Why is that?  Personally, I think Beauty Queens masterfully delves into self-image and the over-sexualization of girls, which are not easy issues to discuss in our society.  We’ve seen the stories about teens being bullied by peers on the Internet and then doing something drastic to stop the torment.  We’ve seen and read stories about girls who starve themselves to achieve a crazy ideal that is plastered all over our media and advertising.  And yet we still expect girls to be pretty and proper and prim, but sexy and appealing.  It’s honestly disturbing, and as someone who was in high school only a decade ago, Beauty Queens spoke to that small part of my inner teenager who struggled with image and weight.  I now work with teens at my library and I see these funny, smart, very individual teenagers just trying to figure it all out.  And they’re my heroes, because they deal with so much more now through the Internet and social media.

But at the same time, Libba Bray also weaves humor and pathos, encouraging the readers to laugh with these girls as they struggle to survive and figure out who they are.  In the hands of someone else, this type of writing could come off as patronizing; but Libba makes us care about these girls.  She makes us care about all of them and see them as individuals, then teenagers, then young women.  I love this book and I encourage any teenager, male or female, that I meet to read it.

–Amanda

Beauty Queens is this great dynamic book that strips away all the conventional trappings of what beauty is, and it’s written in a “hardcore good” type of way.  However, the thing I like the most about this book is its origins. This book was not Libba Bray’s idea. That’s right; this was the brain child of David Levithan and a fellow co-worker.  They gave her the premise of a plane full of beauty contestants that survive a plane crash – she went from there and created an amazing book in the process.

In this hilarious interview (http://www.omnivoracious.com/2011/04/ya-wednesday-a-conversation-between-libba-bray-and-libba-bray.html) Libba  conducted with herself (she’s cool like that) she equates Beauty Queens as the feminist version of Lord of the Flies, and says of her beauty queens, “without the expectations and pressures of civilization, they have the freedom to be themselves—or at least to start figuring out who they might be.” This seed of an idea planted by David to Libba could have taken many different forms, yet she went and wrote this brilliant book on beauty obsession.

Think how different it could have been had they asked someone else to write it?

–Stacy

I think that my audiobook review kind of sums it up -see link here  but the biggest reason out of all of them:  It has given me heart in that I can raise a teenage girl (current age, 14 months) because we can read this book together and discuss the end message -girls rock, don’t apologize or demean yourself because corporations attempt to sell a problematic image of what girls/women should be. Thank you for giving me a book that says everything I want to tell my daughter (and the high school girls I teach) and also be hysterically awesome.

–Sarah

So now that we’ve confessed – did you read Beauty Queens and love it?  Tell us why!

Here are our reasons that audiobooks, including Beauty Queens, ROCK:

Amanda’s Reasons:

–Author narration – when it’s done right, it’s amazing (see audiobooks from Neil Gaiman for another good example).  Audiobooks not only need to get the story across, but should be an immersive experience where you get wrapped up in the narrator and the narration the same way you would have with the print or ebook.  I follow audiobook narrators the way I follow my favorite authors – obsessively.  Libba Bray does such an amazing job making every. single. character. sound completely different and true to their personalities.

–Read a book and drive a car at the same time.  Or clean your house.  Or fix dinner, pack boxes (can you tell I’m moving?), exercise, walk your dog….Audiobooks let you do that.  I would not have survived my previous 1 hour drive to work every day without an audiobook going at all times.  Plus – sometimes the audio version of a book I previously didn’t like changed my opinion!

–Great narrators do…..things with their voices.  Great narrators make you believe that all those characters are talking to you.  Great narrators make you laugh, yell, jump, and get goosebumps.  Bad narrators can completely ruin a book and make you wonder how they got that job in the first place.

Sarah’s Reasons:

-Someone is telling ME a story.  I have always loved to have someone else read to me.  It makes me feel cozy and connected, and I love losing myself in a story that someone is weaving for me, and I don’t have to do the work in my head.

–Makes all chores no longer chores.  Like Amanda, I love getting into my car after a long day and perking up immediately knowing that I have a 25 minute drive home where I get to continue a great book.  Likewise, I will volunteer to make dinner and then clean up after dinner, so I can have extra time with the story.

–Brings reading to life!  Libba Bray does a particularly amazing job in Beauty Queens making the evil corporate leader sound like Sarah Palin, the beauty queens sound like, well, ditzy blonds, and the hot pirates sound like amazingly good-looking British boys.  Plus, the commercials have music and sound effects (the Feed audiobook by M.T. Anderson is the same way).  So much more is added when producers can play with sound!  See my original review of Beauty Queen on audio here (it lists the 10 reasons why Beauty Queens is awesome).  See  Nancy’s interview with Libba Bray here and my interview for Libba Bray for Vocab Gal here.

So those are our reasons that we love audiobooks-do you guys love audiobooks as well?  What did we forget to include on our list of reasons why audiobooks “rock”?!

And here’s what we are currently reading:

Poison

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend…

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

This book is as cute as its cover! It’s not a stuffy high fantasy novel; it’s a sweet, fun filled silly ride of a novel. I nicked named it Disney.

I was drawn to this book by the description, a potions master who must kill her best friend? That is my kind of read, a fantasy about a smart heroine tasked to do the unthinkable.

I loved Kyra from the moment I met her on page one, she is quick, funny and not afraid to get her hands dirty – she’s the kind of character that makes me smile. Fred also makes me smile, though don’t be fooled by his aloofness there is more to him. Though he is defiantly the comedian, the sunshine of the book.

If you’re looking for a super cute, super fun quick read then this is the book!

XOXO, Stacy

Jillian had a plan: celebrate the end of her first year of college with an amazing summer full of beaches, barbeques, and bonfires. When her mom insists she needs a summer job, and her boyfriend spends more time with his band than with her, Jillian’s plans go down the drain. 

Grant had a plan: finish his Masters, get a great job at Google, and get the hell out of Georgia. He might be giving up some of the fun of his youth, but he knows his all work and no play method would be worth it when his dreams came true.

But things never go according to plan. 

When temptation brings them together and tragedy tears them apart, Jillian and Grant will be forced to choose: fight for their dreams, or fight for each other.

Excerpt of Awesome:

I set my phone back in my purse and was about to start the car when I heard a tap at the window. When I turned, Grant was standing beside my car.

I rolled down the car window and he bent down, resting his forearms on the window edge. “Jesus Christ you scared me!”

“Sorry about that, Cupcake. I saw you sitting here and wanted to make sure you were okay. You’re not having car trouble or anything are you?”

I shook my head, trying not to look at his bright green eyes or how his biceps bulged as he leaned his weight on them. “No, I’m fine. I was texting someone before I left.”

“Oh, okay. Good. Glad you’re okay.”

I smiled, but didn’t say anything. A breeze drifted over him, sending Grant’s scent directly to me. It was intoxicating, like cloves and fresh-cut grass mixed with a little ocean salt air. I wanted to breathe it in for hours. I unconsciously leaned my head toward him, breathing deeply.

“Do you…” he whispered, trailing his words off.

I sat up straight, realizing I was practically now laying my head on his arm. “I’m so sorry, I’m just tired,” I mumbled, mortified by what I’d done. “I need to go.”

I had no idea what he was about to say, but I knew whatever it was, I would’ve had a hard time saying no. And I needed to leave before he asked again.

I expected him to stand back up and leave, but he didn’t move. Instead, his brows pinched together like he was contemplating something very deeply. I wanted to run my finger between them and straighten the little crease that formed. I licked my lips, leaning in again. He tilted his head down toward me, bringing us closer still. Inviting me. Daring me.

We were so close that our breath mingled together, a bouquet of mint and cherry soda. My eyes slid shut, praying he was brave enough for that final step, because I wasn’t. I could still feel his hot breath on my face, enveloping every one of my senses until I was hyper alert to even the slightest movement. The rustle of the trees, the hum of engines, the thunderous boom of my heart, the slight whimper that escaped my lips. His face was so close to mine, his lips hovered millimeters above mine. We were almost kissing. Almost touching.

Almost.

But neither of us moved.  We were locked in position where we neither wanted to be but weren’t willing to admit it. It was the sexiest game of chicken I’d ever played.

But he lost, or maybe I did, as he stepped back to put distance between us once more.

“I’m… I shouldn’t…Grant, about tonight…” I didn’t know what I was going to say, but it wasn’t necessary. Grant interrupted.

“Go get some rest. You earned it.” He leaned into the car so his lips grazed my cheeks ever so gently. “Goodnight, Cupcake.”

I clutched the steering wheel to keep my mischievous hands from grabbing him and dragging him into the car with me.

“Well, have a good night,” I told him, and started the car.

He looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, he tapped twice on my door and stood back up, rocking back on his heels. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jillian. Drive safely.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

STEALING HARPER PLAYLIST::

Hot Tottie – Usher: Ch. 1 First party

Break Your Little Heart – All Time Low: Ch. 1 First party

All American Nightmare – Hinder: Ch. 2 “A girl bring me to my knees? Hell. No.”

Think Twice – Eve 6: Ch. 3, all of

Kush – Dr. Dre: Ch. 4 Party

The Only Hope For Me Is You Acoustic – Gavin Mikhai: Ch. 4 Bruises

Miserable At Best – Mayday Parade: Ch. 5 After driving Harper to the dorms.

Aerials – System of A Down: Ch. 5 Beach fight & surf

Cadence Acoustic – Anberlin: Ch. 6 Sketching Harper

Playing God – Paramore: Ch. 6 “Look in a f***ing mirror, Princess.”

One More Night – Maroon 5: Ch. 6 “I’ll tell you, if you tell me.” & Fight

Crushcrushcrush – Paramore: Ch. 7 New Year’s Eve Poker

Not Strong Enough – Apocalyptica: Ch. 7 “I know she wants me, too.”

I Can’t Stay Away – The Veronicas: Ch. 8 “All I’ve ever wanted is you.”

Poison and Wine – The Civil Wars: Ch. 8 Shower scene

How Long – Hinder: Ch. 8, end of

Perfect – My Darkest Days: Ch. 9, beginning of

The Memory – Mayday Parade: Ch. 9 Harper fainting

It Will Rain – Bruno Mars: Ch. 9 “How can you even ask me to choose between you two?”

I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz: Ch. 10, beginning of

Can’t Forget You – My Darkest Days Ch. 10 sick Princess

I’d come for you – Nickleback: Ch. 11 “You’re pregnant, Princess?”

Endlessly – The Cab: Ch. 12 “Today is only allowed to be an I love you day.”

Better Than Me – Hinder: Ch. 13 “What the hell have I done?”

Crash – Sum 41: Ch. 14 The Scene That Shall Not Be Named

Saving Amy – Brantley Gilbert: Ch. 14 The End

Wake Up – Coheed & Cambria: Extra

Crazier – Taylor Swift: Extra

IV The Road and the Damned – Coheed & Cambria: Extra

THE EXCLUSIVE EXPERT - Check out  the excerpt right before this @ Bookfind

“…you kiss anyone tonight?” Bree’s voice reached me as I stepped through the front door and I closed it quietly when I heard Princess murmur, “No.”

“I can help with that!” My hands formed into fists over Zach’s words and I growled. Over my dead body.

“No, no, no. I told you guys, she’s off limits!”

Thatta girl, Bree. I took the last few steps toward the living room when Zach spoke again.

“Come on, Bree, what’s your deal?”

“Cause she’s pure. Completely. Pure.”

I froze. What the hell, Bree? Shit, from the way Harper’s cheeks went fire engine red, Bree wasn’t lying. She was pure. I looked at Harper’s mortified expression and the urge to take her in my arms and take her away from this overwhelmed me. I didn’t know where the protectiveness for her came from, but somehow I knew I’d do anything for this innocent girl and I’d kill anyone that tried to take that innocence from her.

Bree’s index finger went to tap Harper’s lips and Harper grabbed her wrist, pulling it back “Breanna!”

“Shh!” Bree covered her own lips with her index finger this time, “Harper, don’t tell them!”

Harper looked up and her jaw clenched as she took in Brad, Drew, Derek and Zach bursting out laughing. I wanted to punch every single one of them.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This book is in the same vein as the His Fair Assassin series by Robin LaFevers, so if you’re a fan of those you’ll like Meg’s tale of life as a thief hired to spy in Queen Elizabeth’s court.

What I really liked: Meg. She is a great protagonist with several layers – a great actress and thief with a moral consciousnesses that she uses to guide herself in her newly appointed duties as the Queens spy, and that’s not all. She’s also has a bit of an Edietic memory and her inner dialogue is the heart of the book.

What else I liked: Rafe Luis Medina, the Count de Martine. This guy is swoony in all the ways guys are meant to be swoony, however he’s not over the top. He plays it cool, because he’s on a mission of his own.

What I really really liked: The perfect balance of plot and romance. The kind where the romance never overshadows the main plot. Why yes, I like my romances to be the “b story.”

What I didn’t like: The beginning was a tad to slow for my taste, and I almost gave up. Though, I am glad I forged ahead.

XOXO, Stacy
received this book for an honest review from the publisher

Buy Links: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | IndieBound | The Book Depository

—-

Jennifer McGowan writes Young Adult romance full of swash and buckle. Her first novel, MAID OF SECRETS, debuts in Spring, 2013 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Age: Royal Secret.
Came From: A small town in northern Ohio.
Became a Maid of Honor: After bringing her tale of spygirls to the noble city, and winning the favor of the great house of Simon (& Schuster).
Special Skill: Matrix-like reflexes, superior strength, fabulous wit… okay, ah – we’ll get back to you on that.

—-

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This book killed me and had me reminiscing and yearning for the good ole days of Sookie, when shenanigans were high, and the sexual tension was thick.

If you have not read this book and do not want to be spoiled, than do not read any further. SPOLIERS ABOUND.

We all knew that the end was nigh for Eric and Sookie, but I was secretly holding out hope that Charlaine was pulling the wool over our eyes and that Eric and Sookie would end up with a happily ever after. Alas, that did not happen. She picked Sam.

I wanted Eric for several reasons:
*He was the most compelling. interesting and never-the-dull suitor Sookie had.
*He cherished Sookie, but was never overprotective unless need be. In other words, he let her fight/figure out some of her own problems.
*Together they had the best storylines.
*The passions and tension between them was high. Remember book 4?

Why I hated Sam as a choice:
*He was vanilla.
*Their three-sentence “getting it on” scene was vanilla. Ever so vanilla.
*Compared to all Sookie’s other suitors, he seemed the weakest. Just a lurker in the crowd.
*He gave her the nickname “little lady” and to me that is a name you give a dog, or your little girl. Not your lover.
*He said, and I quote, “I’ll ricochet you.”

However, if you read this series because you loved Charlaine’s approach to writing paranormal mysteries, then this book is stellar.

XOXO, Stacy

Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse #13) by Charaline Harris
May 7th 2013 by Ace
Alas, the end of an era has come and the biggest question on everyone’s mind – who will Sookie choose.  Sadly, we know the answer and we don’t like it.

Maid of Secrets (Maids of Honor #1) by Jennifer McGowan
May 7th 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Fans of the His Fair Assassin series by Robin LeFevers will like this new series about a bunch of maids who are spying for Queen Elizabeth. This book is about Meg, and her spunk and wit will leave you wanting more.

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher
May 7th 2013 by Gallery Books
This hard-hitting cotemporary book about suicide has been on our radar for months and since it’s such a serious issue, we have nothing witty to say.

Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore
May 14th 2013 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Fans of Texas Gothic will love this book. Heck, fans who love a good book full of laughs will love this book. Daisy is the quintessential odd-ball character that one can’t help but adore.

Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia by Jenny Torres Sanchez
May 28th 2013 by Running Press Kids
The title and cover pulled us in, but it’s the description that sealed the deal. We’re ready for Frenchie and what she discovers.

Starting on May 20, we will be doing some posts about this hilarious book, including tie-ins to the book involving our favorite beauty products (ridiculous product advertisements are scattered throughout the book), and Sarah and Amanda will be doing an audio re-review and discussion!

Why did we pick this book?  Quite honestly, the last two OYABC reads have been pretty heavy (Fracture by Megan Miranda and Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky) and we wanted something a little more lighthearted!  This isn’t to say that Beauty Queens  is all fluff; in fact, it tackles some pretty tough subjects like self-perception, beauty in today’s world, and the impact of body image on teenage girls.  But…if you’ve read the book, you understand why we also think it’s hilarious because Libba Bray tackles these topics with wit, flair, and sometimes downright cry your eyes out hysterics.

So join in our reading adventure next week  - and be sure to comment and let us know what you’re thinking as you’re reading!

And here is what we’re currently reading (besides Beauty Queens!)

UNINVITED (Uninvited #1) by Sophie Jordan
March 2014, HarperTeen

You can’t change your DNA…even when it says you’re a murderer.

When Davy tests positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, aka “the kill gene,” she loses everything. Once the perfect high school senior, she is uninvited from her prep school and abandoned by her friends and boyfriend. Even her parents are now afraid of her—although she’s never hurt a fly. Davy doesn’t feel any differently, but genes don’t lie. One day she will kill someone.

Without any say in the matter, Davy is thrown into a special class for HTS carriers. She has no doubt the predictions are right about them, especially Sean, who already bears the “H” tattoo as proof of his violence. Yet when the world turns on the carriers, Sean is the only one she can trust. Maybe he’s not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

Add UNINVITED to goodreads, and learn more about UNINVITED by visiting Sophie’s website.

—–

HELLO PRETTY COVER.  We’re giving  Sophie a virtual high-five for the cover and that killer tagline. Pun intended

Stohl’s done an amazing job on her first solo venture – she’s woven beautiful imagery with a creative concept and I can’t wait for more!!

The Day changed everything, for the world and for Dol. When “they” came they planted 11 Icons around the world to control the masses, and in doing so killed millions and millions of people. Dol survived, but her parents did not. She was raised on the Mission in the Grasslands by the Padre and led a simple life with best friend Ro. Again her life changes when the Occupation Sympathizers capture her and Ro.

They are wanted for their powers. Dol is an empath, she can feel what others are feeling and Ro is a rager, and his anger creates a firestorm of fury that makes him virtually unstoppable. When they arrive at the Embassy they find two others just like them – Lucas, the lover who has charisma and charm and can bend others to his will and Tima who relies on fear and anxiety to control those around her.

Things that had me jumping up and down:
* Dol’s name, Doloria Maria de la Cruz. I will name a car this some day, mark my words.
*Lucas. Granted he wasn’t the most “trust worthy” (the quotes are important here), but if he isn’t the ying to Dol’s yang. Seriously.
*Ro, aka Furo Costas. I love him for his black and white/right and wrong views. This dude sees no gray and it’s refreshing to see him not waver with his beliefs.
*The concept. I had no idea this was an alien book. Really none. I find it interesting the idea of the Icons used as power sources welding the Lords powers over the earthlings.
*The setting. This story takes place in the Los Angeles of the future and I recognized so many things while reading. I kept saying, “I’ve been there and there!”
*The ending. I won’t go into details, just know that there is not a cliff hanger.
*The AI. Yes, all good scifi’s need an AI and this one is awesome.

What had me scratching my head:
*A few things seemed a little too easy , too convenient. I’m hoping these issues will be addressed in the next book.
*The ending. Yes, overall I liked it, but there was this one part I was like, “How did (redacted) happen?”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Diviners 
Published: 2012, Audiobook Publisher: Listening Library/BOT

Libba Bray at her finest!  You can check out Nancy’s interview with Libba about Diviners here, but do note, it makes more sense after you read the book.  I heart Libba Bray; she was gracious enough to do an interview with me about cool words (on my VocabGal blog here), and she is one of my absolute favorite YA authors.  Stay tuned to our book club selection in May if you want an impetus to read my favorite of her novels!

The Diviners, Libba’s most recent work, is awesome; I learned so much history about the 1920′s (and my students and I have been studying the Harlem Renaissance for years, so I knew a fair bit) -and Libba makes the history fascinating-she clearly has done her research, and the book is that much better because of it.  A great story with a motley crew of unique characters, I had to make sure I was listening with the lights on so as not to be freaked out by all the occult.  Essentially, a mystical serial killer, a cult religion, flappers, numbers’ rackets and more-this book is widely appealing for girls and guys.  Plus, the audio is awesome with January LaVoy as a reader who can tackle the whole range of characters.

Leverage
Published: 2011, Audio Publisher:  Blackstone Audio

Author Joshua C. Cohen delivers a riveting story about football players who take their bullying of the guys’ gymnastics team too far, but still think they can get away without consequences.  I loved how it was told in alternating chapters from the team’s newest football star and the boy’s best gymnast.

The book is definitely Friday Night Lights meets Speak, and I was outraged at how the football players treated others (but hello, I live in Ohio, and we have seen the consequences when football players think they are indomitable).  This book isn’t heavy handed with the issues but packs so. many. punches. -wow!  I was satisfied that I had somewhat predicted the outcome, and that the jocks did get their due.  Cohen was a gymnast himself, and I totally want to track him down now and ask him about his own high school experiences.  The two readers-Kirby Heyborne and Paul Michael Garcia-really articulated each character’s emotional range in the story-which went from elation to terror and back.
 
Silks
Published: 2008, Publisher: Penguin Audio Authors: Dick Francis and Felix Francis

My Dad turned me on to Dick Francis novels in high school; essentially author Dick Francis was a jockey for the queen of England, got injured, and turned his talents to writing horse-racing mysteries.  You would think these would be ordinary mysteries, but they are not!  Each book (with the exception of a small series of three), has a hero with his/her own profession that somehow gets entangled with horse racing (the research Francis does to get the nuances of every profession from jewelry to art fascinates me).  The language is excellent, the pacing is gripping, and I think Francis’s most recent ones with his son are superb.    I highly encourage all Anglophiles to check out these novels-they do not disappoint, especially with reader Martin Jarvis and his lovely his British accent.

 
Happy Listening!
Sarah

Sara Jane Rispoli is back and dude, she is so ghiaccio furioso. Her cold fury is so potent and lethal that, yeah… bad things happen. All for the good though. Sort of.

In this book, Sara Jane is still looking for her parents and her kid brother, Lou. Though, this time creepy androgynous people putting around in ice cream cone trucks are slowing her down. Plus, her best friend and confidante, Doug almost gets indoctrinated into an occult. Throw in some long lost family ties, some action sequences fit for the big screen, a little romance and lots of mafia (the Outfit) trials and you have yourself an equally thrilling book as the first.

Sara Jane, she is not the same naïve girl from Cold Fury. Not only has she taken over for her father as the Outfit Counselor-at-Large, which she’s quite good at, but she’s constantly thrown into situation after situation where she has to examine and redefine who she is. Or better yet, what she doesn’t want to become. Truly, for SJ (I like that nickname) it’s the whole Job thing – how many bad things can happen to her before she breaks?

As much as I like SJ, and her plight to find her parents I found certain parts of the story lacking – Max and Heather (didn’t see her coming). I won’t delve into specifics for fear of spoilers. However, my biggest complaint was the amount backstory information (info dumps), I feel that at times it slowed the story down.

If you’re looking for a street smart, tough heroine who just wants her normal life back with her family and is willing to do almost anything to get them back, then this is the story for you.

Stacy, who’d like to employ a little ghiaccio furioso on the laundry. That is, if it worked on inanimate objects.

So I liked Swim the Fly- the first book with these same goofball boy characters by Don Calame-a funny coming of age story about teen boys in the summer wanting to see a girl naked (note: the plan backfires miserably).  I picked the pseudo-sequel, Beat the Band (you don’t actually have to read Swim the Fly to get it) audiobook up because I needed something to listen to, and was a little curious.

I had NO IDEA just how much I would laugh out loud at the crazy antics of Cooper and his two amigos, nor the number of times I would cringe at Cooper’s stupidity in failing to realize that the girl he has to work with -who he sees as totally bringing down his reputation (really Cooper-you are NOT THAT COOL so get over yourself) – has been completely bullied by mean girls and is so much cooler than he can possibly understand.

My favorite scene-when Cooper and buddies are in a drugstore and Cooper decides that he should split up all of his contraceptive items (purchased for his health project on contraceptives with the under-appreciated Helen). His one friend Sean balks at the idea, so Coop does what any sophomore boy would do-he sneaks some in to Sean’s basket anyway.  Of course, the elderly woman at Sean’s cash register can’t get the item to ring up, so she loudly requests over the PA system for the manager to tell her the price of the spermicidal lube – completely traumatizing Sean.

It is this wacky adolescent boy humor and so many scenes that made me both cringe and better understand the teenage boy mindset that truly made me love this book.  I do also appreciate that Cooper finally (agonizingly slowly, but finally) recognizes the cost of believing in high school reputations, and the message about the ugliness of rumors is made, but not with a heavy hand.

The reader, Nick Podehl, made me laugh with his wise-cracking voice and his very Cooper-esque outrage over petty details.  I actually still remember all the character names because his unique voice can be called up at any moment when considering the book.

Sometimes I forget for an hour or two that she’s with me. Sometimes I convince myself that she was only a dream. Or that I’m crazy.

For as long as Lily Winston can remember, she has never been alone. Iris, a shadowy figure who mimics Lily’s movements and whispers in her ear, is with her always—but invisible to the rest of the world. Iris is Lily’s secret.

But when Lily’s father is killed in a tragic accident, his cryptic final words suggest that he and Lily’s mother have been keeping secrets of their own. Suddenly, Iris begins pushing Lily more than ever, possessing her thoughts and urging her to put together the pieces of a strange puzzle her father left behind. As she searches for answers, Lily finds herself drawn to Ty Collier, a mysterious new boy in town. Together, Lily and Ty must untangle a web of deception to discover the truth about her family, Iris . . . and Lily’s own identity

When I began writing The Shadow Girl and started thinking about the love story between Lily and Ty that is woven into the mystery, I knew the perfect place for them to meet in private for the  first time, away from the watchful eyes of Lily’s mother. If you’ve been following this blog tour, you already know that I based the story’s fictional location on the real location of a cabin my husband and I own in the Spanish Peaks area of Colorado. Every time my husband and I go there, we ride four-wheelers or drive our Jeep to the “Springhouse Trail,” then hike past a small waterfall to a clearing with a trickling stream and patches of wild raspberries. When I wrote the scene in the book in which Lily meets Ty at the clearing, I concentrated more on that destination and what takes place there, than on the hike down the trail to get to it. Nevertheless, it’s a nice hike through the forest, and the only thing I changed about it is the way the waterfall tumbles down the mountain. I made it so that Lily had to pass under the waterfall, when in reality, she would pass across the top of it where it flows beneath the ground before descending down the hill. It seemed more visual that way, and I thought it would be easier for the reader to picture.

I chose this location in the woods for the setting of a scene for other reasons besides the beauty of the place. It provides real insight into Lily. Some people might be nervous about being alone in a forest, but she has grown up hiking by herself in the woods, and she is obviously comfortable being alone there, surrounded by the trees, the birds, the animals, and the quiet. In fact, she is more comfortable alone in these surroundings than she is with people. That’s because Lily is never really alone; she’s never without Iris. And because Lily is so tuned in to Iris’s essence, she easily tunes into the emotions of other people, too, as she does with Ty in this scene when she takes the SpringhouseTrail to meet him:

I think I’ll get to the springhouse before Ty and surprise him, but instead he surprises me. His car is already parked behind it when I arrive. I pull up next to it and cut my engine, then walk the narrow rocky pathway that crosses beneath a small waterfall.

When I reach the clearing, I see Ty throwing rocks across the creek, his back to me. I pause in the shelter of the trees to watch him. It’s as if he’s trying to torture the opposite bank, pummeling it with stones in rapid succession, bruising the sodden carpet of moss, the fallen leaves.

After a few seconds, he stops chunking rocks and sits down on a boulder at the creek’s edge, his forearms crossing his knees. He’s not wearing the bandanna now, and as he stares into the trickling water, his hair falls over his forehead, gleaming in the sun. He seems so lost in thought that I almost don’t want to disturb him. But the wind does it for me. A gust rushes past me, clattering the tree limbs above.

Ty turns as if startled by the sound, and when he spots me his face lights up and he grins. “Hey!” He pushes to his feet. “You’re early.”

Starting toward him, I say, “So are you.”  

He reaches out a hand and helps me across the uneven jumble of rocks in the gulley and over to the edge of the burbling creek. “I was afraid you might not come.”  

“Mom decided to nap instead of going into town so I was able to sneak out.” I realize that I’m still gripping his hand, and drop it, although I don’t want to. “You have any trouble finding this place?”

“Not at all. It’s an amazing spot. Isolated.” His eyes meet mine.

“Not always. The bears like it.” I point out the green plants flanking both sides of the slender stream and poking up between low-lying, slick gray boulders. “This is a raspberry patch. By mid-August it’ll be thick with fruit. More than enough for the bears and us, too.” 

 “I doubt the bears would be happy to share,” Ty says with a laugh.

“You just have to hold your ground. Stare them down.”

He squints at me, his amused expression doing crazy things to my insides. “You’ve done that?” he asks, tilting his head to one side.

“Yeah. A black bear came up on me here a couple of years ago. I figured she could run faster over rocks than I could, so I just stayed put and glared at her with my mouth stuffed with raspberries.”

“What happened?”

“She eventually took off, and I threw up.”

He leans his head back and laughs.

I laugh, too, then go quiet. “I guess you must think it’s ridiculous that I have to sneak off to meet up with you.” 

“Not ridiculous.” Ty crouches and dips his hand into the stream, letting the water flow through his fingers. “Maybe a little old-fashioned, but that’s cool. It just shows that your Mom cares about you.”

“I guess. What about your parents? Are they strict?” I cringe inside. Stupid question. He’s traveling alone. How strict could they be?

“They probably aren’t strict enough,” Ty says, as if reading my thoughts. He picks up a stone and tosses it across the stream, lightly this time, but I detect a hint of tension in his shoulders and his words. “What was it like for you growing up here? I mean, not many people have an entire forest right outside their door.”

The air is damp and musky and alive with energy. I breathe it in, feeling revived like I always do when I come to this spot. “I loved growing up here.”

“Don’t you ever get lonely?”

I think of Iris and how isolated my childhood would’ve been without her. “Sometimes,” I say. “But I’ve learned to be alone.”

I thought you might like to see the Springhouse Trail and the clearing in this scene for yourself, so I made a couple of videos the last time I was there. The first one includes an oddly-angled close-up of me doing weird facial expressions, talking out of the side of my mouth, panting, and sniffing. (Yes, I have many talents ). Enjoy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find Jennifer Archer on her Website | Twitter | Goodreads
Add THE SHADOW GIRL to Goodreads BUY THE BOOK

Hi Stacy. Thank you so much for having me on your blog to talk about Abby Road. Lovely place you have here!

 Please, give our readers your best elevator pitch for ABBY ROAD.
Abby Road is a rom-com about a famous singer named Abigail Kelly. When the story opens, she’s been working, touring, recording non-stop for five years. There’s a break in her schedule and she runs away to a secluded beach for a summer vacation and for some major decompression. There, she meets a hunky surf shop owner. Shenanigan ensue, romance blooms. But will that last when the summer ends and the pressure of being under the spotlight returns?

What is it about Abby that draws the readers in, that makes her relatable to others?
I’ve had readers tell me how much they felt for Abby and understood what she was going through. Let’s face it, none of us are rock stars, but on some level, most women have experienced loss, pressure at the work place, feelings of inadequacy, guilt and depression, as well as overwhelming love. I worked really hard at making Abby relatable…which was difficult at first, seeing as she’s famous. So I did quite a bit of “method acting” as I wrote the book. I put myself in Abby’s superstar shoes and tried to figure out what I would do if I was in her situation. I think that made her more of a “regular” girl. She has parts of all of us in her.

Without giving too much away, which scene was your favorite to write?
Oh, this is a tough question, because there are so many. I love the scene when Abby and Todd first meet. I love their first kiss. But I also loved to write when things started going very wrong for her. When something makes me cry as I’m writing it, I hope some of that emotion carries over onto the page. I cried many times (both happy tears and sad tears) while writing Abby Road.

We’d love to know what you been reading this year, any book recommendations?
I just started reading The Mystery of Mercy Close, the new Marian Keyes novel. She lives in Ireland so it’s not available here in America yet, but a friend took a trip in England and snagged me a copy. I’m already loving it so hard! All of her books are wonderful and clever. I’ve never read such sparkling dialogue. She’s a brilliant writer. She can take a tragic theme and add warmth and humor. It’s a real skill; one that I envy!

—–

About Abby Road by Ophelia London
Touted by the tabloids as the biggest rock star of our generation, Abigail Kelly is used to being in the spotlight. But beyond the glam of Hollywood, her world is falling apart. Still reeling from the death of her brother and wilting under the iron fist of Max, her manager, Abby banishes herself to the secluded beaches of Florida for the summer, thinking some anonymity and sunshine are just what she needs. What she finds, instead, is Todd, an ex-marine eager to embrace life after war. Together, Abby and Todd find the balance Abby’s life has been missing.

That is, until Max resurfaces, demanding Abby return to Los Angeles to record her band’s newest album. As the pressures of public appearances, paparazzi, and late-night recordings start to mount, Abby will have to risk everything or lose the life she always dreamed of.

Ophelia London’s ABBY ROAD is a love letter to music—both the kind you cherish and the kind you create—as well as a beautiful love story that proves even when everyone in the world can recognize your face, the only people who matter are those who can see inside your heart.

add ABBY ROAD to your goodreads or order from B&N / Amazon

We also discuss writing, other YA books and more!!

*find as on itunes for listening on the go*

Sixteen-year-old Trinity Brown is used to her grandfather’s crazy stories, so she never believed the latest treasure he brought home was a real dragon’s egg. Not until their home is invaded by soldiers trying to steal it and a strange boy who tells her the world as she knows it will be wiped out in a fiery dragon war—unless they work together to stop it. Meantime, there’s a different voice whispering to Trinity, calling to her, telling her what to do…the dragon inside her egg is not ready to give up without a fight.

Coming September 3rd 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire, but until then you must add to your goodreads.

This cover screams, “READ ME NOW, READ ME NOW.” Which, is exactly what we’re saying. *hint hint Sourcebooks Fire*

What does Mari think?
It all started with one of those Scholastic Book Club flyers, being passed around my elementary school. As I scanned the pages my eyes fell to one particular book and I found I couldn’t look away. The cover depicted a mighty dragon, filling up almost the entire page—claws outstretched, teeth bared, fire blasting from its throat. At the bottom, there stood a girl, wielding a mighty sword, determined and unafraid as she took on a creature ten times her size.

The book was Robin McKinley’s Hero and the Crown. And the cover is still one of my favorites—even today. (As is the book itself!) In fact, I reread the paperback so many times it eventually fell apart. But my love for dragons has lasted forever.

Now I have my own dragon book. Set in our world—in our time—with one last dragon egg, unearthed from a melting glacier and ready to hatch.

But will this dragon have the power to save our world? Or will its very existence serve to tear us apart?

Because we’re cool (oaky, really Sourcebooks Fire is cool) we have the first chapter for you to read, prepare yourselves for greatness…

Eleven-year-old Holly Shepard wants nothing more than to seek adventure outside of her humdrum American life. She gets her chance at last when her family travels to England and Holly receives an unusual gift: an iron key that unlocks a passage to the dangerous kingdom of Anglielle, where magic is outlawed and those who practice magic are hunted. When her friend Everett and brother Ben are captured by Anglielle’s ruthless king, Holly must rescue them. But that means finding—and using—the magic within herself and learning which magical allies she can trust.

The Key & the Flame is the first in a brand-new fantasy adventure series for ages 8 and up.

We recently spoke with Claire and talked all things Key & Flame, check it out here.

** THE KEY & THE FLAME – GIVEAWAY**
One lucky winner will receive a finished copy of THE KEY & THE FLAME!!

The Rules:
• OPEN in US and CANADA only
•  Must fill out the form correctly
•  Must be 13 years old or older to enter
•  Winner will be determined by Random Number Generator
•  Winner notified via email & will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen
• Prize will be mailed directly from publisher
•  Giveaway ends April 22, 2013 at 11:59PM CEN

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy it on Amazon / Barnes & Noble

*as always, you can find us on itunes*

Today, I am here to talk about using YA books in the classroom. As a seventh year teacher and YA writer, I am a big supporter of bringing popular teen books into the classroom to encourage reluctant readers and teach the classic literary elements.

I’m by no means a revolutionary. I teach two books every year off my school’s suggested reading list including the classic, The Outsiders by S.E Hinton, but I also venture out on my own as well.

Ms. Truitt’s Reading List for the 2012-2013 School Year:
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Dystopian Lit Circle Books (Students choose one of the following books to read on their own in order to participate in Socratic Seminars, independent projects, and a classroom blog):
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Matched by Allie Condie
Uglies by Scott Westerfield

Sample Projects / Assignments (can be amended for any dystopian book):

—–

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner.

Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman(5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom.

Tiffany is proud to call herself an educator and Young Adult author. Her first book CHOSEN ONES is out now, and the follow up NATURALS just recently released.

Check out Tiffany on twitter / blog and add don’t forget to add CHOSEN ONES and NATURALS to your goodreads list!