Super Reader Girl's Book Reviews

Book Recommendation: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012-02-08T21:33:00.000-08:00

Cinder is by far my favorite read of the new year and is now one of my all-time favorites. I loved this creative retelling of Cinderella with cyborgs and a lunar society by debut author, Marissa Meyer. I get excited about re-imaginings of the classic fairy tales and this sci-fi meets fairy tale had me entirely enthralled.

Plus, how great is this cover?

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

The cover, alone, intrigued me, but the synopsis reeled me in. I loved and identified with Cinder from page one, despite her mechanical occupation (which is far from my own) and her cybernetic parts. She has an endearing and spunky android assistant that is much more than just a robot and she forms a titillating relationship with the prince, who appreciates that she is different from most of the girls he has known. I yearned for and dreaded each meeting between the two as Cinder tried to keep her cyborg enhancements a secret. This was a book that was hard for me to put down!

I thought Meyer's writing was fabulous. Her storytelling and world building were beautifully written and didn't feel at all like a debut. The story is romantic and empowering and I found myself obsessed with Cinder & Kai's stories. The ending is a bit cliff-hangarey (which sometimes frustrates me), but I loved it. However, I am now super anxious for Scarlet (book #2) and had a hard time reading anything else once I finished Cinder. Hopefully next January will come quickly....or maybe I'll be lucky enough to get another ARC from Feewel & Friends - they really hit things out of the park with this book!

The subsequent books in The Lunar Chronicles will bring twists on other fairy tales: Little Red Riding Hood, Rupunzel, and Snow White. So awesome. I'm interested to see how they get worked in....though I think I'm beginning to imagine how Red Riding Hood and Snow White might work with a couple elements of the story. I was slightly disappointed that there were no red shoes in Cinder, but perhaps one of the sequels will have some. :)

The author was at Books Inc. in San Francisco recently (another fabulous "Not Your Mother's Book Club" event), but unfortunately I wasn't able to finish all my chores in time and there was no fairy godmother in sight, so I was unable to attend....though I did have an outfit ready to go.

Red shoes in honor of the cover. :)

So sad to have missed it, but if you're interested, you can view pics from the event on the NYMBC facebook page.

For more on the author, visit Marissa Meyer's Blog which includes more pics from her recent tour stops as well as links to all her recent blog tour posts with interviews and other fun features.

You can also find Marissa on Twitter: @marissa_meyer

The next book in The Lunar Chronicles, Scarlet, will be out in January of 2013.

I highly recommend Cinder....

though you may want to wait until closer to January to start it. :)

Advance Review Copy provided by publisher.

Notable New Releases - February 2012

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Here are the new releases I'm most excited for this month!

February 6th

The Rivals (Mockingbirds #2) by Daisy Whitney
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I still have not yet red Mockingbirds, but have heard very good things.
Contemporary fiction about a covert group of young adults who takes a stand against abuse when their private boarding school will not.

February 7th

Dead to You by Lisa McMann
Simon Pulse
Lisa has a way with her stories of making them super hard to put down. This one's about a boy who was abducted as a child and has returned to his family at age 16 but can't remember his life before.

Once: Before Midnight; Golden; Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey

Simon Pulse
I haven't read anything by Dokey yet, but am intrigued by this repackaging of three of her fairy-tale re-tellings all in one book.

February 14th (Valentine's Day)

In His Eyes Anthology (Stories From a Cute Guy)
An e-book self-published by various authors including Susan Kaye Quinn, Ali Cross, S.R. Johannes, and Stacey Wallace Benefiel
Love stories told through the eyes of the boy. I have loved some of these author's other stories and am excited to get my hand on these! Perfect release date too! :)

February 19th

Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr
Speak
I didn't want to read too many futuristic/dystopian books too close together, but have been intending to read Julia's debut novel, XVI, for some time now. It received good reviews and this one seems to be getting a good response from early reviewers as well.

February 21st

Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano

Simon & Schuster
I read an advance copy of this and mostly enjoyed it, but did not find myself as invested in the story as I was with Wither. Sometimes this happens to me with sequels and it could just be that too much time had passed or that I was just not in the right mood. I found it enjoyable and still packed with adventure, danger, and romance...just perhaps a bit slower paced than I would like.

February 28th

Partials by Dan Wells
HarperTEEN
I won this book as an ARC at an event at Books, Inc. last month and the story interested me. I had just read Cinder, which also features cyborgs, so I didn't want to read them too close together, but will definitely be trying this out soon.

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

HarperTeen

This is probably the book I have been most anticipating over the last year. I have been DYING to read #2 since I read the first, Delirium, as an ARC over a year ago and the story hasn't left me yet. I have a theory about something that happened and am SO hoping I'm right....I almost don't want to find out, and probably won't for at least a little while, but am really excited to get back into this world and this writing again.

What books are you looking forward to this month?

FREE Books!

2012-01-31T20:53:00.000-08:00

So, I have some ARCs on my shelf from last year that are now past their publishing date. I don't think I'd be getting around to reading them anytime soon and I'd rather not recycle them (as the publisher says we are free to do). I'd much rather share them with YOU!

The photo below is what I'm giving away this time. Leave a comment below with which books you're interested in and in which order (if you're interested in more than one) and I'll get them to you. If more than one person wants a particular book, I'll do a random drawing for it.

Illegal by Bettina Restrepo
Afterlife by Claudia Gray
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
Fateful by Claudia Gray (Werewolves on the Titanic!)
The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (I did like the first movie, but haven't been interested in the books)

GIVEAWAY - SIGNED copy of Everneath by Brodi Ashton!

2012-01-27T23:11:00.000-08:00

My college roomate, Michelle, who is a talented photographer and reads even more now than I do has started a fabulous book blog!

To welcome her new followers, she's giving away a signed copy of Everneath. I haven't read it yet, but Michelle has and has great things to say!

So go check her out and enter the drawing! :)

Good luck!

Pitch Dark Days at Books, Inc.

2012-01-13T22:50:00.000-08:00

I had such a fun time last night! I wish I'd brought my other camera, but I'll post the pics I took with my phone. :)

The people at Books, Inc. - and especially their events group of "Not Your Mother's Book Club" - always do such a great job welcoming authors and the fans who adore them! HarperTeen is continuing their "Dark Days" tours this year with some fabulous paranormal/dystopian/post-apocolyptic books and included a stop at Books, Inc.'s Opera Plaza location in San Francisco.

We got to interact with Ellen Schreiber (Vampire Kisses series), Anna Carey (Eve), Veronica Rossi (debut author of Under the Never Sky), and Tahereh Mafi (debut author of Shatter Me).

They told about their books, answered people's questions, and took time to sign a bunch of books and bookmarks.

I was in the middle of reading Tahereh's book and loved talking to her briefly. She was so sweet, had gorgeous bookmarks, and great style - look at her awesome typewriter bag and studded boots!

They had a really good turnout - around 60 I think, including some upcoming authors like Corinne Jackson - another S.F. Bay Area native I met last year at a blogger/author lunch. She has two books coming out this year. Touched and If I Lie. I also met Gretchen McNeil, author of Posess, which came out last year, and who also has another book coming out this year, Ten.

Me, Cory, & Gretchen

I had the good fortune of being invited to join some of the new/upcoming authors at Max's (Thank you, Corinne!) for more visiting/eating/drinking (water for me). I think Corinne is so down-to-earth and fun to talk to! I loved her writer friends and am excited to read their books that will hopefully be coming out soon.

Writer friends at Max's Opera House Cafe

I love book events! It's sometimes hard with kids and other commitments, but hopefully I'll make it to a lot more this year! I definitely recommend the events put on by Books Inc. :)

Stay tuned for more on Tahereh & Shatter Me in the next few weeks - I may have a giveaway for you soon!

What has been your favorite book event and what did you like best about it?

Notable New Releases - January 2012

2012-01-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

Here are the new YA releases I'm most excited about this month!

January 3rd

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Feiwel & Friends
A futuristic twist on Cinderella. :)
Just finished this last week and LOVED it!!

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
HarperCollins
Debut post-apocolyptic YA
I've heard very good things.

Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer
Philomel (Penguin)
I really dislike the new cover designs, but I still like the writing. :) I thought Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) was a fabulous continuation of the series and have been looking forward to reading this conclusion for a while! For more on Andrea Cremer and how much I LOVED reading Nightshade, check out this post.

January 10th

A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis
Razorbill (Penguin)
I've heard rave reviews for Across the Universe #1. I have yet to read it, but definitely intend to.

January 11th

Witch's Brew (The Spellspinners of Melas County #1) by Heidi R. Kling
Coliloquy, LLC
Yay! Last I knew this didn't have a cover, but now it DOES and the book is actually out!
I so loved Heidi's debut novel, Sea (really good realistic fiction), and am WAY excited to read this.
She's another SF Bay Area resident too! :)

January 17th

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand
HarperCollins
I loved reading her debut novel, Unearthly last year! Probably my favorite read of 2011. Looking forward to more Tucker Avery. :)

January 24th

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins)
Another debut YA getting rave reviews

Notable New Releases - December 2011

2011-12-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

The new releases I'm most excited about this month:

December 5th

Wintertown by Stephen Emond
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I've heard mixed reviews, but the story sounds intriguing.

December 6th

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2) by Cassandra Clare
Margaret K. McElderry (Simon & Schuster)
I have been SO looking forward to this! Clockwork Angel was fabulous!

December 8th

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
Philomel (Penguin)
Debut paranormal YA about a girl who can speak to the dead and help them move on. Has been getting good reviews

December 18th

Embrace by Cherie Colyer
Omnific Publishing
Debut YA and I REALLY liked this.
Witchcraft, mystery, and an intense romance very cleanly done!

December 20th

Touch of Power (Healer #1) by Maria V. Snyder
Mira (Harlequin)
Guessing from her Poison Study series this may be slightly more "adult" in the romance department, so probably not for teens. However, for the older reader, Maria's world/character/romance building are fabulous.

December 27th

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Contemporary YA - A girl gives her now ex-boyfriend a box containing mementos of all the reasons they broke up. I've seen mixed reviews for this, but the concept sounds like it might be a cute story.

GIVEAWAY! - Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

2011-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Last year, I had the opportunity to read Susan Kaye Quinn's debut YA novel, Life, Liberty, & Pursuit. I never got around to posting a blog review, but I loved it. Clean but super intense romance aboard a cruise ship. :)

When I heard Susan was working on a new sci-fi/paranormal trilogy (I love science fiction) I couldn't wait to check it out. I read the first book, Open Minds, a couple weeks ago and it is SO good! Like epically good. If MindJack can get the publicity it deserves, I think it is going to do REALLY well! There were elements that reminded me of many of the things I loved about Hunger Games.

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

I did something rare for me and gave this 5 out of 5 stars on goodreads. I highly recommend it. There's mystery, danger, adventure, ROMANCE, reading minds (I would LOVE to be able to do this!), and fabulous writing. This is going to be an amazing trilogy.

And guess what? I get to give it away! One e-copy to a lucky random winner!

Open internationally. :)

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If you don't win, you can purchase the book in a number of formats (paper included) from links on the book site: www.mindjacktrilogy.com

Please also feel free to visit Susan on

Facebook, Twitter, and her author blog

susankayequinn@comcast.net

Susan’s Other Novels

Life, Liberty, and Pursuit (a teen love story) by Omnific Publishing
Summer Breeze Anthology

Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com

Notable New Releases - November 2011

2011-11-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

November has some great new book releases!

November 1st

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

Omnific Publishing

This is SO good! Epic in an almost Hunger Games type way. What would the world be like if almost everyone could read minds? I rarely give 5 stars on goodreads, but this book got all 5.

(Blog review to come next week)

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman
Katherine Tegen (HarperCollins)

Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie
Dutton Juvenile

November 8th

Fetching by Kiera Stewart
Hyperion Book

November 5th

Shatter Me by Tahereh Maffi
HarperCollins

November 21st

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Razorbill
Really enjoyed this one! Two teens unwittingly log into their future facebook profiles years before facebook is invented.

What books have you been excited to get your hands on this month?

Notable New Releases - October 2011

2011-11-07T22:40:00.000-08:00

Here are the October new releases I've been most excited about!

October 1st

Reasons to be Happy by Katrina Kittle

Sourcebooks

October 4th

Leisl and Po by Lauren Oliver

Middle Grade and SO cute.

Past Perfect by Leila Sales

"A clever, comic novel about the woes of (boy) history repeating itself."

Simon Pulse

Eve (The Eve Trilogy #1) by Anna Carey

HarperTeen

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
YA DEBUT

HarperTeen

Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick
Simon & Schuster Children's

October 18th

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Debut YA

"An intensely romantic debut novel about a dangerous addiction, a fierce rivalry, and a forbidden love."

Simon Pulse

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic Press

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

October 25th

Mastiff (Beka Cooper #3) by Tamora Pierce
Random House

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
A lot of fun siren/mermaid books coming out lately - This one has the interesting addition of winged people as well. :)

And the winners are...

2011-09-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

Amber Elise
Du Livre Book Reviews Blog

She wins a finished copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by DEBUT YA author, Michelle Hodkin

from Simon & Schuster!

-and-

Kathy

Read This Instead

She wins a finished copy of All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

from Macmillan!

Congratulations, ladies! I hope you enjoy these fantastic reads!

Check out my posts below for more information on the authors and books, as well as how you can purchase them yourselves!

Mara Dyer GIVEAWAY!

2011-09-22T07:52:00.001-07:00

Woohoo! Thanks to the generous people at Simon & Schuster, I get to give away a brand new copy of the upcoming YA book release, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, by DEBUT author, Michelle Hodkin. :) So excited to share this with you! It is different from anything I've read before and I love that I still don't have it figured out. The last page completely throws you a curve ball. :)

Giveaway will run through 11:59pm on Monday, September 26th and the book releases the following day.

Good luck!

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Author Interview: Michelle Hodkin - DEBUT YA Author

2011-09-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Michelle Hodkin, author of the much anticipated debut YA novel, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer!

I was able to briefly meet and chat with Michelle at the Book Blogger Convention in New York this past May (during the awesome "Author Speed Dating" portion) and took this picture then - before I'd read her book. She is super nice and I am so glad I've been able to ask her some questions now that I've finished it!

Michelle, what inspired this story?

The short answer is that it was inspired by true events. The long answer is going to be posted on www.maradyer.com :)

I wonder which ones those were! Looking forward to finding out!! Can you tell us who is on the cover? Is it supposed to be a scene from the story or is the water more symbolic?

Funny thing--authors don't usually offer input on their covers! I was asked for my ideas by the wonderful team at Simon & Schuster and I told them "dark and sexy." I think they delivered! My interpretation is that it's meant to be evocative and symbolic, but I think the neat thing about art is that anyone can interpret it any way they want.

Yes, they definitely delivered! I ♥ the cover. :) Have you always written stories?

Nope--the first words of fiction I ever wrote were for THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER. Crazy, I know!

Wow. So, where and how do you like to write?

I have an office and a desk and a local coffee shop but honestly, I write almost exclusively on the couch, squeezed between the pets.

What is your favorite thing so far about becoming a published author? How do you feel about the coming release date and how will you celebrate it?

My favorite thing has been getting to connect with readers who love books as much as I do. I've been known to have vehement Team Edward vs. Team Jacob debates on Twitter and to gush about the newest Cassie Clare book along with everyone else. I just love books, love reading, and love talking--so I have to say, that's probably my favorite.

Books & Books in Coral Gables is hosting a launch party for MARA DYER on the day of the release! The best part? Most of my family live in South Florida, so a bunch of them are going to be there. I'm definitely excited; the release itself is going to be crazily fun, but I'm drowning in all of the pre-release emails/tweets/messages! I love them, but I always feel bad that I can't answer as soon as I'd like.

Most important question: WHEN WILL #2 BE COMING OUT?!? :)

All I know is Fall 2012---but I am anxious to share it with you! AHHH!

Anything else you want your readers to know?

Thank you for picking up this very strange book. Thank you for talking about it. I appreciate it more than you know.

Thank you so much, Michelle! I'm excited for the rest of the world to be able to read your book! I love how unique it is!

Who is Mara Dyer?

Find out on

9.27.11

Web - Blog - Twitter

Check out my review!

And oooh! Now I have a giveaway sponsored by Simon & Schuster!
(See next post above)

Third Sentence Thursday: Dark Eden

2011-09-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme run by Sniffly Kitty of Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence review post on Sniffly's blog (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post your review in the comments!

But the first question, the one that will set all things in motion, will be a simple one. - Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

I know what the question is, but I won't copy it here. I'm nearing the end of the book now, and have enjoyed the story. I'm still trying to figure out when, in time, this sentence and the beginning paragraphs of the book take place. Dark, mysterious, often surprising - still trying to figure out exactly where the story is going. There's a TON of multimedia additions to enhance your reading experience, which is awesome. I've decided I'll check them out after I'm finished reading. :)

The book will be out November 1st, 2011

What do you think the simple question might be? :)

Let's Do The Hop! - Book Blogger Hop (9/16/11)

2011-09-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've participated in Jennifer's weekly Book Blogger Hop! Now that my kids are back in school, I can afford to be a bit more social again. :)

Click the logo if you'd like to "Hop" with us!

This weekly meme / online party, gives book bloggers (& readers) a chance to discover book blogs/bloggers they may not have visited before, find ones they like, and get to know each other better. I love seeing what everyone else is up to and checking out the different blog personalities and layouts.

This week's question is:

“As a book blogger, how do you introduce yourself in your profile?”

Well, it's just up there on the top left. I don't really have a lot on my "profile", but I use my yahoo avatar for pretty much everything to kind of "brand" myself, and my "about me" summarizes my blog theology. (Does "theology" apply to blog convictions?? :) Anyway, here it is:

I am a voracious reader of books who loves sharing what I find with others! Though I may have an affinity for certain authors, I will always strive for unbiased reviews and vow that this blog WILL NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS (unless otherwise stated). This may cause my reviews to be a bit shorter, but I tend to think reviews are best abbreviated anyway!

I try really hard to not give anything away in my reviews that might spoil story progression / a fresh reading experience for my readers. I know I love discovering a story as I go along and reading things as the author intended.

Looking forward to hopping around!

Feel free to say hello if you're visiting from the hop! I'd love to know you were here!

Third Sentence Thursday - Don't Breathe a Word

2011-09-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

This is my first time participating in Sniffly Kitty's "Third Sentence Thursday" meme, but I've checked it out in the past and been very amused.

The idea is you quote the 3rd sentence from a book you are currently reading and then write a review/commentary of the sentence - the funnier the better. It can be amusing seeing something taken completely out of context, and it can also give people an inner glimpse of a book they might not have thought twice about before.

I'm currently reading Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon. Here's the third sentence:

"The knowledge contained in these pages will change your life forever." - From The Book of Fairies, Don't Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon

Nothing particularly funny about this sentence, but it does raise some questions: Is that "change" for the better or for the worse? And was this "Book of Fairies" written by the fairies? Was it intended for a specific person, or is it something the fairies all have and it will change whoever they give it to or who finds/reads it? Oh, and are there even real fairies in the story?

I honestly don't know the answers yet, but the book is totally suspenseful and creepy. It hasn't made me scared of the dark again (yet), but I still am not reading it in bed. :)

If you want to join in, just post a link to your book's 3rd sentence as a comment on Sniffly Kitty's post!

Looking forward to reading everyone else's third sentences!

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin - Review and Giveaway!

2011-09-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

A dystopian/futuristic novel about chocolate? Yum!

In May, I received this surprise package from Macmillan:

SO fun. Cute red raffia filler, cool looking book, a letter with info about the book, and a package of dark chocolate covered espresso beans labeled "Balanchine Chocolate." Probably the best book related package I've been sent yet and my interest was definitely piqued for this book that I hadn't even heard of before. Unfortunately, I don't eat/drink coffee, but it smelled really good! I brought the contents to BEA to share with my roommates.

I heard a little more about the book while I was in NY and finally was able to read it last week. The start of the book did not immediately grab me but, after about 60 pages, the story picked up for me - the addition of a love interest helped :) - and I was pleasantly surprised by my first exposure to Gabrielle Zevin's writing.

All These Things I've Done is not a true dystopian, though many may call it such, but is set in a future where chocolate and caffeine are illegal in the United States. The protagonist, Anya, is likeable - though perhaps not particularly warm - with a kind and loyal heart. I loved Goodwin (Win), the son of the new District Attorney, and occasionally felt that Anya almost didn't deserve him, but I loved the way he was with Anya and saw through her hard shell to the girl she was inside. Anya's immediate family members and her best friend, Scarlet, are immediately likeable as well.

I enjoyed the look at a possible future New York with water and paper shortages and organized crime surrounding the trade of chocolate and coffee. It is also fairly clean - Anya is a "good catholic girl" who doesn't want to have sex before marriage....though she does occasionally come close.

I thought the ending was perfectly done and I've been very pleasantly surprised by the start of this clever new series, Birthright. The next book, Birthright #2 will be out in September of 2012.

Book Trailer
Gabrielle Zevin's website

Gabrielle Zevin facebook page
Author twitter feed: @gabriellezevin

And now I get to offer you a giveaway, sponsored by the good people at Macmillan, so one of you can read it yourself for free! :) If you don't win, you can find it at an indie bookstore near you or order it from Amazon here.

A cool extra touch from Macmillan - the final, hard cover copy of the book looks like a candy bar beneath its shiny cover!

If the government were to choose one substance to randomly prohibit, what's one thing you think you'd be okay living without?

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Notable New Releases - September 2011

2011-09-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here are the new releases I'm most excited about this month!

September 1st

Lunch Wars: How to Start a School Food Revolution and Win the Battle for Our Children’s Health

by Amy Kalafa
Tarcher
(non-fiction)

September 5th

Until Again: Prequel Novella to Blue

by Lou Aronica
The Fiction Studio
Here's my review of Blue

September 6th

All These Things I've Done

by Gabrielle Zevin

Farrar, Straus and Giroux
In the year 2083, chocolate & caffeine are illegal. The teenage daughter of a former chocolate mafiya boss finds herself involved in a business she wants nothing to do with.
Reading this right now. Took a bit to get into, but am enjoying it.

Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories
edited by Megan Kelley Hall & Carrie Jones
Harper Teen

I've heard great things about this one & have sent a purchase request to my library

Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #1)

by Tera Lynn Childs

Katherine Tegan Books
Three teenage girls find they are triplets and descendants of Medusa

The Beginning of After

by Jennifer Castle

HarperTeen
A girl loses her parents and brother in a fatal car accident caused by her bad-boy neighbor's father.

The Entitlement Trap

by Richard Eyre
Avery Trade
(Parenting / non-fiction)

The Taker

by Alma Katsu
Gallery Books
Adult paranormal/historical fiction

September 13th

So Silver Bright (Theatre Illuminata #3)

by Lisa Mantchev

Feiwel & Friends
Loved this beautiful/quirky/fun/imaginative series!

Fateful

by Claudia Gray

HarperTeen
YA paranormal/historical fiction - werewolves on the Titanic :)

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern
Doubleday
I don't have a copy of this, but it was heavily (& creatively) promoted at BEA so I've been curious about it.

September 20th

Cold Kiss

by Amy Garvey
HarperTeen
A girl uses before untapped powers to bring her dead boyfriend back to life, but he's not the same person he was before.

The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1)

by Maureen Johnson
Putnum Juvenile
A girl attending boarding school in London is the only one who can see the prime suspect in a string of Jack-the-Ripper-esque killings.

September 27th

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

by Michelle Hodkin
Simon & Schuster

DEBUT YA
Here's my post about this unique/gripping story.

A Beautiful Dark

by Jocelyn Davies
HarperTeen
YA Paranormal - On her 17th birthday, a girl meets two mysterious boys - one very dark, and one very fair - and is drawn to them both in the midst of a number of other strange events.

September 29th

Lola and the Boy Next Door

by Stephanie Perkins

Dutton
I LOVED Stephanie's debut novel, Anna and the French Kiss so I'm way excited to read this one, based in San Francisco.

What titles have you been looking forward to?

Books - A MUST BRING Backpacking Essential

2011-08-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

I spent last week in the mountains with no cell or internet coverage (& a dying iphone battery, so no e-books), but I DID have paper books.

My dad led my 7-year-old daughter and I on a backpacking trip where we camped for 4 nights. We spent most of the days fishing and I kept the daughter (who LOVED fishing) occupied while waiting for the fish to bite by reading her Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. We finished the book on the ride home. :)

I kept myself occupied much of the time reading an ARC of The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler which I enjoyed immensely.

I also brought a couple notebooks to use as a journal and to write anything I wanted to record, but all I ended up writing was a small list of gift ideas for my dad. :)

My daughter, however, used her notebook to write a short story about a princess locked in a tower awaiting rescue by her true love. The story is aptly titled, Together.

Here she is with her notebook, which she hiked with one day so she could write while walking.

What books would you bring backpacking?

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - YA Debut!

2011-08-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Wow. What a debut. This is a great start to a series that I really have no idea where it is headed. :) I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. It kept me guessing until the very last page - where I thought I had things figured out, but then the last line completely threw me for a loop. Michelle advised me to discuss with a couple other recommended bloggers and I'm guessing I'll do that soon. :)

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Mara Dyer's story is creepy, mysterious, and beautiful. I loved the love story. I loved the gradual unfolding of Mara's memories. I loved trying to solve the mystery of what had happened in the past and what was currently happening in Mara's world. I began to wonder if Mara was losing her mind - which would be understandable after the trauma of losing her friends. Then I began to wonder if there was some kind of "Black Swan" type psychosis going on or if there was a supernatural/paranormal twist. After finishing, I can honestly say I am still not entirely sure what was going on, but I do know I liked it and am so looking forward to reading the next book.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer hits stores everywhere 9.27.11. Pre-order your copy here. Download the widget here. Enter to win an Advanced Reader’s Copy here.

Note: There is a slight amount of questionable language, a bit of intimacy (not much, and cleanly done), and some unpleasant images of people who have met violent ends.

Notable New Releases - August 2011

2011-08-03T12:33:00.000-07:00

Here are the new releases I'm most interested in this month

August 1st

Misfit

by Jon Skovron

August 2nd

The Mostly True Story of Jack

Little Brown Books for Young Readers

The Near Witch

by Victoria Schwab

Hyperion Books

August 3rd

Janitors (Janitors #1)
by Tyler Whitesides
Deseret Book
Tyler is said to be Brandon Mull's prodige and this looks like a fun MG modern fantasy

August 5th

Ansazi (Sense of Truth #2)

by Emma Michaels

Bokheim Publishing

August 18th

Sign Language
by Amy Ackley
Viking Juvenile
I posted about this book last July after it won an award on Amazon, earning it a publishing contract. I think the cover looks great & am excited to finally read the story.

August 23rd

Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories

With contributors including Heather Brewer, Nancy Garden, Ellen Hopkins, Carolyn Mackler, Lisa McMann, Alyson Noel, Aprilynne Pike, Carrie Ryan, Jon Scieszka, Rachel Vail, Nancy Werlin, Mo Willems, Kiersten White, and many more.

Harper Teen

Sweetly (Sisters Red #2)

by Jackson Pearce
Little, Brown

August 30th

The Leftovers

by Tom Perrotta
St. Martin's Press

Are these on your list?
Which titles have you been waiting for?

MIA

2011-08-02T23:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being so MIA lately! I've had commitments (and family trips) that have kept me from the computer. I'm still reading though and have read some great books lately! Feel free to visit my goodreads account to keep tabs on me when I'm not posting here. :)

In the next few months I'll be opening a sister site for children's books using wordpress. I'm still debating whether to move this blog to WordPress, but will probably be doing that as well once I become familiar with the platform. Let me know if you have any advice. I had a great thread going a while ago on the Book Blogs Ning and I'll definitely be revisiting that as I come closer to switching over.

I'm realizing blog posting is going to be a lot more labor intensive now that we no longer have easy access to Amazon affiliate links to easily show book cover images. Does anyone else miss that as much as I do? Ugh. Thank you California Affiliate Nexus Tax. So frustrating. What are the rest of you doing to import your book cover images?

Well, I'm off to work on my "Notable New Releases" post for August. Where did July go?!

Guest Post! - Shelley Workinger

2011-07-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome, to Shelley Workinger, author of the awesome YA science fiction romance, Solid! The 2nd book in her series, Settling, comes out tomorrow - the 4th of July! There's a planned 4th of July party in the book, so the date is very fitting. :) She's sharing a sneak peek with us!

*And she's giving a signed paperback of the book to one lucky winner!*

I know that a year is a long time to wait between books in a series, so it was a given for me that I’d be putting out a preview to “Settling” as soon as “Solid” came out. What I didn’t anticipate was that my “sneak peek” would become more of a “stam-pede”! I think I’ve gotten more feedback to that two-page glimpse at “Settling” than I did to all 50,000 words of “Solid.”

The good thing is that readers love Jack. And I love Jack, so we’re all on the same page. Now, everyone wants to know if the peek scene is real or a dream…and I’m not going to spoil the surprise. I
will say 2 things: there is a scene in “Settling” that is only a dream; and “Settling” the book, like settling in real life, isn’t easy. I hope you all like where book #2 takes the series and will continue on with Clio, Jack, and the others into book #3, “Sound”!

SNEAK PEEK

Then, by none of my own volition, I abandoned my chair to meet him in his – uninvited maybe, but not unwelcome. One minute I’d been seated, steady; the next I was traversing the gap between us without touching down. All I knew was that there’d been nothing but air supporting me until I’d climbed onto his lap and connected with the solidness of him.

His response to my assault was not immediate; he clutched the armrests as long as conceivably possible while waging an inner battle between desire and decorum. His conflict – his call to me held in check by his uncertainty – froze his body as if he were petrified. More likely not so much by me as by this new us.

Breaking his resistance, I ran my hands up his shoulders to touch his fine hair, prickly soft under my fingertips. On his lap, facing him, I nudged up his chin, making him look into my eyes and see that this was what I wanted, what I needed. Our faces a breath apart, I felt heady inhaling his delicious scent.

My heart raced even faster, calling his to match pace. My hunger for him burst forth in an intensity I’d never experienced as I claimed the first kiss.

So this is why Eve was the slandered one, the seductress, I thought. That first taste of him, like the first bite of the apple, was the drop that knocked down the floodgates. And in the same instant that I knew there was no going back, that nothing could stop the wave I was riding, he stopped fighting and met me at its crest, joined me in the us.

His hands moved smoothly from the armrests to my waist, his broad fingers spreading across my lower back as he settled me more securely onto the seat. My knees slid up to his hips, my legs still folded underneath me but now pressing against the outside of his. And then it was he who deepened the kiss, hurtling from concession to conviction, clutching my backside as I bowed deeper into his chest.

Without fully separating, we both took a necessary gasp at the same instant, seeming to breathe in the same pocket of air, resealing our lips with yet more urgency. Where did the air come from when desire bound you too tightly to each other to part for even a second? More than just I want you, but I need you – need you more than air?

As if from a distance, I heard my own throaty moans, vaguely aware I should be embarrassed by the near-growling, but his grip only tightened at the sound. The heat between us climbing higher, his hands followed suit, up my back and sides all at once, over my bursting ribcage, rounding the tops of my shoulders, trailing down to rest lightly on the front of my biceps in an unexpected but tender hold. I wanted the moment to last forever. He was so strong yet soft, vulnerable and safe all at the same time.

So intense, so overwhelming, so…not Jack.

***********************

Oh my goodness. What?! My first reaction was, "Woah, this is very steamy." And then I got to the last line and was almost angry. :) "What?! 'not Jack'?! I don't know if I like this." Well, I'm in the middle of reading the book at the moment and haven't got to this part yet, but am enjoying it. There is another cute boy and one more boy about to be introduced, so we'll see...

For more on the books, please visit Shelley Workinger's website, solidnovel.com.

To check out other tour stops, here's the full schedule: Settling Tour Dates

Here's my review post for Solid.

To purchase Solid: Amazon or SmashWords

To purchase Settling: Amazon

The third, and last, novel in the series, Sound, will be out Summer 2012.

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

We have a Winner! (Signed ARC of Forever)

2011-07-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Theresa, of Fade Into Fantasy!

Random.org chose her number to win the signed Advance Copy of Forever by Maggie Stiefvater!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

There were a lot of votes for Sam as the favorite character - not a huge surprise there! :) A few for Cole (love him), a few for Grace, and one for Isabel.

Most of you answered the question about Maggie's musical abilities correctly, but a few don't know that she actually does play all those instruments. Bagpipes, harp, flute, piano, guitar - AND she writes, and she draws, and she's pretty much amazing. Maggie is a multi-talented "Renaissance Woman" wonder!
Here's her YouTube channel if you'd like to see for yourself! :)

For those of you who didn't win, you don't have too long to wait - Forever comes out July 12th! :)

Happy reading!

Notable New Releases - July 2011

2011-06-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

Here are the new releases I'm most excited for this month!

July 1st

Run For Cover (Tomorrow Girls #2) by Eva Gray

Scholastic Paperbacks

Middle Grade - Post apocalyptic fiction

July 4th

Settling by Shelley Workinger
(Self-Published)
YA science fiction - I loved the 1st in this series, Solid.

I'll be hosting a guest post on July 3rd - stay tuned!

July 12th

Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater

Scholastic
*See my review and giveaway for a signed ARC*
(giveaway ends tonight)

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Girl's crush - and the rest of the football team - turns into zombies and she must find an antidote.
I've heard this is pretty amusing. :)

July 21st

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
Razorbill/Penguin
I've REALLY been looking forward to this one amidst the mermaid/siren stories coming out recently.

July 26th

Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer

Philomel (Penguin)
I so ♥ this series! :) I just read this and am so looking forward to #3 now!
Here's my review of Nightshade (the first book).

Supernaturally (Paranormalcy #2) by Kiersten White
HarperTeen
Kiersten's writing is so fun! Very amusing. :)
I loved reading Paranormalcy.

Wildefire by Karsten Knight
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
I've heard some mixed reviews for this teenage clash of the gods type supernatural romance. Sounds interesting though.

Vanished by Shella Chari
Disney Hyperion
Middle Grade
Girl's instrument/family heirloom keeps vanishing. Clues point to it being in India.

What books are you most looking forward to?