published  by:  Brilliance Audio

release date:  May 1, 2011

From Goodreads: When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

So I’m unofficially Lauren Myracle’s biggest fan.  As you can see , Lauren and I are TIGHT-as in, she allowed me to hold her leg while she was rocking the YA author-signed Pajants.  Yes, I know you are jealous -I’m jealous of me too!

However, she doesn’t just rock pajants, behave like the most awesome person in the world with the whole National Book Award thing (she was ROBBED I tell you!), and is just a super sweet person to us Girls in the Stacks fans (Stacy and Nancy got to escort her around TX one night and she was AMAZING to them as well)-she writes spectacular books!

I will admit right here that the cover threw me -I didn’t like it, and I kept putting off reading it because I’m not one for big flowers on trees.  However, once I popped in CD #1, I was hooked!  First of all-the cover doesn’t show how the story is part mystery and part coming of age drama.  I LOVED the whole mystery angle and how the main character Cat led us to solving not only the mystery of what happened to her gay best friend Patrick, but also what had happened to her so long ago that made her drop all her friends and start hating her seemingly great brother.  She has to re-examine what she believes about all the friends she has grown up with and about who she is as a person-love that!

But really-I also loved how true to life it was.  This book really isn’t about being gay and hate crimes (although does show how wrong it is that Patrick was somewhat bullied by his friends for being gay), but more about meth addictions and the subsequent destruction they cause.  I am not one for drug books (I can’t handle the gritty realness of Ellen Hopkins’ work for example, although she is BRILLIANT) -but this book-THIS BOOK-was funny, plus we had a mystery to solve, and I like a good Nancy Drew mystery any day!

If you like to listen to audiobooks at all, this one is a definite must-the narrator Elizabeth Evans really captures the small-town Southern accent PERFECTLY and really enhanced the reading with her many drawls for each character.

So really-go grab this book-it is an awesome read for those who like mysteries, for those who like realistic YA (without too much gritty darkness), and for those who just like a great story!

*Thanks to Brilliance Audio for giving me a copy to review.

From Goodreads: The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

My take – This book was a great follow up to the cliffhanger that was City of Fallen Angels (see review here).  Major geek out on several levels here!  Let’s see if I can break it down for ya’ll without spoilers:

Plot- for me, the action took a back seat in this book as it really focuses on relationships.  A little slow to get rolling, but definitely got up to steam at the end and kept me hooked.  Major progress on all the relationships, and some interesting developments that surprised me … yes, definitely the climax was a shocker.

Characters – Jace is once again not himself, and Clary is a little freaked out because she still loves him, and it’s his body and hotness and all, but the guy she loves is not in there … at least, the good part.  Clary gets to be reckless and play double agent to save her true love; Jace has a moment where he breaks free (and that right there was worth all the other angst).

Sebastian was also a little surprising because he was showed Clary his softer side.  We thought he was pure evil, but is he really? Mwaa haa haa…

Simon got a lot to do in this story (yay!) and his still-forming relationship with Izzy was so cute.  Of course, Izzy needs to stop acting so tough and tell him how she feels, just sayin’.

The Magnus and Alec story line was the hardest one for me – seriously, I wanted to thump Alec in the head for major stupidity.

Infernal Devices tie-in – Oh my gosh, hints that one of the Silent Brothers (Brother Zachariah) may be Will or Jem – I guess we will find out when Clockwork Princess comes out!!

See you in the STACKS!
Nancy

The Immortal Rules

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

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

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

my take – Let me just say that, I love me some Kagawa!!! This book is stellar, from the writing to the plot to the characters to the world building – everything! Here’s what I really liked:

*World building. Oh. My. The world created is fantastic, so very dire and survival of the fittest that the addition of vampires and ZOMBIES seems reasonable and acceptable. Did I mention also, believable? There’s no poetic snoring on landscape descriptions or soliloquys on the injustice of the Fringers – just the facts with the right amount of emotion and verve.

*Plot. AHHH!!! It’s so simple, yet filled with enough intrigue and mystery to keep you on your toes. I liked the twits thrown at us, and how nothing came easy for Allie and I liked the ending.

*Allie/Kanin. Allie is one tough girl.  She’s not perfect, but in a world of eating roaches and spiders to stave off starvation, this girls has the street smarts needed to survive. She also has a heart, though she may hide that at times.

Kanin. I love that he is a vampire and I love the mystery that surrounds him. He’s a dangerous monster with a soft side lurking under his scary demeanor.

What I didn’t like – Yep, there was one thing I did not like:

*ZEKE. This guy (Allie’s main squeeze) was just a little too perfect. A little too good. A little too giving and nice. One could argue that there is a certain scene that makes him less than admirable, but I see his action as selflessness. Zeke needs some character flaws!! People, only Peeta can be THAT good.

This is a must read for vampire/apocalyptic lovers!!

Stacy

From Goodreads.com:  Love is dangerous and trust is priceless in Holly Black’s “powerful, edgy dark” fantasy series (Publishers Weekly).

Masque of the Red Death

description - While struggling with the demons from her past, Araby finds a reason to survive after a devastating plague has decimated the population and no one is whom they seem to be.

Stacy’s take - One of the first things that draw you into this flambeaux story about disease and death are the depths of the characters. The first chapter alone introduces us to Araby, and we soon discover she has demons – a past that she is trying to numb herself from. Oblivion is her peace.

The other characters as well have shrouded pasts. However, a book with a bunch of characters with desperate beginnings is not in itself interesting. In this book it’s the way each character deals with their past in the present. How they fuel their passion going forward. It’s astonishing the many different ways Bethany Griffin can spin a tortured past to a productive future, or counter productive, as the case maybe.

My favorite characters are Elliot, Araby, Araby’s father, April and the nasty Reverend Malcontent. In that order.

favorite scene - In one particular passage Araby and Elliot are in Prince Prospero’s boat, surrounded by crocodiles. We learn so much about Elliot; his fears, his desires. We can see his internal tug-a-war. This scene is touching and creepy, but gives us a glimpse inside to who Elliot is.

one complaint - Araby takes a vow of chaste because of the death of Finn, however her resolve doesn’t seem to stand on firm ground.

XOXO

publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper Collins)

author website: Heidi Ayarbe

buy me: amazon barnes&noble

from amazon:  Sanctuary.

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

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

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

And loses.

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

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

my take: In typical Heidi Ayarbe style, she takes a subject I know little about and makes me feel like I should be the voice for all the people who can’t or won’t speak up. I feel love for the characters whether you agree with their actions or not. I want to adopt every character in her books and cook them a home cooked meal (does picking up Boston Market or Chick-Fil-A count?).  Ayarbe makes me feel for a character even when, as I generalize about that group, and in this case, bookies, I tend to disregard them and wish they would all go to jail.

Oh, not so with my dear protagonist Mike that Ayarbe melts my heart with. In a book where you think you know the ending, in a book where you think you are conservative, and in a book where you lean to the left, you’ll only think about the kids and how you can help them at the end of Wanted or any of Ayarbe’s books for that matter.  They aren’t preachy.  It’s just a story told.  A story that probably comes closer to the truth than anything I imagine.  Next time you hear about incidents in the news, maybe, just maybe you’ll think about the person and the circumstances that got them there. And maybe just maybe our world will change bit by bit.

Love, StackGirl Shannan who still ranks Compromised by Heidi Ayarbe as one of my most favorite books

What a Boy Wants

goodreads description - Courtesy of watching his mom’s relationships, Sebastian Hawkins knows what girls need to do to get a guy. He has what he considers a PHD in hooking up. When he needs extra cash for a car, Sebastian starts up an online venture as The Hook-up Doctor, to anonymously help girls land the guy of their dreams. Of course, his services don’t offer a happily-ever-after guarantee. He’s seen firsthand getting together never means staying together.

And then he falls in love…

Writing

Nyrae not only has the mechanics of writing down, she also the ability to bring the words alive in a realistic way, full of emotion with lots of teen angst. WABW is a fun read, and there were definite moments when a chuckle would escape my lips and I would say, “That Sebastian” and shake my head.

Sebastian

Oh, that Sebastian. He’s arrogant and cocky, and he’s bought into his whole persona of being the Hook Up Doctor.  It definitely takes him by surprise when he becomes one of those sappy boys, the ones who he constantly made fun of for being in love. I enjoyed reading his inner monologue, it was funny and sweet. His growth as a character may not be off the charts, but he does grow and learns something about himself along the way.

The BFFS – Sebastian, Pris, Aspen and Jaden

The friendship between Sebastian, Pris, Aspen and Jaden is real and endearing.  They are a tight knit group who will always have each other’s back. They even have a Pre-Party Plan, which is hilarious  and genius.

Thanks Nayrae for giving us a fun, easy book to read!!

 Stacy, just keeping it real…

The Selection

from goodreads -  For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

my take - Fans of Matched and The Hunger Games (and the TV show, The Bachelor) will see lots of familiar  elements in The Selection by Kiera Cass. Things like, a love triangle, a caste system, doting attendants (think subdued versions of Octavia, Venia and Flavius) and a country in turmoil – however, that doesn’t mean that The Selection is a copy cat book. It’s not, it definitely has its own originality.

How it’s different:

1.) The world building. The world Cass has created is not as dire as in The Hunger Games, or so controlled like that of Matched where citizens have no freedoms of choice and are limited in knowledge. Citizens of Illea are informed, and their only repression comes from their caste fate, not strict government control. Albeit it can be argued that they are controlled, but it’s not so much big brother is watching with spies or secret cameras.

2.) The story. It’s basically The Bachelor in a readable YA format and instead of a rich guy, it’s a rich Prince looking for his future Queen. However, the difference comes in that each girl is pampered, respected and protected – and the rebel attacks. We don’t know much about the rebels, except that there are two types – the Northerners and the Southerners. I believe by book two we will have a better understanding of the rebels and what it is they want/looking for and maybe even see a turncoat or two.

3.) America and the ending. America (the MC) is a strong, stubborn heroine which is not unlike that of Cassie and Katniss. Yet, the difference is that America comes from a loving home with strong (though at times strained) family ties. She’s devoted to her family and takes pride in her “talent,” her musical abilities. America is also honest with herself, and that honesty is apparent by the end of the book. The ending (which is NOT a cliffhanger) shows her courage, sense of adventure and ability to keep a level-head.

side-note: I’m not a fan of the love triangle, and in this case it’s really killing me – I like them both! Okay, maybe I like Maxon slightly more (he was the star of this book), but my allegiance could easily be swayed with the next book!!

This is a must read for lovers utopia/dystopia genres and maybe even those of reality TV.

From Goodreads:  Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

My Take:  This book came along just when I needed it.  A grand adventure, a heroine who becomes empowered, and a romance that sizzles.  I only had a couple of nits to pick, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book.

Ismae is a beaten down but still independent girl when she arrives at the convent, and she resolves never again to be at the mercy of others.  She trains hard and learns she has a natural immunity to poisons, which makes her assistant to the convent’s poison maker.  She is smart but naive in the ways of the world, having only known hardship and distrust from her father.  Her talent for, er, executing people gets her assigned to a mission.  She sees a mystical “marque”  that the god of Death puts on the people who must be punished for their misdeeds (punish=death).

Duval is (of course) handsome, honest, and equally talented at political intrique and fighting.  His relationship with Ismae starts off as an uneasy alliance, but blossoms into love.  More worldly than Ismae, he brings her to court as his pretend mistress.  His desire to protect his half-sister the Duchess, and keep her on the throne of Brittany, is his driving force.  Duval is a clear cut good guy in a book full of characters with ulterior motives and intense ambitions.

The adventure is full of political intriques, backstabbing, treachery, fighting and, of course, poison.  Ismae’s blind faith in the convent is soon tested, and she realizes that the world is not as black and white as the Reverend Mother says it is.  Learning to think for herself is scary, but Ismae follows her heart (and her God) to do what she thinks is right.

There will be a sequel, and on Ms. LaFevers’ website it says it is about a character who plays a small role in this book.  I believe there is also a third book coming, and I have a hunch who it will feature but we will have to see.   

See you in the STACKS,
Nancy 

Gilt

from goodreads - When Kitty Tylney’s best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII’s heart and brings Kitty to court, she’s thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat’s shadow, Kitty’s now caught between two men–the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat’s meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.

my take - The best way for me to describe this book is like a modernized telling of life in the court of King Henry VIII. That’s not to say it’s set in modern times, it’s set in the 1540s – the time of King Henry’s reign. It just has a modern feel, think sentence structure, vernacular.

The stars of the show are Kitty and Cat. Kitty is passive and lonely and dependent on Cat, but don’t think weak. She has a mind of her own. She is also a faithful and loyal friend, to the very end.  BFF Cat (Catherine Howard) is Kitty’s complete opposite. She is selfish, mean, narcissistic and totally self-serving.  The two together provide good fodder for unhealthy relationships. Don’t get me wrong, they have poignant moments together, but overall Cat is using Kitty for a confident and Kitty using Cat for a secure place to live.

Once Cat marries Henry VIII, she is still vile, but now everyone is required to succumb to her orders. Those orders grow harder and harder for Kitty to follow. At this point court life is in full force and one must watch what they say, whom they’re seen with for court gossip is vicious and anything can be turned into treason.

As for the two men after Kitty’s affection, William and Edmund, each offer something completely different. By the end of the story I have respect for both (I forgive easily). However, don’t think love triangle.

The ending is filled with hope, a chance for new beginnings (no cliff hanger).

Overall, it’s a good entertaining story and perfect for those who love historical reads.

side note – As I understand, Longshore is planning a three-novel series, though not direct sequels. She plans on writing more about court life and mentions we might see some of our favorites again. I’m hoping we get to see how Kitty’s life turned out.

XOXO
Stacy 

The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
(The Body Finder #3)
publisher: HarperTeen
author links: website / twitter
buy me:  Barnes&Noble  / Amazon

from Goodreads: Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye….

my take: I am a huge fan of Kimberly Derting’s The Body Finder series!  The Last Echo, the third book in the series does not disappoint!  Violet, my modern Nancy Drew, is alive and kickin’ in this suspenseful and mysterious tale.  Why do I love this book so much?  Let me count the ways…

1. Violet is believeably smart and I love that she is a girl whose parents are around and – mostly – involved in her life.  She respects them and whatever she does she thinks back on experiences she had with her parents and bf, Jay.  The things she experiences could happen.

2. The mystery is thoughtful and again, believable. I believe the killer and his motivation.  I believe the circumstances.  I would have thought that Violet would have a major alarm system though.  Just sayin’…  Get that girl some cameras monitoring her home!

3. Jay is amazing.  I love him and Violet loves him and I love him and well, you get the point.

4. The crew at the Center is amazing and I like that we got to see deeper into the motives for them working at the center.  The gang is awesome.

5. Rafe.  I like him.  Soooo there.

Read this book.  But note there is still one more book after this.  So, maybe this book should be called The 2nd to Last Echo.  Again, just sayin’.

See you in the STACKS,
Shannan

The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Publisher:  Amulet Books
Release Date:  May 1, 2012
Find the author:  website / Facebook / Twitter

From Goodreads.com:  This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance. On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears.

Amanda’s take:  I have to be totally honest – when I saw this book on NetGalley, two things made me want to read it:  the fact that one of the characters was a librarian (yay librarian love!) and the cover.  Let’s be honest, the cover is gorgeous, it went right to my little steampunk heart.  So onto my Nook went the book!

I loved the premise of this book:  Lena, who has long spindly fingers and huge feet, decides to try and find her father, who abandoned her when she was five.  Lena’s family tells her she has goblin blood because her strange hands and feet show classic goblin traits.  Lena hides her “deformities” under long skirts and in dark gloves, but she secretly wonders if her father’s disappearance into Scree, where society keeps its undesirable – looking citizens (called Peculiars), has something to do with the way she looks.  The first part of the book that lays out Lena’s character,  how she decides to board a train to the outerlands to Scree, then her interactions with Jimson Quiggley, an untrained librarian going to a job, was good.  It kept me reading and wanting to know more about the Peculiars and Lena and if Jimson would become a love interest for her.

There’s some action when the train is boarded by outlaws who are being chased by Thomas Saltre, a marshal in one of the border towns.  Thomas is an easily despicable character, because after he finds out who Lena’s father is, he uses her and her need to get into Scree to spy on the local oddball, Mr. Beasley.  I hated Thomas instantly; he blackmails Lena, asks her to stick her neck out for him and makes her risk her newfound friendships with Jimson and Beasley.  What baffled me was Lena’s attraction to Thomas, even when he was using her.

Mr. Beasley, whose huge home library attracted Jimson and, subsequently Lena (whose mother is a librarian) was another odd character that I couldn’t quite wrap my head around.  The dude is bald and pencils his eyebrows on!  I kept thinking of some of my aunts who I saw when I was younger that had those scary, dark pencil drawn eyebrows and telling my brother I was scared of so and so because their eyebrows were like caterpillars.  But beyond the whole eyebrow issue, Beasley is a quirky kind of character who is very secretive and appears to be hiding something.  When Jimson spots a winged woman on one of the balconies at Beasley’s house, Lena grows suspicious and she and Jimson try to find the mystery woman.

What occurs after this point is a mix of action and self – discovery; one reviewer on Goodreads described the book as part quest.  I would definitely have to agree with that, since Lena and Jimson wind up joining Mr. Beasley’s cause:  saving Peculiars from vigilantes like Thomas who would see them and their sympathizers suffering, imprisoned, or even killed.  Lena’s quest to find her father takes on a new aim as the group flees Beasley’s house when it is invaded by Thomas and his men.  They are now on a rescue mission, trying to save themselves and the two people whom Beasley was trying to smuggle into Scree.

McQuerry’s characters are really well – written and my reactions to them were almost instantaneous.  The only character I was slightly disappointed in was Lena.  I lay that blame more at the feet of strong heroines like Katsa, Katniss, and Karou.  (Graceling, The Hunger Games, and Daughter of Smoke and Bone respectively.)  I, and I think many YA readers, have become so used to strong female protagonists that characters like Lena, who take some extra time to come into their own strengths, can be frustrating.  But this is not a negative reflection on McQuerry’s writing, but instead a reflection upon the way YA novels, for the most part, are focusing on female power and prowess.

But that’s a discussion for another day!  (Unless you want to start one in the comments, and by all means do!)  I did enjoy The Peculiars and I want to see what else this author has up her sleeve.

——

publisher: Pendrell Publishing
author site: Website  / Blog
buy me: Barnes&Noble  / Amazon

from pendrell:  Waking up in a coffin hungry for blood is only the beginning for sixteen-year-old Ava Blue. When Chance Caldon, the hottie who dug her up, tells her that she’s half vampire, Ava’s world really turns upside down.

Half vamp? Ava can’t believe it…she doesn’t even know what that means! Not until Aldric, a thousand-year-old vampire, shows up and tells her it’s true–and that he’s the one who turned her. Then Ava truly begins to believe what she is. Now, she has to deal with a sudden and powerful bloodlust, the desire to see Aldric dead, and her growing crush for Chance. Ava knows she’s a monster now, she can feel it; and her life is over.

But redemption isn’t lost. Aldric is giving her a chance to regain her humanity. The price? Kill a hundred vampires, or remain a bloodsucker forever.

So Ava sets out to get her life back. But killing vampires begins a battle that could destroy everything she is working toward. In the end, Ava’s decisions will forever change her life and the lives of those she loves. 

Be sure to follow along on the rest of the tour! There are giveaways at every stop!

3rd: Refracted Light Reviews
4th: Fire & Ice
5th: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
6th: Hypable
7th: Oodles of Books
8th: The Reading Date
9th: A Book Lovers Review
10th: Good Choice Reading
11th: SupaGurl Books
12th: Books with Bite
13th: Once Upon a Twilight - Grand Prize
27th: Live Chat with Jamie on Once Upon a Twilight at 9PM CST (10PM EST / 7PM PST)

publisher: Balzer + Bray (imprint of HarperCollins)
website: Jill Scribbles
purchase: amazon / barnes&noble

from goodreads: Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

my take:  I didn’t guess the ending.  I really didn’t guess it until Vee did.  Sooo…with that said, it’s a great book I will definitely pass around.

Vee is level headed and seems every bit like a typical teen that has had a hard life.  Her mom had died years earlier, she lives with her father who is never around and sister who is in with the popular crowd.  I believed every decision she made.  I supported her and what she thought.

Let’s talk boys…  I love the name Zane!  It just screams a certain kind of guy and this is the one I pictured.  He is a good guy that I am happy Vee gets to know.  *swoon*  Then there is Rollins, Vee’s best friend.  Can I just say here that I am SOOOO happy that this book isn’t about a love triangle!!!  With that said, Rollins has been very important in Vee’s life but still has some secrets of his own.  No, you can’t guess them.  Yes, you will have to read the book.  However, these secrets that he and Vee both are keeping seem to be tearing them apart.  Again, it is TOTALLY believable.

Let me just say that Slide is part mystery, part romance, and part contemporary.  I just adored it.  Truly adored it!  I can’t wait to find out what is in store for Vee or for the author, Jill Hathaway.  I’m definitely on board for a Slide 2, but really this could be a perfect stand alone.

I also understand that Hathaway will be touring with my BFF, Kimberly Derting for the Dark Days Tour.  Wish I was there as I think the Body Finder Series and this go perfectly hand in hand.  In fact, if you are a fan of Derting (who isn’t??), you will love Slide.

Wishing Dark Days was coming to SoCal with Derting and Hathaway,
Shannan

Invisible Sun

Undeterred, Durango and Vienne pull off an ill-advised raid on Lyme’s complex. During the ensuing battle, however, Vienne is captured, and Durango is beaten and left for dead. Now, wounded and shaken, Durango must overcome bounty hunters, treacherous terrain, a full scale civil war, and a warrior monk with an eye for vengeance (not to mention his own guilt, self-doubt, and broken arm) to find Vienne and free her from Archibald, a brain-washing pyromaniac with a Napoleon complex who wants to rule Mars–and kill Durango in the process.

my take - What a carking good read!! This follow-up to Back Hole Sun (read my review here) is just as entertaining!

Like the first, this book is jammed packed with action and tons of great fighting scenes. With all the action though, I do wonder if Mr. Gills “acts out” the scenes to get them just right and authentic. However, if he does I hope he spares his family (and students) from the torture of face punches, leg swipes and roundhouse kicks.

This time the evil nemesis is Archibald, and he is one sick and twisted dude. He lacks self-worth (thanks to his mama) and therefore decides to show her his value by becoming a ruthless machine. His desire to prove his mama wrong shows by his utter lack of respect for human life. All his actions were atrocious, but for me the worst were the times he touched Vienne.  I cringed every single time.

Durango and his surgically implanted AI, Mimi, provide lots of comedic wit. The banter between them is still hot and fresh, and a great comic relief when things get a bit dicey and intense. Seriously, Mimi’s one of the best AI’s I have ever read – her love of poetry and her almost human personality have endeared her to me. I mean, I know that she was programmed that way, but still…

We also learn more about Vienne’s past, why she chose to become a dalit and her hearts desires. Okay, maybe not her hearts desires, but she does open up (a bit) about her feeling for Durango. I’m hoping book 3 will give us even more about her past and see more growth between her and Durango. That is if she heals and can forgive herself and Durango. This poor girl goes through quite a traumatic event.

Oh, and I have to give an honorable mention to Ghannouj. He is a perfect cross between Mr. Miygi and Master Po. One minute he’s talking in riddles and reading tealeaves and the next he’s laying it out in ‘plain talk’ for poor confused Durango.

Honestly, I could go on and on about all the new characters introduced, but I’ll let you meet them on your own. However, I really missed the motely crew from the first book – Fuse and Jenkins, come back!

Cover love!!! I know the covers in this series seem a bit heavy on the cheese factor, but I LOVE them! I mean look at Durango (HOT!) and then the tough as nails blonde bombshell. They fit the books perfectly and the genre.

If you enjoyed Black Hole Sun, then you’ll enjoy this one!

Stacy

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It’s been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He’s finally free to enact his vision – no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that’s growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker

From Goodreads:  What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Hidden in the dark heart of Victorian London, the Romanesque school was dreadfully imposing, a veritable fortress, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met its powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadows, of the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard.

She saw simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gift. This arched stone doorway was a portal to a new life, to an education far from what could be had at a convent- and it was an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death.

Amanda’s take:  I just…can’t….even begin to describe how much I loved this book.  Before reading it, I realized that I had already another book of Hieber’s, Darker Still.  I really enjoyed that book and it’s Victorian-esque take on ghost stories, plus the story got props from me for reminding me of the uber – creepy but oh so wonderful The Portrait of Dorian Gray.  So of course I was expecting something good from Hieber’s first novel but what I didn’t expect was to wind up spending a good chunk of a dreary Saturday camped out on the couch because I couldn’t put it down.

It’s definitely a unique story but not without certain familiar elements that I am always a fan of:  lyrical, lush details of surroundings and people, a unique young woman that doesn’t know her own power, Jack the Ripper, Greek mythology, a torrid romance that is denied over and over again until the two people so drawn to each other can’t stand it anymore, and a powerful team who have a sacred and sworn duty.

Percy Parker, nineteen, comes to Athens Academy to study.  She is a unique young woman because she looks like a living ghost – pale from head to toe, including her almost opaque eyes.  She does not know she is a harbinger of change and will be propelled into an epic fight between good and evil.  The Guard, a group of six men and women who were chosen as teenagers to fight supernatural beasts and ghosts, is expecting Prophecy to be fulfilled:  the goddess that chose them will return and help them fight the Underworld.  Their leader, Professor Alexi Rychman, desperately believes that part of Prophecy includes his destiny, and love, being linked to their goddess.  He is always on the lookout for signs of her return, but he doesn’t expect Percy Parker, a student of his, to be his destiny.

Okay, now you have to give me some credit here – I realize the whole “student/teacher love affair” trope may send warning bells off for more cautious readers but really…she’s nineteen.  He is older, yes, and it seems odd that these two would be drawn to each other but the story goes beyond that.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Percy is actually the human reincarnation of Alexi’s goddess.  That might sound hokey, but Hieber does a beautiful job of tying together Percy’s powers and former life (that she has no idea about and can’t remember) as the goddess Persephone, the evil elements that are floating up from the Underworld (Anybody remember the story of Persephone and the Underworld?  If not, a refresh on Persephone’s history and abduction by Hades into the Underworld is massively helpful, I had to check my Greek mythology!)  Percy is The Guard’s savior and the key to fighting the Underworld.

The attraction between Alexi and Percy is lightning hot and very well written, with no student/teacher creepiness about it.  Alexi pushes his feelings for Percy aside many, many times and plays the dark, brooding hero rather well.  Actually, the first scene where Alexi comes sweeping in his classroom and meets Percy for the first time really reminded me of when Professor Snape strides into his Potions classroom in the first Harry Potter movie.  I  spent quite a bit of time imagining Alexi as a younger Alan Rickman after that!  (It’s not just his voice, but it certainly helps!)

One squabble I had with this book was that the other members of The Guard, who are incredibly interesting and have their own abilities and powers, were somewhat tossed aside for the romance between Alexi and Percy.  However, after reading the second book, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker, the other members of The Guard get their dues as far as page time.  I loved Michael and his ability to calm minds and tempers, and Josephina, the artist whose paintings help dispel evil spirits.  These are multi-layered characters who have their own back stories; the members of The Guard have been together for a couple of decades and that kind of history is bound to be interesting.

I won’t give you all the fun spoilers about this book because I really want people to try it out.  It’s been a long, long time since a book has grabbed me like this one did.  I’m currently reading the third book in the series, The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess; it is actually a prequel to the other two books and follows the story of a character who appears in the second novel.

If you don ‘t want to have to read three books back to back to back, start with Hieber’s Darker Still and get a feel for her writing style.  It’s lush and Gothic and I adore it.  There is one more book in the series, Miss Violet and the Great War, due out on June 5th, 2012.

***Update***

In case you didn’t notice, the author of this book left us a comment!!  She says that Miss Violet and the Great War is on hold indefinitely but the second book in the Magic Most Foul series (the first one is Darker Still)  is The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart will be out in November.

Now excuse me while I go jump up and down because Leanna Renee Hieber left a comment!!!

So after hearing Lauren Oliver talk two nights ago, I thought I’d just pen my thoughts on why YA is so popular among readers right now-from the target audience of young adults all the way through the actual adults!  Keep in mind that this list is generalized about the many YA books that are set in high school in America or somewhere not too far removed.

Me with Lauren Oliver at the 2010 NCTE (before I was too pregnant to want to be photographed).

First, I loved that Lauren Oliver said she writes about characters who change significantly in terms of their thinking (I’m poorly paraphrasing Oliver’s own words, but that’s essentially it).  That idea was definitely an epiphany for me, because while I considered Oliver’s two YA novels incredibly different-in Before I Fall a realistic mean girl has to relive the day she dies 7 times to figure out how to change what’s wrong in her life and in the Delirium series a good girl has to rebel against a society that believes love is a disease-both girls need to recognize their own faults and the faults of the world around them in order to grow and mature.

So that begins the reasons that YA is popular:

#1: YA books are about  redemption, and that redemption comes while there is still time left to live out the rest of a protagonist’s life (okay so Before I Fall, not a good example).  I love the concept of redemption, and I love that our heroes/heroines have time to actually live productive lives because they have realized the errors of their ways.

#2: YA books take place in settings we know –we as readers either went to high school or are currently in high school so we understand the struggles of characters more easily than say a classic where the protagonist is a street sweeper in Victorian London or a peasant in Cold War Russia.  We have all suffered through the emotions and episodes of being teenagers in America (even if home schooled).

#3: We can live vicariously through YA lit.  I did not date in high school, the cute boy never liked me, I didn’t have much fun until I got to college-but I can have a totally transformative senior year by reading Sarah Dessen or Meg Cabot.  One of my favorite movies is She’s Out of Control with Tony Danza where his daughter goes from ugly duckling to beautiful swan.  The ability to remake oneself completely still resonates with me, and every time I pick up a YA novel, I can transform myself into that girl!

#4 YA Lit tells a good story succinctly.  I love being able to get through a great book in a few hours (or a few settings).    YA lit is great in that there is still awesome vocab (yay for my VocabGal self!), developed characters, original plots, symbolism, literary analysis to be done, etc, but the story can be read more easily and quickly than Dickens or Faulkner where you have to reread full paragraphs to understand the meaning behind each sentence.  I like being able to go fast, yet still be moved by a story!

#5 YA isn’t a genre, it’s simply the age of the protagonist.  I’m paraphrasing Andrea Cremer here (the last author I heard speak before Lauren Oliver).  I love her sentiment-YA books shouldn’t be classified as such-they are just great stories whose heroes/heroines happen to be teens.  We don’t classify Great Expectations as children’s lit, despite Pip being just a boy at the beginning of the story, or consider Jane Eyre beneath us even though she starts her tale as an adolescent.  The popularity of  The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and other “YA” books is due to the storytelling ability of the authors -regardless of the age of the protagonist!

So for now, pick up those YA books without mockery, regardless of your age. They offer hope, inspiration, and simply a great, quick read!  My list isn’t done yet-I plan to keep adding on, but want your imput.  Why are you reading YA?

From Goodreads:  In 1888, following her mother’s sudden death, 17-year-old Arabella Sharp goes to live with her grandmother in a posh London neighborhood. At her grandmother’s request, Abbie volunteers at Whitechapel Hospital, where she discovers a passion for helping the unfortunate women and children there. But within days, female patients begin turning up brutally murdered at the hands of Jack the Ripper.

Amanda’s take:  After reading Amy Carol Reeves’ bio on her website, I think she and I would get along just fine.  First off, she’s got a Ph.D in nineteenth century British literature (one of my favorite literary time periods), she thinks names like Darcy (as in Mr. Darcy) are fabulous, and she’s a Doctor Who fan.  Yes, we would get along perfectly fine.  I always enjoy author bios that tell you a little bit more about the author personally than just where they live and their family.  I’m not saying those are bad things to put in an author bio, because they’re not, but I love seeing a flash of personality like what Amy Carol Reeves gives in just a few paragraphs.

So it’s no surprise that Reeves’ first book, Ripper, is about nineteenth century London and a subject of fascination for many, Jack the Ripper.  After loving Maureen Johnson’s novel The Name of the Star and wanting another unique take on the Ripper murders, I ran across a really positive review of Reeves’ book in an issue of VOYA (Voices of Youth Advocates).  I also found myself wanting another creepy thriller after reading Erebos by Ursula Poznanski and thought Reeves’ book would fit the bill.

Boy howdy, did it ever!  I was biting my nails halfway through this one!  The short take on this is that it’s set during nineteenth century London, right before the Ripper murders occur.  After Abbie’s mother, who was raising her alone, dies from an illness, Abbie goes to live with her grandmother.  Abbie’s grandmother doesn’t approve of the way Abbie was raised (knife – throwing competitions in the streets of Dublin?), so dear Grandmother is trying to make Abbie more “marriagable”.  What Grandmother doesn’t expect is that Abbie will take a liking to her newest assignment as part of her training to become a lady:  volunteering to care for sick and abused women at Whitechapel Hospital.

If you recognize the name Whitechapel, it’s because that’s the part of London where the Ripper murders took place.  (There’s a well researched Wikipedia article that details the background on Jack the Ripper and his crimes…I know, I know, Wikipedia….)  So not only is Abbie getting herself involved with the hospital, the patients and the very cute young doctors who work the hospital floors, but she is putting herself right in the middle of what will become Ripper territory.  Hold onto your bloomers, gals, it’s about to get all sorts of creepy, with a great paranormal twist.

Abbie always knew that her mother was…special.  Abbie’s mother had visions, and Abbie has them too.  Except her visions are showing her the Ripper’s next victims.  This talent puts Abbie in the Ripper’s crosshairs…but is he acting alone?  (cue dramatic music)

Things get tops-turvy when Abbie, who is determined to catch the Ripper and stop the murders of the hospital’s patients, starts to suspect that someone inside the hospital is actually the murderer.

Add in a few dashes of romance, a cult, and quite a bit of time spent in dark London back alleys, and you have Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves.  I loved it and I would readily read it again.

Author: A.S. King
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Release Date:Oct 3, 2011

Sarah’s Thoughts on Why I Love this Book:

1. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book I honestly couldn’t put down. It’s about midnight, and I’m writing this review now because I couldn’t put down this book until I finished it, and I had to tell EVERYONE to read it!

2. The title is weird, the book jacket is weird, it’s too hard to sum up the plotline without sounding weird (thus I didn’t add the synopsis from Goodreads), but trust me, this book is just AWESOME.  You’ll understand everything once you read it.

3. The book has fascinating info about Vietnam Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) soldiers I had never thought about before,  but addressed the topic in an interesting, not overly preachy/depressing, way.

4. The protagonist, Lucky, has reoccuring dreams where he is in the jungle with his POW/MIA grandfather and wakes up each time with a tangible object from the dream in his hands – I LOVE THAT! I just think it’s awesome, creepy, deep, and powerful (understand this book is totally realistic fiction not sci/fi or fantasy, just with this twist).  The last object had me in tears (Stackgirl Shannan would totally cry too, I know it!).

5. Lucky is always referencing these little ants he “sees” and what they are doing, and it’s always sarcastic-like drinking martinis or loading howitzers. I laughed often at the ants’ reactions to Lucky’s crazy aunt, biggest bully, current crush, etc.

6. My copy of the book was personally signed and given to me by A.S. King when I saw her in November at the ALAN conference -it doesn’t get cooler than that.

7. I loved that when she talked about the book, A.S. King said it wasn’t just about bullying, and I love that it totally isn’t-it’s a great story with real, authentic characters that are screwed up, but not too permanently and that you genuinely like.

8. I do find it intriguing that King’s initial thought for creating the book was that bullying was a type of torture (thus the Vietnam POW/MIA connection). Fascinating! So this is a great book to read if someone you know is dealing with bullying (A.S. King also wrote a piece for Dear Bully as well as wrote the awesome Please Ignore Vera Dietz ).

So, to sum it all up, A.S. King is my new favorite author, and you must read her books! Also, hopefully in another month I’ll have her interview up for VocabGal!

Whew, I’m off to bed.

Soul Searching: A Girls Guide to Finding Herself

from goodreads - Girl Power lives! Written when the author was sixteen and updated to address the concerns of today’s teens, Soul Searching brings girl power to the printed page by offering young women a clear path to self-discovery and empowerment.

Through fun quizzes, insightful exercises, and provocative statistics, Sarah Stillman guides young women through the complex maze between adolescence and adulthood. While fashion magazines, television programs, and websites emphasize the superficial and foster insecurities, Stillman directs teen girls to a healthy place where a strong sense of self and direction take center stage.

With updated sections on safe cell-phone use, social media, cyber bullying, health, and gender, as well as updated resources throughout, Soul Searching is a must-read for teenage girls.

——

Join Shannan and I as we discuss convo stlye a book we wish would have read 15, errr, we mean, 5ish years ago…

Stacy: Um, can we talk about Sarah? Or as I like to call her, ‘Smart and Insightful Sarah.’

Shannan: Dude, I wish I were that insightful when I was 16. Heck, I wish I were that insightful now…

Stacy: Did you see the part about the dreams and journaling?

Shannan: Yes!  I loved the deciphering of our dreams and the exercises she gave for journaling.  I especially want my daughter to write “100 words to describe myself.”

Stacy: When my kids get older, I want to volunteer abroad.  There is a Habitat for Humanity website that you can find ways to donate your time abroad.  Did you know that? 

Shannan:  I want to volunteer with my kids too.  I want to wait until they are a little older though.  I can’t remember, did the book have anything to say about volunteering locally?

Stacy: Yes, there are plenty of things mentioned. But you can start now by recycling or start your own neighborhood project.

Shannan:  I think this is a really great book.  It’s nicely organized, gives great ideas, and gives additional websites to dig deeper into each topic she touches on.  It’s a manageable book.  It’s defiantly easy to follow.

Stacy:  There are enough magazines that focus on great clothes, how to get the perfect date and what color of eye shadow goes with your prom dress.  Are there really enough books that focus on you as a teen?  I have to say, I like the message that Sarah is sharing here.  And I like the honesty that she expects from the reader. 

Shannan: Wow, Stacy.  You already are more zen and in tune with your feelings.  It’s a good thing we read this book. 

—–

Bottom line: For the 16 year old that needs some insight into their lives (and what 16 year old doesn’t?) and to hear what others your own age think and feel, Soul Searching is the perfect “cook book” for you.  It’s one we will have on our daughters’ bookshelves, that’s for sure. 

Haunted

from goodreads - “Anne Michaelson” is trying to forget everything that happened last year. But it’s hard to do when her heart aches for Ethan “and there’s a wild-haired woman stalking her…”

“Ethan Kosinsky” is embracing his newfound mortality. But something is drawing him back to the girl he left behind-”back to Anne and back to the magic…”

A mysterious stranger is hunting Anne wherever she goes. No one sees her but Anne. When she searches for the woman’s identity, Anne exposes secrets about her own life- things that will change her life forever. And when the gorgeous Ethan returns, her life gets a lot more complicated.

Anne thought her journey with the Romanov family had ended, “but it was just the beginning…”

my take – I’ve read my fair share of alternate reality concerning the brutal murders of the Romanov family, but never one with such a twist that includes Russian folklore thrown in the modern world. Joy Preble does an excellent job making this story her own creation, while at the same time drawing attention to the devastating murder of an entire family.

Haunted picks up several months after where Dreaming Anastasia ends, and is told from three viewpoints – Baba Yaga, Anne and dreamy Ethan. While this may seem like we’re in a lot of different heads, it keeps the story moving and entertaining!!

I’m not going to lie, Ethan is a great reason to read this book – he’s got the hot, brooding guy down pat. One of the best things about him is that he never pushes or forces anything on Anne, he lets her figure things out on her own. Oh, don’t get me wrong, when she’s about to make a major choice near the end of the book he does speak up, but it’s a natural progression of the story. Heck, Anne doesn’t really want to make the choice either.

Other characters that are awesome in this book:

Ben. This time around Anne has a new boyfriend, Ben. He’s got what I call the three p’s all bf’s need to have  – protective, personality and perfect! He’s a great addition to the story, and I secretly hope that we haven’t seen the last of him!!

Tess. As Anne’s best friend, she brings the drama and comic relief to the story. I love her honestly and dedication to Anne – exactly how all BFFs should be!!

Baba Yaga. Seriously, I’m still confused – is she good or bad? Maybe a mixture of both? Probably just a case of being misunderstood, can’t wait to read more about her in book 3!

Overall, if you love Russian folklore, than this is the book for you!!!

From Goodreads:  An intelligent computer game with a disturbing agenda.
When 16-year-old Nick receives a package containing the mysterious computer game Erebos, he wonders if it will explain the behavior of his classmates, who have been secretive lately. Players of the game must obey strict rules: always play alone, never talk about the game, and never tell anyone your nickname.Curious, Nick joins the game and quickly becomes addicted. But Erebos knows a lot about the players and begins to manipulate their lives. When it sends Nick on a deadly assignment, he refuses and is banished from the game.

Now unable to play, Nick turns to a friend for help in finding out who controls the game. The two set off on a dangerous mission in which the border between reality and the virtual world begins to blur. This utterly convincing and suspenseful thriller originated in Germany, where it has become a runaway bestseller.
Ursula Poznanski is an award-winning children’s author. She lives in Vienna, Austria.

Amanda’s take:  As an avid gamer who prefers RPGs (Role – Playing Games) over any other type of video game, when I saw the description for Erebos a few months back, I immediately added it to my Goodreads shelf. (Psst…you can find me on Goodreads here. I’ll friend back any of you!) It looked like the kind of title that, if awesome, would be one to remember; if it wasn’t so great, I would hopefully know why because of my gaming background.

Erebos is, in one word, creepy. It instantly brings to mind the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence in software programs and computers, the willingness of many people to blindly trust what they see and read on a computer screen, and how far our technology has advanced and could advance. After reading the first few chapters of Erebos, all that info settled in the back of my mind and I was even further creeped out.

Online MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role – Playing Games) like the one depicted in Erebos are insanely popular (think Word of Warcraft) but what if those types of games weren’t controlled by the user, but were fully capable of commanding those who played them? This is what Nick, the main character, faces when he gets a copy of Erebos from a schoolmate. He quickly becomes controlled by the game and its rules . 1.) Always play alone. 2.) Never talk about Erebos to anyone. 3.) Never tell anyone your player name.

Soon, the game is commanding Nick to do things in the outside world, and despite his initial incredulity at such a possibility, he finds himself moving a mysterious box from a cemetery to a spot underneath a bridge. That action is the trigger point for most of the plot that follows and I raced through the pages, wanting to know what would happen next. It’s clear that Erebos has an agenda to be carried out in the real world. Once Nick gets kicked out the game for not following an order to be carried out in his reality, things get serious very quickly. Threatening notes are left, stares and comments from classmates who are still playing follow Nick around, and at one point, he is almost shoved into the path of an incoming subway train. These actions only fuel his desire to find out who is behind Erebos and what the master plan is and who it’s being carried out by.

The really great thing about the way Poznanski wrote Erebos is that it is done in two perspectives: from Nick’s POV in the real world, and his character Sarius in the game. The author makes it clear that this game is unlike anything that has ever been produced and when Nick’s reality starts being superseded by the “reality” of Erebos, I got the chills. What else was shiver – inducing was how addicting the game was. Nick, who is a basketball player and a decent student at the beginning of the book, is suddenly missing practices and not doing his homework at all in order to play Erebos for hours on end. While I love gaming, I certainly can’t sit at a computer or stare at my TV for very long so the scenes where Nick forgets to eat, forgoes sleep, and even waits to use the bathroom to just play a little bit more are kind of scary. I’m sure most of us know that one person who just loves playing Farmville or whatever Facebook game is popular now, but yikes.

This story is just plain good. I know that might be lame to say but in essence, Poznanski’s writing is really strong, her characters (even the secondary ones) have distinctive personalities and voices, and the plotline is one that makes you think. Don’t let the fact that the book is mostly about gaming turn you off if you’re a non – gamer. If you like creepy thrillers that fling you from page to page until you can’t put the book down, Erebos should go on your To Be Read list.

From Goodreads:
On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. … And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship.

Sarah’s Thoughts:
I really liked Julie Halpern when I sat next to her at an NCTE Macmillan dinner (yes, I felt really special for being invited!). Julie is a librarian (love that) and her husband is a children’s book illustrator (what a great combo).  I must meet her again because, alas, she left early the next day before I could interview her for VocabGal!

At any rate, while the title Don’t Stop Now might sound a little racy, the story is sweet and suitable for middle school students and beyond (kind of like our own blog title Girls in the Stacks  ). Really, the book is the story of an awesome roadtrip, where the characters come to recognize the need to grow up and face your fears-whether it be life after high school, a changing relationship status, or a potentially abusive boyfriend .  Essentially-don’t stop the adventure and don’t stop maturing!

I love all the quirky details of what Lil and Josh saw on their adventure-from a giant Corn Palace to lots of cheese, and the characters are lovable and believable – just a great quick read!

I can’t wait to read Julie Halpern’s other great books: Get Well Soon and Into the Wild Nerd Yonder (love that title!) and check out her blog and website here.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Book links: author / goodreads

description - Blessed with a gift…cursed with a secret.  Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship – or an early grave.