Potter, Percy, And I

Aries Rising

2011-08-05T20:19:00.000-05:00

By: Bonnie Hearn Hill
Series: Star Crossed, book 1
Source: Series sent to me by publisher for review (thanks!)
Pages: 304 pages, paperback
Publishing info: March 2nd 2010 by Running Press Kids
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Aquarius Logan McRae is a high school sophomore in Terra Bella Beach, CA and has been working all semester to impress her teachers in order to get into the summer writing camp she desperately wants to attend. But when this ordinary girl finds an extraordinary book, Fearless Astrology, her life is changed forever. Applying what she’s learned about the zodiac, she lands her own column in the school paper and a date with the hottest guy in school!

But when Logan threatens to catch the members of a secret society called The Gears, who have been vandalizing school property by reading the stars, she quickly learns that she is in over her head. Will Logan be able to catch The Gears, save her love life, keep her newspaper column, and get into the writing camp of her dreams all through the use of astrology?

Okay, I know that this review is very late. I read this book months ago, I just never wrote the review. I felt bad. The book was not as good as I had been hoping.
I went into this book thinking it wouldn't be much more than a cute, fun little comedy novel. And it was, to some extent. Or at least, that's what it should have been. It was almost as if it was trying not to be that. As if it was trying to be a dramatic romance, full of lies, deception, and secrets. But it just wasn't. And it just didn't work.
In terms of the characters, they were the generic drama queens that a lot of these types of novels have (not all, there are a few gems). But they weren't quite as entertaining to read about as most of general fiction novels. They were definitely all unique, but almost a bit unique. They never (or at least that I can remember) did something that anyone in their right mind would do. They were not likeable at all. And I definitely did not enjoy reading about them. The plot got completely lost in the characters, and a few times I found myself having to remind myself of the storyline, and it was disappointing.
In all, it wasn't a very enjoyable read. I was annoyed at it at some times, I even found myself cringing. I'm sorry.

A Few Books I Didn't Finish and Why

2011-05-22T21:27:00.000-05:00

This list consists of books I really, really wanted to love, even to the point of still giving them shots every now and then, but I just couldn't finish them.

Elixir

By: Hilary Duff

Why I read it: I wanted to read this because of all the positive hype it got.

Why I stopped reading it: I felt like I was reading Twilight all over again. It began by sucking me in, even though I knew that it was a cheesy, 100% unrealistic novel. Just like Twilight. And I would have finished it if it had kept me as hooked. But I got nearly 100 pages in, and the main love interest hadn't even been introduced, just mentioned. And that it was going to slow to allow a real relationship to develop between the characters later on.

Steel

By: Carrie Vaughn

Why I read it and Why I stopped: I had been waiting for this book to be released since at least December. I mean, strong, presumably smart girls who can fight, plus pirates! How can you not be excited for this! But, when I began to read it, I was super let down. Jill was whiny and lazy, almost bratty. I'm sorry, that sounds really harsh. I just can't take it anymore..

Crazy Beautiful
By: Lauren Baratz-Logstead
Why I read it: I love reading fairy-tale retellings, especially of Beauty and the Beast
Why I stopped: So, I read this as an ARC, so who knows. Who knows, maybe they edited it really well after the ARC's came out. I don't know. But at least what I had I didn't like.
I actually read this a few months ago, so I can't really remember it all that well. I just remember feeling like the characters were both boring and two-dimensional, and they were both cranky, bothersome characters. But them again, the final novel may be better

Nightshade

By: Andrea Cremer
Why I read it: All the amazing hype, and I was really into paranormal's right then

Why I stopped: This one might be a surprise for most everyone reading this, and I'm going to try to keep from spoiling a key part of the book. But there was one thing that happened that I just COULD NOT TAKE! It aggravated me so much. I felt cheated. Anyways. I think I might try to pick this one up once more before officially giving it up.

Books for Trade

2011-05-22T09:05:00.000-05:00

I am really hoping to get rid of these pretty soon, so if you have anything that you think I will be interested in, or is on my wishlist, and you need to get rid of it, I'd be happy to trade any of these books for it! My email is balletanne@gmail.com.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants- Anne Brashares (mass market paperback)

Dear John- Nicholas Sparks (mass market paperback/movie picture cover)

The Princess Diaries- Meg Cabot (mass market paperback)

Maximum Ride books #1-3- James Patterson and someone else whos name I do not know but I do know that they are the ones who actually wrote them (Angel Experiment, Schools Out-Forever, Saving the World and Other Dangerous Sports) (Mass Market Paperback, all three are fairly beaten up.)

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X- James Patterson and Michael Ludwig (mass market paperback)

Peak, by Roland Smith (Hardcover)

Elephant Run, by Roland Smith (Paperback)

Wind Warrior, by Cynthia Roberts (This is signed, by it is signed to me) (Paperback)

Code Orange, by Caroline B. Cooney (Mass-Market Paperback)

Princess of Gossip, by Sabrina Bryan and Julia DeVillers (Paperback)

The Guild of Specialists bk. 1: Operation Red Jericho, by Joshua Mowll (Hardcover)

Crazy Beautiful- Lauren Baratz-Logstead (ARC)

Elixir- Hilary Duff (Hardcover)

Paranormalcy- Kirsten White (ARC)

Glimmerglass- Jenna Black (paperback)

Steel- Carrie Vaughn (Hardcover)

I am an official RAKer!

2011-05-11T20:11:00.000-05:00

RULES:

• Sign up each month that you'd like to participate.

• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button :)

• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!

Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

Doesn't it sound so awesome! This is my first month, and I'm getting two books ready to send out already! I'm so excited!
Annnnd... just if your interested, here is my wishlist: http://potterpercyandi.blogspot.com/p/wishlist.html

Cryer's Cross

2011-05-01T20:59:00.001-05:00

By: Lisa McMann
Series: None
Source: Bought
Pages: 233 pages, Hardcover
Publishing info: February 8, 2011 by SimonPulse

This was by far the most demented book I have ever read. Not bad demented, just... demented. But it was one of those demented books that you actually enjoy, besides that fact that it scared the crap out of you.

The best thing about this book was the characters. The development, the character arcs, everything. I have absolutely no complaints about them. They were perfect.
Kendall was a fascinating character. I've never read a book with a main character who has OCD. It was an interesting idea that could have easily gone wrong. But it didn't. It was well integrated into the story, not just a side story, and more importantly, it was entertaining without dominating the whole novel. Her struggles with OCD were something you don't read about in normal YA novels. Usually in YA, you see the issues like that through the eyes of an observer, not the actual one with the issue. And it was just a breath of fresh air to read it from the actual person with the difference.

The writing was just... amazing. The words just flew off the pages, forming the horrifying world of Cryer's Cross. The little touches like the hitching posts and the single restaurant made all the difference. They set the tone of the novel. I'm really glad that those little things weren't skipped over to get to the plot.

Definitely something to read if you are a fan of anything scary. I loved it!

A little bit of advice, please

2011-04-22T14:50:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have gotten a few self-published books for review. One or two of them unsolicited, but the other few were not. The authors had contacted me, and, as the books had sounded really good, I accepted. I began to read those books, but I couldn't finish them. And now I feel bad because the author went through all the trouble of sending me the books, and I never reviewed them because I couldn't finish them. And, like I said, this has happened with two or three books. So what should I do, wonderful followers? Should I email the authors and tell them that I didn't finish the books, and mail the books back to them, or should I just not say anything, and just not review the books?

Angelfire

2011-04-02T15:00:00.000-05:00

By: Courtney A. Moulton
Series: Angelfire, book 1
Source: ARC through trade
Pages: 464 pages, Hardcover
Publishing info: February 15, 2001 by Katherine Tegen Books (imprint of HarperCollins)
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Angelfire is one of those books that you hear all that hype about, and you doubt will be good, but you decide to give it a try. And you read it, and are pleasantly surprised by how good it is.
There were just a few things that I wasn't a huge fan of in the book. The first was how ditzy Ellie was in the very beginning. But luckily, she got past that pretty quick. Will was not my favorite character either. It bothered me how wishy-washy he was. But strangely enough, I was surprised by how un-stalkerish he was. He gave Ellie her space, and he only came to her when she needed him, or when she begged him too. Which led to the fact that at times, Ellie was a bit too obsessed with him.
The last thing I had a problem with was Josie. Although a very, very minor character, she was never really understandable. She was talked about as if she were the school mean girl, but she never acted that way.
I really loved the entire plot line, and the villains. Both were strongly done, and the story ended in a maddening cliffhanger. Angelfire is the type of book where, once you get into it, it's hard to stop reading.
In all, I really enjoyed this book. Though its a bit shallow in parts, its still interesting and fun. Definitely something to keep!

Holly Schindler: The Guest Post (blog tour)

2011-03-21T12:00:00.001-05:00

I'm glad to welcome Holly Schindler, author of A BLUE SO DARK and PLAYING HURT, to my blog! Here she is:

Time to get real: I am not an athlete. At all. I’ve always been really vigilant about working out…but competitive sports? Not so much.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize how mental sports really are. I’ve got a far greater appreciation for athletes. And I do find myself getting invested in certain athletes (former Royals pitcher Zack Greinke, for instance).

Still, though—I didn’t grow up seeking out athletics. I didn’t read about athletics. I frankly didn’t care if I ever saw the Sports page of any newspaper. And if ESPN went black? Who cared?

So now you’re wondering—what the heck’re you doing writing a book about two athletes, Holly?

That’s me listening to my characters…

I initially wrote PLAYING HURT as a straight girl-meets-boy romance. The entire novel was told from Chelsea’s POV. And as I attempted to sell the book, I went on to draft other work—specifically, I went on to draft A BLUE SO DARK (which was published first, even though I drafted PLAYING HURT first). And writing A BLUE SO DARK really made me think of character development…character in BLUE is the most important factor. In fact, character development drives that novel, even more so than a physical plot!

When I sold BLUE, I returned to PLAYING HURT (which then had a working title of SUMMER FLING—see? Girl-meets-boy…) I knew that there just wasn’t enough going on in my romance. So I took a look at the book, which took place even from the start in Minnesota (even in the first draft, Chelsea met and fell for Clint during a family vacation)…And I thought, “Chelsea seems athletic to me. So…what if she’s an athlete…No—what if she’s an EX-athlete? And then, as I created Chelsea’s backstory, I began to wonder about Clint’s—I thought, surely, he’s an athlete, too…Or, maybe, an ex-athlete…And what if HE’S got something to get over…At which point, I began to write chapters from CLINT’s POV…

I just think that’s so important—to listen to what your characters want you to do with them. I mean, I’m a big, big plotter. But you can’t FORCE characters to be something that’s unrealistic for them, either…

So, that’s my writing journey with PLAYING HURT…in some sense, you might say it’s the most “pantsing” I’ve done with one of my novels. I just stopped to listen to what my characters told me they wanted me to do with them, rather than planning.

About Playing Hurt:

Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's

admiration back home. Then she took a horrible fall during senior year. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.

That summer, Chelsea's dad hires Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player and "boot camp" trainer, to work with her at a northern Minnesota lake resort. As they grow close, Chelsea finds that Clint's haunted by his own tragedy. Will their romance end up hurting them all over again—or finally heal their heartbreak?(summary via Goodreads)

About A Blue So Dark:

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that "creative" equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.

(summary via Goodreads)

Find more about Holly Schindler and her books at:
A Blue So Dark's Goodreads
Playing Hurt's Goodreads
Holly Schindler's Website

Winner!

2011-03-16T20:27:00.000-05:00

The Winner of the Blogoversary pack is:

Christina of Confessions of a Book Addict!

Congratulations!

I have contacted her and she has replied, so it'll be out as soon as possible!

My Belated Blogoversary Giveaway!

2011-02-14T19:07:00.000-06:00

Soo.... guess what? Saturday was my 1 year blogoversary! And about three weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go to a JOHN GREEN (I KNOW!!!!!) lecture and signing. And, while there, I got an extra copy of Paper Towns. That was signed. Yes, you did read that right. It is signed by John Green. And, as you have probably figured out, I am giving it away to you. Plus a bit of awesome swag...

Rules:

US only. Sorry!

Must be a blog follower. It is my blogoversary, not just a giveaway!

Please do not enter twice. Any double entries will be deleted!

Contest will end March 1st (three weeks to enter)

Loading...

Cloaked

2011-02-08T20:43:00.000-06:00

By: Alex Flinn
Series: None
Source: Publisher for honest review
Pages: Hardcover, 256 pages
Publishing info: February 8th, 2011 by HarperTeen
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Think you know paranormal romance? Alex Flinn gives the genre a twist in this modern fairy-tale mash-up!

Johnny’s not your average hero. But a little magic changes everything. There isn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. It all starts with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess. And before Johnny knows it, he is on a mission in the Everglades, with only a flock of swans and a talking fox named Joe to help guide him against the forces of an evil witch.

Cloaked, like any of Alex Flinn's fairy tale retellings, is amazing. They're shallow and odd, but great. This one is particularly shallow, but I think that part of the magic of them is how they are easy reads. They don't deal with heavy issues, they are just the fairy tale. In modern times.

One of the things that I loved about this book is how it kept to the fairy tale feel. It felt modernly magical.

Cloaked was definitely a feel-good read. It never really dealt with anything of real importance, it was just super entertaining. I shot right through it, reading it in a time period of only about two days.

I found all the characters to be extremely full of awesomeness. I loved Johnnie, even though he was slightly stupid at times. At least it was a realistic kind of stupid. He was so starstruck that he was a bit over the top at times, and it was hilarious and just fun to read. I love him!!!

This is a for-sure read for lovers of fairy tale and fantasy alike. I love it!

A Kiss in Time

2011-02-07T16:55:00.000-06:00

By: Alex Flinn

Series: None

Source: Bought

Pages: paperback, 371 pages

Publishing info: Published May 1st 2009 by HarperTeen

Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Talia fell under a spell . . . . Jack broke the curse.

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic. . . .

I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.

I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!

Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels. . . . The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

So, anyone who knows anything about me knows that I am a sucker for fairy tales and fairy tale retellings. And a while back, I read a retelling of Beauty and the Beast called Beastly, by Alex Flinn. And seeing how much I loved Beastly, how could I not read Alex Flinn's other fairy-tale retellings?

And let me tell you, it was totally worth the read.

I really did love this book. It was an exciting, sweet, and just plain entertaining read. No, it wasn't the best, but sometimes thats not what makes it entertaining. I was captured in the story, and I fell in love with the characters. Once I began reading it, I couldn't stop. It was one of those books that you have huge expectations for, and it disappoints you, but you LOVE it.

Where I Belong

2011-02-05T00:00:00.002-06:00

By: Gwendolyn Heasly
Series: None
Source: Sent by publisher for honest review
Pages: 304 Pages, paperback
Publishing info: February 8th, 2011 by HarperTeen
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Meet Corrinne. She's living every girl's dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . .

When Corrinne's father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she's stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she's supposed to be living. She doesn't care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.

When I first got Where I Belong, I was excited. I had heard a bit about it, and the synopsis was very intriguing. But I was nervous. I had read about a few things that didn't seem very appealing about it at all.

The start was nice and quick, and easy to get into. But it was not like that the whole book. The pacing wasn't constantly the same, especially in the middle. That was where my biggest problem was, the middle. It was just flat out cheesy. On top of that, Corrine was unbelievably shallow in a few parts. I know that there was a heads up about this in the beginning of the book, but sometimes, it was beyond that. I think that the tone of the book wasn't consistent, either. There was definitely a great feel about the book, it just didn't always follow through.

Rider. I can see how some may see him as a great character, but he was the character that fell flat. I felt like you never really get to see him, you just see his image. The story could have done well without him.

On a good note, the writing was awesome, and the characters (except Rider) were greatly developed.

While the book is simply a feel-good cheesy read, it was enjoyable and slightly addicting. Definitely recommended.

Michael Northrop: The Guest Post (Blog Tour)

2011-02-04T12:00:00.002-06:00

I'm glad to welcome Mr. Michael Northrop to Potter, Percy, and I! He is the author of two books, his debut novel Gentlemen, and his newest release, Trapped. I asked him to write about a topic that I am always interested in asking authors, What it is like to be an adult writing through a teens eyes. Here he is!

Hi, Anne! This is a really interesting topic, so let me get right to it. [Clears throat, shifts into serious yet thoughtful position…] Being a novelist means writing from, or at least trying to understand and inhabit, perspectives other than your own. At the very least, it’s a different person, but it can also be a different age, gender, race, or even species (I’m looking at you, Watership Down). It is often several of those at once.

Writing from the point of view of a teen presents specific challenges, because your readers either are teens or were, so everyone sort of feels like an expert on the subject and you DO NOT want to completely drop the ball. If you’re writing from the perspective of an intrepid hobbit, actual experts are scarce and people will probably cut you some slack. If you’re writing from the point of view of a sophomore jock, on the other hand, people are going to notice if you use the word perspicacious.

I think different writers handle this challenge differently. For me, it comes fairly naturally. My memories of that age are very immediate and vivid, and I think they always will be. I am from a very small town, and I went to college in NYC and have lived there ever since. The extreme difference between the two places has very efficiently separated the experiences and feelings I had growing up from those I’ve had as an adult. When I think of being in that place—walking through the woods, driving the back roads, going to high school, or whatever—I am also thinking about what it was like to be that age. Not coincidentally, my books are set in small towns.

It’s also important to remember that teens vary tremendously in every conceivable way. Everyone develops at a different pace physically, emotionally, and intellectually, and speech patterns vary not only between groups but also from individual to individual. Some sophomore jocks do use words like perspicacious (I was one of them). So really, there’s no one right way to write a teen. You just have to be sensitive to what each character’s world is like and how, based on his or her individual personality and level of development, he or she is liable to react to a given situation.

To me, the key things are empathy, imagination, and effort. There are plenty of writers who can’t write a convincing character their own age. It’s not because they don’t know what it’s like, it’s because they don’t get inside the character and make him or her believably real.

I think those are main things. Beyond that, there are, you know, some tricks: reading level and all that. I was a senior editor at Sports Illustrated Kids for eight years, and Time Inc. spent a lot of money sending us to focus groups and things like that to help us understand and communicate with young readers. The lessons I learned from that were to try to see things from their perspective, to talk to them rather than at them, and not to eat everything on the snack trays just because it’s free.

Thanks so much, Michael! It was a pleasure reading how you succeed at writing as a teen!

About Trapped:

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive....

Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision....

Across the Universe

2011-01-29T21:16:00.000-06:00

By: Beth Revis
Series: I think it is, but I'm not sure.
Source: Bought
Pages: 398 pages, Hardcover
Publishing info: Published January 11th 2011 by Razorbill
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

So, before I start, I should probably warn you that this will be more of a raving rant then a review.
You have been warned.

Before I read this book, when I first ordered it, I wasn't really sure exactly what Across the Universe was about. It was almost as if I bought it based on the oh-so-many amazing reviews.

One of the first things I noticed while reading this book was that while Elder and Amy had similar personalities, they were both extremely unique. I only got mixed up once or twice, not much at all for a book told from alternating perspectives.

I was up 'till two in the morning reading this book. It captivated me. I felt the claustrophobia that the characters felt. I could feel the anger radiating off the pages. Revis' writing was amazing, and the was almost a feeling of magic in the form of evil about it.

Plus, conspiracies and lies. My favorites.

*spoilers below, highlight to read*
This book touched me in a way that not many have. Harley's story is one that is just flat out beautiful. He loved Kayleigh so much that he destroyed himself. I cried twice, not something that happens often.
*spoilers over*

This book is one that will stick with me for a long, long time.

Hello

2011-01-21T10:15:00.000-06:00

Hi peoples. I know I have been pretty hiatus lately, but I have started to get back into the swing of everything and have been wanting to come back to my little blog. So here I am!!!
So... now I'm gonna change directions a bit. I'm (finally) going to sign up for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge. Here's a quick little list of a few of the debuts I'm excited about reading:
Where I Belong- Gwendolyn Heasly (I've already read this, but still..)
Across the Universe- Beth Revis
Rival- Sarah Bennett-Wealer
The Iron Thorn- Caitlin Kittredge
Awaken- Katie Kacvinski
Through Her Eyes- Jennifer Archer
Wither- Lauren DeStefano
Possession- Elena Johnson
I'll Be There- Holly Goldberg Sloan

And I'm sure that there'll be more!

Waiting on Wednesday: Steel by Carrie Vaughn

2010-12-08T06:41:00.000-06:00

When Jill finds a rusty sword tip on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued—and little expects it will transport her through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Will a dark enchantment, salty kisses, and a duel with an evil pirate captain leave her stranded in the eighteenth century forever?

Drawing on piratical lore and historical fact, Carrie Vaughn creates a vivid world of swaying masts and swelling seas, where blood magic overrules the laws of nature, romance is in the air, and death can come at the single slip of a sword.

Pirates, time travel, sword fights, what more do you need? I can't wait for this one!!!

Published March 15th 2011 by HarperTeen

Kimberley Littles Griffith: The Cover Interview (blog tour)

2010-12-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

How do you like your cover? (I love it!)
I love it, too! The style is called graphic illustration and the artist, Marc Tauss, did a spectacular job. A little secret: the purple water hyacinth on the bottom of the cover was put there at my suggestion which was very awesome for the art dept to give it a try. My editor and the design team loved it and said the purple flowers really made the whole cover sparkle! The finished jacket and all that lush green and embossed lettering really jumps out on the bookstore shelves. Here’s ANOTHER secret: Scholastic is completely redoing the cover for the paperback of THE HEALING SPELL for next Fall – and it TOTALLY ROCKS! Girls are gonna LOVE it so stay tuned. It will be up on Amazon and my website in a few months. And it will be in the Book Clubs in 2011. Can’t wait!

Did you have much input in the cover?
Um, I guess I answered that in #1. J

When you heard you were having a book published, were you worried about getting a bad cover?
I think that a terrific - or a good - or a so-so - book cover can really make or break a book’s popular or longevity so it’s something all authors get excited about, but get nervous about, too, especially when we get to see our book jackets for the first time. You really hope it will leap out at potential readers as well as give the flavor and feeling of the story. Designers and artists have a tough job! But they are so talented, too. I was THRILLED when I first saw the design of the book, front and back. And thrilled all over again to see the new cover for the paperback. Right now, I’m waiting on pins and needles to see what the artist is coming up with for my new book coming out October, 2011, called CIRCLE OF SECRETS.

When you were writing the book, did you have an idea of what you wanted the cover to look like?
I was always thinking that the book *had* to have the bayou and swamp as a background because the setting of THE HEALING SPELL is like a character in and of itself. At first, I thought it would be great to show Livie standing and poling in her pirogue as she travels through the swamp to Mirage Allemond’s house nestled in the background. My publisher said that showing an actual scene was trickier to execute well, and it was better not to have too many elements on the cover. I’m lucky to have an editor who is also an artist!

Thanks so much, Kimberley! It was awesome getting to here your take on your covers!

Find more about Kimberley and her book, The Healing Spell at:
Official website
Kimberley's blog
Kimberley's Goodreads
The Healing Spell's Goodreads

Joelle Anthony: The Guest Post (blog tour)

2010-11-28T20:19:00.000-06:00

Today, I get to introduce to you Joelle Anthony. She is the wonderful author of the amazing novel, Restoring Harmony. Restoring Harmony is a dystopian novel, and so I decided to ask her what her prediction for the future of dystopian YA is. Here is what she said:

I hope you don’t mind if I fake my answer to this question. What I mean is, I can’t really predict the future of dystopian YA because I’m an author, not a publisher, but I can give you some thoughts on it. I do think that we’re at the beginning of the wave and we have a while to go before people start saying, “Oh, gosh, not another dystopian YA!” It’s not reached vampire status yet and I think we’re quite a ways off from that.

I do think that eventually, there will be so much dystopian YA out there that the market will be saturated and then something new will have to rise to take its place. In a rush to meet the demand of the market, a lot of crap will be published along with some really amazing writing. And there will be a fair number of solid reads too. Like any trend, it will come to an end, but also, there’s always room for one more book on any subject if it’s well-written enough. I would think it would be pretty hard to sell a vampire novel right now, but if it rocks, it will get bought.

The great thing about dystopian YA (as opposed to dystopian adult fiction) is that there is a certain amount of hope in all of it. Teens are hopeful. They’ve got their whole lives in front of them, and reading a book about the world ending might be interesting, but only if there is a something positive about it too. Today’s dystopian YA provides that. In a world where we are constantly being bombarded by all the things going wrong in the world, hope entwined in a story of devastation is a wonderful thing. Plus so many of these books include personal adventure and romance, which makes them fun to read. In an ironic sort of way, dystopian YA often is a “light at the end of the tunnel” sort of genre. And who is saving the world? Teens, of course. Which makes it even more exciting.

For readers who love dystopian, it’s an exciting time. For writers who are looking to break in to publishing, all I can say is write what you love and not for the market. I never intended to write a dystopian book, and by pure luck of the draw, I ended up being published on the front end of this new trend. But it took me five years from inception to getting it published, and if you write for a trend, you’re likely to miss it anyway. If you write from your heart though, you can’t go wrong.

Thanks so much, Joelle! It was awesome to see what you thought!

Find more about Joelle and Restoring Harmony at:

JoelleAnthony.com

Joelle Anthony@Goodreads

Restoring Harmony@Goodreads

My Review of Restoring Harmony

Winners!

2010-11-27T22:03:00.000-06:00

I know that this is a bit late, but I need to announce the winners of my last two contests, the ones for Freefall and Alien Invasions and Other Inconveniences. For Freefall, the first winner never replied, so I chose another winner. That was

Jacinda!

she has confirmed that she has received her book!

And the winner of Alien Invasions and Other Inconveniences is none other than my own best blogging friend,

Kailia Sage!

Congrats to both!

Restoring Harmony

2010-11-27T18:00:00.000-06:00

By: Joelle Anthony
Series: None
Source: The Teen Book Scene/Joelle Anthony (for this tour)
Pages: Hardcover, 320 pages
Publishing info: May 13th 2010 by Putnam Juvenile
Synopsis (via Goodreads):

The year is 2041, and sixteen-year-old Molly McClure has lived a relatively quiet life on an isolated farming island in Canada, but when her family fears the worst may have happened to her grandparents in the US, Molly must brave the dangerous, chaotic world left after global economic collapse—one of massive oil shortages, rampant crime, and abandoned cities.

Molly is relieved to find her grandparents alive in their Portland suburb, but they're financially ruined and practically starving. What should've been a quick trip turns into a full-fledged rescue mission. And when Molly witnesses something the local crime bosses wishes she hadn't, Molly's only way home may be to beat them at their own game. Luckily, there's a handsome stranger who's willing to help.

Restoring Harmony is a riveting, fast-paced dystopian tale complete with adventure and romance that readers will devour.

I went into this hesitantly. I thought it would be just another depressing, confusing, stupid dystopian. And it didn't really help that I haven't read many reviews on it. But boy, was I wrong!

I got caught up in the book quickly, only about 20 or thirty pages in. But before that, it was quite boring. I was expecting more action, a more intense book. But that is not what this book was. A lot of the story was just waiting, but waiting for something important, and it was all quite interesting, which was another thing I found to be interesting. But soon the plot thickened, and it got to be pretty interesting!
The writing was just... magnificent. It created a beautiful vibe that fit the story perfectly. It was melancholy but exciting. Perfect to for the story.

The characters, like everything else in the book, were just amazing. They were consistent and interesting, and they all had their own characteristics, making them so unique and different.

In all, Ms. Anthony weaves a beautifully melancholy story, full of happiness, sadness, and just pure excitement. Definitely recommended for any and every dystopian fan!

Albert Borris: The Interview (and giveaway!) (blog tour)

2010-11-16T12:22:00.001-06:00

1. Out of all the book genres there are, why did you choose to write YA?
I chose to write Young Adult Fiction because I also chose to work in the high school setting, in a guidance office.

2. What made you want to write a book about a road trip?
A long road trip was just the kind of trip I dreamed about taking as a kid. No kidding!

3. Is this the sort of book that you normally write or was it a whim?
No. It was WriteOn. A whimsical style of writing.

4. Playing on the last question, is this the type of book you normally read?
4) I’ve read a lot of good road novels. Come to think of it, I recently a novel by Cormac McCarthy called The Road.

5. I see that you've worked a lot with children and teens. What draws you to them?
What draws me to kids? Their natural exuberance.

6. What or who are some of your inspirations?
Daina Karol and Cathy Driscoll were my two favorite inspirations from back in my days of high school and college. My dad was always a big help, too.

Thanks so much, Albert! It was awesome getting to interview you!

Giveaway:

US only!

Ends Saturday, November 20

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Find more about Albert and Crash Into Me at:

Official Website

Crash Into Me on Goodreads

Albert Borris on Goodreads

Anna Levine: The Interview (Blog Tour)

2010-11-10T12:00:00.001-06:00

I am glad to introduce you to Anna Levine. She is the author of Freefall, a novel about Israeli teens in the military. I got to interview her for a tour at The Teen Book Scene. I hope you like it!

What made you want to write about Israel, the military especially?

Israeli teens live, learn and love just like American teens, and yet right at the end of their teen years they are drafted into the military. I didn’t want to write about the military as much as I wanted to write about what it’s like to be a regular teenager and have to do military service. Writing about Israel helps me understand the way things work and the way people think here. Writing about the military gave me an opportunity to interview a lot of girls going into army training courses.

Have any of your personal experiences affected Freefall?

Many! The scene towards the end of the book, when Aggie is caught outside as a missile is about to fall, happened to me during the first Lebanon war. It was terrifying. Afterwards we spent days in the bomb shelter and I had the job of entertaining the little kids. We actually had fun in the shelters, even though we felt the constant threat of danger. I still find it amazing how people quickly adapt to even the most stressful situations.

How has living in Israel changed you?

Wow. What a great question. I think living in Israel has changed me a lot. It’s opened me up to many different cultures and languages and forced me to adapt to a world which in some ways is very much like how I grew up (in Canada) and in other ways completely different. I mean, today is Saturday and since I live near Jerusalem there is no public transportation, all shops are closed, and there’s a peacefulness that takes some getting used to but once you do, it’s great. And when I’m in the mood for fast food…it’s a humus b’pita (or humus in a pita with chopped salad, falafel balls and if I’m feeling daring a bit of that Mediterranean hot sauce).

Has writing your second book been any different than writing your first? If so, how?

Each book is a totally new experience. I always change as much as I can about the physical environment to remind myself that this is a new book, new characters, new experience. I worked on Freefall at a coffee shop near my house which always had people coming in and out, while for my new book I have to bike for half an hour to reach the coffee shop which is in a secluded café in the Judean Hills. My next book is set in Italy. I lived in Verona for a year and since then have been thinking of using it as a setting. I’m going to Italy next week.

Are any of your characters based on real people?

Definitely! I always take from life. Noah is a mix of both my sons. Hadas, the American girl from N. Carolina is based on my friend’s daughter who coincidentally is from…N. Carolina. For Freefall, as opposed to some of my other stories, I based almost all the characters on people I know. As a writer, I find it a great technique to mold your characters on the real item, so that facial features, gestures, food preferences, books and music have elements of truth. It’s fiction interwoven with fact which gives an authenticity to the characters.

Thanks so much, Anna! It was really a pleasure!

Freefall

What would your life be like if military service was compulsory, not voluntary?

Aggie is eighteen and getting ready to do her service for the Israeli Army. She could get a cushy assignment—maybe pushing paper somewhere—or she could just take her chances. Only, Aggie isn't like that. Despite her small size and the fact that she needs to gain weight to even make the grade, and despite the total disbelief of her entire family (except her grandmother, who is an old freedom fighter and don't you forget it), Aggie is trying out for an elite combat unit.

Ben—Aggie's crush of the moment—isn't at all convinced that she's making the right choice. Shira, Aggie's best friend forever, is bewildered (and perhaps a bit too interested in Ben). Then there's Noah. And the serendipitous snow. And a good-bye kiss that turns into, well, a real kiss.

Luckily for Aggie, her backbreaking, sand-in-mouth, completely-lost-in-the-desert training produces an unlikely dividend: friends. The kind she never imagined she could have. The kind you'd go to war with—and for.

Find more about Anna and Freefall at:

Freefall's Goodreads

Anna's Goodreads

The Big Fat Giveaway Update Post

2010-11-09T17:36:00.001-06:00

So I think that most all of you know that I currently have to giveaways running (which is a lot for me). One is for Freefall, by Anna Levine, the other for Alien Invasions and Other Inconveniences. The one for Freefall closes tomorrow, and unless I get more entrants, I will have to extend it. Same goes with Alien Invasions (which ends on November 17). Here are the links to the posts to enter:
Freefall, by Anna Levine, review and giveaway
Alien Invasions and Other Inconveniences, by Brian Yansky, giveaway

Now onto a bit of a happier note. About a month ago, I received an ARC of Cloaked, by Alex Flinn (who is one of my favorite authors!!!). I immediately read it and am now writing a review of it. I think that I want to buy a hardcover copy, so I was thinking that (yep. You've guessed it already, huh?) I could do a giveaway! I would probably open it in late November, early December, and possibly have it close on Christmas. What I was wondering is how many of you would enter? Would you, and do you think a lot of others would?

EDIT: I am also considering opening the contest to international readers, too. If not, I would definitely have a bunch of swag to giveaway to international readers!

Denise Jaden: The Guest Post (Blog Tour)

2010-11-08T12:00:00.001-06:00

Today, I get to (finally!) introduce Denise Jaden! Denise is the awesome author of Losing Faith. Losing Faith is her 2010 debut novel that is about a girl who's sister died, and the police say that she committed suicide, but the girl, Brie, refuses to believe that. So, of course, I decided to see what her thoughts were of death in YA were.

Death in YA Novels.

When I was sixteen, I lost one of my closest friends to a car accident. I’ve always felt that losing someone young, when you yourself are young, is a big subject for exploration. It doesn’t seem fair and raises so many big questions, as if you don’t have enough questions already.

For me, I found I numbed myself to the big “why’s” of life, and only much later really dealt with the loss and how to work it out in my head. In some ways I’m probably still doing that. But I think all teens, and all people, are different and process grief and loss differently.

In LOSING FAITH, one of the main things I really hoped people would take away from Brie and the way she dealt with her sister’s death, is to pay attention. Don’t regret the time you didn’t spend with someone or the way you never asked the things you wanted to ask while someone was still alive. But even if there are unasked questions, you may find you knew people much more deeply than even you realized.

One of my favorite books of the year, THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson also deals with death and grieving in YA. The main character, Lennie, is catapulted by her sister’s death from a bit of a socially inept girl into a place where she can lose herself in thoughts and desires for a boy. Two boys, in fact. It’s very authentically written, and we get right into Lennie’s head through her grief.

Another recent YA release that deals with death is FREEFALL by Mindi Scott. FREEFALL tells the story of Seth McCoy, who found his best friend dead, feels responsible for it, and needs to process those feelings. I found it really interesting to be in a guy’s point of view in overcoming grief. I think Mindi did a great job of showing us a unique perspective in dealing with death, fighting between the urge to overcome and the urge to lose yourself completely.

It’s probably due to my own background, but I have a real fascination with YA novels that deal with death, especially ones that show a unique and really true-to-life character. Even though there are so many great books that hit on this subject (I could go on and on with my favorites) I still think there is room for many more. I’d love to hear what some of your favorites are and what you like best about them!

Thanks so much, Denise! I loved reading the post!

Losing Faith

Death in YA Novels.

When I was sixteen, I lost one of my closest friends to a car accident. I’ve always felt that losing someone young, when you yourself are young, is a big subject for exploration. It doesn’t seem fair and raises so many big questions, as if you don’t have enough questions already.
For me, I found I numbed myself to the big “why’s” of life, and only much later really dealt with the loss and how to work it out in my head. In some ways I’m probably still doing that. But I think all teens, and all people, are different and process grief and loss differently.
In LOSING FAITH, one of the main things I really hoped people would take away from Brie and the way she dealt with her sister’s death, is to pay attention. Don’t regret the time you didn’t spend with someone or the way you never asked the things you wanted to ask while someone was still alive. But even if there are unasked questions, you may find you knew people much more deeply than even you realized.
One of my favorite books of the year, THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson also deals with death and grieving in YA. The main character, Lennie, is catapulted by her sister’s death from a bit of a socially inept girl into a place where she can lose herself in thoughts and desires for a boy. Two boys, in fact. It’s very authentically written, and we get right into Lennie’s head through her grief.
Another recent YA release that deals with death is FREEFALL by Mindi Scott. FREEFALL tells the story of Seth McCoy, who found his best friend dead, feels responsible for it, and needs to process those feelings. I found it really interesting to be in a guy’s point of view in overcoming grief. I think Mindi did a great job of showing us a unique perspective in dealing with death, fighting between the urge to overcome and the urge to lose yourself completely.
It’s probably due to my own background, but I have a real fascination with YA novels that deal with death, especially ones that show a unique and really true-to-life character. Even though there are so many great books that hit on this subject (I could go on and on with my favorites) I still think there is room for many more. I’d love to hear what some of your favorites are and what you like best about them!

Thanks so much, Denise! I love this post so much!

Losing Faith

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.

Find more of Denise Jaden and Losing Faith at:

Denise Jaden's website

Denise Jaden's Goodreads page

Losing Faith's Goodreads page

Losing Faith (Blog Tour)

2010-11-07T12:00:00.006-06:00

`By: Denise Jaden
Series: I don't think there is one, but I'm not entirely sure.

Source: We Love YA Tours
Pages: 400 pages, paperback
Publishing info: September 7th, 2010, by Simon Pulse
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
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.

Intense. That is the best way that I can think to describe this book. Intense, sad, intense... A bit scary, and very good.

Brie, as a character, was a good character. But as a person (do you know what I mean?), she was kind of obnoxious. In some ways, this made for an interesting character. But in others, it just made her... annoying. Now that I think about it, not many of the characters were very great. The only two that really stood out to me were Alis and Tessa. They were both very well done and very unique, yet realistic. I could see him being a best friend of my own!

Brie had a great character arc. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that for a girl that started out as shallow and inconciderate as Brie, Wow!

The plot really made up for what the characters lacked. It was so different! So, basically, Brie, a girl on the path to losing her mind, loses her uber religious sister, Faith. A few things happen, including meeting creepy bad girl Tessa, even creepier Reena. And she meets Alis, the best boy she has ever met. But wait. It gets even better. Alis is Reena's brother. So when Brie decides that she is not satisfied with the story the police gave her and her family, she goes searching for answers, hence... the story.

I was first attracted to this story because of the plot. It seemed so unique and I was super excited to see if it lived up to its summary. Boy, did it! It was awesome! I was always so excited to find out what happened next, and when reading it, it really sucked me in and didn't let me go!

In all, I really liked this book. There were definitely its downs, but the plot and the writing made up for that! Definitely recommended!

Tour hosted by The Teen Book Scene

The Replacement (Blog tour)

2010-11-06T12:00:00.004-05:00

By: Brenna Yovanoff
Series: None that I know of.
Source: We Love YA Tours
Publishing info: Published September 21st 2010 by Razorbill
Pages: Hardcover, 352 pages
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

A month ago, Mackie might have told them to buzz off. But now, with a budding relationship with tough, wounded, beautiful Tate, Mackie has too much to lose. Will love finally make him worthy of the human world?

I was really, really excited to read this one. I had been reading tons and tons of amazing reviews, and the cover was really interesting. I have a fear of butchers knives (thanks, Tell-Tale Heart), and so when I saw the cover, I knew that this book would be scary. And I knew that I wanted to read it.

In some ways, I liked this book. In others, I didn't so much.

I'll start with the characters. Mackie. See, the thing about Mackie is... He's not stereotypical. To make a non-stereotypical seems to take a ton of work. Mackie is a pale, white haired little 16 year old boy, and he's shy. He bothered me a bit. He seemed really... cut off from the world. He did have his friend, and he did have his crush, and all that, but still... I don't know....
Tate, on the other hand, was strange, yet... strange. I'm not exactly sure that she was "likeable", per se, but she was interesting. I'm not quite sure how to describe her. Dark? Intense, maybe? I don't know. But she was interesting, and kind of fun to read.

The plot was interesting in itself, and I thought that it was original and fun. I felt that the relationship between Mackie and Tate was rushed, and the ending was not paced well, but other than that, it was good. It was well written and, though hard to understand at points, easy enough to follow. It was nice that it was quicker, yet not (usually) rushed.

In all, it was a nice and fun read, and while it was not my favorite, I did like it.

Tour hosted by The Teen Book Scene

Alien Invasions and Other Inconveniences Giveaway!

2010-11-05T12:00:00.001-05:00

Synopsis (via Goodreads):

A polite race of telepathic killer aliens, a ten-second world conquest, and one teenage boy collide in this wry, gutsy adventure.

Jesse is in history class when a formidable, efficient race of aliens quietly takes over the earth in less time than it takes him to brush his teeth. Most humans simply fall asleep and never wake up. In moments, everyone Jesse knows and loves is gone, and he finds that he is now a slave to an inept alien leader. On the bright side, Jesse discovers he’s developing telepathic powers, and he’s not the only one. Soon he’s forging new friendships and feeling unexpectedly hopeful. When a mysterious girl appears in his dreams, talking about escaping, Jesse begins to think the aliens may not be invincible after all. But if Jesse and his friends succeed, is there anywhere left to go? Brian Yansky offers a funny, grim novel packed with everything boys and sci-fi fans love: aliens, humor, action, and a healthy dose of triumph.

Open to US only (sorry internationals!)

Contest closes Wednesday, November 17

Loading...

Brian Yansky: The Interview (Blog tour)

2010-11-04T12:00:00.002-05:00

I'm glad to have the opportunity to introduce to you Brian Yansky! He is the author of the YA novel Alien invasions and Other Inconveniences. He was really nice to be willing to do an interview. Here it is!

What made you want to write about aliens, of all things?

I’ve got nothing against zombies and vampires and wizards, but they’re everywhere. You can’t throw a stone in the fictional universe and not hit one. I see aliens as a seriously underrepresented group. Someone needed to step forward and speak for them. I decided to be that someone. LET THE ALIENS SPEAK.

Did you choose to write YA? If so, why?

I write both YA and adult fiction. Writing for young adults is exciting for me. It’s a time of great change and difficulty. Leaving behind childhood and moving toward becoming an adult is a very tricky business. In a way, most YA fiction is a coming-of-age story in all its many variations, and I’ve always loved that kind of story.

Also, since I write speculative fiction, I’m able to explore these various issues through fantastical events and worlds.

What are some of your inspirations?

I’m inspired by small and large things. The telepathic aliens in my novel take over the world in ten seconds. They have this telepathic power that we humans (at least at the beginning of my novel) don’t have. But they’re arrogant about just how strong they are.

One of my themes is, in fact, how the very powerful can be arrogant of other cultures and how this often leads to the destruction of those cultures. And sometimes the consequences of this arrogance aren’t so good for the powerful either. So one inspiration for this novel is human history. Thank you arrogant and powerful leaders of the past and present. Also, old Star Treks inspire me and many, many authors, from Kurt Vonnegut and Octavia Butler to Philip Pullman and J.K. Rowling and Terry Prachett and on and on.

What made you want to write?

I loved story. I love story. Once I started reading—and I didn’t read much fiction until I was a sophomore in high school—I think my fate was sealed even though I didn’t actually start writing fiction until later.

Can you tell us a bit about your publishing experience?

I say it took me ten years to get published, which is true but also a little misleading. I was doing other things. I was publishing short stories in literary magazines even as the publication of a novel eluded me. During that time I had four different agents. I was good at getting agents but not good at getting the right one. Until my current agent that is. She is a great agent and she is both encouraging and nurturing. She can also be helpful in revising a manuscript before she sends it out, so sometimes her criticism is as valuable to me as her encouragement.

Alien Invasions and Other Inconveniences

A polite race of telepathic killer aliens, a ten-second world conquest, and one teenage boy collide in this wry, gutsy adventure.

Jesse is in history class when a formidable, efficient race of aliens quietly takes over the earth in less time than it takes him to brush his teeth. Most humans simply fall asleep and never wake up. In moments, everyone Jesse knows and loves is gone, and he finds that he is now a slave to an inept alien leader. On the bright side, Jesse discovers he’s developing telepathic powers, and he’s not the only one. Soon he’s forging new friendships and feeling unexpectedly hopeful. When a mysterious girl appears in his dreams, talking about escaping, Jesse begins to think the aliens may not be invincible after all. But if Jesse and his friends succeed, is there anywhere left to go? Brian Yansky offers a funny, grim novel packed with everything boys and sci-fi fans love: aliens, humor, action, and a healthy dose of triumph.

Find more about Brian and Alien Invasions and Other Inconveniences at:

Brian's Website

Brian's Goodreads page

Alien Invasions Goodreads

Freefall (And Giveaway!)

2010-11-02T12:00:00.002-05:00

By: Anna Levine
Series: None
Source: Teen Book Scene for tour/Publisher for review
Pages: 272 pages, Hardcover
Publishing info: Published September 1st 2008 by HarperTeen

Synopsis (via Goodreads):

What would your life be like if military service was compulsory, not voluntary?

I'm not quite sure what to say about Freefall. I liked it. It was a nice, fun, quick read. But it was not the most memorable.

A lot of times, I didn't quite understand what it was talking about, because I don't know anything about the Israeli army. Things could have been explained better because sometimes it seemed like you were just expected to know what each thing meant.

Aggie was a really interesting character. She was great, but I felt like she wasn't very unique. Its like the story could have happened to any girl that was in the Israeli army, and that was something that I missed. I love reading books with unique characters, and thats where Freefall was lacking.

In all, it was a good book, and it was worth the read.

So do you want to read it know? Because I'm giving away a copy! Please note that this copy has been read once.

Contest is open to US only! (Sorry!)
Contest is open until Wednesday, November 10. (The day Anna joins me on Potter, Percy, and I for an interview!!!)
I would prefer if you were a follower, but its not mandatory. Followers get extra entries!
Winner will have 48 hours to reply to my email before I choose another winner!
Now... GO!!!

&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Book Blog Hop

2010-10-30T18:53:00.000-05:00

Hey all! Sorry that this has been so delayed- I was at a birthday party in the middle of nowhere!

"What is the one bookish thing you would love to have, no matter the cost?"

A HIDDEN LIBRARY!!!

not that theres really a chance that I will ever get one....

Thanks to all the new followers that have hopped by! I hope you like my blog!!!

Call Me Kate (and Excerpt)

2010-10-27T15:22:00.000-05:00

So, about two months ago, I was contacted to see if I would like to join in a tour for a book called "Call Me Kate". I found it to sound very interesting, and so I said sure! Sadly, I have not read the book yet, and therefore will just be chatting about the book!

About:

Coming of age amidst the seething unrest of the Civil War era, feisty fourteen-year-old Katie McCafferty infiltrates the Molly Maguires, a secret Irish organization, to rescue a lifelong friend. Under the guise of Dominick, a draft resister, Katie volunteers for a dangerous mission in hopes of preventing bloodshed. Katie risks job, family, and ultimately her very life to intervene. A series of tragedies challenge Katie's strength and ingenuity, and she faces a crisis of conscience. Can she balance her sense of justice with the law? Call Me Kate is suitable for readers from eleven to adult. The story is dramatic and adventuresome, yet expressive of daily life in the patches of the hard coal region during the Civil War era. This novel will appeal to readers of the Dear America series, as well as more mature readers who will enjoy the story's rich context and drama.

About the author, Molly Roe:

Molly Roe is the pen name of Mary Garrity Slaby, a veteran language arts & reading teacher at Lake-Lehman Junior Senior High School. Mary holds a Ph.D. in education from Temple University, and Pennsylvania teaching certification in six areas. She has pursued the hobby of genealogy for the past decade. Mary was born in Philadelphia, raised in Schuylkill County, and currently lives in Dallas, Pennsylvania with her husband, John. They are parents of two grown children, Melissa and John Garrett, cover illustrator of Call Me Kate. Digging into the past has given Mary newfound respect for her ancestors and a better understanding of history. Call Me Kate is the first in the author’s trilogy of historical novels loosely based on the lives of the strong women who preceded her.

Find Molly and Call Me Kate at:

Call Me Kate Goodreads

Buy Call Me Kate

Molly Roe's Facebook

Molly Roe's blog

Tribute Books website

Tribute Books Facebook

Tribute Books Twitter

Read Chapter 1 of Call Me Kate!

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else (blog tour)

2010-10-26T12:00:00.013-05:00

By: Erin McCahan
Series: None
Source: Publisher for review (Thanks Christelle!)
Pages: Hardcover, 272 pages

Publishing info: Published June 1st 2010 by Arthur A. Levine Books
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Seventeen-year-old Bronwen Oliver doesn't just want a family. She has one of those, and there's nothing terribly wrong with them apart from bickering grandparents, an image-obsessed mother and a brother she describes simply as Jesus. But there's no natural sense of connection between Bronwen and her family, leaving her with the belief -- and the hope -- that she was switched at birth, that she was never supposed to be Bronwen Oliver but someone else entirely.

When she begins dating college senior Jared Sondervan, she finds herself thoroughly embraced by the loving family she has always wanted and does not hesitate to say yes when Jared proposes on her 18th birhday. Plans for the Perfect Beach Wedding before her junior year of college become plans for the Perfect Beach Wedding before her freshman year of college. And a wedding so soon isn't exactly what Bronwen wants. But Jared is. And his family is. Or so she thinks.

Before Bronwen can determine what she truly wants, she must first determine who she truly is, and the answer, she discovers, is only partially what she thought it was. She wasn't switched at birth, but she's also not Bronwen Oliver and hasn't been for a very long time.

I went into this not really knowing what I would think. Honestly, I didn't really think I would like it all that much. I was actually surprised by how much I liked it.

I found that all the characters were particularly likeable. I'm not sure how often that happens in a book, where I loved all the characters (but one, who was only in it for about 15 pages, but is mentioned afterwords). Not one of them was flat or boring.
Bronwen was definitely my favorite character. She was just so happy, even when she wasn't! She made (mostly) the right choices, with just enough mess-ups to be interesting and realistic.
All the supporting characters were good. I don't really have much to say about them outside of that...

The writing was surprisingly good, especially taking into consideration that this is Erin McCahan's debut novel. It felt more like her 3rd or 4th book, and I thought it was pretty nice.

In all, I liked it. It was fun and light read.

Judith Graves: The Interview (Blog Tour)

2010-10-26T12:00:00.002-05:00

I am excited to be welcoming Judith Graves to Potter, Percy, and I! Judith Graves is the author of YA paranormal, Under My Skin. Under My Skin is her debut novel, and is the first in the Skinned series. Here she is!

What inspired the story?

My inspiration story is pretty Plain Jane. UMS started with a question – what if? What if paranormal creatures from different regions came to battle over one teeny smidge of land? I think most stories start with a “What if?”, although I love the story behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – gloomy weather, party of artsy folks stuck inside a sprawling manor, ghost stories and a dare to write the best one ever. Now THAT’s inspiring.

Where did you get the plot idea?

The plot twists of UMS developed over many drafts, with sections and scenes ending up on the cutting room floor.

What made you want to write YA?

I’ve written some adult short stories and started a few longer works, but the stories I stuck with were the ones I told in a young adult voice. I donno. It might be a curse, I hated high school and now I can’t seem to stop writing about it.

How do you feel towards reviews, good and bad?

I appreciate any and all comments that are constructive, supportive, or all out shout outs (my fav!).

Is Under My Skin something that you normally write or was it an anomaly?

The style of UMS, the paranormal genre, the snark. That’s what I love to read and what I try to write. Most of my stories end up with a bit of the supernatural thrown in, even if I don’t intend to bring in those elements. That being said, I do write contemporary YA with completely human characters, lol…– no magicks allowed – but boy, would their lives be easier if I could whip them up a charm spell or two.

Thanks so much, Judith! It was awesome!

Under My Skin

All her parents wanted was for Eryn to live a normal life...

Redgrave had its share of monsters before Eryn moved to town. Mauled pets, missing children. The Delacroix family is taking the blame, but Eryn knows the truth. Something stalks the night. Wade, the police chief's son and Redgrave High's resident hottie, warns her the Delacroix are dangerous. But then so is Eryn--in fact, she's lethal.

But she can't help falling for one of the Delacroix boys, dark, brooding--human Alec. And then her world falls apart.

A normal life? Now that's the real fairytale.

Find more about Judith and Under My Skin at:

Judith's Website

Judith's Goodreads

Under My Skin's Goodreads

Mandy Hubbard: The Guest Post (blog tour)

2010-10-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to present the wonderful Mandy Hubbard! Not only is she the author of two (quite popular) YA novels, but she is also a literary agent! Without any more ado, here she is!

Hi Anne, Thanks for having me! (True Fact: The main character in BUT I LOVE HIM is named Ann. Sorry, no E on the end.)

Anyway, onto the topic: Dumbing Down books because they’re written for kids.

First, off, I have to say, I’ve never felt that the books on shelves “dumbed down” in order to appeal to kids. I don’t think they would have made it past an agent and an editor that way. The people working in this industry are pretty sharp, and they spot that stuff a mile away.

But as an agent, reading the slush day in and day out, I definitely see it.

The writers who “dumb down” their books tend to be out of touch with reality. Many are parents with teens, and these are the type of parents who think, “that doesn’t go on in my kid’s school.” Or “my daughter would never do that!”

As a result they have an image in their head of angelic teens who bear no resemblance on reality. Teens really aren’t kids. They don’t need to be spoken to as if it requires short words or simplified plot lines. They are so much smarterthan many people give them credit for. They’re not reading The Boxcar children. They’re reading Suzanne Collins and Judy Blume and Sarah Dessen. Complex, beautiful books.

The other problem? Many adults set out to write a YA novel in order to teach a lesson. I cannot tell you how often I see queries that talk about the moral of their novel more than the character or the conflict or the hook. The writer can spend three paragraphs talking about how they are going to swoop in and empower teens with their message.

But teens aren’t stupid. They don’t want to be preached to by adults who don’t understand them. If writers set out only to write a good story, they’ll be much more successful. Certainly, there are books that do teach something—buts its through fallible characters who face real diversity and make the wrong decisions from time to time.

For instance, the single most-banned book in this country right now is TTYL by Lauren Myracle. It’s a book told completely in instant-message format, about three teens who make a series of bad choices—one ends up dancing topless at a party, another finds herself in a hottub with her older English teacher, etc. Adults have cried foul and tried (in some cases, successfully) to ban this book because of the content- -they believe it is “promoting” such behavior. I have to question if they even read the book, because in the end the message is very clear: these were terrible choices and each girl was hurt by not thinking things through. But they were realistic characters and believable choices.

If writers don’t understand the reality of the teenage life—all the pressure, the choices, the temptations—they end up with a watered-down book.

And that’s not good for anyone.

Okay. Admit it. Because I know that you loved it, too. Because it was AWESOME!

Thanks so much, Mandy! I know that at least one person loved it!

You Wish

My Review here

Synopsis (via Goodreads):

What if all your wishes really came true?

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left,
her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy
Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles,
Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually
came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink
My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s
supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with
a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same
name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past
appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they
MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She
wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her.

And Ben is her best friend’s boyfriend.

Prada and Prejudice

(via Goodreads):

To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips…conks her head…and wakes up in the year 1815!

There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily’s family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily’s cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant.

But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex’s heart, before her time in the past is up?

More Cabot than Ibbotson, Prada and Prejudice is a high-concept romantic comedy about finding friendship and love in the past in order to have happiness in the present.

And her latest release, Ripple

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. The water calls to her, draws her in, forces her to sing her deadly song to unsuspecting victims. If she succumbs, she kills. If she doesn’t, the pain is unbearable. To keep herself and those she cares about safe, she shuts herself off, refusing to make friends or fall in love—again. Because the last time she fell in love with a boy, he ended up dead.

Then Lexi meets Cole. Against her better judgment, she finds herself opening up again, falling in love when she knows she shouldn’t. But when she’s offered the chance to finally live a normal life, she learns that the price she must pay to be free of her curse is giving him up.

In Ripple, Mandy Hubbard spins a sea-ravaged tale of melancholy beauty, and the choices one girl makes between land and waves, love and freedom, her future—and her heart.

Find more about Mandy and her books at:

Mandy's blog

Mandy's Website

Mandy's Goodreads page

Prada and Prejudice's Goodreads

You Wish's Goodreads

Ripple's Goodreads

You Wish

2010-10-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

By: Mandy Hubbard

Series: None

Source: Bought

Pages: Paperback, 272 pages

Publishing info: Published August 5th 2010 by Razorbill

Synopsis (via Goodreads):

What if all your wishes really came true?

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend’s boyfriend.

I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. In most ways, I liked it. But in others, it bothered me a bit.

I'll start with the bad, so we can get it over with. I didn't love Kayla. She was a whiny brat who didn't consider her friends. Or anyone, for that matter. I'm glad that she got better by the end.

All the other character I loved. They were all such strong characters, with very distinct voices. I could always tell who was talking, even if it didn't say.
My favorite characters would have to be Ben and Ann. Ann in particular, she was definitely like the doll. If I had a Raggedy Ann doll that came to life, it would sound just like her.

In all, I liked it. The writing was easy and smooth (in a good way!), and the characters and dialogue were usually realistic, and always funny!

Be on the lookout for Mandy Hubbard's guest post here at Potter, Percy, and I

Wow. that sounded really commercially.

Cover re-creation

2010-10-11T19:34:00.000-05:00

So... I have a few things to talk about today.
About a week ago, I saw a cover recreation contest post over at BLKosiners Book Blog. Soon after, Brandi (the wonderful person running the blog) contacted me telling me about the recreation contest. Of course, I decided to enter. It took me a while to finally get around to making the cover, but now that its done, I think it looks decent. What do you think?

Original:

my cover:

So.. what do you think? Is it any good?

I know that many of you have noticed that I have not been around as much as I probably should be. That is because I am in school. And I actually have friends (I know, right!), and I am on a whole bunch of tours for The Teen Book Scene. Yep. Thats right. You all are in for quite the treat in late October (starting next week, a little) and almost all of November. Many of the books I have been reading are for tours, therefore I cannot (or do not) want to post the reviews until a specified date.

Who are some of the authors coming by Potter, Percy, and I, you might ask? Well, here are a few of them:

Mandy Hubbard (You Wish, Prada and Prejudice)
Erin McCahan (I Now Pronounce You Someone Else)
Judith Graves (Under My Skin)
Anna Levine (Freefall)
Denise Jaden (Losing Faith)

And so many more!

(Now I bet your all excited)

Jackson Pearce: The Interview

2010-10-02T23:27:00.000-05:00

I have the great pleasure of introducing the wonderful Jackson Pearce to Potter, Percy, and I! Jackson is the author of the amazing As You Wish (review here) and her lastest, Sisters Red (which I have yet to read). A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to interview here, and she had some great answers that I will share with you right now!

1. Genies are not a very common paranormal. What made you want to write about them in AS YOU WISH?

I was really interested in writing about the sort of relationship between a master and servant-- watching that relationship grow and develop despite the roles the characters are forced into really interested me! Genies presented a really fun way to do it in an urban fantasy setting!

2. In contrast to the last question, werewolves are pretty popular. What made you want to write about them?

I didn't really WANT to write about werewolves-- I wanted to write about red riding hood, and wolves are kinda part of the deal :) But that said, I really enjoyed writing about them, especially since my werewolves are pretty brutal. It was fun to break out of the "nice friendly" werewolf mold and writing some monsters!

3.Out of all genres there are, why did you choose to write YA?

YA is just the genre I write in. I go to write a book, it comes out in a YA voice. I don't think I could write something else if I tried-- not that I would. I love the genre so much; I always connect with YA books so much more than any other genre.

4. When you started AS YOU WISH, did you know that you wanted it published?

Yep! I'd already tried to get another book published, and failed. I knew I wanted to at least give AS YOU WISH a fighting chance in publishing-land. I don't think that changed how I wrote it though-- except that I applied some of the things I'd learned from my first book to avoid falling into my same traps again. For example, from the first book, I'd learned a lot about character development. I made sure I was hyper aware of how my characters were developing from the get-go with AS YOU WISH.

5. How do reviews affect you, if at all?

Good reviews make me happy-- especially when someone loves something unique about the book. Someone reviewed SISTERS RED and brought up the Alzheimer's disease in the book and said they loved how it was handled; it was really touching to hear that. I don't think I'd change how I write because of reviews (everyone has a different opinion, and it's impossible to please the world!), but I do read and reflect on them!

6. How do you feel towards bad reviews?

It depends. Sometimes it's clear my book just wasn't the reader's cup of tea. Those kind don't bother me. Then there are the ones that misspell the book title or my main characters' names. Those just make me laugh. The only kind that really get to me are the ones that start reviewing me as a person instead of the text. It's hard to see someone accusing you of motives/feelings/views you don't have!

Thanks so, so much for letting me interview you, Jackson! It was a pleasure!

Sisters Red

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

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

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

As You Wish

Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent her days silently wishing—to have someone love her again and, more importantly, to belong again—until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes.
Jinn is anxious to return home, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid she will not wish for the right thing, the thing that will make her truly happy. As the two spend time together, the lines between master and servant begin to blur, and soon Jinn can't deny that he's falling for Viola. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn as well . . . and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life—and her world—forever.
Jackson Pearce spins a magical tale about star-crossed lovers, what it means to belong . . . and how important it is to be careful what you wish for.

Find more of Jackson and her books at:

Jackson's Goodreads

Jackson's Youtube

Jackson's Website

Jackson's blog

Sisters Red's Goodreads

Sisters Red's website

As You Wish's Goodreads

Firelight

2010-09-30T17:56:00.000-05:00

By: Sophie Jordan
Series: first in the Firelight series
Source: Publisher for review. Thanks so much, HarperTeen!
Pages: 336 pages
Publishing info: September 7th 2010 by Harper Teen
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.

I absolutely loved, loved, loved Firelight! It was so cute, but so... not cute. Doest that make any sense? I don't know how to describe it. It wasn't hard or even edgy, but it was suspenseful yet sweet, but still exciting. Okay. I don't know where I'm going with this, so I'll just start on the details!

So, The concept was amazing. The idea of the Draki, how they can fly and manifest and how they live in a enclosed community, it was just amazing. They're lifestyle is interesting. I guess you could say it was a bit cultish. But the community, the pride, was very interesting to read about. I can't wait to see more of them in the next book!

Jacinda was a great character. She was (mostly) strong, and could almost always hold her own. At times, she did seem a bit over the top at times. She obsessed over Will and was a bit whiny at points, but only once or twice! She was very down to earth, and she really had great points when she was putting up an argument.

In all, I loved it. A truly unique story, with amazing writing!

Jason Ancona: The Guest Post

2010-09-29T19:54:00.001-05:00

I would like to welcome the wonderful Jason Ancona to the blog today! He is the author of CYA: The Case of Tangled Love. He did a wonderful guest post for us today that is about Cliques in YA Literature. Here it is!

Cliques have been around in high school and characterized in novels for a long time. Published in 1967, The Outsiders dealt with two rival gangs, the lower-class "Greasers," and the upper-class "Socs," pronounced "so-shez," short for Socials. In the classic story, the rich Socs could get away with anything and the poorer Greasers always had to watch their backs. It gave the reader a sense of one group belonging, and another that doesn't. The Outsiders.

Even today, there seems to be certain groups that are popular, who get more attention, are more adored, and are often pined after by those further down the social pecking order at school. Unfortunately, the clichéd cliques still exist, often in variations of the following: jocks, cheerleaders, skaters, geeks, Goths, preps, and hipsters.

The makeup and influence of cliques most likely depends on the size, socioeconomic level, and part of the country where the school is located. At small rural high schools, students are often in many more activities, or there wouldn't be enough people to play in the band, field a sports team, or debate for the speech team.

Presently, it appears that students are more likely to fraternize between the various cliques. Maybe it's because of the Internet and social media. Maybe it's because teens have intertwining roles, like being both a gamer and a soccer stud. Or maybe I'm way off. Please comment, and let me know.
In Covert Youth Agency, The Case of Tangled Love, I tried to modernize the cliques, and paint them with a slightly different brush. At the fictional Trenton High School, they are as follows: the Reality Show Wannabes, the Prescription Drug Addicts (PDA’s), the Diligent Underachievers (Duh’s), the Big Sticks, the Noble Nerds, and the Independents (Indy's).
Are there still cliques at your middle school or high school? Are certain groups still perceived to be more elite than others? Are they exclusionary? Do you ever feel like you don't belong? I know I have. Sometimes I still do. My advice is to be happy with who you are, and who your friends are. And be open to accepting other people into your group, regardless of where you fall in the social pecking order.

Thanks so much, Jason! I really did love the post!

Covert Youth Agency: The Case of Tangled Love
An elite group of nerds fight injustices by running a clandestine operation in high school. The C.Y.A., a.k.a. Covert Youth Agency, hacked into the digital school sign and posted their message: - - - If ever you're in need of help and you have nowhere else to go, seek out the C.Y.A. We're always watching and we're here for you - - - Peter "Pi" Samuels, a fourteen-year-old sophomore, runs the shadow operation. Pi's obsessed with the high school band's lead violinist, who's as beautiful as the music she plays. When she contacts the C.Y.A. to find out if her boyfriend cheated on her at a party, Pi's objective becomes clear. Prove that her beau was unfaithful. Then maybe Pi will be the perfect shoulder to cry on. Pi schemes to destroy his love's boy-toy, all while avoiding a deranged coach bent on exposing an untraceable geek squad for hire. The Covert Youth Agency.

About Jason and the CYA:

CYA Website

CYA Goodreads

Jason Ancona's Goodreads

And finally! *Drumroll please!*

A Little Giveaway!

Jason has kindly donated an ebook of CYA: The Case of Tangled Love!
Open internationally, of course!
Closes on the 12 of October!
If you are interested, please enter here:

&amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;

Book Blogger Hop!

2010-09-23T21:27:00.000-05:00

When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?

That typically depends on the book. I usually wait until after I finish the book, and sometimes I will take notes, but as I want to be as fair as I possibly can, I wait until I'm completely finished with the book to review it.

Thanks so much to all the people stopping by!

Hey guys

2010-09-20T19:25:00.000-05:00

Hi! So, I guess its happening again. I'm getting so caught up in school and homework and everything else that I have completely neglected my blog. Luckily, I have finished a few books, sadly, one of the two are for a virtual tour and I can not post the review until sometime in October, I think. Losing Faith is the one for the tour. I also finished Firelight, which I loved, and you'll see the review for that soon!

Anyways. I am starting to have more time to blog and read, and I'll definitely try to balance everything. Thanks so much for your patience!

Sophie Jordan: The Guest Post (blog tour)

2010-09-13T15:13:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity to have be a stop for The Teen Book Scene's tour for Sophie Jordan! Of course, I took it. I ended up having a stop for guest post, and so I asked if Sophie could do a post about...

Paranormal Girls vs. Paranormal Boys!

Since I’ve written Firelight and the reviews began to trickle in, I notice one thing keeps getting mentioned … an aspect toFirelight that some have pointed out as refreshing. Any ideas … guesses?

Apparently, a paranormal female lead isn’t the most frequent scenario in paranormal fiction. Firelight stars a femaleparanormal character. I’m not saying we don’t have books starring female vampires and such (and great books, too!). It’s just that there are an awful lot of alpha paranormal boys out there with their brooding stares successfully mesmerizing unsuspecting human girls.

I wish I could pat myself on the back and say that I saw a need for more paranormal girls and tried to fill it. But it didn’t happen like that. Stories develop organically from me. I didn’t consciously look around and observe a multitude of paranormal books featuring alpha male “paranormals” and “average” females and decided I would be different and cast my lead girl as the paranormal. It didn’t happen quite like that.

While I always attempt to write female characters that are strong and empowered, choosing to make Jacinda the paranormal entity was just automatic for me. The idea of heras the last fire-breather of her kind just screamed at me. The plot stumbled free after I knew that my story was about a girl who descended from dragons and could breathe fire.

Can you imagine if I wrote Firelight with Will as the draki fire-breather? And what if I told the book from Jacinda‘s pov? As the human draki hunter? It wouldn’t have been the same story at all. I still think she could have been strong … just not in the same way. And that’s the crux of it.

If you want a strong female lead … making her paranormal adds to her power. And I’m not saying that being a paranormal creature alone is what makes Jacinda strong. It’s the day-to-day living with the conflicts and dangers that stem from being an extraordinary entity that makes her tough and a girl to be admired.

Now I haven’t mentioned paranormal girls and boys yet. I love that! Put them on equal footing and see what happens. The books I enjoy reading the most happen to be when both the girl and boy leads are paranormal in some fashion. Even more fun when they’re different paranormals from each other. Again, that just stirs up conflict. Especially if they’re enemies. Hmmm … I feel a new story idea coming on. Better go grab a pad and jot down some notes.

What about you? Any preferences?

All for now! Thanks for having me here today!

Sophie

Thanks so much, Sophie! It was a pleasure to have you join us!

With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.

(via Goodreads)

Angel Star

2010-09-09T21:26:00.000-05:00

By: Jennifer Murgia
Series: I'm not sure what the series is called, but it is a series, and the second book, Leminiscate, comes out on March 21 , 2011
Source: Gift (from Mom at PAYA)
Pages: Paperback, 251 pages
Publishing info: May 18th 2010 by Lands Atlantic Publishing LLC
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand-the mark of an angel.

But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows, and now, she is torn between one angel's sacrifice and another angel's vicious ambition.

Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower.

I had the great opportunity to meet Jennifer at PAYA, and I kind of felt bad, as I had not read Angel Star. So, I got a copy at PAYA and read it pretty soon after I got home. It started off strong, and it was really fun to read. But then it slowed down quite a bit. Once that was over, the ending was strong and fascinating.

I think that the part that bothered me the most was that the Teagan-Garreth relationship was a bit Twilightish. It wasn't quite the stalkerish boy loves weak little girl, and that was nice, but Teagan's obsession with Garreth got a bit annoying at times.

I loved all the characters. Even though the relationship was a a bit annoying, I thought that both characters were great and could hold their own. It was cool that it was Teagan was the one who had to fix everything.

In all, an enjoyable fun read that I did like. I can't wait for Leminiscate!

Ahh!!!

2010-09-09T19:36:00.000-05:00

I am so, so sorry about my lack of posting! I have been so busy with school (our math & science teacher gives TONS of homework!) and my birthday! I have not been able to finish as many books as I would like to, but I did finish a few this past week. Sadly, one of their reviews will not be up November. Luckily, one of the reviews (Angel Star) will be up at some point this week!
I am also working on a few projects (four, I think?) that are outside of school, one of which I am really into, and I can't stop thinking about!!!
And I need to put together a portfolio to apply (and hopefully get into!) the creative writing cirriculum and the preforming and creative arts school, and its due October.
But I still wanted to say that I'm so sorry for just disappearing on you all so suddenly!

In My Mailbox

2010-09-05T08:51:00.001-05:00

So, as I haven't done IMM in a while, I'm going to list what I can remember in the last few weeks.
Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

For Review- Tours:

The Replacement- Brenna Yovanoff (via We Love YA Tours)- Finished. My review will be up in a few months...

Matched- Ally Condie (via Book It Forward tours)- Finished, review here

Freefall- Mindi Scott (Via We Love YA Tours)- Didn't finish. I'll read it when I'm older.

Losing Faith- Denise Jaden (via We Love YA Tours)- Currently Reading.

For Review- Other:

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else- Erin McCahan (via Publisher for book tour)
Freefall-Anna Levine (via author for tour at The Teen Book Scene)

Gifted:
The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins- read, will not review (But I absolutely LOVED it!)
Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins
Angel Star- Jennifer Murgia
Sleepless and Fairy Tale- Cyn Balog
The Pace- Shelena Shorts

Bought:
Forget-Her-Nots- Amy Brecount-White
Rain- Kieryn Nicolas
Nevermore- Kelly Creagh (Actually, it was bought with a gift card I got as a gift, so this and You Wish could go in either this or gifted section)
You Wish- Mandy Hubbard

My Big 13th Birthday- Day 4: Cyn Balog Interview

2010-09-02T19:30:00.000-05:00

I have the pleasure of welcoming Cyn Balog, wonderful author of Sleepless and Fairy Tale, to Potter, Percy, and I! I met Cyn at PAYA, and it was amazingly fun! She was so nice and funny!

1. The idea of a sandman is really unique. Can you elaborate?

SLEEPLESS is about a sandman who falls in love with a mortal girl whose sleep he controls. In the world I created, sandmen were once human who serve a 100-year "term" as sandmen before they can return to earth and continue their mortal lives. Eron, a sandman, died in 1910, so he has a lot to learn about being a human in today's world. He also needs to train his replacement, who is somewhat difficult and unwilling.

2. Can you tell us a bit about your publishing experience?

I spent a good deal of my life being told that being published was impossible, so I never really tried, even though I was writing stories from the time I was 5 years old. I went to college and had a successful career in marketing, though I never felt fulfilled. A few years ago, unable to completely give up writing, I started again, and a couple years after that, I sold my first novel. I learned that it wasn't nearly as impossible as everyone was telling me, as long as you're willing to put in the time researching the business and producing a good product.

3. I had the pleasure of hearing your wonderful story about writing. Do you think you can sum it up for the readers?

I am drawing a blank? :) I think I am going senile.

4. Who- or what- are some of your inspirations?

My children inspire me because I can't wait for the day that they will be able to read my books (and maybe provide me some material for them). I'm also inspired by the writing of Judy Blume, Roald Dahl, and a slew of other authors.

5. I heard a bit about your opinion on bad reviews (and Goodreads/Amazon). Again (sorry!), can you sum it up for the readers?

I don't mind getting bad reviews, because I know that even some of my favorite books of all time have people who don't like them. No book out there is exempt from bad reviews. What I dislike is when reviewers attack the author personally without any regard for the fact that this business is subjective. If a reviewer hates a book more than he hates dental work, it's okay to say, "Hey, this wasn't for me, but other people may like it." I understand that. But when a reviewer attacks the writer's abilities (or lack thereof) and makes assumptions about the writer's intellect, or if they generalize and say that nobody in the world could possibly find any merit in the book because they didn't, it just reflects badly on the reviewer.

6. Whats it like when you see your books on shelves, or in peoples hands?

I can't believe it! Sometimes I look at people buying my books and say, "Oh, are you sure you want to buy that?" because I don't want to let them down. At the same time I am so flattered to know that people I don't even know, all the way across the country and world, are reading my words. It's crazy. My words have gone places I've never been to. I am jealous of them. I want to go to Italy!

7. Are you currently working on anything? Is there an off-chance that you can, possibly, tell us a bit about it?

I am working on my fourth novel, an urban fantasy that's titled LIVING BACKWARDS (tentatively) coming out in 2012. It's about a kid who remembers things before they happen, and he can see the ramifications of every decision, no matter how small, he is going to make. It one of the most confusing things I've ever written!

8. Is there anything that you would want to change in either of your published books?

Um, everything! I can't even read them now; in fact, I cringe when I think of them! I really think I would have drawn things out a little more. I am one of those people who likes short books, but with the success of TWILIGHT and others, teens seem to be liking longer and longer books. But I am not one of those people who can write for pages and pages about how sparkly someone is. Maybe one day.

Thanks so much, Cyn! It was a pleasure to interview you!

Sleepless

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?

Cyn Balog's follow-up to Fairy Tale has more wit, more supernatural delights, and more star-crossed romance! Teen girls will love this story of a Sandman who falls in love with his human charge.

(Goodreads)

Fairy Tale

Morgan Sparks has always known that she and her boyfriend, Cam, are made for each other. But when Cam’s cousin Pip comes to stay with the family, Cam seems depressed. Finally Cam confesses to Morgan what’s going on: Cam is a fairy. The night he was born, fairies came down and switched him with a healthy human boy. Nobody expected Cam to live, and nobody expected his biological brother, heir to the fairy throne, to die. But both things happened, and now the fairies want Cam back to take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Even as Cam physically changes, becoming more miserable each day, he and Morgan pledge to fool the fairies and stay together forever. But by the time Cam has to decide once and for all what to do, Morgan’s no longer sure what’s best for everyone, or whether her and Cam’s love can weather an uncertain future.

(Goodreads)

Find more of Cyn and her books at:
Official Website
Cyn's Goodreads

My Big 13th Birthday- Day 3: My Birthday!!!

2010-09-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

So... Guess what?? I'm 13 now!!

And... Someone (Stormi of Books, Movies, Reviews, Oh My!) donated a few books (four!)! They are:

Summer in Paris by Michele Ashman Bell

Kenzie Williams feels like she has it all; wealth, friends, popularity and talent. But when her father tells her that he has declared bankruptcy, her whole world in New York City turns upside down. Her parents' solution while they sort through their financial and marital problems is to send Kenzie to live with her relatives in Paris...Idaho!

Feeling like she's been sentenced to three months in Hickville Prison, Kenzie arrives in Idaho feeling like a square peg with name brand clothes, in a round, horribly podunk, hole.

Leaving everything she loves behind, Kenzie is forced to get up at the crack of dawn, do chores, and hang out with her cousin's loser friends. She feels like she's about to die until she meets Adam White, the town outcast, who's been accused of killing his best friend and is being blamed for some trouble that's been happening around town.

Not only is Adam the best-looking guy she's ever seen, but he's also the most fascinating guy she's ever met and Kenzie is determined to get to know him and find out his secret. But, the longer she stays in Paris, the more she realizes, Adam isn't the only one keeping secrets.

(Goodreads)

Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog

Morgan Sparks has always known that she and her boyfriend, Cam, are made for each other. But when Cam’s cousin Pip comes to stay with the family, Cam seems depressed. Finally Cam confesses to Morgan what’s going on: Cam is a fairy. The night he was born, fairies came down and switched him with a healthy human boy. Nobody expected Cam to live, and nobody expected his biological brother, heir to the fairy throne, to die. But both things happened, and now the fairies want Cam back to take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Even as Cam physically changes, becoming more miserable each day, he and Morgan pledge to fool the fairies and stay together forever. But by the time Cam has to decide once and for all what to do, Morgan’s no longer sure what’s best for everyone, or whether her and Cam’s love can weather an uncertain future.

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

Vampire Academy
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Open Internationally!

Open until September 11 (Next Weeks Friday!)

Loading...

My Big 13th Birthday- Day 2: Kieryn Nicolas Interview

2010-08-31T19:07:00.002-05:00

I would like to welcome the wonderful Kieryn Nicolas to Potter, Percy, and I! Kieryn Nicolas is the 15 year old author of Rain. She hosted a workshop at PAYA, which I attended and it was amazing!
Well, here is the interview:

1. How does it feel to see your book as a real book that is on real peoples bookshelves?

AMAZING. Really. I love it. I walked into Barnes & Noble to get Mockingjay and saw RAIN on the shelves and almost started dancing (swing, of course!) right there.

2. Is it strange to look back and see your progress from writing about candy throwing hot-guys to writing books that are published?

Oh yes. (I might have to recycle that story someday…haha.) When I read my old writing my thoughts range from where-in-the-world-did-this-come-from? to gah-clichés!-please-stop-my-brain-hurts to hey-I-might-use-this-again. So, a very strange combination.

3. This might sound weird, but is it hard to write about people who are your age?

Not usually. I find it easier because I know from experience what personalities are more stereotypes than realistic. The dialogue also comes naturally to me. However, then it’s more difficult writing about interactions with adult characters. I just try to make everyone as realistic as possible.

4. What's it like being so young in the adult-filled world of publishing?

Intimidating. Very intimidating. But also incredibly fun, especially when I get to tell people how old I am!

5. Can you tell us a bit about your publishing experience?

My publishing experience has been…crazy. But in a good way! It takes up a lot of time, but I enjoy doing it.

6. What- or who- are some of your inspirations?

Almost every book I’ve read has inspired me. When I read I learn more about what I like or don’t like in a story and in characters. But other than books, some of my inspirations are…everything. Seriously, everything. Story ideas hit me with wild abandon and wild randomness.

7. Where did you get the idea for Rain?

Now here’s definitely a random one. I had a bizarre dream where I was tossed out of a hotel room into a moat because I was a spy, and then I was in Australia riding a Segway with my friend. After a few days of not being able to get this dream out of my head, I started a story that had to do with spies, Australia, and friendship…

8. Can you tell us a bit about the 11 WIP's you have?

Oh my. Well. I have an Oregon Trail diary, a fantasy story written in code, a series about my dog becoming principal… and those are all from years ago though. More recently I’ve started an action/thriller/forensic novel, a ghost story, a few dystopians, an urban fantasy, a few contemporaries, and a lot of et ceteras. At this time I’m working on a dystopian series and a contemporary story (which I’m writing with my friend).

9. Did you know that you wanted to get published when you started Rain?

When I started the story I wasn’t thinking “publishing.” But by the time I was halfway through the first draft I decided I wanted to try.

10. How do you feel towards bad reviews?

Bring ’em! I love feedback, good or bad, because I always want to get better. (Though, if a review is just obnoxious or the person hasn’t actually read the book, I’m not as willing to take it to heart.)

Thanks so much, Kieryn! I can't wait to read Rain!

About RAIN:

-ASSIGNMENT DETAILS-
LOCATION:
-Rochester, New York to Brisbane, Australia
ISSUED TO:
-Mel: tough 15-year-old female spy
ASSETS AND PERSONNEL:
-Thomas Syme [known as: Shadow]: principal of Watson Institute and Mel’s guardian
-Ray: meteorology prodigy and Mel’s best friend
-Caidy: jealous student who may know more than she’s letting on
-Bonnie Robar: Ray’s mom, also a meteorologist, whose whereabouts are unknown and who may have left behind a project with dangerous potential
MISSION:
-Follow the trail of stolen birth certificates (including Ray’s) which uncovers a plot that involves more than anyone had anticipated.

(via Goodreads)

Find more of Kieryn and Rain at:

Official Website

Rain's Goodreads page

Kieryn's Goodreads page

My Big 13th Birthday- Day 1: Kimberly Derting Interview

2010-08-29T20:04:00.000-05:00

So, as a few of you know, Wednesday is my thirteenth birthday! In celebration of that, I decided, that instead of doing a whole bunch of giveaways and begging stuff off people, that I would have a few author interviews, guest posts, all that! Luckily, a while ago, I had the opportunity to interview the wonderful Kimberly Derting! She is the author of one of my favorite books of the year, The Body Finder!

Anyways. Here is the interview!

First off, can you tell us about your books, The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead?

THE BODY FINDER:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

DESIRES OF THE DEAD:

Violet can sense the echoes of those who’ve been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she’d turn to her best friend, Jay, exceptnow that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike’s tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

Do reviews, good and bad, affect you and your writing? If they do, how so?

I don’t think anyone likes reading bad reviews, although I’ve never let any review (good or bad) affect my writing. I’m not gonna lie, though, good reviews can definitely add a spring to my step!

What are some of your inspirations to write? (like books, authors, etc.)

I love all-things-Stephen King, which is why I’m probably drawn to writing creepier types of books. But my all-time favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird. To me, that book is pure perfection!

I've heard you have some plans on world domination! Can you tell us a bit about that or is it confidential?

That’s funny, because I’ve heard rumors that YOU have plans for world domination! Hmm…there can only be one of us so I think I’ll keep my plans a secret for now *watches you suspiciously*

Is it hard to capture a teen’s voice?

I hope that readers feel I write authentic teen dialogue because if they don’t, I will have wasted years spying on my own kids for nothing! ;)

Seriously, though, I think the trick is to not write down to (or for) teens. They’re smart, smarter than they’re given credit for sometimes which is one of my HUGE pet-peeves!

Did you decide that you would write a YA novel or did it just happen?

It just happened. My first manuscript was an adult horror novel that got me my first agent (many, many, many years ago) before there was much YA at all. Once I started writing again, YA just felt like the perfect fit for me and I’ve never looked back!

Thanks so much to Kimberly for participating and making my birthday special... er!

The Body Finder

(via Kimberly's official website)

Find more about Kimberly Derting and her books, The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead at:

Official Website

Kimberly's Goodreads

The Body Finder's Goodreads

Desires of the Dead's Goodreads

Dusk-Till-Dawn Update

2010-08-27T19:18:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, I decided that I should join Dusk till Dawn, which is hosted by Jenn at Book Crazy!!!

Well, since then (about two days ago) I have finished THE HUNGER GAMES! It was so, so, amazingly AWESOME! I will need to finish the series before determining if it will make it to the HP and PJ shelf, though. I've heard it will be there, though!

Anyways. I'm now reading Angel Star, by Jennifer Murgia (who's awesome, by the way), and A Measure of Disorder, by Alan Tucker (who is also awesome). I'm hoping to at least get most of the way through tonight, and read either Firelight, Sleepless, or Catching Fire next. I want to finish Firelight before it's released, but theres no telling. I will read it soon, though.

Guess What??!!

2010-08-24T12:01:00.000-05:00

Okay. The title tells nothing, does it. Well then I guess I have to tell you now! MY BIRTHDAY IS NEXT WEEK!!! (I turn 13 on September 1st!)
And I am only two followers away from 150.
As a twelve year old that just got back from PAYA with a whole bunch of books, I have nothing I can use in a giveaway. Because of that, I was thinking that maybe, instead of having to beg stuff off of people, I could have a bunch of interviews, guest posts, etc. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to donate some time (I mean everyone- authors, characters, bloggers, other people in the publishing industry, everyone!).
If your interested, please email me at balletanne@gmail.com

Personal Demons Re-create a cover!

2010-08-23T13:41:00.001-05:00

I found yet another re-create a cover contest at YA Addict. Naturally, I wanted to enter! It was to re-create the Personal Demons cover, and here is what I came up with:

Do you like it (be honest!!)? Voting hasn't started, but as soon as it does, I'll post!

PAYA

2010-08-22T20:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go to PAYA! I met so many great people, authors and bloggers alike, and I am so excited to share my experience with everyone!

me, Jamie, Katelyn, and Cyn Balog

Me, Jennifer Murgia, and Cyn Balog

I woke up at five in the morning to drive to West Chester, PA to go to PAYA. When we got there, we (me and my mom) met up with Cyn Balog and Christina of Confessions of a Book Addict. We were soon joined by Katelyn of The Bookshelf

Sophisticate, Jamie of The Perpetual Page-Turner, Laura and Michelle (who run a Borders Express near West Chester), and Jennifer Murgia. Shelena Shorts met us soon after we got to the restaurant that we all went to for lunch. Jennifer of Book Crazy and her daughter, Aubrey had gotten lost and I only met them after I went to the Teen Writers workshop.

Kieryn Nicolas and me

As I mentioned, after lunch, I went to the Teen Writers workshop. It was run by Kieryn Nicolas, author of Rain, and Chelsea Swigget, author of Rae. It was really, really interesting and helpful, and I really enjoyed it.

me and Amy Brecount-White

Caitlin and me

When I left that, I found my mom with copies of Angel Star, The Pace, Fairy Tale, and Sleepless for me to get signed. After I got all those signed, I got my own copies of Forget-Her-Nots and Rain. I went and got those signed and found everyone outside chatting. There was a big group, not only with the bloggers I went to lunch with, but also Kristi of The Story Siren, James of Book Chic, Caitlyn of The Scarlet Reader, Steph Su of Steph Su Reads, and Jennifer and Aubrey of Book Crazy. We talked for a while and finally it was time to leave. I had so much fun and everyone I met was awesome.

Jamie, Christina, Steph, Kristi, James, me, and Jennifer

(all picture captions are left-right)

Matched

2010-08-21T20:41:00.000-05:00

By: Allie Condie
Series: None, as far as I know of
Source: Book It Forward tours
Pages: ARC, 266
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.

I find it interesting that they say that this book has classic potential. While it was good, even really good, it wasn't quite to the point of "Classic".
It really didn't completely do it until the very end. While there were aspects of this story that I wasn't in love with, there were aspects that I loved.
I'll start with what I loved. I loved the boys. Ky and Xander, Cassia's father and brother, all of them. I could see the real struggle for Cassia to choose between Ky and Xander. Great best friend or sweet and smart, yet a bit mysterious? I honestly had no clue who she was going to choose. They were both unique and amazing. And in the end, you don't know what happens. But it wasn't a plot hole or cliffhanger. It still felt finished. I like that.
I don't really know what else to say about this book. There was good and bad, and it was a fun read, but... Yeah.

Paranormalcy

2010-08-16T20:58:00.000-05:00

By: Kiersten White
Series: First in an unnamed (as far as I know) series. The sequel is titled Supernaturally
Source: Publisher for review (thanks so much, HarperTeen!)
Publishing info: August 31st 2010 by HarperTeen
Pages: Hardcover, 352
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal.

Normal is so overrated.

Paranormalcy... What should I say? I absolutely LOVED this book. I was amazed by how many amazing reviews there were, and I had a feeling that it would live up to its hype. Luckily, this is one of those rare books that is not actually overhyped! I almost hope that this is the next Twilight. It is much better! Much, much, much better.
Okay. I should probably stop comparing this book to Twilight.
Anyways. I loved this book (your probably sick of hearing that). The characters were AMAZING, and the plot was one that you thought would slow down at the end, yet it doesn't! How awesome is that?!!
I found that Evie was a bit of a risk, with her loving pink and cheesy TV. Yet it payed off. She was a strong person, a person who could tase vampires and have no hard feelings. It wasn't cliche or outlandish. It felt real, more real than many characters, almost as if she were a real person that Kiersten White had followed around for a day and documented every move.
Lend was also a bit of a risk. Would he be viewed as a cliche shapeshifter, dubbed another cheap hot paranormal hearthrob? Because I didn't find him cliche at all. I admit, he was another paranormal boyfriend, but there is a whole list of why he is not cliche in the least. Number one reason? He was nice. And awesome. And not in the least abusive or stalkerish. He respected Evie and she respected him. Their relationship was nice, one that I wanted them to be in. I didn't want them to not be together, like I usually do for this situation.
I think that one of the best parts of this book is its humor. It was dark, but funny. It wasn't a book that was all serious and dark, it was genuinely funny. I was surprised to find myself laughing on the first page. I don't laugh at many things in books (and I'm not talking about the "thats so stupid, its funny", kind of thing, either.), especially on the first few pages, but I was glad to feel myself laughing out loud at something in a book.
The plot was just pure genius. The paranormals were true to the original stories. Vampires were vampires, not some freaky sparkly, non-bloodsucking thing, werewolves changed at full moons, and everything was true to what it was. The idea of the IPCA was just fascinatingly awesome, and its portrayal was even better, and the writing was just amazing. A lot of times, the author tries to make the character (or characters) something they're not, like they describe them as nice, yet they're creepy, and sometimes they break the rules they made. None of this happened.
The only complaint I have is I WANT SUPERNATURALLY ASAP!!!!

T.K. Richardson: The Guest Post (Blog Tour)

2010-08-14T16:39:00.000-05:00

I am happy to welcome TK Richardson, author of 2020 debut, Return The Heart.
(Part of YA Book Blog Tours)

Thank you for inviting me here today and for being a part of the Return the Heart blog tour. I look forward to getting to know you and your readers. The blog tour has been a lot of fun and has allowed me the opportunity to meet some great people. Thanks again for inviting me!

Today I’d like to talk a little about gifts.

In my YA novel, Return the Heart, the main character is gifted – not with any ordinary gift, though. Seventeen year old Lilly Paige has the gift of reading other people’s hearts. She can see passed emotions and thoughts and view the very heart of a person. One would think to have such an ability would be wonderful, or would be a powerful ability. Maybe it would be. Lilly believes it is a curse. Being able to know the deep dark secrets of everyone she sees is not always pleasant.

In Return the Heart Lilly is propelled into one dangerous situation after another. With each step she takes the danger intensifies and knowing who to trust is not always easy. The ability to read the hearts of others is central to her survival.

But this is fiction.

The truth is I think we all have certain gifts or abilities. Not the kind that Lilly has, of course. That’s a work of fiction. But I think we all have something we’re good at. I would like to encourage everyone to find what they’re good at, or what they love and pursue it.

Lilly’s gift feels like a curse at times, but her story wouldn’t be complete without it. And your story is not complete without your gift. Sometimes what we’re good at may feel like a curse, but we’re good at it for a reason. So find your gift and work hard. Pursue your dreams and goals and remember to live each day as though it were a page in your own book. In the end you’ll see a story as unique and adventurous as Lilly’s is in Return the Heart.

About the author-

T.K. Richardson is the author of Return the Heart, a new young adult novel. She has recently joined the ranks of Christian Talk Radio as the facilitator and co-host of an on air book club with listeners. She is a co-founder of A Heart for Books And Kids, a program encouraging people in the publishing industry to donate books to children in the foster care system. T.K. Richardson is also the Director of Children’s Ministries at her local church, and helps sponsor a Christian based orphanage in India. You can visit her on the web athttp://tkrichardson.com

About the book-

(via Goodreads)

What if your gift was a curse?

To a casual passerby, Lilly Paige is anything but special. As a seventeen year old, she is faced with all the complications of a teenager, but deep down there is much more. Lilly has a gift, though sometimes it seems to be a curse.

Lilly can peer into the hearts of others - their deepest, darkest secrets are there for Lilly to see - but to what end? Raised by aloof parents, Lilly has been independent her whole life, but soon she will need to rely on her friends to evade an evil that has sold her gift to the highest bidder on the black market. Lilly and her four closest friends are immersed in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, that will not only reveal more about Lilly's gift, but also her link to an old Russian prophecy.

Can Lilly and her friends escape the danger that is so close they can practically feel it? Where will their perilous journey lead them - to darkness or light?

Return the Heart, by T.K. Richardson, will take readers on a wonderful adventure filled with excitement, twists, turns, and revelations that will keep you reading from start to finish.

Return The Heart @ Goodreads

T.K. Richardson and Return the Heart's website