If You Live Like Me by Lori Weber

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

A city girl’s concept of “home” is turned upside down when her father’s anthropology research relocates them to St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Before her plane even touches down in Newfoundland, Cheryl is already plotting her escape. She knows life on “the rock” will be no better than it was in the other places she’s been forced to live ever since her parents launched their cross-Canada tour. The unwilling spectator of her father’s morbid fascination with “dying cultures,” Cheryl has seen more than her fair share of towns so depressing they could haunt your dreams. His need to study the defunct fishing industry in St. John’s is Cheryl’s breaking point – this city girl is more determined than ever to get back to the concrete, the buzz, and the bright lights of Montreal.

Will Cheryl’s cold, goth exterior and her refusal to embrace a new life cut her off from those who love her? Lori Weber once again proves herself to be a masterful storyteller, this time challenging the idea of home, and what holds families and communities together. If You Live Like Me explores the bonds that form in strange and unexpected ways, and shows how letting go can lead to the strongest connections of all.

Review:

Lori Weber’s If You Live Like Me is yet another book that’s been sitting on my bookshelf for way too long, even though I’ve heard some great things about it. Thankfully, I finally tried it last week, and I was surprised, perhaps even blown away a bit, as If You Live Like Me is an extraordinary contemporary about a girl living in Newfoundland.

If You Like Me begins just as Cheryl is arriving in Newfoundland, the place where she is to begin her fourth school in less than four years. To say Cheryl’s bitter about this would be a serious understatement. She’s furious, and all she wants to do is return back home to Montreal, the last place she truly felt at the home, the place where all her friends are. However, due to her father’s book on dying cultures, which never fails to wreck her chance at friendships, Cheryl is set to stay there for a whole year except if she finds a way to escape for the last time. However, what happens when she meets a boy who makes her whole world go around, who understands her, who sees the person she is underneath the sadness and the dark clothes? Will she find herself, or will she be left feeling more lost than ever? Only time and more pages can tell in this suspenseful novel perfect for reluctant readers.

One of those characters who are hard to like at first, Cheryl was someone it took a while to warm up to. She’s nasty towards her well-meaning parents and does not really try to be happy. Though, as more details are reveled about her past and her personality begins to show throughout the chapters, it is easy to see Cheryl is a girl lost, a girl who needs to find her way and forgive the past, which made her more relatable in the long run. However, the character that especially made her shine was Jim, a teen boy a year or two years older than her. Jim is a someone who hasn’t always had an easy life but it never gets him down, instead he always tries harder. He constantly brought much needed light to the novel, and truly made it one of a kind.

The plot in this one was also creative and well executed. The idea of a family moving from country to country to learn about dying cultures was fascinating so I especially enjoyed that subplot in the novel. Furthermore, Cheryl’s coming of age, the main focus of the book, was done realistically, and in a way that truly allows this novel to stand out among other coming-of-age tales.

This was my first experience with Lori Weber’s writing, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it and will surely be reading more of her books in the future. She truly did a great job of taking a mundane topic and presenting it in a seemingly new way.

Well-written and pitch perfect, Lori Weber’s If You Live Like Me is new favorite of mine, and I think if you give it a try you’ll enjoy it as well- especially if you love contemporary YA as much as I do.

Grade: A+

If You Live Like Me is now out!

Source: Author/Publisher- thanks Lori and Lobster Press!

To find out more about Lori and her books, be sure to check out my interview with her from back in '09 as well as her website.

Waiting on Wednesday (112)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by at Jill at Breaking the Spine.


My pick this week is:

Born Wicked 
by Jessica Spotswood

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship–or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word…especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood–not even from each other.

First of all, can I just say how much I LOVE this cover? Because I do- it's amazing! I love the title font (and how it has all those curls) and the picture is stunning as well. Better yet, the premise of this one sounds promising. I mean witches, forbidden romance, and surprising marriage proposals? Count me in for sure!

Born Wicked will be released February 7, 2012. 

The Summer We Came to Life by Deborah Cloyed

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Every summer, Samantha Wheland joins her childhood friends—Isabel, Kendra and Mina—on a vacation, somewhere exotic and fabulous. Together with their mixed bag of parents, they've created a lifetime of memories. This year it's a beach house in Honduras. But for the first time, their clan is not complete. Mina lost her battle against cancer six months ago, and the friends she left behind are still struggling to find their way forward without her.

For Samantha, the vacation just feels wrong without Mina. Despite being surrounded by her friends—the closest thing she has to family—Mina's death has left Sam a little lost. Unsure what direction her life should take. Fearful that whatever decision she makes about her wealthy French boyfriend's surprise proposal, it'll be the wrong one.

The answers aren't in the journal Mina gave Sam before she died. Or in the messages Sam believes Mina is sending as guideposts. Before the trip ends, the bonds of friendship with her living friends, the older generation's stories of love and loss, and Sam's glimpse into a world far removed from the one in which she belongs will convince her to trust her heart. And follow it.

Review:

As of lately, I have been craving some good adult contemporary. Luckily enough for me, Deborah Cloyed’s The Summer We Came perfectly feed to that craving with its flawed yet complex characters, well-developed storylines, and rich, detailed writing.

Everything has been different for Kendra, Isabel, and Samantha since Mina, the fourth addition to their group, lost her battle with cancer six months ago. Each girl has a different way of dealing with the death. For Kendra, it means throwing herself into her high-powered job and dodging her own personal problems. For Isabel, it also means throwing herself into her work until she loses her job. For Samantha, it means running from country to country, falling in love with a wealthy French man, and looking for answers to life in the journals Mina left her. However, everything is about to change with summer approaching. Since childhood the girls along with Kendra’s and Isabel’s mothers have gone on some type of exotic vacation, but this year Mina won’t be there for the first time ever. Samantha asks, or more accurately begs, to abandon this year’s trip, saying it would be too hard, but soon enough all three girls plus Kendra’s parents, Isabel’s mother, and Mina’s father are in the middle of Honduras. Looking for peace and forgiveness, each person will be faced with coming to term with Mina’s demise and the secrets and struggles they have kept over the years.

As I’ve mentioned countless times before what I love most about adult fiction is the intricate and complex characters that are often introduced. For The Summer We Came to Life, these characters were Kendra, Isabel, Samantha as well as the parental units. Each character presented was diverse, distinctive, and thoroughly likable. More importantly, their feelings over life and death were easy to relate to, especially when it came to the saying “Life’s consolations are love and best friends” that was always supported within the text.

The plot of this book was another high point. The setting was spectacular because of the rich detail added that often made me feel like I was right there, enjoying this exotic location right along with the characters. I also enjoyed seeing the characters share their stories throughout the book, because they often addressed common social and religion issues in a non-preachy and interesting way. It’s easy to say I learned a thing or two within this book!

Deborah Cloyed’s writing was also great for a debut author. I really enjoyed all the layers of detail she put into her characters and storylines as well as the way she seamlessly intermixed past and present invents with Mina and Samantha’s journal entries.

The only aspect of this book that brought it down a notch or two was a certain event that occurred towards the end. I won’t say too much about it due to the fact I don’t want to spoil anything. However, I will say it took a crazy turn, one that I wasn’t expecting and didn’t particularly enjoy. It was just odd and seemed out of place within the rest of the events in the novel.

Even with that, The Summer We Came to Life is still a fantastic debut novel that I’m sure many will come to enjoy. All I can say now is I cannot wait to read more by Deborah!

Grade: B+ 

The Summer We Came to Life is now out!

Source: Publicist at Planned Television Arts- thanks Eric!

To find out more about the author and her books, be sure to visit her website.

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

A ghostly murder mystery set in Victorian England brings an exciting change for Alyx Harvey fans

Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

Review:

Ever since I saw the beautiful cover and the intriguing synopsis for Alyxandra Harvey’s Haunting Violet, I have been dying to read it, as if there is one thing I love its well-written historical fiction, especially if it involves something supernatural as well. Thankfully, this book perfectly fit the bill!

For Violet Willoughby, she is starting to become sick of the life she has been given. She cannot stand watching her mother constantly trick people into giving their money over for her so-called séances, which are the definition of fake, as well as dragging poor Violet and Colin, her mother’s young assistant, along for the ride. Better yet, she is also tired of her mother constantly telling her to marry a rich man when all Violet really wants to do is find someone she truly loves, someone who will let Violet be Violet. However, everything changes when Violet and her family are called to Lord Jasper’s house to help conduct séances for his guests’s entertainment. Soon enough Violet is involved in a murder mystery involving a snobby, elitist society girl and her dead twin sister who Violet is actually able to see. Will Violet be able to save the day before someone else is killed? Or will Violet soon become shark’s bait herself? And will Violet ever be able to get out of her mother’s plans for the future? Only time and more pages can tell in this mystery that will have nearly any reader thinking, “Who did it?”

From start to finish, I adored and rooted for several characters in Haunting Violet including Violet, of course. Strong yet sweet, Violet is a girl who has her head on her shoulders but yet isn’t afraid of letting her heart lead her way sometimes. It was always fun to see Violet interact with the different society people, and for Violet to allow for her talents in spiritualism grow also, as this portion especially allowed for Violet’s coming of age. I also adored the addition of Colin, Violet’s adorable Irish love interest, as well as Elizabeth, Violet’s hilarious and headstrong best friend.

The plot of Haunting Violet was also intricate. Not only because of the complex murder mystery subplot, but also because of the sprit powers Violet possessed. The murder mystery especially kept me turning the pages, and even though I had a basic gist of who the murder was for a portion of the book, I still managed to be a little surprised at how everything turned out in the end. I also loved Violet’s romance subplot. Not only because it developed in a realistic speed but also because it wasn’t a main focus of the story.

Lastly, Alyxandra’s writing was great in this. I had only read one book by Alyxandra prior to this (Hearts at Stake, the first in the Drake chronicles), and while I enjoyed her writing in that one, it took an even better turn in this book. I always felt like I was right there with the characters in the 1870s because of her descriptions, and her characters never failed to jump of the page and come to life. The only aspect I was a little shaky on was how I felt she modernized some of the dialogue between the characters at times.

Full of adventure, mystery, and romance, Haunting Violet is the perfect summer read. Best of all, it contains a solid, standalone ending, and what’s not to love about that?

Grade: B+

Haunting Violet is now out!

Source: Publicist at Bloomsbury/ Walker books- thanks Kate!

To find out more about Alyxandra and her books, be sure to to visit her website.

Book Trailer:

In My Mailbox (128)

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

For Review:

Sass and Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler (Just finished it last night, and oh my gosh, it was AMAZING! Definitely add it to your wish lists ASAP- you won't regret it!)

The Familiars #2: Secrets of the Crown by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson (I haven't had the chance to read the first one in this series, but I've worked with Adam and Andrew on a couple of different blog tours and they are very nice and sweet, so I'll definitely be giving this one (as well as its prequel) a try!)

Bought:

I Never Fancied Him Anyway by Claudia Carroll (There was a book sale at a library near me this week, and I decided to go to, as what's better than cheap books? :) And I ended finding this one, and for only 50 cents! Crazy, right? Anyhow, haven't heard much about it, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try.)

Much thanks goes to Barbara at Blue Ship Media and Adam/Andrew/the love people at Harper Collins.

Intertwined by Gena Showalter

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

There's something about the new guy at Crossroads High…

Most sixteen-year-olds have friends.

Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:

One can time travel.

One can raise the dead.

One can possess another human.

One can tell the future.

Everyone thinks he's crazy, which is why he's spent his entire life shuffled between mental institutions and juvie. All of that is about to change, however. For months Aden has been having visions of a beautiful girl—a girl who carries centuries-old secrets. A girl who will either save him or destroy him.

Together they'll enter a dark world of intrigue and danger…but not everyone will come out alive.

Review:

Intertwined has been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time, and I really don't know why. I had heard amazing things about it, and one of my favorite imprints, Harlequin Teen, published it. So recently, I took the plunge and read it, and I was blown away. Intertwined is an amazing paranormal read to say the least. It shows that the paranormal genre can still be fresh and exciting, taking readers on yet another memorable ride!

Intertwined starts the story of Aden Stone, a boy whose been through hell and back in the past few years. Because not only has he been in and out of countless mental institutions as well as foster homes throughout the past few years, but he also has four souls living inside of him. Anything but ordinary, Aden has grown used to the consistent prodding of the souls, and they have even become one miss-matched family over time, but that does not stop the fact that they make his life a chaotic mess sometimes by talking and gabbing and never stopping. However, everything changes when Aden meets Mary Ann Gray, a girl who seems to have the world at her hands. She stops the voices, and Aden does not know why, but he needs to. This starts a journey like no other, one that will test Aden and Mary Ann in countless ways, engender new secrets, and bring a vampire princess and a werewolf to the mix.

There were so many great parts to this novel, and one of my absolute favorites would have to have been the premise and more importantly the execution of the said idea. The idea of having souls living inside a person was unique, and not only did it bring many interesting backstory to the novel, but it also brought a lot of fascinating turns and characters to the novel. Better yet Gena Showalter presented the idea in a way that constantly left me guessing and predicting my own ways of how everything would turn out.

I also adored the characters in Intertwined. Aden Gray was easy to root from the beginning because while he has had so many horrible things happen to him, it does not get him down. Instead, it makes him try harder to fix everything once and for all. I also loved the addition of the souls in his head, because surprisingly enough each one was well developed, and they even brought some laughs to the story as well. Aden’s friendship with Mary Ann was also complex, and best of all, I loved how it did not take the clichéd twist that I thought it would. Lastly, I loved the addition of the other supernatural beings as well, especially the werewolf.

Showalter’s writing was also marvelous. She did a fantastic job of making Intertwined a refreshing and memorable read, and best of all, she allowed this novel to have a solid ending even though it is the first in a series.

Thrilling and exhilarating, Intertwined is a fantastic start to a promising series, one I am sure many will come to adore as it continues.

Grade: A+

Intertwined is now out in paperback!

Source: Author- thanks Gena!

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

Review:

After last year's fun Heist Society, I was interested in seeing what Ally Carter had up her sleeves next for the world and characters established. I could not wait to see whether problems I had with the first addition would be resolved, and whether or not the heist this time would be exciting and thrilling. Thankfully, I do feel Uncommon Criminals was a step in the right direction, but I have to admit, I was still a little torn about this read for several reasons.

Uncommon Criminals picks up Katrina’s story a few months after Heist Society left off. For the past few months, Kat has been on her own, traveling the world looking for items people lost long ago, and still dealing with the awe that surrounds her from her last huge heist. What she was not excepting so much, though, was being asked to do another being heist so soon after her last one. This time, an old woman comes to her, asking, or more accurately begging, Kat to get back the item she wrongfully lost all those years ago- the Cleopatra Emerald. Kat is not sure about this mission for several reasons, mostly because the Cleopatra Emerald is cursed. However, linked to this project is someone she thought she would never have expected, and because of it, she accepts, dragging along Hale and her cousin Gabrielle along. But what she does not know is that this mission will test nearly everything she has to lose…family ties, her complicated relationship with Hale, and more importantly her own heist skills. Will Kat come out unscarred and better than ever, or will this mission be the end of what she once was? Only time and more pages can tell in this enticing and fun read.

Just as I have come to expect and love with Ally Carter’s books, Uncommon Criminals has a crazy and memorable plot from start to finish. Stealing the Cleopatra Emerald is hard work, and the path Kat goes onto to do so includes just about every twist and turn possibly imaginable. Quite possibly this was my favorite part of the book, because when comes down to it, I truly never knew how it was going to end, and when it finally did I was still a little flabbergasted.

The characters in this were decent, a step up from last time, but I am still not connecting to the majority of them. Don’t get me wrong, I adored Kat, Hale (especially!), Gabrielle, and the rest. They are crazy, brave, and strong, and I cannot help but admire them. However, I'm unable to connect fully, and that is a big problem because this is nearly always necessary in order for me to enjoy a book.

I did love Ally’s writing in this one. She does a great job of telling the story in a mystery and spellbinding way by using third person, but at times, I felt some scenes (especially important ones) were just a bit too rushed for my liking.

Even with this Uncommon Criminals is still a decent enough sequel due to the plot alone. I hope that I will enjoy the next one more, but until then the Gallagher Girls series is still my absolute favorite work of Carter’s.

Grade: B

Uncommon Criminals is now out!

Source: Publicist at Hyperion Teen- thanks Jamie!

Giveaway: Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why was a book I read before I started blogging, and even though it's been nearly four years since I've read it, I still remember it clearly as being one of the best books I've ever read. It's an amazing, amazing book. It's filled with emotion and fantastic and well developed characters as well. It's truly one of the most raw and memorable YA books out there, which makes me all the more happy to announce that I'm hosting a giveaway for TWO copies of the newly released paperback addition, thanks to the lovely people at Big Honcho Media and Penguin.

In case you have no idea what this book is out, here's the summary:

Thirteen Reasons Why is the story of a girl named Hannah Baker who takes her own life. But before she does, she records several cassette tapes explaining whyand sends them to the people she feels pushed her toward that decision. The story is told from the point of view of Clay Jensen who spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah’s voice as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah’s pain, and learns the truth about himself—a truth he never wanted to face. 

The anti-bullying anthem was published in hardcover in October 2007 by Razorbill, and quickly became a word-of-mouth favorite among teenaged readers with fans claiming, “This book changed my life.” The novel has been on the New York Timeschildren’s hardcover bestseller list for 65 weeks, foreign rights have been sold into 30 countries and it has been acquired by Universal Pictures and will star Selena Gomez.

About the author: 

Jay Asher lives on the central coast of California with his wife and son. His favorite part of being an author is speaking with his readers at schools and libraries across the country. 

Penguin has also recently launched a new website for fans of Thirteen Reasons. Titled the13RW Project, it's a place for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why to record their thoughts, stories, videos and photos relating to the book, and to view what other readers from all across the country have shared. To find out more and to share you story, head on over to www.13RWProject.com.

To enter the giveaway, please fill out the following form.

Official Giveaway Rules:

~ Must be 13 years or older to enter.
~ Must have a US mailing address
~ This giveaway will close on July 7, 2011 at 12:00 PM EST

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER. THE WINNERS ARE AMANDA W AND PATRICIA.*

Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

From the author of the highly addictive and bestselling Blue Bloods series, with almost 3 million copies sold, comes a new novel, Melissa de la Cruz’s first for adults, featuring a family of formidable and beguiling witches.

The three Beauchamp women—Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid—live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret—they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there’s Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it’s time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil.

Review:

Prior to Witches of East End, I had read and enjoyed several books by Melissa de la Cruz (including her Au Pairs series, which are perfect summer reads, and Angels on a Sunset Boulevard) so it was no surprise that I liked Witches of East. What was surprising, though, was just how much I liked it, or more accurately loved it. Full of witches, spells, and fantastic world building and writing, Witches of East End truly is one of the best new paranormal reads out there!

For the Beauchamp family life has been merely average for the past few years in their beloved beachside town of North Hampton, New York. Joanna, the mother of the family, lives a quiet life, tending to her old house and entertaining the little boy whose family leaves behind her. Ingrid, Joanna’s eldest daughter, loves her job at the local library, even though its budget keeps being slashed. Freya, the youngest, is the wild child of the family, who bartends at a local bar, and is about to marry one of the hottest bachelors North Hampton has seen…too bad she has a thing for his brother. What you would not know about these three seemingly ordinary women is that they are witches, banned from using their magic ever again, and while they’ve been falling this audacious rule, everything is about to change. Something evil is wreaking havoc on their small town, and the only way to stop it is to bring their magic back to use. However, with their magic, brings new troubles, troubles that seem to be leading to history repeating itself once again. Will they be able to stop it? Or will they lose everything because of the one thing they treasure the most?

Witches of East End brought several amazing things to the table, one of them being complex and memorable characters. There’s always a small chance that I’ll enjoy a book told with separate perspectives, much less one using third person to do this, but with Witches of East End this technique worked perfectly. I loved the switching of narrators between Ingrid, Joanna, and Freya, and without I feel the book would simply not be the same. Because not only did it allow for the reader to get a taste of each of the three main characters, but it also caused for suspense and drama with every switch. My favorite character out of the mix would have to be Ingrid, because we share a love of bookish things. However, I still adored Freya and her wild child ways, even though her life love was always in too many shambles for my taste, and Joanna was a great addition as well- I especially liked her scenes with Tyler, the little boy she helped take care of.

Another high point of this novel was the plot. I never truly knew exactly where it was going, which was a surprising yet highly enjoyable aspect of the novel. I loved the focus on witches, especially, because not was an entertaining part of the plot, but it is also one thing you do not see much of in books these days. I also loved the way in which Melissa de la Cruz told the Beauchamp’s history and past troubles. Slowly told yet in a way that kept intrigue and mystic, when everything was finally spilled, it still managed to surprise me.

Cruz’s writing was also fabulous. She did a great job of bringing the town of North Hampton to life with her vivid descriptions, and her characters and plot events where nothing but complex and memorable. Moreover, the ending? Such a cliffhanger, though it has made even more excited about the sequel!

Fascinating, alluring, and memorable, Witches of East End is sure to bring out a new fantastic series for her old fans to follow as well as introduce new fans to the amazingness that is Melissa de La Cruz!

Grade: A+

Witches of East End is now out!

Source: Publicist at Goldberg McDuffie Communications, Inc.- thanks Megan!

Book Trailer:

Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Brooke loved reading the dishy celebrity gossip rag Last Night. That is, until her marriage became a weekly headline.

Brooke was drawn to the soulful, enigmatic Julian Alter the very first time she heard him perform "Hallelujah" at a dark East Village dive bar.

Now five years married, Brooke balances two jobs—as a nutritionist at NYU Hospital and as a consultant to an Upper East Side girls' school, where privilege gone wrong and disordered eating run rampant—in order to help support her husband's dream of making it in the music world.

Things are looking up when after years of playing Manhattan clubs and toiling as an A&R intern, Julian finally gets signed by Sony. Although no one's promising that the album will ever hit the airwaves, Julian is still dedicated to logging in long hours at the recording studio. All that changes after Julian is asked to perform on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno—and is catapulted to stardom, literally overnight. Amazing opportunities begin popping up almost daily—a new designer wardrobe, a tour with Maroon 5, even a Grammy performance.

At first the newfound fame is fun—who wouldn't want to stay at the Chateau Marmont or visit the set of one of television's hottest shows? Yet it seems that Brooke's sweet husband—the man who can't handle hot showers and wears socks to bed—is increasingly absent, even on those rare nights they're home together. When rumors about Brooke and Julian swirl in the tabloid magazines, she begins to question the truth of her marriage and is forced to finally come to terms with what she thinks she wants—and what she actually needs.

Review:

I have seen the movie version of The Devil Wears Prada several times, but not until Last Night at Chateau Marmont, had I actually read a book by Lauren Weisberger. Luckily, Last Night at Chateau Marmont seems to have been the perfect place to start, as it the pure example of the ultimate guilty pleasure read. Filled with romance, drama, and even some heart at its core, there was not a moment where I could not be found eagerly flipping the pages, dying to know what would occur next.

For Brooke and her husband Julian, fame was only something they could dream or read about. Because while Julian has the voice of a god, his musician dreams seem to be going nowhere quickly, this is why Brooke has been supporting him for the past few years. Working two jobs, whilst Julian works on his latest album, Brooke does not complain much, because if anyone is her husband’s biggest supporter it would be her. Surprisingly enough Julian’s latest song sky rockets. Suddenly Julian is everyone… on TV, at the Grammys. However, at the same time Julian and Brooke’s personal life is splashed on every tabloid as well, and while Julian tells Brooke nothing will change, everything quickly comes to a halt when her husband is caught up in one big scandal, a scandal that could mean the end of their marriage as they know it. Will they be able to pull through it, or will they become yet another Hollywood cliché? Rich yet broken and alone? Only time and more pages call tell in this scandalous, name-dropping read that will have nearly any reader wondering about (and possibly rooting for) Brooke and Julian every step of the way.

Throughout Last Night at Chateau Marmont, I was constantly torn between liking and disliking Brooke for a variety of reasons, because while I loved Brooke’s dedication to her husband, friends, family and jobs, at the same time, I couldn’t always understand why she complained and bickered instead of voicing her concerns about Julian and their new lifestyle together. However, by the end of the book, I do have to say I enjoyed following her story, because she was a sweet girl deep down, who learned many lessons throughout. My favorite character in the whole thing would have to Nola, however, because even though Nola was a secondary character, she nearly always managed to steal the show with her personality and ways.

My favorite part of the novel, though, was the premise and more importantly the execution of the said ideas. It isn’t often you get to see what happens to a couple once one of them hits star status, and because of that and the compelling way in which Lauren told the story, I ate it all up. It was fun seeing all the twists and turns that occurred in Julian and Brooke’s relationship and lives, and I especially loved how with that, Lauren brought more heart and questions to the story. I also enjoyed the secondary focus on Brooke’s career as a nutritionist at a school, because it always brought more development to her character.

Weisberger’s writing was also easy to get lost in as well, because while Last Night at Chateau Marmont isn’t the best or most well written book out there, Lauren still certainly knows how to keep a reader entertained for an hour or two.

Sweet, fast paced, and romantic, Last Night at Chateau Marmont is a perfect beach read, and even better, it is now in available paperback!

Grade: B

Last Night at Chateau Marmont is now out in paperback!

Source: Publicist at Simon and Schuster- thanks Cristina!

Lauren Weisberger on Last Night at Chateau Marmont: 

In My Mailbox (127)

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

For Review:

Fateful by Claudia Gray (Unsolicited review copy. Seriously cannot wait to read this one. I mean, the Titanic, werewolves, and romance? Count me in for sure!)

Sunset Bridge by Emilie Richards (Looks good!)

Bought/From Book Signing: 

On Saturday I was able to attend a book signing for Amy Holder, Alissa Grosso, Cynthia C. Willis, and Cyn Balog. I bought some books and got them signed (yay!) and I also got to chat with the authors (all of whom were very nice!) for a few minutes. Here's what I ended up coming home with. 

Signed Books (Left to right: Sleepless, The Lipstick Laws, and Popular)

Sleepless by Cyn Balog + Starstruck bookmarks (Loved Cyn's Fairy Tale so I can't wait to read this one!)
The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder (Already read and loved this one. You can find my review for it here.)
Popular by Alissa Grosso + bookmark/button (Ooh, this one looks fabulous! Better yet it's a '11 debut!)

I also got my picture taken with the authors:

From left to right: Me and Amy Holder; Cyn Balog, me, and Alissa Grosso 

Much thanks goes to HarperCollins and Sarah at Planned TV Arts. 

In all, a great week! I cannot wait to read all my new books, especially Popular, Sleepless, and Fateful! Though, enough about me, what did you get this week? Anything exciting? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to link to your IMM. 

Have a great week everyone! :)

PA Book Signing Alert, Winners, and other Bookish News!

Hey everyone! 

Hope you all are having a fantastic Friday! As I didn't have anything planned to post about today, I thought I would have a quick bookish round-up post instead. 

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First of all, I recently picked the winners of my 3 years giveaway. They were Jessy (who won the first prize pack) and Alicia (who one the second prize pack). Congrats to both of them! Also, I just wanted to add a big THANK YOU for all of you who also took the time to tell me what you liked and didn't like about Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf. All the advice I got was fabulous, and I'm already working on ways to incorporate some of the ideas into blog- more on that shortly.

And for those of you who didn't won, have no fear, I have some fabulous giveaways going on right now for book such as Beauty Queens (Loved!) and My Life Undecided. Check out the right sidebar to find out more info!

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In other news, I will be attending a book signing tomorrow (June 18, 2011) at the Borders in Stroudsburg, PA. Authors who will be there include Alissa Grosso (author of Popular), Amy Holder (author of The Lipstick Laws), and Cyn Balog (author of Fairy Tale, Sleepless, and Starstruck) along with a few others. If by some chance, you'll be going as well- let me know (via email, twitter, etc.) I would love to say hi. And for those of you who aren't, don't worry- I'll probably be posting a small recap of the event along with my IMM on Sunday. 

For more info click here.  

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I also recently asked by Corinne, a writer for a few online publications, to share an article she recently posted about self publishing. Here's the link in case you would like to see it.

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Scholastic also has had a few interesting things come about recently. 

As you may or may not know, Scholastic launched YouAreWhatYouRead.com, Scholastic’s first online book community for readers of all ages, last year. Since then more than 15,000 users have joined the site to share their Bookprint – the five books that helped shape who they are.

Based on these thousands of users’ Bookprints, and the Bookprints of 200+ Names You Know YouAreWhatYouRead.com generated the top 10 most influential books as selected by adults and kids. Here some of the results found. 

The 10 most influential books picked by adults on YouAreWhatYouRead.com:
(Click through each title to see how many times the book appears in Bookprints and the users who picked the book.)

1.       To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

2.       The Holy Bible

3.       The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

4.       Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

5.       The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

6.       The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

7.       Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

8.       The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

9.       The Giver by Lois Lowry

10.   Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

The 10 most influential books picked by kids on YouAreWhatYouRead.com:(Click through each title to see how many times the book appears in Bookprints and the users who picked the book.)

1.       Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

2.       Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

3.       Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

4.       Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

5.       Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

6.       Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

7.       Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

8.       Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney

9.       The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

10.   Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Interested in creating your own Bookprint? Well, visit www.youarewhatyouread.com to get started! There’s also a separate community for kids under 13 that provides age appropriate book selections and activities. 

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Lastly, Amazon.com also recently announced that Lee Child and Suzanne Collins are the fifth and sixth authors to sell over one million Kindle books, becoming the latest members of the “Kindle Million Club.” Collins is the first children’s author to reach this milestone. Cool, right? :)

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That's all for today! Hope you all have a great evening/weekend, and I'll see you all on Sunday for In My Mailbox. :) 

Guest Post by Amanda Ashby

As part of Amanda Ashby's Teen Book Scene tour for Fairy Bad Day, I have a guest post by Amanda to share with you all today. So without a further ado...

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My Question:

In Fairy Bad Day the characters are each assigned a specfic area of slaying, so what exactely are all the different areas of slaying involved? In addition, which area would you pick if you were given the chance to? Why?

Amanda's Response:

Oh, great question!!!!! According to Sir Francis and his famous handbook, A Complete and Utter Reference to the Vile and Evil Creatures that have Spewed Forth from the Gate of Linaria and How they Shall be Slain—In Three Volumes (which, by the way is a lot catchier in the original Latin) there are twelve different elemental creatures.

The fire elementals are salamanders, dragons and phoenixes

The earth elementals are goblins, demons and ogres

The sky elementals are fairies, elves and griffins

The water elementals are selkies, sirens and krackens.

Anyway, while Emma longs to follow in her mom’s footsteps and become a dragon slayer, I think if I had to choose one, I would prefer to fight an earth elemental like a goblin or an ogre. Sure you need to be strong and fit to slay them but at least they can’t burn you like the fire elementals and your skin doesn’t get all water logged, like when you’re slaying water elementals, oh and you definitely can’t get glamoured like with the sky elementals.

On the downside, fighting earth elementals does involve a lot of running since ogres are mighty fond of throwing heaving objects such as trees at people, and if you’ve ever been hit by an ogre-thrown tree, you’ll know that it’s not something you want to happen on a regular basis. In fact, now that I think about it ogres also like to eat your eyeballs if they catch you, which really doesn’t sound very nice, so I’m starting to think that I maybe I should just fail all of my slaying exams and then I could stay home where it is nice and safe!!!!! Plus, despite the fancy footwear Emma is wearing on the cover of Fairy Bad Day, everyone knows that you can't fight elementals in heels and I'm not so sure that I'm a big fan of sensible shoes!!!!

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Thanks for stopping by Amanda, and I have to agree that while fighting ogres would be fun, there would be plenty of downsides as well. :)

To find out more about Fairy Bad Day and Amanda, be sure to check out her website here.

This tour is also a scavenger hunt. Be sure to visit each of the stops on the blog tour and collect the bolded letter at the bottom of the post. On June 25th, you will have the opportunity to enter the word you created from the mixed up letters on Amanda's blog (http://amandaashby.blogspot.com/) to win a fun prize pack. The pack includes a signed copy of Fairy Bad Day, some candy, and cute cell phone charms.

My letter is S. 

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairyÑand it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well! Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?

Review:

If you are looking for a fun, feel-good type of read, look no further because Amanda Ashby’s Fairy Bad Day is the book for you. Full of frilly entertainment, delightful romance, and plenty of intense fight scenes, this book is nothing short of addicting.

Fairy Bad Day starts the day Burtonwood Academy’s sophomores are receiving their slaying assignments, and for Emma Jones, this is no biggie, as it’s basically a given she’ll be given the assignment she’s been working towards since she was born- dragon slaying. Much to her surprise and horror, her precious assignment is given to Curtis Green, leaving her with fairies, tiny, annoying fairies- an assignment no one has been giving before, not because it is dangerous, but because killing fairies is laughable on so many levels. However, she is not settling for this because if she does one thing, it will be to get her assignment changed, but the problem is she is seeing a killer fairy on campus, and everyone else…is not. Except for Curtis, but she cannot recruit him to help, can she? Better yet, will she ever get her assignment changed? Moreover, what happens when she starts liking Curtis? Will everything turn out okay? Only time and more pages can tell in this fast-paced addition to YA contemporary fantasy.

Emma Jones was a character I liked from the start. Witty, smart, and unbeatable, there truly was nothing not to love about this girl. It was always fun to see her slowly embrace her fairy slaying destiny because not only did it cause some funny moments, but it also lead to much character growth on her end. Better yet, I adored her friendship with Curtis. Curtis is the typical “hottie” with a heart of gold, though he still had plenty of secrets, which will keep any reader guessing as to what they exactly are. I also loved the banter between Emma and her two best friends, Lonni and Tyler. However, I have to admit, I would have loved some more development into each.

With paranormal novels these days, it is either a big hit or a big miss. Thankfully, Fairy Bad Day landed somewhere in the middle, closer to the big hit rather than the miss, because while Amanda put a great, unique spin to fairies, I still found this book to be a bit clichéd at times, especially when it came to Emma’s past. However, given the many twists and turns, as well as the stellar fighting scenes between Emma and a certain rouge fairy, there was not much room to complain.

Ashby’s writing was also decent. I remember reading and adoring Amanda’s first book You Had Me at Halo and with this one, her writing and world building has defiantly approved. The only aspects I was not too wild about where the lack of development into secondary characters as well as the fact that the story was told in third person. However, with the later, I do admit to be a stickler for first person, so that is probably why I felt the way I did.

In all, with reading Fairy Bad Day is the perfect way to start your summer season, thanks to not only its June release date, but also its fun contents as well as action. I am unquestionably looking forward to reading more by Ms. Ashby.

Grade: B

Fairy Bad Day is now out!

Source: Publisher for Teen Book Scene tour

*This post is in conjunction with the Teen Book Scene tour for Fairy Bad Day. To find out more about this tour as well as others click here.* 

Blog Tour : Jennifer Jabaley's Crush Control (Review and Interview!)

Summary/Cover Image From Publisher's Website:

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.

Review:

After reading Jennifer Jabaley’s smashing and bittersweet Lipstick Apology, I was eager to read more by her. Therefor when Crush Control, her second YA novel, landed in my hands, I was eager to devour it one page at a time. Thankfully Crush Control was a great second novel, because not only was the premise fresh and enticing, but the characters were relatable and fun to read about it.

Crush Control opens up just as nine-year-old Willow Grey is about to hypnotize her best friend Max to stay her best friend until the end of time. For some, this may be extreme, but for Willow, it is her only way to take control of the fact she will be moving to Las Vegas in a few days, and thankfully enough, it works. Max and her stay best friends throughout the years, talking every day on the phone, exchanging text messages, and just being there for each other, which makes the fact that a now seventeen-year-old Willow will be moving back to their hometown even more perfect. However, not everything is as perfect as Willow bargained, because as soon as she sees Max, she knows she wants to be more than just friends, while Max seems to think being friends is good enough. Willow knows she needs a plan to get the guy of her dreams, but will hypnotizing him be worth the risk? Only time and more pages can tell in this action packed novel!

Willow was the type of character whom it is easy to be torn over, because while Willow was a sweet and nice girl at heart, her actions and manipulative side did not always show that. However, while this aspect made me take a while to warm up to her, it also made her all the more real so to say, because when it comes down Willow’s dilemmas with mind control can easily be shown at as yet another way people, especially teens, seek control over their lives. Another aspect that made Willow down to earth, in my eyes, was her relationship with her mom. Very Gilmore Girl-ish, it was a very sweet and unique add to the story. I also loved the secondary characters introduced in this such as Georgia, the girl whose obsession with soap operas will never cease to make you laugh, and Mia, the cheerleader with a lot of heart.

As mentioned before, the premise of Crush Control was very refreshing. I enjoyed the idea of seeing a teen deal with the advantages and disadvantages that come with mind control, and better yet, Jennifer Jabaley execution of the was nothing short of great. It was always fun to see all the twists, turns, and complications that came from it, especially when Willow grew as a character because of it. The area dealing with Willow and Max was also interesting, especially when you added Quinton to the mix, as I never knew exactly how everything was going to turn out.

Jennifer’s writing in this was also descent. She did a great job of developing the characters in an easy to relate to way, and I loved all the pop culture references.

Light, breezy, and full of fun, Crush Control is yet another great addition to your summer reading list, as it’s sure to have you rooting for Willow (if not all the characters) every step of the way.

Grade: B+

Crush Control is now out!

Source: Publisher via BooksSparksPR- thanks!

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I also had the chance to ask Jennifer a few questions about the book, writing, etc.

In your opinion, what are the top three reasons why teens should consider picking up Crush Control, your latest release, the next time they see it in stores or online?

Because CRUSH CONTROL is a fast, funny read. It will teach you a little something you probably didn't know about hypnosis. And it's a story of friendships and when those relationships blur into more.

Crush Control tells the story of Willow Gray, so would you mind sharing a bit about her? In addition, if you could offer her any advice, what would you say?

Willow Grey feels stuck in the shadows of her beautiful mother, the successful and famous Las Vegas hypnotist. When they return to the hometown of Worthington, Georgia, Willow feels like it's finally time that she can step out of the shadows and create an image of her own. But when circumstances don't go exactly as planned, she caves to using her ability to hypnotize people to try and create the life she wants. If I could offer her some advice, I would tell her that as much as she may want to try and control her circumstances, some things in life shouldn't be messed with. Sometimes you just have to let it be.

In Crush Control Willow tends to use hypnosis to get what she wants so what inspired you to give her that specific characteristic?

Admittedly, I am a bit of a control freak :) I understand the desire to want to create order in your life and to want to control how things play out. It's a little unsettling when certain things are just outside my control...I thought this was a great characteristic to explore because what if you were tempted with the ability to control something that typically most people can not control, would you give in? And how would that change the course of events?

I absolutely love the cover for Crush Control, and the way it goes along with Lipstick Apology’s cover, which leaves met to wonder the following: what was your reaction when you saw it for the first time?

Oh, I loved it, too. I loved the swirls that were sort of trippy and indicative of mind control. And yes, I certainly picked up on how similar the vibe was to Lipstick Apology and I loved that. Even though it's not a sequel, it's a similar style so when someone is just browsing at the bookstore they hopefully will immediately recognize that this book is by the same author of Lipstick Apology.

With Crush Control’s release date quickly approaching, do you have any plans on how you will spend the big day?

It's always fun to see your book actually make it into the bookstores. I hope that on the day of release I'll be able to visit some local bookstores and just oogle. :)

Now out! 

Since your first book’s release, have you had any noteworthy ‘rock star’ author moments? If so, do you have any you would like to share?

I think when I received my first fan mail I felt like the biggest rock star ever!! But honestly, the most surprising moment happened just a month or so ago. I went to see Meg Cabot at her booksigning for ABANDON. While I was waiting in the crowd one of the mothers who was there with her teen daughter, asked me if I had a daughter at home who was a Meg Cabot fan. I said that actually I was a YA author and I was there to tell Meg I loved her books and she was an inspiration to me. The woman asked what book I had written. When I answered 'Lipstick Apology' a girl in the crowd spun around and explained that Lipstick Apology was her favorite book ever. She proceeded to make her mother take a picture with me and made a really big spectacle. It was, to put it lightly, amazing.

What is up next for you book wise? Is there anything else you would like to add?

I'm in talks with my editor right now about another YA. Fingers crossed!! I'd like to add a sincere thanks to everyone who has supported my first book, LIPSTICK APOLOGY. It has definitely been a word of mouth success and I am so appreciative to everyone who took the time to recommend it to their sister/friend/bookclub. You guys are wonderful!!!

Thanks so much for having me!!

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You're very welcome! It's a blast having you as a guest today! And yay for more upcoming YA books. :)

To find out more about Jennifer and her books:

~ Website

~ Twitter

~ Facebook

To buy a copy of Crush Control:

~ Amazon

~ Barnes and Noble

~ Other options 

Jennifer Talks about Crush Control:

Blog Tour: Janet Fox's Forgiven (Interview!)

I also had the chance to ask Janet Fox, author of Forgiven, a few questions about the book and her life as well...

In your opinion, what are the top three reasons why teens (or even adults!) should pick up Forgiven the next time they see it in stores or online?

First, I think Kula Baker is a fascinating character. She’s feisty, determined, and prickly – in a good way – and she falls deeply in love (romance is good). Second, Kula discovers the hidden world of child slavery in San Francisco of the time (1906). While that may not sound like something you want to read about, I feel it’s important to understand it and to recognize that it exists, and I’m proud that I show Kula tackling it. Third, Kula experiences the great earthquake and fires of April 1906. I tried to be true to the historical accounts and experiences, and I tried to show the drama of the event, so I think the plot moves quickly and the description is heartbreaking but accurate.

Get reasons why! Forgiven tells the story of Kula Baker so would you mind sharing a little about her? In addition, if you could offer her any advice, what would you say?

Kula is a secondary character in my first novel, Faithful, and when I started writing about her she jumped right off the page. She’s got some issues to deal with, and she’s very stubborn, but the “good twin” of stubbornness is determination, which Kula has in spades (and which sometimes gets her in trouble). I’d certainly want her on my side if I was in a jam. The advice I’d offer her would be to look before you leap, because she has a tendency to plunge where she ought to show restraint. But I think she learns a few things through the course of the story.

Great advice- I agree with it! Though, that quirk truly allowed her to grow all the more in Forgiven. Forgiven takes place in San Francisco in the early 1900s, which leaves me to wonder the following, what inspired you to tackle that specific setting in the book?

Two things. The first is that because I wanted to follow Kula, and her timeline was already set, I knew I had to keep her story in that window (1904-1906) so that she would still be a teen. Second, I was dying to research the earthquake in San Francisco. I have a geology background and had read some about it, but I wanted to know more. So it seemed perfect to take Kula to San Francisco and have her experience the city, the earthquake, and her romance there.

As I am sure you put lots of research into Forgiven, what was one of the most interesting pieces of history or info you came about in the process?

Well, I was certainly stunned by the child slavery issue that I uncovered – that was unexpected. But I was so heartened by the reaction of the San Franciscans to their plight after the earthquake. They were a resilient, courageous bunch who stepped right up to the task of rebuilding, who were courteous throughout the event itself, even those who lost everything. So much of the city was destroyed in a few days, but rebuilt quickly and beautifully. That remains a testament to the human spirit.

The portion about child slavery during that time was unexpected- I still can't fully believe something like that could happen! I absolutely love the cover of Forgiven. Especially the dress the girl is wearing. So what was your reaction when you saw it for the first time?

I love it, too! I was thrilled. (In fact, I’d love that dress….) The designer for both of my jackets, Jeanine Henderson, is brilliant. And I should add that I was contacted by both the photographer and the model, who were also delighted with the cover.

I wish I’d asked about where I could find the dress…

Well, if you find out, you gotta let me know. That dress equals awesome! Since the publication of Faithful, your first novel for teens, have you any “rock star” moments? If so, would you mind sharing one?

You know, true confession: I wanted to be a rock star when I was a teen. Seriously. I wanted to be Janis Joplin. But back to the question…I think the moment that pleased and surprised me most happened at Texas Library Association in 2010, when I sat down in the Author Area to sign, and suddenly librarians were jumping off the lines of two very well-known, big-time authors to get in my line. Yes, I was giving away ARCs, but still. All my books were gone in about 20 minutes.

Aw, cute story, and I love the rock star confession- I think nearly everyone dreams of being one when their little. Name three things your readers would be surprised to know about you.

Hmm. Other than being Janis Joplin in spirit? Well, I’ve been in a deep-diving submersible to the bottom of the ocean, twice. I once appeared on the Today Show, as an interviewee of Jane Pauley. And I spent a month on a 25-foot long boat with no running water and four other people in the Patagonian fjords of Chile on science field work.

What awesome tidbits! The one about the Today show is especially awesome. What’s up next for you book wise? Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’m working on a third YA set in 1925. I’m describing it as a “noir romance” – it has a little bit of paranormal, and a lot of conspiracy, secrets and lies. That one is under contract and due out in January 2013. And I’m also working on a middle grade fantasy that I’m pretty excited about. We’ll see how that one goes!

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Ooh, can't wait to see what they'll be like! Thanks so much for stopping by, Janet!

To find out more about Janet and her books:

~ Website

~ Blog

To buy Forgiven:

~ Amazon

~ Barnes and Noble

~ Other Options

Janet Fox will also be donating a portion of the proceeds from FORGIVEN to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. To learn more about what you can do to help agencies that actively fight the exploitation and trafficking of children, visit the following websites:

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Unicef
Stop Child Trafficking