Zoe's Book Reviews

Waiting on Wednesday (20)

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

June 19, 2012

A powerful debut novel about a young Marine's return home from Afghanistan and the new life and love he finds while fending off the ghosts of war.
When Travis Stephenson returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are on the brink of divorce, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and his car, and nightmares of his best friend getting killed keep him completely spooked. But when he runs into Harper Gray, a girl who despises him for trashing her reputation with a middle school lie, life actually starts looking up. As Travis and Harper see more of each other, he starts falling for her and a way through the family meltdown, the post-traumatic stress, and the possibility of an interesting future begins to emerge.
His sense of humor, sense of his own strength, and incredible sense of honor make Travis an irresistible and eminently lovable hero in this fantastic and timely debut novel.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.
She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Everneath was wonderful. I loved the mythology and tension in it. Brodi Ashton is an amazing story teller. All of her characters were really well-developed, and they all had their own prominent voice.

Nikki was well-written, but at times she annoyed me. I feel like Nikki was too indecisive and angsty. I’m sure if I were in her position, I would be the same way, but it just wasn’t very fun to read about. Cole was annoying, but he was also really amusing- so half the time I didn’t even notice how annoying he was being. Jack was really clingy. He was clingy throughout the whole novel, and I just couldn’t get over it. That being said, the characters were believable. They were stuck in these undesirable ruts, but that’s just how people are. I just wouldn’t want to be friends with them in real life.

I found the plot of Everneath really intriguing. I liked that once people went into the Everneath, they didn’t just stay the same. The story was crafted well. The world of Everneath was slightly complex, but it was explained in a non-confusing way so I didn’t have a problem understanding it. I couldn’t stop reading it, and I was completely sucked into the story. However, I wouldn’t say that Everneath is a ‘must-read’. If you’re looking for a well written paranormal story- then Everneath is the book for you. I personally found it hard to get past some of the character traits, but that’s my only complaint.

FTC- Received from Netgalley.

An Interview with Scott Tracey

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

I recently had the chance to interview Scott Tracey, author of the wonderful book Witch Eyes. I hope you enjoy the interview!

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1. What was the hardest part of writing Witch Eyes?

I think the hardest part was equally getting the voice right, and getting over writer's block. The book started out in third person, wasn't working like I wanted, and then I switched to first person and scrapped about 20K words. It took a couple tries to get the direction right, too. Then, the few times I got really stuck it was because I either was forgetting something, or hadn't delved deep enough into it. I spent a long time working on what I called "The Lost Day" which was a number of scenes that had to happen before the book got to the climax.

2. If you could tell anything to Braden, what would you want to tell him?

Don't trust anyone, I think would be my main bit of advice. But then again, I know what everyone in Belle Dam's motives actually are, so that's a factor. ;) I'm a lot more cynical then Braden, which made it a little challenging to write: he's smart, but in some ways he's also very naive. But yeah, especially in Belle Dam, that's advice that EVERYONE should take: don't trust anyone. Especially if they're nice to you.

3. Quick! Describe Witch Eyes in 4 words or less!

Witchy Romeo and Juliet. :)

4. Can you tell us anything about the sequel to Witch Eyes, Demon Eyes?

Demon Eyes delves a little deeper into what's really going on in Belle Dam, and we see Braden dealing with the fallout from the climax of Witch Eyes. He did some things, and had some things happen to him, and Demon Eyes is all about that old "actions have consequences" theory.

There's more to the city than just the Thorpes versus the Lansing, and that starts to come out. Drew gets a bigger role this time around, and he's one of my favorites. He's basically the color commentary this time around: Braden has some snark in him, but Drew takes it above and beyond.

Really, everything you need to know about Demon Eyes can be summed up in the first line: "Power is a problem," a dead man said to me.

5. Is there anything you would like to add?

Thank you so much for having me!

Fracture by Megan Miranda

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine
—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?
Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

Fracture was a really good novel. I don’t think it will be on my list of favorites, but its definitely on my list of runner-ups for this year. Megan Miranda is a really talented writer. My only complaint is that there were a few moments where the characters annoyed me.

Delaney, though an interesting character, seemed sometimes too weak. I wanted to like and understand her, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I didn’t really have much of a problem with Decker. My biggest problem with him was some of his actions. They seemed forced, and he didn’t act very smart on some occasions.

I loved the plot of the novel, and I think it was executed really well. The pacing was timed perfectly, which made the story flow impeccably well. One of my favorite things about Fracture was how subtly brilliant it was. While I was reading it, it didn’t feel like I was reading a life changing book. After I was done reading it however, it was like this big bomb had been dropped. It slowly started to grow on me more and more.

I completely recommend Fracture. It has this slow burning impact that is just amazing.

FTC- Received for review.

Waiting on Wednesday (19)

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

July 24, 2012

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…
Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2012-01-17T17:35:00.000-08:00

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

I initially didn’t want to write about The Fault in Our Stars. Nearly everybody who is in tune with the young adult book world knows about John Green’s new book. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Green’s writing. I’ve loved his past three novels, and the books he has co-written- so it’s safe to say that I had high expectations for The Fault in Our Stars. Every single one of those expectations was met.

The Fault in Our Stars is an original, humorous, and deeply emotional read. The two main characters, Hazel and Augustus are both incredibly well developed. This is Green’s first time writing from the point of view of a girl, and he nailed it. Hazel was brutally honest about everything she was going through, both in terms of her cancer and in terms of just living and being a normal teenager. Hazel is someone that I could relate to. I would love to have a friend like her some day. Augustus is charming. Some would argue that he’s the male version of a MPDG (manic pixie dream girl), but I don’t think so. Gus was just as honest as Hazel, and I loved reading about him.

Nearly every review I’ve read of The Fault in Our Stars has mentioned how much the reviewer cried. Me and all those other reviews have that in common. Never in my life have I cried so much when reading a novel. Don’t let the possibility of tears keep you from reading The Fault in Our Stars. You should read it. Everybody should read it.

The Fault in Our Stars is a beautiful, heartfelt, luminous book that will stay in your head for ages after you’ve finished reading it. This has quickly become one of my favorite books. I applaud John Green for this brilliant piece of literature.

FTC- Bought.

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What did you think of TFiOS? Tell me in the comments! But please, no spoilers for those who haven’t read it!

Bittersweet Twitter Party!

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

Today I want to tell you about something that’s happening on January 19th- the twitter party for Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler! If you want to share the information about the party- which we’re calling Twittersweet- you can scroll down and get the code for either the big graphic (pictured below) or a small graphic (which I’ll put below the bigger one). Click on either graphic to be transported to a page on Sarah’s website that tells you more about Twittersweet!

I think this twitter party is going to be pretty awesome, so you should totally come and join Sarah and me. You can win some really cool prizes, and talk about a really awesome book.

I hope to see you all there!

500 Followers Giveaway- Part 1

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

I recently hit 500 followers on this blog. Yay! In honor of hitting 500 followers, I thought I would give away some books. There will be two giveaways, one will be today and the other will be posted some time next week. This giveaway includes-

* 1 (ARC) copy of Living Violet by Jaime Reed
* 1 (ARC) copy of Fateful by Claudia Gray
* Tons of bookmark-type swag.
To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O’Malley

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rock band, he's "between jobs," and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothing could possibly go wrong, unless a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott's awesome life get turned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends in battle? The short answer is yes. The long answer is Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life.

Holy graphic novel, Batman! I’d like to start off by saying that I’m not a big graphic novel reader. I had heard people talking about Scott Pilgrim and I figured that I had to get my hands on it, so I got it from the library. Scott Pilgrim is also a movie, but I haven’t seen it. I was pleasantly surprised by how good this graphic novel was. I think one of the main things I loved about it was that, when I was reading it, it didn’t seem like I was reading a graphic novel. It’s considered the graphic novel, but the illustrations seem like they’re a mix between comic book and manga.

I loved this story. Scott is so average, but when Ramona Flowers comes in- his world is turned around. It’s insta-love at it’s finest. Even though it’s insta-love, I didn’t have a problem with it because it works with the story. After all, it’s kind of hard to instantly love someone after you find out that you have to fight their seven evil ex-boyfriends. Scott is a character that I couldn’t help but love. I know so many people like him in real life. He’s awkward, cool-ish, and completely unsure of what he wants to do. Ramona is also really awesome. She’s a badass roller skating delivery girl. Also, the name Ramona Flowers is amazing.

I am so glad I read Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life. Now I need to go to the library to get the second book! Even if you’re not into graphic novels, I recommend Scott Pilgrim. It’s awesome.

FTC- Library.

Waiting on Wednesday (18)

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

June 19, 2012

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Restless souls and empty hearts

Brooklyn can't sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams.

Nico can't stop. He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca. But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages, telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface.

As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest.

Chasing Brooklyn was… wow. This book was so amazing. Within the first fifty pages, I was crying. I didn’t stop crying until the very end of the book. Lisa Schroeder wrote a book with so much heart and soul that reading it in more than one sitting is nearly impossible. I devoured Chasing Brooklyn within a couple hours. When reading it, I often found myself holding by breath, waiting for what was going to happen next.

I felt so bad for Brooklyn and everything she was going through. I felt bad for Nico, as well. Chasing Brooklyn is told in verse, from alternating points of view. One point of view is from Brooklyn, who’s had struggled with Lucca’s death for the past year- and is now struggling with Gabe’s death too. Nico is Lucca’s brother, so I felt like his point of view was more hard hitting when it came to talking about Lucca opposed to talking about Gabe. Both voices were really strong and I loved how even though Brooklyn and Nico are totally different people, their thought processes intertwined and related to each other really well.

I fell in love with Chasing Brooklyn. I was hooked from the start of the book to the very end of it. Lisa Schroeder is not an amazing verse writer, but she also has the wonderful capability of making her books both crushingly dark and wildly hopeful at the same time. You really do need to read Chasing Brooklyn. It will remind you just how much the written word can capture your heart.

FTC- Bought.

Bay Area Book Events- Copperfields Books

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today I thought I would feature some of the upcoming Teen Book Events that will be at my local independent bookstore, Copperfields. Copperfields is awesome. It’s located in the Bay Area, and they have 6 locations (not including their 2 used bookshops). The three events I’m featuring right now are located in the Petaluma store. If you’re interested in attending any of these events, there will be a link you can click to find out more information.

Anna Carey, author of Eve

January 12, at 3:30 pm.

You can find out more about the event by clicking here.

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Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder

January 24, at 3:00 pm.

You can find out more about the event by clicking here.

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Lauren Myracle, author of Shine

January 26, at 3:00 pm.

You can find out more about the event by clicking here.

In My Mailbox (2)

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Here are the books I got this week!

Bought

Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz

Received for Review

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan

Other

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

-- I stumbled upon the movie Dorian Gray, starring Ben Barnes, when I was watching TV the other day. I missed the first 20 minutes of the movie, but saw the rest of it. I promptly decided that I needed to read the story it was based off of. I remembered my brother had a copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray (he received it as a gift a few years ago). Then, in true little-sister fashion, I took the book. I blame Ben Barnes.

What did you get in your mailbox this week? Put links to your IMM posts in the comments!

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Braden was born with witch eyes: the ability to see the world as it truly is: a blinding explosion of memories, darkness, and magic. The power enables Braden to see through spells and lies, but at the cost of horrible pain.
After a terrifying vision reveals imminent danger for the uncle who raised and instructed him, Braden retreats to Belle Dam, an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties. As rival family heads Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe desperately try to use Braden's powers to unlock Belle Dam's secrets, Braden vows never to become their sacrificial pawn. But everything changes when Braden learns that Jason is his father--and Trey, the enigmatic guy he's falling for, is Catherine's son.
To stop an insidious dark magic from consuming the town, Braden must master his gift—and risk losing the one he loves.

Witch Eyes was brilliant. It has action, romance, and magic- a trio that doesn’t always end well. In this case, it ended wonderfully. Tracey wrote a compelling, addicting novel that I couldn’t stop reading. I honestly have no complaints about Witch Eyes. It was a delightful read.

Braden was so amazingly realistic. I loved his need to be heroic and to make his own decisions. He didn’t take anybody’s crap and wouldn’t just sit there while other people went and saved the day. Braden is my kind of guy. And then there is Trey. Lovely, lovely Trey- who tries to tame Braden. Trey is simply adorable. I love the dynamic between Trey and Braden. The feud between the Lansings and the Thorpes added so much good tension to the story, which helped make it so addicting. The tension was electric.

Scott Tracey did an awesome job writing Witch Eyes. I highly recommend it! I can’t wait for the second book in the series- it can’t come soon enough.

FTC- Bought.

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hudson can't wait to get out of Watonka, her working-class town outside of Buffalo. Once upon a time, her talent as a skater was going to be her ticket out... but when her parents' marriage unraveled three years ago, so did her dreams. Now, she buries herself in making cupcakes for her mom's diner and imagining her parallel life where she went on to skate to glory. But when she gets a letter inviting her to audition for a skating scholarship *and* the hockey team asks for her help with their technique (read: free ice time for Hudson), it's impossible to ignore the signs. Is she ready to get back on the ice? Could this be her ticket out? Hudson's determined not to let anything stand in her way. But between baking and waitressing at the diner, the love triangle that's developing with two outrageously cute hockey boys, and the simmering drama with her best friend, her future is anything but certain...

This book is *so* adorable. It isn’t a secret that I’m a big fan of Sarah Ockler’s books. Her debut Twenty Boy Summer awed me with how well Ockler could capture the teen voice. Her sophomore novel Fixing Delilah was adorably and brutally honest. And now there’s Bittersweet- her third novel. I had really high expectations for Bittersweet. Every single one of those expectations was met.

Hudson is an awesome main character. Her parents breaking up really changes her, but she makes the best of it. Instead of moping about the separation during the book, she decides to make the best of the situation that’s been handed to her. Yes, she stopped figure skating- her dream. But she started making cupcakes (all of the cupcakes she makes sound so yummy) and helping out her mom. Hudson had such a strong voice, and Ockler nailed writing it.

I loved that Bittersweet didn’t just focus on one thing. It had the light and fluffy bits- cupcakes (yum!), ice hockey, and adorable hockey boys. It also had a more serious, thoughtful side- Hudson dealing with her parents divorce, her own personal struggles while trying to figure out her future, and just general teenage angst.

I highly recommend Bittersweet. If it were up to me, I would make you all go out to your local independent bookstore and buy a copy right now. Bittersweet is an adorable novel that has more than what meets the eye. Sarah Ockler is an extremely talented writer.

FTC- Received for review

Waiting on Wednesday (17)

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Edit- I know it's not Wednesday. I accidentally scheduled this for the wrong day. Sorry!

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
June 12, 2012
Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.
Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.
But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever.

An Interview with Daisy Whitney

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today I have the lovely Daisy Whitney author of The Mockingbirds here for an interview. The paperback of The Mockingbirds is released today and the sequel The Rivals will be released February 6th. I hope you enjoy the interview!

1. What was the hardest scene to write, in The Mockingbirds?
The second chapter was the hardest to write because that's the chapter when Alex starts to process that a crime has been committed against her, only she's very much in denial. So writing that required a delicate balance because I knew of course what had transpired but she wasn't sure at all yet!

2. In both The Mockingbirds and The Rivals, you list "classic" books that share themes with your books. Do you know of any young adult books that are similar to The Rivals and The Mockingbirds? If so, which YA books are they?
My book has been described as a cross between SPEAK and THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU BANKS. So I would definitely say those books are similar thematically to mine. I also think PAPER COVERS ROCK by Jenny Hubbard, a Delacorte novel (June 2011), is similar because it deals with things gone wrong at a boarding school.

3. What one thing would you like readers to take from reading your books?
Whatever they need or want! Seriously. I'm always amazed at what readers tell me they take away from my stories and it's often different for everyone. That's the beauty of reading -- it's such an individual experience and you take away what you NEED to take away from a story. For instance, in Suzanne Young's new novel A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL what impacted me was the idea of memory and what it means to remember, or not remember, someone you love. Other readers have taken away themes of sacrifice and kindess to strangers. So, for my books - some people may be impacted by the love stories in them, some by the pain, some by the themes of justice, standing up and doing the right thing, and some may simply like the mysteries!

4. Do you have any upcoming novels you can tell us about?
I sold my third novel to Little Brown this summer! It's called WHEN YOU WERE HERE and it's described as Lost in Translation meets Where She Went. It's the story of an American teenager who travels from California to Tokyo to uncover the secrets surrounding his mother's death, all while trying to hold onto and let go of the girl he's been in love with his whole life. It's about big loss and big love. About two-thirds of the novel is set in Tokyo so it was great fun for me to write about an international city that is tremendously hip, vibrant and exciting. It's slated for a 2013 release.

5. In The Mockingbirds, being a pianist plays a big part in Alex' life. Have you played or do you currently play any instruments?
I am the world's worst singer! I can't carry a tune to save my life. I did play piano for two years in 3rd and 4th grade and I did learn the chorus from Ode to Joy, and I can still play about 10 notes from it! But other than that, I am bereft of musical abilities. However, the way Alex feels about music is the way I feel about writing, so her passion and her connection to music was easy to write.

6. Is there anything you would like to add?

I love shoes, chocolate, my amazing dog, my kids, my hubby and I try to do crossword puzzles regularly to keep my brain sharp, but I rarely can finish them without looking up a few clues!

New Blog Background and New Years Resolutions

2012-01-01T15:02:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone!

I hope you’re all having an amazing New Years Day. I just wanted to stop by and let you all know that I changed my blog background and header. I would love it if you gave me some feedback on whether or not you like it.

Fun Fact- This background and header are actually the same ones I had when I first started blogging. I’m still mulling over if I want it to use it.

In other news, I have some New Years blog-resolutions. In 2012, I would like to-

*Post nearly every day. I’ve been slacking on the posts recently, which I don’t like doing.

*I want to interact more with the blogging community. I used to talk to you all a lot, but as I’ve gotten more busy- I’ve stopped. I miss you!

*Like every year, I want to read more books than I have the year before. In 2011 I read 185 books, so my goal for 2012 is to read 200 books. Hopefully I make it!

Those are all the goals I’ve thought of at the moment, but I’m sure there will be more.

In relation to my goal to post nearly every day, there is a short-term goal I want to do. In January, so this month, I want to post something every single day. Hopefully I can do that.

In My Mailbox (1)

2012-01-01T12:51:00.001-08:00

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi of The Story Siren.

This past week, I’ve acquired these amazing books.

Received for Review-

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Bought-

The Complete Sherlock Holmes: Volume 1 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Complete Sherlock Holmes: Volume 2 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Damage by Anya Parrish

Received for Christmas/Hanukkah-

Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars by Nick James

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

Ruthless by Sara Shepard (not pictured)

Books Read in 2011

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

So, since 2011 is officially over- I want to provide you all with a list of books I’ve read in 2011. Without further to do, here are the books I’ve read in 2011-

1.Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
2. XVI by Julia Karr
3. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
4. See What I See by Gloria Whelan
5. Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston
6. Haven by Kristi Cook
7. White Cat by Holly Black
8. All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz
9. The League of Dark Men by John Creasey
10. The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
11. The Water Wars by Cameron Stratcher
12. Private by Kate Brian
13. Invitation Only by Kate Brian
14. Untouchable by Kate Brian
15. Radiance by Alyson Noel
16. The Lovers Dictionary by David Levithan
17. Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
18. Rich and Mad by William Nicholson
19. Subject Seven by James A. Moore
20. Pink by Lili Wilkinson
21. The Locket by Stacey Jay
22. The Princes Bride by William Goldman
23. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
24. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
25. Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith
26. Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
27. Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
28. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
29. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
30. A Thousand Pieces of Gold by Ruthanne Lum McCunn
31. Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
32. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
33. Father of Lies by Ann Turner
34. Rhymes with Cupid by Anna Humphrey
35. Existentialism: From Dostoevsky to Sartre
36. Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
37. Notebooks by Albert Camus
38. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
39. Falling in Love with English Boys by Melissa Jensen
40. Betrayal by Lee Nichols
41. Skate Fate by Juan Felipe Herrera
42. Bad Apple by Laura Ruby
43. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
44. Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey leavitt
45. Chasing Alliecat by Rebecca Fjelland Davis
46. Shadow Walkers by Brent Hartinger
47. Clarity by Kim Harrington
48. Beyonders: A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull
49. 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce
50. Faking 19 by Alyson Noel
51. Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
52. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
53. Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott
54. Stay by Deb Caletti
55. Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
56. Family by Micol Ostow
57. Falling Hard edited by Betsy Franco
58. Inexcusable by Chris Lynch
59. The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt
60. Carmen by Walter Dean Myers
61. Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart
62. Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde
63. Stolen: A letter to my captor by Lucy Christopher
64. The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
65. Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti
66. The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti
67. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
68. You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay
69. Undead Much? by Stacey Jay
70. My So Called Death by Stacey Jay
71. Purge by Sarah Darer Littman
72. The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky
73. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
74. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
75. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
76. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
77. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
78. A Season of Eden by Jennifer Laurens
79. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
80. Paradise by Jill S. Alexander
81. 1984 by George Orwell
82. Haunted by Joy Preble
83. The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander
84. Shift by Jeri Smith Ready
85. My Life, the Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zandoff
86. Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson
87. OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy
88. Love Story by Jennifer Echols
89. Die for Me by Amy Plum
90. Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz
91. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
92. A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
93. Displacement by Thalia Chaltas
94. The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
95. Bitter End by Jennifer Brown
96. Love, Love, Love by Deborah Reber and Caroline Goode
97. Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
98. The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine
99. Deamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando
100. Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby
101. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
102. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
103. Possession by Elana Johnson
104. The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
105. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
106. But I Love Him by Amanda Grace
107. Luminous by Dawn Metcalf
108. Wildefire by Karsten Knight
109. Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
110. Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact by A.J. Hartley
111. The Amanda Project: Revealed by Peter Silsbee
112. Blood Ties by Mari Mancusi
113. Clean by Amy Reed
114. Purple Daze by Sherry Shahan
115. The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June by Robin Benway
116. Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick
117. The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk
118. Fury by Elizabeth Miles
119. You Wish by Mandy Hubbard
120. Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
121. Possess by Gretchen McNeil
122. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
123. Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley
124. Crush: 26 Real Life Tales of First Love
125. Nocturne by Christine Johnson
126. The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd
127. Love You, Hate You, Miss You by Elizabeth Scott
128. Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
129. Falling for Hamlet by Michelle Ray
130. Hello, Gorgeous: Blowout by Taylor Morris
131. The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
132. The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch
133. Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
134. Elixir by Hilary Duff
135. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
136. Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
137. Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles
138. Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
139. Alexis by Alexis Singer
140. Every You, Every Me by David Levithan
141. Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
142. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
143. Sharks and Boys by Kristen Tracy
144. Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
145. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
146. Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe
147. Fateful by Claudia Gray
148. Hello, Gorgeous: Foiled by Taylor Morris
149. Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
150. How to Ruin My Teenage Life by Simone Elkleles
151. How to Ruin My Boyfriends Reputation by Simone Elkeles
152. There is No Long Distance Now: Very Short Stories by Naomi Shihab Nye
153. The Crack Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald
154. Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
155. Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
156. The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Pheobe Stone
157. The Poison Eaters by Holly Black
158. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
159. Forgiven by Janet Fox
160. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
161. BFF Breakup by Taylor Morris
162. Bloodborn by Karen Kincy
163. Look at the Birdie: Unpublished Fiction by Kurt Vonnegut
164. Scott Pilgrim's Previous Little Life by Bryan Lee O'Malley
165. Bleed by Laurie Faria Stolarz
166. Dead Rules by Randy Russell
167. Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
168. After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
169. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
170. Pretty Bad Things by C.J. Skuse
171. Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen
172. Love Com #1 (manga)
173. Love Com #2 (manga)
174. Love Com #3 (manga)
175. Dear Bully edited by Megan Kelly Hall
176. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
177. Everneath by Brody Ashton
178. Crazy by Amy Reed
179. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
180. Living Violet by Jaime Reed
181. The First Time: Short Stories
182. Sixteen edited by Donald R. Gallo
183. Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey
184. Maus by Art Spiegelman
185. Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars by Nick James

Waiting on Wednesday (16)

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

April 12, 2012

Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king.
When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all.
In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.

You can add The Vicious Deep on Goodreads here.

Living Violet by Jaime Reed

2011-12-27T23:07:00.001-08:00

He's persuasive, charming, and way too mysterious. And for Samara Marshall, her co-worker is everything she wants most--and everything she most fears. . .
Samara Marshall is determined to make the summer before her senior year the best ever. Her plan: enjoy downtime with friends and work to save up cash for her dream car. Summer romance is not on her to-do list, but uncovering the truth about her flirtatious co-worker, Caleb Baker, is. From the peculiar glow to his eyes to the unfortunate events that befall the girls who pine after him, Samara is the only one to sense danger behind his smile.
But Caleb's secrets are drawing Samara into a world where the laws of attraction are a means of survival. And as a sinister power closes in on those she loves, Samara must take a risk that will change her life forever. . .or consume it.

I was surprised by how much I liked Living Violet. When I read that it was a paranormal romance, I was weary of how much I would like it. Luckily, I had nothing to worry about. Living Violet was a quick-witted, dramatic, comedic book that I couldn’t stop reading.

In the beginning, Living Violet seemed like it was going the stereotypical-route. Luckily, it didn’t. Samara was a hilarious character who I could totally relate to. From the very first chapter, I could relate to her opinions on the bookstore and its various patrons. I wasn’t a big fan of Caleb, though. From the very beginning he put a sour taste in my mouth and I couldn’t get it out.

Living Violet, though it isn’t on my list of favorites, is still a really good book. It’s well written and addicting. I can’t wait to read the next novel in The Cambion Chronicles. Jaime Reed is an author to watch!

FTC- Received for review.

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Wrecked by Anna Davies

May 1, 2012

Miranda has lived on Whym Island since the death of her parents. She has taken comfort in its seclusion and in the folklore that claims a mysterious sea witch controls the fate of all on the island and its surrounding waters. It's just been easier to believe that things are out of her control.

But when a terrible boating accident takes the lives of several of her friends, Miranda is rescued by a mysterious boy that haunts her dreams. As the guilt of the accident consumes her, she finds refuge in her late night swims. Then, she meets Christian, a boy who seems so familiar, but won't tell her where he is from and why they can only meet at the beach. As Miranda falls for Christian and begins to put the accident behind her, she discovers that there are secrets that Christian is keeping to protect her that may only end up bringing her nothing but harm.

You can add Wrecked on Goodreads here.

Ripple by Many Hubbard

2011-12-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

Ripple was fun in the dark, mysterious, and gripping way. Though it wasn’t as light and fluffy as Mandy’s previous novels, I really liked it. Ripple was a darker take on sirens- or mermaids. I loved that this was a darker mermaid story, I love when normally fluffy tales are morphed into something darker.

Lexi was an awesome main character. She was a little too angsty for my taste, but teenagers are angsty so it’s ok. Lexi was a beautifully flawed character. She was so much like a real teenager, that she was really easy to read about and relate to.

This was a surprising book. There was one thing in particular that happened which caught me totally by surprise (I won’t tell you of course, because I don’t want to say spoilers"). For being a book I wouldn’t have picked up if I hadn’t read the author before, Ripple was surprisingly good. I read it really fast- within a matter of hours- and enjoyed every minute that I was reading it.

Mandy Hubbard is an amazing writer, and I can’t recommend her books enough. Ripple was as amazing as her other two novels You Wish and Prada & Prejudice. You can also check out the book that she has under the pen name Amanda Grace, But I Love Him. It’s a wonderful book.

FTC- Publisher.

An Interview with Jaime Reed

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today I have Jaime Reed here for an interview. Jaime is the author of the newly released novel Living Violet. You can learn more about Living Violet by going to the goodreads page, here.

1. Who is your favorite character in Living Violet?

Robbie Ford. The guy has four lines, but his back story is hilarious.

2. What do you like most about writing The Cambion Chronicle books?

The dialogue. You can tell a lot about a person and their character by the way they talk and how they say it.

3. Describe the books in 5 words?

Fun, smart, snarky, engaging, relatable.

4. What is your favorite eye color?

Green.

5. What would you like readers to learn by reading your books?

It’s a paranormal story that’s pokes fun of itself. It’s like fantasy for people with common sense. It also speaks about one’s identity and having two separate backgrounds and finding a balance.

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

2011-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Undeadly by Michele Vail

February 28, 2012

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...
Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper—and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath.
Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.
Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with.
To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly—against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

How awesome does this book sound? So. Awesome. And look at the cover! What a gorgeous cover! I can’t wait to read Undeadly. It sounds thrilling.

You can add Undeadly on Goodreads here.

Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.
Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's dermined to make a new life for herself.
But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them.

I am in love with Simone Elkeles’s writing. I’ve read every book she’s published and I’ve never disliked one of them. Return to Paradise is the sequel to Leaving Paradise, so if you haven’t read Leaving Paradise- I would suggest you read it before you read Return to Paradise.

Return to Paradise is a nice follow-up to Leaving Paradise, because it finishes the story that was started in the first book. Because of what happened in Leaving Paradise, there was a tremendous amount of clashing heads between Caleb and Maggie. I loved the clashing. It made the story more interesting and added way more action and conflict.

Though I felt that the sequel wasn’t necessarily needed, I did enjoy reading it. It was a nice way to wrap up the story. I was happy to see that both characters connected the second time around as well as they did the first.

I recommend the first book in this series, Leaving Paradise. If you like Leaving Paradise, I think you’ll enjoy reading Return to Paradise- as it’s a nice follow-up. However, I didn’t like Return to Paradise as much as I liked Leaving Paradise.

FTC- Bought

Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers

2011-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.
Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.
Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.
And not everyone will get out of it alive.

I loved Personal Demons (the first book in the series), so I couldn’t wait to read Original Sin! And boy, it did not disappoint. Original Sin is just as good, if not better than Personal Demons. Lisa Desrochers knows how to write. Her writing pops out at you when you least expect it, takes you by the throat, and demands you listen. You will want to listen. I am simply in love with the series. It is steaming hot and action packed.

Luc is the ultimate bad boy steamy character, and I do mean steamy (Team Luc, represent!). Gabe is the good boy dreamy character, who’s dreamy but I prefer Luc. Frannie is one lucky lady to have both of these men at her side. She’s also really well written and a really great character.

I love the battle between heaven and hell that’s presented in the Personal Demons series. It’s a battle that tons of people know about, but for some reason it isn’t presented frequently in YA novels. Not only does Lisa Desrochers write a fabulously well developed novel, but she makes it so so steamy. It’s hot, I won’t lie*. But along with being hot, it’s also action packed. I loved it!

I have nothing wrong with Original Sin. It is an amazing novel. If you haven’t read Personal Demons you should read it. If you do go read it, I would make sure to have Original Sin close by because Lisa writes a killer cliffhanger.

FTC- Received for review.

*I am sorry to family members reading this. But, here on Zoe’s Book Reviews, I always tell the truth.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

This book. Wow. I read this a few months ago (from when I’m writing this review) and I’m still in awe of it. Wendy Wunder is such an immensely talented author. She deserves so much praise and book buzz for this amazing novel that she’s written. I can’t recommend The Probability of Miracles enough.

Cam was such an amazing main character. She sassy, pessimistic, and strong. I could not have asked for a better character. Cam had guts and she had such an amazing journey to tell. Everybody around her is hilariously optimistic about what Cam is going through. This novel is one big huge magical adventure that I never wanted to end.

I don’t have any complaints about The Probability of Miracles. It was a fantastic book. Given, it made me cry a lot. So, if/when you read it, you should get tissues. A lot of tissues. Let’s just say, I spent a good 10 minutes crying.

That being said, everybody needs to read The Probability of Miracles. It’s a touching debut novel from an author that will make you in awe of her talent. The Probability of Miracles is an inspiring and beautiful novel that everybody must read.

FTC- Publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

February 8, 2012

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

I loved Amanda Grace’s (aka Mandy Hubbard) previous novel, But I Love Him. It was deep, enthralling, and gorgeously written. So naturally, I can’t help but be excited to read In Too Deep. I love that it deals with such a serious topic. February 8th can’t come soon enough.

You can add In Too Deep on Goodreads here.

Giveaway- Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today I have an amazing giveaway for you guys. It's for an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler. Not only is this an ARC of the novel, but it also has really awesome behind-the-scenes notes from the author! Here is a summary of Bittersweet-

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life...and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last....

An Interview with Brian Rowe

2011-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today I have an interview with Brian Rowe, author of Happy Birthday to Me. You can find Brian at his blog. I hope you enjoy the interview!

1. How did you get the idea for Happy Birthday to Me?

The idea from Happy Birthday to Me came to me in October 2009 about two weeks before my birthday. I was eating dinner in a restaurant in Los Angeles, when the waitress came by and happened to overhear that I was turning 25 in a couple of weeks. At the end of the meal, she surprised me with a giant piece of chocolate cake, and the dessert was marked FREE on the receipt. It got me thinking about people’s obsessions with birthdays, and then the idea hit me: what if you could celebrate your birthday every single day?

2. The covers for the series are awesome. Did you have any input over them, or did you let the cover designer do their own thing?

The covers for these books are designed and created by my good friend Katie Bode (www.katiebode.com) who works as a graphic designer in Los Angeles. I brought the ideas to Katie, and she implemented them better than I ever could have imagined. I love these covers, and I can’t wait to see what she puts together for the third one.

3. If you were in Cameron's place, how do you think you would react?

The fun of these books is putting yourself in Cameron’s shoes. What if you started aging a whole year with every day? What if you started going back a year every day? Thankfullynobody on Earth will ever have to answer that question (unless the physically impossible happens), but if I happened to be in Cameron’s shoes, I’d probably do what he did: try to live my life the best I can until the unthinkable happens. Unlike Cameron, however, I would probably stay away from the library and Mrs. Gordon: that woman means nothing but trouble!

4. Quick! Describe the Happy Birthday to Me trilogy in 7 words or less!

The trilogy is romantic, funny, and exciting.

5. Describe your best birthday.

My best birthday was spent with friends in downtown Duesseldorf in Germany in 2005. Even though I spent my first two months studying abroad overseas essentially able to drink already—in Europe you can start drinking when you’re in your teens—my birthday that year, which was a Friday, was an absolute blast. I drank myself silly and wandered to my guest home late on a beautiful fallnight.

6. Can you tell us 5 random fact about Cameron?

5 Random Facts about Cameron: He is extremely unlucky. His favorite book is The Witches, by Roald Dahl. He loves the red heads. He would choose Zac Efron to play him in a movie of his life. He loves and cares for his sister Kimber more than he ever lets on.

7. If you could tell your teenage-self anything, what would you tell him?

I would tell my teenage self to relax more, to not be so concerned with everydecision and every math test and every person who says something mean. It’s amazing how small your world is in high school. When you graduate college and get out into the working world, life would seemingly become worse. But as those videos have been saying: It Gets Better. If you’re having the time of your life in high school, then it’s possible you’ll be disappointed with the rest of your life. But if high school wasn’t all that, you might find out things get better in your 20’s. I’m only 27, so I don’t know what the future has in store for me. But I would tell my teenage self not to worry: It’s not like I would ever have to start rapidly aging into my 80’s… right?

Crush: 26 Real-Life Tales of First Love edited by Andrea N. Richesin

2011-12-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Readers will fall head over heels for this nostalgic and irreverent collection.

Twenty-six bestselling authors return to the teenage bedrooms, school hallways and college dorms of their youth to share passionate essays of love lost and found and lessons learned along the way. Whether heartbreaking or hilarious, their soul-baring honesty reminds us to keep reaching for true love wherever we can find it and for as long as it takes. Their intimate reflections will fascinate and move any reader who remembers her first love.

I admit, I mainly wanted to read Crush because two of my favorite authors contributed to it. Those authors are Lauren Oliver and (I bet you can’t guess…) David Levithan. It’s always hard for my to write reviews of anthologies because of the fact that there are (in this case) 26 different stories to review. Which is why I’m not going to review each story, I’m going to review the book as a whole.

Like any novel, Crush had it’s good parts and it’s bad parts. There were stories that I found boring and dull, but instead of forcing myself to read them (like I do with novels), I just skipped them. It seems that my favorite stories were written by authors I’m familiar with. Some of my favorites include David Levithan, Lauren Oliver, Melissa Walker, and a few others.

I loved how the stories were non-fiction. It gives insight into the minds of the author that I covet. Not only is Crush a heartwarming anthology, but it also lets readers get to know the authors that they’ve held on a pedestal. I really enjoyed reading Crush, and I hope you do too.

FTC- Received from publisher.

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Someone's been a very bad zombie.
Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town . . . and stay hormonally human.

Zombies! Carrie Harris wrote a hilariously thrilling novel. Bad Taste in Boys was all I was expecting and more. Not only was the concept original, but it was approached in an entertaining way.

Kate was an amusing character. I loved her unique voice. Every character was completely themselves (if that makes sense). Each character had such a different voice that I didn’t get the mixed up, which I often do.

I loved how Bad Taste in Boys was so different from other zombie books. It wasn’t an apocalypse based novel. Despite being about zombies, it read like a contemporary. I loved reading about Kate’s journey to try and find the cure. This is the kind of book that would be translated into a movie well, because of how the story unfolds.

Carrie Harris wrote an amazing zombie novel that won’t be easily forgotten. I commend her for taking something so widely discussed and transforming it into something completely original. I highly recommend Bad Taste in Boys.

FTC- Received as an ARC from Copperfields Books.

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

July 10, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Kelsey Romano has always been one of the most popular girls at Concordia Prep. But after a disastrous breakup and her subsequent meltdown (um, destruction of school property, anyone?) she's kicked out of Con Prep and shipped off to Concordia High School, for good.
Seventeen-year-old Isaac Brandano has been kicked out of more prep schools than he can name. But now that his father's State Senate campaign is pushing a public school agenda, Isaac finds himself enrolled at Concordia High.
Kelsey and Isaac are destined to hate each other. And at first, they do. But when they are forced together on the creation of a new school club, sparks begin to fly. Then the club's critical event turns into chaos. Now Kelsey and Isaac must retrace their steps and figure out how and why everything got so got screwed up, who was to blame, and how they can move forward.

Lauren Barnholdt is an awesome author. I’ve loved all of her books that I’ve read, and I can’t wait to read this one. It sounds amazing!

You can add The Thing About the Truth on Goodreads here.

The Poison Eaters:And Other Stories by Holly Black

2011-11-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Poisonous girls whose kisses will kill. A fateful eating contest with the devil. Faeries who return to Ironside, searching for love. A junior prom turned bacchanalia. In twelve short stories, eerie and brimming with suspense and unexpected humor, Holly Black twists the fantastical creatures you thought you knew in ways you’ll never expect.

I love anthologies like mad. They make me unbelievable happy because you have so many storylines in one place. So I was automatically excited to read The Poison Eaters.

Holly Black is an amazing author. Her stories are all so well written and full of life (not always literally). Every single character in this book of short stories is incredibly well developed and relatable. Though many of her stories cover ‘dark’ topics, there is always something incredibly… light about her writing.

I think my favorite story out of this book is the first one, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. It’s dark, slightly disturbing, and completely enthralling. These stories stem from faeries, demons, and other paranormal creates that I normally don’t enjoy reading about. Holly’s stories on the other hand, hit spot on. I didn’t mind reading about the paranormal creatures she wrote about.

The Poison Eaters And Other Stories is an impeccable book. I highly recommend it.

FTC- Bought.

The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd

2011-11-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

It's Dade's last summer at home. He has a crappy job at Food World, a "boyfriend" who won't publicly acknowledge his existence (maybe because Pablo also has a girlfriend), and parents on the verge of a divorce. College is Dade's shining beacon of possibility, a horizon to keep him from floating away.
Then he meets the mysterious Alex Kincaid. Falling in real love finally lets Dade come out of the closet - and, ironically, ignites a ruthless passion in Pablo. But just when true happiness has set in, tragedy shatters the dreamy curtain of summer, and Dade will use every ounce of strength he's gained to break from his past and start fresh with the future.

After months of people telling me to read The Vast Fields of Ordinary, I finally did. And I did not regret it! The Vast Fields of Ordinary is beautifully written. The story is believable, and so are the characters. This novel will touch your heart. It had me laughing, crying, and dying for more.

Nick Burd is an extremely talented writer. Dade was such a heartfelt character. I felt so bad for him. At some parts, I just wanted to jump into the novel and give him a big hug.Pablo was so cringe-worthy. I wanted to jump into the book and hit him in the face every time he did something stupid. Which was a lot. Alex Kincaid was fun! I also really like his last name.

Nick Burd is an amazing writer. The Vast Fields of Ordinary is an amazing novel. It's meaningful, well written, and amazingly addictive.

FTC-Bought

A Thanksgiving Guest Post with Mary Lindsey

2011-11-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today is Thanksgiving for the United States, and I’m lucky enough to have Mary Lindsey here for a guest post. Mary is here to tell you all what she’s thankful for.

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I Am So Thankful

2011 has been a crazy year--wonderful and crazy. I could go on and on about things for which I'm grateful, but I'll narrow it down to people who have kept me sane through this amazing time leading up to the release of my debut novel. I'll refrain from getting gushy and keep this super short.

First, I'm thankful for my agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette. who has believed in me from day one even more than I believe in myself sometimes. She's always there for me with a "hooray" or a "hang in there."

Next, there is Jill Santopolo, executive editor of Philomel books at Penguin, who loved my book enough to take it on and make it ready for the world.

Of course there are my precious children, Emily, Hannah, and Robert who have endured lots of strangeness leading up to this book release.

Last, and certainly not least, is my dear, sweet, patient husband, Laine, who has never stopped believing I could do it--not even for a second.

I'm also grateful for Zoe, who was kind enough to host this stop on the Shattered Souls Teen Book Scene blog tour.

I wish everyone a glorious Thanksgiving Day.

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Thank you so much for stopping by Zoe’s Book Reviews, Mary.

You can find Mary Lindsey online, here

You can find more information about Shattered Souls, on goodreads, here.

Waiting on Wednesday (11)

2011-11-23T12:17:00.001-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Level Two by Lenore Appelhans

2012

Simon and Schuster

In Level Two, the liminal place between our world (Level One) and heaven, Felicia spends her days reliving her memories from the security of her pod—until she gets broken out by Julian, a boy she met on Earth.

Though there isn’t a cover or final release date for this novel, I can’t wait to get my hands on it! Lenore is an amazing person, and a blogger! She blogs at Presenting Lenore.

Level Two sounds awesome, and I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on it.

You can add Level Two on Goodreads here.

An Interview with Beth Revis

2011-11-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

I was looking through the old archives of my email inbox and realized that in January (like, January 2011) I interviewed Beth Revis, author of the amazing book Across the Universe. I never posted the interview. I don’t know why I didn’t post it. Needless to say, here is said interview with Beth Revis!

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1. When did you know that you wanted to write a Sci-Fi book?

When I was in the middle of it! I didn't intend to write a sci fi--the book just ended up being that way!

2. If you had to make a choice to be frozen or not, what would you choose?

I....really don't think I would. I like my life here! But I can see if things took a turn for the worse, maybe...

3. The cover is gorgeous, did you have any input on to how the design would be?

They did ask for my input, but I'm not a graphic designer at ALL and so I was happy to see what the creative geniuses at Penguin could do!

4.Describe Across the Universe in 5 words.

A murder mystery...in space!

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Here is a summary of Beth’s novel Across the Universe. The sequel to Across the Universe, A Million Suns, is coming out on January 10, 2012.

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.

The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch

2011-11-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

After the death of her free-spirited mother, sixteen-year-old Alex Lee must leave her home in northern California to live with her wealthy grandmother in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful, if unwilling, member of the Magnolia League, Savannah's long-standing debutante society. She quickly discovers that the Magnolias have made a pact with a legendary hoodoo family, the Buzzards. The Magnolias enjoy youth, beauty and power. But at what price?
As in her popular adult novels, Crouch's poignant and humorous voice shines in this seductively atmospheric story about girls growing up in a magical Southern city.

I was reluctant to start reading The Magnolia League, because I thought it wasn’t going to live up to all the hype I had heard about it. Luckily, Katie Crouch’s writing came through. The Magnolia League was a fast paced novel. It captured southern essence perfectly. The little southern hierarchy thing that was going on was both creeping and alluring, and I loved reading about it.

My biggest problem with The Magnolia League was that Alex’s background was stereotypical. Alex leaves California after her mom dies to go and live with her grandmother in Savanna, Georgia. When she was still living with her mom in California, they were considered hippies. It’s that part of her background that I don’t agree with. We’re told that she grew up on a communal-type land where her and her mom grew plants. I know that there are communal-type places in California, but it seems like having the character grow up in one of those places follows a stereotype.

Other than that, I really enjoyed The Magnolia League. I liked how mysterious it was. Katie Crouch is als a really good writer. There was amazing character development, and I think she described the atmosphere of the south perfectly.

FTC- Received from publisher.

Spotlight on Harper Teen

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

This is a series of posts (over the course of weeks, months, etc.) in which I spotlight books coming out that I can’t wait for. These posts will go by publisher. If you click on the book title, you will get linked to the books page on Goodreads. This series of posts are inspired by Absconditas weekly meme “Spotlight On”.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

April 24, 2012

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Endlessly by Kiersten White

July 24, 2012

The third book in the Paranormalcy trilogy.
The final chapter of Evie's adventures. Old friends, new ones, all wrapped up in impossible decisions. And some ball gowns. Because what's a life of normal and paranormal drama without a ball gown or two?

Smashed by Lisa Luedeke

August 1, 2012

Maine high school senior Katie Martin is set to win a field hockey scholarship until her life is derailed by drinking, a car accident, and an angry classmate.

Foiled (Hello, Gorgeous #2) by Taylor Morris

2011-11-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Mickey's thrilled to have some female friends for a change. But things get a little too close for comfort when her mom goes and hires Lizbeth to work at the salon. Mickey's worried that Lizbeth is stealing her thunder. After all, Lizbeth is everything Mickey isn't-outgoing, bubbly, and quick-on-her-feet. But when Mickey tries too hard to outshine her, things backfire in a hair-raising way!

I officially love this series! Taylor Morris has done a fantastic job writing Mickey’s story. I loved reading about Mickey and her friends. I loved how the story was fun, but still interesting and sent really good messages.

Even though Mickey kept getting herself into sticky situations, she still manages to keep her head on her shoulders. Sure, they sometimes cause her to question what’s right and what’s wrong- but ultimately she makes well thought-out decisions.

I love how Taylor Morris writes. I really enjoyed the first book in the Hello, Gorgeous series- and I think I liked this one even more. I’m really interested in reading Taylor’s other novels. If how much I liked Foiled is any telling, I should love her other novels*.

You should totally check out the Hello, Gorgeous series. It’s geared towards a younger audience, but don’t let that stop you. Foiled is an awesome book!

FTC- Received from author.

*I’m reading one of her other books, BFF Breakup right now.

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

2011-11-10T13:02:00.001-08:00

A Lesson Before Dying, is set in a small Cajun community in the late 1940s. Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor store shoot out in which three men are killed; the only survivor, he is convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Grant Wiggins, who left his hometown for the university, has returned to the plantation school to teach. As he struggles with his decision whether to stay or escape to another state, his aunt and Jefferson's godmother persuade him to visit Jefferson in his cell and impart his learning and his pride to Jefferson before his death. In the end, the two men forge a bond as they both come to understand the simple heroism of resisting—and defying—the expected.

I had to read this book for class, so generally I had apprehensions about if I would like it or not. I’m happy to say that I really enjoyed A Lesson Before Dying. It is impeccably well written. Though this is a simple story, it packs a big punch. Though I only read a few pages of it a day, I found myself always thinking about it.

Gant is an amazing character and watching him grow throughout the story was really interesting. I loved how he transformed from someone who see’s his life as dim to someone who’s excited about his future.

A Lesson Before Dying was an incredibly amazing novel. Both the story and the characters are extremely well written. I recommend A Lesson Before Dying, even if you aren’t into adult books.

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan

2011-11-07T21:07:00.001-08:00

In this high school-set psychological tale, a tormented teen named Evan starts to discover a series of unnerving photographs—some of which feature him. Someone is stalking him . . . messing with him . . . threatening him. Worse, ever since his best friend Ariel has been gone, he's been unable to sleep, spending night after night torturing himself for his role in her absence. And as crazy as it sounds, Evan's starting to believe it's Ariel that's behind all of this, punishing him. But the more Evan starts to unravel the mystery, the more his paranoia and insomnia amplify, and the more he starts to unravel himself.

I love how every book that David Levithan publishes is so original. I imagine that his mind is like a mecca for amazing ideas. It is probably known by most of you that I am a huge David Levithan fan. That being said, I honestly really liked Every You, Every Me. It’s not every day that a book like this is published- one that has pictures, as well as a thrilling story.

Evan is a wild character, and not in the crazy-does-stupid-things way. He’s realistic in a brutally honest way. It was refreshing. I read Every You, Every Me in a few hours. It was creepy, well written, and inventive. I wish it would have been written a little smoother, but in a way, I think having it be kind of choppy is good. It isn’t a fluffy, everything-is-alright type of book. And, I think we need books that don’t sugar coat things.

I view reading Every You, Every Me as an experience. You read this fantastic story, and you have the pictures to go along with it. David Levithan’s writing is amazing, but I have to give props to the photographer, Jonathan Farmer. I’m not familiar with Jonathan Farmer’s work, but after seeing the pictures presented in this novel, I want to be. The pictures are dark, mysterious, and completely alluring. Without them, there would simply be no novel.

Every You, Every Me is a fantastic novel that will leave you wanting more. Evan is an interesting main character that you won’t forget! The pictures presented in this piece of literature are as breathtaking as the writing. I can’t recommend Every You, Every Me enough.

FTC- Bought.

*Also, the title of this book is taken from an amazing Placebo song. You should listen to it.

NaNoWriMo

2011-11-01T22:53:00.001-07:00

Yep, it’s that time of year again my lovely readers. National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo. The one set month a year in which I put myself through loads of stress to produce a novel that in all honesty, will never see the light of day.

Day 1 of NaNo is almost over, and I’m already a hideous ball of stress. I still need to do homework, finish a book, and meet my word count quota for the day- and it’s nearly 11pm. I’m not sure what I’m writing, I’m not confident at all because I’m not sure what I’m writing- but hey, welcome to NaNo.

So, I should really get back to writing. Are any of you doing NaNoWriMo? Have any of you never heard of NaNoWriMo before? If you are doing NaNoWriMo, what’s your username? (You should add me as a buddy, by the way. My username is zoealea.)

Happy writing!

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

2011-10-31T00:38:00.001-07:00

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

This book was so good. I read it in a single night, after being stuck in a reading slump for two months. It was simply gorgeous.Speaking of gorgeous, look at the book cover. It is amazing. I have a super fancrush on this cover (and the actual book). Jessica Martinez captured me from the very start.

We’re quickly introduced to the multiple internal and external conflicts that Carmen faces on a daily basis. Though she has quite a bit of reasons to sit around a mope, Carmen doesn’t. Throughout the novel, she remains incredibly strong. Jeremy was an interesting character. I was weary of his personality when he was first introduced, but I eventually grew to like him.

One of my favorite things about Virtuosity, if not my favorite thing, was the many topics it covered. From the stress being put on Carmen surrounding the Guarneri competition to her anxiety medication addiction- this novel really did have it all. I absolutely adored the story, along with the characters.

Virtuosity is an amazing novel that readers are sure to love. I can’t recommend it enough. Jessica Martinez is an author than you should really watch. I’m sure her future novels will be just as amazing as Virtuosity!

FTC- Publisher.

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

2011-10-30T23:15:00.001-07:00

On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites;like fire and ice;Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

This book was fabulous. It kind of suffered paranormal-book syndrome, but it eventually morphed out of it. I’m not going to lie- it took me awhile to finish A Beautiful Dark. I found the beginning a little slow. The characters didn’t really interest me right off the bat. Luckily, I started to pick up interest.

Skye was at times a little too moody for my taste, but overall she was a strong main character. There were also times when I wanted to jump into the novel and shake her for being so gullible. Asher and Devin present the oh-so-famous battles between light/dark, heaven/hell, bad/good boy. Me, being the reader who almost always goes in the bad boy direction- was swooning over Asher in no time.

The ending was confusing. I read this book awhile ago, and I’m still stumped on what went on. The ending is probably my main complaint about this book. Maybe that was the goal of the author- to leave the reader questioning what they just read- if it was her goal, then I tip my hat to her. But back to my point, after finishing A Beautiful Dark- I had to go back and reread the last chapter a few times, and even then I didn’t fully understand what was going on. Despite not fully knowing what was going on, A Beautiful Dark still left me wanting more.

I can’t wait for the sequel, and I think Jocelyn Davies did a nice job writing A Beautiful Dark. Despite the few things I disliked about it, this novel was still a really nice read. It’s a perfect novel to read when curled up in bed and trying to keep out of the winter cold.

FTC- Publisher.

Daisy Whitney’s New Book Covers + An Interview About Them

2011-10-26T08:44:00.001-07:00

Daisy Whitney’s books The Mockingbirds and The Rivals have received a little cover-makeover. I had the opportunity to interview Daisy about these fabulous new covers. I hope you enjoy the interview!

1. So lets start with the obvious question, what do you think of the new book covers compared to the old ones?

I am crazily in love with these covers! Personally, as a reader I prefer photographic covers and am most often drawn to covers with strong women or girls on them, so the paperback of The Mockingbirds appeals to me for that reason. But beyond my personal tastes, these covers are definitely in line with the stories. The first book is about a teen girl finding the strength to stand up for herself and speak her mind, but also to reclaim her heart, mind, and body after a traumatic event. That the girl on the cover is looking directly at the reader and not away is exactly what I want for the story! I also love her red lipstick because I think it's a powerful statement that Alex, in a way, is reclaiming her right to wear red lipstick. Even after the trauma of an assault, she can heal and she doesn't have to hide. That's what the new cover says to me. As for The Rivals cover, it's really the mirror, the perfect pair, to the first book. And the story is about the other side, the opposite, of the Mockingbirds. So a teen boy is the perfect complement to the first cover. Plus, he's, you know, easy on the eyes!

2. Is there one new cover you prefer over the other? (The paperback cover of The Mockingbirds vs. the hardcover of The Rivals)

No! I love them both so so so much! I do like those blue eyes on the boy though....

3. I know that most authors are given very little say in what their book covers will look like. Since this is the second go-around of the covers, did you get any say in what went into them?

My publisher and especially my editor Kate Sullivan were fantastic through this whole redo. Kate really wants her authors to be happy with their covers, and she absolutely listened to my opinions on the type of covers I like and took that into account while working with the design team. I think teens respond well to photographic covers so I sent her a list of my favorite book covers as she began the work on the redesign. She took it from there and a few months later came back to me with these beauties. Liz Casal is the designer and I bow down before her. Liz has made this author very very very happy!

4. For people who haven't read it, can you quickly describe what The Mockingbirds is about?

The Mockingbirds is about an underground student-run justice system at a prestigious boarding school and the cases they try, including one involving a date rape. The Rivals is a sequel that follows another case, this one involving a cheating ring at the school and how it challenges the Mockingbirds to the core.

5. The hardback cover of The Mockingbirds is very broad- but in a way it pays homage to To Kill a Mockingbird. How do you think the new covers will be perceived by teenagers, and what do you think people can learn about the book from looking at the covers?

There will still be a bit of homage paid to To Kill a Mockingbird on the back of the paperback! (Wait til you see the back!) I certainly hope teenagers like these new covers. I think they have a lot of teen appeal and I think they're exactly the type of covers teens are apt to pick up in a bookstore. I also think the other elements in the covers from the title font to the tagline font to the yearbook photo feel of the pictures underscores the themes of the stories -- students writing on the walls, writing in code, passing around notes and info, tracking other students, etc. I truly could not be happier with a set of covers.

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

2011-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

January 19, 2012

A dark and provocative novel from the author of The Secret Year
Ryan spends most of his time alone at the local waterfall because it’s the only thing that makes him feel alive. He’s sixteen, post-suicidal, and trying to figure out what to do with himself after a stint in a mental hospital. Then Nicki barges into his world, brimming with life and energy, and asking questions about Ryan’s depression that no one else has ever been brave enough—or cared enough—to ask. Ryan isn’t sure why he trusts Nicki with his darkest secrets, but that trust turns out to be the catalyst that he desperately needs to start living again.

I Jennifer’s debut novel The Secret Year, so I’m really looking forward to reading Try Not to Breathe. I’m sure it will be lovely!

Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

2011-10-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

In this emotionally powerful novel, three women face the age-old midlife question: If I’m halfway to death, is this all I’ve got to show for it? Holly, filled with regret for being a stay-at-home mom, sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Andrea, a single mom and avowed celibate, watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband? Then there’s Marissa. She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts. As one woman’s marriage unravels, another one’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s is reconfigured into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all three of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness before it is through.

This novel was… different from Ellen Hopkins’ new books. This is Hopkins’ first adult novel and you can definitely tell by the various subplots (when reading) that she has gone deep into the world of adult literature. Though Triangles is a story told through poems, like Ellen’s YA books, I don’t think that all teenagers should read it. Triangles covers a lot of sexual topics that I know most teens won’t be comfortable with. I’m comfortable with most books that have sexual content in it, but even while reading this, I felt way out of my comfort zone. So fair warning to the kid/teen crowd, you might want to rethink reading Triangles.

That aside, I really liked it. I think that Ellen Hopkins was really brave in trying out a new genre and I hope that this book will have the same amount of success that her YA books have had. This novel explores not only love and sex, but it also dives deeper into the meanings of friendship, codependence, and what it means to be happy.I liked how intertwined the lives of the three middle-aged women were. It helped me piece together the story more to really see what was going on.

Though Ellen Hopkins’ hit an area outside my comfort zone, I did like Triangles. It was written well and the story was genuinely interesting. I don’t recommend this book if you get uncomfortable easily in novels, or if you have a problem with books that have graphic sexual content.

FTC- Publisher.

Bay Area Book Event’s

2011-10-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I’m here to tell you all about two Bay Area book signings that are happening in the upcoming weeks. Here is the information about those events. Clicking the author will bring you to more information about the event (including the store address)-

Tamora Pierce

October 27th

7:00 pm

Copperfields Books in Sebastopol, California

Laini Taylor

October 28th

7:00 pm

Copperfields Books in Petaluma, California

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I’ll most likely be at the Laini Taylor event!

Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe

2011-10-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

When high school junior Sara wins a coveted scholarship to study ballet, she must sacrifice everything for her new life as a professional dancer-in-training. Living in a strange city with a host family, she's deeply lonely-until she falls into the arms of Remington, a choreographer in his early twenties. At first, she loves being Rem's muse, but as she discovers a surprising passion for writing, she begins to question whether she's chosen the right path. Is Rem using her, or is it the other way around? And is dancing still her dream, or does she need something more?

So many people have raved to me about Audition. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed. I think part of my problem with Audition was that I set a high standard when it comes to novels that are written in verse. Most of the authors that have written in verse have done such a good job of it, that I have a hard time opening up to new verse authors. So that was one of my issues with Audition.

I also found the main character pretty unlikable. From the start of the book, she complains about being involved in ballet. If she doesn’t like it, then I am oblivious as to why she keeps learning to be a ballerina. I also felt like once the boy was introduced, she became a little consumed with him. That’s totally ok, that sort of thing happens in real life all the time- I just wasn’t in the mood to read about it.

I’m sure this book is really awesome. It just wasn’t the right time for me to read it.

FC- Publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

2011-10-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

February 28, 2012

In sixteen-year-old Felicita’s world, magic is strictly controlled—or so those in power like to believe. After her dearest friend, Ilven, kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven’s death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg’s caste system, and the whole city along with it.

This sounds so creepy! I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Wish I Could Read Again For The First Time

2011-10-11T09:01:00.001-07:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. You can find information about Top Ten Tuesday by going here. So here is my list of Books I Wish I could Read Again for the First Time-

1. Harry Potter

The Harry Potter books are the books that got me into reading. When I was first reading them, everything was so new and magical. I would love to experience that feeling again. (The books are still amazing and I love rereading them, but there’s nothing like the first time you read a book.)

2. Looking for Alaska by John Green

I read this book when I was really young. I think I read it when I was 10, which isn’t horribly young- but Looking for Alaska is a novel geared toward the older side of the teenage spectrum. I wish that, when I read it for the first time, I would have realized just how big of an impact that book made on my life. It’s not my favorite book, but if I hadn’t read Looking for Alaska, I wouldn’t have started reading YA books at such a young age- and I might not have this blog.

3. Every David Levithan Book

They are just so well written! I would love to experience that anticipation of thinking “I wonder what he’ll do next!”.

I know this isn’t ten books, but this is all I can think of at the moment. I hope you’re all having a lovely Tuesday.

Sharks and Boys by Kristen Tracey

2011-10-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

When 15-year-old Enid Calhoun follows her boyfriend Wick to Maryland for a party, fearful that he might be intending to cheat on her, she finds herself sneaking on board a houseboat where Wick and his friends plan to have a wild night. But before the boys discover their stowaway, a hurricane strikes, and the teenagers are carried miles from the shore and shipwrecked. What follows is a harrowing, yet heartwarming, story of survival, as the teens battle hypothermia, dehydration, man-eating sharks--and along the way, confront their own deepest secrets, including their catalytic roles in the disaster.

So. Scary.

Sharks and Boys isn’t scary in the “Boo!” type of way. It’s scary in the “oh my gosh I’m going to have nightmares about man eating sharks for the rest of my life” sort of way. I know this has been said numerous times before, but I just need to say it again. This cover does not do this book justice. At all. If I were to see this in a bookshop, I honestly wouldn’t have picked it up because of the cover and the happy-go-lucky title. I really don’t want anybody to not pick this up because of the cover.

Sharks and Boys was straight-up badass. Every part of the book was thrilling. My only complaint about the story itself was that amount of characters and the names of the characters. I felt like because there were so many people on the lifeboat, it was hard to keep track of who was who and what their backstory was. The unusual names didn’t help this situation either.

This is one of the most interesting storylines in a young adult novel that I’ve read in a long time. It isn’t completely original, but the story is played out and written really well. Kristen Tracey does a really good job building up suspense to some of the major events in the novel.

I really enjoyed Sharks and Boys and strongly encourage you to pick it up. Kristen Tracey wrote an addicting and fast-paced novel that I loved!

FTC- Publisher.

The Future of Us Giveaway

2011-10-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

On November 21st, The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler will be released. Luckily, I have an ARC to give one of you lovely readers. To enter, all you need to do is fill out the form below. Now, without further to do, here is a little bit about The Future of Us-

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.
Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.
Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.
Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

To enter, please fill out the form below!

Toast Says It All (2)

2011-10-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

In Toast Says It All, I spotlight some of my favorite reviews, interviews, twitter accounts, and other various things from the past week. The name Toast is a nickname that some people call me.

Current Favorite Books-

I just realized that I haven’t read any *spectacular* books in the past few days. So this list of books is from last month.

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies- I read A Beautiful Dark in one night. I’m not going to say it’s one of the most well written books I’ve read. But it does have a really amazing storyline, which is why I’m putting it on this list.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay- Ahhh, so good! I haven’t ever read Romeo and Juliet and I’m not the biggest Shakespeare fan, but Juliet Immortal made me want to read Romeo and Juliet just because it inspired the book. I loved it!

Every You, Every Me by David Levithan- You guys. It’s David Levithan. I mean, come on. Not only is he my favorite author, but this book was downright creepy! He really outdid himself in the imagination-factor. With every book he writes, David’s writing gets stronger and his stories get even more imaginative.

Interviews-

The Compulsive Reader did an awesome interview with Laini Taylor.

YA Book Queen hosted an interview and giveaway with Anna Carey, the author of Eve.

Reviews-

Lenore from Presenting Lenore wrote an amazing review of Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Khy of Frenetic Reader reviewed The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Random-

Pam of Bookalicious wrote an amazing piece on YA being a lifestyle.

This website makes me happy. It’s called HelloGiggles and it’s girly and an overall super amazing website. I seriously spent an hour and a half looking at it this morning when I should have been studying.

Blowout (Hello, Gorgeous! #1) by Taylor Morris

2011-10-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Now that she's had her thirteenth birthday, Mickey's finally old enough to work at her mother's super glam hair salon-Hello, Gorgeous! And true to the old cliche about people confiding in their hair stylists, Mickey starts getting an earful right off the bat. Customers love talking to her because she's so empathetic, but what happens when she starts getting overly involved in their dramas?

This book is adorable. To start off, I don’t know if this book is considered middle grade or lower young adult, but I’m going to call in middle grade.

Taylor Morris is one of the most talented middle grade authors I’ve ever read. The first book in the Hello, Gorgeous! series was not only adorable, but it was also surprisingly deep. It’s a bit like middle grade chick-lit, but it also follows Mickey around as we learn about her struggling to grow up.

Mickey is caught in one of the great adolescent phases where you want to grow up so bad, but nobody wants to take you seriously. Though Mickey was sometimes a little light-headed and phased by the glamour of her mothers shop, she was a really cool character and I enjoyed reading about her.

Reading Blowout, I wanted to hop in and join Mickey and the gang. Everything seemed so magical and… fun. Blowout was the perfect first book in a series. I can’t wait to read the second book and see what other kind of shenanigans the Hello, Gorgeous! gang will be able to get into.

I highly recommend Blowout. It was cute, well balanced, and fun to read. Taylor Morris may have just turned me into a middle grade fan. Blowout perfectly balances the glamour of working at a high-end salon with the struggles of becoming a teenager. You won’t regret reading it.

FTC- Received for review from author.

Three Years Ago Today…

2011-10-06T08:00:00.001-07:00

I started this blog. That’s right my lovely reader-folk. Today, Zoe’s Book Reviews turns three.

In celebration of this milestone, I’m doing homework! Yay!

Even though I am doing homework, I want you all to have fun on this joyous occasion. This week I’ve had a few giveaways, one of which has yet to post (it will be posted later in the week). So if you want to go enter them, here are the links-

The first two books in the Firelight series by Sophie Jordan

The first two books in the Bright Young Things series by Anna Godbersen

Also, I would love it all if you took my blog survey. You can find my blog survey HERE.

I don’t want to sound like I’m accepting an Academy Award or anything, but I would like to thank you all so much. Honestly, without you all I would have probably stopped blogging a few months after I started.

As always (because I think this in my head all the time) thank you to publishers and authors.

Thank you to everyone who’s emailed me (I LOVE getting emails, fyi. Just like… if you want to talk, email me. If you want to vent, email me. If you want to tell me that you hate my blog, email me. I just love emails. They make my day happy.)

~Academy Award music starts playing~

Hey! Don’t cut me off. I have more to say!

Even though I’ve seriously considered it a few times over this past year, I’m not done book blogging yet. So here’s to another year!

Firelight/Vanish Giveaway

2011-10-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my blog-o-versary! In honor of being on here for three years, I’m going to give away-

(1) Hardback copy of Firelight by Sophie Jordan

(1) Hardback copy of Vanish by Sophie Jordan (the sequel to Firelight)

Swag!

You don’t have to follow my blog to enter, but I would still love it if you followed.

The giveaway is open to US addresses only, sorry for everyone who lives outside of the US.

Here’s a summary of the first book in the series, Firelight-

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

To enter the giveaway, fill out the form below-

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

2011-10-05T00:00:00.001-07:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Slide by Jill Hathaway

March 27, 2012

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.
Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.
Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.
Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

I love the name Vee. But besides that, this storyline sounds really awesome. Also (because I’m a total book cover snob), I love this book cover so much! I love all the effects on the picture and wording.

Does Knowing an Author Affect My Reviews?

2011-10-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I briefly answered a formspring question (you should totally ask me formspring questions, by the way- find me here) about whether or not my decision of a book is changed if I know the author. After the question was answered, CJ Omololu tweeted to me and asked me to expand on my answer. So, here is my expanded answer-

When a question like that comes up, my initial reaction is something along the lines of…

With a little of this mixed in…

Ok, but in all seriousness- I’ve never really thought about it. So when CJ asked me to expand on the topic, I was so confused that I didn’t write the post until now, months after the initial question happened.

After a few months of thinking, I think I’ve finally formed my answer.

No, my personal relationship with an author doesn't affect my opinion/review of a book. However, knowing an author does affect whether or not I read their book. Normally, if I know an author I try my hardest to read their book- I want to support them after all. There is the occasional exception to that.

This happens when an author I know well (either in person or online) publishes a book in a genre that I know I don’t like. This has (sadly) actually happened before, though I won’t name the author. One of the nicest authors I’ve ever spoken to had a debut novel coming out, and it was a fantasy/historical novel. Because I knew I generally don’t like either of those genre’s, I didn’t read the novel. At the time, I didn’t read it because I knew there were very slim chances of me liking it. In all honesty, if I didn’t know the author- I still wouldn’t have picked it up. However, looking back on it (a few years later), there was probably a part of me that worried about giving the book a bad review.

It has happened where I read a book by an author I knew (either online or in person) and I didn’t like it. I still gave the book a review with my honest opinion. Even though I know book bloggers aren’t really taken seriously in the book blogging world, I still like to keep a certain level of professionalism. I believe that it’s my duty as the owner of this blog to tell you all my honest opinion about the books I read. Therefor, even if I know an author and don’t like their book- I’m still going to give the book a negative review.

This hasn’t happened yet (thank gosh). But even if my favorite author of all time* wrote a book that I really didn’t like, I would tell you all. Giving an unhonest review defeats the purpose of having a place where I share my opinions of books.I know it sounds kind of cheesy and predictable, but I’m telling the truth.

*David Levithan, if you didn’t already know.

Bright Young Things/Beautiful Days Giveaway

2011-10-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

My three-year blog-o-versary is Thursday, so I thought I would host a giveaway for all of you lovely followers. I’ll be giving away-

(1) Paperback copy of Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

(1) Hardback copy of Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen (the sequel to Bright Young Things)

A bunch of swag

The giveaway is open to US only, sorry for everyone who lives internationally.

You don’t have to follow my blog to enter, but I would still love it if you followed.

Here’s a summary of Bright Young Things-

The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star…

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart.

To enter, fill out the form below.

A Blog Survey

2011-10-02T19:30:00.001-07:00

Hey, everyone! I’m here with a request. Every few months I like to have an anonymous blog survey for you all to answer- so I know what to work on, what you like, etc. It’s that time of the year again! I would love it if you would all fill out my blog survey below.

Spotlight on Simon and Schuster (4)

2011-10-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

May 8, 2012

Taylor's family might not be the closest-knit – everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled – but for the most part, they get along fine. Then they get news that changes everything: Her father has pancreatic cancer, and it's stage four – meaning that there is basically nothing to be done. Her parents decide that the family will spend his last months together at their old summerhouse in the Pocono Mountains.
Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven't actually gone anywhere. Her former summer best friend is suddenly around, as is her first boyfriend. . . and he's much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.
As the summer progresses, the Edwards become more of a family, and closer than they've ever been before. But all of them very aware that they're battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance – with family, with friends, and with love.

* * * * *

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

May 8, 2012

Honor receives her brother's last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.
Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn't. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

* * * * *

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti

April 24,2012

Cricket's on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend, trying to figure out whether she's in it for the right reasons. But this is a bad week to try to figure it all out. After ditching two previous husbands-to-be at the airport, Cricket's mother Daisy is finally getting married, to Dan Jax. Cricket loves Dan, but as the families and friends start to arrive for Wedding Week at the beautiful guest house on Bishop Rock, run by old hippies Ted and Rebecca Rose and their sweet, sexy son Ash, things start getting complicated.
There’s no airport on Bishop Rock, as far as anyone knows, but Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, and Cricket’s own desires have chosen now to have a mind of their own. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her....

* * * * *

Someone Else’s Life by Katie Dale

April 2, 2012

When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

2011-10-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Kayla McHenry'’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla'’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year'’s supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla'’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend'’s boyfriend.

Starting this book, I didn’t know what I was getting into. You Wish was such a hilarious, adorable, and addicting book. The cover, for one, is just completely amazing- it features some of the best things: Pink, Unicorns (though I’m a zombie person), and cupcakes.

Kayla is a fun and loveable main character. The drama in this novel is so terrifically complicated and amusing. I’m not a girly person, but You Wish made me want cupcakes, everything the color pink, unicorns, and everything girly. All of the wishes and the characters were perfect. There was never a dull moment, I loved it! It was really interesting to see how Kayla handled her past birthday wishes.

I can’t recommend You Wish enough! It is the perfect girly read. It has an unforgettable premise and amazing writing. I can’t wait to read Mandy Hubbard’s next novel!

FTC- Bought

Read-a-Thon!

2011-09-30T09:34:00.001-07:00

So April of Good Books and Good Wine is hosting an Impromptu Read-a-Thon this weekend.

I am so doing it.

Those of you who follow me on twitter know that I’ve been in a huge reading slump for the past 2 months. Luckily, I’m no longer in the slump.

So I’m using the Impromptu Read-a-Thon as a chance to catch up on the books I could have been reading these past 2 months.

I don’t know how much time I’m going to have to read (that depends on how much school work I have), but if I don’t have a lot of things to do over the weekend- I’m hoping to read books into the double digits (Maybe 10? Maybe 15? I don’t know.) I average about 100 pages an hour, so I’ll probably only be able to finish 4-6 books. Here’s to hoping I read more!

I probably won’t update my blog on my progress because, let’s face it, I’m lazy. At the end of the Read-a-Thon however, I might give a final tally of how many books I’ve read.

Are any of you doing the Read-a-Thon?

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

2011-09-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

I have really mixed feelings about this book. It was an interesting story and the writing was pretty good. However, I was constantly getting confused. I kept having to go back and reread parts.

The characters were all really cool people who were fun to read about, but they didn’t really click for me at all. I hate to say it, but this novel was like Twilight in a way (except better written). It was full of clichés and the literary part of me hated it. I didn’t find Haden very attractive (he was so horrible throughout so much of the book) and Theia was constantly annoying me.

However, I also really loved Falling Under.The book is a total guilty pleasure book. I read it to get lost in the world that Gwen Hayes so expertly crafted. Chances are, I’ll probably reread it in the future. It’s just one of those books that you go to when you’re feeling kind of crappy and want to read something sappy and paranormal. It appealed to the angsty teenager part of me, which is a really good thing.

I honestly don’t know if I recommend Falling Under. Part of me says yes and the other part says no. I think the characters need some work, but overall they're all really interesting. Falling Under is a spooky paranormal. I think if you liked Twilight, or if you’re looking for a guilty pleasure read- this is the book for you.

FTC- Bought

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

2011-09-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Lola and the Boy Next Door took my breath away. Stephanie Perkins has a way of writing that makes you so engaged in the story that you are happy when something good happens and sad when something bad happens and you really feel all of the emotions going on in the book. Lola and Cricket had electric chemistry and are really adorable together.

With this novel, Perkins has solidified herself as one of my all time favorite authors. Her first novel Anna and the French Kiss was tied as my favorite book of 2010 and it looks like Lola and the Boy Next Door will either be tied again, or will take 1st place as my favorite book of 2011. Reading a Stephanie Perkins books is effortless. It’s as easy as breathing because of how natural her books are written.

Lola was adorably eccentric. I loved her interest in costume and could really understand how she felt at home in her crazy clothes. Cricket was way more than a boy-genius. Even though he is described as being this perfect inventor, he had real imperfections and it was nice seeing that.

Stephanie Perkins has written yet another book that I will reread countless times. She’s gotten everything right. I cannot wait to read her next novel!

FTC- Publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

2011-09-28T00:00:00.001-07:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

January 3, 2012

Exiled from her comfortable home, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland – called the Death Shop – are slim. Violent energy storms can strike suddenly, and even the very air she breathes might kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous – a savage. He’s also her only hope.
Because Aria alone holds the key to his redemption, Perry needs her, too. Their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

This book has received tons of buzz, which automatically makes me want to read it. Also, that cover! That cover is gorgeous, I could look at it all day.

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June by Robin Benway

2011-09-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood--—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds--—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

This book is adorable. It’s so… light, but not in the fluffy way. It was breezy, like summer mixed with magic and wonder. Robin Benway has captured the teen voice perfectly. I felt like I was listening to my friends telling me a story. The characters were all really humorous, which is always awesome in a YA novel.

One of the best things about The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June was that all three sisters had such unique voices. I rarely got the narrator mixed up- and when I did, I would just go back a few pages and reread. After awhile, it felt like I was connecting to the characters. I eventually found myself waiting on the edge of my seat, wanting to know more about their lives.

Robin Benway is an extremely talented writer who doesn’t disappoint. Her first novel Audrey, Wait remains one of my favorite books- and now so does The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June.

FTC- Bought.

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

2011-09-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

This book was amazing. I read it in the midst of a reading slump, and for the three and a half hours it took me to read it, a reading slump didn’t exist. Carrier of the Mark captured me completely.

Leigh Fallon is a fantastic writer. Her characters were all so interesting! I felt like jumping into the book just so I could meet them. I honestly have nothing but praise for Fallon. There were so many twists and turns throughout this novel, and the setting of Ireland was just magical. I love books set in foreign places, especially if they’re set in Ireland/Scotland/Britain/etc.

I know this review is jumbled up, but that’s because even a month after reading Carrier of the Mark, I’m still in awe of it. With all of the dreamy and breathless parts, there were also parts in Carrier of the Mark where I was freaked out! This book is surprisingly dark and mysterious. I kept guessing on what was going to happen next!

I really recommend Carrier of the Mark. It is so addicting! It’s good if you like paranormal-type books that have a little spice to them.

FTC- Received as a galley from Copperfields Books.

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

2011-09-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant.

This book is adorable. It’s the perfect light and fluffy read. Before Epic Fail as released, I had my eyes on it- so when I was offered a chance to review it, I was more than happy. Epic Fail didn’t disappoint me at all. Claire LaZebnik is a fantastic author who brought an amazing story line (and an amazing re-make of Pride and Prejudice) to the literary-table.

This book is honestly too adorable for words. While I was reading it, I just remained on cloud-nine because of just how sweet it is. But don’t let it’s sweet and fluffy plotline fool you, Epic Fail is also a serious and touching read. As you get farther into it, the back story starts getting revealed and it becomes more than just a cutesy novel.

I highly recommend Epic Fail. It’s a quick read and a fantastic novel.

FTC- Publisher.

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

2011-09-26T22:19:00.001-07:00

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.
Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

First, let me say how much I love this cover. It’s beyond fabulous.

I read this book a few weeks ago and just realized that I hadn’t reviewed it yet. Possess was badass. Gretchen McNeil is such an amazing writer, and she completely nailed her debut novel. Possess was also pretty scary at times. I was clutching my blanket while reading it in the middle of the night, scared that my house was possessed.

Bridget was so… real. Yes, she’s like the Buffy of demon banishing but she’s also really down to earth. She was also an independent character, which I always admire. For once, there was kind of the type of relationship going on where the male lead was a little more needy and protective (which is refreshing because normally, I’ve noticed, the girls are the more needy and protective ones in novels).

McNeil wrote a creepy and interesting novel that you’ll want to pick up*. Though, if I were you, I would keep the lights on while reading. The characters were all really well written, and the story is one that you won’t forget. Gretchen McNeil is an author that you’ll want to watch- her upcoming novels are sure to be amazing.

FTC- Publisher.

*My mom is reading my copy right now, which is saying a lot. My mom normally doesn’t read much.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

2011-09-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

"These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume."
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

So. Amazing.

That was my first impression after finishing Juliet Immortal. This is a quick novel, one of the ones you can’t put down- no matter how much you need to go to bed. I’ve read most of Stacey Jay’s other novels and have loved them all, but I think Juliet Immortal may be my favorite.

Juliet was a strong, realistic character. She was fierce, angry, intense, and at times vulnerable- especially when face to face with Romeo. Romeo was so frustrating. He’s one of those characters that I wanted to give a chance because I’ve heard that people like him in Juliet Immortal. Sadly, no matter how hard I tried, I didn’t like him. It wasn’t because he wasn’t written well (he was written very well) but because his personality (as portrayed in this book) is incredibly frustrating. Like Juliet, I didn’t know when to believe him. Both characters were fun to read about- their whole journey was a nonstop thrill ride of anticipation.

My only complaint is that at times, I got a little confused as to what was going on. But when that happened, I just reread the last few pages and carried on with the story. Juliet Immortal had great pacing and remained addicting throughout the whole book. I admit that I haven’t read Romeo and Juliet yet (I own it, does that count?). Though I only have a rough understanding of the story, I was still able to read Juliet Immortal without getting confused with the references and occasional dialogue from the play.

Stacey Jay wrote an amazing book that I highly recommend to anybody. It’s well written and has some amazing characters. I can’t wait to read the follow-up to Juliet Immortal, Romeo Redeemed, which is coming out Fall of next year (it can’t come soon enough!).

FTC- Bought.

Banned Books Week

2011-09-26T14:35:00.001-07:00

This week (from September 24th to October 1st) is Banned Books Week. Every year more people try and ban books from schools, libraries, and many other places. As a book lover and an aspiring writer, banned books are something I’m passionate about. So this week (and every week, but this week especially) I want you all to speak out against banning books. You can do this by speaking out against it, reading books that have been banned and books that have been challenged, and writing about Banned Books Week (on your facebook, twitter, tumblr, blog, anywhere).

Banned Books are some of the best. Authors that have had books banned or challenged include-

Ellen Hopkins, John Green, Laurie Halse Anderson, Suzanne Collins, Judy Blume, J.K. Rowling, Lauren Myracle, Ann Brasheres, and so many more amazing authors.

* * * * * * * * * *

Also, I think I’m officially back to blogging now. So, yay! Expect some reviews, I’ve read some fabulous books recently.

* * * * * * * * * *

Next week is by three-year blog-o-versary so expect a few giveaways to be going up next week!

The Name of The Star by Maureen Johnson

2011-09-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Maureen Johnson’s writing never fails to amaze me. The Name of The Star is something new for Maureen and I was really excited to read it. Though I don’t think it’s my favorite book by her, I still loved it.

I love Rory(and her name). She was a kick-butt character and all of her emotions seemed real. All of the characters were developed well and improved with every page. I loved the whole Jack-the-Ripper-thing. I didn’t really know anything about Jack the Ripper, so The Name of The Star educated me about that.

This book scared me. I get scared really easily, but I read it at night so I had this constant fear that Jack the Ripper was going to come after me or something of that sort.

The Name of The Star is scary, addicting, and amazingly written. I recommend it to anyone who likes Maureen Johnson’s other books and anyone who enjoys reading good, original stories.

FTC- Publisher.

An Update.

2011-09-05T11:19:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,

As you might have guessed from the continuous lack of posts- I’m in a reading/blogging slump. I can’t apologize enough for not posting. However, if you still want to know what I’m up to. You can follow me on twitter, here. I also have a tumblr that you can find here. You can submit questions to the tumblr if you want to. I just want to say that the tumblr is (kind of) more personal than this blog and there is the occasional curse word or angsty rant. Though, it’s mostly pictures that I find inspiring or I like. There’s also a lot of Doctor Who/Harry Potter/Gilmore Girls/etc. fangirling.

I hope you all are doing well.

Best Wishes,

Zoe

PS- If you have any books (either adult or YA) that you think I should read, or that you think might get me out of my reading slump- feel free to email me or comment with the titles.

2011-08-29T08:59:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to stop by and tell you all about an article that has been written about me for the local newspaper. You can find the news article here. You don’t have to read it if you don’t want to, but I just thought I should give those who haven’t seen it- a link.

Anyways, I have to get back to doing schoolwork. There will be more reviews coming soon (I’m still trying to work myself off that hiatus).

xoxo,

Zoe

Bloodborn by Karen Kincy

2011-08-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Brock Koeman always hated werewolves and Others like them. While trying to trap a werewolf pack, he and his brother Chris were attacked and bitten—becoming what they have always feared and despised. While Chris fights for his life in the hospital, Brock faces another kind of battle: stifling his terrible urge to transform.

When werewolves kidnap him and the girl he loves, Brock discovers what it means to be Other—wondrous new sensations and experiences, overshadowed by constant danger—and the life that awaits him if he can ever accept his fate.

Bloodborn is a companion novel to Karen Kincy’s first novel Other. Other was amazingly unique and incredibly addicting- so I had high hopes for Bloodborn. Thankfully, my high hopes were met. This novel isn’t a typical werewolf story. Brock doesn’t come into being a werewolf like it’s natural to him. He struggles with accepting both what he is and other people like him.

Personally, I prefer Other because I felt like I could connect with the story more, but I’m definitely not going to discourage you from picking up Bloodborn. For those of you who’ve read Other, I highly recommend picking Bloodborn up. It goes more into depth about Brock and his life, where as in Other we just caught a brief glimpse of him.

Karen Kincy is an amazing paranormal YA writer. Since the release of her last book, her writing has been transformed into something even better than it was before. Though her novels are paranormal (which I usually don’t like), Kincy is able to put an interesting spin on her stories that make them more than just the typical YA paranormal read. I highly recommend both Other and Bloodborn, even if you aren’t really into paranormal books.

FTC- Received for book tour.

Alexis by Alexis Singer

2011-08-23T15:08:00.001-07:00

In six words, an instant message changed Alexis forever.

After a rocky junior year of high school, Alexis Singer was lonely, stressed out, and vulnerable--the ideal target for an older man with bad intentions. When a message popped up on her computer screen one night from a message board acquaintance, she could never have known that by responding she was making a choice that would change her forever.

By posing as a friend and confidant, the man gave Alexis the attention she desperately craved and weaseled his way into her life in an unimaginable way. Within weeks, Alexis was sucked into an emotionally dependent relationship, engaging in cybersex and sending him explicit photos of herself. Somewhere along the way, she lost who she was and put her dreams for the future, relationships with friends and family, and psychological well-being on the line.

'Not much about that first online conversation we had sticks out in my head except for his surprising interest in me. I probably would have forgotten about it if it weren't for that. I would have dismissed him as just another creep.'

Because Truth Is More Fascinating Than Fiction

I’ve always said that it’s hard to review someone’s life, and that still rings completely true. Alexis tells the story of Alexis Singer when she was a junior in high school. This is the second book I’ve read as a part of the Louder than Words series and it didn’t disappoint. The stories in the series are all emotionally heavy books that everybody should read. Not only do they tell you about these amazing people’s lives, but they also make you aware of various things people around you could be going through. A good example of this is in Alexis. The people around her don’t know that she’s in this a part of this relationship.

I think it’s important to remember that Alexis is a real person, when you read this book. That’s the really mind-blowing part. Normally when I read fiction that includes any form of abuse (or anything else considered “edgy”), I can console myself with the fact that the characters I’m reading about are fictional. With this, I couldn’t do that. I think as readers of YA novels or just novels in general, we need to remember that even though the books we normally read are fictional- there are still people who go through the things we’re reading about.

Alexis is a great book. Not only will you learn about the brave author Alexis Singer, but I think it will help teach people how to be more cautious when online. I have immense admiration towards Alexis for sharing her story with the world. I recommend this to anyone, really. It is an impeccable memoir that I can’t stop thinking about.

FTC- Received it from Erica of The Book Cellar.

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

2011-08-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.
Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.
Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

I’ve been waiting to read Chain Reaction ever since I turned the last page of book 2 in the Personal Chemistry series, Rules of Attraction. And let me just say that Chain Reaction delivered. I’ve been reading books by Simone Elkeles before I knew much about YA books and even back then, I loved her writing.

Each book in the Perfect Chemistry series follows the life of one of the three Fuentes brothers. In Perfect Chemistry, we followed Alex. He’s the oldest brother. In Rules of Attraction, we followed Carlos. The middle brother. In the last book of the Perfect Chemistry series, we follow Luis. The youngest brother. Even though I know that there can’t possibly be any more books, I can’t help but want there to be more. Simone Elkeles did an amazing job ending the series and I admire her for doing so, but over the past three books I’ve grown to love these characters and I’m just not ready to let them go yet. (But I guess that’s why I have the option to reread the books?)

Chain Reaction was incredibly addicting and well written. Both Luis and Nikki were both interesting and fully-fleshed out characters. Though the plot of Chain Reaction had some similarities to the previous books in the series, it was still interesting enough to continue reading without the similarities bothering me.

All in all, I really recommend Chain Reaction (and the previous 2 books in the series). You will be in for a nonstop thrill ride that is complete with fighting, dogs, and steamy kissing scenes!

FTC- Publisher.

Cheryl Rainfield’s Top 10 LGBTQ Movies

2011-08-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have Cheryl Rainfield here to share with you her top 10 LGBTQ movies. Cheryl is the author of Scars. Here is a summary of her novel (taken from Goodreads)-

Kendra, fifteen, hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail-- her abuser's identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.

Top 10 Favorite LGBTQ Movies

1) Desert Hearts

2) The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls In Love

3) In and Out

4) Better Than Chocolate

5) Imagine Me and You

6) It’s In the Water

7) Late Bloomers

8) To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar

9) TransAmerica

10) A Touch of Pink

Got a favorite queer movie? I would love to hear about it.

Hiatus?

2011-08-09T12:40:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,

We need to talk. I swear, it’s not you, it’s me.

So as some of you may have noticed, I haven’t posted anything in a week. It’s not because I’m on vacation (though, I was on vacation for most of last week). Lately I’ve been finding it hard to write reviews and read books. It’s not because I don’t like writing reviews (or reading books). I’ve been feeling kind of burnt out lately, in terms of this blog. So, I think that Zoe’s Book Reviews is going to go on hiatus for awhile. I don’t know how long, though. I promise that this isn’t the end of the blog because I love it so so much and I don’t think I’m ready to stop anytime soon.

For all I know, I could be back to posting tomorrow. I’m thinking that the hiatus may last for a week or two. I just need to rediscover my love of reading and reviewing. I’ll still be on twitter and I’ll still be answering my emails, if you want to talk or tell me anything. There will still be occasional posts, because I’ve scheduled some things and I have previous commitments for book tour posts- so those will still be popping up here and there. I could be forcing myself to write reviews and blog posts, but then the writing will be increasingly worse, and I don’t want that to happen.

To author/publishers who have sent me their book and are reading this- don’t worry! The book will get reviewed eventually. I would rather send you a quality review than send you one that I just forced out.

Thank you all so much for understanding!

xoxo,

Zoe

PS- My time is also currently being consumed by (1) planning various bookish stuff (2) trying to finish writing my novel. I’m nearly half way done with it!

Blood Ties by Mari Mancusi

2011-08-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

**possible spoilers for the series are located in the summary and review**

Officially back in the arms of her vampire boyfriend Magnus, Sunny finds she still can't forget the gentle mortal Jayden who once saved her life. When darkness threatens to steal his humanity, Sunny must make a choice: stay true to her love, or defy him in a desperate attempt to save Jayden's soul.
Meanwhile, the Blood Coven is gearing up for a showdown with a splinter group of Slayer Inc. It's Vampires vs. Slayers in a showdown that could cost Sunny not only her heart...but also her life.

Blood Ties is the sixth book in the series, but I read it without having read the first five books. Even though I haven’t read the first five novels in this series, I was still able to understand what was going on in the story.

One of the best parts of this story was the character development. Mancusi did an amazing job writing her characters realistically. Sunny is so stubborn, but she is so herself that I couldn’t help but like her. All of the characters were written really well and I don’t have a complaint.

At times, Blood Ties was slow and I just wanted to get it over with but I stuck in there and at the end, the novel was ultimately really good. However, I don’t recommend doing what I did. I think that if you want to read Blood Ties, you should read the first books in the series first.

FTC- Received for book tour.

Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

2011-08-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind - and more importantly, the heart - is something you can really control.

I love Jennifer’s first novel Lipstick Apology so I was beyond excited to read Crush Control. Though I didn’t like Crush Control as much as I liked Lipstick Apology, it was sill awesome.

I loved reading about Willow’s hypnotism escapades. Willow was a strong character, but she did sometimes annoy me. She seemed really life like, which is good- but because of her personality I got annoyed. Willow’s best friend Max, was so adorable. From the very start of the novel I could see why Willow was attracted to him. All of the characters in Crush Control were written very well. Even the characters who weren’t incredibly important had their own individual personalities and voice.

Crush Control is the perfect quick summer read! I wasn’t able to put it down. I highly recommend Crush Control, the writing is realistic and the story is memorable.

FTC- Bought.

Purple Daze by Sherry Shahan

2011-07-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Purple Daze is a young adult novel set in suburban Los Angeles in 1965. Six high school students share their experiences and feelings in interconnected free verse and traditional poems about war, feminism, riots, love, racism, rock 'n' roll, high school, and friendship.

Although there have been verse novels published recently, none explore the changing and volatile 1960's in America-- a time when young people drove a cultural and political revolution. With themes like the costs and casualties of war, the consequences of sex, and the complex relationships between teens, their peers, and their parents, this story is still as relevant today as it was 45 years ago.

Purple Daze was an interesting read. It didn’t completely suck me in, but it kept my attention enough to where I was able to finish reading it. I liked how Sherry Shahan wrote the novel in verse, and found it fairly surprising that she was able to pull it off well.

I really enjoyed reading about the 60s because it is modern enough to where it doesn’t remind me of something historical. Though Purple Daze is a little slow, and a bit confusing, it was still a decent read. I would check it out from the library before buying it, but if it seems like your cup of tea I’m certainly not going to discourage you from buying a copy.

FTC- Received from another blogger.

Victoria Schwab’s Book Picks!

2011-07-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have the amazing Victoria Schwab here to tell you about her favorite books!

I'm a fan of saying that I like a lot of books, but love very few. The result of this is that when I do love a book, I am very vocal about it! As in, hunt you down in the bookstore and put it in your waiting-and-perhaps-already-full-hands vocal.

A handful of the books I might force on you if we were to cross paths in a bookstore are:

THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS by John Connolly

Fairy tales gone dark. This book is equal parts haunting, gripping, gross, and beautiful.

STOLEN by Lucy Christopher

This one is wow. Gripping, psychological. I make people read it so we can talk when they're done.

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor

I've been a Laini Taylor fan for awhile now, and this book was DELECTABLE. Taylor, like Gaiman, is a true wordsmith/worldsmith.

NEVERWHERE by Neil Gaiman

I am a huge Gaiman fan, the way his worlds are tilted and his words are spun. All beauty and a touch of grunge. This is my favorite. Also, if you can, get it on AUDIO. He reads it.

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys

This is my most recent BUYITNOW book. NOT my normal fare, and yet I'm so, so glad I read it. Powerful, harrowing, stunning.

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins

The perfect lighter read, Perkins' characters are amazing, her stories totally devourable.

So those are the books I would force on you, but as I said, I read and like a lot! If you were to enter my room, you'd find a spectrum. I should start by saying my "library" consists of three bookcases, each broken down into several meandering attempts at sections that only make sense to me. It looks something like this:

1. The Red Bookcase –– 4 shelves - one for journals (I made a vow five years ago to journal every night, and haven't broken it), one for classics, one for favorites, and the top one for to-read.

2. The Divider Bookcase –– this runs between my bedroom and the little office that stems off of it, and has cubbies for books I've read, but the Eiffel Tower bookends on top contain another to-read shelf. The books on that shelf tend to be bigger, ones I take bites of now and then.

3. The Black Bookcase –– this is a very mismatch set of shelves, with books on art, old french paperbacks, school books, etc. It sits in my little office nook.

4. The Bedside Table –– this is my on-deck space, or my currently-reading space. Generally 3-7 books sitting here, including a go-to in case I can't sleep. As I write this post, the books on my bedside table are: Beauty Queens, Beat the Reaper, Legend, Shatter Me, A Reliable Wife, and Lola and the Boy Next Door.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

2011-07-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

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.

And 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.

The Near Witch was phenomenal. This novel seriously blew my mind, never in my life have I read such an addicting fairy-tale type of book. Victoria Schwab’s writing is eloquent, lyrical, and electrifying. Reading The Near Witch was like being in a dream state, everything was so wonderfully dark and magical that I didn’t want to leave.

Lexi is a strong female character that I would be honored to be friends with. She won’t take no for an answer and knows what she wants. Along with Lexi, all of the characters in The Near Witch are amazing. They are all just so themselves and true to who they are, I love it.

I can’t recommend The Near Witch enough. Victoria Schwab is an amazing writer who has serious talent. I can’t wait to read her next novel. Five stars for The Near Witch, which is an all around delight to read! Creepy and addicting, The Near Witch is the perfect novel!

FTC- Publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

2011-07-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracy

September 8, 2011

Flux

Seventeen-year-old Braden was born with witch eyes. He has the ability to see the world as it truly is: a blinding explosion of memories, anguish, darkness, and magic. The power enables Braden to see through spells and lies, but it comes at the cost of horrible pain.

After a terrifying vision reveals imminent danger for the uncle who raised and instructed him, Braden is lured to Belle Dam, an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties. Rival family heads Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe are desperate to use Braden's powers to unlock Belle Dam's secrets, but Braden refuses to become their sacrificial pawn. His resolve is tested when he learns that Jason is his father—and that Trey, the enigmatic guy he's attracted to, is Catherine's son.

To stop an insidious dark magic from consuming the town, Braden must master his gift—even if the effort destroys him.

You guys, this is an LGBT Paranormal book. I need it in my life. Now. Everything about this book makes me want to read it. The summary, the cover, how nice the author is- everything. This is one novel that I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on!

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

2011-07-26T00:00:00.001-07:00

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.

The Nightshade series is another series that has received a bunch of mixed reviews. I’m personally not a huge paranormal fan, but this series is one of my favorites. Wolfsbane is the second book in the thrilling series by Andrea Cremer.

Wolfsbane sucked me in from the start of the novel until I turned the very last page. I didn’t want it to end, and even tried reading the novel slowly to try and prolong reading it. Cremer has a way of writing that sounds lyrical while still sounding sharp enough to keep you on the edge of your sear. Calla is a kick-butt heroine who I would love to be friends with in real life. I loved how she tried to take charge of situations and how determined she was to get what she wanted.

My only huge problem with Wolfsbane was Shay. I loved Shay in the first book. I still like him a lot, because I’ve never been much of a Ren person. I didn’t like how annoying and possessive he was in this novel. It was so annoying every time he came into the scene and started acting clingy and trying to control Calla.

As for comparing Wolfsbane to Nightshade, I think that Wolfsbane is just as amazing as its predecessor. The two released books in this series match up perfectly to form an unbeatable paranormal series. The characters nearly always continue improving upon their lives. You can trust Cremer to give you exciting twists and turns throughout her novels.

Andrea Cremer wrote a thrilling, addicting, and completely irresistible book that I really hope you will read and enjoy.

FTC- Publisher.

Blood Ties by Mari Mancusi Interview and Giveaway

2011-07-21T00:00:00.001-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to ask the characters of Mari Mancusi’s new novel Blood Ties, a few questions. At the end of this interview, I also have an international giveaway for a copy of Blood Ties. So, lets get to the interview-

1. What is the hardest thing you have overcome?

Sunny: Being bitten by a vampire, of course, in the worst case of mistaken identity ever! You see, the vampire Magnus was supposed to bite my gothy twin sister, Rayne, instead. She's the one who got her certification to become a creature of the night. In fact, until that fateful night at Club Fang, I didn't even know vampires existed. So imagine my horror to find myself transforming into one...one week before prom! Ugh. Luckily, Magnus felt terrible about his mistake (as well he should!) and together we figured out a way to turn me mortal again before the vampire thing became permanent. In the meantime, we fell in love. So, like, I guess the hardest thing turned out to be the best thing in the end, go figure!

2. What book has impacted you the most?

Mari (Author): The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I've always been a fan of Arthurian legend, but that book -- which gave the story a feminist twist -- really changed my life. I could never write like her--her prose was so lyrical and rich--but I just love reading the book over and over again. I even named my new daughter (who is 5 weeks old as I write this!) Avalon after the legendary island.

3. What would you like people who have read Blood Ties to know?

Magnus: That despite what Sunny may tell you in the story, I never once put her interests second. At least not on purpose. Heck, I'm always thinking about her and how to make her happy. But sometimes it's tough to balance my role as her boyfriend and Master of the Blood Coven. How I wish those two things didn't constantly seem at odds. I would never want to hurt my darling Sunny, but I don't want to put the lives of the vampires who trust me in danger either. It's tough to be the Master, let me tell you!

4. What is your all time favorite moment?

Jayden: When Sunny kissed me. I know, I know. It was probably wrong. After all, I know about her history with Magnus and I don't want to always be that guy--pining over the perfect girl, who belongs to someone else. But I just can't help it. Sunny's become my best friend and so much more. She's perfection, wrapped in fairy wings. So to have her lips on mine--even for a moment--is a memory that will last a lifetime for me.

5. Is there anything you would like to add?

Rayne: There's a lot more to come after Blood Ties! Book Seven in the Blood Coven Vampires series, Soul Bound, will be out in March 2012. It will go back to my point of view as I, once again, must work to save my sister. (Wait til you see what I have to do THIS time! Sunny better be grateful!) And then, in October of 2012, we go back to Sunny for the very final chapter of the Blood Coven Series - Book #8 (still untitled...) Hope you enjoy them!

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Before you enter the giveaway, here is a quick summary of the book-

The final battle is brewing between Vampires and Slayers. But for Sunny McDonald, the true war is being fought over her heart.
Though now officially back in the arms of her vampire boyfriend Magnus, Sunny finds she still can't forget the gentle mortal Jayden who once saved her life. And when the darkness threatens to steal his humanity, Sunny finds herself with a choice. Stay true to Magnus and the Blood Coven or defy them in a desperate attempt to save Jayden’s soul.
Meanwhile, the Blood Coven is gearing up for its toughest fight yet--going head to head with a splinter group of Slayer Inc who's regrouping in Tokyo, Japan, still determined to take over the world. In dark blood bars and hidden temples, it'll be Vampires vs. Slayers in a showdown that could cost Sunny not only her heart...but also her very life.

You can enter to win a copy of Blood Ties, here-

Fury Playlist and Giveaway!

2011-07-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have the opportunity to give you a signed copy of Fury by Elizabeth Miles. But before I do that, I want to show you all the Playlist for the novel and two questions that have been answered by the books main characters, Chase and Em. Enjoy!

Here is the playlist-

Here are two questions that have been answered by the main characters of Fury, Em and Chase-

1. My motto in life is:

Em: Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you imagined.” Henry David Thoreau said that.

Chase: Work hard, play hard, baby!

2. One thing I don’t want anyone to know about me is…

Em: I sometimes feel invisible next to Gabby.

Chase: Where do I begin?

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Now, for the giveaway. Here is a summary of Fury-

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

2011-07-20T00:00:00.001-07:00

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Fury has lived up to the hype. I was really weary to start Fury because of how much promotion it has received over the past few months. I didn’t want to dislike it, and I wasn’t sure if it would live up to all of the praise it has received. Honestly, I loved it. I read Fury in a couple of hours and it literally had me holding my breath at some parts. I couldn’t wait to read what was going to happen next, yet I was scared to find out what was going on with Em and Chase.

Miles’ writing is lyrical and flows together nicely. The story is spooky, intriguing, and oh so addicting. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series! Though both characters had their own annoying flaws, I really liked them. I think Chase got on more nerves more than Em did, but his emotions also seemed more real to me.

I really liked the contrast between what Em did compared to what Chase did. But what I didn’t understand, was why the punishments they received were so similar when their secrets were so different. That was the only thing I disliked about Fury. The discipline for Em was more difficult than it should have been, in my opinion.

Fury is a mysterious and riveting novel that I’m sure readers will enjoy. Elizabeth Miles has written the first in what I’m sure will be a flawless book series. I highly recommend Fury.

FTC- Publisher.

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

2011-07-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Waiting on Wednesday is an amazing weekly topic that is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

October 11, 2011

Egmont USA

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

This book is so adorable looking/sounding! What first caught my attention was the cover, but when I went on to read the summary- it caught my attention even more. I love modern retellings, even though I don’t read them much. Love Potions and Love and New Boys at School! This book sounds like its own little potion of amazing. I can’t wait to read it!

Clean by Amy Reed

2011-07-19T00:20:00.000-07:00

Olivia, Kelly, Christopher, Jason, and Eva have one thing in common: They’re addicts. Addicts who have hit rock bottom and been stuck together in rehab to face their problems, face sobriety, and face themselves. None of them wants to be there. None of them wants to confront the truths about their pasts. But they’ll all have to deal with themselves and one another if they want to learn how to live. Because when you get that high, there’s nowhere to go but down, down, down.

Clean left me breathless. Reed’s first novel Beautiful was magnificent and I didn’t think she would possibly be able to top it. I was so wrong. Clean captured me from the very beginning. All five of the main characters were amazing. They each had their own personalities and problems. I really liked how Amy Reed altered points-of-view between these characters. It wasn’t done in the usual way- only giving each character their own chapters. I love how… different the novel was. It wasn’t just a book about addicts. It was so much more than that.

Ironically, my only problem with Clean was the chapters. Yes, I am a huge fan of how the novel was delegated between the characters. Yes, I admire Amy Reed for having it that way. But having five different narrators was confusing. I was able to follow the various plots, but it was difficult.

Amy Reed has an incredibly strong writing style that, mixed with a topic as serious as addiction, really made Clean stand out from other books I’ve read this year. I think that people really should read this book. It is beautifully written and incredibly engaging. Amy Reed is a fantastic writer and I look forward to reading her future novels.

FTC- Simon and Schuster Galley Grab.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

2011-07-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

SHE’S WRITING ABOUT HIM. HE’S WRITING ABOUT HER. AND EVERYBODY IS READING BETWEEN THE LINES.

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions—it’s her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family’s racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin’s college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she’s sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He’s joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin’s heart with longing. Now she’s not just imagining what might have been. She’s writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

For those of you who don’t already know- I love Jennifer Echols. She is one of the few queens of romantic drama/comedy YA books. Meaning, if you haven’t read her books (preferably all of them) you must. This may be just me, but I love reading books where the main character likes to read and write because I like to read and write so I find it easier to relate to them. The main character, Erin, was awesome. She didn’t just write- she wrote about Hunter.

I won’t lie, sometimes I wanted to punch Hunter in the face. He was confusing, conflicted, and a big *insert curse word here* at some points. He was also adorable, smart, and caring at other points. He was real, and I liked that. Erin was a kick-butt main character. She was written really well, and I loved reading about her.

Love Story was an addicting novel that I think everybody should read. It was shocking, cute, and beyond amazing. I completely recommend it and every other book that Jennifer Echols has written.

FTC- Author.

A Tens List with Jennifer Echols

2011-07-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have Jennifer Echols here to tell us about her top 10 Love Stories! Jennifer’s newest novel, Love Story comes out on July 19th.

1. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
2. Tell Me Lies by Jennifer Crusie (adult romantic comedy)
3. A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl (adult historical romance--but funny!)
4. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn (YA)
5. The Empire Strikes Back (really!)
6. The Moonspinners by Mary Stewart (adult romantic suspense)
7. The Beginning Place by Ursula K. Le Guin (YA fantasy)
8. When Harry Met Sally
9. The Little Drummer Girl by John Le Carre (adult spy novel!)
10. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (I hate sad endings, so this is my only one)

Spotlight on Penguin: Part 2

2011-07-14T00:04:00.000-07:00

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

February 16, 2012

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate,
hit the road with Bev’s band, and then spend the
year wandering around Europe. But moments after
the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement:
she’s abandoning their plans—and Colby—to
start college in the fall.
But the show must go on and The Disenchantments
weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing
in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie-
Colby struggles to deal with Bev’s already-growing
distance and the most important question of all:
what’s next?

* * * * *

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

January 17, 2012

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.
But now that she's in heaven, Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend knows a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul who's been D&G (dead and gone) much longer than she . . . and who just might hold the key to her forever after.
With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

* * * * *

A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

March 20, 2012

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendents charged with protecting the world’s past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.