami and Margie are the absolute best when it comes to prose and descriptions. I love the way they can weave words and make not only the story fantastic, but the way it's told as well. Some new characters are introduced, and old favorites return. (Ridley FTW) Every character is multi-dimensional, and you feel as if you could actually meet them. Beautiful Darkness drops tomorrow, October 12, and book three can't come fast enough.

5/5

My Spooky Swap Package!

2010-10-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

I got my Spooky Swap package from Pam at Bookalicio.us! Here's what she sent me:

A Halloween clock that plays spooky sounds every hour
The Shining (book)
The Shining (movie)
Smarties candy dispensers in Halloween shapes

Thank you so much Pam! I've read The Shining, but didn't own a copy, and I've never seen the original movie (just the made for tv remake).

Review: Dark Song by Gail Giles

2010-10-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

Mark said he heard the dark song when he creeped houses. The song the predator's heart sings when it hears the heart of the prey. I heard it now. Mark said it had always been in me. Lurking. Waiting for me to hear.
Ames is not the person she was a few months ago. Her father lost his job, and her family is crumbling apart. Now, all she has is Marc. Marc, who loves her more than anything. Marc, who owns a gun collection. And he'll stop at nothing--even using his guns--to get what he wants. Ames feels her parents have betrayed her with their lies and self-absorption, but is she prepared to make the ultimate betrayal against them?

This is another review by my friend Katie.

This was definitely an odd book. The story did not go the way that you would think it was from reading the synopsis. It seems like the story is about a girl who is caught in a dangerous and abusive relationship. However, Marc is not even introduced until you’re 160 pages in. I think that the story would have been better if more of the book focused on the relationship between Ames and Marc. Their relationship develops too quickly too be realistic.
I thought that that this book had a dissatisfying conclusion. There was no true big final conflict. I thought that it just sort of fizzled out. I wanted some danger and suspense and it just didn’t happen. The ending is probably the most realistic thing about the book (i.e. what would happen in real life). However, this is a book and books should have some sort of climax.
Probably the best thing about this book is that it is a really fast read. The main thing that gets you through the slow start is waiting for the main character to meet Marc. You’re pretty much waiting on the book to start for the first 160 pages.
Overall, I didn’t really enjoy this book. It’s good for a library read, but I wouldn’t purchase it.

1/5

Banned Books Week!

2010-09-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

This week is Banned Books Week! The writing, reading, and blogging community is taking the time to celebrate books that have been banned or challenged. I'll be doing my part by reading and reviewing one or two banned books this week.
My favorite books happen to be the most challenged of the decade. The Harry Potter series. Crazy, huh?

My Package From Shay Doran

2010-09-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

I got a package from Shay (from Andrea Cremer's Nightshade) today. I haven't started trying to figure it out, but I'll put up the pictures for anyone who wants to give it a shot.

EDIT: I've figured out the messages

The first one says: "The mind of Alistair was entertained by fighting and books at a Conatus institution in Scotland."

And the second one had three:

"The keepers devour the peaceful school"
"14O5 (the "O" could be a zero, I'm not sure) a shrill battle"
"The war is over."

Review: Another Pan by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

2010-09-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Sixteen-year-old Wendy Darling and her insecure freshman brother, John, are hitting the books at the Marlowe School. But one tome consumes their attention: THE BOOK OF GATES, a coveted Egyptian artifact that their professor father believes has magical powers. Soon Wendy and John discover that the legend is real—when they recite from its pages and descend into a snaking realm beneath the Manhattan school. As the hallways darken, and dead moths cake the floor, a charismatic new R.A. named Peter reveals that their actions have unleashed a terrible consequence: the underworld and all its evil is now seeping into Marlowe. Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri return to reimagine Peter Pan as a twisty, atmospheric, and fast-paced fantasy about the perils of immortality.

This is a guest review by my friend Katie. It's her first, so show some love!

I’ve got a confession to make. Another Faust, the first book in the “Another Series” , was not one of my favorite books. Don’t get me wrong. There wasn’t really anything wrong with it. It just was not the kind of story that I thought that it was going to be. Plus I am not familiar with the original (Faust). I mean who is?
So when I started to read this book I thought that it was just going to be more of the same, but it was so awesome. It blends Ancient Egyptian legends, the drama of high school, and a beloved classic into a seamless story that you cannot put down.
I think another reason that I enjoyed this book more is because I am familiar with Peter Pan. It has the Lost Boys, the rivalry between Wendy and Tina (Tinkerbell), and boy who never wants to grow up. It has just enough similarities to Peter Pan and just enough differences to make this story work. If you’ve read Peter Pan or seen the movie you have to read this book.
This book is definitely action packed. I think that guys will love it. But, it is still accessible to girls. So anyone could read this book and they would not feel that it was geared toward any one gender.
Whether you loved Another Faust or not you’ll go crazy over Another Pan. The story is alive and takes the readers mind and imagination to the extreme.

Note: I usually would say that if there is a previous book in a series you should read it before you read any of the later books. In the case of these books, however, I do not think that it would cause you any problems to skip Another Faust if you are so inclined. There is not much overlap with characters or details. The only characters that are carried over to the second book are Connor Wirth and Vileroy. Connor is not important and any blanks on the part of Vileroy are easily filled in. But if ya’ll still want to buy Another Faust I am sure the authors would appreciate it.

4.5/5

The Blogger/Author Halloween Spooky Swap

2010-09-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

EDIT: Swap signups are now closed. You should be receiving emails in the next few days.

Jessica and I are hosting a Halloween Spooky Swap!

If you don't know what a swap is, here's what it's all about:

Everyone likes getting stuff in the mail, and Halloween isn't really a gift-giving holiday. Why? Well I wish we knew, but I like getting surprises so we declared it a gift-giving holiday!

Everyone participating will fill out an info form, and we'll match everyone with someone they groove with. Yes, we did just say groove. You will be emailed info about who you'll be sending your Package of Awesome to. Unless you REALLY want to know who's sending your package, we'll keep that a surprise. ;) Then at the end we'll set up a Mr. Linky so that you can share your undying love for what your partner sent you! Sound fab?

The theme is Halloween, so here are the requirements for the packages:

(1) Scary story (book/movie/etc)

- This can be something you have, purchase at a thrift store (good condition please) or discover on the sale rack!

(1) Halloween colored item (orange/black, purple/black, etc)

- This is open to your interpretation! Consider what your partner likes/collects/etc.

(1) Type of candy or something sweet

- Come on...we all know Halloween is about the candy...mmmm....

Once you've included these items, you can add anything else you'd like to your recipient's package! Be fun, be intentional, enjoy!

Official Rules and Regulations:

MONEY LIMIT:

15$ MINIMUM + shipping. This means that you MUST spend at least 15 dollars - no less. We want to make sure that everyone is fair. You could spend a few more dollars if you wish to do so, but that is completely up to you. Shipping is extra. Please take some time into getting thoughtful items for your partner! Don't just stop at the gas station and pick something up - think about whether the items you get are something you yourself would like to receive.

Just to be on the safe side, please do not send the following to ANYONE: tobacco products, alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs, weapons, or pornographic material.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPPING:

Members are required to get Delivery Confirmation with their packages and email the number to Jessica or myself. You can find our email addresses on our respective blogs. We will email you to remind you if the deadline is nearing and we haven't heard from you yet.

WHEN YOU GET YOUR PACKAGE:

Once you get your package, please post about it! Tell us what you got, post pictures, and thank your partner!

If you don't have a blog, you can still participate! Please send your thank you post and pictures to one of us and we'll post it for you.

DEADLINES:

All participants must be signed up by October 3rd. This will give us plenty of time to pair you off, notify you, and ensure that you still have plenty of time to go out and get some fun items for your partner. We will consider taking late signups if the participant is willing to ship by the deadline! In the event that there is an uneven amount of participants, one of us (Travis or Jessica) will take on two partners to make this fair.

All packages must be sent by October 20th. This is to ensure that your package gets wherever it is shipped off to in time! You are welcome to send it before the date if it is ready to go. If you agree to ship Internationally, you may want to send it a bit earlier.

In the form below, put some info about yourself to give to your partner. Let them know things like:

Favorite flavors
Favorite scents
Any allergies?
Favorite color and pattern
Hobbies
Favorite music
Favorite movies/tv shows
Favorite books/authors
Favorite accessories
Clothing/shoe/bracelet/ring size
Things you collect
Other interests

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments or shoot us an email. You can sign up on either blog, as the form is the same.

Fill out the FORM to participate!

Thanks to Jeremy from Novel Thoughts for the graphic!

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

2010-09-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.
Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

I'll start by saying this: Paranormalcy DEBUTED at number 7 on the New York Times Bestseller List.

I'll let that sink in.

On it's first week of release, it made the list. Yes, this books is that awesome.

I pretty much read this book in an afternoon. I literally couldn't put it down.

Evie lives and works in the IPCA, where she "bags and tags" paranormals. This book has them all. Vampires, werewolves, faeries, pixies, hags, water nymphs, wood nymphs, and many more. They're unnoticed by the general population, and the IPCA keeps it that way. They also neutralize the paranormals, so they don't hurt innocent humans.

The concept is fresh and interesting, and so very well thought out. The book is hilarious, and starts out fairly lighthearted. It does get a little darker toward the middle of the book, and that surprised me (in a good way). It gave the novel a real depth. Everything isn't always sunshine and rainbows.

There was a point at the end where the events feel a little bit rushed, but I was so into the book that it didn't bother me.

The end of the novel is pretty final, with just enough loose threads to tease the sequel. No cliffhangers here!

The characters are pretty well developed, and very interesting.

Overall, this was an excellent book, and I can't wait for the next book!

5/5

Recommended if you liked Hex Hall, The Mortal Instruments, and Twilight.

Halloween Spook Swap!

2010-09-16T21:51:00.001-07:00

We're thinking of doing a blogger Halloween themed package swap! You'll be given someone to send your package to, and you can fill it with candy, goodies, and - duh - books! More details will be given later, but right now we're just going to see if anyone would be interested.

IMM: Decatur Book Festival Edition

2010-09-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is an IMM. It's also a big post about the Decatur Book Festival that I attended this past weekend. I was supposed to to a vlog, but that didn't work out for a few reasons. Maybe next time!

On Saturday morning, my friends and I piled into the car super early. We had a breakfast to go to, and it started at 9, so we left at 6. I hate getting up early. We were the second group of people to arrive, so we ordered our food and waited. So many bloggers and authors showed up!

Breakfast

Authors at the breakfast

Carrie Ryan, Jackson Pearce, Nancy Werlin, Mari Mancusi, and Myra McEntire just to name a few authors.
Later that day we went to a panel with David Levithan and Terra Elan McVoy where they talked about romance. They each read an excerpt from one of their novels, and the whole thing was hilarious.

David Levithan reading from WGWG

After that we had a panel with Cinda Williams Chima, Kathleen Duey, Saundra Mitchell, and Jessica Verday about fantasy world building. For a fantasy fan like me, it was so interesting to hear their thoughts on writing, history, and maps.
Then there was the Zombies vs. Vampires Smackdown with Carrie Ryan and Alyxandra Harvey. That one was loads of fun, and Carrie may or may not have slammed Justin Bieber...
The last panel of Saturday was with Rachel Hawkins and Nancy Werlin. They talked about why teens like fantasy, and how it reflects on the world today. Rachel opened up with a Buffy reference, so obviously that panel was amazing.
Sunday we had the CASSANDRA CLARE panel. It was held in a church, and the whole place was almost filled up. Jackson Pearce dressed up as Magnus Bane as she introduced Cassie. Then there was the signing. We waited in line outside for TWO hours. I felt bad for Cassie, as she had to sit and sign books in the heat. She was so awesome for doing it.

After that we ran to the last panel. This one was Jackson Pearce, Michelle Zink, and Robin Benway talking about sibling rivalry.
The whole festival was amazing. Getting to meet all of the authors, bloggers, and readers was such an awesome experience.
Now for the IMM part. (you'll also get a preview of what I'm giving away soon)

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey
Vacations From Hell (signed by Cassie Clare)
Boys That Bite by Mari Mancusi
Kiss Me Deadly (signed by Carrie Ryan and Michelle Zink)
The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey x2
Sacred Scars by Kathleen Duey x2
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway x2
Mortal Instruments series by Cassie Clare
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce x2
Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus courtesy of Jennifer.
Clockwork Angel by Cassie Clare

Pretty much anything with a double I'm giving away, along with a ton of swag. Keep a lookout!

Update

2010-09-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I'm still here. Most of the books I've been reading are future releases, and they're not going to be posted until closer to their release dates. That's why there haven't been many reviews up lately. I'll be reading and reviewing some recent releases soon though, so no worries.

Over the weekend I went to the Decatur Book Festival, and got to meet a TON of authors, bloggers, and readers. I'll be doing a post all about that later this week.
You guys are awesome, so I've got loads of stuff from the festival to give away in the coming weeks. Signed books, unsigned books, and tons of swag!

If you guys have any books that you'd like to see me review in the future, or just wanna say hi, drop me a line in the comments!

Mockingjay by Suzanna Collins

2010-08-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

I had expectations for Mockingjay. I'd thought about theories, and even made up some fake, funny ones with people on Twitter. Nothing prepared me for this book. It feels different from the first two in the series. Not bad, just different. There's a war going on. Bad things happen in war. Heidi Kling (author of SEA) said, "Forget Team Peeta/Team Gale. By the end of this book you are only Team Humanity."
I can't agree more. For months fans have been speculating about who Katniss will choose. But honestly, in light of present circumstances, it doesn't matter. This book explores themes of war, the meaning of right and wrong/good and evil, and shows that every decision we make has a consequence. If you liked The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, you won't be disappointed. This book has lived up to its hype, and is now probably my favorite read this year. I believe that everyone should read the previous two books just to get the the masterpiece that is Mockingjay.

5/5

Catching Fire Reread

2010-08-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

I'm rereading Catching Fire very quickly, so I most likely won't be doing a recap of it on here. Maybe a really super condensed quick one when I'm done, but definitely not a chapter-by-chapter recap like I did with The Hunger Games.
To (kinda) make up for it, here's Suzanne Collins reading the first chapter of Mockingjay!

Guys and Books

2010-08-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Let's have a little chat, ok?

I know the majority of YA readers are female. I know there are a lot of guys that don't read for whatever reasons. The argument has been made that YA books aren't marketed to boys, and I can see that. Just take a walk down the YA section at any bookstore. What do you see? Covers colored in purple and pink, covers with girls on the front, etc. Books that a lot of guys wouldn't be caught dead reading in school. Something needs to be done about that, but that's not the main reason for this post.
I was looking around the blogosphere, and I saw something that made me stop. There was a teen guy giving short review of a book. He liked said book, but advised other boys to speed read through romantic scenes to get to the "good" parts. I know girls have a different mentality toward romance and love than guys do, but in the end, aren't we all human? Don't we all fall in love, and feel warm and fuzzy feelings? ~~If you prick us, do we not all bleed?~~ Sorry, went one too far.
Is there a reason that boys are so anti-romance? I get it if it's a book where romance is the main issue, and it talked about constantly (I'm looking at you Twilight). The thing is, this book wasn't one of those. The romance is there, but it's not presented in an overly "lovey-dovey" way. I honestly have never had a problem reading about romance and love, so I don't get what the big deal is. Can anyone explain it to me? I'd love to hear your thoughts, opinions, experiences in the comments.

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 25 - 27

2010-08-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

Chapter 25

The creatures are giant wolves that act human. They chase the three tributes to the Cornucopia, which they climb. Katniss picks a few of them off with her bow, then realizes something. The wolves look like the dead tributes. There's even one that looks like Rue. Once bites Peeta, but Katniss kills it. Cato tries to kill Peeta in the confusion, but Katniss shoots him as well, sending him into the pack of wolves. They begin to tear him apart. They torture him all night, and Katniss and Peeta are forced to listen to him scream in pain. In the morning, Katniss decides to put Cato out of his misery. The wolves go away, and Katniss and Peeta make their way back to the lake, waiting for the games to be over. Then an announcement: only one person can win the games, not two.

This is how angry I was.

Katniss decides that they should both kill themselves with the poison berries. They put them in their mouths, and the announcer comes back, saying that they both win!

Chapter 26

They both get into a hovercraft, where doctors tend to them. Katniss is put into a drug-induced coma for a while. When she finally wakes up, she is styled and costumed for the closing ceremonies. There, she will see Peeta for the first time since the games. Haymitch tells Katniss that the Capitol is furious that they "beat the system", so she should be careful.

Chapter 27

Katniss and Peeta reunite on stage, and are then forced to watch a three hour highlight of the Games. They go to a party, and the next day have an interview. While there, Katniss discovers that Peeta now has an artificial leg. =/
They go back home, but on the way, Katniss reveals to Peeta that some of her affections during the Games were just an act. Peeta is understandably upset. They arrive home.

The End

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 22 - 24

2010-08-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

Chapter 22

It's raining outside when Katniss wakes up, and Peeta is better. He's been taking care of her. They're stuck, and since they have nothing better to do, they talk. And kiss. Katniss realizes that the more they play on the star crossed lovers angle, the happier Haymitch will be, so she does it. She finally (kind of) tells Peeta that she loves him, and Haymitch sends them a feast. Peeta is thrilled, both for the food and the declaration of love.

Peeta

Chapter 23

More cave time. The tribute that saved Katniss is killed, leaving 2 tributes left (not counting Katniss and Peeta). The rain stops and they go hunting. Peeta is loud, so Katniss sends him to gather berries and roots and stuff. When she comes back with food, she sees that some of their cheese and berries have disappeared. Peeta didn't eat them, so where did they go? Suddenly, they hear a cannon, and a body is taken away not far from them. Katniss realizes that the berries Peeta gathered are poison, and the other tribute must have stolen and eaten them.

Chapter 24

Katniss saves some berries just in case they can trick the last tribute left (Cato) into eating them. They go back to the cave and sleep. When they are both rested, they decide to leave. The streams and ponds are dried up, so they make their way to the lake. When they reach the clearing, Cato runs toward them. Katniss shoots him with an arrow, but it just bounces off of him. Instead of running for them, he runs past them. Then they notice he's running from something.

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 19 - 21

2010-08-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

Chapter 19

Katniss decides to look for Peeta so that they can team up. She's walking through the forest when she spots a trail of blood. She follows it to a stream, then hears Peeta's voice. He camouflaged himself in the riverbank so he wouldn't be seen. Katniss helps him up and sees that he is badly injured from tracker jacker stings, burns, and a nasty gash in his leg. She begins taking off his clothes and tending to his wounds. His leg is in very bad shape. Katniss moves them to a cave, and Peeta is talking about dying, so Katniss kisses him to shut him up. Haymitch sends broth.

Chapter 20

They hide out in the cave, and get close. Katniss realizes Peeta has an infection. To get his mind off of things, she tells him a story. An announcement comes through saying that at dawn, there will be something each person needs at the Cornucopia. Peeta tells Katniss if she goes, he'll just follow. She says she won't. Haymitch sends Katniss sleeping syrup, and she sneakily drugs Peeta so he will not follow her.

Chapter 21

Katniss leaves just before dawn to get the backpack she needs. As she runs for the bag, a tribute grabs her and immobilizes her. Then she starts cutting Katniss' face. The other tribute from Rue's district grabs her from behind and kills her. He lets Katniss go because of the kindness she showed Rue. Katniss goes back to the cave, opens backpack and sees a syringe inside. She gives the shot to Peeta, then passes out.

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 16 - 18

2010-08-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Chapter 16

The plan: take out the career tributes' food supply. Rue knows where they've stockpiled it. Katniss leaves for the camp while Rue creates a diversion. She reaches the camp and is about to go toward it when another tribute comes out of the forest. She hops and jumps across the ground to the food, grabs some, and navigates her way back. Then Katniss realizes that the ground around the food is booby trapped. They dug up the mines from around the starting disks and buried them around the food supply. With her arrows, she takes aim and shoots at a hanging bag of apples above the mines. It rips, and apples fall onto the ground. Then BOOM.

Chapter 17

Katniss is blown back from the explosion, and her ear is damaged. It is impossible for her to stand, so she crawls to a hiding spot. She sleeps, and begins to make her way back to Rue. She hears her scream and runs toward the noise. Rue calls for Katniss, and Katniss finally reaches the clearing where Rue is. She's tangled in a net, and a tribute standing beside her thrusts a spear into her side.

Chapter 18

The boy is killed by Katniss before he can move. Katniss cuts Rue down, and both know that Rue is dying. Katniss says that she'll win now, for the both of them. Rue asks Katniss to sing her a song, and as she's singing, Rue dies.

Katniss covers her body in flowers, and makes her way back. She moves her way through the woods and climbs into a tree to sleep. The anthem plays, then trumpets sound announcing a message.
Two tributes can win this year, as long as they're both from the same district.

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 13 - 15

2010-08-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Chapter 13

The Gamemakers have started the fire because the games have gotten boring. Katniss starts to run. Then, FREAKING FIREBALLS begin to shoot at her. She does a pretty good job of dodging them, until one gets her in the thigh. She burns her hands trying to put it out. Ouch. She finds another pond and cools her burns until she hears people coming. It's the tributes from before. She climbs a tree to escape them, but they see her. One girl named Glimmer tries to shoot Katniss with the bow and arrow, but misses. They try to climb up after her, but none of them can reach her height. Night falls, and they all sleep, except Katniss. Then she notices that another tribute, Rue, is with her in the treetops.

Chapter 14

Rue points above Katniss' head. It's a tracker jacker nest. These babies are hybrid wasps made by the capitol. Their stings cause hallucinations, and eventually death if you get to many of them. Another thing about them? They track you down. They're a little sluggish from the smoke caused by the fire, so Katniss starts to saw the branch with her knife. It drops to the ground, breaking open around Peeta and the other tributes. They swarm them, and all of them but Glimmer and another girl run away. They can't run away, because they've gotten so many stings that they're dead. Katniss is stung a few times, and starts seeing things, but she knows she needs to get that bow and those arrows. She makes her way down and gets them away from Glimmer's body. Now she's armed and dangerous.

Peeta then appears, telling her to run. She does, then falls to the ground and blacks out.

Chapter 15

Katniss has no idea why Peeta saved her. She ponders that while she kills a rabbit and a bird. Rue finds Katniss, and they form an alliance. They talk, and Katniss shares her food, while Rue tends to Katniss' wasp stings. Katniss and Rue go into a tree to sleep, and Katniss begins to form a plan of attack.

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 10 - 12

2010-08-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Chapter 10

Katniss is a little slow, but she finally realizes that Peeta was indeed talking about HER. They go back to their living space and she shoves him into an urn. He bleeds. They fight, but Katniss accepts that the star crossed lover thing is a good advantage for them. They go to bed, but Katniss can't sleep, so she goes to the roof. Peeta's there. They argue a little, and Katniss wonders if he's crazy. Then she reminisces about a previous competitor who ate the hearts of the people he killed in the arena.

Yummy

In the morning, they get on a hovercraft and are injected with tracking devices. They go to the catacombs beneath the arena and Katniss goes with Cinna. She mentions that the previous arenas are now vacation spots for people in the Capitol, and they have tours and reenactments and everything. Totally insane. Katniss steps on a disk and is elevated to the arena. The 74th annual Hunger Games have begun.

Chapter 11

Katniss must stand on her circle for 60 seconds. If she steps off of it before then, she'll be blown to pieces. All of the tributes are around a Cornucopia, which is filled with supplies and weapons. Katniss notices that the arena is a forest with a huge lake. She notices a bow and arrow in the Cornucopia, but Haymitch has instructed them to run for the forest as soon as they can. The gong sounds, and she stumbles forward, grabbing a sheet of plastic, loaf of bread, and a backpack. Another tribute reaches it at the same time, but no worries, he's stabbed in the back with a knife. Katniss runs, and another knife is thrown at her. She catches it with her backpack and keeps running into the forest, dropping her bread. Cannon shots count the dead. Eleven. Inside her backpack: sleeping bag, crackers, beef jerky, iodine, matches, wire, sunglasses, and an empty water jug. Night falls, and Katniss makes herself a bed in a tree. She goes to sleep, but is woken up by some idiot starting a fire in the middle of the night.

Some tributes run for the fire, and and stab the girl. She screams and goes silent. the make their way toward Katniss, but stop because they don't hear a cannon. Someone speaks up and says that they will make sure she's dead. That someone is Peeta.

Chapter 12

Katniss overhears the other tributes talking about Peeta. They only have him around to get to her. Peeta comes back and says, "She's dead now." Then a cannon fires. They leave, and Katniss climbs out of her tree. She catches a rabbit, then cooks and eats it. She needs water. Walking all day doesn't help her dehydration. She eventually trips and falls, ready to give up, when she realizes she's in mud. She finds a pond, drinks a lot of water, and goes to sleep in a tree. Then she's woken up by fire.

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 7 - 9

2010-08-18T19:06:00.000-07:00

Chapter 7

Katniss and Peeta start training and decide to train together. In public they are instructed to be always together. There are tributes from districts 1, 2, and 4 called "Career Tributes" because they are trained their whole life to be tributes in the Games. The tributes all train for 3 days, then show the Gamemakers what they can do for a score. Katniss is the last to go, and most of the Gamemakers are more interested in the roasted pig on their table than in Katniss. So, Katniss takes her bow and arrow and shoots toward the Gamemakers into the apple in the pig's mouth. Go Katniss!

Chapter 8

The scores are given from the Gamemakers. Peeta gets an 8, Katniss get an 11. Katniss misses Gale. The next morning, Haymitch tells Katniss that Peeta has asked to be coached separately.

Chapter 9

Effie teaches Katniss how to hold herself in public, walk in heels, etc. Haymitch tries to find a personality angle for Katniss to work in her interview, but fails. He calls Katniss a dead slug. Katniss is angry, so she binge eats fancy food and throws plates around everywhere. The Avox girl comes in and helps Katniss clean up. Katniss apologizes for not helping Avox girl escape. Then, Cinna comes in and makes Katniss pretty for her interview. He dresses her in shiny jewels, and gives her a personality angle to work with. During the interview, Katniss wins over the crowd, and so does Peeta. Then Peeta drops a bombshell in front of all of Panem: He's in love with Katniss.

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 4 - 6

2010-08-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

Chapter 4

In chapter 4, we really get to see how bad life is in District 12. Katniss takes the first shower of her life, then moves on to breakfast. The meal has so many items, and Katniss comments that just the basket of rolls could have fed her family for an entire week. She also says that she's only had an orange once in her life. ONCE. How many of us drink orange juice every morning?
Anyway. Katniss and Peeta show Haymitch that they don't want to die, and will do whatever they can to win. He makes them promise to do whatever he says, starting with obeying their makover teams that they will be facing soon.

Chapter 5

Katniss gets waxed. Well, that's not the only thing that happens, but just imagine never having shaved your legs, or any other part of your body. Then imagine someone coming up and ripping every follicle out. Ouchie. They also do her nails, scrub her body squeaky clean, and make sure she looks presentable. Her design team is very extravagantly dressed, showing some of the fashion of the Capitol. Flavius has orange hair and purple lipstick, Octavia has green skin, and Venia had aqua hair and golden tattoos above her eyebrows.
Then we meet Cinna. Probably my favorite character in both books. This is his first year as a designer, and he asked for District 12, which has never happened. Why did he ask? I have no idea.
Cinna dresses Katniss and Peeta in flaming costumes that make them the hit of the opening ceremonies. Nobody can take their eyes off of the pair. Katniss is dubbed "The Girl On Fire".

Chapter 6

The tributes go to live in the training center, and each district gets a floor. Katniss' living quarters are bigger than her entire house back home. While eating another extravagant meal, Katniss recognizes a servant girl with red hair. She is told that the girl is an Avox - someone who committed a crime and was punished by having her tongue cut out and forced to be a servant.
Later Katniss confides in Peeta about how she knew the Avox girl. One day, Katniss was hunting in the forest with Gale, and the red-haired girl ran through with a boy. Katniss could tell that they were from the capital, and the girl saw Katniss in her hiding place. Before either of them could do anything, a hovercraft came down, and the girl was caught in a net. The boy was caught with a spear through the chest, and the hovercraft disappeared into the sky.

Katniss also reminisces about her life, and it is revealed that footage of the destroyed District 13 is shown occasionally shown on tv to discourage rebellion.

Comments? Questions?

The Hunger Games Recap: Chapters 1 - 3

2010-08-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

Chapter 1

Basically, chapter 1 is just background about Panem, showing life in District 12, and introducing the Hunger Games. Katniss' sister Primrose gets called to be the female tribute, and the chapter ends.

Chapter 2

Katniss immediately volunteers to take Prim's place, then Peeta is chosen as the male tribute. Katniss' past with Peeta is revealed; he saved her life once when they were children.

Chapter 3

They are immediately taken to say their final goodbyes. Katniss is visited by her mother and Prim, Peeta's father (who gives her cookies - yum), the mayor's daughter Madge (who gives her a mockingjay pin), and finally Gale.

Then, they get on the train and we get to know Effie Trinket. She's shallow, but an interesting character. In my head, I picture her looking like Kristin Chenoweth:

It is also told that Haymitch is going to be their sponsor. Obviously neither Katniss or Peeta are happy about this. Then Haymitch vomits everywhere. Classy!

Anyone agree with my Chenoweth choice? Got anything to say or add? Leave a comment!

Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

2010-08-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?

The Replacement is one of those books that feels like a dream. The atmosphere is tangible, and you can't help but be drawn into it. The town of Gentry is full of secrets. Well, not really. Everyone knows about the creatures in the shadows that take children, but they ignore it. That's just the way things work. Mackie was left in a crib to replace a stolen child, and has grown up as human. People know he's different. It's not easy to hide allergies to blood, iron, and consecrated ground.
There aren't many changeling stories out there, but out of the ones that are, this one is leaps and bounds ahead. The descriptions are vivid, and the story is engaging and eerie. I read most of this book with a thunderstorm outside, and it set the perfect mood.
The cover is amazingly creepy, and reflects the story well. If I saw it in the store, I'd want to buy it because of the cover alone.

5/5

Clockwork Angel Trailer!

2010-08-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

I hate that it's out of bounds, but it doesn't matter! Here's the book trailer for Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel created by my friend Vania at VLC productions. You NEED to read this book people. It's one of the best I've read this year. And I'm not just saying that.

Which District Are You?

2010-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

To start off my reread of The Hunger Games, I found something fun. Here's a map someone made of Panem:

Click to make it bigger. So, according to the map, (if you live in the US) which district are you from? Or are you underwater?
I'm in district 12. Go Katniss and Peeta!

Waiting On Wednesday: The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud

2010-08-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

Bartimaeus, everyone’s favorite (wise-cracking) djinni, is back in book four of this best-selling series. As alluded to in the footnotes throughout the series, Bartimaeus has served hundreds of magicians during his 5,010 year career. Now, for the first time, fans will go back in time with the djinni, to Jerusalem and the court of King Solomon in 950s BC. Only in this adventure, it seems the great Bartimaeus has finally met his match. He’ll have to contend with an unpleasant master and his sinister servant, and runs into just a “spot” of trouble with King Solomon’s magic ring….

The Bartimaeus trilogy is one of my favorite book series EVER, and once I found out that this new book was coming out, I went crazy. I'm trying my best to get a review copy, but that's probably not going to happen. I'll definitely be buying it in November.

Mockingjay is a Week Away

2010-08-17T16:28:00.000-07:00

In anticipation for the release, I'm rereading The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. It has been almost a year since I read them both last, and I'm sure I missed some things the first time around.
So, I'll be posting my thoughts on each chapter/group of chapters, and then we'll all be caught up by the 24th!
Naturally, there will be spoilers, so if you haven't read them just skip those posts, unless you wanna be spoiled.

2010-08-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Since Mockingjay is coming out in SEVEN DAYS, Here's a little something I found.

I'm still here.

2010-08-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

I've been a little MIA recently. Not because I haven't been reading, (I've got reviews of Beautiful Darkness and Delirium coming closer to their release dates) but just because I've been a little busy. I promise I'll do a little better to keep updating with stuff, even if it is just something random. I hope you all have an awesome day!

Cassie Clare Announcement!

2010-08-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

Cassie is writing a total of THREE more Mortal Instruments series! They are called:

City of Fallen Angels
City of Lost Souls
City of Heavenly Fire

Let's stat our collective fangirl/fanboying!

Waiting on Wednesday: Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

2010-08-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings. But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he′s charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

This sounds so unique and interesting! Look for it on August 31!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Nightmarys by Dan Poblocki

2010-07-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Timothy July has a secret. And it's giving him nightmares. Abigail Tremens has a problem. Her nightmares are haunting her...while she is awake. When they team up for a school project, they don't realize that Abigail's past and Timothy's present are making them the target of a terrible curse. A curse that turns their worst fears to reality. But their fears are just the beginning. The curse stems from a strange artifact that gains strength by devouring a human soul. And it needs to feed again

The synopsis sounds great, and the cover is very creepy. I'm definitely waiting on this one!

Winner!

2010-07-27T21:24:00.000-07:00

The winner of the audiobook of The Demon's Lexicon is...

Julie Swaney!

Congratulations Julie! I'll send your info over to Sarah, and I hope you enjoy!

Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2010-07-26T22:59:00.000-07:00

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

I read the Mortal Instruments series. I loved the Mortal Instruments series. I would put it up there as one of my favorite series ever read. Cassie's writing is lovely, and her characters are real (even minor ones). So I had much anticipation, as well as a little trepidation for Clockwork Angel. I knew it was set in the same world as the MI series, and that it was set in the late 1800s. As I said, I loved the MI series, but I DO. NOT. LIKE. historical novels. History was my worst subject in school, and I think my hatred from that carries on into the books I read. Anyway, back to the review. I don't like historical novels, but I absolutely loved this book. For me, City of Bones started off kind of sluggishly, so I expected a slow start with CA. Not so, my friends. From the beginning I was hooked and didn't want to stop reading. In fact, I have the urge to reread this one.
Although Clockwork Angel is set in the same world, it still feels fresh. There's action, suspense, and (loads of) humor. The characters are great, but I expected that. Cassie also doesn't shy away from the nastier parts of the shadowhunting. There's plenty of blood, guts, and gore. And there's a new type of enemy that does a very good job of creeping me out. I love the Mortal Instruments series, and can't wait for City of Fallen Angels... but I think I may like The Infernal Devices better.
This is a MUST READ. Pick it up August 31! I know I'll be buying a copy!

5/5

Waiting on Wednesday: The Unidentifiedby Rae Mariz

2010-07-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

Kid knows her school’s corporate sponsors not-so-secretly monitor her friendships and activities for market research. It’s all a part of the Game; the alternative education system designed to use the addictive kick from video games to encourage academic learning. Everyday, a captive audience of students ages 13-17 enter the nationwide chain store-like Game locations to play.

When a group calling themselves The Unidentified simulates a suicide to protest the power structure of their school, Kid’s investigation into their pranks attracts unwanted attention from the sponsors. As Kid finds out she doesn't have rights to her ideas, her privacy, or identity, she and her friends look for a way to revolt in a place where all acts of rebellion are just spun into the next new ad campaign.

This one sounds great, and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Interview + Giveaway with Sarah Rees Brennan!

2010-07-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

I love Sara Rees Brennan's series. The Demon's Lexicon blew me away, and The Demon's Covenant was even better! I'm eagerly awaiting book 3, but here's an interview to hold you over until then.

How do you do research for fight scenes? Do you have a hidden stash of weapons anywhere?

The glorious internet, mostly! I also took fencing lessons, and a single archery lesson. (It... didn't go... so well. But nobody was wounded, and the instructor's hurtful nomination of me as Student Most Likely To Give Herself An Accidental Piercing was unjust!)

I do not have a hidden stash of weapons anywhere... unless you count the fact that one of my housemates works in a museum, and has taken me down to the secret cellars of her workplace and shown me many ancient and excellent blades not seen by the public. (Some of them made with bones.) It's not MY hidden stash of weapons, but it is A hidden stash of weapons...

Your magic system is very unique! Where did you come up with it?

Thank you! My magic system comes from a hodge-podge of things - my love for Christina Rossetti's poem the Goblin Market, fairytales like that about the Pied Piper of Hamelin, my reading about beliefs in demons in Sumerian and Elizabethan times, German tracts about witchcraft, the way I wanted to have a ton of different kinds of magic and magic user, the way I wanted to use magic to talk about language, danger, music and love.

Also often just things that occurred to me as Super Cool. I'm, uh, a complex soul...

I saw somewhere that Hiromu Arakawa (creator of Fullmetal Alchemist) drew your Japanese cover, and I freaked out a little. Do you have a favorite cover?

You could not have freaked out as hard as I freaked out. I spent seventeen hours in front of my computer, rocking back and forth, waiting for my Japanese cover. I do love my cover as drawn by Hiromu Arakawa a lot! I have to say I also love my French cover for the Demon's Lexicon. But then, I love having a ton of covers: it's a lot of fun to see all the different ways that different cover artists imagine my book.

Have you had any controversy because the book deals with demons, has violence, or has a gay character?

I think I have managed to escape controversy because my book just has 'DEMON' in the title - it scares everybody off! (Nooooo - come back, readers, come back!)

I've heard the most noise, I think, about writing Demon's Lexicon from the point of view of Nick - from inside the head of the tall, dark and crazy dangerous dude we usually see from the outside, and trying to show this guy as very problematic, and all his pitilessness, his scary capacity for violence - as well as what he loves, and what more he is trying to be. That's put some people off, but I've also received a wonderful response from those who liked what I was trying to do. And I've been very pleased (and a little surprised) by how much fan love there is for Jamie, the main gay character. My little sister hadn't read about a gay character before and likes him the best, eleven year old boys have written to me about having never read a gay character before and liking him the best.

It's wonderful to see that kind of response, and also wonderful to see appreciation for Alan, Nick's older brother, a book-loving crack shot who is disabled: my very first fanmail when the second book, The Demon's Covenant, came out was from a disabled reader. It's one of my very favourite emails I've ever received. Seeing that kind of response makes me more than ever determined to write characters who aren't traditional or stereotyped - to say to everyone that everyone has a story.

Also I just think things like swordfights on the Millennium Bridge in London are really cool! (I do know I've taken on a responsibility, and have to handle writing about violence and gay characters both thoughtfully, for very different reasons. But if a writer's not challenging themselves, they're doing something wrong.)

The books are hilarious. I was laughing through the whole book (when I wasn't being sad or on the edge of my seat) Are you really that funny, or is it just Jamie/Nick?

Thank you again! I make a lot of jokes, but I'm not sure how funny I am... I love writing humour, and I never believe in a scary scene, or a love scene, or any kind of scene without at least a little bit of humour. I don't think I could care about a character who didn't have a sense of humour, and I'm interested in the way humour can both be a way to connect to people and a way to distance yourself from them.

So I make a lot of jokes in my books. I have fun writing them, and I'm very, very pleased if people think I'm (or Jamie or Nick is!) funny. I'm never sure any of us are myself, but I love trying to be!

I was going to ask something else, but I forgot. Can you remember what I was going to ask?

I can remember what you were going to ask! And don't worry, I know the answer. Marmalade pudding. (You're welcome!)

Do you have a favorite scene? Character?

Picking a favourite character's like picking a favourite child, I bet: you have a favourite all the time, but they keep changing! A minor character who I ended up loving much more than I thought I would was Matthias, a pied piper (someone who creates magic through music) - a cynical guy who doesn't think much of the main characters, and who appears first in the Demon's Covenant.

My favourite scenes tend to be those that made me laugh or made me cry: Mae and Nick on the boat with Mae pretending to be a pirate and Nick her helpless captive, Nick and Alan in the demon's circle with Alan telling Nick the truth for the first time, Drunk Jamie, and That One Chapter With The Most Storms In It.

Have you written anything before TDL that will never be seen by anyone?

Oh gosh. PILES OF THINGS. Thousands and thousands of pages. If I kept all my manuscripts under my bed, I'd have a sleeping situation like the princess in the Princess and the Pea. My huge, huge piles of work hidden away from all mankind forever include Regency romances with explosions, horse-loving schoolgirls who get mixed up with ninjas, and my persistence proves that anyone who wants to be a writer - really wants - should just keep trying. Keep writing! Eventually, you will get better. (Don't keep it all under your bed....)

There was a scene in TDC that made me very sad. Is it harder for you to write the deaths as opposed to the lighter sections?

It's hard for me in a way - sometimes I cry! - but also some scenes I've been anticipating writing for ages, because it's fun to write exciting, dramatic, really important and life-changing scenes. So I thunder away at the keyboard and weep and really enjoy myself in another way.

I think I know the scene you mean. ;) I'm very flattered to have made you sad - the biggest compliment, for me, is eliciting an emotional response from your readers. It's wonderful to have someone admire plot and writing style, but the very best thing is if people love your characters, and care what happens to them.

Have you always wanted to be an author? What else did you want to be when you grew up?

I've wanted to be an author since I was five. When I was five, I - like many, many other five year old girls - wanted to be a ballerina! Since I have all the grace of a giraffe in a forklift, this dream shortly died. (This may be why so many of my main characters are excellent dancers...)

Are there any YA books recently released or coming out soon that we should keep an eye out for?

Oooh. Yes, absolutely. Recently released YA: Holly Black's White Cat, which is about magical conmen and has a fabulous boy narrator, and Kelley Armstrong's the Reckoning, the last in her awesome trilogy about a very sweet necromancer and a very grouchy werewolf.

Books that aren't out yet: I just finished Robin McKinley's Pegasus, which is this gorgeous, heartbreaking high fantasy about a princess and a pegasus and politics and love and language, and when I read the ending I thought I was going to have a heart attack. And I absolutely love Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel, in which demonhunting ladies in Victorian London dispatch demons with their deadly parasols, and beautiful boys are totally round the twist and positively not gentlemen at all.

Do you have a title for book three yet?

Noooooo. I waaaaaant one. I've told my editor that my favourites are The Demon's Tempest and The Demon's Trial. We'll just have to see. Stuff like covers and book titles, boys and girls, are never up to the author!

Speaking of book three, do you have any info that you can give us?

Sure. A couple of spoilers for you: In the third book, Nick gets brought to his knees (figuratively and literally) and Alan gets a girlfriend.

In more general terms: I had a lot of fun writing Sin's point of view, since she, like Nick, is a character who gets seen more often from the outside than the inside - the dangerously alluring and (holy cow, is this an issue) dark-skinned femme fatale.

Sin's very aware, as a performer, of how she's seen by other people, and how other people consciously or unconsciously play their own parts. It felt like exactly the right way to finish a trilogy which from the start was about seeing familiar roles in a new way, and how people can surpass their own expectations of themselves, and the readers'. It was also a challenge, of course, because Sin's story couldn't just be Sin's story - it had to be a continuation of Nick's story and a continuation of Mae's story, and an ending for all the characters that I hope will satisfy my readers!

Are you working on anything else besides that?

I am, yes! My trilogy's main focus is on sibling relationships, so I wanted to try my hand at something very romantic. (But... romantic in an unusual way, because I always do things in a crazy way, apparently!) And I wanted to write about a mystery that needed to be solved, because I love crime novels. And to have a touch of the Gothic in there, in modern times. And... well, I'm really excited about my new project, but I will be mysterious about it for now. With luck, someone will want to publish it, and someone will want to read it! (Wish me luck, you guys...)

Thank you so much Sarah! And because she's so awesome, she's donating an audiobook of The Demon's Lexicon to one of you lucky ducks! All you have to do is fill out the form to enter! Followers get an extra entry, as does spreading the word. This is open internationally, so anyone can enter! I'll pick a winner on ~~Saturday, July 31~~ Wednesday July 28th. Good luck!

Click here to enter!

Review: Ash by Malinda Lo

2010-07-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Ash is a retelling of the classic Cinderella story. You've got the dead parents, evil stepmother/sisters, and a little bit of magic. But that's where the similarities end. I knew it was based on Cinderella, so I could anticipate what would happen at some parts, but it's different enough to feel fresh. The characters had the potential to feel two dimensional, but for the most part they were very fleshed out. The addition of fairies was interesting, and it works. I do feel that there were parts that could have been explained better, especially as far as the fairies were concerned. It did drag in a few places, but not enough to annoy me. Those two things that bugged me didn't detract from the reading experience at all, and I'd recommend this book to anyone.
I love the cover, but I don't like the cover model. It looks like it's trying to depict a scene from the book, but the model looks like she's smiling and it bugs me. Otherwise, it's a great cover!

4/5

Cover Alert! The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

2010-07-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

The official cover for The Lost Saint (sequel to The Dark Divine) is out.

I love how it goes with the first cover! What do you guys think?

Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

2010-07-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight — she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme, and in her case horrifying, skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace — or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away... a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

I'd heard nothing but amazing things about this book, so when I first picked it up I was a little confused. It started out right in the middle of the story, and drops me in the middle of all of these kings, places, people, and Graces. Once I got it though, WOW. The world is so rich, and so awesomely thought out. The story was a little predictable for me (with the exception of one or two plot twists) but it was so beautifully written and planned that I didn't care. The concept of Graces is great, although it could have been utilized more, I think. That's just a personal opinion though. I wholly recommend Graceling if you like fantasy and awesomeness.

5/5

Waiting on Wednesday: The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

2010-07-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Sixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury.
There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he’s trying to kill them.
Meanwhile, Jack is falling in love with an English girl, and afraid he’s losing his mind.
Conner tells Jack it’s going to be okay.
But it’s not.

I'm really looking forward to this one, and just LOOK at that cover!

Book Blogger Rebellion

2010-07-09T01:26:00.001-07:00

Hey guys, My first post over at Book Blogger Rebellion is up, and it's all about relaxing music. Go check it out!

In My Mailbox

2010-07-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

In my mailbox was created by and is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren!

This week, I got some books in the mail, but I also made a trip to the library (where I also applied for a job, so fingers crossed).

For Review

The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Another Pan by Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri

From The Library

How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Ash by Malinda Lo

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor

I can't wait to read them all! Notice how all of these are in the "new" section of our library? Yea, we're a little behind...

Waiting on Wednesday: The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

2010-07-07T11:48:00.001-07:00

Foster kid Emma Paxton has only just discovered Sutton Mercer, the wealthy twin sister she never knew she had, when Sutton drops off the face of the earth, asking Emma to cover for her at home, school, and with her friends—just for a few days. At first Emma enjoys trying on her sister’s fabulous life: her fiercely loyal friends, her adoring boyfriend, her close-knit family. But as Emma is drawn deeper into Sutton’s world she finds the friends are not so fabulous, the boyfriend is not who she wants to be with, and the family is clinging to long-buried secrets and a veneer of functionality. And worst of all, Sutton may not be coming back. In fact, someone may have made sure she never could…and that someone knows Emma is not who she claims to be. Emma will need all her wits to survive The Lying Game.

I've been watching the show Pretty Little Liars, and I've decided I need to read the books as well. This is a new series from that author and it sounds great. The cover is very nice too.

Header

2010-07-06T10:24:00.001-07:00

I've got a new blog header, designed by the awesomely amazing Jeremy West at Novel Thoughts. Go check him out.

Cover Alert!

2010-07-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

Carrie Ryan's third book The Dark and Hollow Places has a cover now!

I love it! How do you like it?

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain: Official Book Trailer

2010-07-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

Isn't this FANTASTIC, guys?

Review: Girl Parts by John M. Cusick

2010-07-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

"Hello, David. My name is Rose. It’s a pleasure to meet you. We are now entering minute two of our friendship. According to my Intimacy Clock, a handshake is now appropriate…"

David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot to encourage healthy bonds and treat "dissociative disorder," he can’t get enough of luscious red-headed Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Severed from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal "companion" is about to become her own best friend.

After reading the synopsis, I thought that this would be a light, funny read. It did have some funny moments, but the tone of the novel was a little depressing. The story was interesting, but toward the end went into a direction that was rushed, and left the ending unresolved. There were little details that were amusing if you caught them, and parenthetical asides (like this) that gave some entertaining insight into other characters.
The cover is great, and was what originally brought my attention to the book.

I give the book a 3/5.

**EDIT**

I just found out that there will be a sequel to Girl Parts, so I'd recommend waiting a little closer to that one's release date to give this one a try. I'll definitely be reading it, if for no other reason than to feel a little closure.

Waiting on Wednesday: You by Charles Benoit

2010-06-30T00:20:00.001-07:00

This wasn't the way it was supposed to go.

You're just a typical fifteen-year-old sophomore, an average guy named Kyle Chase. This can't be happening to you. But then, how do you explain all the blood? How do you explain how you got here in the first place?

There had to have been signs, had to have been some clues it was coming. Did you miss them, or ignore them? Maybe if you can figure out where it all went wrong, you can still make it right. Or is it already too late? Think fast, Kyle. Time's running out. How did this happen?

You is the riveting story of fifteen-year-old Kyle and the small choices he does and doesn't make that lead to his own destruction.

In his stunning young-adult debut, Charles Benoit mixes riveting tension with an insightful—and unsettling—portrait of an ordinary teen in a tale that is taut, powerful, and shattering.

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting Cover!

2010-06-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

The sequel to The Body Finder now has a cover, and it's stunning. It goes with the first cover, and the pink on black is very striking.

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2010-06-28T13:08:00.000-07:00

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

This book blew me away. There's something special about it.
Going into the book, I hated the main character, and most of the supporting characters. They were annoying, shallow, and a million other things that I don't like. In fact, when Sam died, I wasn't that upset. Not just because I knew she was going to wake up, but because I may have felt, just a little bit, that she kind of deserved it.
And then she called me out on what I was thinking. After that, I had to keep reading.
This book will stay with you. It makes you think. Not only about how you may judge someone, but about how your choices could potentially affect yourself or other people.
This novel is amazingly well written, and is definitely in my top 5 for 2010.

5/5

I received this book free from the publisher for review.

Sisters Red Launch

2010-06-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

Today I got to go down to Atlanta to the Sisters Red launch event.

Jackson Pearce is, of course, amazing. She talked about the book, giving babies alcohol, and her writing process, among other things. She had a Q&A time, where she talked a little about SWEETLY (she should be getting the cover in a few days), Purity, and her historical novel. She also gave some tidbits about Sisters Red. Did you know that Silas originally had another name? She wouldn't say what it was, because it was spoilery. The main guy in Sweetly is Silas's brother, and that's VERY interesting.
Here are a few more pics, but I won't put up the one of myself and Jackson because I look like a hunchback.

Also, Sisters Red was featured this morning on Good Morning America! Check out Jackson's video:

In Defense of Twilight

2010-06-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

I was poking around online the other day, when I came across THIS:

Now, I'll be one of the first people to say that I don't particularly like Twilight, but this picture hurts me a little. I don't think that any book should be banned, taken away, or burned. What purpose does destroying a book serve? Nobody profits from this, except the book burner and Stephenie Meyer. Burning books deprives someone, somewhere an opportunity to read it.
Every book has the potential to help someone. They can help people learn to read, or give an escape. Books can teach us things without us feeling like we've been taught. I know that's kind of confusing, so I'll explain. When you read a book, you can empathize with the characters, even though they may be completely different from you. A reader can learn about the difficulties that people go through because of their skin color, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other factor. People can better themselves through books.
Twilight may not be the greatest piece of fiction out there, but it serves a purpose. I know several people who used Twilight as a springboard for other books. It has ignited a passion for reading in countless people who otherwise wouldn't pick up a book.
So, if you're one of those people who hates Twilight or some other book, go on hating. But please don't destroy the book. Donate it to a library, shelter, or some other place where it has the opportunity to reach someone.

Jackson Pearce Signing!

2010-06-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

I'm going to see Jackson Pearce again! This time instead of hiding in the shadows, she's having her own shiny Sisters Red launch party! I promise to share pictures and anything interesting that happens. There's a rumor that she'll be liveblogging the event, so keep an eye out!

Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

2010-06-18T17:11:00.000-07:00

Violet Ambrose can find the dead. Or at least, those who have been murdered. She can sense the echoes they leave behind... and the imprints they leave on their killers. As if that weren't enough to deal with during junior year, she also has a sudden, inexplicable, and consuming crush on her best friend since childhood, Jay Heaton.

Now a serial killer has begun terrorizing Violet's small town... and she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

The Body Finder was a very interesting, creepy read. After reading the prologue, I was hooked. The ability to sense dead bodies isn't something I've seen before, and it was very well done. The writing envelopes you, as does the level of detail in everything. For me - as a guy - that wasn't always a good thing. I sometimes got tired of reading about how Violet wished her hair was straight and not curly, or the details of makeup and dresses. Having said that, I loved this book. It had just the right amount of suspense, and while the ending didn't completely catch me by surprise, I still completely enjoyed it.
The cover is stunning, and definitely caught my eye when I first saw it. I didn't know exactly what it represented, but it made me want to read it.

5/5

Recommended if you liked The Midnight Twins, White Cat, and mystery/suspense stories.

This book was received free from the publisher for review.

Contest Alert!

2010-06-17T18:03:00.001-07:00

Christine Johnson is having an awesome contest to celebrate Clair de Lune! Bookplates, books, and other awesome stuff! Check it out at her blog!

Waiting on Wednesday: Freefall by Mindi Scott

2010-06-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend’s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth will soon realize he isn’t the only one who needs saving . . .

Just look at that cover! It looks amazing. I've been waiting for this one for a while. Look for it on October 5th, 2010.

Beautiful Darkness Contest

2010-06-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

Do you want an ARC of Beautiful Darkness? Of course you do. So do I. The Here, The Now, And The Books is having a BD ARC contest! Go check it out!!

Review: The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

2010-06-10T17:36:00.000-07:00

Here's where I'd normally put a synopsis for the book, but this review is going to be short and non-spoilery.

This is the second book in Sarah's Demon trilogy, and I can't wait for book three. The Demon's Covenant is one of those books that takes you on a journey. It's very much story and character driven, but that's not to say that it's boring. On the contrary, it's filled with secrets, fighting, magic, swords, demons, dancing, humor, love, lust, and betrayal. I was taken by surprise multiple times, especially at the beginning, when I found out that this book was from a different character's perspective than the first one had been. I think I like this one even more than the first book...
If you haven't read The Demon's Lexicon, I suggest you do. It'll knock your socks off.

This book was provided free from the publisher for review.

Teaser Tuesday

2010-06-08T23:26:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesday is weekly meme hosted by Mizb at Should be Reading

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's TT comes from The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan.

"Well, speaking as a feminist, I'm glad that women can lead - uh, groups of unspeakable magical evil."

"Yes," said Alan gravely. "It'd be shocking if the evil magicians were sexist."

Question of the Week #2

2010-06-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

So, I had the idea to ask a question every week, and let you guys answer. I have no clue if this is a meme somewhere already, but if there is, let me know so I can give credit/have an awesomer name. :)

This week, My question was kind of inspired by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter sneak peak special that came on tv last night. (I know more Harry Potter, but whatever.)

Which world from a book would you most like to live in?
Which world would you NOT want to be stuck in?

My obvious answer would be Harry Potter, but I think the world of D.J. MacHale's Pendragon series is fantastic. All of the different territories would be amazing to visit.

As for the world I wouldn't want... I'd probably have to say Panem from The Hunger Games. Being forced to watch someone you know kill and/or die every year on television is horrific.

I'm curious to see what you guys say. :)

Heavenly+Penitence By Jennifer Laurens

2010-06-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Laurens is having a Heavenly giveaway on her blog. Just link the trailers from Monday - Friday, and you get Heavenly! If your post gets 20 comments, you get Penitence too! So can you guys leave some comment love please? I'll return the favor if you post the trailers too! ;)

Book News and Stuff

2010-06-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

First, Beautiful Darkness (the sequel to Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl) got a new cover, and it's fantabulous.

Second, Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce comes out today! If you missed my review, here it is.
If you don't wanna click back to read it, just go out and buy it, mkay? I promise you'll like it.

Review: Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

2010-06-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home—her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power—and the courage to fight her own inner demons?

I've been anticipating Hunger for a while. The synopsis had me from the moment I read it, and the cover is gorgeous. When I got the book a few days ago, I immediately tore into it. I thought I knew what this book was about, but there was a lot more to it than that.
Lisa has an eating disorder. She doesn't want to admit it to herself or anyone else, but the little voice inside her head is there. It's always telling her she's fat, always telling her she's weak, and always making sure she knows just how long she's going to have to work out to get rid of those calories she just ate. When Death (who's awesome, by the way) shows up to make her Famine, she accepts, not really knowing what she's doing.
That's the plot, but like I said, there really is more to it than that.
I've never read a book about an eating disorder, although I know a little about the subject. They're serious. This book doesn't shy away from the details. People suffering from Anorexia or Bulimia need help, but some of them don't even know it. Lisabeth believes she doesn't have Anorexia, because anorexic girls are skinny.
I liked the fact that this book was a fantasy book. Presented this way, people who normally wouldn't read a book about an eating disorder will, and maybe one of them will realize that they need help and get it. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from this book will also go toward organizations that help people with disorders, and that's pretty awesome.
Now, on to my actual review.
The book is pretty short. You could easily knock it out on a lazy afternoon. I loved the concept of the Horsemen, but I thought more could have been done with it. I wish that more detail had gone into the powers, and even the Horsemen themselves. I'd like to know how the others became War, Pestilence, and Death.
The writing was very witty, and the descriptions of the different cities and towns were nicely done.

I give Hunger a 3.5 out of 5.

Contest!

2010-06-02T16:16:00.001-07:00

As some of you know, I'm itching to get my hands on Beautiful Darkness and Matched. Michelle Hodkin is having a contest on her blog to win these, and an ARC of The Duff! Go enter and tell her I sent you! :)