Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Date:  September 27, 2011
Series or Standalone: First of series
ISBN: 978-0316134026
Format: Hardcover,  432 pages
Source: ARC from BEA
Cover thoughts: love this cover, actually.

 Rating: A++++++ (I really loved it, okay?) 
  First line: Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well.

Once upon a time…

Imagine a world where wishes hang around necks on a string. Where teeth can be traded for wishes.

Imagine a world where chimaera—demon creatures that seem to be woven together from spare parts—collect teeth.

Imagine a world with portals to other lands, and a girl with blue hair who was raised by demons.

This is the world of Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

Laini Taylor has built the most incredible world I’ve ever experienced in a book. Ever. Thinking about how fantastic this book was just gives me chills. If you’re around the internet at all, you’ve probably heard people talking about this book. It’s for a good reason. The book is utterly fantastic.

a demon…

The novel is split into four sections and each one opens with a short fairy tale. The first section, we learn all about Karou and her unusual life. Karou is a girl who has blue hair, eye tattoos on her palms (called Hamsas), no family and a talent for art. She wears wishes around her neck and spends all her spare time running errands for a chimaera named Brimstone, a demon creature who raised her and trades wishes for teeth.

Karou doesn’t know much about the chimaera world—a place called Elsewhere that is only a portal away. Aside from the four who raised her and the few who come into Brimstone’s shop to trade teeth, she doesn’t encounter many chimaera. It’s almost as if she is a secret. Of course, she doesn’t know just how much that is true. Brimstone keeps Karou busy and away, sending her on errands to gather teeth and giving her wishes—usually scuppies which she wears on a necklace—as payment.

Wishes are powerful things in this world—ranging in size from a scuppy (used for small, meaningless wishes) to a bruxis (a powerful wish that requires the wishmaker to extract all his teeth in exchange.) We get to see the effects of every kind of wish there is and I must say, some of them are haunting.

and an angel…

“The angels are coming.” That’s a line from Doctor Who, but oh, so appropriate here. The angels in Daughter of Smoke and Bone are all sorts of terrifying—in their beauty, in their power, in their hatred of chimaera. This is no ordinary good vs. evil, demon vs. angel story. No, these angels are trained for one thing: killing the chimaera.

And one certain angel named Akiva has a personal vendetta against the chimaera. One in particular…

So when he sees a girl blue hair running around the city, gathering teeth, he knows she’s the key to find that one chimaera. The one who took everything from him. He follows the blue haired girl, and soon, they both find themselves trapped. Akiva is trapped with this memories and Karou in the mortal world with no way to get to her family. All that’s left of the portals that connected them are gone, charred with black handprints fitting angels.

fell in love.

 Taylor does this fantastic job at picking all this moments to tell these seemingly insignificant things and you don’t really know their purpose. And it happens so much that there are more questions than there are answers, and they keep building and building and building…

Just when you think you can’t take any more questions, any more trails of these random things—they all come together and Oh. My. Gosh. It’s more than you dreamed. This book is so layered. Every hing builds. Every thing matters. Everything is not what it seems.

The characters—everyone from Karou to Brimstone to the graverobber Karou takes teeth from—are so well-rounded. I’m in awe at how Taylor did that so well. The way she can take a simple emotion and these simple words and make these sentences that dance off the page….I can’t even fathom it.

There’s humor in this book, romance, an intricant level of plot, characters, writing, history and details that develop together to build this fantastic book. I wish I could tell you all the reasons I loved this book without ruining it. But there’s just no way to that. You will need to read it.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is not a book that you can zoom through. It’s too layered, too build, too descript for that. It’s one that you have to read when you have nowhere else to be, nothing else to do and long for escape. It’s a slow race, a slow story because there are so many things that are being developed—but I promise it’s worth the wait. It’s 400 odd pages of amazing.

It did not end well.

But it did. It so, so did. I am waiting on bated breath for book two.

*all quotes are from ARC form and subject to change in final version

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The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Date: September 20, 2011
Series or Standalone:  First of trilogy
ISBN:  978-0062026484
Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
Source: ARC
Cover thoughts: Not good. Not good. Even with the constant changes. Eh.

 Rating: C-    

Hyped books are either hit or miss with me. Majority of them have sadly been a miss for me. We are not friends currently, I guess. I was so looking forward to this. It was going to be so awesome and kick butt and bam! But, in the end, it wasn’t.

My only thought when I think about this book is: I can’t believe she ___ ____ !

The story is of princess Elisa, who has just turned sixteen and is about to be married to King Alejandro. She’s not excited, to say the least, but it is her duty. Elisa is also the chosen one, a bearer of a mysterious Godstone that has given her a destiny to fulfill. The only problem? Elisa is not special. She is fat and has never done anything exciting, ever. The prophecy says she will lead a revolution, but she doesn’t believe it. Not at all.

Elisa fell flat for me. I didn’t really feel like she grew at all. When I started reading the book, I completely liked it. It was interesting, it was fast moving, it was kind of exciting. And then we jump into part two of the story, and things reached a stand still for me. There wasn’t much happening. She wasn’t impressive. Another big flaw between me and Elisa, was her weight thing.

Now, I’m a fat girl. Elisa kept saying she was a fat girl. But all of it was such a stereotype. She loved to eat, and okay I like to eat, but I don’t think about food all the time. I don’t think about how fat I am. I just live. Elisa relished in these statements—her desire for food, how she knew how fat she was, etc--and the worst part about is that I didn’t believe it at all. I never saw her as fat in my head because she didn’t act like a fat girl. What do I mean? She ran with ease. She climbed stairs. She hauled things. There’s only one instance—halfway into the book—when I knew she was fat, when I believed. And then, SPOILER, she gets skinny. Awesome. Thanks for ruining that for me. (I have many thoughts on that but I won't say them for spoiler reasons.)

The things that were so important didn’t seem that important. There was a lot of telling me SO MANY THINGS and I just didn’t believe most of it. Not at all. Something about it didn’t connect with me—and it definitely wasn’t for the lack of trying to connect.

I can go on and on about how a simple, not-special girl starts a revolution. About how her actions have no validity. About the pacing of the story—which is slow in parts and too fast in others—the characters. Things happened so easily for Elisa, and I hate when that happens. Make the character work for something!

I think there were good things in this book. The world that’s built is pretty concrete. For the most part, I really enjoyed the love interest of the story. (Who’s not the husband, even though he was fine too.) I liked the idea of the story. The battles were descriptive, the magic and the power of the Godstone were developed. I think some readers—especially if you like high fantasy—will enjoy it. Things happened that I didn’t expect—i.e. that OMG moment I listed above—and there are some really great one-liners where Carson’s writing ability shines through.
 

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Mara Madness Blog Tour

Welcome to today's stop on the MARA Madness Blog Tour hosted all month by Books Complete Me. This is stop number 10 and to see all the other ones, click on that banner below! I love The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and I'm excited to be part of the tour!

Today, you get to meet Daniel. Who's he? Well, he is Mara's amazing brother. I think you'll get to know a lot about him in this interview. He's loyal and he's always looking out for his family. There's something really intriguing about Daniel, and he's one of my favorite characters in the novel. He's smart, friendly, and a little geeky sometimes. A great combination! Before you meet him in the book, meet him here.

What do you do for fun?
I read—Don DeLillo and Franz Kafka are my favorite authors. I also write music—Chopin and Rachmaninoff are my favorite composers.

What is your earliest memory?
When I was five, my parents took me and Mara on a cruise to Alaska. They had this talent show set up for the kids and my parents wanted me and Mara to participate so they could get a break and relax. Mara wanted to sing a song and I wanted to play piano, but then she decided she wanted to do something together. So we practiced Chopsticks for weeks, keeping it a secret from our parents, until the day of the talent show. The crew took us to a big stage and there was a piano all set up in the middle, and when we went out there, we saw virtually every single person on the cruise ship in the audience—there must have been hundreds of people. I remember being really nervous and I froze, but Mara didn’t miss a beat. She just walked right up to the piano and sat down, then turned and waited for me. I followed, and we played, and everyone gave us a standing ovation. That’s my earliest memory.

Who has had the most influence on you?
Franz Kafka.

Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
My mom. She’s been through more than most people know about, but she hasn’t let anything weaken her. She loves her kids ferociously and would do anything for us.

What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
When the delivery people showed up at our old house with the piano. I don’t remember ever saying that I wanted to play, but I think my mom knew that I did. It was an old Steinway and must have been expensive, but without it, I wouldn’t have discovered how much I love music.

What was it like when you heard about the accident your sister was in?
I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared. At the time, we didn’t know if she would wake up. But our father told us more than once how dangerous it is to do what she did—she wasn’t the first teenager to try it. So I was also angry at her. It was truly the most horrible moment of my life.

What's your biggest secret?
I have Bieber Fever. 

---
That's Daniel!! You'll get to know him more in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and he's an amazing brother/character.

As part of the Mara Madness Blog Tour, you get to solve a puzzle! Each blog has one letter assigned to them. Each stop on the tour (21 stops total) will be posting a letter and the chance to enter ends the last day of the tour, 9/30 at midnight. When you put the puzzle together, it spells out an important line from the book! Even if you haven't read the book yet, you'll still be able to piece it together. You can submit your answer here when you know it. Make sure to check out Books Complete Me on Monday the October 3rd to see if you were right!

The prize: 2 people will win a signed, finished copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer!

The letter for this blog:

Make sure you check out Books with Bite on Monday (and all the other stops!) to gather the clues.
 

Legacy by Cayla Kulver

Publisher: Harlequin
Date: June 28, 2011
Series or Standalone:  First in trilogy
ISBN: 978-0373210343
Format: Paperback, 496 pages
Source: netgalley

Rating: B-   

Legacy sounded really, really awesome to me from the beginning. I'm a fan of fantasy. Give me queens, kings, princess forced into marriage and I'm going to at least try to read it. I write this review a little torn. So let's talk about the reasons.

On one hand, I really liked so much about this story.

I liked the soldier/courter of Princess Alera--Steldor. He's pompous, concieted, a big shot in everything he does. Alera hates him for all those reason. Me? From the second I met him and saw their banter exchange, I called him Mr. Darcy in my head. They had the same kind of feel to them--that backward attraction that keeps each other on their toes and ready for a snarky comment. Yea.

Then there is London. He's Alera's  bodyguard from the time of her birth. At first, I thought he was her age. They had this really weird chemistry and I thought they were going to end up together! Then, I learned he was double her age. And I'm not sure still if there were homosexual vibes between him and another character or not. It's all very confusing in my head because I don't know where to put them!

Enter the Cockyrian. His name is Narian. He's a boy Alera's age and he comes from the enemy camp. Only wait--he's really something else entirely, someone else. Of course, from the moment he stepped on the page I knew--I KNEW--he would be a love interest. And I was not wrong. And darn it, I really liked him too. Well damn. What now?

Obviously, there's a war. There's fighting. There's the evolution of Steldor, the complication of London, betrayal, breeches and lots of flirting. So yea, it was really good.

At the same time, I figured out the whole story from the beginning, so I wasn't reading to be pulled along. Why was I reading? I don't know.

There was something about this book that kept me reading. And I really did enjoy it. Was it my favorite ever? No. Were things I didn't like? Yes. Did it entertain me and pull me out of reality? Yes.
The world-building was great. I  liked the secondary characters more than Alera and thought they really made the story. I can't wait to see what else we learn about Narian and Steldor and London and even her sister, Miranna. I am definitely going to read the next one!

My favorite parts were ones that involved Steldor. I guess I'm a fan of the underdog. If you like epic fantasy, I don't think you'll be disappointed. It's definitely worth a read--if for no other reason, do it so you can tell me what you think of all the boys.

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Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Date:  August 30, 2011
Series or Standalone:  First in a series
ISBN:  978-1442422247
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages  
Source: Netgalley

 Rating: B-/C
 First line: Emily Winters stood in front of her bedroom mirror, a fluffy white towel wrapped around her torso, as she tried to work a tangle from her dark, dripping hair.

I had no idea what this book was about. Seriously. I’d heard my CP talking about how she wanted to read it and I tried to grab it at BEA but failed. Then it came out on galley grab and I took it and read it. And the whole time I’m reading it I’m asking one question: What the heck is going on?

I’m not sure how I felt about it. I keep flopping back and forth—much like the characters. They were all pretty fake, which they’re teenagers so I get it, but they lied and cheated and then pretended like they weren’t at fault. Lots of people got hurt and this book deals with that end of the story.

What is a fury, exactly? Well, it’s not a type of fairie (like I thought). It is, however, some kind of myth that estract revenge on those who seem to deserve it. With that said, well….you can see the conflict.

I didn’t really enjoy the main characters. I couldn’t stop reading the book because I had to know what the heck was going on! The writing was pretty good, and I did enjoy the book. Especially the last 60 pages or so.

But I don’t know. There’s something about it that I didn’t like so much. Maybe it was the characters. I read it a few weeks ago from writing this review, and I just don’t know.

On one hand, I can pull out a bunch of things I liked. On the other hand, I can pull out a bunch of things I didn’t like. I’m not really sure how I’m supposed to separate those things.

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Fragment Friday (10): Daughter of Smoke and Bone

It's been a long time but it's Fragment Friday! FF is a meme started by James of Book Chic. Basically the goal of Fragment Friday is to share a little snippet of what you're reading.

About the book: 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
description from Goodreads

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

5 Reasons You'll Love WILDEFIRE by Karsten Knight

I tried to write a review of Wildefire by Karsten Knight. I tried. I've had this book for months! I couldn't do it without ruining things. So, I'm doing something different. I've boiled my long and wordy review to my top five reasons you will like this book. And here they are in no particular order!

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Date: July 26, 2010

Format: Hardcover, 400 pages 

ISBN: 978-1442421172

Read the first chapter here!

First line: Ashline Wilde was a human mood ring.

The author on the web: Twitter  |||  Blog ||| Goodreads  

Pre-order:  IndieBound |||  Amazon ||||   Book Depository  ||| Barnes & Noble

 

1. The mythology/story. Forget about Greek gods---Polynesian volcano gods is about to be the new rage. After what Karsten Knight did with this story, people are definitely going to be interested. In fact, there are more than Polyensian gods in the story. There are many different types, each unique to a certain character, and each equipped with a backstory and lots of intrigue. The mythology throughout is really intriguing, and I can't wait for more in #2. The story really centers around this mystery (the mystery of these teens and the strange things happening in their lives) and what will happen to them now that they know just who and what they are. Ashline is the main character, so hers is the story we follow closest. Hers is also the one that keeps you on your toes.

2. The characters. Every person in this book is so well-rounded and filled with intrigue. They all have their own stories and their own history. Let's start with the MC.  

• Ashline Wilde. Her name alone promises that she's going to be awesome. And she is. She's a fresh protagonist. She's angry and clever and as soon as the story starts, we're tossed into her world with no chance of escape. This never changes. She's always smart, always snarky and always trying to figure out something bigger--even when she doesn't know what it is. 
• Eve Wilde. Eve is the wayward sister of Ash. She's completely off her rocker. All sorts of crazysauce. BUT, I liked her. Why did I like her? Am I a fan of loonies? Am I a fan of girls who do the things Eve did? Apparently. Because behind all her talk, all her bad-ness, all her trickery--I liked her. She's a girl who simply wants to know who she is and what she can be. No one can blame her for that. (Well, they can but everyone can relate.)
• Colt. Steamy, steamy boy. Girls will love him because--surprise!--Karsten Knight is pretty good at the kissy-kissy, heart-flutter romance scenes. For me, I liked him because he and Ash had this really awesome banter. I'm a big fan of banter. And he had to work for a date, like really work for it, which is quite refreshing. And did I mention the banter?

• There are MANY other great secondary characters in the story. Raja. Rolfe. Serena. Ade. Lily. Headmistress Riley. I loved them all for so many reasons. I won't tell you any of those reasons, though. You'll just have to read it. There are even characters in a bar, characters who don't really even matter much, but I think they really added to the story.

3. The writing. The book is full of funny dialogue, one-liners and lots of sarcasm. It's done so it's not an overtly "funny book" but the humor and sarcasm really add to it. I laughed quite a bit, which is refreshing. The writing is crisp and something I can't really explain to you. I knew from the first page that the style was like nothing I've ever read before and I liked that. There's even this really awesome part where the third person narrative turns into...well...something else. (I don't want to say and ruin the surprise!) but it's freaking flawless. That pretty much made the book for me.

4. The pacing. Wildefire is a long book. There are very long chapters. I feel like you should know that because so often we read books thinking we'll only read a chapter. This is a trap Knight catches you in every single time. I say this because when I look at a long book, I wonder how much of it I don't really need to know. This never happened in Wildefire. The pacing in this book is solid and it really keeps the suspense going throughout the book. You'll be reading and reading and wondering what's really going on. And Knight doesn't let you know until the very end. It's evil of him, but it's so fantastic. There isn't much foreshadowing (so you definitely can't predict the ending!) and he really uses the time to develop these character relationships. It's all so important. So important. And you don't know how or why until the end. That is hard to do.

5. The ending! Wow. WHAT AN ENDING. I obviously can't say anything about it. It's half the reason I didn't write a proper review, but if you read this book for none of these other reasons, read it for the ending.

Of course, then you'd be confused. So you should just read the whole thing and marvel at the ending.

AND HEY YOU PEOPLE WHO READ THE END FIRST....don't do it. Do not do it. It will ruin everything. I'm not judging you--I am someone who struggles to not read the end first--but I promise, it's worth the wait.

In summation: Wildefire is hot for many reasons. You should go order it!

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Disney*Hyperion

Date: August 2, 2011

Series or Standalone: standalone

ISBN: 978-1423137870

Format: hardcover, 288 pages

Source: arc

Get more info/pre-order:  Amazon |||   Goodreads  |||  IndieBoundBook Depository     ||||  

The author on the web: Blog  |||  Twitter  |||  Tumblr  

First line: It starts with a crack, a sputter and a spark.

Things that make me happy: A good song. A fantastic story. Dreams. Romance. Beautiful words. Things that require the suspension of disbelief. Magic. Getting lost in a world that isn't my own. Hope, passion and the possibility that maybe, just maybe, the extraordinary can happen to the most ordinary people.

There are very few places in life these things all come together. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab is one of them.

I've read a lot of books. A lot of books. I also love a lot of books. If you read my reviews regularly or have a conversation with me then you know that. But I say to you now that The Near Witch is one that will forever stand out to me as an wonderful novel. Why? Well, it has all those things I listed above, for one. For another, I wrote a freaking rap song about it. I wouldn't do that if I wasn't devoted. Thirdly, I love it. It's a flawless re-telling of a story you've heard before but never knew and something you'll never hear again. (I kinda stole that from the book flap---but it's so completely true.)

On the surface, the town of Near is a place like any other. It's a community nestled in the moors, on the edge of the forest, where no strangers dare to tread. The town is safe, quiet, and protected. The only things to fear are the old tales of the Near Witch, which spread through the town like echoes of an old song. But beneath the surface of these tales lie more secrets than anyone knows. When children start disappearing from their beds at night and a strange boy appears in the town, the truths that have been buried for centuries begin to surface. The town condemns the boy--except for our heroine, Lexi--who is determined to save the children of Near, protect the stranger named Cole, and discover the truths the town has kept as quiet as a whisper.

I talk a lot about writing in my reviews, about this ability that some authors to have to completely floor you and create a line that's so powerful it etches itself into your soul. Victoria Schwab does this extremely well. Her lines all so elegant, powerful and read with a grace that I could only dream of possessing. Every beautiful description is flawless and so vivid I felt as if I was there every second of the book, racing through the trees and listening to wind with Lexi. I could die just thinking about the world she so beautifully created. There's a good balance here between what we are told, what we see and what we get to make up ourselves that demands praise and attention.

The characters in The Near Witch are so incredible. They each have their own story, own actions and purpose. I love that they are all flexible. What does that mean? Schwab paints them all very distinctly, yet lets the reader create their own picture of what the character looks like. It's  like Van Gogh or Picasso where it's unmistakably one thing, but it has the possibility to be something else. Every character in the story is like this--and they all jump off the page and into the heart. It lets them take on a life that's a little bit of what they were created to be, and a little bit your own.

Since I'm talking about characters, I need to mention my love for the sisters, Magda and Dreska, as they are two of my favorite characters in any book. I love their descriptions, their voice and role in Lexi's story, the mystery they bring with them and the wisdom that these two characters seem to carry. It's almost like Schwab pulled them out of the deep recesses of real life and placed in Near to offer guidance, snarky remarks and a sense that when all is hopeless, everything will be alright.

Another wonderful thing about The Near Witch is the romance between Cole and Lexie. I don't want to spoil anything, but it's a good romance. The best part about it is that it takes nothing away from the overall plot of the story, but it adds to it completely. The two of them together are a fantastic team and with everything happening around them, you can only root for this girl who wears muddy boots and this boy with a burnt robe. Their story will be one you want more of and when it's all over, you know they lived happily ever after because there's no way they didn't.

As much as The Near Witch is a book of passionate words, of love and of truth, it's also got it's share of creepy. I'd me amiss to not mention that. It's done in such an lyrical way that the effect is greater than anything else you'll ever read. This is a wonderful fairy tale, with love, enchantment and creepy queens who poison apples. (Ok...Not really. There are NO poisoned apples or queens! But there is plenty of edge-of-your-seat creepiness.)

This is a book you'll be reading to your children. It's going to survive the times and become a story that everyone knows. It's that kind of book. It has that kind of power. You won't want it to end, you won't want to stop reading it, and you won't be disappointed. The words will haunt your sleep (in a good way) and you will love it. The wind has a song to tell...and you should listen.

I mean, this is the stuff of legends. And songs have already been written about it. If you don't then you will miss this mesmorizing book that's not only a stunning debut, but a surefire classic.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

In twenty days this lovely book called Hourglass by Myra McEntire comes out into the world. I love this book. Here's a vlog I made that tells you all the reasons why. I recorded back in February so some things are no longer true.

1) This is not my first vlog review anymore.
2) This book comes out JUNE 14 now.
3) I did intentionally play that song at the beginning. Even though I didn't admit to it. I had a lot of coffee that day.
4) My bangs are no longer this awesome. :(

ENJOY!!



Here's a summary review!


Emerson has always seen things that aren't really there, ghosts or figments of her imagination. She's never had an answer, a reason why they appear to her, but they do. When the visions start to ruin her life, a boy named Michael is hired by her brother to help her. Michael turns out to be part of a secret organization called Hourglass that deals with people like Emerson, and like himself. Emerson learns she isn't seeing ghosts--but time slips, moments of the past that appear in her timeline. And Michael, he sees time slips too--of the future. The two team up to solve a murder and prevent the horrible future from happening, they get more than they bargain for. This is a WONDERFUL story. It's the perfect blend of humor, mystery and romance. Toss in some time travel, strange twists and a kick butt main character, Hourglass is certain to entertain every reader! It's awesome yall. AWESOME. Go read it.

The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder

Publisher: Graphia
Date:  April 4, 2011
Series or Standalone: Standalone
ISBN: 9780547363066
Format: Paperback, 240 pages
Description: (Shortened) At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee...and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity. But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay? Learn More on Goodreads

First line: Sitting near Darcy Madison on the school bus is enough to put anyone with woman-sprout issues over the edge.

Amy Holder puts a new spin on an old story. The Lipstick Laws is a Mean Girls meets Clueless with more of a story, more snark and more fun characters than possible in one book. Holder has a fresh, fun, funny voice in a world of YA that's overrun with angsty and sexy boys--not that those are a problem for anyone. :)

There were a lot of things I liked about this book, and a few I didn't. I loved that from beginning to end I was smiling. Smiling is good. Some of the characters were really well developed and I loved the idea that these girls had "laws." My favorite line of the book "Avoid red lipstick." Because that's the whole story.

April only wants to fit in--and with her best friend gone, she's got no one. That's why when Brittany and her group take notice of April, she pretends to be a new student and is soon part of their world of "Rank a Scank" and no clearance shelves. When Brittany and friends pull out the lipstick laws--a paper outlining the seven rules of popularity--April puts on the dreaded red lipstick and seals her fate with a kiss. That is, until it all comes crashing down and April goes from top of the world to scum. Now, she's forced to fight back and join forces with other lipstick law-breakers to give Brittany a taste of her own medicine.

Sounds fun right? That's because it is. It was hilarious and flirty, while still hitting bigger issues of body image, self-confidence and not judging people based on what they look like. Brittany was an atrocious character and you really, really want April to succeed in payback.

The story was full of little twists--and lots of fun moments. Sometimes, April was so frustrating to me in her naivity, but in the end she learns more about herself than she ever expected.

If you're looking for a fun, light-hearted read, then check out this great debut!

The Near Witch Secret Project!!!

It was a dark, cold Febuary night when I stumbled into a conversation on Twitter where Victoria and Gail were discussing V's upcoming book--The Near Witch. It's a bit of a blur to me now, but I know a few things. I know Gail said the writing was fantastic. I know I said, "Someone should write a song." (I have no idea why I said that.) I know Victoria said, "I would love that."

And then: "I'll do it!" I tweeted. "I'll write a song! A RAP song." From there it's all a blur. Three hours later--The Near Witch Rap was born. Followed by plans to record it, a group of people to help (self-named The Book Pimps) and a release date. Today, I present this to you and I hide from awesome embarrassment.

Before I show you the video, you should know a few things.

1) The Near Witch is one of the best books I've read. It's creative and beautiful and lyrical and almost all these lines were taken from the text in some way.
2) The Near Witch comes out exactly THREE MONTHS from today!
3) Victoria Schwab is all sorts of talented and I have no doubt that you will enjoy this book, future books and just getting to know her through her career. Seriously. Meet her. And she bakes wonderful cookies.
4) You are totally allowed to laugh, to re-watch and to have this song stuck in your head. All of which you will probably do anyway.
5) Press play now.



Direct URL is http://youtu.be/rTIXANb2ahc

I'm not sure what to say. Wow. Feel free to watch it again. Uh....Today is a celebration!!
Today marks the THREE MONTH mark until The Near Witch hits shelves. We think a good way to celebrate is to tell you a little bit about the author. My fellow Book Pimps and I will be hosting a short q&a with Victoria Schwab on each of our blogs. We're also each hosting a giveaway featuring some of Victoria's favorite things! All five of us are giving away DIFFERENT items as well as a signed, first edition of The Near Witch. 

This is why we're all in hats in the video. V loves this hat.

What's your favorite childhood memory?

I remember frighteningly little from my childhood, which I take to mean it was one of contentment. I say that because the times I DO vividly remember are ones of stress or difficulty. I don't mean to be ambiguous, but it's true. I was a daydreamer, with these big blue eyes my family joked could look through people instead of at them, and so it seems odd to me that so little stuck. Maybe because I was always looking up.

What is the single-most (as of right now) significant turning point in your life?

Since I graduated college in 2009, I've felt so constantly in flux, constantly making decisions that unsettle me, sometimes purposefully (like deciding to road trip around the country for three weeks, or deciding to move to the UK), sometimes by accident. There is no doubt that the biggest change has been getting a book deal. It's changed my writing, my process, and without a doubt, it's changed ME.

What do you have in common with Lexi? What are the biggest differences between you and Lexi? What trait does Lexi have that you'd most like to embody?

I think both Lexi and I have a need to prove ourselves. But I want her strength, her conviction. She KNOWS herself. I feel like there's always a question mark at the end of anything I feel, do, think, want. I covet her conviction.

If you follow Victoria on Twitter, then you know she has an obsession with baby animals, loves Neil Gaiman and baking. For my giveaway, I have this: 

• A copy of THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman
• 2 bookmarks (baby penguins and a cupcake)
• A very soft and very cute plush baby bunny
• A signed, first edition copy of THE NEAR WITCH (this will be available from Disney*Hyperion close to the release date in August)

The contest is US/Canada only and ends at 9PM EST on Saturday, May 7th. Click here to enter.

Be sure to stop by all these other blogs to see what everyone else is giving away.

Gangsta G at Ticket to Anywhere
Mad Molly at The Book Cellarx
Nikamon at Wicked Awesome Books
Disappearing D at Overflowing Shelf
Camerawoman Jen at Secret Life of A Bibliophile
and the fabulous author Victoria Schwab!

Book Talk: DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

This is my first-ever Vlog Review!

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date:  May 3, 2011

Series or Standalone: First in series
ISBN: 978-0062024022

Format: Hardcover, 496 pages
Description: On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. Learn More on Goodreads

 

Pre-order it: Amazon     Book Depository     Indie Bound

 

 

 

 

 

Here's my review! 

 

 

In summary: I loved it & you should read it.

Thoughts?

Book Talk: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date: April 26, 2011
Series or Standalone: First in series
ISBN:  9780373210268
Format: Paperback, 304 pages

Check it out:  
Goodreads    IndieBound   Book Depository   Amazon


First line: "How did it happen this time?"

Book Talk: Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

Book Talk is similar to a review. It's a place where I share my thoughts on a book I read and hopefully, you share yours as well. Tell me if you liked it or if you want to read it and any thoughts you have at all! I'd love for this to be more a book talk forum.

Publisher: Random House
Date: April 22, 2011
Series or Standalone: First in series
ISBN: 978-0375867330
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Check it out:  
Goodreads    IndieBound   Book Depository   Amazon
   

First line: My name is Josephine Darly and I intend to live forever.


Blood Magic has a lot to offer. First, there’s magic. Second, there’s blood. Third, there’s a hot boy named Nicholas. Fourth, there’s Silla—who’s all kick butt and doesn’t play. (That’s a pun. She's an actress.) Fifth-Ninth, there’s a mystery, a secret, a book, a bunch of crows, and a brother. Tenth, Tessa Gratton wrote it. And it rocked.

The story follows three people. It opens with a journal from a mysterious character named Josephine Darly. Silla and Nicholas are the main characters. Both bring extremely different voices to the story. The other two characters are Silla—who’s just lost her parents—and Nicholas—who’s just moved to town & spotted Silla. At first, it seems that these three characters have nothing in common, but the truth is that they have everything in common.

That’s what I loved most about this story. Tessa Gratton weaved together this story with precision and detail. It was like pulling a thread and seeing the whole thing unravel perfectly—it’s all that connected.  It takes a certain kind of grace and skill to make a story have this much life.

Silla
Silla’s story opens in the graveyard, where she holds a mysterious book and sits at her parents grave. She’s just learned about magic and she jumps right in. Those first two pages tell so much about her character. When you read the book, go back and double check. It will change the way you read. Silla is an actress, which is important. She spends her life pretending. When her parents die, she wears mask after mask and no one really notices—until she meets Nicholas and he sees through it all. He gets her in ways no one else has, in ways that even she doesn’t understand and she grows because of that. I would say that more of this book is supposed to be Silla’s story—but I found myself leaning toward Nicholas.

Nicholas
Nicholas was a surprise to me. From the first page of his story, I love him. He’s snarky and fun and for me, I found myself believing his character most, wanting to read the next line from him throughout the whole book. I’m sure that will read differently to everyone, but I liked Nicholas a lot. He seemed more...relatable, even thought I’m a girl. His part of the story opens at dinner with his dad and stepmother, where tensions are high. When he ventures out into the graveyard, he sees Silla doing blood magic and everything changes for him.

Again, I want to say that Blood Magic unfolds like no other story I’ve read. I keep thinking about how flawlessly each detail was put together and came out—subtly sometimes, loudly other times—but always in perfect time. I especially loved the aspect of Josephine Darly’s journal and all the things therein.

Blood Magic is a lot of things and I can’t think of a single word to describe it. There’s everything from steamy make-out scenes (many!) to bloody magic (sometimes detailed. You don’t miss it for sure!) to action and mystery and drama. It covers all the basics. There are even some sad parts in it. If you’re a queasy person, you may want to be prepared. The title is called Blood Magic because (here’s a spoiler): This story involves blood.

Ultimately, I like what it teaches you: that who you are matters. The things that have happened to you, the things you know and experience and learn all make you who you are. And you have to know yourself to truly live. The beauty of life is finding someone who can see through the mask, help you look in the mirror and then start to heal. And that power lies within, as much as it does in someone else.

I don’t know if everyone got that message, but I did. I think Silla and Nick learn that you can separate out parts of yourself, or wear masks to hide away from the past or the truth. Even if you want to face those things, it doesn’t mean they go away; they remain until you are ready to see. Eventually, you’ll have to deal with them—or they’ll deal with you.

 Talk about in the comments! Have you read this book? What did you think? Do you want to read it?

Book Talk: Clarity by Kim Harrington

Publisher: Scholastic Point
Date: March 1, 2010
Series or Standalone: First of two
ISBN: 9780545230506
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
Description:
When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth? This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.


Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.


When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

First line: “You don’t want to kill me.”

I read this whole book in a two and half hour flight to Nashville. Yea, it was that good. Clarity does a great job of adding some great elements into one freaking awesome book. Murder-Mystery. Drama. Crime. Romance. Paranormal. Comedy.

Clarity “Clare” Fern and her family are a palor trick to some. They are all gifted. Clare is a physic, who can see visions with the touch of an object. Her brother Perry is a medium and her mother is a telepath. Her family is anything but normal—which always put her as the town “freak.” When people start dying, Clare is the only one who can help and save her brother. But the closer Clare gets to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes.

I just love Clare. She’s independent, strong and full of sarcasm. Her internal dialogue makes me laugh so much. I really adore her as a main character. Her devotion to her crazy family and her desire to stop a killer make her more unique in the small tourist town. She’s Veronica Mars meets Nancy Drew—plus psychic. So, it’s awesome.

The story is littered with possible suspects. The more you read the more you have no idea who the killer is!

First, there’s Perry. Her disappears after the first murder and has connections to her. Did he do it? Clare is out to prove his innocence but the deeper she digs, the guiltier he looks.

Then there are the town bullies: Billy and Frankie. They’ ve always been evil little guys, hating on the Fern family. But are they capable?

Let’s not forget Madame Maslov. Ever since she’s moved to town the fraud has been stealing clients from Clare’s family. She has this creepy air about her—and every time she talks to Clare she gives her a deadly warning. Surely she’s hiding something!

And-and there are two great boys after Clare’s heart. There’s her ex Justin. He seems like a good guy. We learn pretty immediately how he hurt her—but you can tell he really cares about her. He’s the one who gets the new detective to use her to solve the mystery. There’s also Gabriel, the detective’s son who has his own secrets and appeal. He counters Clare well, keeps her on her toes and comebacks on the tip of her tongue. The two boys are different—very good boy vs bad boy—but both are swoon-worthy. But does one of them have a deadly secret?

Don’t miss this fantastic debut! Clarity is a funny, perfect, mysterious story. It will keep you wondering whodunit and how in the world so many secrets can exist in a small town. You’ll fall in love with Clare as she ventures to stop a killer—and it may cost her life.

Book Talk: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Publisher: NAL Trade
Date: March 2010
Series or Standalone: First in series
ISBN: 978-0451232687
Format: Paperback, 336 pages
Description:
In her dreams he’s irresistible—seductive, charming, and undoubtedly dangerous. But when he appears to her when she’s awake—and captivates her just the same—she’s not sure which way is up and which is down.
Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.
As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.
And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

First line: Everything changed the night I saw the burning man fall from the sky.

I picked up Falling Under because of the cover. I mean, it’s SO gorgeous. I read it because of that line. That very first line. It captivated me and then, the rest was history. I started the book on a plane ride and when I had to stop to sleep it you might as well have killed me. It was so marvelous—the prose, the characters, the plot, the descriptions—I was in love right away.

Gwen Hayes did an amazing, amazing job painting a picture of Theia’s dream world and Haden’s real world that you couldn’t help but be pulled in. The whole time—from the first dream to when Haden steps into Theia’s class—you’re wondering if he’s good or evil. It’s a hard decision to make because you want to trust him, yet he’s saying not to trust him. All we know about Haden is that he has an agenda (again, whether it’s good or bad we don’t know) and it involves Theia. Unfortunately for Haden, he falls for her—and you can be certain that’s not part of his plan.

Haden is a wonderful character, teasing Theia and then being nice. He’s hot and then he’s cold. He wants to be near her and then he’s pushing her away. He's the trademark "tortured soul"--or so he seems. He's completely surprising.

Theia is a nothing-left-unsaid kind of girl, especially when it comes to Haden. She doesn’t question herself. She knows she wants to be with Haden, knows he wants to be with her, and she doesn’t let him change her mind. I love her because she's NOT that way in the beginning of the story. She’s sheltered, distant from her father and does everything to please him—even when she doesn’t want to.

Then, Haden helps her come out of that role and find a role as her own person. She also does the same for him. He doesn't change her--or her change him--they change each other by showing each other who they truly are. It's one of the most beautiful transformations of a character in literature. I can't explain it without you reading it, but who Theia is in the beginning of the book and who she is at the end are two very different things.

This is story that you won’t be able to predict. Everything is so exciting and descriptive and unique. It will take you down one road only to switch directions and leave you with whiplash. It will tear out your heart, stomp on it and then patch it back together—that’s a good thing, of course.

Falling Under is the perfect blend of things that go bump in the night, dreams, nightmares and the deceptive beauty of love. It will challenge your view on what's real and what's only a dream--and how both of those things can completely transform a life. Don’t miss Falling Under. This is a book that people will be talking about!

Book Talk: A Touch Mortal

Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Date: February 22, 2010
Series or Standalone: First in trilogy
ISBN: 9780062004994
Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
Source: ARC
Description:
Eden didn't expect Az.
Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.
Yeah.
So long, happily-ever-after.
Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.
She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.
And that's only the beginning of the end.

First line: Eden dug her hand into the damp sand, black polish chipping off the tips of her fingernails.

A Touch Mortal is a lot fun. There’s a huge cast of characters full of quirks and witty sarcasm that you can’t help but love it! Of course, I use the word “fun” lightly—since this is dark book that’s very far from fun. Yet, it's exactly that.

Leah Clifford does a few things really well in this story that make it stand out. I'm going to lay out all the ones I can think of without giving anything away.

First, Clifford avoids all the clichés and makes things completely her own. She develops a mythology and a world that’s unique, dark and powerful. Siders, the Fallen, and the Bound…each aspect added something new and exciting to the book.

This book is heavier than a typical “angel” book. Clifford handles the dark and depressing issues with ease and a sense of humor. This is not a light book. The suicide is a major theme in this book—in fact, it’s how the race of Siders are created. This is a tale of loss, lies, right and wrong and the lines that blur them. But it's also about truth, discovery, life and love.

If (I mean, when) you read it, you'll meet some amazing characters. ATM is full of intense characters—and many, many hot boys (some with wings!) Whether it’s the Eden, Az, Gabe, Kristin (the Sider who first took her in and “taught her the ropes”) each character has a purpose and story line. There are a lot of characters, but Clifford does a great job keeping them together and flowing. The third person POV really helps here. You get to see and experience everything the characters do. I liked Eden; she’s like Rogue from X-Men. Only sassier. I still don’t know which characters I like and don’t like. They’re so mutli-dimensional and layered. Kristin was great—or maybe not, I don’t know!—but I loved the interactions that she and Eden had. I can’t wait to see where ALL the characters go and who we meet next.

A Touch Mortal leaves you guessing! I could never figure out what was happening. As soon as I thought I knew something, I’d soon find out that I was wrong. The book kept me wondering, "What the heck is going on?” Clifford throws piece after piece of the massive plot puzzle on the table and slowly and precisely puts them together to show you the whole--stunning!--picture. My mind was reeling the whole time, wondering, hanging on for the rest. It was twist after twist and I loved it. So few books give the challenge of figuring it out and not being able to. That really made the book for me.

I think I mentioned all the guys? There were a lot of guys. There were almost as many swoon-worthy boys as there were lines. Here are some that I loved:

Az: "Enjoys long walks on the beach and sarcastic girls. Bird fetish a plus."

Eden: "You're insane." Kristin: "And you're boring.”

Eden: "So beg. I'll even lend you some markers. You can make yourself a real nice sign."

Luke: "Just because I don't know how to work a toy doesn't mean I don't want it in my toy box. She's shiny. And I want her.”

Gabe: "Every secret seems to burn its way out eventually."

The only thing that left me dissatisfied was that we don't get to see Eden & Az's relationship develop in the beginning. They go on a date and then they’re together and things are past tense. I don’t want to see everything, but more details there would have given all the wonderful pages that follow more stability. I think if we had more stock invested in their relationship, it would've make the risks and decisions Eden takes later have a lot more power. AND I really wanted something to explode. Something needed to blow up! Boom. Maybe she'll throw an explosion in one of the next books just for me? (Please Leah? PLEASE?)

I definitely can't complain! A Touch Mortal exceeded my expectations with witty dialogue, suspense and lovable/hate-able characters. If you want an unpredictable, fresh, romantic, paranormal book, then A Touch Mortal will not disappoint. A Touch Mortal comes on Tuesday; be part of the rumor.

Book Talk: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date: March 15, 2010
Series or Standalone: First in trilogy
ISBN: 978-0062002327
Format: Hardcover, 464 pages
Source: ARC
Description: This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

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

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

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

First line: I stared out the classroom window and longer for freedo, wanting to be anywhere in the world other than gaping at my economics teacher like the rest of my classmates.

This book is pretty wonderful. I had the ARC for a while but I didn’t have the time to read it early. I read Sunday night instead (or while) watching the Grammy’s, and it was the right call because it was 10000 times better! It didn’t take long to figure out this book was completely new and different—in addition to well-developed and well-written. I jumped into the world of Angelfire and couldn’t escape! It was amazing.

This book is the story of Ellie, a girl who has nightmares that turn out to be real visions of her past lives. Ellie is the Preliator—the one person (who’s not quite a person) with the power to stop the ultimate evil of the reapers. But she doesn’t know this until she turns seventeen and she meets Will. Will is her Guardian, sworn to protect her and search for her each time she is reborn. Ellie and Will work together to stop the evil from ending the world and she soon discovers that she is way more than she expected and the duty of protecting humanity is more important than the rest of her world.

Angelfire covers so many pieces of YA it’s really hard to list them all. There’s romance, real-life drama that you’d find in contemporary pieces, humor, fantasy, mythology and action. True story: there was a boy in college writing class who loved Stephen King and all his stories were gore and guts. Many scenes took my back to that class and that boy’s stories. Moulton’s character kick a lot of Reaper butt. Seriously. There was scene after scene of killer combat action. Sometimes, I felt like I was reading a different book. That alone makes this book more boy-appealing. Sure, there’s love and lust and the MC’s a girl—but the action is enough to cross-over to other fans. It really makes this book stand out.

Something else that made Angelfire unique is the world-building and mythology that Courtney Allison Moulton developed in the story. I enjoyed the way the story employed Christian theology, as well as other Eastern traditions. She pulled in the basic beliefs of Christian theology (the fallen, Satan, the separation of angels and lost souls) and teachings of reincarnation, magic and fate. It was a unique and solid spin on good vs. evil and angels and demons. I’m not a big fan of angel books, but I can definitely recommend this book! I hate even calling it an angel book because it’s so much more than that.

Ellie struck me from the beginning. I liked the way she was set up as a normal girl—and how that stays throughout the story. She doesn’t want to be “special”, but she is and she accepts that eventually in some way. Her life is so normal: friends, school, parties, a mom who is so cool and supportive and a dad who…um…isn’t. She struggles at school just because she’s distracted. It was all very true. I liked Ellie. As the story went on and she learned exactly what she was I liked her more. She’s a great character: independent, smart, sarcastic, friendly, passionate. When I think of powerful and strong female MCs, I’ll always think of here now. She’s up there with Clary and Katniss.

There’s been a lot of talk about Will. I’ve heard the stories of his dreaminess and kick-butt awesome gorgeousness. It was true; he IS incredible. He’s completely and totally angelic. He combats Ellie’s snark with plenty of his own. His words are wise, his eyes are green and his character is completely lovely. Plus, he will always defend Ellie and challenge her at the same time. I like that. I like that, a lot.

Favorite lines! I tweeted these while I read. These are just a few lines that I really, really liked.

"Love doesn’t make you blind. It paralyzes you until you can’t breathe or run away from it.”

"He felt as familiar as his voice, firm like the foundation of a skyscraper..."

"Love is a beautiful but terrible thing. You have to be careful with it. It can destroy you."

"My eyes may have been unused to his face, but my soul knew him better than it knew anything in the world."

"That’s the point of believing in something. There’s so much doubt and tribulation during your journey that you’ve got to hang on to something, or else you’ll fall."

"I'd let him think about that for a little while"

I can’t wait to see where these lovely characters go. This is the first book in a trilogy and Moulton did a great job of wrapping up the book and leaving open so many details.

Fragment Friday (6): So Shelly by Ty Roth

1. Sorry about the quality. I had to record it on facebook b/c youtube and my iphoto weren't cooperating. Lame. Welcome to my life. (Also, the random movements are because it was fish-eyed! Nothing looked like it was real while I was recording.)

2. FF is a meme started by James of Book Chic. Basically the goal of Fragment Friday is to share a little snippet of what you're reading.

So Shelly by Ty Roth
Description: Until now, high school junior, John Keats, has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.

After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think. As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.




HAPPY FRIDAY!! Go read a book. :)