Month in review: June 2011

Here's what I read in June! (And it's not much unfortunately.)

86. Bunheads by Sophie Flack (6/1/11)
87. Just Your Average Princess by Kristina Springer (6/3/11)
88. Cut by Patricia McCormick (6/3/11)
89. Twice the Chance by Darlene Gardner (6/4/11)
90. The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson (6/5/11)
91. Supernaturally by Kiersten White (6/9/11)
92. Wildefire by Karsten Knight (6/16/11)
93. The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan McVoy (6/21/11)
94. A & L Do Summer by Jan Blazanin (6/22/11)
95. Unlocked by Ryan G. Van Cleave (6/28/11)
96. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (6/28/11)

Total books read: 11
Favorite book read: Bunheads by Sophie Flack
Most disappointing: None really, I enjoyed the books I read this month.

In June 2010, I read 15 books so definitely a bit of a disappointment. On the other hand, I was only on book 87 at the end of June last year and I'm almost finally at book 100, so yay!

How many books did you read this month? Any favorites?

ALA 2011: a recap of sorts

I'm mostly exhausted from ALA, and knowing what I have to do in the coming days makes me even more exhausted honestly. However, I do want to take a moment or two to reflect on my blog about ALA 2011. My first ALA and hopefully not my last.

Comfort! I can't stress that enough. I wore these great sandals just about every day and my feet were not at all hurting by the end of the conference, despite how huge the convention center is. Comfort also means sleeping in if you need to a bit, taking a nap if you can get back to your hotel, and for me, taking a few extra showers due to the heat.

Don't be all about the exhibits! Yes, this is what I was definitely looking forward to but when I finally left the hall and went to some sessions, I was amply rewarded for my time and effort in finding the room. Sometimes I didn't find the room and would just sit in on something random, just to sit down, and that actually worked to my benefit since I still learned some very interesting things about ALA and all that it does.

You have to be prepared because no one else will be! And by this I mean, don't count on someone (ahem, YALSA) to be prepared for presentations. Do it your way and it will work out. Know your material, be enthuthiastic and genuine and just show people why you love what you are talking about. It makes a difference. Have more material than you could ever talk about! I think this definitely describes the presentation Kelly and I put on.

Mingle: This is harder for me than it might be for others. I just feel all awkward mingling but I did force myself a bit to get over this and just introduce myself to my fellow librarians. I mean, they are obviously there because they too are passionate about libraries, so what is there to be afraid of? We already have common ground.

Explore! Wherever your first ALA may be, take some time to explore. This may seem like a "duh, of course!" kind of thing but I talked to too many librarians who hadn't really done anything touristy. That's not a bad thing of course but I think it makes your experience somewhat less. I wouldn't have passed up on the awesome dinners with friends, the receptions I attended, or the time I took sightseeing around New Orleans, heat and sweat and all.

Water. Keep watered people, it will make your day easier and you can last longer. I didn't drink nearly enough water during the day because it was so expensive and ALA did not have an easy way for me to fill up my water bottle at all. Seriously, they should have had big plastic water stations around that huge convention center, especially given how hot it was outside.

There are few things more satisfying than being surrounded by people who are passionate about libraries, about advocacy, about teens, about books, about technology and so much more. It was a thrill just to sneakily listen in on other people's conversations (yep, I so did that.) and hear what they were thinking about the conference and what they were learning. I had an exhausting and wonderfully fun time. Hopefully I can make the trek to another ALA Annual conference in the near future.

Review: Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler is her second book, a story I was looking forward to because I really enjoyed A Blue So Dark. Unfortunately, I disliked just about everything about this book.

Synopsis: Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college-and everyone's admiration in her hometown. But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.


As a graduation present, Chelsea's dad springs for a three-week summer "boot camp" program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she's immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who's haunted by his own traumatic past. As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home. Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain-or finally heal their heartbreak? (Goodreads.com)

This book is just darn right unlikeable. The two main characters in particular are just not very interesting to read about for many reasons. Chelsea used to be this great basketball player but once she was badly injured, she just gave up. I have no idea how she was ever this great basketball phenom because she was not very determined or willing to succeed after her accident. She truly just seemed to give up.

And then, instead of telling her boyfriend, Gabe, that no, she doesn't love him and that they should break up, she cheats on him with Clint. I admit, Gabe was a bit clingy so I could sympathize with the feelings she had of being in this very adult relationship at such a young age, but she truly just didn't treat him right. I dislike cheaters and that is what Chelsea was. She wanted to have it all without working for it anymore. Have a little side summer fun with Clint, keep Gabe on the line, and just continue to exist.

Clint is supposed to be her trainer but the attraction between them kind of prevents that. He has his own issues a mile deep but, like his friends, I felt more frustrated with him than anything. He gave up on something because of something that was in no way his fault. He bcame this lame teenage martyr I thought. It was rather pathetic.

Also, the emotions these two young adults were expressing just did not read like teenagers to me, even teenagers who are definitely in the final stages of the teen years. They read like a mediocre romance novel. It didn't seem real, this summer they had together and it never felt right to me as a reader because of how the relationship began.

My favorite character in this book is actually Chelsea's younger brother, Brandon, who is a amusing and is not at all afraid to call Chelsea on her bad behavior. He pursues his dreams of music even when it doesn't seem like playing in a local restaurant in the Northern most area of Minnesota was going to get him anywhere. He was a character with gusto and I did like when he was on the page.

Mostly I just became fed-up with this story and Chelsea in particular. Playing Hurt perhaps it was in a way, but mostly for me it was reading hurt because this was a painful story to read, and not in an emotionally complex way. I'm not sure what happened to Holly Schindler's writing. A Blue So Dark truly invokes some harsh but genuine emotions. This book all in all just rang false to me.

Other reviews:
Anna Reads reviews Playing Hurt
Early Nerd Special reviews Playing Hurt
Reclusive Bibliophile reviews Playing Hurt

Review: A & L Do Summer by Jan Blazanin

A & L Do Summer by Jan Blazanin is the second summer related book I have read recently and it turned out to be a great plane-read (I read it on my flight to New Orleans for ALA). Lots of fun shenanigans that were perhaps not all that true to life but in the context of summer, a summer set in Iowa which I hate to say it, cannot be all that entertaining on its best days, well, I was willing to go with the mischief these two characters got into.


Synopsis: In Iowa farm country, sixteen-year-old Aspen and her friend Laurel plan to get noticed the summer before their senior year and are unwittingly aided by pig triplets, a skunk, a chicken, bullies, a rookie policeman, and potential boyfriends. (Goodreads.com)


This is a just a plain old fun read. Aspen and Laurel are best friends. Aspen is definitely the more clearheaded and mature of the two but Laurel keeps her young. They are in their summer before senior year of high school and Laurel wants to make it memorable. Very memorable. She has ideas just flying out of her head, ideas that are giving Aspen headaches. The school year ends with pigs and senior year begins with chickens. Needless to say, it is definitely a summer to remember.


This is what many romance-haters would define as a fluff read. It is pretty darn lighthearted and humorous but it definitely has merit in reading. I can see this book flying off the shelves of my summer displays. The cover is friendly and appealing to girls, even though it really doesn't say much about the story. This is a book you could definitely add to any rural contemporary YA lists you may have floating around.


The characters have unique personalities but yet they carry enough characteristics to make them sympathetic to just about any teenagers. Sometimes, they veer a bit too much into stereotypes, particularly with the three jerks who were basically white trash hicks who drank a lot, chewed tobacco, were dumb as bricks, and had no problem calling Aspen and Laurel bitch. There was no attempt to make them anything but the villains of the story and here, it worked, though they were not necessarily comic villains but more like truly mean villains who were clearly misogynistic and at one point as mentioned in the story, had no trouble trying to rape a fellow female classmate. These are really not nice guys at all and I couldn't help thinking their villainy was a bit over the top for the lighthearted feel of the book.


These are two genuinely nice characters however, Aspen and Laurel. They care about each other and just want to have a fun summer. Unfortunately, Laurel is a bit over the top in her quest and it does result in some fighting but it's nothing that the friendship cannot withstand which is nice to see. These are not mean girls. They are everyday girls just looking to enjoy summer. They have to get jobs, they have crushes on guys, and they want to be around each other and celebrate their coming senior year. It is very typical teenage summer reading fare, book wise, but I enjoyed it. I'm really enjoying the paperbacks Egmont has been putting out, though it would be fabulous if there were a few more boy-orientated contemporary stories. All the Egmont paperbacks I've read have been very female-centric which I do love but you know, change of pace is nice too!


All in all though, I had great fun with A & L Do Summer. It's not necessarily going to stick with me a long time after, but it livened up my plane ride and made me glad I never got into any wacky hijinks like these two. Living vicariously through them was perfectly fun!


Other reviews:
Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf reviews A & L Do Summer
YA Reads reviews A & L Do Summer
Simply Books reviews A & L Do Summer

My ALA 2011 Experience in Pictures!

This post is totally inspired by Pop Culture Junkie's roundup of BEA. Full round-up to come once I'm back home. It's been a fabulous experience!

Review: The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan McVoy

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan McVoy is not quite what I expected, given the cover. It's not quite as lighthearted as it looks.

Synopsis: Three sisters. One life-changing summer.

Calla loves summer because summer means Duncan. They’ve been best friends for years, but Calla has never worked up the nerve to tell him how she really feels. This summer, the summer before college, is Calla's last chance.

Violet isn't much of a rule breaker in real life. But this isn't real life, this is summer, and Violet is determined to make the most of it. Besides, a little sneaking out never hurt anyone. And sneaking out with James is 100% worth the risk...even though James is completely off-limits.

Daisy has never been the sister that boys notice, but when sparks fly with Joel at the first bonfire of summer, it seems so easy and right. So why is being his girlfriend so complicated? (Goodreads.com)

This is the story of three sisters. Oldest, Calla, middle sister, Violet, and the youngest, Daisy. They all have different hopes for the summer and how this summer could change their lives. For Calla, controlling and perfectionist, kind and caring, it is her last summer with her friend, Duncan, and she is determined to show him her feelings.Violet connects with a guy in a big, big way. Daisy on the other hand falters and shrivels up during this three week period. She is perhaps the sister I was most fascinated with.

What I really liked about this book is that it appears to be the quintessential summer experience. Summer camp. Activities, bonfires, singalongs, boys, girls, and sneaking out at night. But, the Terra Elan McVoy makes this a unique experience, at least for me. It is not necessarily a happy experience for any of these sisters but it is an experience, a monumental experience as Violet is prone to say, that will leave an impression.

Daisy, as I mentioned, is the sister I really liked reading about. As the youngest, she is not insecure or weak when it comes to her sisters, but when it comes to her cabin mates and the pressures of being surrounded by a group of girls who have no problems getting nasty, well, she shrivels up. She is not the same character throughout the course of the book. This is a clear case of bullying, perhaps not at its most brutal as is seen in something like Courtney Summers' Mean Girls but it is the oppressive beating down of someone through vicious acts of cruelty, through ignoring someone, through making what is special about them seem worthless. I was not expecting this storyline to pop up in this book at all. Believe me, an ice cream cone on a book cover do not conjure up images of bullying. However, I liked that she did not let the bullies win. Daisy finds her footing again, in small steps. She finds her strength once again.

Violet and Calla weren't quite as interesting to me, though that's not to say they were boring. Calla though was a bit frustrating because she was either worrying about her job or deciding how to tell Duncan how she felt. There just was not a whole lot of character development for her. Violet on the other hand is definitely the middle sister and it shows. She is more exuberant than her sisters and is much more of a risk-taker and it shows in her encounters with James. I don't mean this as a spoiler but this book does deal with sex, and not in a light sense. Sex is a reality for Violet. It is all very well done and mostly up to the imagination but hey, sex is a reality for many teens, so they'll be able to see the ramifications of that decision.

The boys in this book are characters that are named but really have no personalities outside of the three sisters. James, Violet's guy, is well, there's not much to say about him because aside from her liking him so much, I never truly understood why she liked him that much. It was a romance where the feelings were really only explored on Violet's side, what made her long for him, what he made her feel. I think the author chose to write the relationship that way, as with all the guy relationships. They guys in this book are just very, very periphery characters, allowing for the female characters to take over and explore their own selves during this chaotic summer period, when anything goes.

There is another female character, a "bad girl" named Brynn who is obviously pulling for attention no matter how she can get it. She is the catalyst for several of the decisions the three sisters make and I think I would have found it a tad more interesting if the sisters made those decisions on their own, without any prodding from Brynn who pushes them out of their comfort zone. Violet and Brynn in particular become close and it was that relationship that was far more interesting than Violet's professed love for James.

This is the first book I have read by Terra Elan McVoy but now I am definitely interested in exploring her backlist, though not her book in poetry. Not for me. However, I was impressed with how she captures such a normal teenage summer experience but also adds waves of emotions that gave this summer experience, at least for me, a freshness that makes the story stand out. I've been reading several summer set stories recently and this is one that really stood out for me. Daisy and Violet in particular kept me interested and involved in the antics of the campgrounds, while Calla mostly faded into the background. This is a guaranteed summer crowd-pleaser for girl readers, that I know. For the librarians out there, there is sex in this book. Don't let that scare you off because I think these three characters have a good story to tell.

ALA 2011: Day 1 Recap

I've been in New Orleans, Louisiana, for two full days now and the temps truly know how to keep you on your toes. Humid and damp one minute, downpouring and cooler the next. Interesting weather to say the least! Today however was my first day doing library related things, rather than mostly playing tourist as I did Thursday night. (Thursday night was capped off by an evening dinner with Angie, Abby, and Katie amongst others so there was some library networking involved.)

Today I got up early again and enjoyed some time out in the French Quarter once more. I really like Jackson Square. Around 1pm I decided to finally head to the convention center here in New Orleans to sign in at ALA. I hadn't signed up for any preconferences so until today, I hadn't been needed at the conference center. The place really wasn't jam-packed yet but I hung around, chitchatted a bit and then, at 3:00pm, I headed to YALSA 101, a YALSA networking event. It was only a so-so event for me. I think the tables kind of stopped people from truly mingling from group to group. I was there to promote The Hub so I talked about that. But the room wasn't all that crowded and it just didn't have a great, vibrant energy which I associate with teens.

The opening speech was after that and it was going to be led by Dan Savage. You know, the awesome guy who created the It Gets Better Project? Well, there was so much blah blah stuff before it from the president of ALA which I guess, fine, I understand. And I did like seeing how far New Orleans had come post-Hurricane Katrina, but honestly, the entire affair was too long. I eventually left to go wait for the exhibits to open.

My plan for the exhibits was not too be too crazy like I got at BEA. I just felt very rushed there and I didn't chat as much with the publishers as I wanted. This time, going in, I knew that was my goal so I was much more leisurely in my pursuit around the exhibit hall and it paid off because I got tons of books but also got to really show these publicists what my teens like reading right now. As we discussed books, that is when they would get excited and try to shove more books at me. I mean, that's awesome. All I was doing was telling them which titles of theirs I enjoyed, that my teens enjoyed and that were circulating well. I wasn't just rambling around the exhibit hall. It was a good time and I look forward to going back and hopefully renewing those initial contacts.

Also, I totally randomly met author Carolyn Mackler at the Scholastic booth! I just happened to glance at her nametag and said, "You're Carolyn Mackler!" and it was! She was really nice about it, about me invading her personal time I mean. She was picking up some books for her son which I thought was really nice. She said how much fun she had writing The Future of Us with Jay Asher which just makes me want to read it even more! I'm so going to be in that line nice and early this weekend.

As for the books, here is what I got the first day. Way more than I expected to honestly. I'm going to have to ship books home because I only brought a carry-on case for this trip.

Hello Goodbye by Emily Chenoweth

Wildwood by Colin Meloy

Reel Life Starring Us by Lisa Greenwald

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Au revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schrieber

Misfit by Jon Skovron

Underdogs by Markus Zusak

Frost by Wendy Delsol

In Darkness by Nick Lake

Tempest by Julie Cross

The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

Hooked by Catherine Greenman

Vanished by Sheela Chari

Dark Passage by MJ Putney

The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

Daniel X Game Over by James Patterson

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (May have this from BEA, I couldn't remember)

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom (pitched to me as totally contemporary, no paranormal at all so yay!)

My Life, The Theater and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff

Family by Micol Ostow

I'm really looking forward to the rest of the conference where I can attend more specialized sessions. I'm going to focus a bit more on kids at this conference since, with my new job on the horizon, that's an area I want to become more well-versed in. I know my teen lit and teen programs and lots of teen stuff so, I need to try to go the other way a bit I think.

Are you at ALA 2011? If so, let me know! I'm whtabtpineapple on Twitter. I'd love to meet new librarians!

Sarah's favorite summer re-reads!

Even though summer is one of the busiest times of the year for any librarian working with teens and kids, it's still a great time of year for relaxing. Frankly, that's all I want to do on the weekends after the busy week spent with crying kids, happy kids, performers, and tasks a mile long. Summer often inspires me to re-read books, more so than perhaps any time of the year. I think I'm often looking for comfort reads in summer and a great re-read is always a comfort to me. Today, I'm here to share a few of the books I love to re-read in summer. Seriously, I probably only re-read these during summer. And they are not all YA.

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. I both loath and love this book. There is just something about Gus that keeps me coming back even though one of the main female characters is crazy.

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I think I love re-reading this series in summer so much because well, I always anticipated these books coming out during summer. They have become a quintessential summer story for me, particularly my favorite Prisoner of Azkaban.

The Three Sisters Island trilogy by Nora Roberts. It features my still all-time favorite Nora Roberts book, Dance Upon the Air. And even though much of this trilogy is set in fall, I think I enjoy reading it in summer because it reminds me of all of fall's wonderful cool weather, right as I'm in the middle of a boiling hot summer.

Something, anything really by Roald Dahl. He's still my favorite author of all time and though I often chose to re-read Matilda, I love The BFG and Witches also. He reminds me of the freedom of being off in summer and being able to read anything and everything I want. Truly letting my imagination go wild.

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott is definitely on this list also. It's still my favorite book of hers and there's just something wonderful and sad about what the main character goes through. Love, loss of a family unit, but also a new inner strength.

A more recent favorite that I re-read several times last year is Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Amy Matson. I just bought the paperback version also because I just love, love LOVE this book. Road trip, healing, mementos along the way. It's exquisitely summer, as is another favorite YA summer book series, Jenny Han's summer trilogy (The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You, and We'll Always Have Summer). Can't get much more summery than this series!

And okay, I'm a tad embarrassed to admit this, but I like to skim through Ann M. Martin's Boy-Crazy Stacey, Mary Anne and Too Many Boys, and Baby-Sitters at Shadow Lake. Don't judge me, please, lol. It just brings on that nice nostalgia feeling of an incredible summer adventure you only get with your friends, and that you can only experience via a book when you are eight-years-old.

And I definitely cannot forget The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. Again with childhood nostalgia. What can I say, I love that feeling!

It's obvious I don't read too much adult fiction. I read lots of romance for certain and I don't think any list would be complete without Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, my favorite book of hers because I love seeing Gracie finally proving her worth to herself. Love, love, love this title. Kristan Higgins' Catch of the Day also has a superb summer feel to it with fun summer events, a love story that is rocky but sweet, and an adorable dog (who does pass away, so if you don't like those stories, fair warning.)

So those are a few of my summer favorites. They make me feel summer in a way I normally don't since I honestly don't like summer all that much. Too hot and muggy and mosquitoey for me.

And look keep an eye out next week here at YA Librarian Tales where I review two recently published YA novels with summer as a big part of the story!

I would love to know what your favorite summer books are! Maybe I'll have a few more to add to my list of re-reads for next summer!

Review: Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Like my crush on writer Jenny Han, when it comes to Jennifer Echols, I am pretty much a fangirl to the extreme. Love Story is the newest book from Jennifer Echols and it proved to be a bit of a mixed story for me.

Synopsis: From popular author Jennifer Echols comes a provocative, dramatic story of teen romance, set against the bustling world of a New York City university. (Goodreads.com)


I would take contention with this story as a teen romance honestly. It's going to be shelved with teen books because there isn't really a better place to put this book but in all honesty, these characters read more mature than teens to me. They were that ubiquitous group, "young adult" and well, there is sex, underage drinking and quite a bit of talk about drunk driving. So, it's not necessarily teen like I said but it shares many of teen attributes.


Erin Blackwell has been disinherited from her grandmother's wealth when Erin said she would not be a business major and take over the family business, the horse farm that brings in millions. So, now Erin is a poor student taking jobs in New York while studying and writing hard. Her first story has been turned in and is waiting to be critiqued in class when in walks Hunter Allen, the guy who she has based one of her characters on. She knows he is going to recognize himself as the stable boy and is waiting for the humiliation to set in. Erin and Hunter have a very convoluted past that comes out as the class continues. Echols cleverly gives clues about Erin and Hunter's past through the use of story. It works out very nicely and I enjoyed that aspect of the story.

However, I felt frustrated with how at odds these two were for much of the story. They had undeniable chemistry and lust but there was so many mixed signals that I wondered if there would ever come a point where I believed that they could truly make it. The subterfuge and hidden motivations for both Erin and Hunter's actions often made it seem like to me that they were working at such cross-purposes that nothing would ever happen.


I also had trouble with Erin and her grandmother. I needed more than the story gave. Not necessarily resolution between them but heck, I could have really used one scene between them since Erin's disinheritance stemmed from her unhappiness with her grandmother and their different goals for Erin's future. Instead, we get a scene between Hunter and Erin's grandmother that explores Hunter's machinations in Erin's life. It didn't give me nearly enough insight into Erin's life. On the other hand, I did like the small glimpses into Hunter's father in order to better understand both Hunter and Erin.


And the settings! I am a sucker for a New York set story so of course I enjoyed this story in that aspect, though New York didn't necessarily come alive as it has in other stories I have read. Erin was working and studying so much that as she points out, she didn't really have the free time to enjoy New York. I did like exploring Kentucky more and the world of horse racing. The rolling hills came alive (much like they did in Morgan Matson's Amy & Roger's Epic Detour). I've never had much desire to visit Kentucky but honestly, Echols is convincing me otherwise.


This story was just rather frustrating for me. It lacked that truly magical moment where I believed in Hunter and Erin completely. But that being said, Jennifer Echols is still a great writer and her support of the romance genre makes me incredibly happy because, as a romance reader myself, I know only too well how so many other readers look down on that genre. And when it comes down to it, I'd much rather read a Jennifer Echols book to some of the other books I've tried reading lately. I know I'm getting a hot guy (and Hunter is indeed quite sexy, even if his behaviors are erratic) and an interesting lead character, and Erin is that. Her passion for writing leaps off the pages, adding dimension to her characterization. Erin isn't rebelling for nothing. She has talent and the desire to pursue that talent to publication. This isn't a girl who is giving up her inheritance on a whim. There is a scene early on in the book, where she is at first excited to show off her romance story, when she realizes, that yes, even in college, people are still ignorant jerks about popular genres. Then later on, she realizes trying to write for the class, the depressing stories they expect, is not making her happy so she continues to write for herself. It made me respect her all the more and made me realize she is learning quite a bit in her writing class.


So like I said, a mixed bag. There are several elements of this story that work really well for me, and a few that were a bit more tenuous but nonetheless, I am still a Jennifer Echols fangirl and as usual, I am already anticipating her next book. Bring it on Ms. Echols!


ARC reviewed from Around the World Tours. And from publisher for review.

Review: Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Wildefire by Karsten Knight isn't quite what I expected. It's a paranormal book that doesn't take itself seriously in the slightest, which lends itself well for enjoyment's sake.

Synopsis: Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm. (Goodreads.com)


Ashline and her sister, Eve, have a very rocky relationship and it isn't helped when Eve kills a girl, leading Ashline to relocate from New York to California, where no one knows her back story and she can just fly under the radar, or so she hopes. What happens instead is she hooks up with one of the most popular boys in school, becomes a tennis phenom, and oh yeah, discovers she is a god. All so very normal!


This book is to put it mildly, a little bit crazy. It reminds me very strongly of the over the top, larger than life moments that characterize super hero comics only it lacks some of the more human touches that allow ordinary human readers to be able to empathize with superheroes. Ash and her cohorts, other gods who have been reborn as high school students, are all rather popular and good-looking and have surprising control over their abilities. They aren't exactly like you and me and frankly, don't face the same problems. A handsome college park ranger falls for Ash as soon as he lays eyes on her; Ash and friends get away with drinking alcohol quite illegally in the local watering hole, and they can take down villains without breaking a sweat. It was all very reminiscent of the TV show, Heroes, for me, except the main villains are not nearly as well-developed as early season one Sylar. 


There were quite a few passages that I just ended up skimming over as I wasn't all that invested in the characters or their story arcs. Ashline and Eve's rivalry is somewhat thrilling though an over the top tennis match seemed a bit melodramatic for all of Eve's tendencies towards violence. 


This review is making it sound like I didn't like this book, when in fact, I kind of had a great time reading it. I didn't take it seriously at all in terms of storytelling, characterization or plot, I just kind of went with what happened, so when the teens read their little pieces of paper that said what god they were, I was like, okay, I can go along with that. After all, Sailor Moon, one of my favorite TV shows which I still watch, well, she has the ability to best villains with a tiara. It these characters can age people in seconds, well who am I to not believe it? The author doesn't take this situation all that seriously it seemed either. There is a real lightheartedness to this book that works in its favor.


Wildefire wasn't quite what I was expecting but it ended up being a really fast read because I could jump into the action anytime I picked the book up. It is even written in a fairly episodic nature and the ending clearly leaves the future clear for more godly antics. I think this book stands out more for its perhaps sometimes unintentional humor and snappy characters but it has a place on library shelves and I think teens will respond well to these teenage gods.


Other reviews:
Bookalicious reviews Wildefire
Sparkling Reviews reviews Wildefire


ARC provided by Around the World Tours

Heading to ALA!

Tomorrow morning, I'm flying off to New Orleans to participate in my first ever ALA Annual Conference. I'm excited and thrilled at this opportunity.

I'll be at the YALSA 101 event on Friday, June 25, from 3:00-4:00, talking about my role in blogging for The Hub.

And, don't forget, I'll be presenting, along with Kelly of Stacked at the Teen Services Mashup on Sunday, June 26, from 4:00-5:30pm.

I'll also be attending the Printz program and reception on Monday, June 27 so that's another place I'll be if you want to connect.

I'm really looking forward to meeting people so if you happen to see my twitter nametag (whtabtpineapple) please say hello! See you all in NOLA!

Guest Post from Gary Ghislain, author of How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend

Today I am very excited to be bringing you another stop on Gary Ghislain's How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend book tour! I am really intrigued by the title of this story and what I wanted to know, and what I hope what YOU want to know, is WHY Johnny Depp? Of all the celebrities out there, why Johnny Depp? So today, that is what Gary is going to talk about! So, read on and be sure to leave Gary some comments.

------------------------------------------

Everybody wants Johnny Depp


Movie stars have an uncanny way of crashing into a story. Johnny Depp invited himself into mine quite late in the process.

Actually, when he showed up, the party was nearly over. I had most of my plot sorted. I had Zelda, a kick ass warrior maiden from a far far away galaxy. I had David, a shy and witty 14 year old, utterly in love with her. I had them leaping across roof tops, burning down police cars, and creating all sort of havoc.

But my story wasn’t complete. I still missed an essential piece of the puzzle.

Most of the humor in “How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girlfriend” comes from the fact that David has found his dream girl but that she has no interest in him since she’s already obsessed by another boy: her chosen one.

Zelda crossed the galaxy to find the perfect earthling to zoom back to her home planet. The only thing she knows about him is the taste of his DNA, something she can easily verify by kissing him. And she’s ready to make out with every kid, man and grandpa in Paris until she finds him, tags him, bags him and whizzes him up into hyperspace.

Virtually, the guy could have been anybody. A random civilian who didn’t know he had a ticket to Narnia. But somehow, I knew that lots of the humor depended on who the lucky guy would be. For the story to be funny and interesting, he had to be the worse possible rival for David. He had to be charming, beautiful, successful and way more desirable than my poor narrator.

One day, I took a break from writing and went for a walk.

I was crossing a wood near by Gothenburg City, in Sweden. It was a beautiful day in spring. Trees blooming. Sun shining.  Kids laughing. But I couldn’t stop thinking about my story. It was like dealing with a particularly difficult knot. Who’s the guy? Who’s the chosen one? How can I make this situation hilarious and yet obvious?  Who could be the worse possible competition for David?

And then finally, I asked myself the right question: what does every girl want?

Freaking poof ! The answer came to me obvious as the taste of water. Zelda wants what every girl wants. From Azerbaijan to Timbuktu. From Nashville to Crossville. They all want the exact same thing: they want JOHNNY DEPP!

I laughed till I cried and knew I had found the last missing piece of the puzzle.

I nearly ran back to my flat to finish my story.

Thank you so much Gary for your funny post! I guess it's true, Johnny Depp does have a pretty universal appeal. And if you'd like a little more information about this title, keep reading.


Synopsis: David Gershwin's summer is about to take a turn for the weird. When his dad's new patient Zelda tells him she’s from outer space and on a quest to take Johnny Depp back to her planet, he knows he should run away screaming. But with one look from her mean, green eyes, David's hooked, and soon he's leaping across rooftops, running from police, and stealing cars just to stay by her side. He might not be a typical hero, but David's going to get the girl even if it takes him to the ends of the earth—or beyond.

You can purchase How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend directly from Chronicle Books or visit Gary on his blog for more details about this book.

Or, for your chance to win a copy of this book, be sure to follow the blog tour for your chance to learn more about Gary, the book, and how you can get a copy for yourself! Upcoming blog stops include:

The Children's and Teen's Book Connection
WORD for Teens
Teens Read and Write
Carrie's YA Book Shelf
Friendly Reader
Cracking the Cover
Mother Daughter Book Club
The Hate-Mongering Tart
Novel Novice
Pink Me

Be sure to keep following the tour for all kinds of exciting details about this book.

Thirteen Reasons Why book contest

Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why is one of those books that begs for discussion. It is a book I cannot keep on my shelves at the library. From teens to adult book clubs, people of all ages and backgrounds are responding to this story. It is a difficult topic to be sure but Jay Asher handles it with delicacy and with insight. There is a reason why teens are clamoring to read this book and it is not for the reasons many adults seem to think. If you haven't read this book yourself, you are in for an emotional reading experience.

The publisher has taken the amazing feedback from this story and done something great with it. Penguin launched the 13RW Project at www.13RWProject.com as a place for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why to record their thoughts, stories, videos and photos relating to the book, and to view what other readers from all across the country have shared. Each review is logged on a map to show the many locations that viewers are posting from, and all content is shareable through Facebook and Twitter.

There are currently only a few posts from Colorado but I'm in the process of adding my own! Go forth and add your own. You can do so via text, photograph or video. It is a real life look at the impact this book has on teens across the world.

About the book: 
Thirteen Reasons Why is the story of a girl named Hannah Baker who takes her own life. But before she does, she records several cassette tapes explaining why and sends them to the people she feels pushed her toward that decision. The story is told from the point of view of Clay Jensen who spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah’s voice as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah’s pain, and learns the truth about himself—a truth he never wanted to face.

The anti-bullying anthem was published in hardcover in October 2007 by Razorbill, and quickly became a word-of-mouth favorite among teenaged readers with fans claiming, “This book changed my life.” The novel has been on the New York Times children’s hardcover bestseller list for 65 weeks, foreign rights have been sold into 30 countries and it has been acquired by Universal Pictures and will star Selena Gomez.
 

About the author:
Jay Asher lives on the central coast of California with his wife and son. His favorite part of being an author is speaking with his readers at schools and libraries across the country.

And now for something even more exciting. Two lucky winners will have the chance to own their own copy of the new paperback. All you have to do is enter below.

Enter to win Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why

Contest winners!

 

I have two winners to announce for a copy of Patricia McCormick's Cut. Congratulations to Tiffany P. and Megan E! You will both be receiving a copy of the book directly from the contest sponsor. Thank you all for entering!

YALSA Readers' Choice Task Force

I haven't really advertised this, but I am a member of YALSA's Readers' Choice Task Force, a new committee that was formed this year. The purpose is as follows:

YALSA’s Readers’ Choice list seeks to engage a wide audience of librarians, educators, teens and young adult literature enthusiasts in choosing the most popular teen titles in a given year, as organized by broad genres. The list will also provide librarians with a timely means of identifying popular teen titles on an ongoing basis. Nominations will be posted monthly, with a final vote taking place each November. Any individual, provided he/she is not the author or an employee of the publisher, or a current member of the Readers’ Choice List Committee may nominate a title via an online form, while only YALSA members are eligible to vote for the final ballot.

I know there is some scorn towards this new task force but as a member of it, I really want to make it a successful project for YALSA. With that in mind, we really, really need nominations. And the great thing about it is that ANYONE can nominate a title. You can be a teen, a librarian, an astrophysicist, a blogger, whatever, as long as you are a reader!

Here are the current nominations as of March 18, 2011. Not many titles nominated! This is where you come in and can help get this list off and running.

All you have to do is choose a YA genre and nominate a title. Is there a title you've really enjoyed this year and would like to see get some more recognition? YALSA lists are used by librarians across the country to get books in the hands of teens and it would be great to get more titles nominated. So with that, I say, go forth and nominate!

Nominate a title for the YALSA Readers' Choice Task Force!

Contest winner!

And we have a winner for Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red!

Many congratulations to Book Labyrinth! Your prize will be coming directly from the publisher.

And don't forget, you can still enter to win Patricia McCormick's Cut!

Review: Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

Jennifer Jabaley's Crush Control sounded really promising to me. Hypnosis, teens, the boy you've been crushing on since forever... all good stuff right? Unfortunately, this book ended up being more of a drag for me.

Synopsis: Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind - and more importantly, the heart - is something you can really control. (B&N.com)


Willow has just moved back to her hometown in Georgia, along with her mother. When she was nine, she moved to Las Vegas with her mother and helped at her mother's popular hypnosis show. Unfortunately, she's always been in her mother's shadow and Willow can't help hoping that moving back to Georgia will finally give her the chance to shine. And perhaps more importantly, she gets to see her longtime best friend, Max, once again. Only... things do not go as planned. Max has a girlfriend! Willow is crushed and hurt. She was hoping they would finally get the chance to be more than friends. Add to that, Willow's social life gets kind of hectic when her classmates find out she knows how to perform hypnosis. Will this be Willow's chance to shine?

I really ended up disliking Willow, a lot. She uses hypnosis to get a boyfriend, to help a classmate, and in fact, does it more than once. Now, this isn't why I disliked her. Teens make mistakes, I get that. But I felt like, when it was all said and done, Willow let the hypnosis go on way too long. She didn't listen to Max when he cautioned her that it was wrong to do it. She wouldn't confide in her mother. Even when her "boyfriend" started becoming even more obsessive with her, she didn't go to her mother. By book's end, I was just tired of it all. There are mistakes and then there is carelessness and I feel like Willow verged more towards that end of the spectrum. I also didn't feel that she was genuinely sorry for what she did to her friends and to Max. The last sentence of the book left a very bad taste in my mouth. I get it was supposed to be flirty and fun but to me, it felt like Willow did not learn her lesson at all.

Also, this book dragged and dragged. I feel like a good portion could have been chopped out without ruining the story. For much of the middle of the story, it was the same plot points rehashed with somewhat different scenarios. The back and forth jealousy situation Willow was playing against Max started to really get on my nerves throughout this book also.

What I did like about this book though is the relationship between Willow, her mom, and her grandma. It had a very Gilmore Girls vibe to it and well, I love Gilmore Girls so I think I was inclined to like it. But there was actually understanding and compassion in this relationship by the book's end. It was not an easy change and it wasn't perfect but I feel like these three characters at least better understood each other.

Overall though, I was dissatisfied with this story. It was a series of things that added up to disappointment and a rather mediocre read for me.

ARC received from Around the World Tours.

Ch-ch-changes!

Big news for me on a more personal side. I've decided to accept a new job, back in my home state of Minnesota, which I am very excited about. I'm sad to be leaving behind my current library because it does amazing things for the community, truly amazing, but the chance to be closer to family, increased responsibilities as the new youth services supervisor, and a whole new library itself all have me excited to move forward. I'll get the chance to grow my skills with both kids and teens and see what it is like in a smaller library also.

Doesn't really mean any big changes for the blog except for the next few weeks my reading time may be cut once again as I prepare to move (and attend ALA next week.) So, that's that! I'm ready for this next chapter in my career.

Review: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young is her first foray into the paranormal/fantasy genre and for me, it was rather refreshing.

Synopsis: Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

There have been others before who’ve felt the Need, but they’re gone—erased from the memories of everyone whose lives they had touched. It's as though they never existed. This is the fate that awaits Charlotte. But the last thing Charlotte wants to do is disappear, to be Forgotten. She wants to stay with her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend’s arms forever. She wishes she could just ignore the Need, but she can’t. And as everyone important in her life begins to slowly forget her, she has to decide if she’ll fight the Need in order to remain herself—no matter how dark the consequences. (Goodreads)

What I liked most about this book was the ending. Seriously, there was not a way out for this character. She had to make a choice and she did and there was not necessarily an easy out. Many of the dystopian and paranormal books I have read recently ended such that it subverted all the work the author had set up in the book. For me, this did not happen here. Charlotte had two choices and she did what for her was right. And it totally worked. Yes, I know there is more to come but it was an actual ending and not just a tease or a taunt that the character was so smart and found a way to beat the odds even though no one else in her position (in this case, as a Forgotten) had ever been able to do it. Why set up a back story if you are not going to follow through? Fortunately, Suzanne Young did follow through.

I also enjoyed the rest of the story, even as Charlotte is not necessarily the most interesting character I have ever read about, I liked how she tried her best to be there for all the people in her life who were falling apart for one reason or another. Charlotte wanted to cling to life, as most teenagers obviously want to do, so that internal struggle was very realistic. It seems impossible to die so young but it obviously happens and in this book, that struggle, between life and between disappearing but leaving behind something so beautiful, even if it is only for one person to remember, is at least an interesting struggle in comparison to many recent paranormals where many of the conflicts seem to revolve around love triangles. That isn't even an option in this book (and I hope not in the next book). Charlotte is in love and yes, it plays a role, but she is more torn about just spending all her time with her loved ones and also having to help those in Need. Her Needs are strong and are changing her life, in a pattern that is unstoppable.


The book isn't groundbreaking but it I was engrossed when I read it and for that alone I have to give props to the author because there are few books in the paranormal YA genre (though I kind of hesitate even calling it paranormal, but I don't know where to exactly fit it in either, it's not dystopian, it's kind of sci-fi/fantasy, but not really) that hold my attention. It is quite a break from her previous two books, revolving around the Smitten Kittens, but much of what made those books enjoyable for me is still included in A Need So Beautiful. I liked Charlotte, I liked Charlotte and Harlin's relationship, and I just plain enjoyed watching where the story went, how Charlotte was dealing with her dilemmas. 


A Need So Beautiful has me actually excited to see where the storyline goes. I cannot say many series do that all anymore so yay! In other words, this book worked for me. It's not perfect and if I wanted to, I could nitpick it a bit, but I don't want to because when I finished the book, I was glad to have spent time with Charlotte, understanding the role of the Forgotten and what it means to her future.


ARC provided by Around the World Tours

Life Behind the Reference Desk featuring

It's been awhile since I've done a Life Behind the Reference Desk interview so I thought I'd kick it back into gear with Helgagrace of Title and Statement of Responsibility (which, if you know any MARC lingo at all, you'll find this blog title hilarious.) So, big welcome to her at the blog and without further ado, here she is answering questions about what it's like behind the reference desk!

1. If someone was on the fence about going into librarianship, what would you say to convince them that getting into libraries right now, despite so much of the doom and gloom, is a worthy profession to pursue?

This is a very difficult question. I know a lot of librarians right now who are looking for work or who are going to be graduating soon and hoping to find work in libraries, but the budget situation is grim, to put it mildly. My library will be laying people off this month. There are a few signs of hope, however: I also have friends who are moving out of the library field and into other professions that value the skills they have as librarians. So even if a job as a librarian isn't immediately available to a new LIS graduate, it's still a viable option. I would argue that libraries need passionate, dedicated employees now more than ever. My advice for anyone starting an LIS program, however, is to go all in and get a part-time job in a library, or volunteer at a library, anything you can to get experience and differentiate yourself as much as possible.

2. I love your tweets about romance novels. Do you consider yourself a romance reader?

Most definitely. Thanks to my mother's collection of historical romances, I have been a romance reader for many years. I used to sneak up to the attic to read them when I was a teen, and enjoyed the Regency series in particular. When I was in college, I used to create ridiculous fake romance novel plot summaries and draw covers featuring shirtless men, and I hope my appreciation and "appreciation" for some of today's equally ridiculous novels come out in my tweets. Patricia Veryan and Georgette Heyer are my favorite romance authors, but I also enjoy Amanda Quick and Mary Balogh; there's nothing like a well-researched and properly executed historical romance. I also enjoy other genre books with strong romantic elements, such as Gail Carriger's Soulless.

3. Your blog is a mishmash of a lot of fun topics. What makes blogging fun for you?

I enjoy blogging because I only write about things I really want to discuss. I use it as a long-form outlet for my silliness and it's also a place for therapeutic and thoughtful writing. I don't follow a schedule and I don't feel obliged to review all the books I read, so I update whenever the urge moves me. I recently also started a blog called Collection Reflection (with @Tuphlos), which gives me the opportunity to talk in a more focused way about library issues.


4. What makes you passionate about your job?

At the risk of sounding incredibly cliched, I really enjoy helping people. There's nothing like the feeling of teaching someone how to use some bit of technology for the first time, or having a patron come back to the desk and thank you for finding them the book they were looking for. I love being responsible for uniting people with whatever it is they came in looking for (even if they didn't realize what that was when they first came to my desk), whether it's something as simple as directions or as complicated as a trip to the stacks for an article that may or may not have been published in the 70s.


5. Have you had a traditional path to your library career or have you taken a few detours along the way?

I did a post on this on my blog for the Library Routes Project which will explain way more than anyone probably wants to know about this topic.

6. What is one website you find useful while at work?

I use Fantastic Fiction all the time, both when I'm ordering paperbacks and for helping people figure out where they are in a series and what to read next.

7. What does a typical (or perhaps atypical) day at work consist of for you?

Most days I spend several hours on the reference desk, order books, think about the weeding I should be doing, get a couple of interesting questions, try to make at least one person laugh, and call it a day. I have done several posts for the Library Day in the Life project:

Reference Librarian
Weekend Edition
Night Shift Edition


8. What advice would you give for librarians interested in starting to blog, whether it's about books or about anything really?

Read other blogs and figure out the kinds of techniques and topics you like best before you set up your blog. When you post something, don't expect people to just show up to read it; be prepared to "market" through Twitter or Facebook. Comment on other people's posts and give them a reason to find out more about you. There are so many blogs out there that it can be hard to differentiate yourself and start a conversation (rather than simply broadcasting your ideas), so be prepared to have your parents be your only regular visitors when you first get started.


9. What recent books (audio or print) have you suggested to your library patrons?

I suggested the Stieg Larsson series on audio CD, because I love the narrator, Simon Vance. It doesn't matter how many characters with similar names there are in those books, as long as he's reading to me.


10. And we all want to know, what are you reading??

Right now I am in the middle of a great memoir, The Long Goodbye, by Meghan O'Rourke. It's about her mother's death from cancer and is very sad, so I can only read a little bit at a time. In the meantime, I am also reading Justina Robson's Mappa Mundi for my online Women in SF book club, and Libba Bray's Beauty Queens for fun!

Review: Secrets (Ivy book series #2) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

Secrets by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur is the second installment in the Ivy Book Series, following their debut last year of The Ivy. This book definitely follows the same model: scandals, secrets, and trysts oh my! Life is apparently never easy in The Ivy.

Synopsis: Gregory or Clint? Clint or Gregory? Matt, anyone? And what is Lexi up to . . .exactly? When we last saw Callie Andrews, she was caught on the horns of a dilemma. Lexi was threatening to expose all of her safely guarded, deeply buried secrets from high school, and Callie had just hooked up with bad-boy Gregory--despite the fact that she had a perfect (sort of) boyfriend and her BFF Vanessa had claimed (sort of) Gregory as her own. Yow. Entertaining, hilarious, addictive, scandalous, sexy, and smart, The Ivy series is an insider's look at freshman life at Harvard University. This isn't high school anymore!

Ok, I will start by saying that if you did not enjoy the first book, The Ivy, if you thought it was silly and all fluff, well, chances are you probably are not going to be any more enamored with Secrets. Characterization is still somewhat flat, there is still a Gossip Girl-esque feel to the series, and it is definitely not a book if you're looking for deep emotions. However, if you, like me, enjoy a good gossip fest, plenty of girly cat-fights, hot guys who are clearly too good to be true, and a healthy dose of excess with your fiction, Secrets should be right up your alley.

Callie just spent a night with Gregory but suddenly he is cool to her once again. Have they gotten their wires crossed once again? Callie is still facing pressure from nemesis number one, Alexis Thorndike. Vanessa is still hating on Callie and Callie still has to worry if her high school sex-tape is going to rock the Ivy League. And oh yeah, there's still Clint. Seriously, this is probably the most glamorized version of a college education that I've read in a long time. Obviously these things happen: initiations, sex, gossip, but somehow it is all taken to the very next level in this series. The feelings, the hype, the college shenanigans are embellished to a point where they seem somewhat unrealistic but honestly, that's half the fun. I would never want a college experience like this, but reading about it is all kinds of fun. The drama does just fine on the page.

Once again, I am torn between Clint and Gregory though I am definitely leaning towards Gregory because Clint truly does seem to be too good to be true, given all the things he experiences with Callie in this book. Yes, the romance angle hooks me time and time again. The characters are basically stereotypes: the good girl, the bad boy, the bitch, the do-gooder, but that being said, I enjoyed every minute with them. This is a fun and frolicsome adventure heading into the summer reading season. The series is truly the perfect beach read because you can set this book aside easily and pick it up just as easily.

I realize I am sounding somewhat dismissive about this series but make no mistake, I was very excited to read an early copy of this book before it hit the shelves and I am already anticipating what I hope will be a third installment of the series. Truly, sometimes all I want from a book is to visit a lifestyle that is markedly different from my own, and Secrets provides that in spades. The high life is indeed high but so is the fall for Callie and her crew in Secrets.

ARC provided by Around the World Tours.

Review: The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson hardly needs anymore praise or accolades from yet another reviewer, but yet here I go, taking a stab at it. I had a blast revisiting Ginny and seeing what task the last envelope had in store for her!

Synopsis: Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.
Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions. (Goodreads.com)

The book opens with a mysterious email for Ginny. Someone has contacted her about her envelopes. Someone had purchased her stolen backpack and now they are willing to give Ginny the envelopes back, particularly the most important of them, the last one, the mission Ginny failed to complete. But, this comes with a price as she is about to find out.

Characters familiar and new make appearances in The Last Little Blue Envelope. Keith, Richard, they stand out yet again, as does dearly departed Peg. Maureen Johnson introduces a few new characters, including the mysterious, sometimes rude, sometimes shy, Oliver. I completely fell for Oliver, with all his quirks and his "I am Dumbledore" moment. Unfortunately, towards the end I felt his character, which had been pleasantly mysterious, became a bit bogged down in reality as the story rushed to an end. I really would have liked more insight into his character and his motivations for blackmailing Ginny much earlier in the story. Admittedly I had my own suspicions but I like when authors don't leave me completely hanging until the end.

I liked seeing a more... realistic side of Keith also. He was just more tolerable in this book for me, even as he acted like a jerk a lot of times. He was a guy, a young adult guy, who didn't quite know his own feelings yet, even as he professed to love his girlfriend, but still care about Ginny.

That is my one minor complaint however. I enjoyed spending time with Ginny again and seeing her come to a better understanding about her future. I haven't read 13 Little Blue Envelopes in several years so the details weren't all fresh to me but I think Maureen Johnson included enough back story to familiarize readers once again.

The zany adventures across Europe were another highlight of this book. Whether it was a cat hostel in Ghent or New Year's Eve in Dublin, I loved the portrait that was created of Europe. This book falls somewhat into the realm of fantasy contemporary I think because well, few teenagers are ever going to have the means to accomplish a journey like this but it gives everyone a chance to dream and imagine.

The Last Little Blue Envelope was the perfect read for a hot summer day for me. It kept me cool and imagining winter, even as the sun beat down. It allowed me to escape into a crazy driving escapade through Paris, and it gave me the chance to scour Amsterdam for a pink boat. Fans of the first book will devour this new story and I can't help thinking this book, with its more appealing updated cover, will open the door for new teens to get to know Maureen Johnson and 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

Other reviews:
Cover to Cover reviews The Last Little Blue Envelope
A Chair, A Fireplace, & A Tea Cozy reviews The Last Little Blue Envelope
Good Books and Good Wine reviews The Last Little Blue Envelope

Copy received from publisher for review.

Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Hourglass is a debut title from author Myra McEntire. I had heard quite a few positive things about it before reading it and was thus a bit disappointed truth be told.

Synopsis: For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened? (B&N.com)


I will start by saying in my head, I kept comparing this to Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. This is not good because I absolutely loathed that book and even though the comparisons really diverged early in the book, I could not get that bad Time Traveler's Wife taste out of my head as I was reading it. Not entirely fair, I know this totally but nonetheless, that's what happened. There is a lot of good in this book however and it does not revolve around that other awful book at all.

Emerson can see people from the past. She has a special talent which I will not go into too much because discovering it in the book is where the mystery and fun is at. Emerson has a lot of issues. She was committed to a hospital after her parents' death and has struggled with her life ever since. She lives with her older brother, Thomas, and his wife, Dru, but has secretly stopped taking the medication that prevented her from seeing the ghosts. And then a new consultant enters her life. Michael is tall, dark and dangerous. He reminded me very much of a romance book hero in his description and even his actions, as he resisted Emerson because of business reasons. And oh yeah, their chemistry is off the charts because of several reasons, attraction being just one.

Michael is a member of Hourglass, which assists people like Emerson, who have special abilities. He can help her better understand what she is seeing and learn to deal with it. And he has an agenda of his own that he keeps hidden for much of the book.

This book was a bit of a slow read for me. I mean, I read it quickly but I felt like it took a long time for the action to truly get going. The early part of the story is this flirtation between Emerson and Michael, as she tries to get him to tell her about her ability, to tell her about Hourglass. When he refuses, she takes matters into her own hands, which I appreciated. Now that Emerson finally has a chance to learn about what she is, she grabs it with both hands.

This book is an odd amalgamation of many different genres. There is romance, there is paranormal, there is sci-fi. I kind of wished it had stayed focused on just one thing and let that lead the book, let that strengthen the core of the story because the story suffers from a lot going on. There is an X-Men like group of misfits at Hourglass. There is the hot romance between Emerson and Michael, there are the "ghosts." And oh yeah, it looks like Emerson's best friend has a secret of her own. It was all crammed in there that the storyline I wanted to see flourish and grow in the story, about Hourglass and Emerson's abilities, got lost in the shuffle.

And as many readers of this blog know, I love a good romance but honestly, I wish this one had been pared back to allow Emerson time to process and just truly understand what she was going through. And the fact of the matter is, I wasn't as interested in Michael as I was in Kaleb, another hot guy in the story with issues all his own.

There were several plot elements I saw coming a long way off including the identity of the villains and how they played out in the agenda Michael is trying to get Emerson on board with. There was only one element of the ending that truly surprised me and I won't ruin it here. I doubt I'm articulating my disappointments with this novel as adequately as I had hoped to. I did enjoy Hourglass and I liked Emerson. This book just wasn't her story as much as I had hoped it would be. Nonetheless, it is a book that will appeal to a variety of readers with its combination of ghosts, science, and romance.

Other reviews:
YA Reads reviews Hourglass


ARC reviewed from Around the World Tours.

Contest: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Ever since Gail of Ticket to Anywhere talked this book up during BEA week, it's been on my radar. I'm excited to read it but in the meantime, here is your chance to read Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red!

Need a little more information about this book? Read on!

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!


Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Doesn't it sound tantalizing?? Here is your chance to win! The Ruby Red contest runs from now through June 15, 2011, and is open to residents in the US and Canada. For more information about the author, some rave reviews, and audio excerpts, visit Macmillan's Ruby Red site and get even more information about this book. You can also view the trailer for the book if you're still not convinced to enter. And hey, I make all my contests super easy to enter. All you have to do is fill out the form below!

Enter to win Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red

Review: Cut by Patricia McCormick

Patricia McCormick's Cut has been out for ten years now but I only read it for the first time this past weekend. It is a short book that speeds along like a bullet train and drives home point after painful point. In the tenth anniversary edition, author Patricia McCormick speaks about the impression Cut has left on readers. I'm not at all surprised because this book still stands out, even amongst all the angst and drama that are Ellen Hopkins' books, or Dave Pelzer titles, Cut will leave a mark.

Synopsis: Fifteen-year old Callie is so withdrawn that she's not speaking to anyone including her therapist at the residential treatment facility where her parents and doctor send her after discovering that she cuts herself. Her story unfolds primarily through dramatic monologues, gradually revealing the family turmoil that led to her self-destructive behavior. Her little brother, Sam, is ill he nearly died in her care. Since Sam's illness, Callie's mother has become so worried and fragile that she rarely leaves the house. Her father has responded to the psychological and financial stress of Sam's illness by disappearing into his work, and when that doesn't work, into his drinking.

Callie's efforts to understand herself and her family illuminate her process of recovery honestly and with hope. Cut provides an insightful look at the psychology of cutting a form of self-abuse an estimated 2 million teenage girls inflict on themselves. (Goodreads.com)

Callie, the main character, does not speak. She has been admitted to Sea Pines (or, Sick Minds as the residents call it) and does not want to be there. Though she cuts herself, in her mind there is no problem. However, as she starts to get to know the other residents of Sick Minds, she starts to, if not become a bit friendlier, better understand the situation she has put herself in, while starting to feel some compassion for herself and for the other girls.

I think what made this book leave such an impression on me is that it's not particularly flashy or melodramatic. It just is what it is, a story about a girl who is suffering, much like Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. I didn't get the overwhelming feeling of drama for drama's sake like I sometimes do with other issue books. This is the story of not only Callie but also the other girls who are suffering. It is a story of how it can be easy to beat the system that is supposedly should be helping you. It is a story of family troubles, adult drama and parent/child relationships. It is a sparse story but it digs into the reasons why Callie is cutting herself and it gives her somewhat of an antagonist in Amanda, a more flashy, somewhat more bitter and cynical cutter who, unlike Callie, never seems to develop into someone who wants to stop cutting. Her hard outer shell does not crack quite so much.

I like too that the parents develop beyond caricatures. They are not always neglectful or ignorant of Callie's pain, it just takes her a bit of time to see beyond her initial impressions. But there is a scene at the end that shows redemption for the father figure in particular. He is not perfect and yeah, still seems like a bit of a jerk, but there's movement in his character.

Mostly, I liked this book because it takes such a serious topic and treats it that way. While Callie certainly improves her relationships with the other girls, mostly this is her struggle and how she opens herself up to finding the help she needs. Unlike in Julia Hoban's Willow, which I did enjoy, I feel like Callie is the one who became stronger throughout the story, rather than relying on others to find her strength. I'm not sure if that distinction is all that clear, but for me it stands out, even as it is a fairly standard complaint about that book.

I sped through Cut and I can definitely recommend reading it if you haven't yet. And it is definitely a worthy purchase for a public library. Patricia McCormick started off with a bang as a writer and she only continues to improve.

If you liked this review and want the chance to read the book yourself, enter my contest to win a copy of Cut! It's one worth reading.

Other reviews:
Galleysmith reviews Cut
 
Copy provided by media company for review and giveaway.