Waiting On Wednesday: Week 72

My pick this week is:

The Half-Life of Planets by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin 

Liana is an aspiring planetary scientist . . . and also a kissing addict. This summer, though, she plans to spend every kissworthy hour in the lab, studying stars. Hank has never been kissed. He's smart and funny and very socially awkward, because he's got Asperger's syndrome. Hank's plan for the summer is to work at a music store and save enough to buy the Fender Jazzmaster he craves. What neither Liana nor Hank plans for is their fateful meeting . . . in the women's bathroom at the hospital. But their star-crossed encounter could be the very best kind. Two veteran YA authors tell, in alternating chapters, the story of two kids who discover that the best parts of people can't be summed up easily.

Doesn’t this sound like such a cute read? I think so! After reading Tara Kelly's Harmonic Feedback, I've been on a quest to read more books dealing with Asperser’s syndrome because it's an interesting topic, so I'm glad to see The Half-Life of Planets includes it. Plus the premise sounds intriguing and  I've heard great, great things about both of these authors, so it'll be exciting to see them collaborate. My only complaint would be the cover, which seems very retro looking in my opinion, but whatever. You can't always get what you want. ;)

The Half-Life of Planets will be out June 15, 2010.

For Keeps by Natasha Friend

Summary from Author's Website:

For sixteen years, Josie Gardner and her mom, Kate, have been a team. It’s been the Gardner Girls against the world, and that’s how Josie likes it. Until one day, in the pet food aisle of Shop-Co, they run into the parents of Paul Tucci, Kate’s high school boyfriend—the father Josie has never met. If Mr. and Mrs. Tucci are back in town, it’s only a matter of time until Paul shows up.

Suddenly Josie’s mature, capable mother regresses to the heartbroken teenager she was when Paul moved away. Meanwhile, Josie’s on the verge of having her first real boyfriend, while her free-loving best friend, Liv, begins yet another no-strings-attached fling.

When Josie learns some surprising truths about Paul Tucci, she finds herself questioning what she’s always believed about her parents—and about herself.

In FOR KEEPS, Natasha Friend tells a fresh, funny, smart story about what happens when a girl gets the guy she always wanted and the dad she never knew she needed.

Review:

In For Keeps Natasha Friends gives you a funny and heartwarming story that continues to be present in your mind long after you've finished it.

Josie Gardner is a strong, smart, and relatable main character that was hard not to like from the start. I was constantly rooting for her in the main parts of her life varying from her relationship to the swoon-worthy Matt to her relationship with the father she never knew. While Josie brought the serious tone of the story, her best friend Liv brought the hilarious aspects with her crazy antics leaving her to be one of my favorite parts of the story; since it was so hard not to chuckle in some of the scenes she was in.

One of my favorite parts of For Keeps was Josie and her mom's friendship. In YA parents are usually not usually part of the background, let alone one of the main characters' best friends and the person they can always rely on. So, to me, For Keeps was unique (in a good way!) with that. Also, I loved how their relationship reminded me of Rory and Lorelei on Gilmore Girls, one of my favorite shows.

While the plot was for the most part predictable, I still had no problem falling into it and not letting go of the book until the last page. Though, I did have one problem with it, which was the fact that I thought Matt and Josie's relationship was never really fully developed. It was like one second they barley talked and the next they were dating. But overall it wasn't that big of a deal.

In all, For Keeps is yet another fantastic book to add to your 2010 wishlist! I'm really looking forward to reading more by Ms. Friend.
 
Grade: A-
 
For Keeps will be out April 6,2010!
 
Source: Publisher/publicist. Thanks AJ!

When Mike Kissed Emma by Christine Marciniak

Summary from Amazon:

Emma Landon has a plan: she's going to be in the high school musical and sing the most romantic song possible to her boyfriend. She's not looking for the lead, just a decent part where she and Trevor can dance together on stage. The plan starts to unravel when she gets the starring role, and playing opposite her is not her perfect boyfriend, but the school loner, Biker Mike. When Mike kisses Emma at the school dance, everything changes. Emma must figure out what is more important-the way things look or something deeper.

Review:

After reading The Stillburrow Crush by Linda Kage, I was excited to read more books published by The Wild Rose Press. Lucky for me, When Mike Kissed Emma (also published by The Wild Rose Press) was exactly what I was excepting. What was that per say? Well a cutesy type romantic comedy that was easy to get lost in, and yet another great book published by this fab publisher!

Emma is a girl who is quite frankly lost and confused on what to do. Since while she has a perfect boyfriend named Trevor, she's also feeling some unexpected feelings for the class loner and the guy opposite to her in the school play named Mike, leaving tensions to run high as practices go on.

Emma was a character that I liked instantly even if she did make some dumb choices sometimes. Since I found her to be easy to relate to (Since who hasn't felt something for someone they shouldn't or faced friend drama?) and a character who was charming and fun to read about. Mike was also one of my favorite characters since like Emma he was an easy-going. Though, I would have loved to seen some more back-story about him. Emma's other friends, on the other hand, with the exception of Caitlyn and Sami were some of the most annoying and self-centered characters I've read about in a while. At first, I found them to be bearable, but as the book went on all I wanted to do was knock some sense into them. I mean not only were they overly malicious to Emma about different aspects of her life, but they constantly scrutinized and judged Mike in a way that was just plain old rude.

As mentioned above the plot was fun and fast paced leaving me to be constantly turning the pages, curious to see what would happen next. Also I loved how Christine worked The Sound of Music into the book. Since while I'm not a huge fan of the movie or play, I still found the parts of the book that featured the characters putting on the play fun to read about. And let me tell you, the ending of this novel was adorable!

Even with the faults the secondary characters had, I still really enjoyed When Mike Kissed Emma, and I'm excited to see what Ms. Marciniak comes up next!

Grade: B+

When Mike Kissed Emma is now out!

Source: Around The World Tour

In My Mailbox: Week 65

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

From Penguin for review (Surprises!):

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Haven Moore can't control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother's house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

Even though I haven't heard the greatest things about this one, it still looks great. So, I'm eager to see what I think about it.

Paisly Hanover Kisses and Tells by Cameron Tuttle

The election results are in—and totally UnExpected. Now the UnPops are picketing, the Pops are preening, and Paisley's sophomore year is a bust—again. But when best frenemy Jen's reputation takes a beating by viral text, Paisley's pity party is over. She rolls out a new undercover plan to save Jen's rep, and in the process, follows her heart into a crazy complicated love triangle. Then, as if things weren't confusing enough, Paisley's archrival—super cute, super nice, super popular Candy Esposito—hijacks Paisley's UnPop popularity! First Paisley gets mad; then she gets smart. Can she and Candy use their newfound UnPopularity to save Jen's reputation—and pull off the biggest coup since Miss UnPleasant turned the Pleasant Hill High social hierarchy on its big fat head? Hello double-crossers, good-bye double xstandards! Paisley Hanover is back—pucker up!

Loved the first book to this series, so I'm excited to see what's next for the lovely Paisley Hanover!

The Evil Within: A Possessions Novel by Nancy Holder

In this sequel to New York Times bestselling author Nancy Holder's Possessions, Lindsay finds out that she, too, is possessed, and must return to creepy Marlwood Academy in order to rid herself of the spirit. Lindsay's afraid of what the spirit is telling her to do—kill Mandy! But the secrets of Marlwood go much deeper than Lindsay thought. Sometimes the girls who seem like enemies are actually on your side. And the voices you trust the most—the voices that come from within—are the ones that want you dead.

I Haven't read the first book to this series, but it looks good. So, what do you all think, should I buy the first book in the series, or just wing it and read this one?


Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Best friends Lani and Erin couldn't be more different. Lani's reserved and thoughtful; Erin's bubbly and outgoing. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. There's no possible way they could be interested in the same guy.

So when Erin starts dating Jason, Lani can't believe she feels such a deep connection with him—and it may be mutual. The more Lani fights it, the more certain she feels that it's her fate to be with Jason. But what do you do when the love of your life is the one person you can't have?

Second copy of this one, so maybe they'll be a contest for it soon. *hint, hint*

From Harper Collins for review (Thanks Marissa!):

Borderline by Allan Stratton

The truth is closing in.

Life's not easy for Sami Sabiri since his dad stuck him at a private school where he's the only Muslim kid. But it's about to get a lot worse.

When Sami catches his father in a lie, he gets suspicious. . . . He's not the only one. In a whirlwind, the FBI descends on his home, and Sami's family becomes the center of an international terrorist investigation. Now Sami must fight to keep his world from unraveling.

An explosive thriller ripped from today's headlines, borderline is the story of a funny, gutsy Muslim-American teen determined to save his father, his family, and his life.

Not my typical type of read, but I read the first chapter on the author's website and it looks amazing!

From the lovely Merdi Myers for review!:

Titus and Atreus by Meridi Myers

Grief-stricken by the loss of his parents, Titus Attwater is convinced his life will never improve. His older sister ignores his calls, his grades in school have plummeted, and his house, once a place of warmth and security, is now lonely, cold, and alien.

But when a young man appears one night in Titus's house, claiming he came in upstairs through the full-length mirror, Titus's life gets turned upside-down. For, as Titus soon discovers, this intruder is not from Earth. Against his will, Titus is kidnapped and taken to another world, a place like Earth but markedly different. It is here where he will befriend angels, face assassins, and help a young prince unravel a prophecy that proves much darker and more twisted than any of them had imagined.

Again not my typical type of read, but I've seen some great reviews for it.

For Review from Graphia (Surprise!):

The Clearing by Heather Davis

In this bittersweet romance, two teens living decades apart form a bond that will change their lives forever.

Amy is drawn to the misty, mysterious clearing behind her Aunt Mae’s place because it looks like the perfect place to hide from life. A place to block out the pain of her last relationship, to avoid the kids in her new town, to stop dwelling on what her future holds after high school.

Then, she meets a boy lurking in the mist—Henry. Henry is different from any other guy Amy has ever known. And after several meetings in the clearing, she’s starting to fall for him.
But Amy is stunned when she finds out just how different Henry really is. Because on his side of the clearing, it’s still 1944. By some miracle, Henry and his family are stuck in the past, staving off the tragedy that will strike them in the future. Amy’s crossing over to Henry’s side brings him more happiness than he’s ever known—but her presence also threatens to destroy his safe existence.

In The Clearing, author Heather Davis crafts a tender and poignant tale about falling in love, finding strength, and having the courage to make your own destiny—a perfect book to slip into and hide away for awhile.

Wasn't a big fan of Heather's first book, but I just started this one last night and it's pretty darn great so far!

Won from Jenny of Wondours Reads:

Marked: House of Night #1 by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Enter the dark, magical world of the House of Night, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed.

One minute, sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird is a normal teenager dealing with everyday high school stress: her cute boyfriend Heath, the school’s star quarterback who suddenly seems more interested in partying than playing ball; her nosy frenemy Kayla, who’s way too concerned with how things are going with Heath; her uber-tough geometry test tomorrow. The next, she’s Marked as a fledgling vampyre, forcing her to leave her ordinary life behind and join the House of Night, a boarding school where she will train to become an adult vampyre. That is, if she makes it through the Change—and not all of those who are Marked do. It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint with Heath, who just doesn’t know how to take “no” for an answer. To add to her stress, she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers: when she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite group, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny—with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

This one is not only a UK EDITON, but SIGNED TOO!! :) Also, I love how on the back of it, it has in big letters "Not suitable for younger readers".

From Sourcebooks:

Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens: A Reading Journal for Young Adult Book Lovers by Rachelle Rogers Knight

Perfect for teens who love to read and those who need a companion for school assignments or summer reading programs, Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens offers more than 2400 award-winning and notable reading suggestions in many genres, cross-referenced to help parents and teens chose the right books for them. This unique journal sold out its first print run, attracting readers with recommended lists for fiction, manga, historical fiction, romance, westerns, crime novels, and poetry, as well as nonfiction sections focusing on biography/ autobiography. College-bound readers will find a section to help guide their reading selections. The journal also provides room to record books read, jot down thoughts and ideas, and keep track of recommendations, books to read next, and works by favorite authors.

If you're a reader of this blog, you'll know that I was mentioned in this book as a reference along with a handful of other bloggers which is pure awesome!

Overall, I had a great week! Though, enough about me, what did you all get?

Winners of The Dark Divine Nail Polish Giveaway!

Hi everyone! I just picked the winners of The Dark Divine Nail Polish Giveaway, so here they are.

For best entry (Let me tell you, it was so hard to pick a winner for this part! There were so many fantastic answers to my question. If I could I would send you all some Dark Divine Nail Polish):

Julie D

Here's her entry:

Without forgiveness, where would we be? People have the power to destroy the entire world with a press of the button. People can cut off others from something they need entirely. Many countries would be at war, we wouldn't be able to have half the things we have today, whole religions wouldn't exist, and friendships would end before they truly begin
Without forgiveness, are we really people?
 
For being the first to enter:
 
Lucy
 
For being lucky enough to be picked by the random number generator:
 
Aileen
Leslie

Congrats! I just sent you all emails, so be sure to reply in the next 72 hours or I'll have to pick new ones. Also, much thanks goes to everyone else who entered. Hopefully, you'll be up there next time as a winner! :)

Winners of Numbers by Rachel Ward!

I had 85 people enter this contest with about 294 entries overall. Not too shabby, huh.

Anyway, the winners are:

Berenice Zamano

Kelsey O

Jessica Jordan

Congrats you three! You're info has been sent to Chelsy, so you should be getting your own copy shortly.

Didn't win? Well, you can always buy your own fabulous copy!

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary by Jeff Kinney

Summary:

Go behind the scenes with Jeff Kinney and the making of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie!

If you've ever wondered how a movie gets made, you're not alone. Author and illustrator Jeff Kinney didn't know either, but when his bestselling series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, was turned into a live-action movie by 20th Century Fox, he learned how a book gets adapted into a major motion picture.

Complete with photographs, script pages, storyboard sketches, costume designs, and original art by Jeff Kinney, The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary is the perfect companion to the bestselling series.

Review:
 
When I first received The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary in the mail I was slightly hesitant to read it. Since I've never read the original Wimpy Kid books because they’re based for a younger age and even without that, they’re not exactly my cup of tea. Though, one day I decided what the heck and read it.

Surprisingly enough, I ended up really enjoying this read because it gave me an insider look on how a movie is made. From the amount of drafts to picking the actors to the topic of extras, Jeff talked about it all and with pictures, too! Leaving me to respect Jeff for giving his fans such an awesome look into the movie industry because it sure showed that he did at least some research when compelling the book together.
 
In all, The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary is a book that I recommend those of you with little siblings in the middle grade set to show them on the next trip to the bookstore because I'm sure they'll be fascinated with it, even more so if they're already an avid fan of the series. Plus, even those of you think you may be to old to read, it still was an interesting and fast paced read if you're the least bit interested with the movie industry.

Grade: C+

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary is now out!

Source: Amulet Books for review.

Beautiful Dead: Jonas Blog Tour: Review and Author Interview!

Today, I have the pleasure of hosting The Beautiful Dead: Jonas Blog Tour on my blog. This stop will include a review of Jonas as well as an interview with the lovely Eden Maguire, which are both below.

Review:

Summary:

Something strange is happening in Ellerton High. Phoenix is the fourth teenager to die within a year. His street fight stabbing follows the deaths of Jonas, Summer and Arizona in equally strange and sudden circumstances.

Rumours of ghosts and strange happenings rip through the small community as it comes to terms with shock and loss.

Darina,Phoenix's grief-stricken girlfriend, is on the verge. She can't escape her intense heartache, or the impossible apparitions of those that are meant to be dead. And all the while the sound of beating wings echo inside her head! And then one day Phoenix appears to Darina.

Ecstatic to be reunited, he tells her about the Beautiful Dead. Souls in limbo, they have been chosen to return to the world to set right a wrong linked to their deaths and bring about justice. Beautiful, superhuman and powerful, they are marked by a 'death mark' - a small tattoo of angel's wings. Phoenix tells her that the sound of invisible wings beating are the millions of souls in limbo, desperate to return to earth.Darina's mission is clear: she must help Jonas, Summer, Arizona, and impossibly, her beloved Phoenix, right the wrong linked to their deaths to set them free from limbo so that they can finally rest in peace. Will love conquer death? And if it does, can Darina set it free?
 
Review:

Going into Jonas: A Beautiful Dead Novel I was excepting a lot. Since not only does it (along with the rest of the BD series) have a beautiful cover, but the premise was certainly intriguing (Girl trying to help the Beautiful Dead find out why they died? I'm definitely there!). Sadly enough, while the execution was pretty great, it was far from being as mind blowing and fascinating as I hoped it would be; leaving it to fall short of my expectations.

Darina is a sad stricken girl who if given the chance would do anything her heart desires would choose to bring her boyfriend back to her even for a short amount of time, and when she gets that choice she jumps at it.
 
I'm kind of half decided on Darina since while part of me did sympathize and relate to the sadness she felt over the death, I was a bit put off by how codependent she was on Phoenix. Though, I did find her voice to interesting as a narrator and am looking forward to seeing more of her story. The other characters were good, yet I would have loved to seen them be more developed. Since they were just there; you didn't find out much about how they looked, they're back-story, or basically anything. So hopefully this will be fixed in further additions to the series.
 
The plot made up for this, thankfully. Since it was suspenseful and addicting, which left me to want to rush through this novel without a doubt, and I did. I loved all the mystery surrounding the Beautiful Dead and their deaths (Jonas especially because that's the one you get to learn more about in this one), and the fight to find out what really happened. It was just a load of fun!
 
In all, the Jonas: A Beautiful Dead Novel is a great book for when you just want to get lost in a world besides your own. Though, let me warn you now, by the last page of it you'll be DYING to read the sequel. Like I am now. :)
 
Grade: B
 
Beautiful Dead is now out!

Source: Paul at Sourcebooks for review/blog tour. Thanks Paul!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

Author Interview:
 
What are three words that would best describe Beautiful Dead: Jonas?


Three words to describe Book 1 of The Beautiful Dead would be 'gripping, disturbing, mysterious'.

Describe your main character Darina in one sentence. Are you similar to her in any ways?

Darina is troubled, sad and cast adrift by grief over losing Phoenix. She's similar to me in one respect - she stands on the outside of groups, doesn't feel she belongs.

If you could give your main character Darina advice, what would you say?

My advice to Darina would be to listen to what her heart tells her.

What was your favorite aspect of Beautiful Dead: Jonas?

The best thing about writing Jonas was being able to create a whole world of restless spirits who could come back from beyond the grave - beings with supernatural powers and a mission to set things right.

What's the best thing about being a writer? Worst?

The best thing about being an author is freedom! And power. You get to invent people, places, plots ...

The worst thing is the isolation - you spend a lot of hours alone at a desk.

What's up next for you book-wise?

My current book is Beautiful Dead Book 4 - Phoenix. My publishers already have manuscripts for Books 2 and 3 - Arizona and Summer. Phoenix is the final one in the series, where Darina tries to work out exactly how he died. And then she has to say goodbye -forever!

~~~

Thanks, Eden! I'm really looking forward to reading more about the Beautiful Dead and Darina! :)

Now, what are you all waiting for? Go get your own copy now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Indiebound!

Quick Qs and As with Holly Nicole Hoxter

Holly Nicole Hoxter is the debut author of an amazing book titled The Snowball Effect, which is officaly on shelves today March 23, 2010. You can check out my reiview of it here.

~~~~

Describe The Snowball Effect in three words.

Family. Second chances.

Describe your main character Lainey in one sentence.

Lainey is a 17-year-old girl who is dealing with way too much serious crap instead of enjoying her first summer after graduation.

If you could offer Lainey any type of advice, what would you say?

I would tell her she's tougher than she thinks she is. Which is also the advice I enjoy giving to myself.

What was your favorite aspect of writing The Snowball Effect?

I loved that it was easy! I mean, it wasn't EASY because writing a novel is never easy. But compared to the first novel I wrote, which I worked on for six years and never sold...The Snowball Effect was pretty easy. I was so focused and driven. The whole process felt like a miracle.

Is there a specific message you hope readers of The Snowball Effect will take from it?

It's never a good idea to stick anything in your ears.

If The Snowball Effect had a theme song what would it be?

I listened to Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape" on repeat when I was writing, so I always think of it as the theme song. I can imagine Lainey driving around in her POS Grand Am and thinking about Riley whenever that song comes on the radio.

What were you like in high school? Were you similar to Lainey or the polar opposite?

I never had to deal with dead parents, fortunately. Our biggest similarity is probably that I dated the same guy all through high school, made all my decisions based on our relationship, and figured I'd spend the rest of my life with him (though I haven't, thank god).

Since I always love these type of stories, what was it like getting “The Call”?

Honestly, I mostly felt relieved. Like, "Oh good. Now that part of the journey is finished and my life can really start." I'm so envious when I read about authors screaming and shouting with excitement when they get THE CALL, like they've just won the lottery. It didn't feel like I'd won the lottery. I'd put in the work, and I knew I'd never quit, so publication felt inevitable. I hope that doesn't sound entitled. I just really believed in myself! Now if I'd gotten a six figure deal...there definitely would have been screaming involved.

What part of writing process do you find to be the most challenging?

That second draft. My first drafts are basically verbal vomit so coming in and trying to clean all that up is never much fun.

Since your release date is fast approaching, do you have any big plans of how you’re going to celebrate that day?

Ummm....not really! My mother was just berating me the other day because I don't have solid plans for my launch party yet. As for the actual release date, which I think is a Tuesday, I figure I'll probably do my day job as usual, then venture out to a bookstore and cry when I see my book on the shelf, or maybe scream and shove it in the faces of random strangers. Then maybe I'll get my fiance to take me out to dinner. OH, and we're definitely getting snowballs. Snowballs are a summer thing in Baltimore, but fortunately I know a stand that will be opening three days before the book's release. It's not my FAVORITE, but it will do just fine.

What’s a really great book you’ve read recently?

I'm currently snowed in, and I read Jaclyn Dolamore's Magic Under Glass today. I thought it was freaking fabulous! This year, I made a pledge to read every tenner's debut novel. A lot of the books are outside of the genres I usually read, and it's been amazing to me how much I've enjoyed them. For example, I would have never sought out a historical MG novel, but Irene Latham's Leaving Gee's Bend was amazingly good. Oops, I guess I cheated and named two.

What’s your typical day like?

Oh wow, not very exciting. I work from home doing medical transcription, so I wake up at 3:45, stumble to my desk, and transcribe from 4am-8am. When my fiance gets up for work, I pack his lunch, feed the cats, and eat breakfast. During the rest of the day I work for a few more hours, exercise, watch my soap opera, surf the internet, do writing related business, run errands, maybe take a nap, etc. The fiance gets home at 6:30 and we usually argue about who's going to make dinner. After he gives in and cooks for me, we eat and watch TV or a DVD. Then it's light's out at 9 or 10. I do most of my writing on the weekends. Right now I'm working on a first draft, so I love to camp out at McDonald's or Burger King for HOURS and write long hand in my journal. I don't know why I have such an affinity for writing in fast food restaurants. I'm a vegetarian and I recently gave up soda so I basically have to bring my own meal. But it's always been a very productive environment for me so I just go with it.

What’s up next for you book-wise?

I have a novel currently on submission to my editor. It's about 16-year-old Fiona who falls in love with the hot 19-year-old drummer in her dad's band and worries that she's going to ruin their chance of winning a local Battle of the Bands. The one I'm writing is a road trip novel about two sisters. We're still in the lovey dovey first draft honeymoon stage.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Snow sucks and I can't wait for spring! But seriously, thanks so much for the interview. You can visit me at http://www.hollynicolehoxter.com and if you're into the whole brevity thing, you can follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/hnhoxter.

~~

Thanks so much, Holly! :) Now, what are you all waiting for go check out The Snowball Effect. I promise it's AMAZING.

Other Links:

Holly's website
Holly's Twitter
The Snowball Effect on Amazon/Indie Bound/Barnes and Noble

Waiting on Wednesday: Week 71

My pick this week is:

The Jumbee by Pamela Keyes

Seventeen-year-old Esti Legard spent her childhood in the Shakespearean world of her famous father, and when he died, she knew she could never give up acting. After she and her mother move to a Caribbean island for her senior year, she realizes that nothing at her new school's theater department is quite as it seems. Stunned by the death of a fellow student on her first day of class, Esti is soon surrounded by legends of the wicked jumbees that haunt the West Indies. She finds herself snubbed by the school’s star actress and relegated to a minor part in Romeo and Juliet.

Only her intriguing new friend, the elusive Alan, shares her passion for Shakespeare. Hiding in the dark recesses of the theater, he leads Esti deep into her own soul to explore the limits of her talent. When Esti's childhood best friend moves to the island and back into her life, however, Alan disappears. Rocked by growing accusations of befriending a jumbee, Esti realizes she must find out who – or what – Alan really is. She is soon forced to defy everyone and everything she’s ever believed in, as she plunges into the mysteries of Shakespeare and the legends of the West Indians, discovering shocking truths about her own past that will forever shape her future.

This sounds amazing and I can just tell by the cover and summary that this is going to be one of my favorite books of '10! Sadly enough, it dosen't come out till October. :(

The Jumbee will be out October 14, 2010.

Quick Qs and As with Nina de Gramont

Nina de Gramont is the author of a fabulous, thought provoking YA book titled Every Little Thing in the World. which was released today! Today, I have Nina here answering some questions, so without a further ado:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What are the top three reasons why teens should pick up Every Little Thing in the World come March twenty-third?

 Well, I hope it’s readable and absorbing, and that it takes you to another place. Secondly, as I was writing the book, each of these characters became my friend; I hope readers will feel the same way. And lastly, in so many TV shows, books, and movies about teen pregnancy, the drama takes place after the decision to have the baby. Sydney’s story is about the process of deciding what to do – her thoughts, her feelings, her fears and worries as she struggles to make the biggest decision of her life. I hope that makes the novel unique.

Describe your main character Sydney in one sentence. Also, if you could offer her any advice, what would you say?

Sydney is smart, sensitive, and prone to over-thinking – she’s not perfect, but in a way it’s her flaws, and learning to face them, that make her special. If I could offer her advice, I would tell her to trust herself, not second guess so much. I would remind her that she doesn’t belong to her friends, or her parents. She belongs to herself, and has every right to do what she thinks is best.

What made you choose to address teen pregnancy in Every Little Thing in the World?

It wasn’t my original plan! Initially the book was about the girls and Mick, and that campfire confession. At the time I was teaching Freshman Composition at the university here. I assigned a wonderful short story by T.C. Boyle called “The Love of my Life” (careful readers will see a reference to that title in the novel), which is about an unintended pregnancy. The story sparked so much discussion, and struck such a personal chord with my students, most of whom were about eighteen. That helped give me the idea to have Sydney be pregnant when she left for Canada. I think it adds a lot of dimension to the novel, and a lot of tension – that ticking clock!

After finishing Every Little Thing in the World a lot was swirling around in my head. And one of those was a question; a question about whether or not you knew what was going to happen to Sydney and the baby before you began writing or did the ending evolve over time?

My process was a lot like Sydney’s. I would think I had made a decision, and then I would change my mind. It really brought home for me how impossibly difficult this situation is. Every possible choice is so final and life-changing in its own way. I had such a hard time choosing for Sydney, and she’s a fictional character. Any girl who goes through this in real life has my admiration. It takes a lot of courage and a lot of conviction, no matter how you choose to handle it.

What made you choose to have the Every Little Thing in the World mostly take place at a wilderness camp in Canada?

I went to a wilderness camp in Canada when I was a teenager. It was a remarkable and vivid experience, with so much sensory detail, that it’s stayed in my mind quite clearly for many years. I wanted my novel to take place there, and when I decided that Sydney would be pregnant it seemed perfect to have her in a place where it was impossible to take immediate action.

Did Every Little Thing in the World change in any big ways from first draft to final product?

This leads nicely into your next question. My original title was The Secret Inside. I meant it to refer to the obvious secret, Sydney’s pregnancy, as well the various secrets all the characters kept about themselves. But I agree with everyone at Atheneum who thought it sounded like a horror movie title.

How did the title Every Little Thing in the World come to be?

My editor, Caitlyn Dlouhy, came up with it. It’s taken from something Natalia says to Sydney on the plane ride home from Canada.

Is there a specific message you hope readers of Every Little Thing in the World take from it?

I don’t want it to be TOO much of a message book, because I hope Sydney’s story stands on its own purely as a reading experience. But I did love a line in the review you wrote, “one girl's choice between what's right and wrong when it comes to her pregnancy and her.” At the beginning of the book, Sydney is a fairly passive character. On the trip to Canada she realizes that passivity is its own kind of action, and its own kind of choice. I like the strength she gains, and the realization that she has control of her life. And I certainly don’t imagine her ever blowing off birth control again, which is a pretty good message in itself!

If you could change anything about your road to publication for Every Little Thing in the World would you? If so, what would aspect would you change?

One of the editors who originally wanted to acquire the book suggested we cut the epilogue. At the time I was adamantly opposed to this, but recently I looked at the book and thought that the last line of chapter sixteen would have been a nice ending. Still, I do like knowing what Syd’s life is like back in the States, so I guess I’m still on the fence about that.

What were you like in high school? Were you similar to Sydney or the polar opposite of her?

One big difference between Sydney and me? I can’t dive! How I would love to, though, I really envy her that grace. My brother tried to teach me to swan dive for three consecutive summers and I just never got it.

I went to three different high schools, and had an extremely different experience at each one. Sydney probably most represents what I was like at my first high school, the one in the town where I grew up. I was definitely a follower, and definitely in the shadow of more glamorous friends.

Since your release date is fast approaching, do you have any big plans of how you’re going to celebrate that day?

I hadn’t thought about celebrating, what a great idea. I’ll probably send my editor some chocolates. And I’ll probably watch the Amazon numbers for a while. And now that you mention it a glass of Prosecco might be in order :-).

What’s your typical day like?

I have a six year old, so I wake up early to make her breakfast, pack her lunch, and get her ready for school. My husband usually drives her to school, and I take our dog (a yellow lab named Missy) for a long walk. I teach Creative Writing at the university here, so if I have class I’ll go over that material and then head into school. If I don’t have class, I’ll write and then clean up the house. I pick up my daughter at 2:30 and spend the rest of the day with her, and then we have family dinner. After she goes to bed, an occasional glass of wine plus a book and/or TV. Very exciting stuff!

What are three facts about yourself that most people would be surprised to know?

I don’t know if anything about me is that surprising! I’m very short, about 5’1, but most people could probably guess that because my point of view characters tend to be petite (I have this theory that whatever writers change about their narrators, they almost always write their own height). I have a weakness for certain reality TV, especially Survivor, but that could also be guessed pretty easily (does it count as surprising that I love Boston Rob? Or am I just realizing now that Mick might have a teeny bit of Boston Rob in him?) Here’s something that recently surprised a friend: my first interest was theater, I began college as a Performing Arts major (I even lived on the Performing Arts wing of my dorm), and I studied theater in London the summer I was nineteen. My friend was surprised because I’m a very shy person who dislikes a lot of attention. In the end I decided that while I loved the process of plays – the rehearsals and the camaraderie – the anxiety of performances was just too much for me.

What’s up you next for you book-wise?

I have another YA novel in the works, which will also come out with Atheneum. It’s a love story that takes place in Colorado. I would tell you the title, but it’s certain to change!

Ooh, I can't wait to read it! Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would like to say that writing for teenagers is already so much fun, and the book hasn’t even come out yet! One reason for this is the bloggers. I am so impressed by all of you, everything that you’ve accomplished at such a young age. On Goodreads and on your blogs, I can see you just devouring one book after another at lightning speed. How wonderful to be so passionate and focused and involved. I really can barely put it into words, it’s just extraordinary, and it’s been a joy to discover. Reading all your blogs makes me feel great about the future of the world. Just imagine what all these smart, educated, and compassionate young women will accomplish!

~~~~~

Thanks so much, Nina! It was fun finding out more about you and your book! :)

Now what are you waiting for, go get your own copy of Every Little Thing in The World today! I promise you that it's a fantastic book, no doubt about it!

Also, Nina will be doing a live chat on Simon and Schuster's Pulse It board TODAY at 7:00 pm. So be sure to head over if you have any questions for her.

Blog Tour: Merlin's Harp by Anne Compton

Summary from Goodreads:

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake and apprentice to Merlin the mage. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and avarice of man. But the strife of King Arthur's realm threatens even Avalon's peace, and Merlin needs his apprentice to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. And so Niviene must use her special talents to help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love. A mystical love story, now back in print, sure to become a modern teen classic.

Review:

Have you ever had a book that no matter how many times you started it you just couldn't for the life of you get into it? Well, that's what happened with me and Merlin's Harp, and because of that, I'm sorry to say that I don't have a review to share with you today of this book. Maybe someday I'll  try to start it again, but for now it's just not the book for me. Though, to see some over reviews of this, head over to Steph Su's blog to read her thoughts and see other blogs participating in the tour.

Grade: N/A

Source: Sourcebook Fire for review. Thanks!

Merlin's Harp is now out.

And here's an excerpt from the book:

Merlin's Harp Chapter 1 Excerpt

In My Mailbox: Week 64

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren.

For Review(Thanks Hyperion/ Kate/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt!):

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

After a close encounter with the front end of a school bus, Alona Dare goes from Homecoming Queen to Queen of the Dead. Now she’s stuck here in spirit form with no sign of the big, bright light coming to take her away. To make matters worse, the only person who might be able to help her is Will Killian, a total loser/outcast type who hates the social elite. He alone can see and hear her, but he wants nothing to do with the former mean girl of Groundsboro High.


Can they get over their mutual distrust—and this weird attraction between them—to work together before Alona vanishes for good and Will is locked up for seeing things that don’t exist?   

I'm very, very, very excited to read this one! Plus, I love the cover.

 

The Boneshaker by Kate Milford

Thirteen year-old Natalie Minks loves machines, particularly automata—self operating mechanical devices, usually powered by clockwork. When Jake Limberleg and his traveling medicine show arrive in her small Missouri town with a mysterious vehicle under a tarp and an uncanny ability to make Natalie's half-built automaton move, she feels in her gut that something about this caravan of healers is a bit off. Her uneasiness leads her to investigate the intricate maze of the medicine show, where she discovers a horrible truth, and realizes that only she has the power to set things right.

Set in 1914, The Boneshaker is a gripping, richly textured novel about family, community, courage, and looking evil directly in the face in order to conquer it.

I have some excited stuff planned around The Boneshaker's release date in May, so be on the watch out for it!

Paper Daughter by Jeanette Ingold

Maggie Chen was born with ink in her blood. Her journalist father has fired her imagination with the thrill of the newsroom. But now Maggie’s father has been killed, and she is determined to keep their dreams alive by interning at the local newspaper. While assisting on her first story, suspicion of illegal activity falls on Maggie’s father, and she knows she must clear his name. Drawn to Seattle’s Chinatown, what she finds is far from what she expected: secrets, lies, and a connection to the Chinese Exclusion Era. Using all of her newspaper instincts and resources, Maggie is forced to confront her ethnicity—and a family she never knew.

A surprise book, but I'm really looking forward to reading this one!

Around The World Tours:

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

Twenty-five-year-old Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless.  

A spectacular book! You can read more of my thoughts about it here.

 

When Mike Kissed Emma by Christine Marciniak

 

Emma Landon has a plan: she's going to be in the high school musical and sing the most romantic song possible to her boyfriend. She's not looking for the lead, just a decent part where she and Trevor can dance together on stage. The plan starts to unravel when she gets the starring role, and playing opposite her is not her perfect boyfriend, but the school loner, Biker Mike. When Mike kisses Emma at the school dance, everything changes. Emma must figure out what is more important-the way things look or something deeper.  

I'm reading this one right now, and it's really cute so far!

 

The Bought:

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

I LOVED Carrie's first novel, The Forest of Hands an Teeth, so I hope this one will continue to live be breathless and amazed! Though, from the reviews I've read so far surrounding it, I'm sure it will.

From Library:

Sweet Little Lies: An L.A. Candy Novel by Lauren Conrad

As the star of MTV’s #1 reality show The Hills, Lauren Conrad has captivated millions of viewers. In her second novel, Sweet Little Lies, Lauren’s main character is faced with a reality much like the author’s: Now a full-fledged celebrity, Jane Roberts is discovering that with fame comes perks—and problems. From racy photos of her leaking to the press, to a falling out with her best friend, nothing about the celebrity life feels very sweet anymore.

Full of dishy details about young Hollywood that only an insider can reveal, Sweet Little Lies is the story of an ordinary girl leading an extraordinary life.

Don't judge me, but I kind of liked the first one in this series.

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

Sailing toward dawn, and I was perched atop the crow's nest, being the ship's eyes. We were two nights out of Sydney, and there'd been no weather to speak of so far. I was keeping watch on a dark stack of nimbus clouds off to the northwest, but we were leaving it far behind, and it looked to be smooth going all the way back to Lionsgate City. Like riding a cloud. . .

Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean, ferrying wealthy passengers from city to city. It is the life Matt's always wanted; convinced he's lighter than air, he imagines himself as buoyant as the hydrium gas that powers his ship. One night he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies. It is only after Matt meets the balloonist's granddaughter that he realizes that the man's ravings may, in fact, have been true, and that the creatures are completely real and utterly mysterious.

In a swashbuckling adventure reminiscent of Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson, Kenneth Oppel, author of the best-selling Silverwing trilogy, creates an imagined world in which the air is populated by transcontinental voyagers, pirates, and beings never before dreamed of by the humans who sail the skies

I've never heard of this one before I saw it at the library yesterday, but it looks really good!

Overall: A really great weak! Though, enough about me, what did you get this week? Anything similar to what I received?

King of the Screwups by K.L. Going

Summary:

Liam Geller is Mr. Popularity. Everybody loves him. He excels at sports; he knows exactly what clothes to wear; he always ends up with the most beautiful girls in school. But he's got an uncanny ability to screw up in the very ways that tick off his father the most.

When Liam finally kicked out of the house, his father's brother takes him in. What could a teenage chick magnet possibly have in common with his gay, glam rocker, DJ uncle who lives in a trailer in upstate New York? A lot more than you'd think. And when Liam attempts to make himself over as a nerd in a desperate attempt to impress his father, it's his "aunt" Pete and the guys in his band who convince Liam there's much more to him than his father will ever see.
 
Review:

When I first saw King of The Screwups I was intrigued by not only the title but the premise that sounded quite interesting. Luckily, King of the Screwups was one teen's compelling story that often hit high reality points through the trials and tribulations of being in his own words, The King of Screwups. And while I did enjoy this book (I mean I raced through the whole thing in one sitting, what else could that mean?), it sometimes felt predictable.

The King of the Screwups had quite the mix of diverse characters; since from Pete, Liam's uncle, and his friends who were charming, funny glam rockers to Liam who was a character I instantly liked and supported while he went through the process of being someone who he wanted to be and not what his father wanted him to be to the girl next door who while didn't have plenty of scenes always managed to make a big bang in them, it left for them, the characters, to be the part that utterly made this book the compelling and exciting one it was.

The one part of this book that while hit reality right on but was hard to read were the scenes between Liam and his farther who constantly wanted Liam to leave up to unrealistic standards. Sometimes while the dad was telling Liam how awful and how disappointed he was in him, all I wanted to do was jump into the story and tear him, as in the dad, apart. Since you should never, NEVER, treat your child like that, especially when there's nothing truly wrong with them.

Moving on the plot, as mentioned above, often felt predictable and like one I've seen before. Though, the characters overrode this problem with how three dimensional they were, and the writing did so too because it always flowed nicely and the dialogue between the characters often felt real and not forced.

In all, while King of the Screwups had it's problems, it is still a coming of age story that I recommended it. Because I doubt I won't find anyone who doesn’t find Liam to be the least bit likable.
 
Grade: B-
 
King of the Screwups is now out in hardcover, but it'll be out in paperback on May 3, 2010!
 
Source: Library

A Winner, Author Appreciation Week, and other News!

Hey everyone!

I have a couple of different items I'm going to address in this post, so I may ramble a bit, hope you don't mind. :)

First of all, the winner of A Match Made in High School and other goodies is:

Deltay from Lucid Conspiracy

Congrats!

Didn't win a copy? Well, why don't you head over to an online relater and buy your own snazzy copy. Think of it, not only will you get a hilarious new book, but you'll be supporting Kristin too!

~~~

Moving on, as you many of you already know this week was Author Appreciation Week, an event started up by the lovely Heidi R. Kling, author of Sea, a book I'm dying to read.

But because of how busy I was with school, life, exc. (I had FIVE tests today which is something I personally think should not be allowed), I wasn't able to post daily. Instead, I've decided to post about a couple of authors I really appreciate. So without a further ado, here they are.

Kristin Cashore

Kristin is the author of two spectacular books, one being Fire and the other being Graceling, and she never ceases to bring you extremely strong and empowering female characters and a rich world. So if you haven't read her books yet read them!

Elizabeth Scott

Elizabeth has released SEVEN books, with her 8th coming out this September, in the last FOUR years, which I personally think makes her one the ringleaders of YA. Since not only are her books pretty one the outside, but the product inside is just as wonderful! I can't wait to read more by her.

Meg Cabot

How could I not include Meg in this list? She's been one of my favorite writers since I began reading YA a couple of years ago because her books are always light, funny, and fluffy reads that I simply can't get enough of!

Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen, hands down, is my favorite YA writer out there. Since even though her storylines are the most original out there, she always proves to bring relatable, funny, and role model worthy main characters into the mix that make the story. And let me tell you, no matter how old I get as long as she's still writing stories, I'll keep buying them. Though, now that I said that, I just realized that that basically applies to everyone I'm mentioning here.

Tara Kelly

Tara Kelly is probably an author you haven't heard much about yet. Since she's a debut author with her first official book Harmonic Feedback coming out this May. Though, I was lucky and enough to get a chance to take an early look, and let me tell you, she is a fabulous, fabulous writer who definitely deservers to be honored in Author Appreciation Week.

Stacey Jay

Not only is Stacey Jay's Megan Berry, Zombie Settler series is one of my favorite series, but she's one of the nicest authors I've had the chance to talk to online. With saying that, I can't wait to read more by her.

Jackson Pearce

Last year I read As You Wish, her debut novel, and preceded not only to adore and rave about it here, but forced one of my best friend's into read it and she LOVED it too. Further more, I just finished her newest YA, Sisters Red, earlier this week and it was SPECTACULAR! She's definitely an author to keep an eye on. Plus, I love her blog!

Richelle Mead

Richelle Mead is the author of my favorite series out there, Vampire Academy, and always manages to put twists and turns into her tales that are never see coming, which makes her a perfect pick for Author Appreciation Week.

Lauren Oliver

Not only does this author have a fabulous first name, but she's the mastermind behind one of my favorite debuts out there, Before I Fall!

Heidi R. Kling

What would this list be if I didn't mention Heidi? Incomplete, no doubt about it.  Sure, I haven't read her book yet, but she's done a lot of stuff to make the YA world fun. Such as starting up Author Appreciation Week and being one of the masterminds the 10'ers!

Okay, I think I'm going to stop here because though I could go on forever, I don't want to bore you all.

Though, some additional authors I truly apprecaite are:

Nina De Gramont, author of Every Little Thing in the World
Susane Colasanti, author of Something Like Fate, Waiting for You, Take Me There, and When It Hapens
Jeri Smith-Ready, author of Shade
Jessica Brody, author of The Karma Club, The Fidelity Files, and Love Undercover (She makes the best book trailers ever!)
Robin Benway, author of Audrey, Wait and The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June

Holly Nicole Hoxter, author of The Snowball Effect

Amy Brecount White, author of Forget-Her-Nots

Kimberly Derting, author of The Body Finder

Sara Shepard, author of the Pretty Little Liars series

Jillian Cantor, author of The September Sisters and The Life of Glass

Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club
Jennifer Echols, author of The Ex-Games, Going Too Far, exc.
Carrie Ryan, author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead Tossed Waves
Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Wintergirls, Prom, Speak, and many more!

And many, many more. Since without all the amazing YA authors out there, I don't know what I'd read OR blog about! :)

~~~

Also, I got some GREAT news this week that brought a smile to my face. That news? Well Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf is featured in Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens. It is listed in the Resources section under “Young Adult Literature Blogs.”!!! Isn't that excinting! I think so, but I may just be a wee bit biased. :)

*To find out more about the book click here*

~~~

Lastly, Peter from Flashlight Worthy asked me to tell you about a new Young Adult Book List featuring Women From Another Era. Head over here if you would like to check it out!

~

Till next time,

Lauren