Erika Breathes Books

Review: Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

2011-04-30T21:22:00.000+08:00

Title: Second Helpings (Jessica Darling #2)
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Three Rivers
Release Date: April 22nd, 2003
Pages: 349

Jessica Darling is up in arms again in this much-anticipated, hilarious sequel to Sloppy Firsts. This time, the hyperobservant, angst-ridden teenager is going through the social and emotional ordeal of her senior year at Pineville High. Not only does the mysterious and oh-so-compelling Marcus Flutie continue to distract Jessica, but her best friend, Hope, still lives in another state, and she can’t seem to escape the clutches of the Clueless Crew, her annoying so-called friends. To top it off, Jessica’s parents won’t get off her butt about choosing a college, and her sister Bethany’s pregnancy is causing a big stir in the Darling household.

Plot: 5/5

Creativity: 5/5

Characters: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Impact: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

Total, utter perfection.

If I had Jessica Darling’s way with words, I could probably come up with pages upon pages of praise delivered with wit and irreverence. But sadly I lack her talent, so I’m going to have to settle with telling my account of a book so wonderful and hope it doesn’t come across totally pedestrian.

With her usual bluntness and candor, Jessica reflects on her final two years of high school. Hope is still away in Tennessee and college applications breathing down her neck, Jessica feels more alone than ever, forced to deal with unrelenting Pineville life by herself. But things look a little better when Jessica gets herself a geek-cute boyfriend with a brain to match hers. Equipped with her black-and-white speckled journal and her first real relationship, Jessica might finally be able to forget about the enigmatic Marcus Flutie.

Everything that was left suspended in the first novel comes full-circle in Second Helpings. Jessica comes to terms with life without her soulmate and best friend Hope with her usual cocktail of candor and snark. Facing a whole new phase of her life- being in a relationship- she learns more about herself and her feelings, never compensating humor.

But even further than that, the rest of the characters are brought to light as well. The first novel orbits around Jessica and Marcus and their pseudorelationship, but this one discusses the supporting characters with more depth than its prequel. True to their roles, majority of the characters remain their flat, clueless selves, but they develop in a way that you see more of them and get to know them better. There are some exceptions, of course, who break out of the molds set for them in Sloppy Firsts and emerge as completely new people.

Marcus falls somewhere in between both of the categories. The catalyst for most of Jessica’s emotions- be it happiness, confusion, angst and everything else in between- in the first novel, he’s a mystery with the answer wrapped up within him, an open book albeit one in a completely foreign language, inscribed with a lexicon entirely his. But like any language, you begin to understand it as you read or hear more of it, though you never quite grasp its intricacies. Marcus, his character as well as his intentions, surfaces and transcends his riddle of an outer shell, but you don’t fully understand him as well. He’s not so much an abstract anymore, his true self more apparent, but still vague and distorted like an impressionist painting as opposed to a razor-sharp photograph. And in this respect, he becomes even more compelling than he was before, a montage of honesty and mystery.

A true beauty that shines so bright it upstages its predecessor, Second Helpings closes Jessica’s high school life with flourish and sass. I’m sort of hesitant to read the following novels because this one is already so perfect and ends on a high note that it feels like there’s nowhere else to go but down, but I’m taking the risk and keeping my fingers crossed that McCafferty pleasantly surprises me as she did with this one. Funny, romantic and real, and it gives a sufficient, heart-racing closure to the Jessica-Marcus tandem but leaves just enough room for more to take place. An ellipsis in nature, but a bold red exclamation point to me.

Review: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

2011-04-26T23:00:00.000+08:00

Title: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date: April 5th, 2011
Pages: 424

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever.
Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

Plot: 4/5

Creativity: 5/5

Characters: 5/5

Writing: 4/5

Impact: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

The fourth installment in the famed Mortal Instruments series, City of Fallen Angels is another thrilling urban fantasy filled with originality and adventure.

Taking place a few weeks after where City of Glass left off, the story is set back in New York. Clary is dealing with her new life as a Shadowhunter, and Simon is coming to terms with being a Daylighter and trying to manage dating Isabelle and Maia at the same time. Things are a little chaotic, but on the whole good. But Jace begins to stray away, and mysterious Downworlder deaths begin to surface. Did Clary and friends really find peace with Valentine's downfall, or was it just the beginning of the end?

For the first time in the entire series, the story is told mostly from Simon's point of view. Simon is a character I had a love-hate relationship with from the very beginning, ending in love in City of Glass, so it was really nice to be able to see things from his perspective. Along with the primary point of view, his character is also given the spotlight in this novel. Jace and Clary still play key roles, but Simon is given more attention than he's received in the previous books. I found myself really sympathyzing with him, and though he was never really a favorite of mine before, I have to say I enjoyed the change.

As with the three previous books, the action and creativity is alive and well in this novel. Clare is a total powerhouse- her imagination is simply amazing. I didn't think she could do it, but she manages to continue building on the story, adding more elements and characters, further enriching the series' urban fantasy background. Seriously, it's insane. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

However, I didn't find this installment as gripping as the first three. The first three novels had me head-over-heels in love, staying up all hours just to read them. City of Fallen Angels didn't have that same effect for me. I can't really put my finger on what it is that kept me from loving it as much as the rest, but I felt like it just wasn't the same. But taken alone, the novel is still really good and packed to the brim with excitement, and I will definitely be picking up the next books in the series.

Review: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

2011-04-25T17:17:00.000+08:00

Title: Saving Francesca
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: March 31st, 2003
Pages: 243

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastians, a boys' school that's pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.
Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

Plot: 4/5

Creativity: 4/5

Characters: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Impact: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

An honest, endearing story of family, friendship, and love, Saving Francesca is a contemporary novel that's occasionally humorous and heart-warming all the way.

Francesca Spinelli is used to being in the background. Constantly surrounded by girls with more eccentricities than one could handle, she's used to going unnoticed, and to her life being planned out for her by her control-freak mother. But one day, her mother doesn't want to get out of bed, and lost with no one to make her decisions for her, Francesca is forced to break out of her shell and for the first time in her life, take charge.

Francesca is a character who undergoes an incredible transformation throughout the novel. While I initially had trouble connecting with her, it does not take away from the fact that she's one of the most multi-faceted protagonists I've read of. She starts off almost nondescript but by the end of the novel, she builds a silent strength to her that's inspiring.

And Francesca is not the only one who shines. Marchetta is a master of contemporary YA fiction, and a total wizard when it comes to creating concrete, believable, and most of all lovable characters. Each character, from Francesca to the broody Will to promiscuous Siobhan, is well-developed and important. Their differences don't only make them stand out, they contrast the rest of the characters and make them shine as well. And they're not just different personality-wise. Marchetta translates her Italian-Australian background into her novel and geniusly creates a multicultural setting. She molds her characters in such a way that they're modern and relevant, but stay true to their heritages. This is not something that can be commonly found in a lot of YA novels, but let me tell you, it makes for a unique and enriching reading experience.

The story itself comes across as more of a family drama than a romance. The love story, while satisfying, doesn't take the front seat with this one. It's more like a gift, a nice surprise that greets you along the way. What takes centerstage for the entirety of the novel is Francesca's relationship with her family, particularly her mother. She starts off as the daughter, but the roles reverse and she's compelled to be the nurturing maternal figure. The change is so drastic, and yes, it is heartbreaking to read about a family fall apart, but it's also tinged with hope, because it reminds you of just how far one will go to save a family, and how strong love truly is. I found myself in awe of the bond Francesca and her mother form through the depression at times, because in the beginning Francesca almost resents her mom, but love evidently pulls them together in a way that's still realistic.

Marchetta once again reinforces that she's a pro at contemporary novels with Saving Francesca. While I did not enjoy it as much as I did Jellicoe Road as it did not hit me with the same earth-shattering impact, it's still a great novel that exemplifies the importance of love and friendship.

note: I bought this copy of Saving Francesca

Review: Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

2011-03-05T17:47:00.003+08:00

Title: Sloppy Firsts (Jessica Darling #1)
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Three Rivers

Release Date: August 28th, 2001

Pages: 280

When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?

Plot: 4/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

With its witty narrative and refreshing voice, Sloppy Firsts is one of the most compelling and relatable depictions of average high school teendom.

Jessica Darling is a typical, run-of-the-mill New Jersey teenager. She's less than impressed with her peers and is pretty much bored with her lackluster life, but she has her best friend and soul sister Hope to share it all with, so it's not so bad. But then Hope moves away, leaving Jessica to deal with her worries alone. Factor in Jessica's loneliness with insomnia and the enigmatic Marcus Flutie, and she's in for an unforgettable year.

Jessica is the ultimate anti-hero. She's snarky and cynical and blunt, charming for the most part but at times just plain appalling; a nonconformist in essence but a conformist in practice. She's just as confused with adolescent woes as the next person and that causes her to make some questionable judgements, but her unique outlook on life and the fact that she owns up to her faults with such blatant honesty makes her endearing. Sure, she's not always lovable- there are times when she's plain unreasonable- but she's a solid protagonist through and through.

With that aside, some of the other characters are pretty flat. I get that they're supposed to be flat and portray the many sins everpresent in high school life, but there are times that they're just cliche and predictable. They remain a steady source of entertainment throughout the whole novel, but there's still a lot that could have been done with them and I'm interested in seeing the parts they play in the next installments.

There's one secondary character who stands out almost as much as Jessica does, though. Marcus Flutie. He's, well, a mystery, so much so that it's almost frustrating, but he's a force to be reckoned with in the novel. Besides the fact that he fills Jessica's thoughts so much that he's impossible to ignore, his entire existence is dazzling. He's the catalyst that provokes Jessica's life-altering actions in the story, and, quite frankly, the story wouldn't be nearly half as good without him.

The Jessica-Marcus pairing is, in one word, mystifying. It's random, unidentifiable, comes out of nowhere, goes away, lingers on, comes back suddenly and spreads like wildfire. It's as insane and complex as the two characters involved in it but it's strangely pleasant, and while Jessica and Marcus tread the very fine line between friendship and something more, rooting for them can't be helped- even though you don't really know what you're rooting for.

A novel spanning an entire year, Sloppy Firsts is a near-perfect portrayal of high school from the point of view of a cynically-charming, technophobic, antisocial, irreverent teenager. Laugh-out-loud funny and filled with tongue-in-cheek candor, Sloppy Firsts is a must-read.

note: I bought this copy of Sloppy Firsts.

In My Mailbox (4)

2011-02-20T21:40:00.000+08:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

Okay, so my presence has been pretty sparse in the blogosphere lately, with my posts being reduced to only the occasional review here and there (believe me, all the books I've reviewed are the only ones I've read this year). School's getting insanely hectic, so I hardly have any time to do anything non-school-related. But I'm trying to keep reading and post reviews as frequently as I can, so hang in there, guys! Don't lose hope in me just yet :)

It's also been almost two months since my last IMM post, so I thought I'd do one today! I had some free time on my hands, so I took out the books I've accumulated since I last did an IMM and snapped a few pictures of them.

For review:

Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson

(thanks Kim and Sourcebooks Fire!)

Bought:

Startled by His Furry Shorts by Louise Rennison

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Torment by Lauren Kate

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Won:

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (signed)

(won from Kate of Call Me Crazy)

Freefall by Mindi Scott

(won from Nic of Irresistible Reads)

Need by Carrie Jones

Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin (ARC)

Where the Truth Lies by Jessica Warman (ARC- second copy)

(won from Mavie of The Bookologist)

As you guys could see, I sort of went on a binge- stress does things to people! I bought Delirium and Angelfire in one go, and during another shopping trip, I bought Crescendo, Torment, Iron King and Jellicoe Road. My wallet is not very happy, but my bookshelf sure is. And I got a pretty good deal for Startled by His Furry Shorts and Prom- I got them both for $2. Not bad at all! And I'm incredibly thankful for all the books I won, and for Instructions for a Broken Heart. So many great books, I can't wait to read them all! :D

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Review: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

2011-02-12T11:31:00.000+08:00

Title: The Truth About Forever

Author: Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Puffin

Release Date: May 11th, 2004

Pages: 374

Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it.

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Charming, memorable and hopeful, The Truth About Forever is queen of contemporary YA Dessen's best so far.

After her dad's sudden death, Macy's tried so hard to be perfect. The perfect daughter, the perfect student, and even the perfect girlfriend to achiever Jason. But the summer before her senior year, Jason heads off to Brain Camp, and Macy finds herself taking up a job catering for Wish, with its chaotic albeit friendly crew, and befriending Wes, the artist with a past. With them, Macy finds that good things can come out of disasters, and maybe, the perfection is worth sacrificing if it means being really, truly alive.

Filled to the brim with authentic teen emotions, painted with a palette of friendship, family and love and occasionally streaked with loss, it's a gorgeous story of grief, romance, and self-discovery. Dessen once again pieces together tragedy and love to come up with with a noteworthy novel that transcends its generation.

The characters in this novel are simply perfect. Macy, with her quest for perfection and her eventual self-discovery, is a character many can identify with. She has issues, ups and downs, but for the most part, she's honest and sincere, but that's tainted by her fear to step out of her comfort zone. She's identifiable yet unique all at once, and that combination make her the perfect character for a story like this one. Wes is fantastic. He's pretty much ideal, save for his dark past, and the contrast between his past and present and how he used art as a bridge to get to where he is makes him so profound. The crew from Wish, with their quirks and shortcomings, is also crucial for the story. The way they show Macy how to make the most of her imperfections and accept who she is is empowering, and the message all of them convey to the readers is beautiful, especially in this day and age when outward appearances and social statuses seem to take the wheel.

Macy's journey towards finding herself is believable and inspiring, but that aside, I really enjoyed her relationship with Wes. It starts with them being friends, and it slowly blooms, unnoticed, until later on. It's a refreshing change from all the whirlwind romances, and furthermore, the pace of their relationship allows them to get to know each other thoroughly, and ultimately, it allows you to get to know them, and all of them, even the parts of them hidden by the darkest shadows.

A novel that is truly stunning, The Truth About Forever is one of those YA novels that are absolute must-reads, joining the likes of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and Forever by Judy Blume. It's everything a contemporary tale should be and more, and I'd give Dessen a standing ovation if I could for this magnificent piece. But since I can't, I'll settle for ending this review with a little piece of advice: if you have not read this novel yet, go and read it. It will move you like you never thought possible.

note: I bought this copy of The Truth About Forever

Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

2011-01-31T23:03:00.000+08:00

Title: Jellicoe Road
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: June 26th, 2007
Pages: 419

At age eleven, Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother. At fourteen, she ran away from boarding school, only to be tracked down and brought back by a mysterious stranger. Now seventeen, Taylor's the reluctant leader of her school's underground community, whose annual territory war with the Townies and visiting Cadets has just begun. This year, though, the Cadets are led by Jonah Griggs, and Taylor can't avoid his intense gaze for long. To make matters worse, Hannah, the one adult Taylor trusts, has disappeared. But if Taylor can piece together the clues Hannah left behind, the truth she uncovers might not just settle her past, but also change her future.

Plot: 5/5

Creativity: 5/5

Characters: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Impact: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

Some books are destined to be legendary. Some books are made to be passed down from generation to generation, talked about and appreciated for years and years. Some books are meant to live forever.

I truly, honestly believe that Jellicoe Road is one of those books. A brilliant, moving adventure that links two stories both ridden with poignance and loss but so much love, it's a novel that ignites every emotion you could possibly muster and makes them resound through your entire being, even in the darkest crevices you didn't know existed. This is a novel that speaks to your soul.

The entire novel has two story arcs, and initially, it's a little hazy. One takes place in the present and the other decades before, so it's confusing at first. But as you read on, you discover you're on a forked road, except backwards. Instead of standing at the point of the fork, you're one a lone path, and eventually you reach a crossroad and you realize that there's this whole other path that's been linked to yours all along, and you venture into something greater, together. The two story arcs may seem distant from one another, but you realize they're intertwined, and the best thing is that they build on each other. You learn more about one from reading the other one. It begins unclearly, but as you continue on with the novel everything begins to unravel- actually, it begins to crack open. Instead of falling apart or crumbling away, the story breaks open, making way for a revelation. And then the puzzle that's been cloudy from the beginning starts to rearrange itself, and all the pieces that were beautiful on their own form a bigger picture that, as a whole, is greater than the sum of its parts. Every bit of confusion at the beginning is worth enduring because of the marvel waiting to meet you at the end.

The characters that make up this story are all amazing. Taylor, the main character, is damaged beyond belief, and she's guarded and independent and untouchable. It takes a lot to keep up with a character like hers, but Marchetta expertly molds unique, well-developed characters. Raffy's a gem, Chaz is crazy and Hannah is a mystery, and they all take a bit of credit for Taylor's journey towards self-realization and redemption. But nobody can match Jonah Griggs. The only person Taylor has history with and someone else with a grief to match her own, he's loyal, sincere, impatient- totally different from his tough-as-nails exterior but the contrast compliments his character. He and Taylor are so similar in their sadness and shattered pasts, but their affection for one another is almost miraculous in the way it brings out their vulnerability.

A story greater than any word can encompass, Jellicoe Road reminds you of the importance of love and friendship and just how redeeming both can be. It's an enigmatic, life-changing work of fiction with an essence so haunting and breath-taking it's hard to believe all of it could fit into just one volume. It leaves a lingering impact on every reader, one so impossible to forget there could only be one word to describe it: immortal.

Follow Friday (13)

2011-01-28T15:57:00.000+08:00

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event where bloggers and readers can find new blogs to follow. It's a neat idea for new bloggers (very much like myself) because it helps them connect with other bloggers and it gives them an opportunity to find blogs similar to theirs. I'm really excited about participating in this! If you're interested, go over to Crazy for Books :)

Jennifer's Question: "What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why are you anticipating that book?"
Oh my, so many! One is Delirium, which I just read and posted a review for. Then there's Angelfire, and The Demon Trapper's Daughter, and Angelfire! And What Happened to Goodbye, too! This year is going to be amazing in YA books of all kinds, and I can't wait to get my hands on them all :)

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Parajunkee's Question: What is/was your favorite subject in school?
I'm currently in college, and since I'm in my sophomore year my schedule is consumed mostly by core subjects for my two degrees: economics and finance. It's a tedious tedious and very practical and math-heavy, but I don't really mind. I actually like math and economics. However, I do have the privilege of taking up one or two "floating" subjects each term, and it so happens that it's those subjects I enjoy most. Like this term I'm taking up Humanities-Literature and Basic Marketing 1, which are both so informative and fun. My professors in those classes are both a little insane, but they teach so well. And last term I took up Humanities-Art, and that was a lot of fun, too. I really got to exercise my passion for visual arts, and my professor was amazing.

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2011-01-28T15:44:00.001+08:00

Title: Delirium (Delirium #1)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 1st, 2011

Pages: 440

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

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

Plot: 4/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Beautiful, engaging and provocative, Delirium is a gorgeous reflection of a society without love.

Lena Haloway is a casualty of love. Orphaned by her mother because of it, she swore when she was little that she would never fall under amor deliria nervosa's its spell, and spent most of her life eagerly anticipating her eighteenth birthday, when she can finally receive the cure and safe herself from deliria, forever. But days before her birthday, she meets Alex, a boy who shows her love, music, art and passion, and makes her realize that maybe what she's gone her whole life being afraid of has been worth it all along.

When I first started reading Delirium, I had no idea what I was in for. I knew a little about the premise, but that's about it. To be honest, it even started a little slow for me. Little did I know of the immense potential lurking in the words, waiting to explode a few chapters away. As soon as I hit the halfway point of the book, I was intoxicated by the story. The overall idea of a loveless society could have so easily been a disaster given how much importance we give that feeling, that emotion, in this day and age, but Oliver is like a magician in the way she puts her stories together and writes about the most elusive, hard-to-perfect topics with sheer brilliance. I ended up holding my breath at some points, teary-eyed in some, and at some points, I was breathless, and all of that because of the love so present in this book, in Lena's world, where the whole world is telling it to be absent. Oliver is masterful in the way she plays with the story and juxtaposes its elements, bringing us a novel so precious and intricate and fine, like the brightest piece of crystal except laced with suspense and mystery.

Lena starts off distant and calculated and at first I couldn't really connect with her, but her transformation from cynical to a believer is inspirational, and as the book comes to a close, she becomes somewhat of a beacon for love and hope. Her journey to becoming the total opposite of everything she wanted to avoid is seamless, and wouldn't be possible without the two central people in her life- her best friend Hana, and Alex, the boy who makes her believe everything is possible. Alex and Hana are standout characters so animated and alive, they practically leap off the page.

As always, Oliver's writing is divine. Lyrical and fluid, they way she constructs her sentences is tasteful and creative. Instead of being just a medium to tell her story, her writing is an art form- stunning and spectacular and everything in between. With her lush descriptions and vivid, sublime imagery, she's a literary wonder.

An alternative tale of love that starts off subtle but ends with a bang, Delirium is an earthquake that will rock your world and knock you off your feet. It's a collision of wrong and right, of choosing whether to listen to your head or listening to your heart, and it will leave you with sweeping emotions and lasting realizations. It will leave you delirious.

Wanna win a signed, finished copy of Delirium? Of course you do.

2011-01-17T22:31:00.000+08:00

As most of you know, DELIRIUM (one of my most-anticipated 2011 releases) is coming out next month. To celebrate, author Lauren Oliver is giving away signed finished copies, plus a book thong made by the lovely Briana of The Book Pixie. I sure am dying to get a finished copy, so I'm definitely joining this one. Plus that book thong? Oh yeah. Guaranteed to make any book sexier!

To take part in the fun, head on over to Lauren's blog! Joining is as easy as leaving a comment :)

Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

2011-01-15T10:35:00.001+08:00

Title: Nightshade (Nightshade #1)
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel
Release Date: October 19th, 2010
Pages: 452

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

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Exhilarating, romantic and tension-ridden, Nightshade marks the beginning of a promising new paranormal series.

In a world where humans take the backseat and wolves answer to a terrifyingly powerful group called The Keepers, Calla Tor has always known who she was: alpha of the Nightshade pack, committed to protecting her packmates and watching over the sacred sites, not to mention future bride of dark, brooding Ren, the Bane pack's alpha wolf. But a few weeks before her and Ren's union, Calla saves the life of a human boy, Shay, despite all her instincts telling her otherwise, and days later, he shows up at her school. She feels an inexplicable towards Shay, and as they begin to spend more time together, she realizes their worlds are more connected than The Keepers are letting on. Determined to find out the truth, the two go against the rules and begin to research on the world of Guardians and Keepers, and slowly, everything Calla knew about herself and her kind begins to fall apart.

This book is all-around amazing, but one of the things that really stood out to me was the plot. Brilliantly paced, it made me tear through the pages and keep on reading. Never was there a dull moment for me in this book- even during the more mellow, tender parts. In fact, those emotional, romantic scenes between the characters were my favorite!

I was also amazed by the setting and how Cremer incorporated the world-building with the pacing of the story. At first, I knew very little about the Guardians and the Keepers, but as the story progressed, the haze began to clear up. I found that I appreciated this more, gradual world-building as opposed to a one time big time revelation, because it amplified the air of mystery and kept me reading. This book was pretty much impossible for me to put down.

Now the romance in this novel, that's another thing that deserves paragraphs worth of discussion. The tension between Calla and Shay and Calla and Ren is so palpable, you can practically see its thickness and taste its intensity. Ren and Shay are such opposites, and each of them brings out a different side of Calla. One's a passionate hurricane, while one is patient and tender, but both are just as sincere. How's a girl to choose?!

Wonderfully exciting, Nightshade is a debut of an author to watch out for. It's more than just a paranormal romance with a love triangle- this book has a concrete story and an enchanting world full of secrets and mysteries. It will have you hooked.

2011 Young Adult Contemporary Challenge

2011-01-10T22:09:00.004+08:00

I love all things YA, but if I had to choose just one kind to be my favorite, it would have to be contemporary. Don't get me wrong, I adore fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian books- the worlds they give me to escape in are just magical! But something about realistic fiction just tugs at my heartstrings a little more. Because of my unwavering love for contemporary fiction, I decided to participate in this year's Young Adult Contemporary Challenge hosted by Reggie of The Undercover Book Lover.

What's the challenge about, you ask? Well, it's pretty self explanatory- you just have to read contemporary books released in 2011. Sounds fun, right? Here are the rules:

- All contemporary books must be in the Young Adult genre
- Books have to be published in 2011
- Open to everybody. Please fill in the form to enter.
- You can join whenever you want
- If you want to enter with your blog link, you have to post about the challenge.

Then when you're done reading a book, you have to link the review in the MisterLinky that can be found on the main post of the challenge.

Pretty simple, right? So if you're fond of contemporary literature or just YA in general, I suggest you sign up for this challenge, like me! I'm already so excited, I have a list of a few of the books I want to read:

Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
Subway Girl by P. J. Converse
The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan Mcvoy
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott
And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky
Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
Boyfriends with Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez
Stay by Deb Caletti
Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker
Starstruck by Cyn Balog
Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
Pearl by Jo Knowles

So if you're interested in taking part in the fun, head on over to Reggie's blog and sign up! I look forward to finishing this challenge with you guys!

Daily Dose Monday (32)

2011-01-10T21:32:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

This week, I decided to take a different approach for my Daily Dose. Since I've been making a lot of typographies, I'm using them for this post! I know they're nowhere near as pretty or professional or even profound as the ones made by others that I used in my earlier posts, but I just thought I'd share some of my stuff with you guys :)

Casting Characters (9): Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2011-01-10T21:21:00.000+08:00

Casting Characters is a feature hosted at Erika Breathes Books that gives potential casts for books.

One of the last books I read in 2010 was Clockwork Angel, and let me just say, it was a very good book. Not only was it very adventurous and did it have an amazing setting (Victorian England!), I was also able to vividly "cast" all the characters practically at the very beginning of the book. That hardly ever happens (me envisioning almost the whole cast from the very beginning, I mean), so it's only right that I make a Casting Characters post to share my ideas and to kickstart the new year. I'm also pretty pleased that majority of the actors and actresses featured here are English like most of the characters in the book, because at least I'm staying true to the characters' natures. Let me know what you guys think of my cast, and if you've read Clockwork Angel and have other people in mind, don't forget to share your ideas!

Tessa Gray - Rooney Mara

She's exactly how I imagine Tessa! She's got a charming quality about her that I can't exactly put my finger on, but at the same time she looks clever and spirited. Plus she's got that old-world beauty that makes her a convincing young lady from the Victorian era. I know she's a little older, but I saw her in the remake of Nightmare on Elm Street where she played a highschooler, and she was a very believable teenager.

Will Herondale - Henry Cavill

Unfortunately, Henry Cavill does not look like he does in this picture all the time, but if he did, he'd be a perfect Will. Classically handsome with fair skin, black hair and striking blue eyes, he's got looks that could make him get away with being a downright jerk. Irresistible jerk, that is.

Jem Carstairs - Mitch Hewer

Looks-wise, he's Jem, at least for me. I'm not entirely sure about Mitch's ethnicity, but he could pass as someone half-Chinese, and he's got the right hair and skin coloring to be Jem. His most notable performance is on Skins as Maxxie who's a flamboyant, openly-gay dancer which could not be any further from the way Jem is described, but I still think it could work.

Jessamine - Kimberley Nixon

I've only seen Kimberley in two movies, but she looks like a proper turn-of-the-century British lady to me. She's pretty much how I imagined Jessamine to look like (just add green contact lenses), and I'm pretty sure she can bring on the snark (Has anyone seen her in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging? Come on.) but ultimately comes through as a pretty likable person (like she did in Wild Child).

Charlotte - Anna Friel

She's such a darling! I loved her as Chuck on Pushing Daisies, and she's the quirky kind of pretty, which is how Charlotte came across to me. She also looks pretty versatile and seems like she can be rocking leather Shadowhunter gear one moment and looking after reckless teenagers the next.

Henry - Alan Tudyk

Yeah, I think a lot of people will agree with me on this one. Something about him just screams eccentric inventor, and it doesn't hurt that he's got that head of ginger hair!

Camille - Gemma Arterton

She's so stunning! I imagined Camille to be this striking, voluptuous, pale-skinned woman who looks delicate and menacing at the same time, and I think Gemma fits that description. I also think she looks like someone who could pass as a scorned lover, like Camille is in Clockwork Angel.

DeQuincey - Gavin Rossdale

I've got to be frank with you guys. The only time I've ever seen this guy is in People magazine with his wife, Gwen Stefani, when I'm bored in the salon or something. Basically, I don't really know anything about him. But for some reason, I always thought he'd be a great vampire character in a movie. Hence, the moment I read about DeQuincey's character, his face almost instantly popped into my head. It's not a bad sudden idea, though- now I can't imagine anyone else for the role!

Mortmain - Ralph Fiennes

I am such a fangirl for this guy, it's embarassing. But as much as I love him, I prefer him in darker, more sinister roles. They just showcase how brilliant an actor he is! Other than that, I honestly don't have a logical reason for casting him as Mortmain, but he fits the bill for me!

Review: Adversary by Kate Kaynak

2011-01-05T20:06:00.001+08:00

Title: Adversary (Ganzfield #2)
Author: Kate Kaynak
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: August 20th, 2010
Pages: 238

Things are more dangerous than they seem at Ganzfield, and not everyone will survive. Does Maddie have what it takes?

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Not long ago, Maddie Dunn was a normal teenage girl. Then one night, she was assaulted by a couple of her classmates and, in an attempt to save her life, Maddie discovered she could do things her peers couldn't, like read minds and literally think people to death. Armed with her new-found abilities, she discovered the world of Ganzfield- an institution for people like Maddie called G-positives- and even fell in love with the perfect boy, Trevor. But now someone is set on destroying Ganzfield, and it's up to Maddie and her friends to go after him and defend their home, not to mention the entire race of G-positives. With not only their lives but also those of countless of others on the line, Maddie and her friends try to defeat Isiah and are thrown into a battle bigger and more dangerous than any of them could ever imagine.

I was impressed by the first Ganzfield novel, Minder, and the world it introduced to me, but I have to say Adversary totally kicked things up a notch. I'm an avid reader and I've read more than my share of series books, and I rarely like the second novels more than the first (the only exception I can think of right now is Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins). That being said, Adversary totally blew me away.

It builds on the first novel, and then some. The same characters are reintroduced and once again you're brought into Ganzfield, but this time, it's more action-packed and violent and terrifying. The characters constantly face life-and-death situations as the plot races on, and you can't help but be engaged.

The romance is another thing I preferred in this book over the first. In Minder, I didn't really like that things seemed to move too fast between Maddie and Trevor, but in Adversary, they've been together for a while, so things are a lot better. There were times that I thought that things were too perfect, but the connection between Maddie and Trevor is a central part of the series, so it's understandable. On the whole, Kaynak's approach in tackling teenage relationships in this novel is impressive. The way she handles the ideas of sex and the characters' mutual need for each other is fairly realistic, she could have been telling a true story- minus the superpowers and the evil villain, of course.

Packed with armloads of excitement to keep you turning its pages, Adversary is definitely an enjoyable read and a brilliant addition to one of the most underrated YA paranormal series I know of. I'm honestly surprised people aren't raving about this series, because it's honestly very good and it just seems to get better with every installment. Now my expectations of the forthcoming books have stepped up because of this great second installment, but I have a very good feeling they'll deliver, the way Adversary blew my mind.

Daily Dose Monday (31)

2011-01-03T14:38:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

2010-12-31T15:00:00.000+08:00

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Release Date: May 5th, 2009
Pages: 276

Some summers are just destined to be pretty

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer -- they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

Plot: 4/5
Creativity: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Characters: 5/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Every once in a while, some people find that one person who'll always carry a piece of their heart. A person who, no matter what happens, they love at the end of the day. One who sets the standard for all the rest that come after, and even then, still hold a special place in their hearts. For Belly, that person is Conrad. Dark, quiet and brooding, he's been the apple of Belly's eye since she was a child, and a reason why she looks forward to summers so much. But she was always the "little sister," and no matter how hard she tried, Conrad always saw her as that. Then one summer, things finally change. Conrad finally starts noticing her, and even Jeremiah, Conrad's younger brother and her best friend, starts treating her differently... Like a real girl. Finally, everything Belly's wanted is starting to happen, and then some. Could this be the summer that changes it all?

When I first picked up this novel, I expected it to be a light summer romance with hints of a coming-of-age novel thrown in. And while it was that, I was also very, very wrong. The Summer I Turned Pretty turned out to be so much more.

Yes, summer romance plays a huge part in the story. But that's the thing- it isn't just a summer romance. Belly's love for Conrad goes years back, and the fact that it isn't just a two- or three-month thing makes it so much more meaningful. Add Jeremiah and the smart new boy, Cam, into the picture, and things get a little more complicated, but in a good way. At times I didn't know who I was rooting for, but it worked, because it is a story of self-discovery, and each boy had a part in Belly's overall character development.

The characters are simply fantastic. The best part of the novel, inn my opinion. Each one is so distinct and multi-faceted, even the mysterious and elusive Conrad. And Belly's mom and the boys' mom, Susannah, are also charming and play important parts in the story of that summer. Han does an amazing job of utilizing all the personalities in her novel, whether primary or secondary, and it just makes the story even better.

The plot itself took me by surprise. I guessed some of what would happen, but the others, well, they took me by surprise. I did not expect to be moved by this book, but I was, and not just a little.

This isn't just a shallow story of summer flings. It's so much more than that, with the importance it gives fammily, friendship, and honesty to yourself and to others. It's so full of love, love of all kinds, and that puts it a step above all the rest of the summer romances, a lot like Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. Beautifully enchanting and fairytale-like in its ways, The Summer I Turned Pretty is a book I will definitely read again, no matter what the season.

Erika Breathes Books Awards 2010

2010-12-31T01:48:00.000+08:00

This has been an amazing year in books. Although there were some disappointments, a vast majority of the books I read were good, and I mean really good. That being said, I thought it would be appropriate to give special mention to those books that were a step above the rest, books that were on leagues of their own. So I came up with the first annual Erika Breathes Books Awards! There are various categories, so there will be quite a lot of books that make it to the list. Fear not, though- they're all truly awesome!

Note, however, that not all these are 2010 releases. I read a lot of books that were released before the year and some of them were amazing, so I thought they deserved to be included in the judging. So every annual awarding, I'll be considering books that I read that year, regardless of the release date.

Now on to the awards!

Best Comedy

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Not only is this book a 2010 debut by a teen author (talk about an achievement!), it's one of the funniest books I've read to date. It's charmingly sarcastic and witty, and most of all, it's realistic. It'll have you laughing a mile a minute with its hilarity, but still keep you grounded with its authenticity. Keplinger totally knows how teenagers operate!

Best Tearjerker

Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison

Deeply moving and emotional, this story had me crying buckets! I kid you not, I was a mess at the end of it. No YA novel has ever made me cry the way this one did.

Best Romance

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Sexy. Steamy. Passionate. Need I say more? Perfect Chemistry is an interesting modern take on the classic Romeo and Juliet story, and one that I love oh-so-much. This book, with its against-all-odds romance and lovable protagonists, had me sighing all throughout!

Best Summer Read

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

A charming, coming-of-age story with a dash of poignance and a lot of heart, Twenty Boy Summer, to me, was the ultimate summery read of the year. Featuring a beautiful story of love, loss, and friendship, this is the kind of summer story that you'll want to read the whole year round.

Best Cover

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

I cannot gush enough about this cover! I love the silhouette, the wings, the overall feel of it... It's just too pretty for words! And it doesn't hurt that it contains a lovely story within it, too.

Best-Written

Looking for Alaska by John Green

This was my first attempt at reading John Green, and from the very first chapter, Green had me proclaiming my love for him. Honest, witty and riveting, his writing is just pure genius! The way he makes the story pop out of the page is just amazing. The descriptions, the notions, the dialogue, all of it is spot-on. It's never too much or too little. Just perfect, and to be able to find a book with writing like that is a very rare thing.

Best Series

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

and

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Both of these are so good and series I keep close to my heart, I simply couldn't choose one. The Hunger Games is an epic dystopian series that touches on topics varying from love to corruption, and I think they're very eye-opening and important; and The Mortal Instruments is a thrilling fantasy series with a gorgeous world I would love to live in, demons and all. Both are wonderful in different ways, so I had to make this a tie!

Best Debut

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me when I say that Lauren Oliver really put herself on the YA fiction map with her debut. A memorable and wonderfully-written story that reflects on life after death, Before I Fall is something that will have you lost in its pages but at the same time, have you thinking about life, about how you're living yours and whether or not you want to change. Before I Fall really got to me, and now I can't wait to read Oliver's second book, Delirium!

Novel of the Year

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

This book is all sorts of lovely! With its poignant plot, quirky characters, fluid writing and resonating narration, it is deserving of this title, at least to me. I fell in love with this book, and it is the first thing that comes to mind when I'm asked what my favorite book of the year was. One of the best contemporary YA novels I've ever read!

In the Spirit of Christmas giveaway winner

2010-12-29T18:34:00.000+08:00

All entries have been tallied, and the winner has been drawn. Congratulations, DARLYN!

Review: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

2010-12-27T21:54:00.001+08:00

Title: Never Let Me Go
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Publisher: Vintage
Release Date: March 14th, 2006
Pages: 288

As a child, Kathy—now thirty-one years old—lived at Hailsham, a private school in the scenic English countryside where the children were sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe that they were special and that their well-being was crucial not only for themselves but for the society they would eventually enter. Kathy had long ago put this idyllic past behind her, but when two of her Hailsham friends come back into her life, she stops resisting the pull of memory.

And so, as her friendship with Ruth is rekindled, and as the feelings that long ago fueled her adolescent crush on Tommy begin to deepen into love, Kathy recalls their years at Hailsham. She describes happy scenes of boys and girls growing up together, unperturbed--even comforted--by their isolation. But she describes other scenes as well: of discord and misunderstanding that hint at a dark secret behind Hailsham's nurturing facade. With the dawning clarity of hindsight, the three friends are compelled to face the truth about their childhood—and about their lives now.

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

A brilliant tale that reflects on life, love and friendship, Never Let Me Go is a novel that stays with you for a long time.

A little bit of dystopian, science fiction and drama at the same time, it tells the story of Kathy. Raised in Hailsham, an isolated boarding school fueled by strict rules and strange secrets, she always knew she and her peers were different. In Hailsham, students are told they're special their whole lives, and because of that, they're sheltered from the outside world. Now thirty-one years old, Kathy reminisces her childhood in Hailsham, and revisits various memories through her life with two of her friends: the tough and tenacious Ruth, and the fiercely loyal and kindhearted Tommy.

Mystery plays a big part in the story, so I don't really want to say much because it will ruin the plot. But one thing I will say is this: reading Kathy's story is comparable to walking into a familiar room you haven't been to in a long time, but with a blindfold on. There's an eerie sense of familiarity and, over time, you begin to get a hang of navigating through it, but there's still an air of mystery evident to keep you hanging on until the very moment you can finally take the blindfold off. Pulling off this kind of writing is no easy task, but Ishiguro does so with mastery and precision. It's pure genius.

I'm not an exclusively-YA reader, though I'll admit that around eighty percent of what I read is YA. I only occasionally venture into reading other genres, and a couple of times, I was disappointed. Some novels couldn't strike a nerve or connect with me the way YA could. But Never Let Me Go is anything but that. From the very first page, I was drawn to Kathy's voice and her story. The emotions in her story, most especially during her encounters with Ruth and Tommy, are both surging and subdued at the same time, they creep up on you and you hardly realize they're there until they hit you all at once.

The characterization is also spot-on. I admit there are times in the novel when it's so tempting to strangle a character or two because they're being dense or unreasonable, everyone is who they need to be at exactly the right time. It would be hard to come up with one-word descriptions for each character, because they all show moments of anger and tenderness throughout the novel. Each one has a repertoire of different feelings and characteristics, a deep pit of surprises. It's absolute perfection.

A tragically beautiful story, Never Let Me Go is a shining novel that's on a league of its own. Some would consider it to be emotionally exhausting, but let me tell you, it's worth it. I was enraptured by the story. It brings something different to the table and is an entirely different reading experience, it deserves every single word of praise it's gotten. Positively haunting and amazing to say the least, this is a book I will be thinking about for a long time.

Daily Dose Monday (30)

2010-12-27T19:23:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

In My Mailbox (3)

2010-12-26T09:00:00.009+08:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

It's been ages since I last did one of these, so I've got a couple of books to show you guys in this post! No vlog, though. Unfortunately, my videocam is broken! But I took a couple of pictures, so hopefully they'll do.

ARCS for review:

Where the Truth Lies by Jessica Warman

Trickster's Girl by Hilari Bell

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (!!!)

Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith

Books for review:

Forget You by Jennifer Echols (signed)

Blue by Lou Aronica

Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst

Logic of Demons by H.A. Goodman

Adversary (Ganzfield #2) by Kate Kaynak (signed)

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

Bought:

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (currently reading)

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (read and reviewed months ago, but only had it in Kindle format so I went ahead and bought a hardcopy because I like it so much)

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (review here)

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (review here)

My Name is Memory by Anne Brashares (review here)

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (review here)

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen

Won:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (ARC)

won from Erika of Moonlight Book Reviews

Do Tampons Take Your Virginity?: A Catholic Girl's Memoir by Marie Simas (signed) (review here)

won from Kristina of Frazzled Book Nommer

Steampunk Necklace from Steam Designs

won from Ashley of Ashley's Bookshelf

Personalized Linger bookplate

won from Maggie Stiefvater

Across the Universe Swag

won from Sherry of Flipping Pages for All Ages and from Beth Revis

Gifted:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (had this in paperback already, but I wanted it in hardbound so my sister got it for me)

Matched by Ally Condie (!!!)

Follow Friday (12)

2010-12-24T13:59:00.000+08:00

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Parajunkee's Question: What are your plans for Christmas?
In my family, we don't really celebrate Christmas day. Staying up late and celebrating Christmas Eve is more our speed. My maternal grandparents come over with my uncles (only one out of the three this year because two of them live abroad), and we go to Church, watch movies, eat, and gamble while waiting for the clock to strike twelve. I love getting presents, but bonding with them while waiting for midnight is almost more fun.

Merry Christmas, everyone! And don't forget to join my Christmas giveaway :)

Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2010-12-22T23:18:00.000+08:00

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books
Release Date: August 31st, 2010
Pages: 479

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

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

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

Plot: 4/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 3/5
Overall: 4/5

What do you get when you combine steampunkery; kick-ass, otherworldly characters; and a gripping love triangle? Why, you get Clockwork Angel.

Set in victorian London, Clockwork Angel is the prequel to The Mortal Instruments series by best-selling author Cassandra Clare. Good as both a companion and a standalone, Clockwork Angel features an urban fantasy storyline set in early England, and traces back to the early days of Shadowhunters.

I adored The Mortal Instruments series, so I had high hopes for this novel. Truth be told, though, I didn't know what to expect. In a way, I knew I'd be getting a dose of Shadowhunter mythology, but other than that, I came up blank in the expectations area. I had no idea how Clare would execute the story.

Of course, Clare does so with flourish. Not only does she create a world so enchanting and believable it could rival the one of her first series, she weaves together a story so filled with action, adventure and love with standout characters and a suspenseful plot.

I'm a sucker for period pieces, so I loved the setting of the novel. From the very beginning, I enjoyed drinking in Clare's depiction of London where Shadowhunters exist, and the human world unknowingly collides with the demon world constantly. In a way, reading the novel was like a cultural experience for me.

I also particularly enjoyed the characters. Each one shines in his or her own way, and all of them are well-developed yet ambiguous at the same time- which works just fine, considering this is the first novel of a trilogy. The foundations set for each character in the novel is strong, but there's still a lot of room for possibility in the coming books. I was honestly more swept away by the story and the characters of The Mortal Instruments series, but that does not take away from the fact that the characterization in Clockwork Angel is brilliant. Tessa is a headstrong protagonist, one who's likable and easy to identify with, and Will and Jem are two boys who are so different from one another yet share this undeniable bond. Despite their disagreements, they bring out the best in each other, and their friendship is admirable- one of the best, most sincere ones I've read of.

Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed was the love triangle. In The Mortal Instruments, there was never really any competition- I knew the couple I supported from the very beginning. But that wasn't the case for Clockwork Angel. I honestly did not, and still do not, know who I wanted Tessa to be with, Will or Jem. Both males bring out different sides of her, either one of them could work. That's the best kind of love triangle, though, I think- one where the reader is so torn between two possibilities, it's almost impossible to decide. sure, I can't choose, but it makes me even more excited to read the succeeding book!

If you liked Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series, you're guaranteed to like this novel. It's thrilling and romantic and packs a punch, but its setting and characters add something new and different to it. And if you haven't read The Mortal Instruments series yet, fear not- Clockwork Angel is just as good on its own, and is still understandable. So if you're fond of Shadowhunter mythology, steampunkery, thrilling fantasy stories, period pieces, YA romance, or all of the above, give this novel a try. It won't disappoint.

In the spirit of Christmas... [Giveaway]

2010-12-22T22:23:00.000+08:00

More than a month-long absence. An undeniable lack of posts. I know, I know. Where the heck have I been? What have I been doing during my two-month long disappearance from the blogosphere?

I wish I could say something cool, like I was off in some super secret spy training facility, or I spent time traveling the world, but the ugly truth is I was simply swamped with school work. Seriously, I have never felt to stressed and scared about academics in my life. The past term was just crazy! I had my first wave of major (or core) subjects, and they were so difficult, I barely had time to read all the more blog.

Luckily, the term came to a close last Friday (my grades even came out yesterday. Not my most stellar term, but I did a lot better than I expected!), so I'm free to return to blogging! And to celebrate my return as well as my favorite holiday of the year, I'm holding a giveaway!

I absolutely love the Christmas season. Something about the yuletide cheer, abundance of gingerbread, and bright, sparkly decorations just gets to me. But moreover, I love that it cues people to love and to give more. So to spread the holiday cheer, I'd like to hold a contest for you guys.

What's up for grabs, you ask?

You can win an ARC of Jane by April Lindner (my review here), and, to add a little suspense, a surprise gift from me! (I love the feeling of opening gifts under the tree and having no idea what they are, so I tried to emulate it with this giveaway.)

If you'd like to enter, just fill out the form below. Contest ends on Christmas Day!

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Review: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

2010-12-20T21:54:00.000+08:00

Title: Just Listen
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: April 6th, 2006
Pages: 371

Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything"—at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help,maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

An honest, occasionally painful yet all-around beautiful novel from one of the most exceptional contemporary YA authors of all time, Just Listen is a brilliantly-crafted novel that tells the story of a girl's journey through loneliness, acceptance, and eventually, liberation.

Annabel Greene is the girl who seems like she has it all. Tall, blonde and gorgeous, she has a successful modeling career, a happy family, and a popular group of friends. But one night, things change. She becomes withdrawn, she's not friends with the charismatic Sophie anymore, and she refuses to tell anyone what happened. Then the new school year starts and friendless Annabel, left with no other options, begins spending time with the intense, music-obsessed Owen. And as she gets to know him, she realizes that he isn't as bad as she first thought he was and maybe, just maybe, he's the one she's been waiting to tell her story to.

I'm a huge fan of Sarah Dessen's novels, and that being said, I'm going to have to say Just Listen is one of her best. I fell in love with Annabel's story and the characters and their tangled web of relationships. The romance in the novel is subdued but heartfelt, but more importantly, the depiction of Annabel's family and the turmoil tearing them apart is just magical. Dessen truly has a way of transporting readers into the world of her novels. While reading just listen, I felt every single emotion possible, as if the story was being told through an amplifier. It was pure brilliance.

Dessen loyalists and fans of contemporary YA are sure to gobble up this novel. It's genuine, emotional and memorable in every right; it's proof of what a talented author Dessen is. A story that had me hooked until the very last page, Just Listen is a brilliant novel I'm glad I read, and a novel I'm sure to pick up again.

Review: My Name is Memory by Anne Brashares

2010-12-04T09:54:00.000+08:00

Title: My Name is Memory
Author: Anne Brashares
Publisher: Riverhead
Release Date: June 1st, 2010
Pages: 324

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together, and he remembers it all. Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.
Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together.

From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.

Plot: 3/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 3/5
Overall: 3/5

Everyone wants a happily ever after. But what if the story spans for thousands of years, and the fairy-tale ending takes lifetimes to achieve?

Daniel has been in love with Sophia since his very first life. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he felt an unshakable call towards her, and he became determined to look for her in every life he has, until they can finally be together. But Sophia doesn't have the memory the way Daniel does. Will his love and determination be enough to finally make her remember?

My Name is Memory is a unique, poignant love story that defies the limitations of death. It tells the story of a man's unwavering devotion to his beloved, and the measures he would go through just to be with her, even if it means waiting hundreds of years at a time. Initially, I was drawn by the premise of repeatedly unrequited love- I'm a sucker for epic love stories, and this one sounded like it had the potential to be one of those.

I was pretty pleased with the story, but I didn't feel as strong a connection with the characters. I expected Daniel to be a shining protagonist, but for some reason, there were times that he just fell flat to me, even in the parts of the story that were narrated by him. It wasn't that he was a dull character. I guess I just wanted there to be more dimension to him.

Besides the occasionally lackluster protagonist, My Name is Memory is a bittersweet love story that I would recommend. It brings something different to the table, and fans of books like The Time Traveler's Wife are sure to gobble it up. I honestly think the ending could have been better, but I can see why Brashares concluded things the way she did. It wasn't a read that had me jumping up and down, but I did still enjoy it. It's got undeniably beautiful writing and a refreshing premise, and it'll definitely be worth your while to read.

Daily Dose Monday (29)

2010-11-29T09:48:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

Review: Do Tampons Take Your Virginity?: A Catholic Girl's Memoir

2010-11-26T20:10:00.000+08:00

Title: Do Tampons Take Your Virginity?: A Catholic Girl's Memoir
Author: Marie Simas
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: September 25th, 2010
Pages: 164

Overall: 5/5

Let me start off by saying never in my life have I reviewed a non-fiction book. I work primarily with YA, so I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to reviewing memoirs. Being based on true events, I can't judge the book on its plot or creativity, so just this once, I'm abandoning my trusty review criteria.

A raw, painfully honest memoir, Do Tampons Take Your Virginity? tells the story the author's conservative Catholic upbringing. Filled with recollections ranging from funny to sad to endearing, it's a story that spans thirty-something years, but one that is never dull.

Simas fearlessly shares the details of her childhood, from her abusive father to her mother's sickness to her wild teenage years. Some parts are shocking, and one moment things are all good then they take a turn for the worse, but ultimately, Do Tampons Take Your Virginity? is a real, true-to-the-core story of religion, family, and how one girl finds strength within herself.

This isn't my typical read, but I am glad that I read it- so glad, I devoured it in one sitting! I felt a whole array of emotions stirring within me while reading it, but ultimately, I felt hopeful. This book just has that effect, that elusive one that has you feeling better about the world. I wouldn't recommend it to younger readers because of some mature subject matter, I strongly suggest you give it a try, too. You just might be pleasantly surprised by the uplifting story lurking beneath the surface of a tough story.

*A very special thank you goes out to Kristina of Frazzled Book Nommer, for holding the contest by which I was able to get a copy of this book.

Friday Follow (18)

2010-11-19T20:44:00.000+08:00

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event where bloggers and readers can find new blogs to follow. It's a neat idea for new bloggers (very much like myself) because it helps them connect with other bloggers and it gives them an opportunity to find blogs similar to theirs. I'm really excited about participating in this! If you're interested, go over to Crazy for Books :)

The Book Blogger Hop Question: "Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"
My life is nowhere near perfect, but there are so many things I'm thankful for. My family, my friends, being able to go to a good school, having a roof over my head... That's just the beginning. It's cheesy, I know, but isn't that what Thanksgiving's about? :D

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list

Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://www.onceuponachapter.com/
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Parajunkee's Question: How long have you been book blogging?
Around nine months! I put up the blog in February, and I honestly did not think I'd be able to keep it up, but I can't imagine doing that now- my blog's grown to be a part of me!

Casting Characters (8): Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

2010-11-19T16:01:00.001+08:00

Casting Characters is a feature hosted at Erika Breathes Books that gives potential casts for books.

One of my most-anticipated 2010 debuts, Halo is one of the novels I'd love to see as a movie. As always, while I was reading it, I had clear pictures of the characters, so I decided to share my casting choices with you guys!

Bethany - Lily Collins

I am in love with this girl. No joke, I think she's gorgeous and clever, and she can definitely act. I think she'd make a perfect Bethany- she's got the long, brown hair and pale skin, and she really does look like an angel! She looks so wholesome and innocent, pretty much angelic.

Xavier - Drew Roy

Okay, so he's a Disney boy. He did play Hannah Montana's love interest at some point. But so what? I, for one, really enjoy watching Hannah Montana, and since this feature is based pretty much on aesthetics alone, I think he'd make a great Xavier. He's tall and dark-haired, and he looks like the perfect balance between a charismatic, popular athlete type and a boy next door. I think he could portray the character of Xavier really well.

Ivy - Emily Van Camp

At first, I imagined Brittany Snow as Ivy, then I watched an episode of Brothers and Sisters and saw Emily, and Brittany was immediately replaced. Graceful, demure and beautiful, Emily could definitely pull off being Ivy.

Gabriel - Cam Gigandet

Yeah, he shot to fame playing bad boys (The OC? Twilight? Yeah, definitely bad boy.), but I think he's got the chops to play a fierce, even standoffish angel. I always imagined Gabriel to have long wavy hair (like Cam's in Twilight) and be a little scruffy, so Cam he's pretty much perfect for the part. Besides, I'd love to see him as a protagonist! It would be a refreshing change from his usual villain roles, don't you agree?

Jake - Nicholas Hoult

I've been a fan of Nicholas' since seeing him in About a Boy with Hugh Grant, but I became an even bigger fan when I watched him in Skins (which I loved!). There he played Tony, the main character who falls somewhere between being an antagonist and a protagonist. He's messed up and has personal demons, so I think he'll be a great Jake. He's also pale and dark-haired, which is how I imagined Jake to be. And the accent? It's almost too fitting!

Molly - Malese Jow

Malese seems really girly and frivolous, so I think she's an actress fit to play the role of the friendly, occasionally naive Molly. I also imagined Molly to look a lot like her- petite, dark-haired and cute.

Casting Characters (7): When It Happens by Susane Colasanti

2010-11-16T00:10:00.000+08:00

Casting Characters is a feature hosted at Erika Breathes Books that gives potential casts for books.

When It Happens is one of my favorite YA novels (I even gave it away on my 6th month giveaway!) and it's one of those stories that I'll always remember to be amazing. Recently, the author, Susane, posted on her blog (which I frequently stalk) that she wants readers' suggestions for a potential casting of the two main characters. I was thinking, how perfect! Casting characters is so much fun, and it's been a while since I've done a post anyway, so I decided to do a CC post for the book, and went ahead and cast some other characters as well. Enjoy! :)

Sara - Lyndsy Fonseca

Sara's shy, sweet, smart and romantic, and while reading the book, I imagined her to look a lot like this. Sure, Lyndsy's no longer a teenager, but most actors portraying high-school students aren't, and Lyndsy could easily pass as an adolescent. She looks slightly different when she's on the red carpet, but when she's dressed down, she has this shyness to her that I find to be reminiscent of Sara. Also, she can really act!

Tobey - Kristopher Turner

Though I have this gigantic crush on Tobey and think that he's one of the most adorable boyfriends in YA fiction, I never imagined him to be classically handsome. More like cute and charming, so Kristopher came to mind. He seems really chill but sweet, and it's easy to imagine him with a guitar in hand. Oh, and the young John Krasinski thing he has going on? I don't hate it. I don't hate it at all.

Laila - Olivia Thrilby

Laila's described to be this driven, strong-willed, independent best friend character, and for some reason, the entire time I was reading When It Happens, I imagined Olivia as her. The only movie I'd ever seen her in at that time was Juno, so maybe it was her convincing performance as the funny best friend there or the fact that she's got the look I imagined Laila to have that she immediately came to mind. She really did a great job playing the sarcastic and loyal Leah, though, so I'm pretty sure she can pull off being Laila.

Maggie - Maggie Grace

How uncanny is it that they both have the same name?! To me, Maggie Grace is the perfect Maggie. She's blonde and undeniably attractive, yet there's this refreshing niceness to her. She looks like she could be popular, but she also comes across as really polite and caring. She's a little old to play a high-school student, but she was a really convincing teenager in Taken, so I don't think she'll have a problem with the age of the character at all.

Mike - Ryan Cooley

If you've seen Degrassi: The Next Generation, then I think you know what I'm talking about when I suggest Ryan as Mike. Mike is Tobey's best friend, and he's the nice-guy, musician type, too, and he just seems like an awesome guy to hang out with. JT, Ryan's character in Degrassi, is a lot like that- sort of geeky but still pretty cool and still gets the girls- so I think Ryan will do the character of Mike justice.

Josh - Cody Linley

Josh is supposed to be this blonde, energetic, happy-go-lucky guy who's a bit of a spaz. I'm not sure about his ability to play a hyped-up drummer, but Cody's got the look of Josh down to a T. He has the floppy brown hair, the bright eyes, and the easy smile, and he looks like a nice, funny, boy-next-door type.

Dave - Hunter Parrish

I've never seen Hunter act before, but when I saw his picture on the internet, my mind automatically linked him and the character of Dave. At first, Sara thinks that Dave is wholesome and tender, but he turns out not to be, so the one who plays him has to be convincing as both a protagonist and a villain. Hunter looks like he could be both, so it works. Also, Dave's supposed to be attractive and athletic, and clearly, Hunter's got that going for him, too, so he's pretty much perfect for the part.

Daily Dose Monday (28)

2010-11-15T23:32:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

Friday Follow (17)

2010-11-12T09:14:00.002+08:00

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event where bloggers and readers can find new blogs to follow. It's a neat idea for new bloggers (very much like myself) because it helps them connect with other bloggers and it gives them an opportunity to find blogs similar to theirs. I'm really excited about participating in this! If you're interested, go over to Crazy for Books :)

The Book Blogger Hop Question: If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series, do you always start with the first title?
Always! I never, ever read a series out of order. I just feel like I'll be missing out on so much if I do, and I'd just end up confused and eventually read the thing in order.

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list

Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://www.onceuponachapter.com/
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Parajunkee's Question: What is your usual monthly book budget?
As of now none! LOL. I put myself on a book-ban month this November, to focus on NaNoWriMo (barely any luck with that so far- last two weeks have been HELL!) and mostly for school, review for exams, study ahead and all that. And normally, there are highs and lows. Like I occasionally go on a book-buying binge and spend up to $80 in one go, then buy only one book the next month. But on average, I'd say around $40.

Friday Follow (16)

2010-11-05T15:42:00.000+08:00

The Book Blogger Hop Question: "What are your feelings on losing followers? Have you ever stopped following a blog?"
Of course I get sad! Doesn't everybody? But at the end of the day, it's the follower's choice. If he or she doesn't like what I post, I can't really do anything about it. I've never unfollowed anyone's book blog, but I have on Tumblr (which I use as my sort of visual diary/personal blog). I haven't done it a lot, but those few times, the user just kept posting stuff I didn't really appreciate or approve of.

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list

Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Parajunkee's Question: Who are your favorite authors?

Oh dear, I have so many! For contemporary, I love Elizabeth Scott, Sarah Dessen, Susane Colasanti, Jandy Nelson, Sarah Ockler, Kody Keplinger and Jennifer Echols. For non-contemporary, Suzanne Collins, Cassandra Clare and J.K. Rowling. I'm pretty sure I missed out some because I like so many, but those are some of my favorites whose books I go ga-ga over.

Who do you love? Any authors you think I should check out?

Daily Dose Monday (27)

2010-11-01T21:00:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

As some of you noticed, this DDM post is a little longer than usual. Since NaNoWriMo, I thought everyone (myself included) could use a little extra dose of inspiration. Good luck, NaNo writers! May the force be with us :)

Review: City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

2010-11-01T17:28:00.000+08:00

Title: City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books
Release Date: March 24th, 2009
Pages: 541

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

In this third installment to The Mortal Instruments series, Clary Fray continues her adventure to learn more about the world of Shadowhunters. Picking up where the last book left off, Clary must travel to Idris to find the antidote for her mother's self-imposed coma. But as she discovers more about Idris and her family's history, she meets a few people along the way. With Valentine's men lurking in places that were once deemed to be safe, just who can Clary trust?

City of Glass gripped me from the very beginning. As soon as I turned the first page, it was constantly on my mind. I'm not exaggerating- every time I put it down, all I could think of was when I could start reading it again. I was so enthralled by the story, dying to see more of the twists and turns Clare so cleverly weaves through her writing. It was like crack to me, and I mean that in the best possible way.

This was initially supposed to be the conclusion to a trilogy, so that being said, it's expected that everything, from the emotions to the action to the drama, is exponentially greater than they are in the first two books, and let me tell you, they are. This is the kind of book that will have you biting your nails to the quick because it's just so intense! The intensity is evened out by the witty dialogue and the hilarious remarks that seem to spew out of the characters during the most unexpected times, though, so the novel still strikes a perfect balance between grittily captivating and humorously light.

The character development in this novel upstages the ones from the previous novels. I did not think that Clare could add any more dimension and depth to the characters she so skillfully molded in the first two books, but she did. The characters return in City of Glass with even more facets to their distinct personalities. Each one of them, Clary and Jace especially, experience so much confusion, anguish, pain, love- there's an entire spectrum of emotion present in each character, and they all shine. Not one person or Downworlder goes underdeveloped in this novel, and it's precisely Clare's eye for detail that makes you feel a connection to every character, whether villain or protagonist.

There are still a lot of people who haven't read the series yet, or have only read the first book, so I don't want to reveal something unintentionally by blabbering on. But let me leave you with this: City of Glass is a brilliant rollercoaster of a novel that will leave no reader unshaken. It's the perfect conclusion to a trilogy, but I'm even happier that the series has been extended, because like Stephenie Meyer said in her review of the first novel, The Mortal Instruments series is a world I'd love to get lost in.

Book Preview: Injane by Douglas Pearson

2010-10-30T23:00:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone! So as you all know, it's the day before Halloween, and in line with everyone's favorite creepy holiday, I'm so excited to tell you guys about a new novel that's so eerie, it couldn't be more appropriate for Halloween.

I was recently given an opportunity to read the first chapter of Injane, and let me tell you, it's pretty darn unique. It's about a girl, Jane, who can see things regular people can't. I was gripped by the dark tale despite only reading a small chunk of it, and I'm excited to see how everything turns out. If you're a horror fan (like me), I'm sure you'd enjoy this thriller, too!

You can learn about Injane by visiting the Injane Facebook page.

Have a spooky Halloween!

Review: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

2010-10-30T00:00:00.005+08:00

Title: City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books
Release Date: March 25th, 2008
Pages: 453

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 5/5

The second installment in Cassandra Clare's famed Mortal Instruments series, City of Ashes further delves into the life of Clary Fray. Still dealing with the coma of her mother, her new life as a Shadowhunter, and the grueling revelation about her relationship with Jace. Then there's her relationship with her best friend, Simon, which is slowly blossoming into something more. With that much on her plate, Clary hardly has time to breathe- it doesn't help that Valentine, the man determined to obliterate demons and Shadowhunters alike who also happens to be her father, is resurfacing, and back with a vengeance more heated than before.

Just like its prequel, City of Ashes is jam-packed with adventure, kick-butt scenes, and standout characters. It builds on the foundation set by City of Bones and further enriches the reader's knowledge on the Shadowhunter world. It maintains the same caliber of exquisiteness as the first novel, an indication of Clare's talent, as City of Bones is a hard book to live up to.

The relationships in this novel are more complicated than they are in the first book. Clare takes the love triangle to a whole new level; the characters' pain, confusion and longing just resonate all the way through the book's 400 or so pages. Some parts are so gripping and emotional, I found that I was drained after reading some of the scenes. This isn't bad at all, though- it only displays the brilliance of the author in creating such remarkable, relatable characters.

On the whole, City of Ashes is an excellent second installment. It builds on the first novel, but leaves enough out to build a bridge to the third novel. It did not make as big an impact on me the same way the first book did in some areas, but the emotional depth more than compensates for that. A riveting follow-up to a mind-blowing book, City of Ashes satisfies readers' cravings for the series, but leaves room for them to want more and read the next installment.

Friday Follow (15)

2010-10-29T10:25:00.001+08:00

The Book Blogger Hop Question: "What is the one bookish thing you would love to have, no matter the cost?"

I still live in my parents' house so this one is pretty much impossible, but I would love to have a huge bookshelf! We have a couple of big bookcases around the house, but one is in the office and the other one is the one my sisters share in their room. I have a standard-sized one which isn't bad at all, but it simply can't house all my books comfortably anymore. They're sort of just stacked up on top of one another! So yes, when I get a place of my own, I'd love to have a bookshelf wall or something, but that's probably not going to happen any time soon LOL

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list

Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Parajunkee's Question: If you have, or would have a daughter, what book would you want your daughter to read?

I'm only eighteen, so having a daughter never really slipped my mind. I don't hope to have one for another ten or so years! But in the event that I do, and she's old enough to read, I think I'd like her to read Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. It's one of the first books I remember reading, and I distictly remember bawling buckets at the end of it- such a sad but beautiful novel about the power of friendship!

Waiting on Wednesday (23)

2010-10-27T16:00:00.001+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where you can post about upcoming releases you're looking forward to.

Moonglass

by Jessi Kirby

May 3rd, 2011

MOONGLASS is a contemporary YA novel about a girl who, years after her mother’s death, gets a fresh start in a new seaside town. She seems to be outrunning the past, but discovers that the sea glass she wears around her neck is not just a token of her mother’s memory but a connection to the very stretch of water she now calls home.

I have a feeling this novel will feature a strong mother-daughter relationship as well as some emotional topics such as death, loss and love. Probably won't be an easy read, but I love "heavy" books just as much as (if not even more than) I love light reads, so it's fine by me!

Review: The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

2010-10-26T20:00:00.001+08:00

Title: The DUFF
Author: Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: September 7th, 2010
Pages: 288

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

There comes a point in every girl's life when she feels like "the ugly one." It's a horrible feeling, really, but one that cannot be avoided.
Bianca Piper feels this way all the time. She loves her friends, but it doesn't help her self esteem that her best friends, Casey and Jessica, are both tall, blonde and gorgeous. So when resident man-whore and pompous jerk Wesley calls her the DUFF- the designated ugly, fat friend- she throws her Coke at him and storms out. But when her family life starts to fall apart, she turns to Wesley for a (physical) release, and as she spends more time with him, she starts to see that maybe he isn't as bad as she pegged him to be. Armed with confusing feelings for the one guy she thought she hated more than anyone, Bianca realizes that maybe she's getting more than she signed up for.

Bianca is a strong protagonist. She's smart, cynical and witty, and even negative at times. Some readers may not enjoy her pessimism, but I, for one, enjoyed it. Yes, she's not exactly the most chipper, most positive character, but her flaws and negativity make her so real. I could have been listening to any real, concrete teenager speak- that's how real Bianca was to me.

Bianca's issues with her friends and her relationship with Wesley are two other things that I absolutely loved about this novel. They have flaws, and they have their highs and lows. They're realistic. Nothing in this novel is overdone at all, and the fact that it's so believable and palpable make it so much more enjoyable. I wish that the other characters other than Welsey and Bianca, such as Jessica and Casey and even Bianca's parents could have been developed more, but other than that, everything's great.

As much as I liked Bianca and her complex relationships, though, I have to say that my favorite part of the novel was how it just speaks to readers. It addresses the issue of low self-esteem perfectly, and despite Bianca's initial cynicism, The DUFF turns out to be an important, uplifting read that, in my opinion, should be read by every teenage girl who's ever felt ugly. Bianca's journey to self-acceptance was one I enjoyed, and it's something that definitely inspired me to love myself a little more. Cheesy, I know, but read this novel and you'll want to be cheesy. Trust me, you will.

Laugh-out-loud funny with sarcastic wit on the side, The DUFF is a fun, delicious read about a headstrong girl, a womanizing guy, and the dirty adventures they have together that lead to an uplifting end. This novel is undeniably one of my favorites of the year, and I can't wait to read more of Keplinger's hilariously honest, 100% refreshing stories. If her forthcoming novels are anything like her debut, then they're sure to be wonderful.

Teaser Tuesdays (24)

2010-10-26T18:00:00.000+08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

"The cells were reserved for the worst of criminals: vampires gone rogue, warlocks who broke the Covenant Law, Shadowhunters who spilled each other's blood. Jace was none of those things. How could she even suggest sending him there?"

- City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare, p. 80

I am so in love with this series, it's unreal. It's quickly becoming one of my favorites! I finished City of Bones last week (what an ending!) and I started this one immediately after, but I put it down for a while to read The DUFF. Now I'm back to reading this, and I'm really liking it! I'm not sure yet if I like it as much as I did the second book, but it's pretty good. Sad, even. I'm Team Jace all the way!

NaNoWriMo '10: Where we can all be crazy together.

2010-10-25T20:33:00.000+08:00

It's a week before the start of November, and you all know what that means. That's right, folks- it's a week before this year's NaNoWriMo.

For those of you who don't know what it is (you all probably do, but just in case) NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, which is a yearly event where writers get to throw themselves into literary abandon. But here's the challenge- they have to write a 50,000 word, 170-page novel in thirty days.

This probably sounds crazy, but I've decided to take the plunge and sign up. I've always wanted to write a novel, and this is the perfect opportunity to challenge myself, and since I know I won't be alone, it becomes so much more encouraging. A lot of great novels are NaNoWriMo babies, and really, it sounds like a whole lot of fun. Stress and schoolwork, bring it on. I'm ready to take the challenge armed with my laptop and my head full of ideas. I haven't settled on a specific idea for a story yet so I haven't done any pre-writing preparation, but I have a week, and a lot can happen between now and the first of next month.

Are you signing up for NaNoWriMo too? If you are, leave your username or add me! My NaNo name is erikabreathesbooks. Let's take this crazy journey together!

Daily Dose Monday (26)

2010-10-25T20:11:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

2010-10-25T00:20:00.000+08:00

Title: City of Bones (The Mortal instruments #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books
Release Date: March 27th, 2007
Pages: 485

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Creative, exciting and unforgettable, City of Bones is the first novel in a YA fantasy/paranormal series that will have readers awe-struck and addicted. Set in New York, it blurs the line between fantasy and reality by featuring a story wherein average humans unknowingly coexist with mythical beings.

Very much like The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments series was something I didn't hear of until recently. Sure, I've seen the books around bookstores for a while now, but I never took the time to stop, pick them up, and read what they're about. But when I started blogging, I became aware of the supposedly amazing series, and I decided that I needed to give it a try. Something that talked about must truly be great to deserve to be treated with such high regard. Thus, I got the books and started reading the first book, City of Bones, and I became addicted.

What caught my attention first about City of Bones was the entire concept. I've never read a fantasy or paranormal book that featured all of the breeds of mythical beings I read about separately in different books- witches, warlocks, faeries, vampires, werewolves, demons- as well as regular human beings living in a regular world- our world- and I loved the entire idea. It's so fresh, so current, it totally put the novel on a whole new level for me, and I love Clare backs all the creativity up with a rich mythology and history completely unique to this novel.

The next thing I fell in love with was the characters. Clary, the protagonist, was someone I identified with, and I loved that she isn't the girly-girl, damsel-in-distress type, but oh boy did I fall hard for Jace. He's arrogant, self-absorbed, and absolutely irresistible. He kicks major demon butt, but there are times when he shows his vulnerability, too. I also really enjoyed the character of Isabelle, Jace's adoptive sister who's vain and occasionally conceited, but is in possession of a heart bigger than her body. She doesn't show her soft side often in the novel like Jace, but her kindness and compassion shine in the times that she does. If I had to pick a favorite character in the novel, it would be a tie between Jace and Isabelle. I guess I have an affinity for characters full of attitude and snark but are secretly sensitive; I'm not really sure. All I know is that they're two characters whose lines kept me entertained throughout the entire novel.

Finally, I fell head over heels for the plot. I loved how wonderfully it progresses and how spot-on the pacing is. It's a mix of equal parts adventure and romance, so there isn't too much of one element. It begins with Clary first discovering the world of Shadowhunters, and as she tries to put together why and how she's connected to them, she and her friends encounter a handful of different creatures and get themselves into situations leading to scenes that will have readers holding their breaths. I was certainly gripped by the excitement and intensity of the said encounters, and especially by the curveball ending. And somewhere in between the demon slaying and villain-hunting, the romance creeps in. It's not a breath-taking, whirlwind type romance, it's one that's subtle and doesn't take the spotlight but is still a key part of the plot and a venue for major character development.

Honestly, I find it practically impossible to find a flaw in this book. I was blown away by the story and the setting and the characters, and now I completely understand why people talk about this book with such high praise. City of Bones certainly got me hooked, and I already know that the Mortal Instruments series will be one I'll talk about for a long time.

Casting Characters (7): The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

2010-10-23T21:00:00.007+08:00

Casting Characters is a feature hosted at Erika Breathes Books that gives potential casts for books.

It's been a LONG time since I last did a CC post, which is ironic, because they're the most fun posts that I do but I simply did not have the time to do so with school breathing down my neck. But this week, I discovered the wonder that is The Mortal Instruments series, and I just HAD to do a CC post for it. Perfect timing, because I just finished my midterms and I now have more time in my hands, so I could totally make a post! I'm only at the beginning of the second book and I don't know a bunch of characters that appear only later on, so all the characters in this post will be from City of Bones.

Clary Fray - Alexz Johnson

Clary's supposed to have red hair, green eyes, and a small bone structure. Initially, I pictured Stacey Farber (from Degrassi) as Clary, but as I read on, I thought she looked a little too delicate to play her, and then I saw pictures of Alexz on the internet, and then bam, I realized she'd play the perfect Clary. She's delicate-looking but totally looks like she can kick butt if she needs to, plus she's got the small frame and red hair. She also isn't the in-your-face kind of pretty, which is how I imagined Clary to be.

Jace Wayland - Alex Pettyfer

I know, I know. I casted Alex as Daniel in my Fallen CC. I normally don't like "recycling" people for my CC posts, but I just had to! Alex IS Jace Wayland. Just look at him in the picture- obnoxious, arrogant, gorgeous... I'm sure he could pull off snark, too. I'm telling you, this guy has the character of Jace down to a T. He's got the face of an angel, and I think the picture serves as enough evidence that the guy can bring on attitude when he wants.

Simon Lewis - David Henrie

I pictured Simon to be boy-next-door cute and sort of nerdy, and David Henrie came to mind. If you've seen him on Wizards of Waverly Place, you'd understand why. There he plays the geeky older brother who's awkward but adorable and sweet, and that's exactly how I imagines Simon to be. Just add the glasses and the video games and the manga, and David's good to go!

Alec Lightwood - Jonathan Bennett

Alec was a difficult one for me. I couldn't imagine a concrete person as him! Really, for most of the book, I could picture a body, but not a face. It's so weird, but it was a total challenge. Jonathan Bennett is the closest one I found to my idea of Alec, but I'm still not 100% sure on this one.

Isabelle Lightwood - Rosie Huntington Whiteley

I initially didn't think of Rosie as Isabelle. I went through a bunch of choices- Jessica Stroup, Jessica Lowndes, Caroline D'Amore, and then Rosie. I know, after looking through the internet, that a lot of people picture Megan Fox as Isabelle, and it could work (she is drop-dead gorgeous and exotic-looking), but it just wouldn't work in my head. Every time I tried to imagine Megan as Isabelle, the image just wouldn't adhere. Then I came across a picture of Rosie and remembered seeing her in the VS fashion shows, and I thought, hey, that's Isabelle Lightwood right there. She's also younger-looking than Megan, which is a plus, but just as breathtaking.

Luke Garroway - Keanu Reeves

It doesn't matter that Keanu played Neo, the super-macho guy from The Matrix, one of the ultimate boy films of all time. Keanu always struck, and will always strike, me as a sensitive, quiet guy. He'd be convincing as a nice thirty-something bookstore owner, but he showed us that he can toughen up when needed when he played Neo. I also imagined Luke to have these physical features- dark hair, stubble, the works.

Jocelyn Fray - Famke Janssen

Jocelyn is stunningly pretty with long red hair, and I imagined her to look like Famke. Famke normally has dark brown hair, but I did see her in the X-Men movies as Jean Grey, and she's a convincing enough redhead. She also looks strong and independent, like Jocelyn. And I know for a fact that she can play a mother-type character after seeing her in Taken (which I loved, BTW).

Valentine Morgenstern - Daniel Craig

Valentine is described as a tall man with light hair and a charismatic appeal, so who better to play him than a James Bond? Daniel's got to be charming to pull off playing 007, after all. And he can come across a little cold and disconnected, sort of like Valentine. I also had this idea of Alex Skarsgard as Valentine, but given the ages of the people I imagined Luke and Jocelyn as, I deemed him too young and stuck with Daniel instead.

Magnus Bane - Bill Kaulitz
Magnus is a teenage-looking warlock with a penchant for parties, make-up and glitter, so I imagined Bill from the band Tokio Hotel as him right away. I don't listen to the band, but I have seen enough music videos on TV and pictures on the internet to know that Bill likes to look flashy, heavy eye-liner and all. And Magnus also looks a touch Asian. I'm not sure if Bill has any Asian blood in him, but he looks Asian and, well, flashy enough to play the flamboyant Magnus Bane.

In The Hotseat: Lauren Bjorkman

2010-10-22T21:00:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since I've posted an In the Hotseat post, and I thought, hey, it's about time I do another one. So here it is! Today I have with me Lauren Bjorkman, author of My Invented Life, a YA novel about sexuality, sisters, and Shakespeare; and Miss Fortune Cookie, which comes out next year.

How'd you come up with the idea for your debut novel, My Invented Life?

I climbed to the top of a crag during a lightning storm, when … wham! Just kidding. I wish it worked that way. Instead, the ideas came to me over time—an incident at my high school reunion, productive people-watching, and a re-reading Shakespeare—and it all developed into a story.

My Invented Life tackles some LGBT themes. What was the toughest part of writing a novel that touches on teenage sexuality?

I wanted to get it right! And make the story relevant to teens of any sexual orientation. And keep it upbeat. I probably read a hundred coming out stories online, a dozen books, and a zillion conversations before I trusted myself with the subject.

Shakespeare plays a pretty big part in the story. Which of his pieces is your favorite?

The word “favorite” sends me into panic. For a while in high school, I was crushing on this boy who played Orlando in As You Like It. And just like that, As You Like It was my favorite Shakespeare play. My other favorites are—Much Ado about Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and King Lear.

 Who are you more like, Roz or Eva? 

I find writing about myself impossible and boring. But both my characters contain echoes of me. As a real-life little sister, I worshiped my older sister, and remember a painful time when she shut me out of her life. As a teen, I tended to hang back. I do share a sense of humor with both of them J

There are a lot of secrets between characters in My Invented Life. What's one thing a lot of people don't know about you?

My first pet was a hermit crab I called Vermnicious Knid.

I’m a secretive person.

What are your biggest inspirations in life? 

It amazes me how people overcome hardships. People with the most difficult lives can end up positively glowing with love and happiness.

Any advice you can give aspiring writers?

Write what you love.

Never give up.

What's a typical day like for you? 

Getting up too early (I love to sleep).

After I drive my kids to school, I make myself a cappuccino.

In this wired state, I fritter away an hour or so on the Internet, and finally write like crazy for four hours, taking only snack breaks.

By three, it’s family time, again.

When you're not writing, what can you usually be found doing? 

Hanging out with friends and family (hikes, dinners, movies, aikido, making apple-sauce). Which is great, but not terribly interesting.

Every year, though, we go somewhere adventurous. I just returned from Belize where I snorkeled with sharks and rays, floated down a river through a deep cave, and climbed Mayan pyramids.

One thing you can't live without? 

I can’t live without love. Or dark chocolate.

You can find out more about Lauren by checking out her official website, or her blog, which she regularly updates. Also, if you're interested in finding out more about her debut, My Invented Life (which is out now), here's a synopsis:

Roz and Eva are sisters, close friends, and fierce rivals. Roz fantasizes about snagging the lead in the school play and landing sexy skate god Bryan as her boyfriend. Sadly, a few obstacles stand between her and her dreams. For one, Eva is the more talented actress. And Bryan happens to be Eva's boyfriend. But is Eva having a secret love affair with a girl? Inquiring minds need to know.

Friday Follow (14)

2010-10-22T14:13:00.001+08:00

The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event where bloggers and readers can find new blogs to follow. It's a neat idea for new bloggers (very much like myself) because it helps them connect with other bloggers and it gives them an opportunity to find blogs similar to theirs. I'm really excited about participating in this! If you're interested, go over to Crazy for Books :)

Book Blogger Hop Question: Where is your favorite place to read? Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?
Everywhere! I usually prefer reading while curled up on a couch, sipping tea, or on a seat in Starbucks while drinking coffee, but I hardly ever get to do those. I usually end up reading on the bus on my way home, or some random chair in school. I've learned not to be picky LOL.

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list

Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Parajunkee's Question: What book are you currently reading?
Right now I'm reading (and obsessed with) The Mortal Instruments series! I got the boxed set a while ago, and since I just finished my midterms, I dove right into it. I finished City of Bones last night, and I'm now on City of Glass. They're amazing novels! I am quite upset, though, because I accidentally saw spoilers for the series online, but oh well. The suspense is sort of ruined, but they're amazing books nonetheless. What are you reading?

Teaser Tuesdays (23)

2010-10-19T21:04:00.000+08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

""Those girls on the other side of the car are staring at you."

Jace assumed an air of mellow gratification. "Of course they are," he said. "I am stunningly attractive."

"Haven't you ever heard that modesty is an attractive trait?"

"Only from ugly people," Jace confided."

- City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare, p. 86

I only started this book a few hours ago, I've had a cumulative time of maybe an hour and a half reading it, and I've already made it through the first ten chapters. I'm addicted! It's so good, I find it so painful to put down (but I have to because schoolwork is practically shrieking my name, telling me to get it done. Oh, life.). I'm really loving the storyline, and the characters and creativity are amazing. Can't wait to get all the work done so I can start reading again!

Daily Dose Monday (25)

2010-10-18T21:22:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

Review: Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

2010-10-16T15:00:00.000+08:00

Title: Losing Faith
Author: Denise Jaden
Publisher: SimonPulse
Release Date: September 7th, 2010
Pages: 277

A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don't know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith's final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Brie and Faith were always different from each other. Though they're sisters, they never shared much other than the blood running through their veins. Brie was always prettier, louder, more in the spotlight, and she shied away from her faith, very unlike her older sister, Faith, who reveled in it. But one night Faith falls off a cliff, and Brie is left with nothing but emotionally unavailable parents and more than a handful of questions. And as she tries to piece together the events of the night of her sister's death, Brie begins to wonder if there was more to Faith than her sister let on.

A hard-hitting debut about the loss of a sibling, Losing Faith touches on a variety of topics, such as religion, betrayal, and death, in ways that are both relatable and original and innovative. Jaden does an impressive job of taking topics which are ever-present in YA contemporary novels such as friendship, family, and love, and melding with them more controversial topics like religion, which plays a very influential role in Faith's life. It's presented in a way that's intriguing and fresh, and it'll make readers pause and contemplate the boundaries of faith, and whether or not there is such a thing as too much when it comes to religion.

Brie is a humorous character with a strong voice. She's got fears and demons of her own, especially after her sister dies, but she faces them with a quirky, entertaining perspective, which is deightful. She remains level-headed despite all that happens to her and her family, and to add to that her own personal problems, which is pleasing and makes her likable, as opposed to her being whiney and helpless. Tessa is another shining character in the novel. She's the resident highschool bad girl with whom Brie fosters a friendship. She comes off brutish and tough, but as her bond with Brie strengthens, readers get to know more about her and understand just why she turned out to be the way she is. She's a likable character that undergoes remarkable character development through the story, and she was probably my favorite in the cast of the novel.

A noteworthy debut with a well-plotted story and a mystery that'll keep pages turning, Losing Faith proves that author Jaden is one to watch out for. She skillfully crafts her debut into something that fans of contemporary YA fiction are sure to enjoy. Losing Faith was a novel that I really enjoyed, and I strongly suggest you pick yourself up a copy if you haven't already. It's emotional, but it's an easy enough read that features a great plot and set of characters, and it really won't disappoint.

Friday Follow (13)

2010-10-15T19:49:00.000+08:00

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list

Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Hi guys! I hope you all had a great week, and that you have an even better weekend. Start it off with a good book! My reading suggestion, in line with Parajunkee's Follow my Blog Friday question, is Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe. It's a pretty old book, I read it around three years ago, but it's suspenseful and fun. It's got a hilarious, quirky heroine with a knack for solving crime, and it's a fresh mystery/action novel coated in sugar and hilarity. If you haven't read it yet, add it to your reading pile already! You won't be disappointed.

Have an awesome weekend!

Waiting on Wednesday (22)

2010-10-13T16:00:00.001+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where you can post about upcoming releases you're looking forward to.

Between Here and Forever

by Elizabeth Scott

May 24, 2011

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.
Until the accident.
Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.
She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.
Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

Elizabeth. Scott. Need I say more? But seriously, besides being written by one of my all-time favorite YA authors, this story sounds promising. I love stories about sisters, and this one sounds a little bit like the book I'm reading now, Losing Faith, which is great so far. Plus, I love the cover!

Review: Sleepless by Cyn Balog

2010-10-12T22:25:00.000+08:00

Title: Sleepless
Author: Cyn Balog
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: July 13th, 2010
Pages: 215

Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest.

But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her....

Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?

Plot: 4/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 3/5
Overall: 4/5

Delightful, original, and occasionally heartbreaking, Sleepless is a YA paranormal romance with a twist.

Eron DeMarchelle is a sandman. For nearly a hundred years, his job is to lure women into sleep. But he begins to feel a connection with one of his charges, Julia, who is grieving the loss of her boyfriend. But Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges, and with Julia in potential danger and the odds against him, what will Eron do for the girl he loves and knows better than anyone else?

The concept of Sandmen is pretty much unheard of in YA, and I love how this book delved into it. It's a pleasant change from the expected vampires and werewolves (nothing against them both, but it's nice to read something different every once in a while), so it enables readers to broaden their knowledge on paranormal YA fiction. Balog also reinforces the entire idea with concrete Sandman mythology, and she gives a reader a clear picture of exactly what they are and how they work, so though it's something new, it's not confusing.

Balog's writing is also a winning aspect of this novel. It's told in the alternating points of view of Eron and Julia, two individuals who cannot be any more different not only in their ways of thinking but also their generations. Eron was a teenager a hundred years before Julia so his mannerisms and vocabulary an entirely different story, but still the narration comes out as believable and the shift from one character to another is smooth.

Julia and Eron are fantastic protagonists. They have differences and similarities, and together they just work. Griffin also plays an interesting and instrumental role of the deceased boyfriend who can't move on. A smug character who couldn't take anything seriously when he was alive, he takes his brutish yet at times humorous attitude with him even after his death, never failing to stir things up. I was really happy with how the story progressed, and though I think the romance could have been emphasized more, it was a pleasing read for me. There were highs and lows, a curveball thrown here and there, but ultimately, it all works out and forms one undeniably enjoyable novel.

Sleepless is a novel with an originality on a league of its own, and I'm certainly glad I read it. This was my first attempt at reading Balog's writing, and it won't be my last. Her talent and ability to weave together an intricate, heartfelt story struck a chord with me, and I'll definitely be picking up her other novels.

Teaser Tuesdays (22)

2010-10-12T21:16:00.000+08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

"Whatever I say doesn't help with the giref
If only I didn't feel so much relief.
All I can hope is she's somewhere above
My sister, Faith, who I hated and loved."

- Losing Faith by Denise Jaden, p. 61

Losing Faith tells the story of a girl who grieves the death of a sister she's not sure if she ever really knew, and the teaser, which is an excerpt from the poem she recited on her sister's funeral, captures the complex relationship between the two girls. I'm only in the seventh chapter, but I've already gotten a picture of how different Brie and Faith are. The anomalies in Faith's death are just starting to surface, though, and I'm dying to read more!

Daily Dose Monday (24)

2010-10-11T11:00:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

Review: Jane by April Lindner

2010-10-09T11:34:00.000+08:00

Title: Jane
Author: April Lindner
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: October 11th, 2010
Pages: 384

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, an iconic rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer, and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance. But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is tested by a torturous secret from his past.

Plot: 4/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 3/5
Overall: 4/5

What would Jane Eyre, the governess from the classic of the same name, be like if she found herself in the 21st century? When I think of that question, a cross between The Nanny Diaries and The Sound of Music comes to mind, certainly not a Sarah Lawrence dropout who falls in love with an iconic rockstar.

A modern-day adaptation of Jane Eyre, the semi-autobiographical novel by Charlotte Bronte, Jane follows a college student with a turbulent family life who's thrown into an even more complicated web of events when her parents die and leave her siblings with money and property, but leave her with close to nothing. With not enough to pay her tuition, Jane is forced to drop out of her prestigious college to look for a job. She then gets hired as a nanny to the daughter of the charismatic rockstar Nico Rathburn. She then begins too spend more time with Nico, and she finds that there's more to her employer than the string of girls and parties affiliated with him over the years. Soon, she finds herself falling for him. But a torturous secret from Nico's past is about to surface, putting not only Nico, but also Jane in more danger than she can imagine.

I love modern adaptations, and I love Jane Eyre, so I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy Jane. The classic remains a must-read after over a hundred years and that alone justifies how brilliant of a novel it is, so, quite frankly, it would be hard to live up to. However, Jane beat the odds and turned out to be more than satisfying for me.

I found that I really enjoyed the story progression. The original is divided into five parts, but while Jane is one uniform novel, the distinctions between the different stages of Jane's life are evident. I found that this made the flow of events smoother.

The mystery in the novel is intense, but I think that the romance takes center stage. It's dreamy and very much like the fantasy all girls have at one point in their lives about being swept off their feet by a rockstar prince charming. There are hurdles Jane and Nico have to overcome, but I think that they make things more interesting. The hurdles aren't the type you'd expect, though, so the story was far from cliche. The fact that it's told in Lindner's silky-smooth writing is a plus, of course.

Jane is a refreshing take on the classic we all know and love. The same elements of romance and mystery are presented and the story exudes the same vibe as the original, except in Jane, they're fused with little tidbits of modern times. The result? A believable 21st century fairytale that stays true to the original. It's a cross between a YA and an adult novel, so it's sure to be appreciated by countless readers. And reading the original need not be required- even withour knowledge on the original, Jane is amazing in its own right.

Daily Dose Monday (23)

2010-10-04T11:00:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

In My Mailbox (2)

2010-10-02T19:59:00.000+08:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

Lovely two months' worth of books :)

Books mentioned:

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Minder by Kate Kaynak

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

DupliKate by Cherry Cheva

Undead Much? by Stacey Jay

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Rose Sees Red by Cecil Castellucci

Sleepless by Cyn Balog

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Mortal Instruments series boxed set

Jane by April Linder

Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach

Review: DupliKate by Cherry Cheva

2010-10-02T10:58:00.000+08:00

Title: DupliKate
Author: Cherry Cheva
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 29th, 2009
Pages: 256

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?

Plot: 4/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Kate Larson can do anything. She's on the yearbook committee and the prom committee with a 4.1 GPA and a hot boyfriend to boot, and she's got it all under control. Or so it seems. With the semester drawing to a close, she's got way more than she can handle on her plate. So when she wakes up and finds a computer-generated clone of herself, her life's bound to get easier... right?

A light read with a little bit of humor and a whole lot of heart, DupliKate is an enjoyable novel with a quirky story every teenager who's ever been under stress will be able to identify with. It features a plot that's very easy to relate to and a fun protagonist with a (very) frivolous clone; every page will get a chuckle out of you.

I could totally identify with Kate. She's a little bit of an obsessive-compulsive academic control freak, but I could not help but sympathize with her. Being a student myself, I know I've had more than my fair share of hell weeks. She's also pretty fun, and Rina, her clone, brings out that side of her. The friendship that blooms between the two as the story progresses is adorable, and I couldn't help but smile at the scenes where they bonded.

The character development is great. Kate starts the story coming off as one-dimensional, but through her experiences with Rina, she learns more about herself and becomes an even stronger character.

I also really enjoyed the to-do lists of Kate shown in the novel. I'm one of those people who live for organization, so it was a lot of fun reading Kate's impossible goals.

Hilarious and impossible to put down, DupliKate is a novel that will speak to all the sleep-deprived teenage girls out there. It's light and fun, and yes, it doesn't offer the deepest, most emotional story, but underneath the humor is a meaningful message. Cheva does it once again with this light-hearted novel, and I can't wait to read more of her work.

Friday Follow (12) + WINNER

2010-10-01T21:24:00.000+08:00

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list

Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Happy Friday, everyone! Let's do the hop. This week's BBH question asks how we spread the word about our blogs. I don't really "spread the word" per se, but I do Tweet and have a Facebook page (though I'm not very active). Also, I recently held a contest, and the entrants who Tweeted sort of spread the word for me! :D

Now moving on to Parajunkee's question, TONS of books have bitten me. Believe me, I love so many, and I have a bunch of favorites. But I think the book that has "bitten" me most recently is The Hunger Games series (not a book but a trilogy, but whatever!). I loved it so much, and to this day, I can't stop thinking about it! It's amazing!!!

And one last thing...

I celebrated my 6th-month blogversary, and I held a contest. It ended on the 28th, and I've come up with a winner!

Congratulations, Briana (The Book Pixie!)

I've e-mailed you regarding the contest. You have 72 hours to send me your address, otherwise your win will be forfeited.

In the Hotseat: Jessica Warman

2010-09-28T17:13:00.000+08:00

Today is the book birthday of Where the Truth Lies, an edgy YA novel about a girl on a quest to find out what's real and what's not in her seemingly picture-perfect life, and the companion novel to Breathless. To celebrate the release of her novel, Jessica Warman is paying us a visit today to talk about her novel and the ups of being an author.

Describe your novel, Where the Truth Lies, in three words.
Love. Lies. Loss.

Are you anything like Emily, the main character of the story?

Well, like her, I went to boarding school for high school – though mine
wasn’t in Connecticut, and my father certainly wasn’t the headmaster! And several of the characters who Emily knows are based on real-life people who I knew in high school: her roommates, particularly Stephanie, and also Ethan. There’s also a real-life Renee, and a real-life Mazzie, though she plays a much smaller part in this book than she did in Breathless. I also lived in a quad while I was at boarding school: there were two of us in the front room, and two of us in the back. Like Emily and her roommates, we had a rope ladder that we could sling out our window whenever we wanted to leave in the middle of the night. And some of the stories from the book actually happened to me. Let me think… the incident with the Dadmobile license plate is taken from real life; so is the incident with Stephanie’s birthday cake (which I really, really regret!). Several other stories are true, though I’d prefer not to give away everything that was taken from my teenage years! But beyond who she knows, as well as a handful of experiences, Emily and I are very different people.

Where the Truth Lies is the Companion novel to your debut, Breathless. What are the similarities and differences of the two novels?

Both novels are somewhat dark and edgy, though Breathless is definitely more so. Both are set at boarding schools. And there are two crossover characters: there’s Renee, who was Katie’s roommate at Yale in Breathless, and there’s Mazzie, one of the main characters from Breathless, who doesn’t make an actual appearance in Where the Truth Lies, but she’s certainly discussed. The biggest difference between the two, though, is that Breathless was such a highly personal story
for me to write. So much of it was based on real life experiences – every character in Breathless has a real-life inspiration – whereas, with Where the Truth Lies, the plot is a total fiction. Because of
this, both books provided very different – though equally rewarding – writing experiences.

Were there any scenes in the story that you found particularly challenging to write?

Definitely the scenes that dealt with pregnancy. Without giving too much away about the book, I wanted the scenes to ring true without delving too much into a topic that would be foreign to most young readers. I have two children, so it was easy for me to describe what being pregnant is like – but I often wondered if teenage readers would really be interested in the details. As a result, the physical
symptoms of the pregnancy within the novel don’t get too in-depth. I hope that doesn’t backfire on me with readers. For example, the pregnancy goes completely unnoticed until it’s six months along, even
among the character’s closest friends and family, and I’m a little bit afraid that some young readers will find that unrealistic. In the movies and on television, we’re used to seeing women who are supposed to be six months along with these huge bellies; in real life, it usually isn’t like that. Especially when you’re dealing with a young, healthy teenage girl who’s on her first pregnancy; it would absolutely be possible to conceal it for six months – even longer. I wrestled with that aspect of the plot SO much – how much is too much to explain, how much is too little? I still question whether or not it could have been handled a bit differently.

What was the most fun part of writing the novel?

Two words: Del Sugar. Ohhhh, do I have a crush on that boy! I’ve written dozens of stories about him - both as teenage Del and as adult Del. So let me rephrase a bit – I have a crush on the adult Del Sugar, but I still absolutely adore his teenage character. Seriously, I’ve probably written a thousand pages about him. There’s nothing about his personality or background that doesn’t fascinate me. It’s like he’s grown from a character to become a real part of my life. I’m not sure how else to explain it; I absolutely love spending time with him on the page.

What made you decide to write YA?

I think the teenage years are so fascinating. They’re so filled with heartache and drama and discovery. And though we all grow up and look back on those years, maybe thinking they don’t matter as much anymore, they certainly do matter while they’re happening to us. I love exploring those issues with teens. More than anything, I love knowing that something I’ve written has had a positive impact on teens. When I was that age, I read everything that I could get my hands on, and I wrote creatively all the time. Reading and literature were what I felt closest to, and the way I felt most comfortable in my own skin. The idea that I might possibly provide that feeling for another teenager is incredibly rewarding.

In your opinion, what's the best thing about being an author?

Everything! I absolutely love my job. I can’t imagine doing anything else – in fact, I never considered it for a moment. To echo what I said above, though, the absolute best thing about being a writer –
specifically a writer for young adults – is getting feedback from my readers that I’ve affected them in a positive way. Whenever I get an email from a reader who really enjoyed Breathless, it makes my entire week. I try to respond to all the emails I receive. The positive feedback feels amazing. Beyond that, I’d have to say that being a writer is the same kind of dream as, say, being in show business. It’s
not just a matter of going to school, earning your degree, and finding a job. Not everyone who wants to be a writer will succeed. So in that sense I feel incredibly fortunate. My childhood dream has come true. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Let's play favorites! What's your favorite...

Drink to have while writing: coffee

Movie: Donnie Darko

Quote: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”- Annie Dillard.

Ice cream flavor: chocolate peanut butter cup

Pair of shoes: I have these great leopard print high heeled sandals that I bought last year. I’m always buying outfits to match those shoes, just so I’ll have more opportunities to wear them.

Time of year: Autumn. No question.

YA novel: Catcher in the Rye. My favorite contemporary YA is Skinny by Ibi Kaslik.

Thank you so much for the interview, Jessica! Any last things you want to add?

Thank you so much for this opportunity! It was a lot of fun!

Jessica Warman is the author of two YA novels: Breathless (2009), and Where the Truth Lies, which is out now. You can find out more about her and her books on her website, www.jessicawarman.com.

Teaser Tuesdays (21)

2010-09-28T11:00:00.000+08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

"I wanted to meet people who would understand how the sight of a tree's jasper green needles against a cloudless sky could make my heart go POW! People who wouldn't think I was weird because by body remained with them, but my mind had already escaped to the studio, figuring out how to replicate the colors on canvas- which scraps of paper would work and which I needed to find."

- North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley, p. 37

This is the last of my June-July bookbinge books, so I'm quite excited about this one. It's lovely so far, just as lovely as most reviews say it is. I'm really enjoying it! North of Beautiful sounds uplifting, and I can already tell that it's an important novel of self-discovery.

Trailer Uncovered: Freefall by Mindi Scott

2010-09-27T20:24:00.002+08:00

Hi everyone! As some of you may know, Mindi Scott's debut novel, Freefall, is coming out in just a few days. On October 5th, Mindi's novel will be released, and in lieu with that, she's come up with a book trailer which I'm so excited to share with you guys! It's stellar, I tell you- After watching it, I got even more excited to read Freefall, which I didn't think was possible. Check it out:

How do you come back from the point of no return?
Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

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

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

For more info on Mindi and Freefall, check out Mindi's website at www.mindiscott.com

Daily Dose Monday (22)

2010-09-27T11:00:00.003+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

Review: Minder by Kate Kaynak

2010-09-26T23:01:00.003+08:00

Title: Minder
Author: Kate Kaynak
Publisher: Spencer Hill
Release Date: June 18th, 2010
Pages: 264

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Dunn is special, but she needs to figure out how to use her new abilities before somebody else gets hurt. Ganzfield is a secret training facility full of people like her, but it's not exactly a nurturing place. Every social interaction carries the threat of mind-control. A stray thought can burn a building to the ground. And people's nightmares don't always stay in their own heads. But it's still better than New Jersey--especially once she meets the man of her dreams...

Plot: 3/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Impact: 3/5
Overall: 4/5

What would you do if you found out you have special abilities not unlike those you see in sci-fi movies? Maddie Dunn never thought she was particularly special, but she finds out otherwise when she's assaulted by two teenage boys and, to defend herself, she unknowingly kills them using her dormant telepathic abilities. Finding her way to Ganzfield, a secret training facility for special teenagers, Maddie tries to manage her new-found powers while adjusting to her new boarding school and falling for the boy of her dreams in this novel where X-Men meets Mean Girls.

I was pleasantly surprised by Minder- I had a feeling I'd like it, but I didn't know it'd have me as hooked as I am now! It's a great YA paranormal that borders sci-fi, and it sets up a steady foundation for a series that I have a very strong feeling I'll love. There are a number of things I like about it, but let me start off with the premise.

The story of Minder isn't hard to believe at all. In fact, while reading it, I could totally imagine a place like Ganzfield somewhere- Kaynak creates a world so realistic and believable in her novel, the idea of special abilities like telepathy seems almost tangible to the reader. Everything is so well-explained in the novel, it almost seems researched, though it's entirely fictional!

Another thing I really liked about the story is that it tackles the omnipresent issue of bullying, but with a special Ganzfield twist- in the story the bullies use their special abilities to manipulate the other students. The gist is there, but it's made a lot more fun and interesting with the involvement of powers.

I also enjoyed Kaynak's take on the special abilities, or mutations. She presents categories in the novel, and I love that it's organized, yet still creative. There's also a (fictional) scientific explanation behind everything, which makes it all the more palpable and amplifies the coolness by about a hundred.

However, as much as I liked all those things, I was not crazy about the relationship between Maddie and Trevor. Their whirlwind romance was, well, a little too whirlwind for me, and I felt that things happened too fast. If their romance took place over a longer span of time, then their relationship would have been ideal, but with the given time frame things feel a little rushed, to the point that I didn't enjoy the romantic aspect as much as I could have.

That tiny nitpick aside, Minder is a compelling start to a new series that is sure to be loved by many. It's fun, action-packed and well-thought-out; it's a YA novel that's relevant to this day and age. It paves the way for the second installment in the series nicely, and I honestly cannot wait to see what happens next.

Follow Friday (11)

2010-09-24T16:03:00.000+08:00

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful week. Mine's been relatively stressful- the term only started last week, but already we're bombarded with work! It's still a lot of fun, though. Like last night, the student council organized a free movie-viewing for us students, with free food and everything. It was such a wonderful bonding experience for my friends and I.

This week's BBH question asks if you wait to finish the entire book before reviewing it, or if you review it as you go. I do the former. I can never really come up with a definite opinion of a novel 'til I finish it and see exactly how the story pans out, experience its elements, and all that jazz.

As for Parajunkee's question, I have a lot of so-called "high fashion" books. So many novels out there have gorgeous covers! But one off the top of my head that stands out the most, probably because I read it fairly recently, is Halo by Alexandra Adornetto. I have yet to meet a person who didn't agree that the cover is simply lovely!

What about you? What's your high fashion book?

Thursday Three: Three Books That Made Me Cry

2010-09-23T22:47:00.000+08:00

I'm not an emotional person. I'm pretty warm towards others, if I may say so myself, but ask my friends, and they'll tell you I'm pretty, well, dead on the inside. Of course they have a tendency to exaggerate, but real-life situations don't really affect me emotionally. I guess I'm not really that in-touch with my feelings. However, books and movies are another thing. Fallout, break-up, failure... These things never make me cry, but a good book can cause me to weep buckets. This week, I'm sharing with you guys three books that made me cry. Not the subtle, almost pretty single tear slowly falling down a cheek- I'm talking full-on crying!

Sing Me to Sleep - Angela Morrison

I was given the opportunity to review this book a couple of months ago, and I loved it. It may be one of the most emotionally-evoking novels I've ever read. It's a kaleidoscope of emotions- there's happiness, sadness, love, grief... It's got a little bit of everything, and this roller-coaster of a love story had me in tears towards its end. It's a great romance, and if you want to get swept away, I suggest giving this one a try- and have a tissue box nearby!

Marley & Me - John Grogan

I love dogs. I always have, and I probably always will. After a stressful day of school, nothing makes me smile more than seeing my five dogs, and spending time with them. I love animals in general, but dogs to me are something else. I was given a copy of this novel for Christmas a couple of years ago, and I fell in love with it. It depicts how a couple eventually builds a family, when in the beginning all they had was themselves and an energetic, borderline destructive puppy named Marley. I'd describe it as a bit of an autobiography of the author, and a biography of Marley, his dog. Marley starts out really mischievous (he even gets kicked out of obedience school!), but he teaches John, the author, and his wife Jenny about life and family. I got a major headache from all the tears I shed as I read this novel. Practically the entire second half had me crying!

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

This is one of my favorite older novels, along with Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird. Amazingly, I didn't read this for school, like most of my friends did- I found my mom's old copy from her teenage years a couple of summers ago, so I went ahead and read it. I love how it depicts friendship between the two most unlikely people. Of course, Steinbeck's superior writing is already a given, and the crisp imagery he's known for is also present, but it's really the premise of this one that got to me. It's heartbreaking, but it's worth the read. Mark my words and give it a try- even if you're not a fan of older novels, you won't be disappointed.

Waiting on Wednesday (21)

2010-09-22T23:00:00.000+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where you can post about upcoming releases you're looking forward to.

Where I Belong

by Gwendolyn Heasley

February 1st, 2011

Corrinne Corcoran’s upscale Manhattan life is perfectly on track—until her father announces he’s been laid off and she’s shipped off to Broken Spoke, Texas, to live with her grandparents. All alone in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the glamorous life she’s supposed to be living. But as she grudgingly adjusts—making new friends and finding romance along the way—this city girl begins to realize that life without credit cards and shopping sprees may not be as bad as it seems....

In this sparkling debut that flawlessly balances romance and humor, readers will grow to love sharp and sassy Corrinne as she goes on her totally reluctant but completely irresistible journey of self-discovery.

When I first saw this novel on the HarperTeen catalog a few months ago, I immediately added it to my TBR. Something about it just seems so irresistible to me... The blurb said fans of Susane Colasanti and Sarah Dessen will enjoy it, and I love them both, so I have a very strong hunch I'll love this book. It's one of the 2011 debuts I'm most excited for!

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2010-09-21T21:00:00.000+08:00

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: August 25th, 2010
Pages: 390

"My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead."

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost.

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

In a place once known as North America exists a place called Panem, a nation comprised of twelve districts and one Capitol. Each year, to remember the effects of the districs' rebellion on The Capitol, a competition called The Hunger Games is held, where two tributes from each district are sent to an arena to fight 'til death, all the while broadcasted on national television. The chances of making it out are slim, but Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, makes it out not once, but twice, beating the odds and defying the doubts cast on her. She unknowingly starts a revolution against The Capitol, and even the long-pronounced dead District 13 rises from the ashes to fight. But this causes a stir in The Capitol, and the authorities are more furious than ever. They will stop at nothing to put an end to the rebellion, even if it means destroying Katniss' life, and the lives of those close to her.

An epic conclusion to the most influential YA series since Twilight, Mockingjay is superbly-written, exquisitely-plotted, and powerful in every right. Undeniably engrossing and addictive, it could only have been crafted by an incredibly talented author, and Collins really closes her phenomenal series with a bang.

All the questions garnered from the previous novels are answered in Mockingjay, and once again readers get to dive deep into Katniss' mind as she tries to put an end to The Captiol's corrupt ways. I love how no matter how far-fetched the ideas in The Hunger Games novels seem to be, they're plausible. We could be the characters in the novel a few years from now. It gives us a little taste of what we could be in a few years if we give into our selfishness and greed. It's terrifying, but it makes the series all the more important. The Hunger Games series is truly dystopian fiction at its finest.

In all honesty, I could not imagine the series ending in a better way. There's a little bit of loss and a little bit of joy, but the distinction between the two is blurred so readers end up with a thrilling, unforgettable ride of a novel. Words escaped me as I finally finished the conclusion to a series that had my heart doing calisthenics- one minute pounding from suspense, and a second later sighing with euphoria... It's a heart-attack, really, but in the best possible way.

Teaser Tuesdays (20)

2010-09-21T18:05:00.000+08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

"He's amazing and kind and I-

I'm a monster who can kill with my thoughts.

That's not what someone like him looked for in a girl."

- Minder by Kate Kaynak, p.70

I received this one for review a couple of weeks ago, and I finally got the chance to pick it up and get started on it last night. Pleasantly surprising! I had a feeling it'd be something I'd like, as I love YA paranormal and it sort of gave me an X-Men-like vibe, but it's even more engaging than I thought. I really love the pacing. I'll post a review soon.

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2010-09-20T21:26:00.000+08:00

Title: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: September 1st, 2009
Pages: 391

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Plot: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Katniss Everdeen manages to make it out of the arena alive with her fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta Mellark. But The Capitol doesn't view their survival as something good- they see it as a form of rebellion. With rumors of rebellions flying around, The Capitol is enraged with Katniss, and it will do anything in its power to have her pay.

The second installment in The Hunger Games series, Catching Fire is a stellar follow-up to the first book in the series. No, it's even better than The Hunger Games. Everything readers loved about the prequel- the storyline, the action, the writing, the romance- is amplified exponentially in Catching Fire. Its predecesor is hard to match up to, but Collins outdoes herself and kicks things up a notch in this novel.

The plot is more intricately weaved, and the twists, turns and secrets revealed in the first novel are intertwined with new ones brought up in this second novel. Fast-paced, thrilling, and delicious, Collins creates a masterful world in a novel that is on a league of its own. I love that in touches on romance and emotion a little more than the first novel did. While Catching Fire stays true to its dystopian roots, it brings on a whole new level of emotional complexity. For instance, Gale is more visible in the story, and readers get to see him interact with Katniss more, but at the same time see Katniss with Peeta, too. I found myself walking miles in her shoes as I turned the pages, not only faced with the danger of being hunted down by The Capitol, but also torn between the two boys who mean the world to me. I could not put the book down!

The character development shown in the first novel is also built upon. A deeper, more vulnerable side of Katniss is shown in the novel, and more facets of other characters' personalities are shown as well. Readers get to see Peeta's strength, and even Gale's tenderness. This follow-up adds more dimension to each character, and adds a couple more remarkable personalities to the ensemble.

Collins seems to grow as a writer with each book she releases, and if the excellence she displays in Catching Fire is any indication of what she has in store for her readers in Mockingjay, then her next novel is bound to be of epic proportions. I absolutely cannot wait to read it.

Masterful in its creativity and powerful in its effect, Catching Fire is the ideal follow-up novel. It's just as excellent, if not even better than its prequel, and it satisfies the readers' appetites for the series but leaves them wanting more for the next novel. I could not put this novel down, and I guarantee that you won't be able to, either. You'll be glued to it 'til the very end, and even then you'll be craving more of this riveting, brilliantly-plotted series.

Daily Dose Monday (21)

2010-09-20T11:00:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.

Review: Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala

2010-09-17T17:38:00.000+08:00

Title: Tell Me a Secret

Author: Holly Cupala

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: June 22nd, 2010

Pages: 256

Tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one…

In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.

Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.

Plot: 4/5
Creativity: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Impact: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

What do you do when life as you know it begins to fall apart? Not a lot of people are faced with this question, but what happens to those that are? In Rand's case, she looks at the past of her now-deceased but ever enigmatic sister, Xanda.

Rand was always the good girl. With a hurricane Xanda, gutsy and willing to do anything, as a sister, she was always the one her parents saw as the easy child. She watched her sister come together and fall apart repeatedly as she gave into her wild, impulsive ways, and ultimately witnessed Xanda drift further into her own mind and further away from their family. When Xanda disappears, Rand's parents try to make everything normal again, to erase any evidence of their painful past. But when she ends up pregnant five years after her sister's demise, Rand finds herself treading a similar path to Xanda's. Forced to look to the only person she ever trusted, Rand goes back to her memories of Xanda, and discovers things she never knew about her sister, and about herself.

A raw and emotional story of family, sisterhood, and self-discovery, Tell Me A Secret is a gripping story and an astounding debut. Holly Cupala's writing is wonderful, and the way she translates Rand's heartache into paper is simply stunning. Lyrical. Poetic.

Rand is an excellent protagonist. She's not perfect, in fact she's so real, but that's what makes her anguish resonate even more to readers. I have never experienced anything like what she goes through in the novel, yet I could completely identify with her. The characterization of the secondary characters is also excellent. Readers get to know Delaney, the best friend; Kamran, the boyfriend; Rand's parents; even Xanda. She's not alive when the story takes place, but readers get to know her just as well as they do other characters. It's not an easy task, but clearly Cupala has the chops to pull it off.

An important story that blurs that pushes the limits of holding on and letting go, Tell Me a Secret is a definite must-read. It started off okay for me, but it's a novel that grows more powerful as the story progresses, and like Deb Caletti in her review for it, I dare you to put it down in its last hundred pages, too. Impossible, I tell you. Impossible.

Follow Friday (10)

2010-09-17T14:16:00.000+08:00

Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
Follow our Featured Bloggers - www.onceuponachapter.com
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Happy BBAW, everyone! As this is the week we can all show our love and appreciation to all the bloggers out there, Jenn over at Crazy for Books asked us to talk about our favorite bloggers as part of this week's blog hop question. This isn't exactly easy for me, because, well, I have so many!

Of course there are the standards. I love The Story Siren, The Undercover Book Lover, and The Bookologist. Those blogs are phenomenal, and I consider them three of the most influential blogs I know. They're the ones that inspired me to start a blog of my own! And they seem super sweet- I talk to Mavie of The Bookologist semi-regularly, and she's one of my closest blogger friends. The Hiding Spot is another great blog I visit all the time. Sara writes the greatest reviews and the most interesting author interviews.

Then there's Along for the Ride, Moonlight Book Reviews, Fragments of Life, and Fantasy4Eva. Sara, Erika, Precious and Aly all write wonderful reviews and constantly update their blogs with really interesting content, and I love them all. We all sort of started blogging at the same time, and I love them all so much. I never miss a post from any one of these blogs, and I mean NEVER.

Some authors also have brilliant blogs. My personal favorites are Mindi Scott's and Susane Colasanti's. Both Susane and Mindi update their blogs regularly, with thought-provoking, substantial posts. I'm always looking out for their latest entries!

I have so many more that I read religiously, so many more that I can't mention them all, but those are just a few of the blogs that I stalk. Visit them all and see how wonderful they all are!

Love a blog that you think I'll love, too? Leave a comment with your BBH post, so I can check out your favorites, too! Have a lovely weekend!

Waiting on Wednesday (20)

2010-09-15T11:00:00.000+08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where you can post about upcoming releases you're looking forward to.

The Fortune of Carmen Navarro

by Jen Bryant

November 9th, 2010

Carmen Navarro rings up customers at the Quikmart, bored to tears. It’s a job, and she needs it. But Carmen’s true love is music: she dropped out of high school to sing with the Gypsy Lovers and land a recording contract, someday.

Just a few miles away, Ryan Sweeney hunches over his books, a studious cadet with his eye on West Point. There’s not a single girl at the Valley Forge Military Academy, and that’s fine by him.

But when Ryan, on a day pass from campus, spots Carmen, with her shining black hair and snake tattoo, his pulse quickens. Carmen, who normally rolls her eyes at the stiff Academy soldados, can tell this one is different. She slips him a note: “Come hear my band.” A romance begins, unlikely, passionate . . . and quickly imbalanced. In an enthralling narrative of obsessive love, the novel builds to a stunning close.

Music plays a huge part in my everyday life, just as big a part as books, actually, so I have a soft spot for novels that have evident musical undertones. The musical aspect intertwined with the promising love story make the novel sound so interesting, I'm just dying to read it. The cover's really pretty, too- I'm digging the smoke effect!

Daily Dose Monday (20)

2010-09-13T11:00:00.000+08:00

Daily Dose Monday is a meme hosted by Holly at Good Golly, Miss Holly where you can post magical images you found that you'd like to share with your readers.