Rock On: by Denise Vega 

296 Pages (Hardcover)

LBBYR

March 5, 2012

Source: Publisher

Format: Hardcover

Ori Taylor is the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the Band To Be Named Later, a garage band he started with his friends. After years of being known only as the kid brother of sports star Del, Ori is looking forward to stepping out of his older brother's shadow, learning to perform in public, and rocking the Battle of the Bands contest. Oh, and maybe finally working up the nerve to talk to a girl in person instead of just over e-mail. But when Del suddenly returns from college, he expects Ori to step back into his role of little brother, just when Ori is starting to come into his own.

With his confidence wavering, will Ori be able to overcome his stage fright and lead the band to rock glory? Will the Band To Be Named Later ever get a real name? Will their best performances remain in the garage?

Denise Vega's deft exploration of brothers, bands, friends, and crushes promises to have readers tuning in page after page, because among all the ups and downs of being a teen, one thing's for sure: We all just want to rock on.

What comes off as a story of a high school band is really much more. It is a story of brothers trying to make their own names for themselves while struggling to stay friends. This book was sweet, definitely, and fun how it tried to be unique, but somethings I wish the author left out.


This book is narrated by the lead guitarist, Ori Taylor, which was nice. But in between some chapters there would be pages that would be as if the reader was looking at the band's blog. That was cool and different at first, but for me it kind of got annoying. The pages of comments just went off on little tangents, which I guess happens sometimes on the internet, but I didn't want to read a blog - I wanted to read the book. The comment fights were really unnecessary. Some of the comments were fun, because they became involved in the story as well, but the others (like the "bad" commenters, vs. the "good" commenters) got old fast. However, I did enjoy the pages that were like newspaper articles. I appreciated how the book was "stepping out of the box" so to say.


If I was to say "this book is about...." I'd say "brothers". Yes, there is a band, there is romance, there are friends, but the story of brothers is really the most essential plot point. Ori used to be best friends with his brother, but all of sudden it is like he is a different person. He is struggling to get along with him, heck, he's struggling just to be near him. This, lets call it the "hate your sibling stage",  is very common (I may be going through that right now...) so it's sometimes nice to read that type of happy ending.


Over all, it was not the story I was expecting, but it was very sweet.

Goodreads / Author Website / 

In My Mailbox (36)

In My Mailbox is a meme started by Kristi at The Story Siren. This meme is a place where people can learn about great books that they might not have known about, or to freak out over books they can't wait to get! I haven't done an IMM for a few weeks, so here are all the books I got!

* Book covers are links to Goodreads

For Review

~ Lucid by Adrienne Stolz and Ron Bass (ARC)

~Origin by Jessica Khoury (ARC)

~ Wrecked by Anna Davies (ARC)

Thanks so much to Big Honcho Media and Razorbill for my goodies this week. Look out for reviews, coming soon! 

Heidi Ayarbe Guest Post and Giveaway

I was given three interesting choices to write about for this guest post:

1.) Person(s)/Place(s)/Thing(s) that do(es) not get enough credit/attention.

2.) Memories that shaped you

3.) Risks You took and risks you should have taken

The first was the one that I knew, right away, I’d have to write about. I live in Pereira, Colombia in South America. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Colombia? I’m probably not too far off the mark if you thought of one of the following: drug cartels, Pablo Escobar, cocaine, mules, danger … and some might of thought about coffee or Shakira.

Every time my husband, who is Colombian, and I travel, we get the typical joke, “Oh, you’re Colombian. How’s the powder?” It’s pretty common to see someone rub their nose and make an obnoxious sniffing noise.  With so much misinformation about Colombia and how horrifically it’s portrayed in the media, I want to tell you about my home – Colombia.

Technically we traveled a lot and lived all over the world, but truth be told, I arrived to Colombia 15 years ago in January. What were the odds I'd STILL be here? (My work contract was only for two years. Boy have I milked that sucker!)

Upon reflection, there are two things that have cracked my world open and really, REALLY, formed my life.

1. Moving to Colombia when I was 23
2. Becoming a mother

I know. What about love and marriage and college and travel and being an aunt and GETTING TO BE AN AUTHOR (which, I must say is like icing and strawberries and cherries on the cake) and all that stuff? Absolutely those are milestones, but the two things that have most profoundly impacted my life (thus far) are stated above. So today, I'm going to take a little moment to tip my hat to Colombia, the gifts it’s given me, and the things I've learned since I immigrated here! (Yep, I'm an immigrant.)

Lessons from Colombia (a hodgepodge of tidbits ...)
1. Family doesn't necessarily mean you share the same DNA strand. Family comes from the heart.
2. The friend of the postman of the cousin of the sister of your boyfriend will always be welcome at a party!
3. Now doesn't mean now. Tomorrow doesn't mean tomorrow. There's really no rhyme or reason so just go with it and stop trying to figure out Colombian time.
4. Traffic lights are merely suggestions ... as with most traffic signs. 
5. Work hard to live. Living doesn't mean things and possessions but friends, music, family, smiles, unforgettable moments.
6. It's not really wise to smile and wave at those guys who shout out, "Hey Monita!" Unless you want stalkers.
7. Every taxi driver in Colombia has an uncle in New Jersey.
8. Music is part of everything.
9. I will NEVER walk like a Colombian woman. *sigh*
10. There's no such thing as too-tight-jeans in Colombia.
11. There's always time for a friend.
12. "Impossible" doesn't exist here.
13. Everybody talks at the same time -- about different things -- and as confusing as this may seem, it's like watching chaos take form and it all makes sense ... sometimes.
14. There's never too small a reason to have a party. (Once some friends of ours had a big party to celebrate a little gazebo they built at their farm.) ;-)
15. Happiness is a choice ... Colombians choose happiness every day.
16. I've lived, and continue to live, a life a privilege. From this privilege comes a social responsibility to make my community better by sharing and giving the best of me.
17. Dancing is imperative ... or else you will have NO SOCIAL LIFE. (Yep, I know how to salsa!!)
18. There's more plastic here in a square kilometer than at an International Tupperware Convention ... these boobs don't sag!
19. Motels aren't for sleep.
20. "The heart's memory eliminates the bad and magnifies the good." (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

Colombia is far from perfect. The social differences are staggering. Racism and classism are omnipresent. No society is perfect, and I've had the privilege to learn and continue to take the best of Colombia I can. It has made me, I believe, a better person: more tolerant, more aware, more appreciate of the United States as well as aware of the flaws of my country.  Colombia is my home.
Colombia, I love you. I'm grateful for all you've given me. I'm grateful that you've accepted me, my funny ways, and the accent that just won't go away. Every day I learn from you.

*   *   *

About the Book 

Balzer + Bray

May 1, 2012

A one-word text message: That's all Michal "Mike" Garcia needs to gather a crowd. Mike is a seventeen-year-old bookie, and Sanctuary is where she takes bets for anyone at Carson High with enough cash. Her only rule: Never participate, never place a bet for herself.

Then Josh Ellison moves to town. He pushes Mike to live her life, to feel a rush of something -- play the game, he urgest, stop being a spectator.

So Mike breaks her one rule. She places a bet, feels the rush.
And loses.

In an act of desperation, she and Josh -- who has a sordid past of his own -- concoct a plan: The pair will steal from Carson City's elite to pay back Mike's debt. Then they'll give the rest of their haul to those who need it most. How can burglary be wrong if they are making things right?

WANTED will thrust readers into the gritty underbelly of Carson City, where worth is determined by a score, power is derived from threat, and the greatest feat is surviving it all

Goodreads /  Author Blog / Author Website 

Giveaway Time! 

Prize: 

One person will win a cool prize pack filled with Colombian coffee, swag and other surprises!

Rules:

• Must be 13 years or older to enter 
• US/Canada Only
• Comments are appreciated, but the form must be filled out to be entered
• Prizes will not be shipping until July (when the author is back in the states)
• Giveaway ends May 4, 2012 at Midnight EST

What She Left Behind Blog Tour

Sara, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear these words?

1.) Banana: orange

2.) Candle: scary

3.) Library: picture window

4.) Giant: Tarzan

5.) Alabama: Sweet Home

6.) Mali: hot 

7.) Green: Matt’s toothbrush

8.) Ginger: Gilligan’s Island

9.) Lime: soda

10.) Socks: suitcase

*   *   *

About the Book 

In this suspenseful thriller, Sara and her mother are going to secretly escape her abusive father—when her mother mysteriously disappears.Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it.     With each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both.

Goodreads /  Author Website 

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

In Honor by Jessi Kirby
240 Pages (Hardcover)
Simon & Schuster
May 8, 2012
Source: ARC Tour
Format: ARC


A devastating loss leads to an unexpected road trip in this novel from the author of Moonglass, whose voice Sarah Dessen says “is fresh and wise, all at once.”

Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it.

Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

    I'll apologize in advance, because while I read this book and really enjoyed it, I read it back in January and should have written this review while it was still on my mind. But I will try my best to remember everything I liked!

    Road Trip books are becoming increasingly popular, and with that popularity arises the difficulty for a novel to stand out from the crowd. In Honor by Jessi Kirby definitely does. Honor's journey is not sparked from teenage rebellion, or lack of adventure, but rather from horrible loss. When her brother, Finn, dies in the military, Honor's world is destroyed. In the mist of her grief she receives a letter from her brother sent just before he passed. Honor makes it her mission to complete his final request, no matter how ridiculous and impossible it may seem. When Rusty, Finn's obnoxious best friend intercepts Honor's leave, they end up on the journey together.

    Since I read Moonglass last year, I have fallen in love with Jessi Kirby's writing style. It is very simplistic yet it covers deeply emotional topics and creates great reader-charachter bonds. By simplistic I mean the atmosphere she creates is very fresh and natural feeling, something that is hard to describe. In addition, I felt for all of her characters, I really cared about what was going to happen next and how the story would end up.

    I have this image in my mind of a beautiful beach, a beach that I've never visited - a beach that Moonglass left me with. With In Honor I am left with another image. A girl on a rock in the mountains: peace, serenity. I am sharing this because I feel that these images are able to translate how beautiful and intriguing Kirby's stories are better than my words have been. I'll admit, I don't remember everything that happened, but those two images have stayed with me since the moment I read them. That is showing something very powerful in her writing. I'd definitely recommend her works to contemporary lovers, or someone who is looking for an great, meaningful read.

The Book Reporter: Take a Bow with your Favorite Characters!

Welcome to The Book Reporter's inaugural interview! Today I will be getting the scoop from four of the most talked about students at New York City's High School of Creative and Preforming Arts. Do normal girls have a chance with the famous Carter Harrison? Plus, who do they think will come up on top in the Hunger Games? Find out that and more in our exclusive interview! 
*BR= Book Reporter 


BR: Would you all please introduce yourself using one animal that best describes you? We ask this question to everyone, we feel it really breaks the ice.


Sophie: I’d definitely be a singing bird, like the mockingbird.
Ethan: Funny, I would think you’re more of a bulldog.
Sophie: I am NOT a dog. What kind of animal do you think you are?
Ethan: If we’re talking birds, definitely the dodo.
Sophie: That’s the understatement of the year.
Emme: Guys, please don’t… Can we just move on to the next question?
Carter: Good idea.


BR: So you guys are not new faces. We all know Carter, and I imagine big things coming for Ethan and Emme with your band. And Sophie.... Actually, I'm not really sure why you're here. Who are you again?


Emme: Sophie’s the most amazing singer. My songs would be nothing without her voice. I just know that she’s going to breakout this year.
Sophie: Thanks Em.
Ethan groans


BR: An anonymous source recently said that if you four were pitted against each other in the Hunger Games, Sophie would come up on top. Do you agree with that?


Sophie: Really? Someone said that?
Ethan: I’d heartily agree with that.
Sophie (surprised): You do?
Ethan: Oh yeah. A game where you have to stab someone in the back? You’d totally be the winner.
Emme: Ethan!
Carter: It’s funny because with all the competition we face at school, CPA can be a lot like the Hunger Games…without all the bloodshed.
Ethan: So true.


BR: So Carter.... Can I get an autograph? I grew up watching the Kavalier Kids!  *sings theme song* Also, I promised I'd ask... are you single? Do normal teenage girls have a chance with you?


Sophie: He certainly isn’t single.
Carter: You’re very kind. And Sophie’s right, I’m very much taken. Even though I had a very different upbringing, I’m just a normal teenager. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to go to the NYC School of the Creative and Performing Arts. It’s been an amazing experience getting to finally go to a regular high school. Well, maybe “regular” isn’t the right word to describe CPA, but it’s better than being tutored on set.


BR: I've been told I don't really get a lot of information with my interviews and that in order to keep my job I have to ask at least one serious question.... I probably shouldn't have said that... but anyway.... What are you guys most looking forward to senior year? What are your goals?


Sophie: The Senior Showcase.
Ethan: Having one more year with the band.
Emme: Yeah, I’m going to miss playing with the band. I also can’t stop thinking about all the college auditions, especially Juilliard.
Ethan: You’re going to nail it.
Emme: I get sick to my stomach even thinking about it.
Carter: I have no idea what to expect this year. I’m not really thinking about the Showcase or the different plays, I think that this is the year that I need to focus more on myself and not “Carter Harrison,” the actor.
Sophie: What does that mean?
Carter: I don’t know, but I’m looking forward to finding out.


BR: Quick! Say "bye" in as many languages as you know.


Sophie: Bye! TTYL!
Ethan: Aloha!
Emme: Adios!
Carter: Auf Widersehen, Arrivederci, Au Revoir, Zai Jian, Adeus, Yasou… I did a lot of foreign press as a kid.
Sophie: Show off.


BR: Well, this certainly has been fictastic! 

*   *   *

This is definitely my favorite interview I have ever conducted. I made up "The Book Reporter" for this interview, but I might just bring her back sometime - you never know! Be sure to checkout my other posts for this month's standalone spotlight HERE (scroll down). 

*   *   *

About the Book

EMME has long lived in her best friend Sophie's shadow. She writes songs, and Sophie sings them. It's always been like this, and feels like it always will be.


SOPHIE will stop at nothing to be a star. Even if it means using her best friend and picking up a trophy boyfriend, Carter.


CARTER is a victim of a particular Hollywood curse: He's a former child star. Now all he wants is a normal life. But being normal is about as hard for him as being famous.


ETHAN has his own issues -- a darkness in his head that he just can't shake. He's managed to sabotage every relationship he's even been in. Emme's the only girl he's ever really respected... but he's not sure what to do about that.


Emme, Sophie, Carter, and Ethan are all students at a performing arts high school, where talent is the normal and fame is the goal. But sometimes, being in the spotlight isn't as important as the people you're sharing it with -- as the four of them are going to find out in Take a Bow, which is about the auditions life puts us through every day, both big and small.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth
487 Pages (Hardcover)
Katherine Tegan Books
May 3, 2011
Source: Bought
Format: Hardcover

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

    I warn you now, this review will be mostly fan-girling and deep expressions of love... not much "reviewing" going on here. In case that was not clear enough - I LOVED (italics and caps!) this book! It took me forever to get around to it, but I finally did and it is definitely one of the best debuts, if not book in general, that I have read for a while. The world was completely consuming; the characters and plot were all there, but the world is really what kept me reading.

   In a futuristic Chicago, teenagers have to face a Choosing Ceremony where they decided which of the five factions they will live out the rest of their lives in. They can choose Abnegation (the selfless), Erudite (the intelligent), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the truthful) or Dauntless (the brave). But if they chose to leave the faction that they were raised in, they leave their families for good. Beatrice starts to see that choosing isn't the hardest part, and nothing is as simple as it seems.

   So yeah, I know, really lame plot summary. I was trying to describe the world while being vague to the plot as to not spoil, so if my summary doesn't do it for you, I'd recommend reading the publisher's summary above. All I can say is that the storyline does not disappoint. It will appeal to action lovers, dystopian lovers, romance lovers and people who just like to be taken for an amazing ride. I hate to describe books this way, I really do, but the closest book this reminds me of is The Hunger Games. It has nothing to do with the plot or the writing, the books do not really line up, but they are comparable in the "epic-ness". Divergent is definitely epic. If you haven't read it, do not waste another moment. Seriously, put down what you are reading and start this.... now.

    One more thing: AMITY ALL THE WAY! I seem to be the unpopular opinion when it comes to factions, but I really don't see why. Amity is the the place to be.

   

Dark Eyes by William Richter

Dark Eyes by William Richter
383 Pages (Hardcover)
Razorbill 
March 15, 2012
Source: Librarything
Format: ARC

Get ready for the vigilante girl detective of the next generation.

Wally was adopted from a Russian orphanage as a child and grew up in a wealthy New York City family. At fifteen, her obsessive need to rebel led her to life on the streets.

Now the sixteen-year-old is beautiful and hardened, and shes just stumbled across the possibility of discovering who she really is. She’ll stop at nothing to find her birth mother before Klesko—her darkeyed father—finds her. Because Klesko will stop at nothing to reclaim the fortune Wally’s mother stole from him long ago. Even if that means murdering his own blood. But Wallys had her own killer training, and she's hungry for justice.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for teens, this debut thriller introduces our next big series heroine!

    I am very confused by why this book has not gotten more attention, because it definitely deserves it. The action never lets up for a second, the plot spreads its tendrils until points overlap and intersect and become this huge mess of chaos that somehow the characters are able to untangle. Some people tell me that is what one would call a "mystery/thriller" plot, and I can't speak for adult, but for YA, Dark Eyes really is something different.

    I don't even know where to begin with plot, so  I will just say there is a ton of action, twists, mystery and suspense.  I know that is vague, but there is no other YA I can compare it to, at least not that I've read. It really did kind of blow my mind.

    The author of the novel is a Hollywood screenwriter, and that definitely comes off in his style. The description is well detailed and specific so that I really was seeing the action in my head as a movie. It is a third person narrative and skips around to feature different characters. There is a definite main character and story line, but it shows other things happening at the same time, much like some movies do. I don't know if it was because of that, or what, but I seriously could not put this book down once I got to the real meat of the plot.

    Just read it, please, so I can stop struggling to explain how I feel about it. I loved it! I've done my best to be descriptive, but I am falling short when it comes to describing how much or why. I am excited for a sequel, but I don't think it is needed. I will definitely read it though, and I hope it lives up to Dark Eyes.

   

Shine (Shade #3) by Jeri Smith-Ready

Shine (Shade #3) by Jeri Smith-Ready

416 Pages (Hardcover)
SimonPulse
May 1, 2012
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC 

In this dramatic conclusion to the Shade trilogy, Aura and Zachary’s relationship sizzles as the secrets of the Shift are revealed.

Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.

As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.

Skjdfadjgasdngjlskjfjsdakjl! There, I got it out of my system. Now I can go into this review with a (semi) level head.... I love these books, so naturally I was both excited and sad to start the last of the trilogy. Holy WOW did the author do a fantastic job!

I'm not going to say anything about plot, because it would be very easy to spoil. I can tell you though, you will not be disappointed. I was not really prepared for how quickly the action takes off and how intensely your emotions will be tested and played with. I liked it, definitely, but as a warning - huge things happen within the first couple of pages. I don't want to say that this book takes off where the other left off, but rather that it goes right into the action.

Another thing to mention is that there are quite a few intimate scenes in the novel. I am not opposed to this, I just find it fair to point out that things do get a bit graphic. I make note of this just because readers may not be expecting it (I sure wasn't) because throughout the first two Aura always stopped things for one reason or another. I assumed that Shine would be no different. I assumed wrong.

I really do not have any criticism with this novel. At first I was a bit annoyed that Aura figured things out so quickly when those connections would have never been made in my brain. Once I decided that she was just talented, I could not find a single thing that I didn't like.

This installment quickly catapulted the series even higher on my favorites list because of how well the story wraps itself up. I mean that ending - perfect! I don't think I've ever been so happy with the conclusion of a series. As odd as it is, I really hope that the world is never revisited (with spinoffs); Aura's story is started in Shade and ended in Shine- it is perfectly completed.

This review has been less of a review and more of a fan-girling opportunity, but I hope you get the picture. If you've read the first two, I recommend you run (don't walk) to get your copy on May first. If you haven't read the series, you are being a bad cookie reading this review! (But you should definitely pick up Shade).

*Throws Confetti* 

Shade Review / Shift Review / Goodreads / Author Website /  

Interview with Elizabeth Eulberg

Let me preface this interview by saying two things. Firstly, I am spotlighting Elizabeth's latest, Take a Bow, for all of April, and if you haven't read it (or any of Elizabeth's novels)... you should really get on that. Second, Elizabeth is one of the nicest and funniest people ever and I really hope you all get a chance to meet her at some point! But you might want to come prepared with baked goods or your first impression will be unmemorable (but more on that later... around question #7). See my review of Take a Bow. 

*   *   *

1.) Firstly, please describe Take a Bow using two classic karaoke songs.
Oh! *thinks hard* I have to go with “Fame” by Irene Cara from the movie since it fits so well and “Take a Bow” by Rihanna.

2.) Take a Bow features a few songs that the characters write. When you
wrote those scenes and the lyrics, did you have music to them in your head?
Dreams of preforming them on stage? (hee hee)
I do know the music. At first I was toying with recording it, but I like having the readers come up with it on their own. But you never know… (Consider that as the threat it is.)

3.) Now that your third (!) book is out in the wild, have you found that
there has been a change in you process (from initial idea to publication)
since your first, The Lonely Hearts Club?
I still can’t get over the fact that I have three books out – how did that happen? My process has changed a lot. The biggest is that I now know what works for me best for my writing process so I’m able to write a lot faster with fewer missteps (having deadlines help as well). But I still get as excited with each milestone with the first book as I did with this one and the book I’m working on now. I don’t think I’ll ever not get excited when I see my new book in a store for the first time.

4.) My the odds be ever in your favor! Emme, Ethan, Sophie and Carter are
all selected as tributes for this year's Hunger Games. Who would you place
your bet on?
Oh, totally Sophie. She has the biggest drive out of all of them. Unfortunately Emme would probably be the first to go. She’d trust the wrong person.

5.) What YA book are you currently obsessed with? I think we'll all forgive
you if you cannot narrow it down to just one.
I love, love, LOVE Terra Elan McVoy’s Being Friends with Boy (May). Take a Bow is it’s fraternal twin. Her book also has music, a band, a strong female, and complications by being friends…with boys!

6.) A scientist in Switzerland (since Switzerland seems to be the place
to insert nowadays) just made a groundbreaking discovery that will change
the world! His new machine allows individuals infected with YA
bibliomania (must show signs of book hoarding, excessive conversations
about books, host conversations with characters in one's head, and insomnia
due to fifty pages left to read) to insert one's self into one fictional
world (sadly, the book must be sacrificed in this exchange) for a day. Only
catch - if you die there.... you're not coming out. So, where would you
go?
Gah! This is hard! And I hate to make this book extinct, but I’m going to say Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The chances of me dying there are low (as long as I don’t catch a cold!), but it would be nice to experience a very different time…when men were gentlemen. *snaps fingers*

7.) Have you had any fan encounters that have made you smile? (Other than
that really awesome one who makes you all the cookies).
YES! When you made me yummy cookies!!!! I honestly am shocked that anybody comes out to meet me! So I’m always smiling at my events, it’s so cool being an author and getting to meet the people who like your books. What’s better than that? NOTHING.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa & Giveaway

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa
485 Pages (Hardcover)
Harlequin Teen
April 24, 2012
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

    I feel weird saying that this novel is a different kind of "vampire book", since this story really gets back to the roots of the mythology, but compared to the current Twilight and Vampire Dairies-esqe worlds, The Immortal Rules is a whole different breed. The story is dark, bloody and fantastic!

    The novel takes place in a dystopian future where the world is carved out by vampire cities, complete desolation and danger spanning between the cities. Vampires rule and humans are nothing but cattle and pets. Allison is unregistered, she refuses to give up her blood. Because of that, she is forced to live as a scavenger, always on the brink of starvation and always on the lookout for danger. But when really faced with death, she choses to live as the creature she hates. She thought holding onto her humanity would be a struggle, but she never imagined how difficult it would be and how different she would see the world.

    This was the first I've read of Kagawa's writing (that will soon be changing) and I was definitely impressed. When Allie becomes a vampire, dude, she is a vampire. She thirsts for blood, survival never strays from her mind, and holding on to the dwindling threads of her morality is a constant struggle. Yes, I'll admit, I do love my sparkly friends, but I respected and enjoyed how Kagawa's version of the vampires went back to the actual legends.

    In dystopian novels, there is always the "light", whatever it may be, that keeps the characters living and hoping. The light in The Immortal Rules was religious for some of the characters, but for Allie, it really was the love of humanity. I mention this because I feel it is important to note that while there is romance, the novel is definitely not about romance. After all, romance in the character's situation would be virtually impossible, and they know that, the situation does not morph to fit some unrealistic love-story. This novel is ridiculously dark, but throughout the whole story there is that faint light, a great push to get to whatever it is the characters strive for, that light kept me reading.

    There are so many things I left out of this review, mostly because I want to shy away from spoilers, but also because if I touched on all the things I loved, all the things that made me cringe, and all the things that made my heart speed up, this review would almost be as long as the novel. I would definitely recommend this novel to dystopian lovers. Notice how I didn't say "vampire lovers". If you've hated other "vampire books" I would still recommend you try this one.

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Giveaway

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This or That with Brigitta from The Summer of No Regrets

This or That?

With Brigitta from The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond 

1.) Domestic or International? International. She’d love to go to a foreign country, but her parents have been too busy building a retreat center out of pop cans and tires.
2.) Cash or Credit Card? Cash. Debt is horrible. She agrees with her parents on that.
3.) East Coast or West Coast? West. But she might change her mind if she got to the East Coast.
4.) Fairies or Sprites? Fairies. But she’d rather not admit it, because her mom talks to them.
5.) Pink or Purple? Purple. Just ‘cuz.
6.) Pencil or Pen? Pen. Gel pens, especially.
7.) Casual or Formal? Casual.
8.) Coffee or Tea? Tea. Just regular tea. That tastes good. Not her mom’s herbal concoctions.
9.) Otters or Pigglets? Otters. They’re so happy.
10.) Summer or Winter? SUMMER!!!

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About the Book

The day Brigitta accidentally flings herself into the lap of a guy she's never met, her friend Natalie is convinced he's Trent Yves, egotistical heartthrob-in-hiding. When the boy, who calls himself Luke, is nearly eaten by a cougar, Brigitta finds herself saving his life, being swept into his spectacular embrace and wondering if she wants Natalie's fantasy to be true.

As the two spend the summer together raising orphaned cougar cubs, Brigitta still can't be sure of his true identity. But then again, since her grandparents' death, her father's sudden urge to give away all their possessions and become a shaman, and her own awkward transition from girlhood into a young woman, she isn't sure of anything. What is the truth? More importantly, can she accept it?

Goodreads /  Author Website / Author Blog 

Susan Carlton: Reading Books for the First Time (Again)

10 Ten Books I wish I could read for the first time (again)…

In no particular order…

--Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr. How to not to be haunted by something you wish you hadn’t done—really, really stayed with me.


--The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. Love the kick-assness of Frankie and the subtext of insubordination for the greater good.


--Tales of the City by Armistaud Maupin. A whole series—eight books in all—that are one giant love letter to San Francisco, my hometown and the setting of Love & Haight. The first is my fave…


--Looking for Alaska by John Green. That whole notion of the “Great Perhaps”—brilliant.


--The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. Set, like my book in the swinging 1970s…and written in first-person plural. The first sentence starts: “On the morning the last Lisbon daughter took her turn at suicide…” How can you not read on?


--Sex and the City (the original) by Candace Bushnell. If you’ve only watched the series on HBO or in endless late-night repeat, you are missing out. The book, a collection of pithy columns first published in the New York Observer, is funnier and sharper than the show. And full disclosure: Candace and I worked together moons ago and she gave me a fantabulous blurb for Love & Haight.


--The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. “We accept the love we think we deserve.” The first time I read that line….Wow.


--Go Ask Alice by Anonymous. This book came out the year my novel is set—1971. It’s the anonymous diary of a drug user and I remember passing it around in junior high. Who knows if it’s actually true—we read it compulsively.


--Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Harriet is fierce and my favorite childhood character. I wanted to be Harriet M. Welch.


--Forever by Judy Blume. So honest about sex—starting on page 89.

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About the Author

Susan Carlton was born in San Francisco, although (regrettably) she did not come of age in the hippie era. The author of the teen novel Lobsterland and a writer for magazines, including Self, Elle, and Mademoiselle, she currently lives in Massachusetts with her husband. Her college-aged daughters know all the lyrics to Baba O'Riley.

About the Book

It’s 1971, and seventeen-year-old Chloe and her best friend MJ head to San Francisco to ring in the New Year. But Chloe has an ulterior motive—and a secret. She’s pregnant and has devised a plan not to be. In San Francisco’s flower-power heyday, it was (just about) legal to end her pregnancy.

But as soon as the girls cross the Golden Gate, the scheme starts to unravel amid the bellbottoms, love-beads, and bongs. Chloe’s secrets escalate until she betrays everyone she cares about. MJ, who has grave doubts about Chloe’s plan. Her groovy aunt Kiki, who’s offered the girls a place to crash. Her self-absorbed mother meditating back in Phoenix. And maybe, especially, the boy she wishes she’d waited for.

Goodreads / Author Website

In My Mailbox (35)

In My Mailbox is a meme started by Kristi at The Story Siren. This meme is a place where people can learn about great books that they might not have known about, or to freak out over books they can't wait to get! I haven't done an IMM for a few weeks, so here are all the books I got!

For Review

~ Purity by Jackson Pearce

{!!! So excited!}

Won

~ Cold Fury T.M Goeglein (ARC)

{I won an American Express card from a Breathless Reads event and when they sent it to me it came with this}

Bought 

~ Delirium (special edition) by Lauren Oliver

{I have read and LOVED this one. I read it on Netgalley forever ago and never had an actual copy}

~ Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

~ Eve (Eve #1) by Anna Carey

~ Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi 

{I bought all of these books for the Spring Into the Future tour at Books of Wonder in NYC - so fun}

Other Goodies 

I bought this shirt!!! I may have a new obsession, but I have no shame. 

At the signing, Tahereh Mafi gave me this really cool necklace with a book quote on it.