T2T: Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Summary:

When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe.

Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back -- if Cassie will agree to be his bride.

That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her -- until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice.

Review:

Ice was a magical and spellbinding novel from the very first page to the last.

The world Sarah Beth Durst created in this novel was simply amazing, I loved the idea of Munaqsris and atmosphere she created for them around it. Plus, she described everything in such vivid detail that was never too much or too little.

Further more, I adored (and envied at times) the love that Bear and Cassie shared, even if it was a bit strange. Since, it was just so real and wasn't that usual  love at first sight thing that you tend to get from Young Adult novels. Instead it was something that both worked towards achieving  by turning from slight enemies to friends to finally something romantic. Also, I adored how it was shown that both would go the end of the world for the other no matter what.

As I kind of mentioned above, Sarah's writing was so easy to get caught up in. Since, there was always a new twist, turn, or character added that simply changed everything around, leaving this to be one story that was a absolute pain to have to put down. 
 
In all, Ice was a fantastic story that I hope everyone will have the chance to read because it really is that great. 
 
Grade: A
 
Ice is now out!
 
* Source: Publisher in exchange for review for blog tour. Thanks Simon and Schuster!

This review was part of a Traveling To Teen Tour, to find out more about past and future tours as well as contests, please visit the website. Also, as you can tell, this post is a bit late. So, Yan, please do  forgive me for that.

Traveling To Teens Tour: Duplikate by Cherry Cheva

Summary:

Getting into Yale has been Kate Larson’s dream for years—and being overworked and under-rested is the price of admission. But when she opens her eyes after falling asleep on her keyboard one night, she comes face-to-face with, well, herself

Meet Kate’s computer-generated twin. Kate doesn’t know why she’s here or how to put her back where she belongs, but she’s real. And she’s the last thing Kate has time to deal with right now. Unless. . .could having a double be the answer to Kate’s prayers?

In this hilarious second novel, Cherry Cheva introduces a character who has been granted the wish of every overscheduled teen everywhere—for there to be two of her. But as everyone knows, you should be careful what you wish for...it just might come true and wear all your clothes and steal your boyfriend.

Review:

Duplikate was a funny and cute book that I adored!

The concept of having computer-generated twin was an interesting topic that I don't think I've seen before in a book. Even though it was unique, it still kind of scared me. Since, I kept thinking about the possibility of this occurring in real life. I mean with technology getting more advanced every day, this could possibly occur in the future. But even with saying that I still loved how Rina and Kate kind of became "sisters" from this ordeal because their constant bickering proved several laugh out loud moments and I adored how close they became because of this.

Kate was a character that I could relate to on many levels. One being the all the stress she had from school and her trying to achieve the goal of her live: getting into an Ivy League school. Seriously, you should see me during the school year, I get so worked up/ stressed over tests, quizzes, and extracurriculars just like Kate. Overall, I think having Kate being a character that girls can relate to will earn many brownie points in readers' eyes all around. Also, I really enjoyed reading about Rina and Jake.

Cherry Cheava's writing also was a high point. Since, it flowed extremely well which lead to the story going by in an extremely fast pace, allowing me to finish Duplikate in one semi-long sitting.

In all, Duplikate was a great story that had a fantastic message of "Don't overwork yourself, since you only have one life to live" to go along with it. I highly suggest you all pick this up when it comes out!

Grade: B+

Duplikate will be released September 29, 2009.

* Much thanks to MB at Harper Collins for sending this too me. =)

This review was part of a Traveling To Teen Tour, to find out more about past and future tours as well as contests, please visit the website.

Traveling to Teens Tour for It's Not You, It's Me

Traveling To Teens Tours are a way for us bloggers to get the word out about fantastic upcoming novels, that may be a great add to what you are currently reading.

It's Not You, It's Me by Kerry Cohen Hoffmann!

Author Bio:

Kerry Cohen Hoffmann received an MFA in creative writing from the University of Oregon and an MA in counseling psychology from Pacific University. A practicing psychotherapist and the author of the young adult novel Easy, she lives with her husband and two sons in Portland, Oregon.

Review:

Summary:

Funny and touching—this is a heartfelt breakup story.

Zoe loves Henry.

Henry dumps Zoe.

Zoe wants Henry back—at any cost.

Zoe’s two best friends come up with a plan to help Zoe get what she thinks she wants. The plan: make Henry jealous.

But the plan takes a surprising turn. . . .

Spanning thirty-one days in the cycle of a breakup, Kerry Cohen Hoffmann’s humorous and poignant novel depicts a girl whose single-minded focus on her ex-boyfriend has pulled her far from the person she most needs to win back—herself.

Review:

Raise of hands, how many of you have ever been told "It's not you, it's me" during a break up? I bet lots, because this seems to be a popular break up line. One that's used at the end of Zoe and Henry's budding relationship, a relationship that Zoe thought was going to last forever.

It's Not You, It's Me starts out just when things between Zoe and Henry are going bad. Soon, they are broken up leaving Zoe to go into a serious stage of depression. Zoe is a believable character since she has all the feelings a girl who's been dumped has; sadness, worry, doubt, and wonder. Leaving her to come out in a way that you feel sorry for her. Though, unfortunately, this sorrow turns into semi hatred when Zoe comes up with a plan to get Henry back. I'm sorry but I personally felt that Zoe was WAY too codependent on Henry. It was like that without him she couldn't live because her grades dropped, her friendships suffered, and she went a bit crazy ( correction: Majorly Crazy) . Making it hard to get through this light read. Though, the other main characters made it somewhat better.

The plot kind of went around it one big circle. Since, for most of the book, Zoe was coming up with a way to get Henry back, does plan, plan doesn't work, and then she starts over. Leaving this to lather, rinse, and repeat a bit too much for my liking. Though, don't get me wrong, it was a semi decent book, but it wasn't for me.

Overall, I really don't suggest It's Not You, It's Me to anyone. Though, if you think you'll like it, then go ahead and read it.

Grade: D

It's Not You, It's Me is now out.

* Much thanks goes to the people at Random House for this book! :)

Traveling To Teens Tour for Twenty Boy Summer

Traveling To Teens Tours are a way for us bloggers to get the word out about fantastic upcoming novels, that may be a great add to what you are currently reading. You can find out more about this all here.

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Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler!!!

Author Bio:

Sarah Ockler wrote and illustrated her first book at age six—an adaptation of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. Still recovering from her own adolescence, she now writes books for young adults. Sarah has a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of New York at Buffalo and also studied creative writing through Denver’s Lighthouse Writers Workshop.

While nomadic at heart, Sarah and her husband Alex currently live in Upstate New York with an ever-expanding collection of sea glass (hers) and dinosaurs (his).

TWENTY BOY SUMMER is her first novel.


Summary:

“Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it.”
“Okay.”
“Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?”
“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?”

For Anna Reiley and Frankie Perino, the ingredients for the Absolute Best Summer Ever are simple: Two girls. Two bikinis. And twenty days in Zanzibar Bay, California. The best part? According to Frankie, if they meet one boy every day, there’s a good chance Anna will find her first summer romance.

Anna lightheartedly agrees to the fun, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie… she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death last year.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.


Review:

Twenty Boy Summer was a fantastic book with a cover of the same quality.

Sarah Ockler perfectly captured what it meant to be left behind by a person who you loved. Since, Anna was a mix of awkwardness and sadness which you expect with a book like Twenty Boy Summer. The whole time all I wanted to do was reach out and give her a hug, telling her it would be all good in the end. Though, with saying that sometimes she got on my nerves with her ever abundant amount of sadness.

The plot was well written and planned out. It constantly had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. Also, I loved, as I think you will to, the chatter between Frankie and Anna. Since, it cause for several LOL moments.

Overall, Twenty Boy Summer is another great work by a new amazing voice in YA. I look forward to reading more by Sarah in the future.

Grade: A-

Guest Blog:

I was inspired to write Twenty Boy Summer by my previous work with the National Donor Family Council (www.donorfamily.org), an organization that supports families whose loved ones have died and donated organs or tissues. The cause of donation and transplantation has always been very close to my heart, as my youngest brother Scott (aka "Scotty O") in Twenty Boy Summer - yes, he makes a cameo appearance!) had a lifesaving liver transplant when he was four years old. He's now 25, and he wouldn't be alive if not for the generosity of a donor family who made the decision to donate life in the midst of their worst pain.

So later in my life, when I had the opportunity to work with donor families, it was one of my greatest honors. I met so many wonderful people -- transplant recipients, donor families, living donors, those still waiting for an organ transplant, and people who worked in the field -- all brought together by one cause. Now, several years later, I still think of those families often -- especially of the donor family teens I met who'd suffered the death of a brother, sister, or friend. Their stories and struggles always stayed with me, and when I set out to write Twenty Boy Summer, I knew that I wanted to share a small part of that. I wanted to write about loss and grief and the darkest moments of life, and ultimately, of love and healing and renewed hope. But I also wanted to write about just being a teen, because as Anna and Frankie learn in the story, life doesn't stop after a tragedy. It moves on all around us, whether we want it to or not. So although a devastating loss defines Anna and Frankie for so long and is ever-present in Twenty Boy Summer, there are also elements of summer fun and crushes and best friend fights and parties and swimming and kissing and many of the things teens experience every day.

I'm just so grateful that I had the opportunity to know so many amazing families through the Council, and I truly hope that by writing the story of Twenty Boy Summer, I've honored and remembered them and their loved ones.

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Thanks so much Sarah! Everyone else make sure to check out the other stops on the tours!

Traveling To Teens Tour for Dull Boy

Traveling To Teens Tours are a way for us bloggers to get the word out about fantastic upcoming novels, that may be a great add to what you are currently reading. You can find out more about this all here.
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Dull Boy by Sarah Cross


Author Bio:

Sarah Cross is a Taurus born in the year of the Monkey. She is four inches taller than Wolverine, but does not have adamantium claws ... yet. Fierce but cute Pallas' cats are her favorite animals--and if you don't think that is relevant, then you really don't know her. She grew up in Ohio and now lives in New York. DULL BOY is her first novel.

Review:

Summary:

Sometimes I wish I didn't care what would happen if anyone knew the truth about me. But I do care. I have to keep this - super strength, flying - a secret. No one can know - not my parents, not my friends... It's just that it's getting harder to hide it.

Superpowers are awesome - unless you actually have them, like Avery does. There's only so much he can pass off as "adrenaline" before people start to get suspicious. Probably it's best to lie low, so guys in white lab coats don't come to carry him away, to find out what makes his freakish body tick. Who wants to be vivisected? But flying under the radar becomes a whole lot harder when you can actually fly. It's dangerous to be different, so for now he'll pretend to be normal, unremarkable Avery - a dull boy - anything to keep his secret safe.

What he doesn't expect is the horrifying truth about where his powers came from, who else might have them, and the madness of one villain's plan to turn this superpowered dull boy into something even more powerful and amazing.

Review:

I have to admit that since I was little I've always kind of had a slight obsession with superheros. I loved the Spider Man and X-Men movies. Oh, and Push, too, though that may not count. Anyway, getting back to Dull Boy, I was stoked when I found out that there was going to be a book coming out about superheros, since there's not many YA books on that topic. Luckily, Dull Boy was a pretty awesome book.

As soon as Dull Boy opens up you are drawn into Avery's complicated life. Since, how fast do you think that you'll get sent to a lab if you admit that you have a superhuman qualities? I would say extremely fast. Avery was a unique and heartwarming character. Since, you could imagine how hard it was for him not to know anyone who he could really relate too. The other characters, such as Sophie and Nicolas, were the same way, which made me happy that they all united together with their shared bond of superpowers.

One of my favorite parts of this novel was the in depth look Sarah gave you on the characters' superpowers. To what they could do to how when they first found out that they had superhuman abilities, it was all covered. Overall, I found it all extremely interesting and I think many others will to.

Sadly, I felt that the plot was kind of lacking. Since, it seemed that there wasn't one main struggle that the characters were trying to go against besides Cherchette, but that didn't hit up until the end. I know that many of you will argue that the teens coming to grip with their powers was the main focus. Though after a while that subsided a bit, leaving the book to become a bit boring.

Other than that, I felt that Dull Boy was a great debut novel from Sarah Cross. I look forward to reading more by her in the future. Also, does anyone else want a Dull Boy sequel, because I certainly do!

Grade: B+

Dull Boy in now out!

Author Guest Blog:

I will be posting this at later date and in a separate post. Since, Sarah schedule has been hectic lately, leaving her to not finish the guest blog. Sorry, for the delay.